Tennis Drills for Two Players

Both players stand inside the service boxes. Rally using only gentle groundstrokes — the ball must land inside the service box. Focus on soft hands and control. Count consecutive rallies together — aim for 30+.

Pro tip: This builds touch and feel faster than any other drill. Federer reportedly did 10 minutes of mini tennis before every practice.

Both players stand at the net, about 3 metres apart. Volley back and forth without letting the ball bounce. Keep the ball between hip and shoulder height. Gradually increase speed.

Pro tip: Keep the racket head above your wrist. This drill punishes lazy wrist positioning immediately.

Rally from baseline to baseline, but only cross-court (deuce side or ad side — pick one). Every ball must land in the cross-court half. Switch sides after 2–3 minutes. This grooves the most common rally pattern in match play.

Pro tip: Cross-court is the highest-percentage shot in tennis. This drill builds the muscle memory you'll rely on under pressure.

Player A hits cross-court, Player B hits down-the-line. The ball traces a figure-eight pattern. After 3 minutes, swap roles. This forces both players to handle different angles and move laterally.

Pro tip: The down-the-line player has the harder job. Focus on early preparation and getting your feet set before the ball arrives.

Rally baseline-to-baseline. Both players aim to land every ball past the service line. Place cones or a spare racket on the service line as a visual target. Any ball landing short = 1 point to the other player. First to 7 wins.

Pro tip: This teaches you to hit with margin. Most club-level rallies are lost because balls land too short, giving the opponent an easy approach.

One player (the "worker") uses the full court. The other player (the "feeder") alternates hitting to the worker's forehand and backhand sides. The worker must recover to the centre mark between every shot. Swap roles after 3 minutes.

Pro tip: The worker gets an incredible cardio and footwork session. The feeder works on placement accuracy.

Player A feeds a short ball. Player B moves in, hits an approach shot down the line, follows to the net, and plays out the point. After 5 points, swap feeder and attacker. This builds the short-ball-to-net transition.

Pro tip: The approach shot should be deep and to the opponent's weaker side. Don't try to hit a winner — just get to the net in a strong position.

Player A stands at the baseline, Player B at the service line. A feeds medium-paced groundstrokes, B volleys and gradually moves closer to the net with each shot. After 5 volleys, B resets to the service line. This practises closing from no-man's land to the net.

Pro tip: Split step before every volley. The most common error at the net is getting caught flat-footed.

Both players at the net, 3–4 metres apart. Volley aggressively at each other — aim for the feet and sides. The point is played out using volleys only. No lobs allowed. First to miss or let the ball bounce loses the point.

Pro tip: Keep your grip loose and your racket in front of your body. This drill is pure reaction — you don't have time to think.

Player A at the baseline, Player B at the net. A tries to lob over B's head. B attempts to hit an overhead smash. Play out the point. After 5 points, swap roles. Both players practise critical match skills — the lob defence and the overhead put-away.

Pro tip: For overheads, turn sideways and point at the ball with your non-racket hand. If the lob is too deep, let it bounce and reset rather than hitting a weak overhead.

Server serves, returner returns. The point is decided by the THIRD shot (server's first groundstroke after the return). If the server wins the point on that third shot, they score. If not, the returner scores. This forces aggressive serving and purposeful returns.

Pro tip: This drill teaches you to think about WHERE you're serving based on where you want the return to go. Serving isn't just about speed.

One player feeds from the service box (simulating a serve trajectory) while the other practises returns from the baseline. Focus on getting the return deep and cross-court. Swap roles every 10 returns.

Pro tip: A deep cross-court return neutralises even a strong serve. Don't try to hit winners off the return — depth is everything.

Server serves and immediately follows to the net. Returner returns normally. Play out the point from the serve-and-volley position. This is excellent doubles training and builds net confidence from match situations.

Pro tip: Split step as the returner hits the ball. Your first volley just needs to land deep — don't try to be fancy.

Play a super tie-break to 10 points (win by 2). Normal serving rotation — 1 serve, then alternate every 2 points. This compresses the intensity of a full set into 15 minutes. Play best of 3 tie-breaks for a full session.

Pro tip: Under pressure, most players tighten up. This drill teaches you to stay loose when the score is close.

Rally cooperatively and count every successful hit. Both players are on the same team — if the ball goes in the net or out, restart from zero. Target: 21 consecutive shots. For advanced players, set the target at 50 or 100.

Pro tip: This is deceptively difficult and teaches control, consistency, and patience — the three things that win club-level matches.

Play singles, but only on one half of the court (deuce side or ad side). The narrow court forces better placement and rewards consistency over power. First to 7 points, then switch sides.

Pro tip: Half-court singles is the best way to improve shot selection. With less space, you can't just blast winners — you have to construct the point.