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Tennis24/7 Speed and Reactions from the Baseline

Drill: Speed and Reactions from the Baseline

A simple drill to build speed, racket control & reaction time with variations to increase the level of difficulty and challenge for players.

This simple drill builds speed, ball/racket control and reaction time – whilst offering variations to increase and decrease the difficulty to accommodate different players. So, it’s a great activity to include when you’re working with groups of equal or mixed abilities.

Speed & reactions drill – Variation 1

For the base variation of this speed & reactions drill, players must run towards the ball, tap it gently up with their racket and then catch it – before they reach the service line.

Learning point

As the player runs at full speed towards a short ball, like a drop shot), they’re imagining that they’re going to play the most common return – which is a drop shot back. So, this drill is building the skill to run very quickly towards a ball that they’ve got to control when they get there.

Speed & reactions drill – Variation 2

In the second variation, players must hit the ball UP as if they were going to lob the ball, and then catch it – before they reach the service line.

Learning point

As the player runs at full speed towards the short ball at the net, again probably a drop shot, instead of just tapping the ball back over, they’re going to lob their opponent. This drill is building the skill level to do that.

Speed & reactions drill – Variation 3

When you have players with different skill levels – one faster, one slower, you can vary the challenge.

Option A – drop the ball from higher up to give the slower player longer to get to the ball.
Option B – drop the ball from in front you, closer to the player, to reduce the distance the slower player has to run.

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