One of the more difficult shots in tennis ...

[Davis937]

Ok, please try not to laugh ... but am I wrong in thinking that the FH volley is actually one of the more difficult shots in tennis to master ... to really master ... yes, I agree that it's a fairly easy shot to learn ... however, it is also one of those shots that tends to break down (for many of us quite easily) during crucial moments of play at the net (especially fast paced doubles action at the net ... but even S&V in singles) ... I see a lot of players ... even the "A" players on our courts ... struggle with this shot ... it's amazingly easy to muff the FH volley ... what are your thoughts on this ... thanks in advance for your comments!

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I agree completely. What's worse is that it looks like it should be an eazy put away so when you miss it, it makes you feel worse. Usually muffs are caused by taking the eyes off of the ball.

[ReopeningWed]

Easily one of the harder shots. The backhand volley's actually easier to hit, because your entire body is already naturally behind it.

[Davis937]

Originally Posted by ReopeningWed

Easily one of the harder shots. The backhand volley's actually easier to hit, because your entire body is already naturally behind it.

I agree ... the backhand volley is significantly easier to hit than the FH volley ... yes, it's much easier to volley the ball in front of your body ... more difficult on the FH side.

[Cross-court]

Try an overhead backhand. Or backhand overhead. Don't really know what it's called.

[larry10s]

backhand overhead. conventially thought of as the toughest shot. forehand volley low on list of toughest.imho

[Cindysphinx]

Originally Posted by Davis937

I agree ... the backhand volley is significantly easier to hit than the FH volley ... yes, it's much easier to volley the ball in front of your body ... more difficult on the FH side.

So why do so many players struggle much more with the BH volley?

[albino smurf]

I think people struggle with the BH volley because their footwork is too slow or not correct. I too struggle with the FH volleys, not sure why but they are a thorn in my side that I plan on removing this season.

[spaceman_spiff]

Originally Posted by Cindysphinx

So why do so many players struggle much more with the BH volley?

The one's I've noticed (including myself), usually struggle because they swing too much. It's just too tempting to take a big swing. You've got your weak hand pulling the racket back, you've hit a number of slice backhands with a long swing, and it's such a natural swing to go for. Even those with good technique get tempted to overswing.

The forehand volley is not a natural swing, especially on those high balls (too low to hit an overhead). So, those with good technique are less likely to overswing because there's not a natural temptation to do so.

[origmarm]

I've always found this a tougher shot to hit well consistently. It's easy to learn but it requires good footwork to get yourself in the correct position so you don't "jam" yourself. The lower the volley the tougher it is as you have to keep the head up and incorporate a significant knee bend. The backhand smash is similar in that if you're not careful you jam the motion against your body.

[Thomas Crown]

to me, it's the hardest. if there's significant pace on the ball coming at you, then it's much easier. however, for a ball that's just sitting there, not high enough to be an overhead, and not low enough to take a decent full swing, the FH volley for me is the toughest shot there is. the BH overhead, for me, is actually probably the easiest.

the BH volley is so much more natural. i actually read somewhere a long time ago that the backhand motion is 'natural' whereas the forehand motion is 'unnatural'. that may have somethign to do with it.

[forehandshanker]

I've always found my FH volleys to be weaker than the BH volleys, because the strike zone for an effective BH volley is bigger.

Even if you get your feet in the right position and you're using a continental grip, you have to lay your wrist back in order to control the volley and be conscious of trying to get the racquet (more or less) perpendicular to the ground. McEnroe is one of the few who can actually control his FH volleys while his racquet is parallel to the ground.

[LeeD]

For those who occasionally struggle with the forehand volleys....
Conti grip with an EFH flavor! Stroke THRU the ball, don't chop at it, with a LONG forward stroke and LONG followthru, to account for wierd spins, hard slices and topspins. Key is long strike zone, since you're close to net and can't time the shot perfectly.
Same grip, bh volley, you turn your shoulders MORE, you take a longer backswing and forward swing, and you get more body into the shot. For really fast incomers, you block it with the BACK of you hand, as flat as you're close to net.
That's the choice of grip for Edberg, Cash, Rafter, and Sampras on volleys.

[charliefedererer]

It has to do with the muscles in our arms responsible for pronation and supination.

Very few hit a slice forehand, while most can hit a slice backhand.

Our muscles are developed for pronating the forehand groundstroke.

And no one practices volleying even close to 5% of the groundstrokes they practice.

So if you want a better forehand volley, you have to practice it with a coach, hitting partner or ball machine hitting several hundred balls at least a few times every week. Not just standing there at the net, but hitting it on the run.

[pvaudio]

Originally Posted by Cross-court

Try an overhead backhand. Or backhand overhead. Don't really know what it's called.

Haha I'm actually pretty damn good at this shot TBH.

[Kevo]

It's much easier to hit a proper backhand volley when you don't use your feet because you're hitting it with the front shoulder and the arm naturally extends out in front of your body on the backhand side.

On the forehand side your really have to use your legs more and position better since it's harder to reach out in front from the back shoulder. With proper footwork I don't think the forehand volley is that much harder or different than the backhand volley. Without the footwork it's much more difficult.

[skiracer55]

Originally Posted by LeeD

For those who occasionally struggle with the forehand volleys....
Conti grip with an EFH flavor! Stroke THRU the ball, don't chop at it, with a LONG forward stroke and LONG followthru, to account for wierd spins, hard slices and topspins. Key is long strike zone, since you're close to net and can't time the shot perfectly.
Same grip, bh volley, you turn your shoulders MORE, you take a longer backswing and forward swing, and you get more body into the shot. For really fast incomers, you block it with the BACK of you hand, as flat as you're close to net.
That's the choice of grip for Edberg, Cash, Rafter, and Sampras on volleys.

...think also about your starting point, which is a ready position where you're somewhat flexed, hips and shoulders over the feet, racket head up (you can always bring it down for a low volley, if it starts low, it's hard to bring it up quickly for a high volley) and racket head out in front. If the racket head is out in front, when you turn your shoulders, for either side, doesn't matter, the racket face will line up pretty well with a good contact point (out in front). If the racket head isn't out in front in the ready position, when you turn your shoulders, it's much more likely that the racket face will end up behind the optimum contact point.

From the ready position, the first move is to turn the shoulders. Doesn't matter whether it's a forehand or backhand. The standard advice is "get the racket back." Just think about getting the shoulders turned and the racket will come back as much as it's supposed to. As Dave Hodge, one of my former coaches and an ATP player for two years used to say, "The best volleyers in the world take very little backswing...and they take too much backswing."

If you turn your shoulders, that's all the backswing you'll ever need. In addition, turning the shoulders winds up the torso, and when it unwinds for the stroke, presto, you get plenty of stick on the ball and lots of control, as opposed to "arming" the ball, which gives you neither. Turning the shoulders (or, you can think of it as rotating the trunk) is a good thing on groundies, too, for another reason: When you turn the shoulders, your eyes naturally swing toward the contact point for the shot. When you don't turn the shoulders, most likely you're looking at your opponent, hoping he or she falls down before the ball comes over the net, or at somebody in the crowd, or at the lovely patterns of the leaves on the trees behind the court. From the ready position, start by turning the shoulders...you'll be glad you did...and after the stroke, it's back to the ready position again...I know, you just hit a winner, but what if your opponent golfs the ball back somehow? Better to be ready than sorry...

[Manus Domini]

I find the backhand overhead much easier to use than the forehand volley. Actually, I find the forehand volley to be my least favorite shot. too far behind me for effectiveness.

[LeeD]

Mag, read Skiracer's post about staying early on the FH volley.

[Davis937]

Originally Posted by Thomas Crown

to me, it's the hardest. if there's significant pace on the ball coming at you, then it's much easier. however, for a ball that's just sitting there, not high enough to be an overhead, and not low enough to take a decent full swing, the FH volley for me is the toughest shot there is. the BH overhead, for me, is actually probably the easiest.

the BH volley is so much more natural. i actually read somewhere a long time ago that the backhand motion is 'natural' whereas the forehand motion is 'unnatural'. that may have somethign to do with it.

Yeah ... I really have to agree with TC ... it just seems a little more "awkward" to use a FH volley vs the BH volley ... also, I tend to volley better on the FH side if the ball is hit at/towards me with good pace ... more of an instictive reaction shot (not too much thinking ... that's when I tend to get myself in trouble).