Take your game to the next level π.Β Each game/drill described below can have multiple variations.Β It all depends how creative you and your partner want to get.Β The games can range from very simple to complex depending on your ability to execute your shots comfortably and your skill level π€.
Remember to have fun!!! π
Dinking head on: Β½ court
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the non-volley-zone area.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand across the net from each other and hit nice and soft dinks back and forth.
- Try landing your dink 3 feet from the net.
- Start by hitting directly at your partner.
- Make it more complex by varying the direction; to their left or right.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking cross court: forehand
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the non-volley-zone area.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand cross court from each other and hit dinks back and forth with an easy pace using your forehand.
- Try landing your dink 3 feet from the net.
- Start by hitting directly cross court to each other.
- Make it more complex by varying the length of your dink; closer to the center court line or longer to the side line.
- If youβre getting a hang of it, try getting your dinks tighter to the net π.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking cross court: backhand
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the non-volley-zone area.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand cross court from each other and hit dinks back and forth with an easy pace using your backhand.
- Try landing your dink 3 feet from the net.
- Start by hitting directly cross court to each other.
- Make it more complex by varying the length of your dink; closer to the center court line or longer to the side line.
- If youβre getting a hang of it, try getting your dinks tighter to the net π.
- Remember to have fun π.
Serving spots: A, B, C, D
- Make this a fun game, whether itβs first to 11 points or anything youβd likeβ¦
- Serve to βAβ only. Then βBβ only.Β Etcβ¦
- You can vary your game play and decide to serve to βA and Cβ only.Β Etcβ¦
- Work on your serves.Β After a while youβll notice which serves you had no difficulties with and which serving spots you might want to spend extra time on π.
- Remember to have fun π.
Serve and return: deep – full court
- Make this a point game (server is on top).
- Have your partner serve to you; as in the 0-0-2 start and your goal is to return the serve back and deep to the baseline.
- If you manage to get your return deep and inside the dedicated area; you get a point.
- You can alternate serves back and forth and see who gets to 11 first or you can decide that each of you will serve 11 times and how many times your serve return is successful.
- Remember to have fun π.
Serve and return: deep spots – A, B, C
- Make this a point game (server is on top).
- Have your partner serve to you; as in the 0-0-2 start and your goal is to return the serve back and deep to the baseline, however now itβs into a designated area.Β Whether itβs βAβ or βBβ or βCβ or any combination you both decide onβ¦
- If you manage to get your return deep and inside the dedicated area; you get a point.
- You can alternate serves back and forth and see who gets to 11 first or you can decide that each of you will serve 11 times and count how many times your serve return was successful.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking and lob: deep – head on
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the non-volley-zone area and 1/2 court.
- Make this a point game.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand across the net from each other and hit nice and soft dinks back and forth.
- Try landing your dink 3 feet from the net.
- Start by hitting directly at your partner.
- After 5 dinks or so, try lobbing the ball over your partner and led it into a designated area.
- If your lob was successful, you get a point.
- You can alternate lobbing back and forth and see who gets to 11 first or you can decide that each of you will lob 11 times and count how many times your lob was successful.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking and lob: deep – cross court
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the non-volley-zone area.
- Make this a point game.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand cross court from each other and hit nice and soft dinks back and forth.
- Try landing your dink 3 feet from the net.
- Start by hitting directly at your partner.
- After 5 dinks or so, try lobbing the ball over your partner and led it into a designated area.
- If your lob was successful, you get a point.
- You can alternate lobbing back and forth and see who gets to 11 first or you can decide that each of you will lob 11 times and count how many times your lob was successful.
- You can play this game with either your forehand or your backhand.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking drives: no bounce – forehand
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the air; without a bounce.
- Make a point not to get this out of hand because this can escalade quickly π.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand across from each other and hit nice and controlled drives back and forth with your forehand only.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking drives: no bounce – backhand
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the air; without a bounce.
- Make a point not to get this out of hand because this can escalade quickly π.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand across from each other and hit nice and controlled drives back and forth with your backhand only.
- Remember to have fun π.
Dinking drives: no bounce – alternate
- Remember the objective is to keep the ball in the air; without a bounce.
- Make a point not to get this out of hand because this can escalade quickly π.
- The simplest is to have you and your partner stand across from each other and hit nice and controlled drives back and forth with your forehand and backhand; alternating.
- Remember to have fun π.
1 on 1: even side only – forehand
- Make this a regular game to 11.
- Make a point to use your forehand as often as you can.
- Try to implement all the skills (serve deep, return deep, dink)
- DO NOT switch sides of the court.Β Play the entire game from even side.
- Remember to have fun π.
1 on 1: odd side only – backhand
- Make this a regular game to 11.
- Make a point to use your backhand as often as you can.
- Try to implement all the skills (serve deep, return deep, dink)
- DO NOT switch sides of the court.Β Play the entire game from odd side.
- Remember to have fun π.
1 on 1: Β½ court only – version “A”
- Make this a regular game to 11.
- Make a point to focus on your shots.Β Forehand player should focus on hitting their shots down the line, and backhand player should focus on using backhand to hit down the line.
- Try to implement all the skills (serve deep, return deep, dink)
- DO NOT switch sides of the court.Β Play the entire game on half court.
- Remember to have fun π.
1 on 1: Β½ court only – version “B”
- Make this a regular game to 11.
- Make a point to focus on your shots.Β Backhand player should focus on hitting their shots down the line, and forehand player should focus on using forehand to hit down the line.
- Try to implement all the skills (serve deep, return deep, dink)
- DO NOT switch sides of the court.Β Play the entire game on half court.
- Remember to have fun π.
1 on 1: Β½ court only – version “A”
- Make this a regular game to 11.Β Switch to an odd side only if you got a point.Β Receiver DOES NOT switches sides unless they receive a point after they served.
- Make a point to focus on your shots.
- Try to implement all the skills (serve deep, return deep, dink, forehand down the line, backhand down the line)
- Remember, DO NOT switch sides unless you earn a point.
- Remember to have fun π.
1 on 1: Β½ court only – version “B”
- Make this a regular game to 11.Β Both players switch sides on any point that is earned.
- Make a point to focus on your shots.
- Try to implement all the skills (serve deep, return deep, dink, forehand down the line, backhand down the line)
- Remember, receiver also switches sides if the server got a point.
- Remember to have fun π.