Approach and first volley

Follow a short-ball approach with a controlled first volley.

Cooperative drill · Volleys · Movement · Minimum 6 minutes

Equipment: rackets, balls
Space: One tennis court with clear run-off space
Suggested block: 12 minutes; allow at least 6

Drill instructions

● Letter = player → Ball ⇢ Movement T = targetB feeds short to A near the near service line. A approaches towards B, moves forward and receives a comfortable ball for a volley to far central T.Starting positions are schematic; follow the written setup.

Purpose & setup

Follow a short-ball approach with a controlled first volley.

A starts behind the near baseline; B starts at the far baseline with one ball. T is the central far backcourt. B will feed and then supply one comfortable passing ball.

How to play

B gently feeds a short ball that bounces near A’s service line. A moves forward and approaches towards B.
A continues forward, makes a balanced split step and B returns a controlled ball within volleying reach.
A volleys towards T. End the sequence on that volley’s bounce or any earlier miss; do not play out the point.
After five attempts swap feeder and approacher. Finish the current sequence when time ends.

Scoring or success

The approacher earns one for an in-court approach and one for an in-court first volley. Count out of ten per five-attempt round.

Rotation & roles

Swap ends and roles after five attempts, walking around the net while the ball is dead.

Make it easier

B hand-feeds from the service line and catches the approach before feeding a separate volley ball.

Add a challenge

B alternates comfortable forehand and backhand volley feeds without announcing the side.

Mixed levels

Adjust the feed pace and target size for each approacher, retaining the same five-attempt turns.

Safety & spacing

B avoids hard passes at the approaching player. A stops well short of the net and retrieves only after the sequence ends.

Follow the illustrated instructions. No video has been published for this activity.

Sources & editorial status

Editorial review needed: original practice rules and diagram, not coach-approved. These are optional practice rules, not official competition rules. References support general tennis guidance; they do not endorse this format.

USTA: Tennis tips and instruction — General coaching reference; does not validate these custom games.
LTA: Improve your game — General learning resource; custom rotations and scoring require review.