Beginner drills in 20 minutes

You do not need a long practice. You need a focused one you can repeat.

This 20 minute plan is built for busy players. Four blocks of five minutes each cover the essentials without burning time or energy. Use the solo version if you are on your own. Switch to partner or ball machine when available.

After reading this, you'll

• Run a 20 minute practice that fits any booking
• Pick solo, partner, or ball machine options for each drill
• Track simple metrics so progress is obvious
• Finish with a quick serve routine that carries into matches

What you need

• A court or a flat surface with a line you can use as a reference
• 2 to 4 balls
• Optional: cones or water bottles for targets, phone for a quick timer

The 20 minute plan

Each block is five minutes. Move with intent, rest briefly as needed, then go again.

Block 1: footwork and first step

Goal: quicker split step and cleaner movement into contact.

• Solo: line hops side to side 30 seconds, rest 15 seconds x 4. Then split step to forehand corner and back, split step to backhand corner and back for 60 seconds.
• Partner: one feeds mini balls to the corners while the other split steps and takes two steps toward the ball without hitting. Switch every 60 seconds.
• Ball machine: set low pace to alternate feeds to forehand and backhand positions. Focus on split step timing and first step.

Track: number of reps you can do with steady rhythm in 60 seconds.

Block 2: contact timing and clean hits

Goal: smooth swing path and solid contact.

• Solo: shadow swings 10 forehands and 10 backhands with early preparation, then bounce feed to yourself and hit inside the service boxes for 90 seconds. Cycle for five minutes.
• Partner: mini tennis in the boxes aiming for middle to middle. Count clean contacts in a row.
• Ball machine: low speed to the middle. Aim for center strings and waist high contact.

Track: longest rally or most clean contacts in 60 seconds.

Block 3: direction and depth

Goal: send the ball where you intend, not where it happens to go.

• Solo: place two targets cross court just past the service line. Bounce feed and land 6 of 10 inside the target zone on each side.
• Partner: cross court rally to the deeper half of the service box. After five balls, change direction down the line once, then reset.
• Ball machine: moderate speed. Alternate 4 shots cross court and 1 down the line. Reset and repeat.

Track: hit rate into the target zone, for example, 60 percent or better.

Block 4: serve start and rhythm

Goal: a repeatable start that shows up on match day.

• Solo: 3 bounce routine, one breath, 8 smooth first serves to the deuce target, 8 to the ad target. Finish with 6 second serves.
• Partner: serve to spots and ask for quick catch and return. Switch after 10 serves.
• Ball machine: turn it off. Use the time for your serve routine and footwork recovery after the serve.

Track: first serve percentage and number of second serves that land deep and safe.

How to scale it

• 10 minutes: run Blocks 2 and 4 only
• 30 minutes: add a second pass of Block 3 with tighter targets or higher ball speed
• Hot or windy: shorten footwork bursts and use larger targets

Simple progress tracker

Write one line after each session:

• Footwork reps in 60 seconds
• Clean contacts in a row during mini tennis or machine feed
• Target hit rate in Block 3
• First serve percentage

Two weeks of notes will show trends fast.

Common mistakes and quick fixes

• Rushing: if form slips, slow the tempo and shorten targets.
• Arms only: add a split step before every rep in Blocks 2 and 3.
• Serve spray: keep the same toss height and reduce pace by 20 percent until aim is better.

Make it automatic

Tie the routine to a cue. When you put your bag down, start Block 1. Same order every time so the habit is effortless.