Drill

Setup

Begin with shadow/rehearsal or controlled feed appropriate to the action.

Instructions

1. 1Place a cone or towel on the court roughly a racquet-length in front of the lead hip.
2. 2Feed forehands and swing only when the ball reaches that contact zone.
3. 3Let a fed ball bounce and pass if the contact point would fall behind the cone.

Key feel

Consistent contact out in front of the body, not jammed in tight.

Success cue

The targeted behavior becomes more repeatable on comparable balls without creating a new visible breakdown.

Recommended reps

4 sets of 10

Progression

Shadow/rehearsal → controlled feed → directional live ball → variable feed → point-based constraint → match-like execution.

Common mistake

Letting the ball drop too close to the body before swinging.