If you are not able to return serve consistently, it will be very difficult for you to break serve. Practicing your forehand and backhand is not enough to improve your return since it requires very specific skills.
Here you will find many ideas to develop this important shot. Remember, every point starts with a serve and a return. You need to spend some quality time working on this important shot.
Serve plus 1 Collection
In this Serve plus 1 Collection we combine Serve and Return with 3 exercises. To get access to the videos and premium media, just login here, register here for a free trial, or become a member of „Tennis2Brain“, the great...
A Different Way to Force the Players to Practice the Return During the Warm up
Alternating volleys and overheads is quite a normal combination in the warm up. However, when you ask the players to try to hit a low topspin shot after the overhead, it becomes more of a "return" type of shot. And that is exactly what w...
Warming up with Serve and Return
The most important thing is that the players return the serve, irrespectively of whether it lands in or not. The next step involves the players executing the following simple and highly effective task. Each player has to hit two shots. T...
Body-Return Down the Line with Volleys and Groundstrokes
The coach serves into a player's body, who returns down the line at another player standing at the net. The point is played out. To get access to the videos and premium media, just login here, register here for a free trial...
Stopping the Return
The player stands way inside the baseline and the coach serves from the service line on the other side of the net. The job of the player is to try to allign the strings to the incoming ball placing the racquet head on the path of the bal...
Grip Returns – Improving your Tracking Ability
“Grip Returns – Improving your Tracking Ability” is locked Grip Returns – Improving your Tracking Ability In order to hit a solid return it is very important to learn to track the ball into the contact point. In this drill, ...
Off the Bounce Returns
A good way to practice the shorter backswing on the return is by having the player stand very close to the service line and return from there. From that position the player will not have time to take a large backswing and will get comfor...
Getting Behind the Ball and Tracking the Return
Two common mistakes when returning are: not tracking the ball to contact and reaching for the ball. This drill attacks both problems by forcing the player to work on catching the ball in front of the body with both hands. To ...
Minimum Movement Return
A common problem on the return is moving too much and therefore loosing precision. In this drill the player works on staying totally still to return using as little body movement as possible. The idea is to work on stability. ...
Improving Focus on the Return
Watching the ball to contact is essential when returning serve and the most critical period is from the bounce to contact. In this exercise the player is forced to watch the ball all the wat to contact by calling “bounce” exactly as...
Improving Footwork on the Return – The Plattform
The player starts on a platform and jumps down to return. The player works on timing the jump to the server’s contact point and on moving aggressively as he/she lands. To get access to the videos and premium media, just log...
In the Air Returns Collection Against the Fence
A good way to teach players to use short swings and meet the ball in front of the body is by having them stand against the back fence and rushing them with fast feeds that do not bounce. To get access to the videos and premium...
Bounce Feeds Return
A return is nothing more than a groundstroke with a short backswing. In order to force the player to shorten the backswing it is important to take away time. By standing close to the player and feeding fast bouncing shots, the coach forc...
Return Collection – In the Air
Although it is widely accepted that the return of serve is one of the most important shots in the game, practicing it enough is difficult since it requires someone to serve a high volume of balls. To get access to the videos a...
Attacking the Return
Serve to the backhand on the deuce court. The returner approaches the net down the line.The point is played out. To get access to the videos and premium media, just login here, register here for a free trial, or become a memb...
Return: Spanish Return Pattern
Many top players from Spain and South America choose to use this type of return – therefore we call it the “The Spanish Point Initiation”. A similar point initiation can also be used as a server. The server serves wide and moves to...
Stroke Training – Return, Volley, Volley
The players hit three shots: Groundstroke with return technique back to the coach (middle) Approach volley to the coach (middle) Winning volley away from the coach (angle). To get access to the videos and premium media, just l...
Points: Return Down the line approaching the net
Players play on half the doubles court down the line. The server only has one serve. The returner has to approach every time. The returner should start moving forward as the server tosses. To get access to the videos and premi...