The Five Shots Every Social Tennis Player Needs

Adult social tennis is decided by five shots, not fifteen. Most recreational players try to copy the pros and end up spreading their practice too thin. This post lists the five shots that genuinely cover 90% of real social play, in order of importance, plus how to actually practise each one with a regular hit partner.

1. The cross-court forehand

The single highest-percentage shot in tennis. Cross-court is the longest distance the ball can travel on the court, the net is lower at the middle, and the angles work in your favour. If you can hit a heavy, deep, cross-court forehand consistently, you win most social baseline rallies.

Practice drill

Both players stand on the deuce side of the baseline. Hit cross-court forehands only. Count how many in a row before either player misses. Goal: 20 shots in a row. Once you can do 20, increase pace and add some topspin. Once you can do 30, switch to the ad side and do the same with backhands.

What to avoid

The temptation is to hit down the line for a winner. Down-the-line is a lower-percentage shot. Save it for when you have a short ball, not for the rally exchange.

2. The deep, defensive backhand slice

The shot that buys you time. When your opponent pushes you wide or hits a heavy ball that you cannot counter-attack, the slice backhand back deep through the middle of the court resets the point. They cannot keep pressing if the ball arrives low and deep.

Most adult learners try to flatten or topspin every backhand. The slice is way underrated. It is also the easiest shot in tennis to learn well, because the swing is short and the technique is forgiving.

Practice drill

Have your partner feed you balls cross-court to your backhand at varying paces. You slice every one back deep through the middle of the court (aim for the 'T' where the centre line meets the service line, but landing 1m inside the baseline). Hit 30 in a row.

What to avoid

Slicing short. A short slice sits up and gets attacked. The slice has to land deep or it is worse than not hitting it at all.

3. The first serve into the body

Forget the ace down the T. The most effective first serve at social level is hit at medium pace straight at the returner's body. It jams them, the return floats up high and slow, and you get an easy second ball.

Why it works: most adult players have a strong forehand and a strong backhand, but no shot for a ball coming straight at them. They have to choose between two grips while the ball is already at them. The return is usually weak.

Practice drill

Place a target (a ball can, a water bottle) in the middle of the service box, about a metre from the centre line on the returner's side. Hit 20 first serves trying to land within a metre of the target. Practise both deuce and ad courts.

What to avoid

Trying to crush an ace down the T. Pros do it because they have 130 km/h serves. You do not. A 80% body serve wins more points than a 60% bomb serve.

4. The high volley

Doubles especially. When your partner serves and you are at the net, you will get one or two chances per game to put away a ball that floats up to chest height. Most adult players push it weakly back. The right answer is to step into it and punch it down at the open court.

The technique: short backswing, firm wrist, contact in front of you, weight forward, finish low. No follow-through past your shoulder.

Practice drill

Stand at the net. Have your partner feed you balls at chest height, alternating forehand and backhand sides. Punch each one into the open court. 20 each side.

What to avoid

Trying to drop-volley a high ball. Drop volleys work on low balls. A high ball is for putting away with pace, not for finessing.

5. The lob

When both opponents are at the net, the lob is the only high-percentage answer. Trying to drive through two net players just feeds them winners. A high deep lob to the opposite back corner forces both opponents to retreat and resets the point.

You do not need a great lob. Even a medium lob over their racket reach (anything 2m off the ground that lands inside the baseline) works.

Practice drill

Your partner stands at the net. You stand at the baseline. They feed you a low volley back to your baseline. You lob over their head into the back corner. They turn and chase, return the ball to your baseline, and you reset. 15 lobs each side. Half forehand, half backhand.

What to avoid

Lobbing short. A short lob is a free overhead smash. If you cannot get the lob deep, do not lob.

What you do NOT need

The shots that pros use but recreational players obsess over and waste practice time on:

• The drop shot. Looks great. Misses 70% of the time at amateur level. Skip unless you have a real reason.
• The kick serve. Requires technique most adult learners cannot develop without years of practice. A good body serve is more useful.
• The inside-out forehand. Tour-level positioning shot. Way over-engineered for social tennis.
• Topspin lob winners. The James Bond move. Almost impossible at amateur level. The standard defensive lob does the job.
• The serve-and-volley. Lovely when it works. Demands a serve and volley you almost certainly do not have. Stick to the baseline.

How to fit this into your weekly practice

Two hits a week is enough. Suggested split:

• Tuesday: 20 minutes of cross-court rallies (forehand + backhand) followed by a short match.
• Saturday: 15 minutes of warm-up rallies, then dedicate the first 20 minutes of the session to one specific shot from this list (rotate weekly). Then play your usual match.

Eight weeks of this rotation and all five shots will be solid. Twelve weeks and you will be the player at your club night who used to lose to people you now beat.

For more practical guides, see our post on doubles tactics for social tennis or finding a hit partner to practise with.