How To Practice

1. Go to the court with a plan
Don’t just show up and hit randomly. Before practice, decide your focus: serve, return, forehand, backhand, net game, or movement. Write down 2–3 specific goals like “30 minutes of serves to the backhand box” or “cross-court forehands aiming deep.” A simple plan turns an hour of hitting into real, targeted improvement.

2. Warm up properly, not lazily
Start with 5–10 minutes off-court: light jogging, side shuffles, high knees, arm circles, and some gentle stretches. Then on court, begin with mini-tennis (short court) to find your timing and feel the ball. Gradually back up to the baseline. A good warm-up reduces injuries and makes your first real strokes much sharper.

3. Use drills, not just rallies
Free hitting is fun but doesn’t fix weaknesses. Mix in drills with clear rules: 10 cross-court forehands in a row; 10 backhands where the ball must pass the service line; 20 volleys without a miss. Drills force you to repeat specific patterns and shots, which builds consistency way faster than random hitting.

4. Practice with targets on the court
Give your brain something to aim for. Use cones, water bottles, or small towels as targets near the corners or deep middle of the court. Try to land 5 out of 10 balls near each target. This trains your accuracy and depth, not just “getting it in.” You’ll start noticing your shots landing in smarter spots during matches.

5. Make the serve a separate practice block
Your serve is the one shot you control completely, so it deserves its own focused time. Dedicate 15–30 minutes of every session to serving alone. Pick a side and a target (wide, body, T), and count how many out of 20 land in with decent power. Practice first serves and second serves separately. Tracking your numbers over time is motivating—and revealing.

6. Train footwork like a skill, not an afterthought
Set up simple footwork drills: side-to-side shuffles across the baseline, forward sprints to the service line and back, or “shadow swings” where you move to an imaginary ball and swing without hitting. Add a split-step before each move, just like in a real point. Better footwork = better balance = cleaner, more powerful strokes.

7. Use point-based practice, not just endless hitting
To make practice feel like a match, play points with specific rules. Examples: only serve to the backhand; you must hit at least one cross-court shot before going down the line; or you can only win a point if you come to the net. These constraints improve your patterns and decision-making while still keeping the fun of competition.

8. Practice under pressure on purpose
You can’t avoid pressure in matches, so simulate it in practice. Give yourself “win or repeat” challenges: Make 8 out of 10 first serves to this target or restart the count; win a 7-point tiebreak where every error means 5 push-ups. This kind of training teaches your body and mind to stay calm while still swinging freely when it matters.

9. Film yourself occasionally and review
A short video from your phone can show what you don’t feel: late prep, open shoulders, bent wrist, lazy footwork. Record a few serves, forehands, and backhands from the side and from behind. Watch in slow motion and look for basics: early racquet preparation, stable head, body rotation, and balanced finish. Small visual corrections can give big gains.

10. Mix solo practice with partner and coach sessions
You can do a lot alone: serves, shadow swings, ball machine, or hitting against a wall. With a partner, focus on rally drills and point-play. With a coach (if you have one), dig into technique and tactics. A good mix of all three—solo, partner, coach—keeps your practice flexible, affordable, and well-rounded.

11. Train your body for tennis, not just your strokes
Off-court training matters. Add simple strength and conditioning: bodyweight squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, and short sprints. Even 2–3 sessions per week helps your movement, endurance, and injury resistance. A fitter body lets you keep good technique at the end of long rallies and long matches, when others are fading.

12. Finish every session with a quick reflection
At the end of practice, take 2 minutes to answer: What did I improve today? What still felt off? What do I want to focus on next time? Write it in a notebook or notes app. This tiny habit connects each practice to the next one, so you’re not starting from zero every time—you’re continuing a clear improvement path.