My love of hitting off a backboard is previously well documented on this site. Today I am sharing a drill for hitting off a backboard to build control and accuracy. When I achieve a steady state of flow with this exercise, it is also very meditative.
The essence of this drill is trying to make each ball bounce between the lines of the doubles alley. I usually do this drill with two bounces which better simulates baseline hitting rhythms. It also makes it easier to gauge accuracy because the alley lines are not marked all the way to the backboard.
This is essentially a court surface version of marking off a target directly on the board. What I love about this variation is that it forces the brain into big picture thinking about the ultimate ball trajectory. I believe that development of those neural pathways are helpful to effectively play the angles. It is also essential for threading shots between two players in doubles.
I included a video of myself demonstrating the drill hitting forehands. Obviously it should also be done on the backhand side as well. Another way to kick it up a notch is to alternate between forehands and backhands still keeping the ball in the alley. It is still good for control development, but layering in the more active footwork kills the meditative vibe for me.
I highly recommend this drill for anyone seeking to work on their shot control or just to get your head right with tennis.
Speaking of ruining the vibe, my club subsequently ruined this backboard.
