tactical training for advanced players on court - Coaching - ITF

ITF Coaches 

Education Programme 

Coaching High Per<strong>for</strong>mance Players Course 

TACTICAL TRAINING 

FOR ADVANCED 

PLAYERS ON COURT 

By Miguel Crespo & Machar Reid 

Coach Education Series Copyright © ITF 2007

By the end of this session you 

should be able to: 

• Understand and practically apply the 

fundamentals of <strong>tactical</strong> <strong>training</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>advanced</strong> 

<strong>players</strong> on court: 

• Theory 

• Practice 

• Periodisation 

• Practice matches 

•Drills 


Coach Education Series Copyright © ITF 2007 

Introduction 

Teaching technique and tactics 

• At same time 

• Technical and <strong>tactical</strong> patterns 

• Basic <strong>tactical</strong> units of a tennis match 

• Fundamental of tactics in tennis 

• Helping our <strong>players</strong> how to play tennis (not 

how to produce the strokes)


Introduction 

Tactical patterns 

• Related to the game situations 

• Defined by <strong>players</strong> characteristics: 

– Technique 

– Physical condition 

– Mental abilities, etc. 

• They define the player gamestyle

General guidelines <strong>for</strong> tactics <strong>training</strong> 


Theory 

• Explain theoretically the basics of tactics 

• Demonstrate on court when teaching 

beginners 

• Speak to your <strong>players</strong> about the importance 

of <strong>tactical</strong> <strong>training</strong> <strong>for</strong> tennis per<strong>for</strong>mance



Training 

• Set realistic <strong>training</strong>, per<strong>for</strong>mance and 

outcome goals to achieve during <strong>tactical</strong> 

<strong>training</strong>. 

• Try to have them properly motivated <strong>for</strong> 

tactics <strong>training</strong> using realistic <strong>training</strong> 

situations



Training 

• Work <strong>tactical</strong> adaptation and change through 

tennis drills 

• Make your <strong>players</strong> control their emotions, 

thoughts and feelings with progressive 

relaxation exercises and breathing routines 

• Applied them on court during practice 

sessions as part of their <strong>tactical</strong> <strong>training</strong>


Matchplay 

• Allow <strong>players</strong> to explore their own <strong>tactical</strong> 

knowledge when playing their first tennis 

matches 

• Try to prepare <strong>tactical</strong>ly the matches of your 

<strong>players</strong> 

• Get them used to think <strong>tactical</strong>ly during the 

match (specially during the changeovers) 



Matchplay 

• Make them think and analyse the 

causes and consequences of the tactics 

they use in a match. 

• Define, practice and refine the <strong>tactical</strong> 

scheme of each of your <strong>players</strong> 

• Set specific and measurable goals 

(rankings, tournaments, etc.) <strong>for</strong> each 

match. 




Planning 

• Plan specific tactics <strong>training</strong> sessions. 

• Plan the tournament schedule 

according to your player gamestyle. 

• In the preparatory and the precompetition 

periods combine the 

technical sessions with <strong>tactical</strong> ones.



Planning 

• Try to make your tactics <strong>training</strong>s 

amusing but demanding (don’t allow 

easy mistakes at the same time). 

• Test and evaluate your <strong>players</strong> tactics 

periodically (charting, computers, etc.). 

• Change your <strong>tactical</strong> <strong>training</strong> plan 

whenever necessary.

Specific guidelines <strong>for</strong> tactics <strong>training</strong> 

Drills 

• Practice with match play situations: tiebreaks, 

etc. 

• Set specific scores: 1-4, 5-4-, 3-1, etc. 

• Speak with the <strong>players</strong> be<strong>for</strong>e each 

point or during changeovers. 

• Use different scores: volleyball, table.tennis, 

etc. 



Practice matches 

• Players should be of the same tennis 

level. 

• If not, adjust the level by stating some 

scoring rules. 

• Emphasise rest during changeovers. 

• Coach in some situations (make <strong>players</strong> 

think). 



Practice matches 

• Practice doubles matches. 

• Make the <strong>players</strong> explain to you the match 

flow. 

• Set specific sessions <strong>for</strong> match practice (1.30 

- 2 hours.). 

• Practice full matches. 

• Do not allow Code of conduct violations. 

• Apply tennis rules as if tournament situation. 




Methodology 

• Use different teaching methods (global, 

analytic, sequence, progressive, etc.) to teach 

tactics depending on your students level of 

play. 

• Use different coaching styles (command, 

guided discovery, problem solving, etc) to 

teach tactics depending on the contents you 

are introducing

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR tactics 


<strong>training</strong> 

Methodology 

• Use different practice organisations (groups, 

pairs, "threes", etc.) to teach tactics 

depending on the degree of control you want 

to have during <strong>players</strong> practice

Learning the game on clay: 


Pros & Cons 

• Growing up as a tennis player on a clay court 

has several advantages: 

– Players develop a more consistent game 

– Groundstrokes are often very strong 

– Learn to be patient 

– Develop good physical endurance. 

Cascales (2002)

Learning the game on clay: 


Pros & Cons 

• It does have its disadvantages: 

– Less focus is often placed on the development of 

their serve, return and net game 

– The longevity of the top clay courters is typically 

shorter than the serve volleyers 

– It is too hard to sustain that intensity in long 

matches year after year 

Cascales (2002)

Drills to Rein<strong>for</strong>ce Making the Right 

Tactical Decisions 

Serve Management 

• Drill 1 – Serve Pressure 

– Play a set where the server is only allowed two secondserves 

per game. 

• Drill 2 – 7-11 

– Play to eleven points however the returner starts up 7-0. 

This drill could also be adjusted to 5-11. The server must 

serve and volley 

• Drill 3 – 10 points 

– Play a serving game where you count the number of first 

serves. Play a total of 10 points each game and keep track 

of your serving percentage. Play the point out after each 

first serve. 


Tiley (2002)


• Drill 4 – Sequence 


Serve Management 

– Play points but in order <strong>for</strong> the point to count the serve, 

return and first volley must be in. Play to 11 and then switch 

serves. 

• Drill 5 – Side-out 

– Play to 11 points but you continue serving until you lose the 

point. When you lose the point serving your opponent now 

becomes the server and that particular point does not 

count—you just lose the opportunity to serve. 


Tiley (2002)



Return/Groundstroke Consistency 

• Drill 6 – Grinder’s Paradise 

– Play to 11 points. First 6 balls have to be in <strong>for</strong> the point to start. 

Every ball has to be hit with topspin and with height over the net. 

You can adjust to reduce the target area to behind the service line. 

No serving. 

• Drill 7 – 5-5 Challenge 

– Both <strong>players</strong> start on the baseline. One player feeds the ball in and 

you play the point out. Both <strong>players</strong> start at 5 points and the goal is 

to reach 10 be<strong>for</strong>e 0. You lose a point <strong>for</strong> an un<strong>for</strong>ced error and 

win a point with a winner and when you <strong>for</strong>ce your opponent into an 

error. 

• Drill 8 – Forcing Special 

– Play to 21 points but you can only win a point with a winner or 

<strong>for</strong>ced error. Un<strong>for</strong>ced errors do not count. No serving. 


Tiley (2002)



Return/Groundstroke Consistency 

• Drill 9 – Scramble Singles 

– The entire singles and doubles court is considered 

“in.” One player feeds a ball and you play the 

point out. Play to 11. No winners can be hit in the 

first game, however in the second game to 11, 

winners count. 

• Drill 10 – Alley Rally 

– Both <strong>players</strong> stand facing each other in the alley. 

One player feeds a ball in and play the point out. 

Play to 11 but the ball has to land in the alley <strong>for</strong> 

the point to count. 

Tiley (2002)

tactical training for advanced players on court - Coaching - ITF

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