Tennis is a popular sport that provides a great workout, challenges the mind, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you’re new to the sport or just looking to improve your skills, practicing drills is an essential part of becoming a better tennis player. Here are 10 effective tennis drills for beginners to help you improve your technique, stamina, and overall performance on the court.

1. Forehand and Backhand Groundstroke Drills

One of the most basic yet essential shots in tennis is the groundstroke. A groundstroke is a shot hit from the ground without the ball bouncing first. Beginners should start by focusing on their forehand and backhand groundstrokes, as these are the two shots that are used most often in the game.

To improve your forehand groundstroke, practice hitting the ball with a full follow-through and getting your racquet behind the ball. For your backhand groundstroke, focus on keeping your non-racquet arm straight and rotating your hips to generate power.

2. Footwork Drills

Footwork is a critical aspect of tennis, as it allows you to move quickly around the court and be in position to hit the ball. Beginners should start by practicing their footwork with the “three-step drill.” To perform this drill, take three quick steps in one direction and then three quick steps in the other direction. This drill will help you build agility and improve your overall footwork on the court.

3. Serve and Return of Serve Drills

The serve and return of serve are two important skills that can greatly impact your success in tennis. To improve your serve, focus on getting your racquet above your shoulder and using a fluid motion to generate power. For the return of serve, focus on keeping your racquet low and getting your body into a balanced position to react to the incoming serve.

4. Volley Drills

The volley is a shot that is hit before the ball bounces on the ground. Volleys are often used at the net to put pressure on your opponent and end points quickly. To improve your volley skills, practice hitting volley shots over the net with a partner. If you are both practicing, you can work on volleying back and forth with each other. If you have a coach or supporter on the other side of the net have them return everything as close to you as possible while you keep trying to volley.

5. Overhead Smash Drills

The overhead smash is a powerful shot that is hit when the ball is high above your head. Beginners should practice hitting overhead smashes with a full follow-through and getting their racquet above their head to generate power. Focus on power with a mild down angle. All too often, a tennis player gets in perfect position for an overhead smash then smashes it right into the net. This isn’t volleyball. There is no need for your overhead shot to be driven straight down. The hard hit is what wins a smash hit, not the angle of the ball.

6. Drop Shot Drills

The drop shot is a shot that is hit with a soft touch and lands just over the net, making it difficult for your opponent to run up to. It can be a real thing of beauty. In fact, if you asked my kiddo to choose whether to win the match or get two perfect drop shots… they’d have to think about it. To improve your drop shot skills, practice hitting soft shots over the net keeping your racquet in front of your body. Remember, for a drop shot you want backspin, not top spin.

7. Agility Drills

Agility is a critical aspect of tennis, as it allows you to move quickly around the court and be in position to hit the ball. To improve your agility, practice quick footwork drills, such as the “three-step drill” mentioned earlier. Additionally, try incorporating agility ladders or cones into your training to work on your quickness and balance.

8. Endurance Drills

Endurance is a huge factor in tennis. The longer a match goes on, the more endurance comes into play. Taht means when you meet up with your match skill-wise, you will need endurance to beat them. To improve your endurance, it’s time to cross-train. Jogging, treadmills, stationary bikes, Precor machines, whatever you have, use it. Get your heart rate up to your target heart rate and keep it there for 30 minutes.

9. Approach Shot Drills

The approach shot is hit from the back of the court, typically with the intention of setting up a put-away shot at the net. To improve your approach shot skills, practice hitting shots from the back of the court and moving forward to the net. Focus on getting your body into a balanced position to hit the shot and get to the net quickly. Remember, you have to drive your opponent deep first so that you have time to get to the net, and keep them from rushing up to meet you.

10. Live Ball Drills

Live ball drills involve hitting shots back and forth in a rally, simulating a real game situation. These drills are great for improving your overall tennis skills, as they help you work on your reaction time, footwork, and shot selection. Beginners should start with short, simple rallies and gradually increase the length and complexity of the drills as they improve.

Remember, building tennis skills takes time and practice, not just for players new to tennis, but for everyone.