Why does no one topspin their volleys?

[zapvor]

Originally Posted by _craze

Thursday, I said.

oh no! i am going to miss the comments. thanks! i might try this.......

[_craze]

Originally Posted by Cheetah

So your topspin volley hit with a continental grip has enough topspin on it that it makes it hard to tee off on? that's pretty impressive.

No, I didn't really hit with it. I told you it's been a while, so I didn't completely remember how I hit it.

After I was warmed up, though, I went for the net points and used EE-SW grip on the forehand. You can volley with any grip, though Eastern or Continental is ideal.


But let me ask you this: if a good topspin groundstroke is hard to tee off, why would an even faster topspin volley hit from the net suddenly be weaker and unable to pass the service line?

If one can't get their volley past that point (slice, flat, topspin; *anything*), their technique is flawed or they're getting pummeled.

[_craze]

Originally Posted by zapvor

oh no! i am going to miss the comments. thanks! i might try this.......

It's advised. Even if it doesn't work the first time, there's definitely more margin for error.

Although I will admit hitting the angles is harder with it: it requires more brushing and touch. But the results are better. It's harder to react to this shot; at least as I hit them.

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by _craze

But let me ask you this: if a good topspin groundstroke is hard to tee off, why would an even faster topspin volley hit from the net suddenly be weaker and unable to pass the service line?

i don't think topspin is hard to tee off of. a good slice is harder to tee off of.

nobody said a topspin volley can't be hit past the service line. we are saying that it can't be hit reliably or accurately and will be slower than a slice and easier to attack since it will sit up.

[_craze]

To each his own, then. Depends on how much sidespin the slice contains.

It won't "sit up" if hit right. It'll kick off and be off the court in a second. The slice will sit up more. That's the slice by nature.

The only attackable volleys, slice or topspin, are those that are hit weak and in the opponent's range.

What's unreliable? You're lifting the ball away from the net, as opposed to hitting it closer to the net and down towards it. It's harder to slice a volley with accuracy that below the net. Try it yourself: With topspin, you just "aim"....

[Cheetah]

Originally Posted by _craze

To each his own, then. Depends on how much sidespin the slice contains.

It won't "sit up" if hit right. It'll kick off and be off the court in a second. The slice will sit up more. That's the slice by nature.

The only attackable volleys, slice or topspin, are those that are hit weak and in the opponent's range.

What's unreliable? You're lifting the ball away from the net, as opposed to hitting it closer to the net and down towards it. It's harder to slice a volley with accuracy that below the net. Try it yourself: With topspin, you just "aim"....

you're entitled to your opinion but respectfully i don't agree with anything you just said.

[TheCheese]

This is a ridiculous thread. No pros are consistently hitting topspin volleys...

[_craze]

Perhaps you can't understand my point of view until you try it yourself? Even if I show you, you won't be able to get the shot unless you try it yourself.

For now, I'll just have to wait and hope I have the same day then as now, that I may placate the belligerent TT Elite Crew.

[_craze]

Originally Posted by TheCheese

This is a ridiculous thread. No pros are consistently hitting topspin volleys...

Did you even READ the title?

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

oh, right, the 'B' button

now I understand!

carry on

[mxmx]

One of the main reasons for a volley to have backspin, is so that the ball stays lower...which would mean your opponent would lift the ball more often for a put away. A topspin volley, would bounce higher and be easier for the opponent to reach well...

[mxmx]

Originally Posted by LeeD

While I'd jump onto the bandwagon for sliced volleys on all fly balls, I do know one 4.5 level doubles player with a strong W grip using the same face for his volleys, hitting top/sidespin on even low shin high volleys. On half volleys, he definetely uses topspin.
I also know one former 5.0 player who consistently hits half volleys on both sides with heavy topspin, but he uses a continental grip. He's tall and strong of foreams and shoulder also. His normal volleys from shoetop on up are hit with penetrating slice.
I think, if you have weirdo grips, you need to make that grip work for you, even if it takes superior shoulder/arm muscle and superior eyesight.

On half volleys, one has to close the face of the racket, to adapt for the incoming angle of the ball. If the angle of the face was the same as a normal volley, the ball would basically fly sky high. So the best way to play a half volley, is with the face pointing downward (eg. 45 degrees)...so when the incoming angle of the ball eventually goes out at its normal outgoing angle, it will still be low over the net. Sometimes very little topspin is needed for this which may counter the spin on the rise and to make things easier. But this i do with a continental grip, and not a forehand grip - its more about changing the angle of the racket with your wrist.

[mxmx]

Originally Posted by _craze

It's advised. Even if it doesn't work the first time, there's definitely more margin for error.

Although I will admit hitting the angles is harder with it: it requires more brushing and touch. But the results are better. It's harder to react to this shot; at least as I hit them.

My guess is that you are not getting this shot right everytime...It is a now and then fluke shot and not the ideal way to aim for things.
Or let me rephrase...it will hurt your game in the long run. A topspin volley as you say, is against the natural shape of a continental or traditional volley grip. Which would then mean, a eastern grip would probably be more "ideal". So now comes a higher shot or shot to your backhand...will you be able to change your grip in time for the overhead or backhand volley? Having a continental volley grip, can deal with all the shots at the net.

The idea of topspin at the net (apart from the aggressive putaways when there is enough time) will just waste your time. Any topspin shot that is not put away at the net, will just go claycourt for your opponent, sit up and give him AMPLE time to pass you. Whereas, a blocked flat or sliced volley, will go grass court on him and eliminate his recovery time.

[_craze]

Originally Posted by Timbo's hopeless slice

oh, right, the 'B' button

now I understand!

carry on

Hey, if you can't picture the shot, it's you who can't volley, not me.

[_craze]

Originally Posted by mxmx

My guess is that you are not getting this shot right everytime...It is a now and then fluke shot and not the ideal way to aim for things.
Or let me rephrase...it will hurt your game in the long run. A topspin volley as you say, is against the natural shape of a continental or traditional volley grip. Which would then mean, a eastern grip would probably be more "ideal". So now comes a higher shot or shot to your backhand...will you be able to change your grip in time for the overhead or backhand volley? Having a continental volley grip, can deal with all the shots at the net.

The idea of topspin at the net (apart from the aggressive putaways when there is enough time) will just waste your time. Any topspin shot that is not put away at the net, will just go claycourt for your opponent, sit up and give him AMPLE time to pass you. Whereas, a blocked flat or sliced volley, will go grass court on him and eliminate his recovery time.

Why couldn't an Eastern grip deal with overheads? Overheads can be sliced and hit flat with that grip. Djokovic put a lot of overheads away against Murray, as slices.

Again, and no offense, but I still have to ask: have you hit the shot regularly enough to really *know* its strengths? Or are you conjecturing its strengths and weaknesses?

[rkelley]

Post a video.

It really needs to be taken from one of the ends of the court so that the quality of the ball that you're volleying can be seen as well as the your volley and the results of the volley.

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

Originally Posted by _craze

Hey, if you can't picture the shot, it's you who can't volley, not me.

sure..

you, of all the tennis players in all the world, are the only one who can volley.

I can picture the shot, I just think it's idiotic.

[Fuji]

Man, I play the same level as OP and I have no idea how to even hit a topspin volley. My brain literally cannot comprehend how in the world it even works. From what I understand, you are saying you are volleying with an EE/SW grip, then blocking it back as such. I'm trying to picture how this happens without dumping the ball into the net. I'm literally sitting here holding my racket with a SW grip, and the only way I can physically open up the face enough to volley puts my wrist in such an awkward position I'd probably break something on a mediocre passing shot.

I get that you might use it for sticking volleys deep, but it's not practical when you can do literally the exact same thing with a conti grip. It's all about contact points, and I just don't see how it would be a good thing.

-Fuji

[LeeD]

I think if you guys just tried picturing how you'd volley with a SW grip, or full W, then you can understand it CAN be done, but it takes superior quickness, hand eye, and wrist/forearm strength.
It IS possible to volley with full W grip, and lots of those shots would be top/sidespin almost mishit shots, that would still be putaways if the ball is chest high or higher.
It CAN be done, it's not the ideal way to hit volleys for the majority of the playing public.

[TheCheese]

Originally Posted by _craze

Did you even READ the title?

You posted a video of Sampras hitting a half-volley as evidence of topspin volleys being a viable shot.

There's really no situation where you'd want to hit a volley with topspin unless it's a swinging volley or you're stabbing for it. Half-volleys can be hit with topspin, but that's a different shot.

Also, you can hit a topspin volley with a continental grip if you pronate your forearm enough.