In this 3rd blog in our series of 12, I’m excited to share specific drills and tips to improve your approach shot and positioning at the net. The approach shot is an attacking shot which is usually hit from the area between the baseline and service line and is followed to the net for a volley.
Drill 1: The “X” behind the baseline is the starting position from where the player quickly moves forward in reaction to an incoming short ball. I recommend a coach or partner to feed or hit a shorter ball for the player to practice the approach shot. Notice that the strike zone is a few feet inside the baseline and 2 targets zones have been outlined. Players should practice hitting their approach shots past the service line and away from the middle to get their opponents on the run and displaced from the center of the court.
Make sure to practice approach shots from both sides of the court and also develop your slice approach on the backhand. The slice will keep the ball low and add a degree of variety to your approach shots.
In addition to practicing your approach shots to specific targets, pay attention to your positioning at the net as you follow your approach in. The “X” on the right side box is the suggested target position to move towards as you follow an approach shot to zone 1. Similarly, the “X” on the left side box is the target position to move towards off an approach shot to zone 2. A common mistake is to run in to a central position in the service box instead of adjusting your net position based on the direction of your approach shot.
Growing up we played a lot of approach shot games to 11 or 21 points which were an excellent compliment to focused target practice drills. This combination of drills and point-play is an excellent way to improve your approach shots and net game!
Check out my video on Developing The Approach Shot on our YouTube channel to learn more.
Best,
Harsh
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