Team Tennis Practice Principles & Drills

with David Roditi,
TCU Head Men's Tennis Coach;
2024 NCAA National D-I Champions;
2x ITA Indoor National Champions (2022, 2023);
2015 Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year;
2023 NCAA Championships Final Four;
2017, 2021 and 2022 NCAA Championships Elite Eight;
5x Big XII Coach of the Year (2015-2017, 2022-2023) ;
5x Big XII Regular Season Champions (2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022);
3x Big XII Tournament Titles (2016, 2017, 2023);
USTA Training Center Lead National Coach from 2005 to 2010;
2008 U.S. Junior Davis Cup Coach (Won Title);
St. Stephens Tennis Academy (Austin, TX) Associate Director from 2003 to 2004;
University of Texas Assistant Coach from 2000 to 2002;
Represented Mexico in 10 Davis Cup matches as a professional;
3x All-American at TCU - holds the school record for combined career victories

Working with a team or a large group of tennis players can be a challenge for a coach. In this video, David Roditi shows you how to incorporate various warm-up drills and competitive games that can help coaches utilize court space more effectively and efficiently.

Tennis Warm-up

Coach Roditi demonstrates the value of mentally engaging your players as soon as they are on the court. Beginning with slice games, players immediately focus on proper grip and technique as they get their minds and bodies ready for practice. Roditi emphasizes the importance of the Continental grip during both the slice games and volley progression component of the warm-up, as these shots are under-practiced and under-utilized by most coaches.

Tennis Practice Games

After warming up, Roditi continues to engage his players mentally with the Bounce and Hit drill, a drill that requires his players to use their voice and mind to stay mentally engaged with their groundstrokes. Combined with baseline target practice and shot combination sequences, Roditi ensures his athletes are every bit as focused on the mental component as the physical.

Tennis Control Drills

Many times, players are concerned with how hard they hit the ball and not where they hit it. In this section, Coach Roditi shows the value of shot placement with the 2 Cross, 1 Down the Line drill. As his athletes demonstrate the drill, you will learn specific shot selection patterns and techniques - a must for more experienced singles player.

Court Coverage

At the end of the video, you will learn two games - 3 vs. 3 and Speed Singles, both of which will help your athletes understand the value of court coverage, shot selection, and racket speed - all while having fun competing! This is a great way to close practice and will have an immediate impact on the movement and competitive spirit of your team.

Coach Roditi provides a series of drills, technique demonstrations, and games that will allow coaches of all levels the opportunity to improve their team. His energy, enthusiasm, and passion for teaching the game are felt through every second of this video.

70 minutes. 2018.