Learning the basic strokes is an important step in tennis, but knowing how to perform a forehand, backhand, serve or volley does not automatically make those shots reliable during play.
Reliability comes from repetition.
Tennis drills give you a structured way to repeat specific movements while paying attention to one or two clear goals. Instead of simply hitting balls without a plan, you practice a particular skill and measure whether it is becoming more consistent.
For beginners, the best drills are usually simple. You do not need complicated patterns or hundreds of balls. You need enough repetition to recognize what a good shot feels like and enough measurement to know whether you are improving.
What Makes a Tennis Drill Useful?
A useful drill has three basic parts:
A specific skill
Know exactly what you are practicing. Instead of trying to improve your entire game at once, focus on something specific such as forehand contact, backhand consistency or serving into the correct service box.
A repeatable task
The drill should give you multiple opportunities to perform the same skill under similar conditions.
A measurable goal
Give yourself something you can count.
For example:
- 10 forehands into the court
- 5 serves into the correct service box
- 8 consecutive cooperative rally shots
- 6 volleys over the net without missing
Counting successful repetitions gives your practice direction.
The goal is not to make every shot perfect. It is to gradually improve the percentage of shots you can perform successfully.
Start With Controlled Repetitions
Beginners often try to hit too hard during practice.
That can make it difficult to develop consistent contact.
Start most drills at a comfortable speed. Give yourself enough time to prepare properly and focus on making clean contact with the ball.
Once you can repeat the movement consistently, gradually increase the pace or difficulty.
Think of practice as building layers.
First develop control.
Then develop consistency.
Then gradually make the drill more realistic.
Forehand Control Drill
The forehand is often one of the first strokes beginners become comfortable using, which makes it a good place to begin structured practice.
Have a partner feed comfortable balls toward your forehand side.
Your goal is simply to send the ball back over the net and inside the court.
Focus on:
- preparing before the ball reaches you
- creating comfortable spacing from the ball
- contacting the ball in front of your body
- finishing the swing under control
Start with 10 balls.
Count how many land inside the court.
For example:
Round 1: 6 out of 10
Round 2: 7 out of 10
Round 3: 8 out of 10
Your first goal might be reaching 7 successful forehands out of 10 consistently.
Once you reach that level regularly, you can begin aiming toward larger areas of the court rather than simply trying to keep the ball in play.
Forehand Target Drill
After basic forehand contact becomes more reliable, add a simple target.
Place cones or another safe marker several feet inside the baseline.
Do not make the target too small.
Have your partner feed balls to your forehand side and try to send the ball toward the target area.
Hit 10 balls and count how many land inside or reasonably close to the target.
This drill helps you move from simply hitting the ball over the net toward controlling where the ball goes.
A beginner target might be:
5 out of 10 balls into the target area.
As your control improves, gradually increase the goal.
Backhand Control Drill
The backhand deserves the same type of focused repetition.
Have your partner feed comfortable balls toward your backhand side.
Concentrate on preparing early and giving yourself enough space to swing.
Try to send the ball comfortably over the net rather than forcing power.
Hit 10 balls and count successful shots.
Your first benchmark might be:
6 or 7 backhands out of 10 into the court.
If you struggle to reach that number, slow the drill down.
The purpose is not to prove how hard you can hit. It is to develop a movement you can repeat.
Alternating Forehand and Backhand Drill
Once you can practice each groundstroke individually, start combining them.
Have a partner alternate feeds between your forehand and backhand sides.
For example:
Forehand.
Backhand.
Forehand.
Backhand.
Repeat the pattern.
This forces you to recognize which stroke you need and adjust your preparation.
Start with 10 total balls.
Instead of focusing on speed, concentrate on getting into position and making controlled contact.
A useful beginner goal is:
7 successful shots out of 10.
When the drill becomes comfortable, your partner can make the feeds slightly less predictable.
Self-Rally Drill
If you do not have a partner, you can still practice basic racket control.
Stand in an open area of the court and gently tap the ball upward with your racket.
Try to keep the ball under control rather than hitting it high.
Count consecutive taps.
Start with a goal such as:
10 controlled taps without losing the ball.
You can also alternate which side of the racket face contacts the ball.
This simple drill improves your awareness of how the racket face affects the ball.
Wall Groundstroke Drill
A practice wall can provide a large number of repetitions without requiring a partner.
Stand a comfortable distance from the wall and hit a gentle forehand toward it.
Allow the ball to bounce before hitting the next shot.
Try to establish a steady rhythm.
Do not stand too close or hit too hard. The ball can return quickly.
Start by trying to complete:
5 consecutive controlled shots.
Then work toward:
10 consecutive shots.
Once forehands become comfortable, repeat the drill using backhands.
Eventually you can alternate forehands and backhands.
The wall gives immediate feedback. If the ball consistently returns too high, too low or far away from you, something about your contact or racket direction may need adjustment.
Cooperative Rally Drill
Practicing with another player allows you to begin connecting individual strokes into a continuous exchange.
Start relatively close to the net rather than immediately rallying from the baseline.
Both players should hit gently.
Your shared goal is keeping the ball going.
Count every successful shot.
For example:
Player A hits.
Player B returns.
That counts as two shots.
Try to reach:
5 consecutive shots
Then:
10 consecutive shots
Then:
15 consecutive shots
The objective is not to defeat your partner.
Both players are working together to keep the rally alive.
As your control improves, gradually move farther from the net.
Crosscourt Groundstroke Drill
Once you can maintain short rallies, practice directing the ball toward a specific part of the court.
Both players stand diagonally across from each other.
Hit cooperative forehands crosscourt.
Try to keep the ball inside the diagonal half of the court.
Count consecutive shots.
A beginner progression could be:
5 consecutive crosscourt forehands
then
8 consecutive crosscourt forehands
then
10 consecutive crosscourt forehands
Repeat the same drill from the opposite side using backhands.
This gives you a larger directional target while still requiring controlled placement.
Serve Accuracy Drill
Serving practice should have a clear target.
Repeatedly hitting serves without checking where they land can reinforce inconsistent habits.
Stand behind the baseline and serve into the correct service box.
Use 10 serves.
Count how many land legally inside the box.
Do not worry about hitting hard.
Your first goal could simply be:
4 successful serves out of 10.
Then try to reach:
5 out of 10
and eventually:
7 out of 10.
The improvement comes from raising your consistency rather than increasing your speed.
Serve Target Drill
Once you can regularly put serves into the service box, divide the box into larger target areas.
For example, create two targets:
- toward the middle of the court
- toward the outside of the service box
Use cones or visual landmarks.
Serve five balls toward one target and five toward the other.
Count how many land reasonably close.
You do not need tiny professional-level targets.
Large target areas are more appropriate when you are learning.
The purpose is to begin connecting your serving motion with directional control.
Second-Serve Consistency Drill
Many beginners practice their hardest serve repeatedly.
A useful alternative is practicing a controlled serve you feel confident putting into the service box.
Hit 10 serves at a comfortable pace.
Your only objective is getting the ball in.
Record your total.
For example:
7 out of 10 serves in
Your goal is gradually improving that number.
This drill encourages you to develop a dependable serving motion rather than relying entirely on speed.
Return of Serve Drill
Have a partner serve at a comfortable pace.
Instead of trying to attack the return, focus on making compact contact and putting the ball back into the court.
Practice 10 returns.
Count successful returns.
A starting target might be:
6 returns out of 10 into the court.
If the server is serving too quickly for you to practice properly, ask them to reduce the pace.
A drill should create useful repetitions.
You can increase the difficulty later.
Volley Control Drill
Stand several feet from the net while your partner gently feeds balls toward you.
Use a compact volley rather than taking a large swing.
Try to redirect the ball back over the net.
Practice 10 volleys.
Count how many land inside the court.
A useful beginner goal might be:
7 successful volleys out of 10.
Repeat the drill separately for forehand and backhand volleys.
Keeping the feeds predictable at first allows you to concentrate on the basic volley movement.
Alternating Volley Drill
Once forehand and backhand volleys become more comfortable, have your partner alternate feeds.
Forehand volley.
Backhand volley.
Forehand volley.
Backhand volley.
Stay balanced and recover after each shot.
Start with 10 balls and count successful volleys.
This introduces a simple transition between the two sides without making the drill unnecessarily complicated.
Overhead Repetition Drill
Overheads can be difficult to practice because high balls are less predictable than simple groundstroke feeds.
Have a partner gently toss or feed balls high enough that you can move into position.
Start slowly.
Focus on recognizing the ball early, adjusting your feet and making controlled contact.
Practice 10 overheads.
A beginner goal might be:
6 controlled overheads into the court.
Accuracy matters more than trying to hit the ball as hard as possible.
Serve-and-First-Shot Drill
Once your serve becomes more reliable, practice what happens immediately afterward.
Serve the ball.
Your partner sends back a comfortable return.
You then hit one controlled groundstroke.
Stop the point and repeat.
The sequence is:
Serve → return → first groundstroke
This drill allows you to connect skills that may have previously been practiced separately.
Do not play out the entire point.
The goal is specifically to practice making a serve and then preparing for the next ball.
Perform 10 sequences and count how many times you successfully complete all three shots.
Return-and-First-Shot Drill
You can use the same idea when practicing returns.
Your partner serves.
You return the ball.
Your partner sends another comfortable shot back.
You hit one additional groundstroke.
Then stop.
The sequence becomes:
Serve → return → next groundstroke
Your goal is completing the return and being ready for another ball instead of watching your first shot.
Again, count successful sequences rather than worrying about winning points.
Three-Ball Groundstroke Drill
This drill helps you practice repeating your preparation and recovery.
Have your partner feed three balls.
For example:
- Forehand
- Forehand
- Backhand
After each shot, return toward a neutral ready position.
Then repeat the sequence.
Complete five rounds.
That gives you 15 total shots.
Count how many you successfully return.
You can change the pattern later, but keep the sequence predictable while learning.
Ten-Ball Consistency Challenge
A simple way to measure progress is to use the same challenge regularly.
Choose one stroke.
Hit 10 balls.
Record how many are successful.
For example:
Forehand: 8/10
Backhand: 6/10
Serve: 5/10
Volley: 7/10
Repeat the same challenge during future practice sessions.
Your numbers will not improve every single session, and that is normal.
Look for improvement over several practices rather than expecting constant progress.
Consecutive-Shot Challenges
Percentage drills are useful, but consecutive-shot challenges measure a different kind of consistency.
Instead of asking how many shots you can make out of 10, ask how many you can make without missing.
For example:
Forehands: 6 consecutive
Backhands: 4 consecutive
Volleys: 8 consecutive
Cooperative rally: 12 consecutive shots
Write down your best result.
Try to beat it during future sessions.
This turns consistency into something you can clearly measure.
Use Large Targets First
One common mistake during drills is making the target too difficult.
A beginner does not need to hit a small cone near the line.
Start with large areas of the court.
For example, divide the court mentally into:
- left half
- right half
- deep half
- short half
Try to send the ball into the correct general area.
As your accuracy improves, gradually make the target smaller.
This allows the drill to become more difficult as your control develops.
Change Only One Variable at a Time
If a drill suddenly becomes much harder, you may have changed too many things.
For example, imagine you are comfortably hitting forehands from easy feeds.
Then your partner simultaneously:
- feeds faster
- feeds deeper
- changes direction
- makes you run
Your consistency may disappear.
Instead, increase difficulty gradually.
You might first increase the feed speed while keeping the location predictable.
Later you can vary the location.
Then you can add more movement.
Changing one variable at a time makes it easier to understand what is improving and what still needs work.
Practice Quality Matters More Than Volume
Hitting hundreds of balls does not automatically create better technique.
If you become tired and your preparation becomes careless, additional repetitions may not be productive.
Short sets of focused repetitions are often more useful.
For example:
10 forehands.
Short break.
10 backhands.
Short break.
10 serves.
Then repeat if your concentration remains good.
Every repetition should have a purpose.
Keep a Simple Practice Record
You do not need a complicated training journal.
A short note after practice can be enough.
For example:
Forehand: 8/10
Backhand: 6/10
Serve: 5/10
Longest rally: 11 shots
During your next session, repeat some of the same drills.
Over time, those numbers can show whether your skills are becoming more dependable.
Set Goals You Can Actually Reach
A practice goal should challenge you without being unrealistic.
If you currently make three serves out of 10, expecting 10 out of 10 immediately is probably not useful.
A better progression might be:
Current level: 3/10
Next goal: 4/10
Then: 5/10
Small improvements accumulate.
The same approach works for rallying.
If your longest rally is four shots, first aim for five or six.
You do not need to jump immediately to 20.
Repeat Drills Before Replacing Them
Beginners sometimes change drills constantly because repeating the same exercise feels simple.
But repetition is exactly what makes drills valuable.
Performing the same drill across multiple sessions allows you to compare your results.
If you hit 10 forehands today and 10 completely different shots next week, it is difficult to measure improvement.
Keep several core drills in your practice routine and repeat them regularly.
Add new variations after your results become more consistent.
A Simple Beginner Tennis Drill Session
A focused practice session does not need dozens of drills.
You might use:
Forehand control
20 balls.
Record successful shots.
Backhand control
20 balls.
Record successful shots.
Alternating forehand and backhand
20 balls.
Focus on preparation and recovery.
Serve accuracy
20 serves.
Record how many land in the correct service box.
Cooperative rally
Try five times to establish your longest rally.
Record your best result.
This gives you a manageable practice session with clear measurements.
During another session, you could replace some groundstroke drills with volleys, returns or overheads.
Make Your Drills Gradually More Realistic
A beginner drill often starts with predictable balls.
That is useful because it allows you to concentrate on the stroke.
As you become more consistent, gradually introduce uncertainty.
A typical progression might look like this:
Stage 1: Ball fed directly to the stroke you are practicing.
Stage 2: Ball location varies slightly.
Stage 3: You alternate between two strokes.
Stage 4: You maintain a cooperative rally.
Each stage requires slightly more recognition, movement and adjustment.
Do not rush through the progression.
If your consistency drops dramatically, return to the previous level and build more repetitions.
Measure Consistency, Not Perfection
The purpose of tennis drills is not to create a perfect-looking stroke.
The purpose is to make useful strokes more repeatable.
A player who can consistently put seven controlled forehands out of 10 into the court has something measurable to build on.
A player who occasionally hits one excellent forehand but misses most of the others still needs repetition.
That is why simple numbers can be valuable.
Track:
- successful shots out of 10
- consecutive shots
- serves made
- targets reached
- longest cooperative rally
These measurements give you clear evidence of progress.
Build Repeatable Tennis Skills One Drill at a Time
Tennis improvement becomes easier to understand when practice has a specific purpose.
Choose a stroke.
Create a simple drill.
Set a measurable goal.
Repeat it.
Record the result.
Then gradually increase the challenge.
You do not need complicated exercises to make progress. Focused repetitions of forehands, backhands, serves, returns, volleys and other fundamental shots can gradually turn movements you are still learning into skills you can perform with greater consistency.
The key is not simply hitting more tennis balls.
It is making each group of repetitions count.