On court with 1
Tennis drills for 1 playerMake every minute count. A spare court and a little time are enough for a useful solo session. Alternate movement rehearsal and measured serve attempts; a practice wall is optional.
Before your first ball. Start gently with shadow movements. Use the court lines as targets, keep loose balls clear and include retrieval in your practice time. Only choose the wall activity if a permitted wall and clear practice area are available.
Plan a 1-player session Activities for solo practice
Shadow recovery footwork: court pattern A moves from the centre behind the near baseline to the right and left, returning to the centre after every shadow swing.
Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 8 min
Find a comfortable rhythm from the centre to each side and back.
Movement
Rackets · no ball used
Solo serve targets: court pattern A serves from the deuce side behind the near baseline into the wide half of the far diagonal service box T. Mirror after five serves.
T Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 12 min
Give every serve a clear target, then count your accurate landings.
Serve and return
Rackets + balls
Serve placement ladder: court pattern A serves alternately to wide T1 and central T2 in the far diagonal service box. Mirror for the ad side.
T1 T2 Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 12 min
Alternate wide and central targets without chasing power.
Serve and return
Rackets + balls
Wall consistency challenge: court pattern A rallies towards the practice wall T, taking each rebound after one bounce. Dashed arrow shows recovery to the starting position.
T Practice wall
A 1 player · Beginner · 12 min
Build a repeatable rally against a permitted practice wall.
Consistency
Practice wall required · Rackets + balls
Racket-face bounce control: court pattern A stays inside the near service box. T marks a small personal control area. The short arrow represents local racket-to-ball control, not a shot over the net; the actual taps travel upwards.
T Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 8 min
Learn to cushion the ball and control the racket face without hitting across court.
Consistency
Rackets + balls
Serve toss and catch: court pattern A practises a vertical toss behind the near deuce baseline, then moves to the ad side. The short ball arrow beside A represents the toss rising locally, not forward court travel; no ball crosses the net.
Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 8 min
Rehearse a repeatable service toss without a full serve or a hurried swing.
Serve and return
Rackets + balls
Self-feed drive and recovery: court pattern A moves from the near centre to the deuce side, self-feeds a groundstroke to deep central T and returns to centre. Mirror the next attempt.
T Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 10 min
Link a balanced groundstroke with a deliberate return to a useful starting position.
Consistency · Movement
Rackets + balls
Approach and split-step rehearsal: court pattern A moves forward from behind the near baseline to the service line, stops in balance and shadows a volley. Dashed arrows show the forward and walking return routes; no ball is used.
Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 8 min
Connect forward recovery, a balanced split step and a controlled volley shadow.
Movement · Volleys
Rackets · no ball used
Wall soft-volley control: court pattern A makes gentle no-bounce exchanges with T on the practice wall. The two arrows represent the outgoing ball and rebound, not two balls.
T Practice wall
A 1 player · Intermediate · 10 min
Control short, gentle volleys against a permitted practice wall.
Volleys
Practice wall required · Rackets + balls
Self-feed high-clearance lob: court pattern A self-feeds a high groundstroke from the near service line to deep central T. The arrow shows direction only; lob height is explained in the instructions.
T Net
A 1 player · Beginner · 10 min
Practise a controlled high trajectory that lands well inside the far baseline.
Consistency
Rackets + balls
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