SN Tennis Products, Lessons & Services at Richmond County Country Club Tennis Center Staten Island, NY 

*Submitted to Addvantage Magazine on 12.5.13

 
Drill for 2 or more players (can be used for one player)

 
Emphasis: Cutting off a sharp angle shot (using a direct path to the ball to cut the ball off).

Drill:

-Pro begins on deuce side of the court near the sideline/service line intersection.

- Doubles team begins in neutral (center of service box doubles positions at net.) [see diagram I]

-Place a cone/target in the doubles alley on doubles alley close to the service/singles line intersection. 

-Pro feeds a ball to the player on the deuce side instructing that player to aim for the target located in the cross court doubles alley (opposite deuce court.)

-Both players shift towards the target side into zones two and three. (Towards the pro's deuce side, and the students ad side) See diagram II.

-Pro feeds a second and third ball within range of both players (zones two and three) and then announces an upcoming wide feed, back towards the students' deuce side (zone one).

-The player in the zone two is instructed to move forward towards the net to cut off the wide angle feed. (see diagram III)

-Player can redirect the volley towards the open court, back to the cross court or down the middle or other suitable location.

-Make sure players rotate positions and also arrange drill from the opposite (add court) side.

 

Progressions:

- Feed wide balls without announcement

-  Add follow up shots and have players shifting before and after the wide feed...have players follow their shots (shifting to the location of their targeted shot)

-  Add repetitive wide feeds after players recover and are fed balls into their recovery/shifted locations

-  Add shifting where both players can cover wide feeds during the same drill (simulating a single point)

-  Play 2 on 2 points with pro or players who can repetitively hit wide angle shots

-  Note: be sure to feed the shots to the center zone and down the line to avoid players from auto-shifting to cover wide zone as in diagram III.

- Most club players will want to move laterally for wide balls and it will take time getting used to moving forward to cut off the angle of a wide ball.

 

 

 

 

Diagram I                                                                                                                   Diagram II                                                                                                    Diagram III