Spider Run

Develop explosive change of direction and deceleration over tennis-specific distances.

• Players1
• Time10 min
• Equipment5 balls, a racquet, stopwatch

Setup: Place a ball at each corner of the singles court, plus one at the T on the service line. Lay a racquet face-up at the center mark of the baseline.

1. Start at the center mark.
2. Sprint to the first ball, pick it up and return it to the racquet.
3. Repeat for all five balls, in a set order.
4. Record your time; rest 90 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.

Coaching cues

• Low center of gravity at each turn
• Decelerate with small steps
• Explosive first step out of each turn

Common mistakes

• Standing tall while turning
• Overrunning the balls

Progression: Hold racquet in hand and shadow a swing at each ball instead of picking it up.

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