20 Ball Suicide Challenge

This demanding footwork drill pushes players to their physical and mental limits by forcing them to chase down 20 fed balls across the entire court. The goal is to maintain proper technique and footwork fundamentals even under fatigue. It’s designed to simulate the grind of match play, where endurance, recovery speed, and consistency are critical to success. Inspired by professional training, this drill builds the stamina and resilience needed for high-level tennis.

Setup

• Coach/feeder with a basket of balls
• Student starts at the center of the baseline
• Full court used for feeds

Rules & Objectives

• Player begins on the baseline in ready position
• Coach feeds balls one by one to all areas of the court (deep, wide, short, etc.)
• Player must sprint to each ball, hit it back in play, then recover quickly to baseline center
• Scoring system:
• +1 for every ball successfully retrieved and placed in play
• –1 for every miss or ball not returned
• Continue until the player reaches +20 points
• Drill ends once target score is achieved

Repetition

• Adjust target score (e.g., +10 for beginners, +30 for advanced)
• Vary feeds: mix in lobs, drop shots, and angled balls
• Add time constraints for added intensity (e.g., 20 balls in 3 minutes)
• Run multiple rounds with rest intervals for conditioning

Coaching Points

• Builds elite-level footwork and recovery speed
• Trains players to maintain form and fundamentals under fatigue
• Improves endurance and conditioning for long rallies
• Enhances mental toughness and perseverance

Drill Tutorial