Defensive Balance & Footwork Challenge

This drill develops defensive movement, stamina, and topspin accuracy by requiring players to recover quickly, load properly, and maintain balance while striking from the baseline. The continuous hand-feeding keeps pressure on the player to use efficient footwork and body rotation. It’s an effective way to reinforce defensive stability while also training power generation from the legs and torso.

Setup

• One player positioned at the baseline in front of a center cone/marker
• Coach/feeder at the service line with a basket of balls
• Full singles court available with optional target zones (crosscourt or down the line)

Rules & Objectives

• Player begins in ready position just in front of the marker
• Coach hand-feeds a ball wide toward the baseline
• Player shuffles sideways, keeping chest and eyes on the ball, then strikes with proper contact:
• Contact point: in front of body, between hips and shoulders
• Loading: back leg loads for power
• Finish: rotate hips and shoulders, transferring weight forward
• After the shot, player recovers quickly to the cone
• Coach feeds to the opposite side; player repeats the same movement
• Continue alternating for 30–60 fed balls per set

Repetition

• Perform multiple sets of 30–60 balls for conditioning
• Start with crosscourt targets, progress later to down-the-line shots
• Adjust difficulty by moving the marker closer or farther from the baseline
• Vary feeds with high, low, or deep balls to simulate defensive situations
• Add competition: count how many shots land in target zones

Coaching Points

• Builds defensive footwork and side-to-side recovery
• Reinforces loading on the back leg and smooth weight transfer
• Improves balance and body rotation under pressure
• Trains crosscourt and down-the-line accuracy with topspin
• Enhances stamina and mental focus during extended rallies

Drill Tutorial