Top 5 Tennis Agility Drills for Reaction Time & Quickness
In tennis, agility is everything. The ability to change direction quickly, cover the court efficiently, and react to your opponent’s shots is what separates good players from great ones. Whether you're an amateur looking to improve your game or a coach training competitive athletes, incorporating tennis-specific agility drills into your routine can be a game-changer.
3 Keys to Tennis-Specific Agility Training
Agility training for tennis shouldn’t be generic—it should mirror the unique physical and cognitive demands of match play. Based on insights from Fernandez et al. (2006) and other supporting research, here are three essential principles to follow to design effective, tennis-specific agility drills:
#1 Keep movements between 2-5 meters Movement demands
Roughly 80% of strokes are executed within 2.5 meters of the player's starting position.
10% of movements range from 2.5 to 4.5 meters, while only 5% extend beyond 4.5 meters.
Key Takeaway: Focus training on short, explosive direction changes, primarily in the 2–5 meter range, with an emphasis around 3 meters.
#2 USE A 1:2→1:4 Work-to-rest ratio (e.g., 5-15s work → 10-60s rest)
Tennis points typically last 5–10 seconds, followed by 10–20 seconds of rest, yielding a 1:1 to 1:4 work-to-rest ratio.
For agility development, research by Seo et al. (2019) recommends a 1:3 to 1:5 ratio to enhance anaerobic power and maintain movement quality.
Conversely, shorter rest intervals (1:1) may benefit aerobic endurance but are less effective for building high-quality agility (Purnawan et al., 2022).
Key Takeaway: Structure drills around 5–15 seconds of high-intensity movement, followed by 10–60 seconds of rest, to reflect real match rhythms.
#3 Incorporate a reactive component
Every movement in tennis is made in response to a stimulus, demanding rapid processing speed and sustained attention to ensure quick, accurate decision-making throughout a 1-4 hour match. (Alecsandri, 2020).
Key Takeaway: Integrate reactive drills that challenge processing speed, attention, and decision-making, replicating the mental load of match conditions.
NOTE: These recommendations will vary based on many factors like court surface, gender, ball type, match duration, and style of play. For example, slower surfaces, type 3 balls, longer match duration, baseline play, and being female increase the aerobic demands, whereas fast surfaces, type I balls, shorter match duration, serve and volley play, and being male increase the anaerobic demands (Fernandez, et al. 2006).
Top 5 Agility Drills for Tennis Players
Here are 5 excellent agility drills for tennis players, which you can do by yourself using the SwitchedOn app.
Press the “TAP TO TRY IN APP” button below any of these drills while on your mobile device to go directly to the drill in the SwitchedOn app.
1) Split Jump Reactive Agility
Benefits: Improve your split-step timing, reaction speed, first-step quickness, and agility.
Execution: Start your split jump at 0.3 seconds, react mid-air to the arrow, then quickly move in that direction and return to your starting position.
Coaching Tips: Ensure you're making your decision while in the air, and perform each rep with 100% focus and intensity.
Sets, Reps, & Rest: 3-4 sets, 8-10 reps, 30-40 seconds rest between sets.
2) Line Lateral Agility or Jump
Benefits: Improve lateral agility, concentration, and the ability to adapt quickly to unpredictable changes—essential for tracking and adjusting to shots during fast rallies.
Execution: Shuffle to the matching cone based on the color or number, do a tuck jump if you're already there, and quickly adjust if the stimulus changes mid-movement.
Coaching Tips: Stay low with eyes up—shuffle for short distances, cross-step for longer ones, and react quickly while maintaining control and technique.
Sets, Reps, & Rest: 3-4 sets, 15-20 seconds work, 30-80 seconds rest between sets.
3) Lateral Court Agility
Benefits: Improve lateral quickness, reaction time, and decision-making under pressure.
Execution: React to the stimulus by moving laterally—follow green arrows and go opposite for red arrows.
Coaching Tips: Give maximum effort, react quickly, and use controlled footwork to improve speed, timing, and efficiency.
Sets, Reps, & Rest: 3-4 sets, 15-20 seconds work, 30-80 seconds rest between sets.
4) Attack and Recover
Benefits: React faster to wide, short shots and improve split-second decision-making during rallies.
Execution: React to the arrow by moving diagonally and executing a forehand or backhand—green means go that way, red means go opposite.
Coaching Tips: Give maximum effort, react quickly, and use controlled footwork to improve speed, timing, and efficiency.
Sets, Reps, & Rest: 3-4 sets, 15-20 seconds work, 30-80 seconds rest between sets.
5) Box Agility and Swing
Benefits: Improve multi-directional agility, reaction time, and change-of-direction speed.
Execution: React to the arrow by moving to the correct cone and performing a forehand or backhand—green means go that way, red means go opposite.
Coaching Tips: Give maximum effort, react quickly, and use controlled footwork to improve speed, timing, and efficiency.
Sets, Reps, & Rest: 3-4 sets, 15-20 seconds work, 30-80 seconds rest between sets.
If you liked this and are looking for a systematic training program to transform your reaction time, speed, and agility on the court, check out our 4-week Tennis Agility & Reaction Speed Program, now available in the SwitchedOn app! Use the buttons below to download it for free.