I realize the best way to practice serve returns is still to find a partner with a good serve that you can practice regularly with. The limitation of using a machine means you don’t have a chance to learn to “read” a serve.
Primarily I wanted to practice a short, compact swing and using the ball’s pace and redirect the ball quickly. It still looks awkward as heck, but I hope to improve my returns quickly just as I have with my one-handed backhand.
Here’s the link to the Serve Speed Calculator I use:
https://www.donthireddy.us/tennis/speed.html
This video originally appeared on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I8lsErOQ88