Guessing the direction too early.
Stay available in both directions before committing.
OPEN COURT SKILL STUDIO
Return: read the serve & shorten preparation
Start by returning safely. Use timely footwork and compact preparation rather than an ambitious winner.
TENNIS · 12 minutes focused practice
1. Choose a return position that suits the serve and leaves room to move forward or back.
Diagrams explain direction, not prescribed joint angles. Orange shows the ball or movement direction. Adapt your stance to the incoming ball.
Step-by-step technique
- 1
Choose a return position that suits the serve and leaves room to move forward or back.
- 2
Split around the server’s contact and start toward the ball once you read its direction.
- 3
Use a shorter swing against a fast serve and expand it only when you have time.
- 4
Aim for a generous target, recover your balance and prepare for the next shot.
Common mistakes & fixes
Taking a full backswing against a fast serve.
Practise a compact block and find a reliable contact point.
Court drill
Use ten slow serves from each side. First return in court, then aim at a broad zone, then add recovery.
Self-check
Compare return success before and after shortening your preparation.
Match application
Train the return and your position for the following ball as one sequence.
