Return of serve is a your first shot in the rally so make it count !

DRILL 1 - REACTION RETURNS

Get your partner to serve from the baseline and then take a step forward each serve from then on. Your partner should end up in the service box serving to you from a close distance. This reduces your time and helps your sharpen up your reactions

DRILL 2 - RALLY OR ATTACK 

Partner serves normal fast serves but deliberatly serves some weak serves. The returner has to react and rally deep or use their strength to attack the serve. A target can be put out for the opponents backhand or a circle in the middle to aim away from.

DRILL 3 - BREAK POINT

Play service games from either 0-30, 15-40 or 30-40. The returner has to keep a first serve percentage by hitting deep and keeping up the pressure on the server. Second serves should be hit odeep or attacked of short.

Return Technique 

• Low Ready position - ensure a your have a wide base and stay low to help with a quick first step
• Split Step - split just before the servers contact point
• Early shoulder Turn - when you made decision which shot turn to initiate the backswing
• Contact Infront - contatc should be infront and with a low to high swing path unless doing slice then a high to low swing path. Attack returns using a drive would have a flatter swing path to reduce sping and increase the ball speed.
• Recover - using a cross over step on wider balls and / or push off the outside leg to recover to the middle.