Low Ball Lift
Ball machineNTRP 2.5–3.510 minforehandbackhandfootwork
Why this drill
Low, skidding balls force the error that looks like a mishit but is really lazy knees. Training the topspin lift off a low feed builds the legs-first habit that survives fast courts and slice merchants.
Setup
Machine at its lowest trajectory and modest pace, feeding balls that arrive below knee height. Deep middle target zone.
The drill
Thirty forehands and thirty backhands: sink until your hitting hip is almost at ball height, brush sharply up the back, and lift the ball deep with visible arc. Count deep landings out of each thirty. Balls netted mean you swung level; balls sailing mean you leaned back instead of bending.
One thought to take on court
Bend the knees, not the back — your legs are the elevator; the swing just steers.