For a beginner tennis lesson, I focus on creating a welcoming and positive environment while briefly explaining the goal of the session and assessing any prior experience. I start with basic athletic movement, teaching the ready position, balance, and simple footwork to build comfort and coordination. I then introduce the Eastern forehand grip using an easy โshake hands with the racquetโ cue, keeping the explanation simple and approachable. From there, I move into forehand fundamentals by emphasizing a side turn, a low-to-high swing path, and a relaxed finish over the shoulder, using drop feeds or short-court hitting to build early confidence and success. If time allows, I introduce the two-handed backhand with similar simple cues. My main goal in a first lesson is to build confidence, keep the session fun, and establish strong fundamentals that make players excited to continue learning.
For lessons eleven and beyond, I tailor each session to the playerโs specific goals, skill level, and areas for improvement while continuing to refine technique and strategy. I focus on advanced consistency, shot selection, and court positioning, helping players develop weapons such as a reliable serve, stronger directional groundstrokes, and confident net play. Drills become more competitive and match-specific, incorporating patterns, situational point play, and mental toughness strategies. I also emphasize fitness, footwork efficiency, and decision-making under pressure. For competitive players, I integrate match analysis, tactics, and score management, while for recreational players, I prioritize enjoyment, confidence, and sustainable improvement. The objective of lessons 11+ is long-term development, building smarter, more complete players who can adapt, compete, and enjoy the game at any level.
From lessons four through ten, I continue to build on the fundamentals while gradually increasing complexity, consistency, and match awareness. I focus on improving groundstroke reliability by adding movement, depth control, and directional patterns, such as crosscourt rallying and recovery to the middle. I refine serve technique by working on rhythm, toss consistency, and introducing second serves, while also developing the return of serve with simple positioning and compact swings. Net play becomes more intentional as I reinforce volley technique, approach shots, and basic overheads. As players progress, I introduce point construction concepts like hitting high-percentage shots, recognizing when to attack, and recovering after each shot. I also incorporate scoring, match-play situations, and competitive but controlled drills to help players apply skills under pressure. By lesson ten, my goal is for players to rally confidently, serve and return with consistency, understand basic strategy, and feel comfortable playing structured points or matches.
For lesson two, I build off the fundamentals established in the first lesson while increasing consistency and movement. I quickly review grip, ready position, and the forehand, then reinforce the backhand with more repetition and live ball feeds. I begin introducing basic footwork patterns, such as moving side to side and recovering to the middle, and focus on rallying from the service line or baseline at a controlled pace. I also introduce the concept of direction, crosscourt versus down the line, while keeping the emphasis on control, balance, and confidence.
For lesson three, I shift toward combining skills and adding structure to the game. I review both groundstrokes and introduce the serve fundamentals, focusing on grip, toss, and smooth rhythm rather than power. I also introduce the volley and basic net positioning, teaching players how to move forward and finish points. By this lesson, I begin incorporating simple point play or cooperative rally challenges to help players understand scoring, court positioning, and strategy. The goal of lessons two and three is to help players feel more comfortable rallying, moving with purpose, and starting to play real points while continuing to build solid fundamentals.