Practicing Shot Combinations

Most coaches are finishing up their pre-competitive seasons, and are playing non-conference warm-up matches with other schools, or are already into their conference schedules.

In either case, this far into the season, it is obviously inappropriate to be making mechanical changes, and may coaches are now using sets and tie-breaks to focus on match-play skills and mental toughness.

The problem with this limited approach to training is that it does not allow players to continue to improve their skills, when in fact, there are a variety of drilling methods that will help your players sharpen their shot-making abilities and increase their match-play repertoire.

Most points at the competitive level are ended within five to six strokes. While some younger players, especially junior girls, keep the ball in play during long rallies, the strategy of the top players is to end points by forcing errors or producing short balls which they can attack for winners.

As you will hear in almost every issue of this e-zine, if your players don't practice like they play, they will play like they practice!

Having your players hit 25 balls crosscourt, or 50 backhands down the line, or other cooperative drills which require players to stay on the baseline and rally to develop “consistency” not only has nothing to do with the match situations in which they will find themselves, but will actually promote static body balance as players resist their natural inclination to attack balls.

Why not have your players practice the patterns of play they will experience in a match?

The article continues by giving examples of drills and training methods used by the German Tennis Federation not generally seen at U.S. academies or development programs.