Serve and Volley

L

LGQ7

Hall of Fame
I'm self taught in tennis, so I'm trying to speak "tennis". I know in certain arts they have certain terminologies. What we call tip toe in "normal" language, in ballet they call it relevé.

I've never seen what I call "serve and run forward" in 20+ years of recreational tennis. The first 10 years, we had money the games, $5, counting ping-pong to 21. I've never seen "serve and volley".

My grip is "continental" and I don't change it. It's good for all around, not great in any direction, it's not a sword, it's a shield.

I relatively recently played with a new group. A guy serve and ran up to the net. I saw him run up, I adjusted and I hit the ball up, oh I mean I "lobbed" the ball over his head to his backhand (that's a ping-pong terminology, so I already know that one). I looked at him as if to say "What are you doing?" He smiled as if to say, "I didn't expect that." Like Wiley E Coyote caught in his own trap.

I know why he tried it too. He was expecting a "tennis" player, with a grip hand ready for a topspin, that propels the ball forward. He was expecting sword vs sword, he wasn't expecting sword vs shield.

He never tried "serve and volley again."
 
Dragy

Dragy

Legend
His serve was possibly weak and didn't bother you.
You possibly hit a very got lob.
He possibly overran, good paly would be stop (split-step) before service line, around when you contact the ball, then move to the ball. If the ball flies up, he's in good position to hit overhead. If the ball floats shoulder-high, he's in good position to step forward and put it away. If the ball is fast, low and/or to the side, he's in position to try and reach it and hit a neutral volley, and then take a better position to anticipate next shot inside the service line.

To sum up, requires understanding and some tools to execute.
 
PhrygianDominant

PhrygianDominant

Hall of Fame
Serve and volley is not better or worse at the req level than anything else. As they say in martial arts, styles don't compete. Fighters do.

The same could be said for tennis players.

Sent from my SM-G901F using Tapatalk
 
S&V-not_dead_yet

S&V-not_dead_yet

Talk Tennis Guru
LGQ7 said:
I'm self taught in tennis, so I'm trying to speak "tennis". I know in certain arts they have certain terminologies. What we call tip toe in "normal" language, in ballet they call it relevé.

I've never seen what I call "serve and run forward" in 20+ years of recreational tennis. The first 10 years, we had money the games, $5, counting ping-pong to 21. I've never seen "serve and volley".

My grip is "continental" and I don't change it. It's good for all around, not great in any direction, it's not a sword, it's a shield.

I relatively recently played with a new group. A guy serve and ran up to the net. I saw him run up, I adjusted and I hit the ball up, oh I mean I "lobbed" the ball over his head to his backhand (that's a ping-pong terminology, so I already know that one). I looked at him as if to say "What are you doing?" He smiled as if to say, "I didn't expect that." Like Wiley E Coyote caught in his own trap.

I know why he tried it too. He was expecting a "tennis" player, with a grip hand ready for a topspin, that propels the ball forward. He was expecting sword vs sword, he wasn't expecting sword vs shield.

He never tried "serve and volley again."
Click to expand...

It doesn't seem to stop me....unless I get passed...a lot.
 
Bender

Bender

G.O.A.T.
Was his serve good? Usually you need a decent spin serve or a big flat serve and serious wheels to serve and volley proficiently at the intermediate to high levels.

At lower levels, it works very well because people can't return or pass very well, and the S&Ver gives himself the high percentage shots whilst putting pressure on his opponent, who, playing from the baseline has a significantly lower margin for error now that half or more of the court cannot be hit to anymore.

If the same player has a good forehand as well, and you keep lobbing him, then he may choose to stay back after the serve to hit a well-placed FH to come in behind. Not to mention that unless you are a natural at lobbing, you will be unable to consistently hit good lobs off good serves to give him trouble in the long run.
 
T

TennisCJC

Legend
Wow, you mean Agassi could have countered Sampras' serve and volley domination by simply lobbing the return. I wonder why the lob return tactic was never recognized by Agassi or all his coaches as the winning solution.
 
S

scotus

G.O.A.T.
TennisCJC said:
Wow, you mean Agassi could have countered Sampras' serve and volley domination by simply lobbing the return. I wonder why the lob return tactic was never recognized by Agassi or all his coaches as the winning solution.
Click to expand...

Yep, those of us who are familiar with the Sampras era know the famed and feared Sampras Slam Dunk.
 
Shroud

Shroud

G.O.A.T.
LGQ7 said:
I'm self taught in tennis, so I'm trying to speak "tennis". I know in certain arts they have certain terminologies. What we call tip toe in "normal" language, in ballet they call it relevé.

I've never seen what I call "serve and run forward" in 20+ years of recreational tennis. The first 10 years, we had money the games, $5, counting ping-pong to 21. I've never seen "serve and volley".

My grip is "continental" and I don't change it. It's good for all around, not great in any direction, it's not a sword, it's a shield.

I relatively recently played with a new group. A guy serve and ran up to the net. I saw him run up, I adjusted and I hit the ball up, oh I mean I "lobbed" the ball over his head to his backhand (that's a ping-pong terminology, so I already know that one). I looked at him as if to say "What are you doing?" He smiled as if to say, "I didn't expect that." Like Wiley E Coyote caught in his own trap.

I know why he tried it too. He was expecting a "tennis" player, with a grip hand ready for a topspin, that propels the ball forward. He was expecting sword vs sword, he wasn't expecting sword vs shield.

He never tried "serve and volley again."
Click to expand...
Never after ONE lob? That guy was lame. Whats the point of serve and volley if you cant get the guy to lob you hundreds of times? That ONE overhead winner makes up spectacularly for the other 99.

Its a mindset really
 
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