Phone Check
Why this drill
A phone against the fence is the solo player's honest mirror. Ten recorded serves and ten groundstrokes, reviewed against a five-point checklist, catch the drift that creeps into unwatched practice — the quiet reason solo players plateau.
Setup
Phone propped or clipped at the fence, filming from behind the baseline (for serves) then side-on at the baseline (for groundstrokes). Hopper of balls.
The drill
Record ten full-routine serves, then ten drop-hit forehands and ten backhands side-on. Watch once at full speed, once at half speed, against five checks: toss landing spot; contact reaching full stretch; balance held through the finish; contact out in front; recovery steps after each ball. Score yourself out of five per stroke, note ONE fix, and make that fix the theme of the rest of the session.
One thought to take on court
Pick one fix per session, never three — the camera finds five faults; the player who improves fixes them one at a time.