Player practice guide
Three Down-the-Line Situations
15 min Coach / feederIntermediate–AdvancedMatch play
Practise three situations in which a down-the-line shot is the appropriate choice.
Best for: players who change direction too often or need clearer down-the-line selection cues.
Goal
Choose down the line only from a short ball, an outside ball or a ball that leaves the opposite court open.
Success today
Choose and land the down-the-line shot correctly in 9 of 12 feeds, with 3 successes from each situation.
Watch before court
Technique reference
The ultimate tennis forehand mastery guide · 22:36
Technique reference—not the full drill. Watch the spacing, contact and directional control used to build an attacking forehand.
Open video on YouTubeArrive ready
Before you go
- One coach or capable feeder
- Basket of 24+ tennis balls
- 6 flat cones
- Approximately 15 minutes of court time
Court blueprint
Set up the court
The feeder sends short, wide or centre-opening balls. Move to the contact position and direct the selected ball into the deep down-the-line lane before recovering.
- Ball direction
- Feeder ball
- Player movement
- Recovery
- Target zone
- 01Mark a deep down-the-line lane on both sides.
- 02Create three feed positions: short, wide and centre-open.
- 03Ask the feeder to announce the three situations for the first round, then mix them.
Step by step
Your 15-minute practice
0–3 min
Map the three situations
- Walk through short, wide and open-court contact positions.
- Name why the line is available in each.
3–7 min
Rehearse called feeds
- Ask the feeder to call each situation before the ball.
- Aim beyond the service line without chasing the sideline.
7–11 min
Read mixed feeds
- Let the feeder mix all three situations.
- Recover through the centre after every shot.
12 feeds · 4 min
Complete twelve decisions
- Count a correct choice and deep target as one success.
- Aim for three successes in each situation.
Remember
Three player cues
- Earn the direction change.
- Create space before contact.
- Aim inside the line.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Changing direction from a defensive position
- Aiming too close to the sideline
- Forgetting the longer recovery after the line shot
Keep the same purpose
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Use only the short-ball situation and widen the target lane by two metres.
Make it harder
Include neutral balls that must stay crosscourt and play the next feed live after every correct line shot.
Keep it safe
The feeder should wait until you recover before sending the next ball; keep target cones flat and outside the running path.
Continue later