While both are great and can help you improve and develop in lots of different ways, the truth is, there are lots of different games you can play that are fun, social and competitive for all ages and abilities.

In this first of a series of Coaching Columns, exclusive for LTA Advantage members, LTA expert coach Matt Smith shares his top six tennis games as alternative to just match play.

Beginner’s games

Tap up tennis

• In this game, you’re going to rally with your partner in the service box.
• However, each time the ball comes over the net to you, you’re going to tap it up in front of you, let it bounce and then return it.
• Your partner would then do the same and you’d keep the rally going as long as possible.
• To make it a bit trickier, you can try tapping it up on one side of your body (e.g. forehand) and sending it back with the other (e.g. backhand).

If you want to work on your footwork and positioning around the ball – this game is perfect. It’s a great one to try as a warm-up at the start of your hit.

Level up

• In this game you’re looking to complete different levels of rallies to see how far you and a partner can get.
• The best thing about this game is that you set the goal – so you can decide what is needed to complete each level.
• For example, Level one might be a serve and a return.
• Level two then could be a serve and a rally of two shots.
• Level three could be a serve and rally of three shots.
• You could include having to use both forehand and backhands in the rally, having to hit into a certain areas, etc. It’s up to you!
• If you make a mistake or don’t achieve a level, just keep trying until you do – there’s no need to go back to the start!

This game gives you the chance to work on your rallying and consistency together, as well as specific shots and areas where you feel you need a bit more practice. Even better, it implements the serve and return from the start.

Intermediate games

Five and live

• Either as singles or in doubles, the aim of this game is to get into a rally of five before the point is ‘live’.
• Start with a forehand feed and rally with your opponent(s) until you reach five shots.
• Once you get to five, shout ‘live’, and then play the point out like you would during a match.
• You can use tie-break scoring rules, so first to seven points.

This encourages you to build the point collaboratively, working on your core skills, gaining consistency and will help you with your stamina for those longer rallies during matches.

Dingles

• With your partner, both at the back of the court and against you opponents, one pair starts by both feeding a ball at the same time to their opponent diagonally, across the court. Starting two separate rallies, like a cross-court singles.
• Both rallies are cooperative and continue until there is a mistake or one of the rallies breaks down.
• When that happens those players shout ‘dingles’ and everyone plays on that last live ball as a doubles!
• Again, you can use tie-break scoring rules up to seven points.

Top tip: if both rallies breakdown at the same time, just feed in and start again.

This game is brilliant for several reasons. Not only are you working on your technique and rallying skills but it’s great for learning to react and then play as a team.

If you play any club matches or are thinking of getting involved in a doubles Local Tennis League, this is a brilliant exercise.

Advanced games

Follow the leader

• Suitable for intermediate to advanced players.
• Between you and your partner – choose one person to be the leader.
• Start rallying – the leader can hit whatever shot they want (top spin, slice, etc) and the other player has to copy it on their return.

This is a brilliant way to work on your anticipation and encourages you to watch what your opponent is doing and judge what kind of shot they are playing – very useful for your matches! This can be used as a warm-up in the service boxes, or on the full court to test these skills further.

Figure of eight

• This game is aimed more at intermediate to advanced players.
• With a partner, choose one person to hit down the line and one person to hit cross court.
• Start rallying with your opponent but you can only hit into your designated area.
• This will have the ball working in a figure of eight pattern and will have you covering the whole of the baseline.
• The challenge is to see how many times your can complete that figure of eight.

Not only is this game a great workout, but is excellent for improving your groundstrokes off both sides and gaining more precision in directing your shots.