With the Volley “Less is Better”

The motto of a good volley is “Less is Better”. The volley is a reaction stroke and you don’t have time to take a big swing. A big swing will insure late contact. So how do you always make a good volley? Begin with good preparation. Your feet should be about shoulder width apart with your weight on the balls of the feet. Your racquet is held in front of you with your left hand cradling the throat of the racquet. Have the tip of the racquet at eye level and pointed at the ball. This ready position will have your weight forward and ready to react. Do not have your weight sitting back on your heels.

As your opponent hits the ball, think forehand or backhand. Let your left hand lead the stroke. If a backhand, let your left hand pull the racquet toward the backhand side. If it is a forehand, have the left hand push the racquet toward your forehand side. You should feel like you are automatically moving forward. Take the racquet back as far as your shoulder. Then push your palm forward as if you were going to catch the ball. This will keep the wrist firm through impact and insure firm contact. Your contact point should be at least 6 inches in front of your right shoulder. Sounds easy. Now how can we make it happen?

There are a couple of drills that can help reinforce the stroke to muscle memory. Get a practice partner and let them pitch you balls while you are standing in the doorframe to the courts. As the partner tosses you the ball, practice your turn and backswing. Yes, you will hit the frame the first few times and you might have people on the next court staring at you, but that’s okay because you can smile the next time you hit a volley winner past them. What you are doing is shortening your backswing and insuring contact in front of your shoulder. To work on having your racquet face in the right position, you and your partner should face each other in the ready position without a racquet. As your partner tosses you the ball; step forward and catch the ball with your palm facing toward your practice partner. Don’t let the palm wave down or that is where you would hit the ball. Once you feel comfortable, go on the court and practice.

SERVICE BASICS WORK

When you watch someone serve, from the public courts to the US Open, there are certain mechanics that distinguish the good server from the flash in the pan. You have seen the player who hits a BIG first serve, only get it in 20% of the time, and continues to lose matches. It’s the player who keeps the motion simple and tempers his service speed that keeps his opponent on the defensive. Sampras’ true talent wasn’t always hitting the first serve as hard as he could but knowing when to bring out the big gun. Of course he had one of the best second serves in history to back it up. Don’t forget that this is the only stroke in tennis that you have total control over the result.

There are two main components of the serve, the toss and the stroke. Let’s first take a look at the toss because if you cannot put it in the right place, then you’re always adjusting your swing. Start with replacing the term toss with placement because that is what you are doing. You will not be flipping the ball in the air but placing it in an area for you to reach up and hit.

Hold the ball in your fingertips, not in the palm. This allows the ball to freely be released during the placement. If you have the ball down in the palm you will find that the ball will be spinning as it comes out of your hand and therefore will be inconsistent. As your arm goes up, don’t release the ball until your hand is above the shoulder. Let your fingers reach to the sky, which will insure a good follow through.

If you are right handed set up for the serve by standing with your right foot parallel to the baseline. Your feet should be about shoulder width with your left foot pointing toward the right net post. Remember you can’t step on the baseline until after you make contact with the ball. Point the racquet at the court to which you will be serving. Let both hands drop together and then separate and go up in the same motion. As you are tossing the ball with your left hand, your right arm stays loose and raises the elbow to shoulder height and then let the racquet drop behind your back. Your body is coiling and preparing to hit the ball. The tip of the racquet is thrown up to the ball. Remember that you have to hit up to the ball to get it over the net, the spin will bring it down into the court. Meet the ball with your arm and racquet extended as high as you can reach and roughly a foot to the right, off your right shoulder.

Your follow through will force your service motion to bring your right foot (for right-handers) inside the baseline, ahead of your left. This will give you the power that you desire because you’ve been able to get your entire body into the stroke.

You will need to get about 60% of your first serves in, to keep you on the offense during your service game. It isn’t always how hard but where you hit the serve. Play smart. By winning your serve you are putting all the pressure on your opponent.