Court coverage is one of the most underrated skills in tennis. Many junior players can hit good shots when the ball comes right to them, but they struggle when they have to move to reach the ball. Good court coverage means getting to balls early, staying balanced when you arrive, and being ready for the next shot.
Most young players chase balls instead of positioning themselves early. They react after the ball is already hit instead of reading the situation and moving before their opponent makes contact. This leaves them stretched out, off-balance, and unable to hit quality shots.
This post covers practical drills that teach junior players how to move around the court efficiently. You’ll learn footwork fundamentals that build the foundation for good movement, live ball drills that combine movement with hitting, and anticipation training that helps you read where shots are going before your opponent hits them.
Building Efficient Footwork Foundations
Court coverage starts with proper footwork technique. You need a good split step to get ready, a quick first step to start moving, crossover steps to cover ground, and recovery steps to get back in position.
Split-Step Timing Drill
The split step is your preparation for every shot. A split second before your opponent makes contact with the ball, do a small hop and land on the balls of your feet. This gets your body ready to move in any direction.
Practice this without a ball first. Have a partner point in different directions while you split step and then move that way. The goal is to split step at the right time – not too early, not too late. Do this for 2-3 minutes until the timing feels natural.
Then add a ball. Have someone feed balls to different areas while you practice split stepping before they make contact with the ball, then taking that first step. Focus on the timing rather than hitting perfect shots.
Movement and Recovery Drill
Practice moving side to side without a ball. Start in the center of the baseline, shuffle to your forehand side, then recover back to center. Then shuffle to your backhand side and recover to center.
Do this slowly at first to make sure your footwork is correct. Keep your feet parallel to the baseline when shuffling. Incorporate crossover steps when you’re running to a ball that’s really wide. After each movement, take 2-3 steps back toward the center of the court.
Speed up the drill as your footwork improves. The goal is to develop the habit of always returning to center after you move. Many beginner players hit a shot and stand where they hit it, leaving them out of position for the next ball.
Staying Light on Your Feet
Practice staying on the balls of your feet instead of being flat-footed. When you’re flat-footed, you’re slow to react and move. When you’re on the balls of your feet, you can push off quickly in any direction.
Do quick feet drills where you bounce lightly on the balls of your feet for 30 seconds at a time. Add side steps, forward steps, and backward steps while maintaining that light, bouncy feeling. This builds the muscle memory for staying ready to move.
Coverage Drills With Live Ball Movement
Once your footwork mechanics are solid, add live balls to make the drills more realistic. These drills combine proper movement with ball-striking skills.
Side-to-Side Rally Drill
Have a coach or partner feed balls alternating to your forehand and backhand sides. They should push you wide enough that you have to move, but not so wide that you can’t reach the ball.
After each shot, recover back to the center of the court before the next ball is fed. This teaches you to reset your position after every shot instead of staying where you hit the last ball.
Start with slower feeds so you can focus on your footwork and recovery. As you improve, have the feeder increase the pace and vary the timing. Sometimes feed the next ball quickly, sometimes wait longer to test your patience and positioning.
Approach and Recover Drill
Practice hitting an approach shot, moving forward toward the net, then recovering back when your partner hits a lob. This drill works on forward and backward movement while simulating match situations.
Start at the baseline and have your partner feed a short ball. Hit your approach shot and move forward. As soon as you hit, your partner should lob the ball over your head. You need to turn and run back to retrieve the lob.
Focus on quick direction changes and staying balanced throughout the sequence. Don’t run full speed toward the net – move forward with control so you can stop and change direction when you need to.
Drop Shot and Lob Sequence
This drill combines forward sprinting with backward recovery. Have your partner alternate between drop shots that you have to run forward to reach and lobs that you have to run backward to catch.
Start at the baseline. When they drop shot, sprint forward using small, controlled steps. Hit the ball back, then immediately prepare for a lob. When they lob, turn and run back using crossover steps if the ball is really deep.
This drill teaches you to read different types of shots and adjust your movement accordingly. Drop shots require controlled forward movement, while lobs require quick backward movement and good timing.
Pattern Recognition
As you do these drills, start watching your partner’s or coach’s racquet preparation. Are they taking the racquet back early for a big shot? Are they keeping it short for a drop shot? Are they setting up for a crosscourt shot or down the line?
Learning to read these cues helps you start moving before the ball is hit. This gives you more time to get in position and makes court coverage much easier.
Anticipation and Court Awareness
Good court coverage isn’t just about running fast – it’s about moving to the right place at the right time. This requires reading the game and anticipating where shots are likely to go.
Visual Cue Drill
Have a coach or partner exaggerate their shot preparation so you can learn to read what’s coming. They should clearly show whether they’re hitting crosscourt or down the line, whether they’re hitting hard or soft, whether they’re hitting flat or with topspin.
Practice moving toward where you think the ball is going before they actually hit it. This teaches you to trust your reads and commit to your movement. Start with obvious cues, then make them more subtle as your recognition improves.
Court Position Awareness
Practice adjusting your position based on where you are on the court. If you’re pulled wide to your forehand, you should recover slightly toward the backhand side of center because that’s where your opponent is most likely to hit.
If you hit a short ball that pulls you forward, recover to a position that covers both passing shots and lobs. This isn’t always the exact center of the court – it’s the position that covers the most likely responses from your opponent.
Energy Conservation
Good anticipation means you don’t have to run as much. If you can read where the ball is going and start moving early, you arrive with more time and less effort. This saves energy for later in the match and helps you stay balanced when you hit.
Practice drills where the goal is to reach every ball with time to spare. This forces you to read shots early and start moving quickly, rather than reacting after the ball is already on its way.
Building Complete Court Coverage
Court coverage combines several skills that all need to work together. Your footwork gets you to the ball, your anticipation helps you start moving early, and your recovery gets you ready for the next shot.
Practice these skills separately at first, then combine them in longer rally drills. Start with simple patterns, then add variety as you improve.
The goal is to move efficiently around the court without wasting energy or losing balance. Good court coverage makes you harder to beat because you can reach more balls and hit them from better positions.
Work on these drills regularly, not just occasionally. Movement skills take time to develop, but they make a huge difference in match play. Players with good court coverage can defend well and create more opportunities to attack.
Want to take your tennis training further? Athletes Untapped connects athletes with experienced private coaches in sports like tennis. If you’re looking for one-on-one guidance on court coverage or other key skills, check out our coaching options here and start working with a coach near you.
