3.5+ Tennis Practice Drills. Forehand Drive.
Details
Improve your conditioning and routines.
Highest rally: July 1st, 2025, 83 degrees, continuous rally of about 120 hits.
Modern Forehand Drive Review
Shoulder turn.
Relaxed arm and grip.
Keep your racquet on your frontside.
Imagine pulling your racquet and the pull “path” sort of resembles a Christmas candy cane. Pull straight toward your target, pull some more, eventually turn finish.
Prior routines allow your racquet to get to your backside which causes a more circular path.
Macci: Forehand “Flip” (1 Minute)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdsjAk2ds7k&pp=ygUQTWFjY2kgcG9zaXRpdml0eQ%3D%3D**
Federer Forehand (20 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5MHugAF2DiQ&pp=ygUPTWFjY2kgZm9yZWhhbmQg**
Sabalenka Forehand (5 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eerzFr3fqrk&pp=ygUYTWFjY2kgc2FiYWxlbmthIGZvcmVoYW5k**
Carlos Alcaraz, Slow motion (6 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a7M6A8e-rXM&pp=ygUjY2FybG9zIGFsY2FyYXogZm9yZWhhbmQgc2xvdyBtb3Rpb27SBwkJwQkBhyohjO8%3D**
Mouratoglou: How good can her forehand get in one lesson? (15 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8XYxMn0sXsY&pp=ygUrSG93IGdvaWQgY2FuIHJyIGZvcmVoYW5kIGdldCBpbiBvbmUgbGVzc29uINIHCQnYCQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D**
Macci: Forehand Slice (1 Min)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_RQryIJXg&pp=ygULbWFjY2kgc2xpY2U%3D**
Ground Strokes
Relax & Focus, Goal: 100+ in a row
Give ‘em a “surprise, hit on the rise.”
Lean toward the net.
Hit the ball higher over the net.
FH: Elbow up, Pet, Legs, Pull/Flip
BH Slice: Shoulder turn, Knuckles up.
BH Slice: End with bird wings.
Novak Djokovic
Forehand, Backhand (6 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FmrLQmZ1CVQ&pp=ygUZbm92YWsgZGpva292aWMgc2xvIG1vdGlvbg%3D%3D**
Lobs/Overheads & High Ball Volleys
Overhead Experiment:
Point your left elbow at the lob. This induces you to turn while your left hand guides your racquet back.
Left elbow and point, hit.
2/3 Speed, controlled placement.
Goal: Make 50+ in a row
Babel: Forehand Swing Volley (8 Mins)
Semi-Western grip for topspin.
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijm7tfl7uHk&pp=ygUSQmFiZWwgc3dpbmcgdm9sbGV5**
Volleys
Shoulder turn, “U” shape.
Racquet head higher than your wrist.
High ball: High energy 8, finish point.
Low ball: Low energy 2, finesse/drop.
Aim for sharp angle, “Low and Slow.”
Fast ball: No time, just BLOCK it.
Half Volleys: Forward “ta-da.”
Drop Shot (Dropper)
Delay and “disguise to surprise.”
Lock your wrist, 90 degrees.
For backspin, pull down high to low.
You “hit the drop and make it stop.”
Goal: 50+ in a row
Serve
Middle grip, maybe a bit Eastern.
Pinpoint your feet.
Relax your arm. “Be water, my friend.”
Racquet palm toward you so that a side edge of your racquet “leads.”
Experiment:
Space your grip fingers more.
Bend your knees to jump higher.
Underhand serve.
Return of Serve
1st: Get the ball back over the net.
Forward “split, for better hit.”
Quick, brief backswing.
Generally return cross court.
Consider chip, volley your return.
Consider more lobs.
Think USPS: “Return to Sender.”
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**USTA NTRP Ratings Information: https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/adult-tennis/programs/national/usta-ntrp-ratings-faqs.html#tab=tournaments**
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Prerequisite: Proficient NTRP Level 3.5 +. RSVP to attend, no walk-ons. Donate a new can of balls or $$. Thanks.
Value your time.
You probably won’t get it back.
Today’s practice is not a lesson with a teaching pro.
Now stop the junk food, get outside, get it done and get in shape!!
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Roger Federer Practicing (14 Minutes)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RvwGv8Ie6Dk&pp=ygUQRmVkZXJlciB0d28gZ3V5cw%3D%3D**
Carlos Alcaraz Practicing (16 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MFpSeZRx83g&pp=ygUXY2FybG9zIGFsY2FyYXogY2xvc2UgdXA%3D**
Novak Djokovic & Carlos Alcaraz
Practice (13 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Gl-T2dtss&pp=ygUdY2FybG9zIGFsY2FyYXogcHJhY3RpY2UgcGFyaXPSBwkJwQkBhyohjO8%3D**
Chris Evert vs Monica Seles
Moon balls, patience (18 Mins)
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AKwAHVo5nyQ&pp=ygUMRXZlcnQgc2VsZXMg**
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got that Swing
**https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LYfF9VKMp4w&list=RDLYfF9VKMp4w&start_radio=1&pp=ygUWTGFkeSBnYWdhIHRvbnkgaXQgbWVhbqAHAQ%3D%3D**
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