I recall Agassi talking about his father mounting a ball machine on an elevated platform close to the net.They would load it up and then an electric motor would take it up to a high position and it could be adjusted to hit balls into the service box at
you. It was a pretty good system, but it still really only simulated kick serves
Set to rapid fire and returning from well inside the base line he'd always be covered in bruises by the end of the training(torture?) session.