Why this week matters
Davis Cup group ties run September 10–15 across multiple cities. Matches are best of three. Captains can coach on court. Doubles uses no-ad scoring. That rule set shifts value to first-strike patterns and set pieces you can rehearse quickly.
You do not have time for broad stroke training this week. You need compact, high-yield work. Think 400 meter repeats for tennis. Short, intense, specific. You prime the exact motor programs you will call under pressure.
This playbook gives you three fast blocks. First-two-games scripts. No-ad doubles calls. A pressure return ladder. You can run all three in 45 minutes. You can tape them into your match card. You can adjust targets city by city and surface by surface.
Key idea
Pack your session with scripted choices. Serve here. Return there. If then. Make decisions automatic before the first ball.
I coach teams to treat these blocks like set pieces. We stack a simple breath, target, play-call between points. We track results lightly in OffCourt so our captains can steer live.
The 45-minute plan at a glance
- Block 1. First-two-games scripts. 12 minutes
- Block 2. No-ad doubles calls in 20. 20 minutes
- Block 3. Pressure return ladder. 10 minutes
- Buffer and transitions. 3 minutes
Court needs: 3 to 6 players, 6 balls, 2 cones, tape for targets, stopwatch.
Scoring and tracking: use a whiteboard or OffCourt notes to log holds, return depth, and no-ad conversions.
Block 1: First-two-games scripts you can copy
Objective
Install a clear plan for the first two service games and the first return game. You want early scoreboard control and information. You want quick reads on body vs wide, and on chip vs swing.
Setup and roles
- One server, one returner, one feeder or spare ball kid
- Targets taped at body and tee on both deuce and ad
- Cones on deep middle and deep backhand corner
Drill A: Serve script, 8-minute block
Format: Serve plus one to your script. Two mini games of four points each, both sides of the court.
- Deuce side, Mini Game 1
- Point 1: First serve body. Second ball deep middle
- Point 2: First serve body. Second ball deep backhand
- Point 3: First serve tee. Second ball deep backhand
- Point 4: First serve tee. Second ball deep middle
- Ad side, Mini Game 2
- Repeat the pattern
Reps and sets
- 2 sets total. 16 live points
- Rest 30 seconds between sets
Cues
- Toss line matches target line
- Land inside baseline on serve finish
- Second ball to the big safe third: deep middle unless clear short ball
Scoring goal
- 70 percent first-serve percentage to targets
- Win rate target 60 percent in set 1 and 70 percent in set 2
Drill B: Return script, 4-minute block
Format: Four balls from each side. Choose two patterns before you start. Call them out.
- Pattern 1: Chip return to deep middle and recover cross
- Pattern 2: Swing return to opponent backhand corner and step inside baseline
Reps and sets
- 8 returns total, 4 per side
- Rest 15 seconds between groups of two
Cues
- Quiet eye: gaze fixes on toss apex, then the contact zone
- Body alignment to target first, racquet second
- Split step timed at server contact
Scoring goal
- 6 of 8 returns deep beyond service line
- 0 lateral shanks outside doubles alleys
Why it works
The scripts compress your first decisions. You remove guesswork on serve location and second ball. You remove guesswork on return contact type. The first two games should feel like a choreographed opening.
Coach note: In group stage, captains can reinforce this at changeovers. Keep the language tight. Body then middle. Tee then jam. Chip middle. Swing backhand.
Block 2: No-ad doubles calls in 20
No-ad points decide ties. Doubles becomes a swing event. You need two formations and a short menu of if-then calls you can remember under stress.
Objective
Install one Australian formation play and one I-formation play. Build an if-then flow for no-ad.
Formation playbook
- Australian formation
- Server lines up near center mark
- Net player on same side as the server
- Goal: take away the cross return and force down-the-line decisions
- I-formation
- Server on center mark
- Net player crouched on center line, pops left or right on signal
- Goal: hide the net move and bait a body return
Hand signals and calls
- Thumb left or right for net move direction
- Fist to hold position
- Open hand for poach regardless of return
If-then map for no-ad points
- If returner is stronger on forehand, call body serve with net player holding
- If returner crowds baseline, call tee serve with committed poach
- If you miss first serve, default to body second serve with net player hold
Drill: No-ad live reps, 20-minute block
Format: Three mini-tiebreakers to 5 no-ad points. Rotate servers. Each no-ad point must start with a declared formation and call.
Structure
- Round 1: Australian only
- Round 2: I-formation only
- Round 3: Mixed, captain chooses
Reps and sets
- Each round: 5 points minimum. Play extra if time allows
- Total 15 to 20 no-ad points
- Rest 45 seconds between rounds
Cues for server
- Aim body on second serve unless a clear weakness exists
- Hold the toss height and tempo under pressure
- Land forward, cover middle first
Cues for net player
- Early split step, eye on ball and shoulder turn, not just racquet face
- Commit to first step on the call. Do not half-poach
- First volley high and through middle unless open court is obvious
Cues for return team
- Declare chip or swing before the point
- Default to deep middle on second serve returns
- On chip, recover up the line to protect the gap
Scoring targets
- Serving team aims for 60 percent conversion overall
- Net player touches the ball on at least 2 of 5 points per round
Captain’s cue card
- Score check. 2. Formation. 3. Target. Speak it in five words: Aussie, body, I hold. Or I-form, tee, you go.
Light OffCourt use: record formation choice and outcomes for five no-ad points. The tally tells you which play to open with in the live tie.
Block 3: Pressure return ladder in 10
Return intensity wins Davis Cup games. The ladder compresses decisions and gives you repeatable pressure.
Objective
Run a 7-point return ladder with constrained targets. Build depth and body control under scoreboard stress.
Rules
- Only body or tee targets allowed
- Each ball must land beyond the service line to count
- Scoring: 1 point per quality return, 0 for misses or short balls
Structure
- Set 1: Deuce side, 7 balls
- Set 2: Ad side, 7 balls
- If you score 6 or better on a side, add 1 bonus ball as a pressure tiebreaker
Reps and sets
- 14 to 16 returns total
- Rest 20 seconds after the first 7
Cues
- Quiet eye: see toss apex, soft focus to contact, then shift to ball-flight window
- Unit turn earlier than you think
- Contact in front, play big through the middle
Server role
- Mix first and second serves, but keep speeds realistic for match level
- Aim half body, half tee
Targets
- Tape a 3 by 6 foot box beyond each service line, middle third of the court
Score goals
- 10 of 14 into the box
- Lateral miss rate under 15 percent
Running analogy
Treat each 7-ball set like a 300 meter rep. Strong start, hold form, clean finish. Your breathing should settle by return 3.
Track your ladder scores in OffCourt. Note which side drops under fatigue. That side gets the first reps in the next session.
Captain’s corner: a 3-cue between-point reset
This is the glue. Use it on every changeover and after big points.
- Breath: one slow inhale 4 seconds, hold 2, exhale 4
- Target: say the next target out loud, body or tee, deep middle or backhand
- Play-call: name the formation or pattern in one phrase
It keeps choices short. It anchors attention. It speeds up decisions under noise.
Scouting lite: the 5-ball charting test
You need one data point before each tie. Run this in warm-up or early practice.
- Feed or serve 5 second serves to each returner from each side
- They must choose body or wide before the ball
- Chart results: depth beyond service line, lateral miss, contact comfort
Pick your default second serve based on this small sample. If 3 of 5 wide returns land short and 4 of 5 body returns land deep, you have your plan. Body becomes the default on pressure points.
Keep it simple. OffCourt note: record only three items per player. Best side, preferred return contact, default target.
Simple test you can run today
Run the full 45-minute session, then test immediately.
- Test 1: First-two-games scrimmage
- Play two service games with your script
- Goal: one hold and at least one 30-all with first-serve percentage above 65
- Test 2: No-ad conversion
- Play 6 no-ad points using your two formations
- Goal: convert 4 of 6 on serve
- Test 3: Return ladder score
- 14 balls, body or tee only
- Goal: 10 or more in the box
Log your outcomes. If you miss a goal, repeat the block that addresses it for 5 extra minutes.
Two-week microcycle for Group Stage
The calendar is tight. You may play on back-to-back days. Keep volume low and specificity high.
Week 1, lead-in
- Day 1: Full 45-minute session. Emphasize serve scripts
- Day 2: Light hit 30 minutes. Add 10-minute return ladder only. Mobility 10 minutes
- Day 3: Match day or live practice sets. Captain cues only, no new work
- Day 4: Recovery. Walk, band work, 15-minute visualization of scripts
- Day 5: Doubles focus 35 minutes. No-ad plays, 15-minute live return games
- Day 6: Short court and feel. 20 minutes of serves to body and tee, 10 minutes of chip returns
- Day 7: Match day or off. Captain’s corner only
Week 2, group stage window
- Day 8: Full 45-minute session, but cut each block by 2 minutes if legs are heavy
- Day 9: Match day. Use breath, target, play-call between every point
- Day 10: Recovery and scouting lite. 5-ball charting test per player
- Day 11: Doubles sharpener 30 minutes. 12 no-ad points only
- Day 12: Match day
- Day 13: Light hit 25 minutes. Return ladder to 10 balls, single formation review
- Day 14: Tie decider or off. Captain’s corner review and notes for next event
Intensity note: Keep RPE at 6 to 7 on practice days. If a player crosses 8, trim reps. Think marathon training in race week. Sharpeners, not grinders.
Common mistakes and fast fixes
- Mistake: Serving wide under pressure with no plan for ball 2
- Fix: Default to body on second serve. Second ball deep middle
- Mistake: Net player waits to see the ball before moving
- Fix: Commit on the call. First step on the signal, not the bounce
- Mistake: Returners aim lines in tiebreak moments
- Fix: Aim deep middle. Force a low first volley
- Mistake: Overloading the menu
- Fix: Two serves, two returns, two doubles plays. No more
Practical examples from this week
- Indoor hard in Europe favors body serves that jam the forehand. Make body the default until an opponent proves they can free the arm
- On slower courts, the I-formation with a committed poach creates longer first volleys that your net player can handle
- Aggressive returners in group ties often crowd. That is your cue for tee serves and early middle first volleys
I watched a college pair last season swap a wide-heavy plan for a body-first plan overnight. Their no-ad conversion jumped from 45 to 65 percent. The change mirrored this drill set. Two clean calls and a middle-first mindset.
Coach and captain workflow
- Before practice: pick targets and write them on a wristband or note card
- During practice: call the play before each point. Keep language short
- After practice: log only three numbers in OffCourt. Script hold rate, no-ad conversion, ladder score
- Before the tie: run the 5-ball charting test and adjust the default calls
Small data beats no data. This is not a deep scout. It is a confidence anchor.
What to adjust by player type
- Big server who misses under pressure
- More body, fewer corners. Land inside the court and own the second ball
- Counterpunch returner
- Chip middle on first serves. Swing to backhand on seconds
- Net-first doubles team
- Australian when protecting a weaker backhand return. I-formation when the returner guesses
- Baseline-heavy pair
- Return deep middle and hold. Poach only on clear floaters
Quick surface notes
- Indoors: body serves bite. Returns stay low. Favor middle targets
- Outdoor hard with wind: tee is stable upwind. Body downwind
- Clay: deeper returns matter more than pace. Chip middle buys time for the first ball
Wrap-up and next steps
The Davis Cup format rewards clarity. Best of three, no-ad doubles, coaching allowed. Your team needs a short menu and reps that match the exact moments that swing ties.
Run the 45-minute session. Track three numbers. Adjust the calls. Repeat tomorrow. The plan is compact on purpose. It leaves headroom for recovery and for live matches.
Bottom line
Start with body and middle. Commit to one doubles call at no-ad. Climb the return ladder. Win the swing points.
On-court checklist
- Tape targets at body and tee, plus a deep middle box
- Write two serve locations and two second balls on a card
- Choose chip or swing as your default return on first and second serves
- Pick one Australian play and one I-formation play for no-ad
- Run the 7-ball return ladder and record the score
- Use breath, target, play-call before every point
Next steps for your team
- Today: run all three blocks in 45 minutes and log results in OffCourt
- Tomorrow: quick 25-minute tune-up. No-ad reps only and a 10-ball return ladder
- Before match: 5-ball charting test per player. Confirm default calls
- In match: captain keeps cue card language tight. Body, middle, you go
Stay specific. Stay simple. Let the reps carry you when the tie gets loud.