Hi friends!

Here’s a solo drill to improve your defense on deep backhand-side balls. You’ll learn to stay solid on the run and send the ball back into a safe zone.

The goal of this exercise is to strengthen your ability to defend while moving sideways on the backhand, keeping both depth and accuracy.

Drill execution:

• Set up the ball machine on the opponent’s forehand side and program it to send fast, deep balls with slight slice into your backhand, with a 3–4 second interval between feeds.
• Stand behind the baseline, slightly centered.
• On each feed, move quickly, engage your outside foot, and hit a stretched defensive backhand aiming for a long, high trajectory.
• Recover quickly to the center after each shot.

Perform 5 sets of 10 consecutive defensive shots, with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

(Image created with ETDM software – Download it here)

By repeating this solo tennis drill, you’ll develop stronger defensive consistency and learn how to turn a tough situation into a neutral rally, giving yourself a better chance to regain control.

Quick tip: In lateral defense, prioritize safety before taking risks!