Hi!

This solo drill will help you improve your topspin defense, particularly useful against heavy, deep balls. It will help you better control the height and depth of your shots so you can buy yourself time in the rally.

The goal is to develop your ability to defend with topspin on deep, fast balls, using a high, deep trajectory to push your opponent back and restore balance in the point.

How to run the drill:

Place the ball machine at the back of the court and set it to send deep balls with progressive intensity (from medium speed to fast).

Position yourself well behind the baseline.

On each ball, hit a defensive topspin shot, guiding the ball up and forward. Aim for good net clearance and depth, so you can push your opponent back behind the baseline.

Do sets of 8 to 10 shots, then take 20 seconds of rest before starting again.

(Image created with the ETDM software – Download it here)

Pro tip: On defensive topspin shots, extend your follow-through with the racket face slightly open to get a high, deep trajectory – key for safety and consistency.