As you all hopefully understand out there on our Planet Tennis, the length of your groundstrokes is one of the basics you have to master to become a better player.

This must be learnt before you start down the road to learning "power" which of course is something that everyone wants, and very few attain it.

Length - control the two most imporatant aspects of your game.

So without going into the technicalities(which of course I assume that you have) here are a couple of drills that you can do either 1) alone 2) with a friend or a coach.

1 - Alone

Place some targets approx 3 metres inside the baseline,as in the diagram.

Go the other end and bounce and hit, for example, 30 balls using the forehand and keep a record of how many you manage to hit in the target zone (between the targets and the baseline).You want to be aware of the "second" bounce of the ball, and hopefully if you have hit the target area the second bounce will be well outside the baseline, where you want your opponent to be.Also note if the ball is crossing the baseline on the "rise" - so making the reply from your opponent more difficult, rather than the ball "falling" which is much easier to return.

Do the same with the backhand, and then alternative.If you wish make a note of how many you hit to the target area.

Variation - As you improve, move the targets in half a metre a time, to perhaps one day a 1 metre target.

2 - With A Friend or Coach

Assuming you have a friend, have them feed the balls by racket for you to hit.They feed the balls and then count the number of targets hit, then change over.Make a note of the hits.

Variation

Put targets both ends of the court and the two players rally for example 3 minutes (use an egg timer) and each player counts the number of hits by the other player.After 3 minutes get together and then add the two scores.This is a "buddy" drill so you want to hit each other quality balls enabling the targets to be hit in a non pressure situation.

For example I did this today with a client  and between us we manged to hit the targets 32 times, one scoring 17 and the other 15.

Note- Try not to count the feeds - so whoever starts a rally that ball does not count if put into the target area.Again as you improve the targets can be moved a half metre at a time.

I do this practice like this - 3 minutes forehand to forehand (length + control) if a backhand is hit you do not count it - then backhand to backhand and then any of the two groundstrokes.

If you can add this to your weekly practice I assure you your game will improve so much.But do not forget to record your scores as I find this as a coach a great way to motivate players - come on! last time we managed 32 lets beat that today!

Have fun!