Serve Gauntlet
Why this drill
Ten relaxed serves prove nothing — matches ask for the eighth serve of a tight game, not the third serve of a warm-up. The gauntlet adds the one ingredient solo serving lacks: consequences.
Setup
A court and a bucket of balls. The target is the deep half of each service court — mark the halfway line with a ball at each sideline if you want it visible.
The drill
The gauntlet: land eight of ten serves in the deep half, full match motion and pace, or the set doesn't count — start a new one. A fault ends the set on the spot. Run gauntlets until you've banked three completed ones, alternating service courts each set. Log how many attempts the three banks cost; that number is your pressure score, and it will be embarrassing before it is good. The rule that makes it work: no easing up to protect a streak — pace stays honest or the bank is counterfeit.
One thought to take on court
Same routine before every serve — bounce, breathe, look at the target — because the routine is what pressure attacks first.