These drills are best for adults to practice on a regular basis:
Down the Alley
This drill helps the players to focus on consistency and exactness, rather than simply control. It is to be practiced for 10 minutes. Every player remains on inverse sides of the court in the doubles. The group needs to hit between 10-12 shots in the space keeping in mind the end goal. Hitting the ball down the alley in doubles is usually unwise. If the net player has properly shifted and has good hands, your alley shot will come back faster and leave you and your partner lunging for the ball—or staring helplessly as it goes by. But there are two situations where attacking the alley is a good play. The first is if the opposing volleyer is active and extensively poaching. Hitting down the alley from time to time will keep the poacher honest. The second is if the opponent at the net doesn’t shift properly with the baseline player, leaving the alley wide open. The third is if the player covering the line is a poor volleyer.
Overhead Smash and Run
Perhaps one of the most difficult tennis moves to master, the overhead smash involves hitting a ball over your head and down into your opponent’s court with force. Hitting an overhead smash is somewhat similar to serving. However, it is done over your head and while on the move. Run forward or backpedal in order to get to the ball, before swinging your master arm back, much like a golf backswing.
The Serve Drill
The purpose of tennis serve drills is to teach the player how to empty his mind and how to serve with focus. There are also situations where a player must serve under pressure and needs to shut this pressure off so that he is able to serve at his best. You will need a basket of balls and set up three targets along the service line on the opposite side of the net in both the deuce and promotion courts. The serve is the one shot in tennis where a player has control, which makes it a great deal more imperative to rehearse and refine. Targets from left to right will be numbered with one to six. Prior to each serve, watch for which target you are meaning to hit. Make a point to work on serving for no less than 30 minutes.
