Tennis Skills and Drills

This article includes a breakdown of several Tennis Skills and Drills. The skills are detailed so you should be able to follow them fairly easily. Enjoy!!

Tennis

1. Continental Grip- when the palm sits upon the top right side, the most common grip used.
2. Eastern grip- Primarily used for forehand
3. Shaking hands drill-

a.       Teacher partner students up

b.       One partner holds the racket by its face and lowers it down into the other partner’s hand.

c.        The partner that is having the racket lowered into his hand grips the butt of the racket as if to be shaking his partner’s hand.

4. Eastern backhand grip- This grip position provides the most stability and requires the least amount of wrist adjustment.
5. Two-handed backhanded grip- This grip uses a regular backhand grip with the dominant hand, which is at the base of the racket.
6. Forehand stroke- stroke is hit on right side of body when it is a right handed player.
7. Forehand Cross Court Drill- Designed to help enhance a player’s forehand.
1. Each player starts in the center of the court on the baseline. The ball is fed to the other person's forehand, and then the two players rally the ball back and forth cross-court.
2. If the players are right-handed, they hit from the deuce court. If the players are left-handed, they hit from the add court.
3. The players can opt to play a game in which the first player to reach eleven wins the game. The game is played cross-court and doubles alleys do NOT count.
8. Backhand- Stroke that is hit on the left side of body when it is a right handed played
9. Backhand cross court fire drill- helps students work no their backhand.
1. Each player begins in the center of the court on the baseline. The ball is fed the other player's backhand.
2. The other player then hits the ball cross-court to the opposing player's backhand and then they rally back and forth. If the players are right-handed, they stand in the add court.
3. If the players are left-handed, they stand in the deuce court. The better the players become at rallying cross-court, the harder they can hit.
4. The players can opt to play a game in which the first player to reach eleven wins. The game is played only cross-court and the doubles alleys do not count.
5. This drill stresses developing the backhand, so use only that stroke.
10. Ready position- The players’ feet is shoulder width apart and slightly bent.
11. Serve- used to start a set.
12. Box serve drill-
1. Students are paired up.
2. Teacher marks off a box on the tennis court.
3. Students try hit as many serves that they possibly can into the box.
13. Flat serve- This serve has the least amount of spin and is obtained by snapping the wrist up and forward through the middle of the ball.
14. Slice- This hit produces a side spin, causing the ball to make an immediate curve, which is similar to a curve ball in baseball.
15. Topspin- The clockwise rotation of the ball at a 90 degree angle.
16. Back spin- a ball dropping from a vertical position, which forces the ball to bounce back toward the hitter.
17. Underpin- A counterclockwise spin placed on the ball by catching the backside and bottom side of the ball with the racket head.
18. Overhead Smash- a shot hit extremely hard from a position higher than the players head.
19. Lob- a ball that is hit sufficiently high to pass over a player that is playing on the net.
20. Lob drill- helps students work on their control and placement of the ball 
1. Students are paired up
2. Teacher marks off a box on the tennis court.
3. Students try hit as many lob shots into the box marked off by the teacher.
21. Drop shot- a ball that is hit over the net that has little or no forward roll.
22. Round Robin Tournament-
1. Singles- students play each other single elimination tournament
2. Doubles- students partner up and play a double elimination tournament.
23. Rules-
1. Score games as follows, with the person serving calling his or her score first: Love (0-0), 15-Love, 30-Love, 40-Love (game point), and then Game.
2. If points are tied at 40-40, it is called Deuce. You must score two points in a row from Deuce to win the game.
3. If you score one point, you say, 'My Advantage,' and if your partner scores the point from Deuce, the server says, 'Your Advantage.' After Deuce, if you win only one point and your partner wins the next you return to Deuce.