Singles Court Restriction Game

This drill challenges players to rally and compete within the boundaries of the singles court, keeping at least one foot inside the singles lines at all times. The restriction forces players to react quickly, shorten their swings, and maintain a lower center of gravity to handle faster-paced exchanges. After a cooperative rally period, players transition into competitive point play, building both technical discipline and match toughness.

Setup

• Two players positioned at the baseline
• Court restriction: at least one foot must remain inside the singles lines
• Coach may feed balls from center court, or players can self-feed
• Stopwatch for timed rally portion

Rules & Objectives

• Players begin with a five-minute cooperative rally, ensuring at least one foot always remains inside the singles lines
• After the warm-up rally, transition into competitive play
• Players compete in a best-of-three mini-match, each set played to 11 points (tiebreak scoring)
• The singles-court restriction remains in place throughout both rallying and competitive play
• Optional: for advanced progression, require both feet to stay inside the singles court

Repetition

• Run multiple matches, rotating in new pairs
• Progress by tightening restrictions (two feet inside at all times)
• Increase intensity with faster feeds from the coach
• Add scoring variations (e.g., bonus points for rallies over 10 shots)

Coaching Points

• Trains early backswing and quick preparation
• Reinforces a low center of gravity for stability during fast exchanges
• Builds consistency and accuracy under restricted movement conditions
• Develops competitive mindset by combining rallying with point play

Drill Tutorial