Best Tennis Drills (2026): Serve, Forehand & Footwork

Serve Drills

1. Toss Drill Practice your ball toss without hitting. Toss 50 times, catching the ball at the peak. The toss should land slightly in front and to the right (for right-handers) at the peak of your reach. Consistent toss = consistent serve.

2. Trophy Position Hold Get into the trophy position (racket behind head, weight on back foot) and hold for 3 seconds. Builds muscle memory for the most important checkpoint in the serve motion.

Forehand Drills

3. Shadow Swings Practice forehand swings without a ball, focusing on low-to-high swing path and shoulder rotation. 50 reps. Builds muscle memory for the correct swing path.

4. Drop Feed Forehand Drop a ball and hit forehands from the baseline. Focus on early racket preparation and consistent contact point. 50 reps with each grip.

Footwork Drills

5. Split Step Drill Stand at the baseline and practice split stepping as a partner calls "now." The split step should be timed to land as the opponent contacts the ball.