Why does no one topspin their volleys?

[Cheetah]

That first ball is a half-volley. I don't recall sampras ever hitting any topspin volleys.

[TheCheese]

Originally Posted by _craze

Well, here's a video of Sampras doing it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6E3vPigzxI

I don't know if it was a half-volley or not, but if not, this is what it would look like. At least against a harder shot.

If you've been talking about half-volleys this whole time then yes, it's common to hit topspin pickups on half-volleys.

However, I've never seen a pro hit a topspin volley unless they were super stretched and reaching for the ball. It's just not an effective shot.

[rkelley]

Originally Posted by _craze

Well, here's a video of Sampras doing it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6E3vPigzxI

I don't know if it was a half-volley or not, but if not, this is what it would look like. At least against a harder shot.

Sampras isn't hitting topspin in this video. His first volley is a half volley. You generally hit those by following the ball down and up with your racquet and keeping the racquet in front of you. It’s like an infielder in baseball catching a short hop ball. The ball that Sampras hit would likely have a small amount of backspin from the ball bouncing up into the racquet, not topspin. The second volley clearly doesn’t have topspin.

Actually McEnroe used to have a bit of an upward motion on his racquet on low first volleys to his forehand side. He had that funky “racquet head below the handle” form and kind of pulled up on the racquet a bit at contact. But he’s McEnroe. Generally a player would get their body lower for that shot, the racquet would be more level, and there wouldn’t be upward motion.

If you want to try some topspin on your volleys go for it. I just think you’ll have a hard time doing it and you’re missing the fundamental point of volleying, which is accessing sharp angles due to your proximity to the net. Keeping the motion simple, racquet in front, and using your opponent’s pace are keys in accessing those angles, especially when you’re trying to volley a rifled forehand.

[_craze]

I didn't know the ball bounced because I couldn't track it in the video. If it did, that's not the shot I'm referring to.

I recall McEnroe hitting some shots like what I'm talking about, yes, and with the right technique, it's possible like everything else. I've hit them before, and used to hit them more before I began slicing.

Topspin allows for almost as much angle as slice; why do you think you can't control the ball with a topspin volley?

[TennisCJC]

knock yourself out if you want to hit topspin volleys. My opinion is it is a waste of time. Volleys are hit with a conti grip which is not conducive to top - yes, it can be done but not best fit. Also, you don't have much time at net and I think a bit of underspin with a conti grip is a quicker more compact stroke.

My opinion is the only time to even consider top on a volley is for a mid-court high swinging volley but I personally don't even use this shot as I prefer to hit traditional volleys.

But, to each their own. Try it you might like it but not for me.

[rkelley]

Originally Posted by _craze

I didn't know the ball bounced because I couldn't track it in the video. If it did, that's not the shot I'm referring to.

I recall McEnroe hitting some shots like what I'm talking about, yes, and with the right technique, it's possible like everything else. I've hit them before, and used to hit them more before I began slicing.

Topspin allows for almost as much angle as slice; why do you think you can't control the ball with a topspin volley?

I can't pull the racquet up in the couple of hundred milliseconds that I have to hit the ball, plus I want my volley to skid and bounce low, not sit up.

[TennisCJC]

Originally Posted by rkelley

I can't pull the racquet up in the couple of hundred milliseconds that I have to hit the ball, plus I want my volley to skid and bounce low, not sit up.

yea, this is logical. I think most hit volleys with a slightly open racket face and maybe a slight downward motion for underspin. This fits well with a conti grip. For topspin equivalent, you would have to use a slightly closed racket face and slightly upward motion for topspin. Seems like it would be too risky as open face helps lift ball over net while close face would push ball down toward net. Also, some volleys are just reflexes and you want the racket open for lift and underspin. I can not realistically see hitting a topspin reflex volley. Finally, having to sort out which type of volley do I want to hit - top or under - at the net seems overwhelming since you basically don't have any time to think in most cases.

And, as you mentioned, I would rather have a low skidding bounce rather than a higher topspin bounce on my volley.

[USS Tang]

I hit my volleys on both sides with one hand and with a continental grip. There is, however, a way to hit a forehand volley with topspin but it is unorthodox. It involves using a two-hand forehand. If you're right-handed, the left hand goes above the right-hand. At the point of impact with the ball, roll your wrists slightly forward (left supinating, right pronating). You'll get some small degree of topspin on the volley, but it's only effective if you're angling it wide to the left, i.e., your opponent's right side. All in all, it's probably not worth the trouble to learn.

[BevelDevil]

Sampras did it a lot, and not just on half-volleys. I think he mainly did it on balls below the net.

[Cheetah]

i just watched 11 mins volley highlights from sampras/krajicek us open qf match. no topspin volleys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36wpnYByAMA

[Raul_SJ]

Originally Posted by BevelDevil

Sampras did it a lot, and not just on half-volleys. I think he mainly did it on balls below the net.

I don't see how its possible and would like to see a Sampras video of it.

The coaches say to lead with the bottom edge of racquet and volley with underspin.

Topspin volley? On a LOW ball? Will need to see it to believe it.

[dominikk1985]

Originally Posted by _craze

An appropriate user name for the response. lul

But maybe I didn't explain it correctly. Maybe that's not even the name of the shot because I can't describe it perfectly.

It's a volley and it's hit with topspin. It's hit in the traditional manner, so there's no full swing. You can hit topspin with any grip, and if you're good at it, you can hit a higher percentage shot than even a slice. I think margins still play a big role at the net, unless I just happen to suck, otherwise people would flatten-out all of their volleys.

Think a blocked ball at the net, going forwards and with a fast, upwards motion. Mostly brushing.

well you are most likely not facing 70+ mph passing shots like the pros do. reaction time is a big issue and even if you have no real take back you still at least have to get the racket to your side and then reverse the direction.

A normal volley basically can be punched directly from the chest with no reverse in direction. It is just a shorter swing. in Baseball you also want to Keep the swing compact and swing directly to the ball because the time is so short.

[boramiNYC]

it's possible for an emergency measure when really stretched out but it's pretty rare and shouldn't be any part of regular volleys.

way too much key strokes are being wasted on such silly idea.

[dominikk1985]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

i just watched 11 mins volley highlights from sampras/krajicek us open qf match. no topspin volleys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36wpnYByAMA

I think he means this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36wpnYByAMA#t=0m53s

sampras did the quite a lot when he had to reach. usually that was not a forcefull shot but he could place it well. I'm not sure this would work againsta heater hit at you.

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by dominikk1985

I think he means this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36wpnYByAMA#t=0m53s

sampras did the quite a lot when he had to reach. usually that was not a forcefull shot but he could place it well. I'm not sure this would work againsta heater hit at you.

looks like a regular volley to me. pace pushes the head back.

[_craze]

A bit more like it. I don't know what you mean by "regular volley" Cheetah, since the only difference between a topspin and slice volley is the direction of your racquet frame.

I'm scheduled to hit tonight, so I'm just hoping I'll have as much success with the shot as I used to, but if I'm not on and can't show it in video, I'll just have to find some other way to describe it.

If I can't explain it any better, the swing path is essentially that of a half-volley, but it's an actual volley, and there's maybe a little more topspin described.

Iirc, the topspin volley is also in the game "TopSpin".

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by _craze

A bit more like it. I don't know what you mean by "regular volley" Cheetah, since the only difference between a topspin and slice volley is the direction of your racquet frame.

regular as in the type of volley that everyone is taught, uses and practices for over 100 years and can see in any volley video or article.

why would anyone want a volley to sit up and go at a slower pace? you're at the net. there's no reason to give it top to go over the net. you have angles. topspin volley from a low ball is very low percentage with a continental. I don't think there's a coach that would allow such a thing.

[THE FIGHTER]

Originally Posted by Topspin Shot

Three reasons:
1. Topspin can't be hit with a blocking motion. When you're on top of the net, there is no time for a full swing.
2. To generate topspin, you have to have separate grips for the forehand and backhand. There isn't enough time to change grips at the net.
3. When you're closer to the net, you have more margin for error (think court geometry). You don't need topspin to keep the ball in the court.

technically, not true. without changing grips, a semi western forehand = semi western backhand.

it isn't ideal on a volley, but it can be done. also, dimitrov hits with a continental hybrid backhand for his top spin drives. gasquet hits with a continental forehand for his top spin drives. again, it may not be ideal for volleying, but it can be done.

i also disagree with your first reason, if you have time to put underspin/ backspin on a ball, you have time to put some top spin on a ball. not a full stroke, obviously, but as much as you would with underspin. however, Top spin isn't very ideal at all for volleys, i agree with that.

you could have said that the ball sits up with top spin, and the whole reason your up at net is to take time away from the opponent.

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

I just have trouble understanding why anyone would want to hit a topspin volley?

lets slow the ball down and make it bounce higher! not

I can see how it might be possible at really low levels when the ball is coming a bit slower and with less topspin of its own, but I still have no idea why you would want to do it in the first place!

or, you are the next ATP number one with reflexes that put even Sampras to shame.
(only way you are going to take a swing at a passing shot at anything over 4.5 or so..)

[_craze]

I don't swing at my volleys.