Make the Most of Your Volleys

"Sensible technique and thoughtful strategy will turn you into a force at net."
Without question, the baseline is where today’s players conduct business. At every level, though, I still believe the easiest place to finish a point is at net. You pressure your opponents by taking time away and forcing them to pass you. Even if you’re a solid baseliner, it’s important to get to net occasionally to keep your opponent off-balance. And if you’re a frequent doubles player, solid net play is a must. Here’s how to make the volley a valuable part of your game. BEGINNER OBJECTIVE 1: Hold the racquet properly. One of the most important aspects of volleying is holding the racquet so you have the same grip on both the forehand and backhand. I like to tell beginners to hold the racquet like they’re shaking hands with it. But there’s no perfect way to do it. Boris Becker used a grip that was more toward the forehand side, and although it wasn’t textbook, it got the job done. Experiment with your grip to see what you find most comfortable for hitting volleys off either side. OBJECTIVE 2: Keep your swings short and body composed. When it comes to volleying, less is more. You want as little motion with your racquet and body as possible. Big swings and lots of movement lead to inconsistent results. Start with a stable base and turn your shoulders so that they’re as perpendicular to the net as possible. Your racquet should only go as far back as your shoulder turn takes it. To hit the volley, step forward and make contact out in front of you. Use a short, punching swing that’s no more than 1 to 2 feet long. The power on the volley comes from the step forward, the punch, and the pace from your opponent. INTERMEDIATE OBJECTIVE 1:Stay in control on tougher volleys. The ball is going to be moving faster at this level, so you’ll be forced to cover more court. Still, you need to have control over your body. That’s why the best volleyers have great core strength (from the thighs to the midsection). This prevents them from bobbing up and down, particularly on low balls. You need to bend at your knees, not at the waist, and keep a stable upper body when hitting a low volley. Also, with the increased pace and movement of the ball, you may not have the opportunity to step into your volleys. Even so, try to get your shoulders perpendicular to the net before you swing. OBJECTIVE 2: Use angles to finish points. Approaching the net is an aggressive play that generally ends points quickly. The easiest way to hit a winner off a volley is to set it up first with a powerful ground stroke. Putting your opponent on the defensive will allow you to get closer to the net and give you opportunities to angle the next ball away from him. The closer you are to the net, the easier it will be to create a sharp angle. Rather than trying to volley deep into the open court, which can cause you to overhit, angle the ball away from your opponent—this forces him to cover more court. Just remember to catch the outside edge of the ball to produce an angle. ADVANCED OBJECTIVE 1: Pick the right moments to attack. At this level, you need to be smart about how you construct your points at net. Make sure you hurt your opponent with an approach shot that opens up the court and then close in and cover the passing lanes. Once at net, you have to decide when to go for it. A ball around chest height is an invitation to finish the point. But shots from around the knees and below may call for more safety. In this case, open up your racquet face a little bit and do whatever you can to get the ball over the net and deep in the court. This will give you more time to recover and force your opponent to hit a longer passing shot. Going down the middle can be a great play in this situation; if you hit a defensive volley to one corner, you open up angles for your opponent to pass you. OBJECTIVE 2: Use the drop volley. The drop volley is an effective shot to use at net after you’ve driven your opponent behind the baseline. Open up the racquet face a little, soften your hand on the grip, and almost catch the ball on the strings. This helps you deflect your opponent’s shot gently over the net. The secret to a good drop volley is not how short you can hit it; it’s actually how far you can push your opponent back behind the baseline before you attempt it. By not having to hit so close to the net, you significantly increase your margin for error.