300 Series: Skills & Drills Lab
Serve & Return
Takeaways & Training Tasks
Keep the momentum rolling with these quick steps:
- Refresh your memory with the 2 skills, 2 drills, and training video.
- Knock out the drills 2ā€“3x before we meet again.
- Each time you play, pick one skill and make it your mission to useĀ it often and on purpose.
Serve - Depth Focus
- Grip: Continental or Eastern Forehand
- Stance: Semi Open for optimal hip rotation and weight transfer
- Paddle Prep: Low to high in pendulum shape next to body
- Contact Point: Below the waist, out in front with weight transferring from back foot to front foot
- Follow Through: Out in front towards the target
Deep Serve Collector
- Place cones dividing service box into 2 depths.
- Players set up cross court from each other on the baseline.
- Serve partner to partner seeing who can get the most deep serves in the
timed round. - 1 min rounds - both on odd and even sides.
Return of Serve - Depth Focus
- Contact Point: Focus on contact point out in front
- Weight Transfer: Load and Rotate. Extending forward through the ball. This creates depth which is key for return of serve.
- Hands: Reach out with non paddle hand on forehands. Separate hands
when hitting a 1 handed backhand. - Swing: Short Backswing. Swing plane to the side to initiate kinetic chain.
Baseline Depth Rally
- Players set up on the baseline cross court or straight on
- Set out cones to mark a depth target.
- Players rally with forehands and backhands aiming to get beyond the depth target line.
- Add challenge by introducing a spin or accuracy challenge to the depth.
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