Hi!

Here’s a group drill to improve your topspin serve by targeting the wide zone on the diagonal. This type of serve pulls the returner off the court, creating exploitable space for the very next shot.

The goal is to practice serving with topspin to the wide diagonal to push the returner back and out, then follow up quickly to finish in the space created. The returner works on dealing with a tough, stretched return and recovering back into position.

Drill execution:

Play with four players: A serves from the left side (ad court), B serves from the right side (deuce court), C returns A’s serve from the ad diagonal, and D returns B’s serve from the deuce diagonal.

• A hits a topspin wide serve cross-court toward C into the shaded target area of the service box.
• C returns (without trying to win the point).
• Immediately after the return, A tries to finish into the space C has left open.
• Then repeat the same sequence with B serving to D.

Rotation:

After 4 serves each, A and B switch sides:

• A serves from the deuce side,
• B serves from the ad side.

After a total of 8 serves per server, switch roles:

• A and B become the returners,
• C and D become the servers.

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

Scoring: the player earns 1 point for landing the serve in the target zone, and 2 points if they then finish into the open space. At the end, the pair with the most points chooses a fun “punishment” for the others.

Download this drill as a PDF