Using the ball machine can be one of the most efficient way to improve your tennis technique, footwork, and movement. The key is to consider all the variables and patterns that arise in a tennis match and to systematically set up the ball machine to deliver balls that will allow you to practice the entire range of strokes, situations, and variables that the game of tennis has to offer.
If you have access to a Playmate ball machine with the iPlaymate receiver, you can utilize the full set of drills I have programmed. All you need to do is purchase Playmate’s LikeMyDrill app (99 cents through the App Store) and send a Friend request, from within the App to michael@mytennisquest.com (That’s me!). You will have immediate and free access to the full set of drills described below.
If you don’t have access to the App, that is fine. You can still set up drills on your own, using the structure suggested on this page to maximize your ball machine practice time.
Player/Ball Machine Position
In a tennis match you need to learn to hit from all spots on the court (including beyond the baseline and sidelines. And, you need to respond to balls coming from many different angles. Always positioning the ball machine in the rear center and positioning yourself in the rear center gives you very limited exposure to the range of angles and positions that are part of a tennis match.
Start Slowly
One key to improving quickly is to start slowly. If you cannot execute your strokes and footwork at a slow speed you will likely be unsuccessful at a faster speed. So, set the ball machine at a slow speed until you can become proficient in the basic skills. Then you can slowly increase.
Utilize Targets
Accuracy is the most important characteristic of a correctly executed tennis stroke (with spin and speed coming next). With this idea in mind, it is important to practice with targets. These can be cones, piles of balls, hoops, a five gallon bucket, or anything you can find.
Ball Variables
You will want to consider the following five ball characteristic variables when practicing.
- Height
- Depth
- Spin
- Direction
- Speed
You want to practice becoming proficient hitting your shots through a range of each of these variables. And, you also want to be able to handle balls delivered through the range of each variable. For example, if you only set the ball machine to send you balls at one trajectory you are limiting your ability to learn to handle balls that have different paths. You want to practice receiving high balls, low balls, and medium-range balls.
Movement, Footwork, and Recovery
Playing high level tennis is about movement, footwork, and recovery. So, working on these skills should be of primary importance when you practice with the ball machine. Yes, it is harder work to hit and recover to a spot on every shot. But that is what tennis is all about.
Unless you are trying to isolate some specific aspect of your technique and give it compete focus, you will want to integrate movement into your ball machine drills. This means setting up sequences of shots that require you to move to the ball, execute the stroke, and recover to a specific point on the court.
If you are a beginner, it could make sense to keep your movement more contained. But you still want to understand that executing a tennis stroke does not end until you are recovered for the next ball. And also, you want to understand that the skill which will get you to the higher levels of the game is your ability to move to the ball, get on balance, execute the stroke, and then recover for the next shot. This is the sequence you want to be practicing with the ball machine!
Suggested Drills
Groundstrokes Level 1
Shortcourt Straight
Shortcourt Narrow
Shortcourt Wide
Baseline Narrow
Baseline Wide
Low Ball / High Ball
Short Ball Ad Court
Short Ball/Deep Ball
Short Deuce Court
Straight Ad Court
Straight Deuce Court
Groundstrokes Level 2
Center Stepback
Consistent Defending
Deep and Short Targets Ad
Deep and Short Targets Deuce
Fast Feed Rally Drill
Handling Pace
Inside Out Inside In Ad Court
Inside Out Inside In Deuce Court
Lob on the Move
On the Rise
Tight Angles Easy
Topspin Slice Alternating
Groundstroke Footwork
12 Pattern Footwork Sequence
Crossover Recovery
Mogul Move
Two Forward/Two Deep
Two Narrow/Two Wide
Transition Drills
Approach, Volley, Lob
Midcourt Simple
Midcourt Advanced
Short Ball Attack
Transition Dropshot
Volley Overhead Drills
Easy Overheads
Advanced Overheads
Hard Volley Drill
High Volley/Low Volley
Poach Ad
Poach Deuce
React Fast
Short Hop
Volley Close
Volley Overhead
Directional Drills
Deuce Court Cross/Line
Ad Court Cross/Line
Direction Change Ad Wide
Direction Change Deuce Wide
Direction Change Ad Off Center
Direction Change Deuce Off Center
Miscellaneous
Consistency
Short Hop
Passing Shots
Low Medium High Height
Topspin Slice
Drop Shot From Deep