best half volley tips

[2ndServe]

It's not something I run into often but it happens more than I'd like when I'm serving and volleying on a 2nd serve.

[mikeler]

Best tip I can give you is to really make sure you keep your head down with your eyes locked on the ball. There is a natural tendency to look up too quickly to see how well you've hit the half volley and also where your opponent is located in anticipation of your half volley.

[willroc7]

This is a great video that covers the half volley:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPxLGHjCatU

[anchorage]

For some reason, I've always found half-volleys to be pretty easy. The keys are certainly to 'stay down'. Beyond that, keep the weight forward and just let the racket win the collision with the ball. You should really feel that the racket is pretty 'quiet', i.e. you're certainly not hitting the ball but using your forward momentum to place and control it.

[dominikk1985]

the best tip is get to the net quickly enough and avoid it.

usually when you have to half volley it's in NML (unless you are agassi and do it from the baseline)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fh0nVqsFdI

[enishi1357]

my advice is not to go for winner. going for winner usually lead to rushing which lead to not hitting a proper volley. only attack if its a floater.

[Bobby Jr]

Like anchorage above, I've always found them to be relatively easy shots.

I think a key aspect to them is to not panic or swing at them - just get the racquet out, low and don't try to hit them as far out in front as you would most volleys/groundstrokes.

[LeeD]

Conti grip both sides, make sure you body is moving forward thru the half volley, swing slightly harder than you think you need, to make the baseliner run or hit behind them.

[kopfan]

Similar with hitting on the rise but with little or no back swing at all. Feel the ball into your racquet and lift, brush, push the ball over the net. Keep low, knee bend, firm wrist, use continental.

[LeeD]

If you are at least a 4.0, and play against a fellow 4.0 or better, you will get to hit at least 2 half volleys a game if you come to net. That is reality.
Don't let it bother you, as you can half volley to an open court and frustrate the baseliner until he goes for more than he can handle.
You have to take care of your part, to get the ball back to near his baseline and away from him.

[JoelDali]

Most 3.5s will panic at the half volley and pull a Dmitrov and spin in a wild 360 motion to avoid getting hit in the face.

The 4.0 will stay down and loosen his grip, executing a GOAT drop volley.

[LeeD]

Most 4.0's, upon seeing ONE drop half volley, take a step forwards into the baseline on their next low dipping pass attempt.
You can fool most people ONE time, but you can only fool a 3.5 more than once on drop half volleys.

[boramiNYC]

thing to remember is that the ball is sharply rising as contact is made. swing as if you are hitting a high ball but just bend your knees. and swing gently for good contact and placement.

[LeeD]

I'm as slow as a wheelchair, so on S/V points, most of my half volleys are just inside of NML, a couple feet back from my service line. From there, I can't be popping balls up at a steep angle. I need to hit low, net skimming backspin conti gripped half volleys that land at least as deep as the other NML on the other side of the net.
So, most important is to move the body thru the shot, unlike a regular groundie or an approach shot.

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

Originally Posted by dominikk1985

the best tip is get to the net quickly enough and avoid it.

usually when you have to half volley it's in NML (unless you are agassi and do it from the baseline)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fh0nVqsFdI

Except when you go against good players that know how to dip it at your feet even inside the service box.

Don't rush, slow down, block it back with the racket, maybe push it a bit forward. It's a touch/feel/control shot like the slice.

I'd also rather slow down and hit half volleys at a comfortable pace than rush myself to hit a tough, low volley. Just slow down so you can balance and collect yourself on the shot. If you're hitting it on pure reflex, you're more likely to miss it than a stretch reflex volley unless you've been in the situation so often that your body is used to it.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by JoelDali

Most 3.5s will panic at the half volley and pull a Dmitrov and spin in a wild 360 motion to avoid getting hit in the face.

The 4.0 will stay down and loosen his grip, executing a GOAT drop volley.

I even yell out "drop volley" before I hit it but with true GOATness on my side, alas my opponent cannot retrieve my perfect shot. GOATness does apply above 4.0 correct?

[Mongolmike]

Originally Posted by anchorage

For some reason, I've always found half-volleys to be pretty easy. The keys are certainly to 'stay down'. Beyond that, keep the weight forward and just let the racket win the collision with the ball. You should really feel that the racket is pretty 'quiet', i.e. you're certainly not hitting the ball but using your forward momentum to place and control it.

Yep, me too. I'm no way a great player, but I get complimented often about solid half-volleys from team-mates and coaches. I don't even consider it a difficult shot. Not really sure why I'm good at it, but from watching the video I do stay low, don't panic, and don't try to do too much... not even sure where I learned this from... guess its the same as my topspin FH... its just what I did from the start... and now, I couldn't hit a flat FH on an easy bounce if I tried.

[charliefedererer]

Originally Posted by 2ndServe

It's not something I run into often but it happens more than I'd like when I'm serving and volleying on a 2nd serve.

"It's not something I run into often..."

That's a large part of your problem.

In a hitting session you hit hundreds of goundstrokes. You practice your serve.

But you never practice your half volley.



You have gotten plenty of tips above on WHAT to do.

Now you have to go out and practice.



The quickest way to develop a feel for the shot is to go to a backboard and stand just far enough away that you have to hit half volleys. (Better have a few balls in your pocket so you don't have to chase the one you miss.)
In a half hour you will have hit a few hundred half volleys and you will start to develop the balance and hand-eye coordination to get comfortable with this shot.

On court, during a hitting session, practice rushing the net on balls that really were a little too deep to really expect to approach the net successfully. You will end up having to hit a fair number or half volleys and get more used to the placement you will need on the court.

If you have access to a ball machine, you can set it up to hit hundreds of half volleys from either side, practicing to place your half volleys to all four quadrants on the court.

[kiteboard]

It's all about feel. Still racquet, low knee bend, move through it, aim to hit low over the net, and aim to hit low and away from opponent. Contact is close to the body, as ball is very low, so in order to arm bar the shot, if you go out too early, you will net it, and too late, it will pop up. Feels as if you are blocking the shot with a very still frame, yet driving it well.

[USS Tang]

Get racket back quickly.
Bend your knees.
Gauge the trajectory of the oncoming ball.
Start your stroke before ball crosses net on its way to you.
Hit the ball flat, i.e., with no spin.
Stroke through the ball on a plane parallel to the court surface.
Do not attempt to brush up over the ball or chop down on it.
Maintain your follow-through until the ball lands in opponent's court.