Player practice guide
Play wide Backhand
15 min Coach / feederIntermediateMovement
Choose and reach the appropriate recovery zone after a wide backhand.
Best for: players who become trapped outside the court after defending a wide backhand.
Goal
Use a safe crosscourt backhand and recover diagonally to cover the next likely ball.
Success today
Complete 8 of 10 wide backhands with a deep crosscourt reply and full recovery before the next feed.
Watch before court
Technique reference
Video guide
Watch this video before you practise on court.
Open video on YouTubeArrive ready
Before you go
- One coach or capable feeder
- Clear space outside the backhand sideline
- Basket of 20+ tennis balls
- 4 flat cones
- Approximately 15 minutes of court time
Court blueprint
Set up the court
Move from centre to the wide backhand, return the ball deep crosscourt and follow the marked diagonal recovery path before the feeder sends the next ball.
- Feeder ball
- Player movement
- Recovery
- Target zone
- 01Place start and recovery markers behind the centre baseline.
- 02Mark a wide backhand contact cone outside the singles line.
- 03Ask the feeder for controlled wide backhands and enough pause to recover.
Step by step
Your 15-minute practice
0–3 min
Rehearse the exit step
- Shadow the backhand and use a crossover to leave the corner.
- Turn towards the court during recovery.
8 feeds · 4 min
Add controlled width
- Ask for eight backhand feeds just outside the singles line.
- Send every reply high and crosscourt.
7–11 min
Recover on a cue
- Ask the feeder to lift the next ball when you reach the zone.
- Arrive facing the court and ready to split.
10 feeds · 4 min
Score ten patterns
- Count deep backhand plus complete recovery.
- Aim for eight successes.
Remember
Three player cues
- Use height from the wide backhand.
- Cross over out of the corner.
- Face the court before the next feed.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Pulling the defensive backhand down the line
- Recovering parallel to the baseline
- Turning away from the court
Keep the same purpose
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Start one step closer to the contact cone and use a larger deep target.
Make it harder
Feed a second ball through the middle as soon as the player enters the recovery zone.
Keep it safe
Clear the outside-sideline route and keep the basket behind the feeder, away from the player’s recovery line.
Continue later