Lob Tracking
Why this drill
The footwork that saves you from the lob — drop-step, turn, track back — decays fastest of any pattern because open play barely exercises it. Self-tossed lobs rebuild it safely, one rep at a time.
Setup
A court and a few balls. Start at the non-volley-zone line in a ready position, as if mid-dink-rally.
The drill
Toss a ball high over your own hitting shoulder, as an opponent's lob would arrive. Drop-step, turn sideways, and track back — never backpedaling square — then make the match decision: reachable ball, hit the overhead into the open court; a good deep toss, let it bounce and hit a high, deep reset. Recover to the kitchen line after every rep. Ten tosses per set: vary them honestly, some short, some deep, some over the other shoulder. Three sets; score overheads that would end a point and resets that would survive one.
One thought to take on court
First move is the drop-step — turn and run sideways to the ball, because backpedaling is both slow and how players get hurt.