Speed, agility and quickness are interrelated components of movement. Tennis players with good movement have strong skills in each area. Speed can be considered movement of the limbs as fast as possible in order to propel the body forward in a straight line. An example of speed is the act of getting to the opponent’s drop shot when a player starts from behind the baseline.

Agility is the ability to change direction quickly with balance and control. In tennis, agility not only applies to all directions of movement, but also the ability to hit shots when moving and, at times, not in ideal balance and control.

A common example is when a player moves back and forth along the baseline and adjusts with the depth of shots she receives. A better example is the player’s ability to move back to hit a shot and while recovering, change direction and move diagonally forward to cut off the short ball. Having good agility provides the player with an advantage by providing the opportunity to get into position and implement the technique of the selected stroke.

Quickness is the ability to move rapidly and involves reacting to visual, auditory and kinesthetic (body awareness) information, as well as, a subconscious decision-making process. Quickness also invokes speed and agility.

In tennis, quickness is most often associated with an explosive first step(s) helping a player move from a stationary or a “floating” position to strike-zone setup. It also manifests itself in doubles through a player’s reactions at net.

Speed, agility and quickness in tennis all relate to a player’s ability to recognize the need to move, to start early (quickness), to get to a designated spot in as short a time as possible (speed), and to do so while maintaining balance even when changing directions (agility).