Player practice guide
Wide Slice Serve + Move to the Net
15 min Coach / feederIntermediate–AdvancedServe
Use a wide slice serve to create space and move into a net-game pattern.
Best for: players who can place a slice serve and want to use the open court to approach the net.
Goal
Serve wide, recognise the stretched reply and move forward behind a controlled first volley.
Success today
Complete 6 of 10 patterns with a wide serve in the marked zone, a split-step before the reply and a first volley beyond the service line.
Watch before court
Technique reference
Approaching the Net in Singles · 1:30
Technique reference—not the full drill. Watch the approach timing, forward split-step and balanced first-volley position.
Open video on YouTubeArrive ready
Before you go
- One coach or capable return feeder
- Basket of 20+ tennis balls
- 4 flat cones
- Approximately 15 minutes of court time
Court blueprint
Set up the court
Serve wide from the deuce court, move through the marked split-step position and play the blocked return into the deep open-court target.
- Ball direction
- Feeder ball
- Player movement
- Target zone
- 01Mark a wide deuce service target and a deep first-volley target.
- 02Ask the feeder to block the serve back through the middle at controlled pace.
- 03Place a split-step cone near the service line.
Step by step
Your 15-minute practice
0–3 min
Link serve and first move
- Serve at easy pace and move forward immediately after landing.
- Split before the feeder contacts the return.
3–7 min
Add the blocked return
- Ask the feeder to send the return through the middle.
- Volley beyond the service line without over-hitting.
7–11 min
Hold the open court
- Recover to a balanced net position after the first volley.
- Keep the approach path inside the singles line.
10 patterns · 4 min
Score ten patterns
- Count only patterns containing the serve, split-step and deep volley.
- Aim for six complete patterns.
Remember
Three player cues
- Curve the serve wide.
- Move, then split on contact.
- Volley deep before closing further.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Admiring the serve before moving
- Running through the feeder’s contact
- Trying to finish with the first volley from a poor position
Keep the same purpose
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Begin from the service line with a hand-fed return and use the full service box as the serve target.
Make it harder
Let the feeder vary the return between middle and down the line, then play the second volley live.
Keep it safe
The feeder must stand behind the baseline with the basket behind them; collect balls before repeating the approach lane.
Continue later