AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012 47

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48 Growth spurt Innovative coaches are using a range of creative approaches to engage MLC Tennis Hot Shots participants.

50 Djokovic’s serve evolution – part III Novak Djokovic has come full circle in developing his serve into a major weapon.

52 Developing the female serve A world-leading research project into the female serve has provided many important lessons for coaches.

54 Experience counts Injury curtailed Warren Maher’s professional playing career but helped him develop into an empathetic coach.

55 Coaches’ corner

56 Coach drills

Tennis Australia Coach Membership T: 03 9914 4191 F: 03 9650 1040 Email: coachmembership@tennis.com.au Website: www.tennis.com.au/membership

48 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012

In our first year, we introduced a basic MLC Tennis Hot Shots program, to get kids and parents involved and interested

– just a simple progression of Red, Orange and Green lessons that would allow kids to develop the basic skills of tennis.

The most important thing at this stage (and indeed all stages) is quality: well-trained Tennis Australia qualified coaches giving excellent lessons at every level. Keep every player involved in hitting and learning throughout the whole session. A low player to coach ratio (we use 4:1 for Red and 6:1 for Orange/Green) works for us. The primary aim is to build the players’ rallying skills so they love playing and want to come back again and again, and encourage others to join too. It’s important to include some introduction to competition from the start, so we also introduced Hot Shots Challenge tournaments at the club.

Moving into the second year, the groundwork that we’d laid in the first year came to fruition and our summer enrolments more than doubled from around 60 to 150. With that solid base, we were ready to expand the Hot Shots program, with the introduction of Red and Orange Performance groups.

Good modified tennis isn’t baby tennis for kids who aren’t good enough for ‘real’ yellow-ball tennis; a comprehensive modified tennis program will stretch and develop players of all ages, sizes, and abilities, and

that’s where the “performance” groups come in. We identified the strongest red and orange ball players and invited them to attend more-challenging lessons twice a week. This both encouraged continued

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When Matt Bull took on the role of coaching services provider at Onslow Park Tennis Club in Perth in

October 2009, the club had a limited junior coaching program with no modified tennis. Bull describes

the steps he’s taken to create a fully comprehensive tennis program for young players.

Growth Spurts

Matt Bull, who has more than 15 years experience as a coach, loves to see junior players thrive.

Yellow Ball Groups and CoMpetitions

DEVELOP PROGRESS PERFORM COMPETE

GREEN 9+ Years

ORANGE 8–10 Years

RED 5–8 Years

GREEN PLUS 9+ Years

ORANGE PLUS 8–10 Years

RED PLUS 5–8 Years

GREEN PERFORMANCE

ORANGE PERFORMANCE

RED PERFORMANCE

tennis west Hot shots Green league Hot shots Challenge tournamentssanctioned tournaments (Jds)

tennis west Hot shots orange league Hot shots Challenge tournaments

Hot shots Challenge tournaments

Junior deVelopMent patHwaY

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012 49

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participation through the winter terms and increased the number of kids playing more than once per week. Winter enrolments increased to around 70 percent compared with the first year.

At the beginning of our third year, Tennis West held its inaugural Orange and Green pennants/league competitions. We made the most of this excellent opportunity for our enthusiastic players, entering four teams – and were delighted to win the top grade in both the Orange and Green competitions!

After two and a half years, with the strength of our program in both numbers and standards, we were in a position to put in place another expansion to our Hot Shots program. This winter we created a full three-tier program for all colours:■■ Development groups for new/

inexperienced players.

■■ Progression groups for those with more ability/experience.

■■ Performance groups for the most able and committed players.

Progression and Performance groups are invitation only and place increasing emphasis on dedication and competition.

The new program has encouraged another increase in the number of children playing two or more times/week (not including individual practice time/social play) and an increase in participation in external tournaments.

As we approach the end of our third year at Onslow Park Tennis Club, we now have a comprehensive program for all children from five to more than 10 years old.

It’s important that the program never stops evolving and our next development will be introducing player assessments based on the upcoming Tennis Australia Hot Shots competencies.

Amid the buzz of an Olympic year, young tennis enthusiasts jumped at the chance to enjoy the MLC Tennis Hot Shots Olympics.

Olympic effort

Attracting more than 120 children and 25 coaches, the MLC Tennis Hot Shots

Olympics was a huge success when it was conducted at Leisure City Tennis in Epping, Victoria. The brainchild of Emma Doyle, who collaborated with coaching colleague Jason Lindeman and enrolled a range of local businesses for support, the fun-filled day not only allowed the opportunity to build participation, but also to gain valuable insights into future activations.

The day was built around essential tennis skills. The list of activities included soccer, basketball, European handball, long jump, sprinting relay, javelin (vortex throwing) and discus (medicine ball rotation throws). These Olympic sports were added to the list of activities to complement tennis as the focal point and maximise skill practise in a fun multi-sport event framework.

Combining Hot Shots coloured ball co-operative activities with competitive challenges provided the central focus of the day. The event was aligned to an Olympic theme in order to maximise participation numbers and generate interest in a weekend tennis activity during the Olympic Games.

The players’ warm-up involved an opening ceremony where the children were divided into four teams named as countries with corresponding colours which represent the Hot Shots pathway – red, orange, green and yellow.

While Doyle and Lindeman arranged venue sponsorship from Leisure City Epping, additional prize sponsorship was provided by the local business community, with contributors including Warringal Financial Services, Subway, TGIF’s, One Health and Fitness, Prince and Curnow Tennis.

During the closing ceremony the main giveaways included a racquet, lessons and a rebound net, which were all drawn by raffle.

While the gold, silver and bronze medal tally was recorded continuously throughout the day, all players received an engraved Hot Shots gold medal as well as a sponsors’ show bag.

As tennis is a sport with a certain outcome of win or lose, the Hot Shots program allows for more non-tangible outcomes such as sportsmanship. Our primary goal was to inspire children to

be active, challenge themselves, have fun and compete in a Hot Shots-style event while representing their team in an environment of good sportsmanship among new friends.

Success of such events is invariably measured by player and parent feedback, which in this case was recorded in both written and video testimonials. “You all certainly got the best performance out of all the kids and should be proud,” wrote one parent, explaining that their son could previously only muster rallies of around 10 shots but enjoyed a 256 ball rally during the Hot Shots Olympics. “I can only put that down to a fun, stress-free but positive reward-driven atmosphere. There were so many smiles all around on the faces of the parents attending as well.”

The event also provided the opportunity for observation and learning, with one lesson revolving around gender. Out of 120 players 65 percent were boys, so it appears the next challenge is attracting more girls into tennis and keeping them engaged in the game.

While Leisure City Epping has the benefit of being an indoor centre, the space required for these events isn’t large. Five courts, for example, were transformed into 10 red courts, two orange courts and two green courts, which allowed for maximum participation and no child was left standing still.

The post-event feedback was unanimously complimentary and seeing smiles on both the children and parents’ faces made the substantial commitment of the event planning very worthwhile.

This is an example of what’s possible in terms of taking Hot Shots to a wider audience by using topical events to maximise participation in a market of competing demands for the disposable income and time of players and their families.

180160140120100

80604020

02009Term 4

2010Term 1

2010Term 2

2010Term 3

2010Term 4

2011Term 1

2011Term 2

2011Term 3

2011Term 4

2012Term 1

2012Term 2

Summer tennisHot Shots enrolments at OPTC

Winter tennis

2009Term 4

2010Term 1

2010Term 2

2010Term 3

2010Term 4

2011Term 1

2011Term 2

2011Term 3

2011Term 4

2012Term 1

2012Term 2

322824201612

840

Number of Hot Shots players playing two or more times per week

More than 120 participants enjoyed the inaugural MLC Tennis Hot Shots Olympics.

50 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012

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Djokovic serve evolution – part IIIIn January 2011 we

analysed Novak Djokovic’s

serve and commented

on the changes from his

original service action

which had resulted in

making it worse: less

power, less control, more

double faults and a loss

in confidence. This month,

we circle back to show

how Djokovic has reverted

to an action similar to his

original technique with a

few improvements – an

achievement that has

merit and is rare for a

professional competing at

the top of the game.

It’s well documented that

Djokovic had one of the

greatest year’s in history

in 2011, with the Australian

Open, Wimbledon and

the US Open, among 10

tournament victories and

setting a record for the

most prize money won in

a year. He could not have

done this without fixing

his serve.

GeOff QUINlAN Tennis Australia –Manager,

Coach Development

Bachelor of Applied Science

(Honours) Human Movement

Tennis Australia High

Performance Coach

Preparation Phase At this point in the swing a slight difference exists: the 2011 version (bottom image) has the racquet displaced further as the ball is released. The racquet arm trails the tossing arm which raises to the side to assist the initial shoulder turn. Weight is on the back foot.

Swing Phase – Backswing The 2011 version (bottom image) shows Djokovic bending his elbow earlier in the swing, this is a deliberate correction to the 2010 version (middle image) and the straight arm bowling action that was flawed.

Swing Phase – Backswing (continued) The differences in the images at this point are obvious. In the 2011 version, Djokovic has significantly flexed his elbow to commence the basic throwing motion of the swing like the original 2007 version. This is a significant correction. In the 2010 version Djokovic’s arm was nearly straight. The lack of flexion of the elbow had negative implications to the effectiveness of the serve.

2007

2010

2011

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012 51

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Djokovic serve evolution – part III

Swing Phase – Backswing (continued)In the 2010 version the hitting arm was too extended, resulting in Djokovic’s service motion resembling a cricket bowling action more than a throwing motion. In the 2011 version, the elbow is in a much better position, including the 2007 version where the elbow was quite low and flexed more acutely than 90°. Good shoulder tilt is shown here.

Swing Phase – ForwardswingThe flexed elbow in the 2007 and 2011 versions “fold” further than the extended arm of the 2010 version. Far better for the throwing motion of the serve to generate power.

Impact Phase In the 2007 and 2011 version his trunk is more vertical. This vertical drive up to impact is desirable, as this is where the ball is. It’s worth commenting that like most players as they get older the height off the ground at impact isn’t as high as when they were younger (in 2007 Djokovic was 20 years old).

Follow-through PhaseA significantly better follow-through position here for Djokovic. The excessive forward flexion in the 2007 and 2010 versions require more strength and time to extend out of which has negative consequences for being ready for a fast service return. This position is far more desirable for being ready and prepared to move to the next shot.

52 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012

The serve is the most important stroke in tennis. For this reason, coaches devote considerable time

to developing and refining players’ service actions. Fortunately, coaches of male players can lean on a wealth of sports science research to direct appropriate instructional methods. However, coaches in the female and junior games are not afforded the same luxury, as research has historically neglected these players. As a result, these coaches have been left to speculate on the best ways to develop technique in the serve.

In an effort to enhance player development and promote more directed coaching in the female game, Tennis Australia (in conjunction with the University of Western Australia) has overseen a world-leading research project over the past two years. Around 35 of our nation’s best girls, aging from 10 years old through to Sam Stosur, underwent comprehensive biomechanical analyses in order to answer some key questions relating to the female serve.

How does service technique change from pre-pubescence to adulthood?Coaches will often refer to the three key areas of the body in the service action: the legs, the trunk and the serving arm. Initially, players prepare these body parts (i.e. by bending the knees, rotating the trunk backwards and driving the racquet down, behind the back) before propelling themselves toward the ball. Young players are generally capable of preparing themselves in the same way that adults do, however the propulsion phase of the serve exhibits some distinct age-related differences.

The legs create most of the force that is developed in the serve. More importantly, good servers are able to transfer this force up, through the body and into the racquet to produce a powerful serve. Because they have more mature physiques, women on the WTA Tour use leg drive to generate force and you’ll often see them driving up and into the court. This forceful leg drive helps to create the momentum that makes it easier to perform shoulder-over-shoulder rotation and important arm movements (internal rotation, elbow extension and wrist flexion). Comparatively, these movements are reduced in junior players as they lack the strength required to generate a forceful leg drive. Since they find it difficult to drive up and into the court, young players rely more

on twisting their body (twist rotation) to generate racquet speed.

What this means for the coachAlthough forceful leg drive, shoulder-over-shoulder rotation, internal rotation and wrist flexion are all critical in the adult serve, junior players simply do not possess enough strength to perform these movements with any real vigour. Prior to puberty (when strength is limited), instruction should focus on the parts of the adult serve that junior players can replicate, such as twist rotation of the trunk, attaining important preparation postures and, critically, coordination.

How is coordination important in the female serve?The more body parts a player has to coordinate, the more difficult a skill is to perform. Relying on the legs, trunk and hitting arm, the service action is about as complex as a sporting skill can get. In an effort to simplify the service action, young players extend their

lower limb joints through a smaller range and do not utilise shoulder-over-shoulder rotation, elbow extension or pronation to the same degree as adults. Restraining these motions allows young players to exert better control over their bodies but also compromises the extent to which they can generate force, making it almost impossible to achieve up and out hitting actions.

Also, while watching the ball seems like a rather basic notion, its importance does not simply relate to making contact. Older players watch the ball during the early part of the serve to help make sure they are preparing their bodies correctly. Namely, they will bend their knees and rotate backwards as the ball is rising, then forcefully push off as soon as the ball begins to drop. By moving according to ball position, the ball acts as a kind of metronome that makes it easier for players to develop a smooth, rhythmic service action. However, younger players are less effective in using the ball to regulate their movements, making it harder for them to maintain rhythm.

Developing the female serve

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AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012 53

What this means for the coachWe know that a lack of strength makes it difficult for junior players to perform certain body movements (i.e. leg drive, shoulder-over-shoulder rotation and internal rotation). Junior coaches may then ask “What can I focus on in the meantime?” The answer is coordination. Although young players may not be able to produce a forceful leg drive, they can be taught the correct way to use their legs. Specifically, it is critical that extension at the lower limb joints occurs simultaneously. It is important to remember that leg drive doesn’t come solely from the knees – extension at the ankles is just as important. The range of motion at these joints (i.e. “getting down” more) makes for better leg drive. And finally the transition from preparation (getting down) to propulsion (pushing off) should be as fast as possible – for every second that a player remains stagnant in the trophy position, they may lose up to 40 percent of the stored energy in the lower limb muscles. If young players can develop good coordination strategies, they will be better equipped to quickly benefit from the strength increases that arrive during puberty.

While watching the ball is an obvious coaching cue in hitting skills, it is just as

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Patience is the key for young players hoping to emulate Sam Stosur’s powerful serve.

useful in helping to develop rhythm. Players of all ages can learn to move with the ball (i.e. getting down as the ball ascends, then pushing off as soon as the ball begins to descend) in order to develop a smooth service action. To promote this coordination strategy, coaches should ensure that players are arriving in the trophy position at the same time the ball reaches the top of its toss. Although junior players may not be able to generate the same serve velocity as adults, they can learn to develop rhythm in their serve.

Does a heavier racquet produce a faster serve?Alongside technique, coaches also have to consider the racquet and how it may impact performance. In this regard, coaches often experiment with adding weight (lead tape) to the racquet with a view to helping players generate faster serves.

However, contrary to what coaches are led to believe, a five or 10 percent increase in racquet weight does not necessarily make for a faster serve. This is because a heavier racquet is obviously more difficult to swing. As a result, the speed of internal rotation and wrist flexion decreases when players use (five – 10 percent) heavier racquets. Since these are the two most important actions in generating racquet speed, heavier racquets cause swing speed to drop considerably. At the end of the day, a slower swing speed will not produce a faster serve.

A heavier racquet is also harder to control, especially at the junior level where players are not as strong. With less control over the racquet, players find it more difficult to achieve a quality racquet-ball impact. Without a quality impact, both serve speed and first serve percentage are likely to decline.

What this means for the coachImproving serve speed isn’t as simple as attaching lead tape to the racquet tip and reaping immediate rewards. Before lead tape is used, the coach must be sure that the player is strong enough to cope with a heavier racquet. Indeed, if a racquet is erroneously selected, it can cause serious damage to their developing muscle and bone. Therefore, a strength training program may need to precede such an intervention. Additionally, a heavier racquet will invariably require an adjustment period. In fact, skilled performance has been shown to worsen in the short-term when players change racquets.

At the end of the day, it’s okay if a junior player’s serve doesn’t resemble that of a tour player. Coaches will often tell junior players to “Watch how Sam serves...”. However, physical constraints prevent junior players from replicating the service actions of tour professionals. Consequently, even if junior players know exactly what is required to perform the perfect serve, they are unlikely to have the physical tools necessary to execute it. Patience is the key, as strength improvements will materialise in time and allow players to perform more forceful, complex movements. In the interim, coaches should focus on those aspects of the professional serve that junior players can emulate. These include the development of correct preparation postures, as well as coordination and rhythm. If these pieces are put in place early, completing the puzzle will be made that much easier as strength gains materialise when puberty begins.

By David Whiteside (Tennis Australia PhD student in Biomechanics)

54 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012

Reaching the third round at the Australian Open in 1979 and 1982 and also winning a round at the French Open in 1979, which I consider to be the ultimate test, are the moments I cherish as a player. Having started playing tennis at the age of five with my parents, tennis has been a big part of my life for a very long time and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I decided to get into coaching when I was 25 after I was injured and fell back to the 200’s in the rankings. This meant going back to qualifying for events, but I had an offer

from Kevin Rose at Donvale Tennis Club in Victoria to coach and play for the club. I accepted this offer and really enjoyed it at the time, plus he was a Collingwood man and that helped to get me over the line!

I have been coaching for close to 30 years. I think they now call it experienced! But in real terms this is not full-time position anymore as I have a major role at the Boroondara Tennis Centre as a Manager/Director. I enjoy the centre immensely along with being Director of Maher’s Tennis Management Services.

I have been fortunate to coach a number of players over the years that went on to reach an ATP or WTA ranking and played

in the Australian Open as well as be successful in national events. I have also had a number of players who have been involved in the AIS. In addition to this is I have coached my own son, who has also reached an ATP ranking status, and this is very special to me.

I believe it’s important to have a strong work ethic, form a really solid base and be prepared to develop in all areas. If you can compete hard, do the right thing and have no regrets at the end of your journey to me this means you’ve been successful

as a player. I want my students to enjoy the sport but to also do what they can to gain the most of what they have got.

In the past one to two years the Boroondara Tennis Centre clubhouse facility has been redeveloped and the early stages of an 18-court replacement stage including putting down a fourth hard court have commenced.

I endeavour to treat each student individually. When I’m with them, talking to or advising them they are the most important person there and it is always about them, not me. Sometimes a bit of the extra advice can be the most important. It is also vital to understand your student and be able to build a strong rapport with that

person so when required you can genuinely relate to them and a respect between both can be built.

Athletes can be inspired in a number of ways. I feel it’s important to create a strong work ethic by setting goals where students can see improvement. I also use different examples of players so they can look up to them. Having been to different events and some of the more respected academies or having players attend some of these both in Europe and the United States over the past four to five years has allowed me to draw on this experience and challenge and encourage my athletes.

When a player gets the most out of their ability in all areas of their game, whether a great result or ranking improvement or just maximising their talent, this is a positive for me. I also enjoy that you can be involved with so many people from a variety of walks of life, learn from each of them and be able to relate with everyone.

My future goals as a coach is to really improve in the technology area to complement my experiences. I feel I can still learn a lot and want to continue to do that. I would like to continue to become more involved in the talent area and continue to gain more experience through travelling overseas, as I have been lucky enough to do with my son recently, which has helped me enormously in my advice to a whole range of athletes. I would also add this to the Boroondara Tennis Centre for all of the coaching staff there.

Name: Warren MaherQualifications: Tennis Australia Club Professional coach

Venue: Boroondara Tennis Centre, VictoriaOther: Tennis Australia Talent Development coach

Experience counts Injury curtailed Warren Maher’s playing career, but

his experiences on tour helped him develop into an

empathetic coach.

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Warren Maher instils the value of role models in his students, as his son Jarryd demonstrated when meeting Rafael Nadal.

MY TENNIS LIFE

“I have been coaching for close to 30 years. I think they now call it experienced!” – Warren Maher

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012 55

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Coaches’ corner

With a culmination of creative coaching ideas, Tennis Australia Club Professional Coach David

Close of Avanti Tennis has found a way to keep the game fun and interesting for the players he coaches.

Close values the importance of developing a well-rounded athlete and believes his ideas can be attributed to his history as a Physical Education teacher and 10 years spent in Europe developing Champs, a program and teaching manual for coaches which reached across five countries. That keen interest in this field of expertise has led him to develop his own unique way of coaching.

Close provides his players with different types of techniques all of which have a relationship to specific skills necessary in tennis. “The equipment I use is often more colourful, visual and interesting, but it also has a direct purpose to the theme of the lesson,” he explains.

Tennis Australia Club Professional Coach, Lisa D’Amelio of Tennis Unlimited also utilises a method of coaching that is also geared toward mixing up the lesson styles and keeping kids engaged. “It really is good

for the kids to see something different in the lesson,” she says.

D’Amelio has a vast experience in the game, which she developed playing college tennis in the United States, and through competing on the international circuit.

She uses MLC Tennis Hot Shots and standard modified equipment as well as other apparatus like targets, hoops, buckets and cones of different sizes within her coaching business.

Similarly, Close uses other equipment such as launching boards, Swiss balls, parachutes, Vortex balls, resistance equipment, shuttlecocks, frisbees and even trampolines. “For example, the Vortex ball’s relationship

to tennis is that it is good for working out a good serving technique,” he explains.

Close finds that such ideas often pique the curiosity of his players. “When I put a new piece of equipment on court, they want to know what it is for and then they want to use it,” he says.

The coaches believe that such innovative equipment ideas make the game more stimulating for players, with the multi-faceted approach to coaching helping them to retain interest. “It adds fun to the game for the kids and as well as that it also has an educational purpose,” Close says.

“You have to keep the players engaged, especially the younger ones. After a couple of minutes they can get bored, their attention spans aren’t the strongest.”

Both coaches believe there is more to training than just hitting tennis balls and that there are other elements that are just as important.

“My kids probably don’t hit as many tennis balls as with some other coaches,” Close says, “but for me there’s more to it.”

D’Amelio believes her style is effective. “I find the kids have a little target to aim for with each lesson which keeps them interested.”

Meanwhile, Close continues to inject creative elements into his coaching techniques, which serve to strengthen and build a player as an athlete, keep the game fun and create a more balanced set of skills to prepare for matches.

Creative CoachingThe curiosity of athletes is at a high during David Close’s creative tennis lessons.

A culmination of innovative

coaching ideas will not only

pique a players’ interest but

will also ensure they retain it.

By JessicA Teni

The use of additional equipment helps to keep younger players engaged.

56 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | November 2012

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Olympics Return Drill (Advanced)

Objective:• Toencourageplayerstoreadthequalityoftheirreturn

andreactaccordingly.

Description:• Player1istheserverandPlayer2isthereturner.

• Player2returnstheballandcallsout‘Gold’,‘Silver’or

‘Bronze’dependingonthequalityoftheirreturnandwho

theyfeelisincontroloftherally.

– Thereturnercallsout‘Gold’iftheyreturntheserveandhaveputtheserverunderconsiderablepressure.Theythenrecoverinsidethebaselinetotakegreatercontrolofthepoint.

– Thereturnercallsout‘Silver’iftheyreturntheserveandfeelthattherallyisneutralor50/50.Theythenrecovertotheirneutralrallypositionbehindthebaseline.

– Thereturnercallsout‘Bronze’iftheyreturntheballandtheserverisincontroloftherally.Theythenrecovertoadefensivepositionfurtherbackbehindthebaseline.

Return of Serve DrillsC

serve direction

P1 – Server

P2 – Returner

2 points 3 points 1 pointsWide serve from deuce court

C

serve direction

P1 – Server

P2 – Returner

2 points 3 points 1 points‘T’ serve from deuce court

CP1 – Server

P2 – Returner

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Recovery position

3/2/1 Direction Drill (Intermediate)

Objective:• Toimprovedecision-makingonthedirectionofthereturn

offthefirstserve.

Description:• Player1servesfirstservesonly.

• Player2isgiventhechoicetoreturninthreedirections

andiftheywinthepoint,theyscoreaccordingtowhich

directiontheychoose:

– Deepdownthemiddle(3points).

– Playtheballacrosstheirbody(2points)e.g.Wideservetodeucecourtreturnedcrosscourt,Tservetodeucecourtreturneddowntheline.

– Playtheballawayfromtheirbody(1point)e.g.Wideservetodeucecourtreturneddowntheline,Tservetothedeucecourtreturnedinsideout.

Coaching Point: • Discusswithplayersriskversusrewardandwherethey

feeltheycanbestreturntheballtoreachaneutralor

50/50rallysituationwhenreturningafirstserve.

Coaching Point: • Discusswithplayerswhatcuestheymightlookfortolet

themknowwhoisincontroloftherallyafterthereturn,with

particularfocusonbodyandracquetcues,andcourtpositionof

theserver.Alsodiscussthedifferenttacticalrecoverypositions

dependingonthereturnandhowitmaybenefitthemintherally.