There might be times, especially during the period we live where you aren’t able to find a partner in crime for your tennis practice. But there are alternatives even if you live away from the tennis courts or you can’t simply drive till the court or your partner isn’t able to play with you today. So this is your guide on how to practice tennis alone.
The bad weather can also play a big part in the organization of a match so here you can find the proposals for good training for tennis without a court.
HOW TO PRACTICE TENNIS ALONE WITHOUT A COURT/WALL
Tennis Footwork Drill at Home
Equipment needed: tennis shoes.
In modern tennis know how to move and have a proper speed in your feet is fundamental. This allows you to anticipate the move of your opponent and run faster towards the net in case of a drop shot. This can also be useful in case of a smash as you need to run backward and be able to adjust the timing and the hitting point. How do you improve this? Through practice, of course.
Below you can find some good practicing routines that will improve your fitness level, endurance and movement around the court when you’ll be back on practicing with another partner. When you feel ready to get a proper training follow the list and surprise your friends with your much improved pace at the court, later on.
OVERHEAD DRILL
Drill with your racquet in any open space
Equipment needed: Tennis shoes, racquet, open space, 1 tennis ball
- Start with a good balance on your foot and turn to the predominant side
- Get your racquet up in a position with power and lift your non-dominant arm towards the sky with the ball in your hand
- Toss the ball and while hitting it with your racquet get ready for the post bounce timing
- Begin the crossover taking a few steps behind you to get used to the space/time
- Stop and simulate your overhead. When you do it make sure that you put the balance and your weight on the back foot. Afterward, start swinging and move it to the front foot while hitting the ball
8 BALL TRAINING
Equipment needed: Tennis racquet, one ball
Probably the oldest exercise on tennis. Grab a tennis ball and start to manage the bouncing on the ground while still. So the only exercise is on your arm and wrist and your eyes. Following a few circuit continue and make it more difficult by walking around while hitting the ball with decent power and bounce it in the centre of your racquet (you will find it more difficult to control). Wait for another few routines and try to walk while drawing number 8 along with the tennis court or imaginary court.
HOW TO PRACTICE TENNIS AGAINST A WALL
You need to improve your sensibility on the ball and by doing this subsequently you will be able to manage the power you use to hit the ball and you’ll reduce the number of long balls and lose the point to the other side of the court.
Below let’s see the different types of exercises you can do on the wall, without a court:
TENNIS WALL DRILL
Equipment needed: tennis ball, racquet, tennis shoes and a wall
This old-time training trick that works also with other sports, i.e. Football is the training with the wall.
It’s not as easy as you can think as the wall gives you a clear direction of where the ball will bounce back but your reaction time, footwork, and eye might not be trained enough to reach the ball before the second bounce.
Start close to the wall, around 3 meters away, and move further back every 3 minutes of work completed without mistakes.
Use your racquet properly, feel the ball and manage your power in this simple but very effective exercise.
You will see after a few rounds that you will be able to control your power and hit stronger when you are 7-8 meters away. Definitely it is possible to play tennis alone.
You can add to finish it off some cross shots so you will have to move in the opposite direction after the ball hits the wall so you’ll have that little extra footwork to do.
TENNIS VOLLEY DRILLS AGAINST A WALL
For this exercise, you would need to have a tennis ball, a racquet, and a wall.
Equipment needed: Tennis racquet, 1 tennis ball and tennis shoes, and a wall.
- Block Volley
Here it’s probably the simplest of all, you only need to stop the ball without moving too much the racquet but only by feeling the ball.
- Punch Volley
Also in this one, you will have to stop the ball however the movement of the racquet is more evident.
- Drive volley
Possibly the longest of these five volleys. Step into the ball and swing as if you were hitting it during a game.
- Drop volley
The ones that you exclaimed ‘’woo’’ when you go to see a tennis match. It has to be sharp and elegant the movement, the ball has to drop on the other side of the court (or the imaginary line you are using to train or the wall).
- Half volley
Normally you need to bend a bit your knees as these are happening when the ball, most of the time hits the ground and comes towards you so you need to absorb the power and still send it back to the other side of the court.
Read this if you want to know more on how to practice tennis against a wall.
ENDING:
Training at home or without a court is possible. Above we have seen how to practice tennis alone in case if you aren’t able to find a partner. Doing it regularly can improve your speed, endurance, and footwork.
