The tennis volley technique of the pros are graceful, powerful and effortless. The volley technique is a powerful motion when executed correctly. The swing shape of the tennis volley is simple, yet extremely effective which is why the top pros hit the tennis volley more often in today’s aggressive power game.
A proper tennis volley technique will allow the tennis player to effectively hit the tennis volley with little to no effort. The swing shape of the volley technique is very simple, and almost no backswing is required.
The Tennis Volley Explained
What is the Tennis Volley, and why does a good tennis volley give a tennis player so much of an advantage?
A tennis volley effectively hit with good placement will have your opponent scrambling to get your forehand volley or backhand volley. The tennis volley is usually hit after the approach shot. The tennis volley is often hit midway in the air, while approaching forwards toward the net. The tennis player is usually somewhere between the middle of the service box and halfway close to the net at the time the player hits the tennis volley.
Tennis Volley of Pete Sampras
Keys to the tennis volley technique
A good initial split step, is key on the tennis volley technique. This places the tennis player in a wide and low base of support on the split step. The split step also readies the tennis player to react in any given direction of the passing shot. In addition, the split step effectively balances the player to hit the tennis volley technique appropriate for the shot situation.
The second key to tennis volley technique is reacting on-time and positioning the feet to drive the tennis volley forward. The entire body’s momentum should be moving forward at the time of impact, thus allowing the tennis player to continue the move forward.
The third key to tennis volley technique is having an aggressive mentality. This means that the volley technique is an aggressive shot, not a push or a rally shot. The point should be finished within one or two shots at the net. Anything more and any good tennis player will have hit put a passing shot away.
The third key to tennis volley technique is having an aggressive mentality. This means that the volley technique is an aggressive shot, not a push or a rally shot. The point should be finished within one or two shots at the net. Anything more and any good tennis player will have hit put a passing shot away.
The fourth key to tennis volley technique is fluid tennis footwork. Proper tennis footwork on the volley technique goes hand in hand with the forehand and backhand volley. This means that the tennis footwork needs to be fluid and small sprinting steps should be made.
The fifth key to tennis volley technique is incoporating the body into the tennis volley. Volley technique is not a wrist or arm shot. Making sure to stay low on a low volley, keep the racket head up and don’t prematurely drop the racket head (which will funnel the ball long or in the net)
Volley Technique is Powerful, Compact and Fluid
The volley technique must be powerful, compact and fluid just like the rest of the groundstroke technique.
Great tennis volley allows a tennis player to finish the point at the net after the initial approach shot. A weak tennis volley, on the other hand will leave a tennis player like a sitting duck, allowing an opponent to drill the tennis ball right back.
Forehand Volley
The Forehand Volley is an essential part of an all court game for every tennis player. The tennis volley is often hit when the opponent attempts to pass on to the forehand volley side. This tennis stroke must be kept simple in order to be made effective.
Pete Sampras had one of the best forehand volley in the history of tennis. His forehand volley was graceful, smooth and deadly. Roger Federer’s forehand volley technique is also world class. These two professional players use their tennis volley to great success in helping them finish points on their terms.
A good forehand volley is neccessity in order to play an attacking game, otherwise the baseline game will be your only option
What the keys to a good Forehand Volley
The forehand tennis volley is hit with all five keys mentioned above for a great tennis volley. The forehand volley is no exception. Typically, on the forehand volley there will be little to no swing.
The first key to the forehand volley in tennis is keeping the racket face up while the lower body must maintain a low and strong base of support. The posture on the body must be upright, and the swing path should be limited. Only a small takeback is needed, and most of this will be completed with the initial turn of the body.
Backhand volley
The volley technique on this tennis stroke must be compact in a similar fashion as on the forehand volley. The tennis volley technique must be kept compact, especially on harder hit balls. The momentum of the body moving forward will usually impart additional power needed to power the backhand volley, and little to no additional swinging is necessary. The backhand volley can be thought of as a block, rather than a swing.
Tennis players who attempt to swing on the backhand volley end up with poor results. They often hit the ball late, and are jammed on every shot and unable to effectively hit a powerful shot that they are looking for.
Volley Technique
Volley technique in tennis has to be made simple. Great net players have excellent finesse, and soft hands. The tennis volley is not a rigid or explosive stroke, rather it is a compact and fluid motion. At times, depending on the situation the tennis player must adjust the racket face and wrist angle to direct the tennis volley in the appropriate direction with the correct amount of spin and depth.
A tennis volley hit deep is better than one than lands short, potentially allowing the opponent to make a passing shot. A tennis volley hit with sharp angle will also force the opponent off the court increasing the chance for a forced error or a second put away tennis volley.
The volley technique of the pros are excellent models for every tennis player looking to improve tennis volleys. There is little acceptable variation on volley technique as it is in groundstroke technique, so adhering within the exact volley technique will improve your results on the tennis court.
Photo by mobina rb on Unsplash
source: tennisinstruction.com
