Author: A P

When you do not have a training partner but still need to put in the work to keep in shape or develop your tennis skills, you have to get a little bit creative with your drills.

The fitness elements are more straightforward to complete as an individual but the on-court drills are more difficult to do alone.

If you have the luxury of a court and all the equipment you could need then solo drills are easy but not many people do have all the expensive gear.

However, there are plenty of drills that you can incorporate into individual training that will help you to progress with your tennis training, such as:

Practicing volleys off a wall

Whilst returning volleys from a wall will not replicate the exact ball direction that you might receive from an opponent, it is still a great way of sharpening up your reflexes and speeding up your reaction time.

So hit a ball against the wall and repeatedly return it. You can practice doing it whilst allowing the ball to bounce or practice a direct volley from the wall.

As well as helping with your racquet work, this is also really good for improving your footwork/foot speed.

Serving on a court or marked area

If you have a free court to practice on but just no tennis partner then you can still spend time perfecting your serve. You can either bring a large volume of balls with you, or you can incorporate ball retrieval into your fitness training.

So for example, after hitting 10 serves run round to the other side to collect them all, making sure you are doing sprints to each ball in the way that you would move around the court during a game.

Then serve them to the other side and so on.

If you do not have a court, you can still mark out an area on grass or concrete to fire your serves at. Ideally you would set your area up somewhere near a wall or fence to keep the balls nearby.

Line-to-line shuttles

No racquet required for this drill, as you are working on your speed and endurance. If you are able to use a tennis court then you have your line markings ready to go.

You run from the sideline to the intersection line, touch the line and turn and run back to the sideline.

The next run is to the other sideline and back, then you repeat these shuttle runs.

It is a similar drill to the bleep test and you can keep doing this for as long as possible, trying to improve the number of shuttles each time you do this one.

Ladders

A good way of improving your footwork is to use ladders.

In the old days people actually used wooden ladders that they lay on the floor for people to do this drill but now you can buy ladders made from lightweight materials.

So you lay the ladder along the floor and step into the first square with one foot and then the other.

You do the same for each square of the ladder until you get to the other side. For tennis, it is helpful to try doing this forwards, backwards and sideways.

You can run back round the edge of the ladder and do it again, or incorporate it into a circuit drill with a number of other drills.

Jumping

Depending on your fitness and jumping ability, you can possibly use the net to perform sideways jumps from one side of the net to the other.

If you are not quite at that jumping level then you can practice using a smaller item but being able to jump is important in tennis and this drill can give you a good workout for developing your leg muscles.

You can also do it using a small wall or other surfaces to jump up onto the top off and then back down and repeat.

To make it replicate a match situation more closely, try and jump high on the spot hitting an imaginary ball rather than using anything to jump over or onto. This will help you to reach those high balls in match situations.

When you want to improve your tennis game, there’s no substitute for practice, but how do you practice without a partner? One option is to whack the ball against a wall. Wall practice helps, but as you advance in skill, you’ll want something a little more challenging.

That’s where a tennis ball machine can come in very useful. Unfortunately, the best tennis ball machines are very expensive and even the cheapest ones will cost a fair whack. Why is that? Are they worth it?

Why are They Pricey?

These are specialist machines with complex moving parts and electronics. They usually come with a wide range of settings to allow you to practice at different speeds and to adjust the height and so forth. As a result, they work out a bit pricey.

Are They Worth the Price?

That’s something that’s going to depend on each player, so you’ll have to weigh the benefits to get an answer, which brings us to—

The Benefits of Tennis Ball Machine

+ You Have a Training Partner on Call

With tennis, the more you can train the better. A ball machine is there when you need to train, not just once or twice a week. This means that you can fit in a practice session whenever it suits you.

+ You Set the Terms

Another issue when you’re playing with a person is that you’re not in control of the situation. If you have specific drills that you want to practice, you need to get the other player’s buy-in. If they don’t want to practice the same drills, you’ll have to settle for what they will do.

With a ball machine, you set the timing, speed, and so forth. So, you get to control every aspect of your practice session.

+ Consistency

Another issue when playing with a human partner is that they’re not going to be as consistent with their shots. Your partner is bound to get bored if they’re lobbing the same shots repeatedly. That’s assuming that they’re capable of replicating every shot every time.

With a machine, you don’t have to worry about that. It’s never going to get bored and will always be consistent.

+ You Can Advance at Your Own Pace

Playing with a more advanced partner is going to help you improve your playing, but you’re not going to have much control over how the session goes. With a ball machine, you can ensure that the settings are exactly to your liking.

If you have a good machine, you can practice hitting balls with a backspin, topspin, at different speeds, and so on. You get to advance at a comfortable pace for you without having to worry about keeping up with a much more advanced player.

+ You Can Focus on the Correct Form

Muscle memory is one of a tennis player’s best friends. The more you can practice repetitive shots; the more your muscles will get used to them. Over time, your body will learn to react instinctively to these shots.

That means faster reaction time for you and an overall improvement in your game.

There is a caveat here, though. Making sure that you’ve got the right form is important. That’s why it might be best to practice with a coach before you start practicing on your own. You don’t want to learn and reinforce bad habits.

Correcting your technique at a later stage is going to be hard, so make sure you’re getting it right from day one.

Cons of a Tennis Ball Machine

Overall, there are a lot more pros than cons. To make an informed decision for yourself, though, you need to take the cons into account as well.

– Cost

Your average tennis ball machine cost starts at around about $500 for a very basic model. More advanced machines can set you back a few thousand dollars. To get a decent machine, with the basic features that make the purchase worthwhile, you’re looking at least $1,000 to $1,500.

Now, we know that tennis is not the cheapest hobby, but this cost may be prohibitive for some people.

You also need to factor in the cost of the balls that you’ll be using. The more you practice, the more often you’ll need to get new balls.  Pressureless balls will last longer. They’ll outlast the others but tend to bounce more so that’ll have to be considered.

– You’ll Need the Space

Ideally, you should have a full-sized tennis court to play on. If you’ve got one at home, that’s great, but what if you don’t?

You can choose a portable model, but even the portable models are s heavy and somewhat ungainly.  You’d have to figure out how to transport the machine to your practice area. Generally speaking, your best option is to use it at home.

– You’ll Have to Tidy Up Afterwards

While it’s fun to hit the balls, you’ll also have to go around afterward and collect them all.  This can be a pain. Hoppers can make the task easier as they allow you to pick up the balls without bending. That does, however, add to the cost of having the machine.

– You Could Learn Bad Habits

One big downside is that you could be practicing bad habits. There’s no one there to check your form. That’s why it’s best to get a good grounding before you start taking on the ball machine.

Final Notes

There is no question that a ball machine can be a useful tool for the player that needs to get in more practice. It’s not going to be enough on its own, however. You also need to factor the cost of the machine into your equation.

Would it be a good purchase for you? That’s going to depend on how often you’re going to use it, and how much you want to improve your game. If you’re competing at a professional level, it will be a good investment in your future.

If you’re only going to use it once or twice a week, though, it would probably be a waste of money.

If you’re still undecided, speak to your local sports shop and see if you can rent a machine, or find out if there’s somewhere you can go to try one out. You may find that you don’t like playing with it after all.  At the end of the day, a tennis ball machine can be a valuable tool to help you improve your playing. If you use it properly, it could well prove worth the price.

It’s not always easy to find the right training partner to help you improve your tennis skills. Coordinating schedules can be a cumbersome task, especially if you want to establish a proper training routine. It may also happen that you find yourself with some free time you’d like to use to train your game, only to find that your partner is busy at that very moment.

If your partner’s level of tennis isn’t as advanced as yours, you’ll probably feel like you’re not getting as much out of these sessions as you’d like to. Ideally, your opponent should keep you on your toes, and allow you to train the moves you aim to improve during a workout session. If their level is lower than yours, you’ll quickly get bored and end the practice feeling that you haven’t really developed your skills. If their level is much higher, you won’t get much of a chance to improve your game, and you’ll end up feeling frustrated.

Fortunately, there is a solution! Believe it or not, but there really is no better training partner than a tennis ball machine. The features on these machines allow you to adjust the game to your needs and objectives, both in terms of speed and when practicing specific movements and strokes. You’ll notice your game improving consistently after just a few sessions, allowing you to repeat the same shot over and over again without interruption.

If you are looking for an opponent who is always available, who will allow you to get the most out of your training time and who will help you be on top of your game, you won’t find anyone better suited than a tennis ball machine. Below you can find a series of routines that will help you reach your full potential and become the master of the court, by focusing on specific aspects of your game.

1. Improving Your Basic Stroke: Balls to the Same Point

The first and simplest of these routines consists of programming the machine to throw flat balls to the same point of the court. Start by positioning the machine in the middle of the opposite service line and configure it to throw straight shots every 10 seconds with no oscillation. Position yourself at your service line and practice your forehand or backhand by hitting those balls back. To improve your stroke direction, try to hit the balls so they land as close to the tennis ball machine as possible.

Once you’ve successfully performed 20 consecutive strokes, move the machine back to the opposite baseline, and position yourself at your baseline. Start counting again until you’ve successfully returned 20 balls in a row.

Lastly, depending on the type of stroke you’re practising, position yourself in your forehand or backhand corner and the machine in the opposite corner of the court. As it fires balls at you every 10-15 seconds, aim to make them land as close as possible to the machine again. After landing 20 successful balls, start the whole process from the beginning.

2. Improving Your Movements and Positioning: Right-Left Alternation

Place the machine in the middle of the opposite baseline and change the setting so it feeds balls to both sides of the tennis court alternatively and consistently. Since you will be alternating between forehands and backhands, this exercise allows you to practice the movements needed in preparation for a stroke.

This routine is divided in two parts. Firstly, you’ll want to practice short distance by programming the machine to fire a ball every 5-10 seconds. Position yourself in the middle of the service line, and really focus on your movement and position before each stroke. After 50 strokes, move back to the baseline centre mark, and set the machine to a firing speed of 10-15 seconds.

For the second part of this routine, keep in mind you’ll need to be running from one side of the court to the other to hit those balls. If you need to, you can skip one of every 10-15 balls, to make sure you don’t end up completely out of breath. After another 50 strokes, move back to the service line and start from the beginning.

3. Improve Your Doubles Game: The Volleyball Drill

This exercise is especially suitable for those looking to improve their doubles game. Position the tennis ball machine at the baseline centre mark and, depending on your expertise and how challenging you want the routine to be, turn up the speed dial. You can either have the machine feed balls to the centre of the court or, for an additional challenge, activate the 2-line oscillation.

Position yourself midway of the centre service line and start drilling your volleys. Try to alternate between angle volleys and deep volleys. The latter are often overlooked by tennis players during practice, but they can prove to be an inestimable tool when playing doubles, allowing you to take time away from your opponents.

4. Improve Your Lob Defence: The Smasher

A lob stroke can provide an excellent opportunity to bring a tennis game back in your favour, either by taking the opponent by surprise or by letting the hitter have the extra time to find that invaluable position at the net and dominate their adversary. But, if properly countered, it can be disastrous for the player using it. This exercise will help you improve your lob defence and make sure you have the right response when it is used against you.

Place yourself at your service line and set up the tennis ball machine at the centre of the opposite one. Program the machine to lob the ball in your direction, with a firing speed of 5-8 seconds and vertical oscillation activated (if available). To make things a bit more interesting, you can activate the 2-line horizontal oscillation for an extra challenge.

For each set of 10 balls, decide where they should land in the opposite field beforehand and, as they come your way, hit them back, hard, and try to land them as close as possible to your selected point. For the next set of 10 balls, select another point in the opposite field and start again.

You can add an extra step to this drill to improve your stamina, all the while improving your lob defence. To do this, either run to the net and back or to the baseline and back between every shot, focusing on your posture before making that next stroke. If necessary, you can lower the firing speed to 10-12 seconds.

5. Improve Your Endurance: The Runner

For this drill, place the ball machine at the centre of the opposite baseline and have it consistently fire balls to a specific place in the field, on a very low firing speed (20-30 seconds between balls). Each time you return a ball, run a lap around the field and come back into position before the next one comes your way. Every now and then, take a rest for one/two balls before getting started again.

This is a very exhausting exercise, but it is particularly beneficial in terms of improving your endurance. It will help you reach that fourth or fifth set with enough energy to keep going. By practicing your forehands and backhands in these wearing conditions, you’ll make sure you never lose a game due to fatigue!