Tennis · Footwork · Tactics & patterns
Defending wide from the baseline
Chase wide feeds, send a high deep ball crosscourt, and recover to the centre before the next one.
Start / 5
- Time
- 12 min
- Players
- 1–6
- Age
- U12+
- Area
- Full court
- Equipment
- basket of balls5 cones
Setup
- Coach feeds from the far baseline; player starts behind the centre mark.
- A cone 1 m behind the centre mark is the recovery spot.
- Four cones mark a deep crosscourt target past the service line in each far corner.
How it runs
- Coach feeds wide to the forehand; the player chases and hits high and deep crosscourt.
- Player recovers towards the cone as the coach feeds wide to the backhand.
- Six balls in a set, alternating sides; then the next player goes.
- Score 1 for each ball landing in a target; beat your last set.
Coaching points
- First step is a turn and push off the outside foot, not a shuffle.
- Defend crosscourt: the net is lower and the court is longer.
- Use height and spin to buy time; aim well above the net.
- Recover with side steps or a crossover, and split-step as the coach hits.
Common mistakes
- Going for a winner from a defensive position.
- Recovering only halfway, then getting caught on the next ball.
- Running in a curve away from the court instead of straight to the ball.
Say it: “Turn, run, high and deep, recover.”
Make it harder
- Coach feeds faster, or plays a live ball after the defence.
- The defending ball must land past the service line and inside the singles court.
Make it easier
- Feeds go only to the forehand.
- Player starts one step towards the side the feed is going.
Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.