Crosscourt Rally Target Game
Groundstrokes
Legend
- player
- cones
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Build crosscourt forehand and backhand consistency by introducing directional targets in a cooperative rally format.
What you need
- tennis racket
- tennis balls
- court
- cones
Your focus
Directional targets give beginners a concrete goal beyond simply clearing the net, improving shot intentionality. Cooperative crosscourt rallying develops rhythm and timing more effectively than competitive formats at this stage. Early pattern repetition builds the muscle memory for the most common rally pattern in match play.
Place a cone at each crosscourt deep corner on both sides of the net.
Player and partner rally crosscourt forehand to forehand, aiming to hit within two meters of the target cone.
Count consecutive rallies that both clear the net and land in the correct crosscourt half; target is 10 in a row.
Switch to crosscourt backhand-to-backhand and repeat the counting game.
Goal
It's clicking when 7 out of 10 crosscourt balls land past the service line, you're not just getting it over, you're hitting with direction.
Helpful cues
- Aim left of center for crosscourt
- Turn your shoulders before the ball bounces
- Follow through toward your target
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Remove the target cone and simply focus on keeping the ball crosscourt.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Require all balls to land past the service line (deep zone only) for the count to continue.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.