At what point do you decide to come in in a serve & volley?

[New Daddy]

I'd like to incorporate serve & volley in my game. At what point do you decide to come in in a serve & volley? Do you commit when you are serving? Advanced players may do so, but as a recreational player, I won't know if my serve went the direction I intended and my opponent is stretched. For non-advanced players, then, do you wait until you see a stretched out opponent or a weak floater before you begin to move in? Otherwise, you'll easily get trapped in the no man's land while trying to move in.

So, what's the advice for players who cannot place serve as intended all the time?

 

[ProgressoR]

not as you serve, but before you serve


otherwise you can come in on a weak reply but that is not serve and volley that is serve and coming in on a weak reply

 

[Bagumbawalla]

If you are a very good server who can place your ball, pretty much at will and also have a great, reliable, volley and keen court sense-- as well as quick reflexes-- then I would say, seldom- in today's game.

If you are the person you describe in your question- then I would just start our experimenting (in a fun/friendly game)-- just to see what happens, and what you are capable of.

If you can hit a ball that you know will produce a weak response-- wide or into the body, for example, then try moving in behind that. If you, basically, don't know what your serve is going to do- then waiting to see what happens will, most likely, be too late.

Your best bet for experimentation might be in doubles, where the return area is more restricted. Serve "down the middle" and start moving in. It will help to do a lot of practicing on 1/2 volleys and placing your volleys before you start.

 

[LeeD]

Rather than how good you think your serve is, it's more important how well the returner return's your serves. If he's pummelling them without a miss, hard and low, maybe better to stay back and take your chances with your ground game.
If you have confidence in your net play vs your opponent, go in. If you don't, stay back. Net play is all about your confidence, and how good your opponent can handle your approach shots.
Only thru years of experience in match play will you ever know when to move in, and you will be correct only 60% of the time.
It's an ART form, not a scientific procedure.

 

[Ballinbob]

Rather than how good you think your serve is, it's more important how well the returner return's your serves. If he's pummelling them without a miss, hard and low, maybe better to stay back and take your chances with your ground game.
If you have confidence in your net play vs your opponent, go in. If you don't, stay back. Net play is all about your confidence, and how good your opponent can handle your approach shots.
Only thru years of experience in match play will you ever know when to move in, and you will be correct only 60% of the time.
It's an ART form, not a scientific procedure.

I think Lee really hit the nail on the head here... A huge part of whether you want to S&V depends on how good the returner is. If you're playing a guy with a weak 1hbh and all he can do is chip back the return, then abuse that and S&V every point to his bh. It just depends.

It really is an art form

 

[NLBwell]

I think Lee really hit the nail on the head here... A huge part of whether you want to S&V depends on how good the returner is. If you're playing a guy with a weak 1hbh and all he can do is chip back the return, then abuse that and S&V every point to his bh. It just depends.

It really is an art form

Not really correct here.
Chipping the return at the SV player's feet is the most effective play against the serve and volleyer. He is forced to hit up and then you can get a clean shot at a pass. If you hit it harder, it just sets up a higher volley for him and he can use the pace to put the ball away if he pleases.
This assumes, of course, that the opponent is a good serve and volleyer.

 

[Ballinbob]

Not really correct here.
Chipping the return at the SV player's feet is the most effective play against the serve and volleyer. He is forced to hit up and then you can get a clean shot at a pass. If you hit it harder, it just sets up a higher volley for him and he can use the pace to put the ball away if he pleases.
This assumes, of course, that the opponent is a good serve and volleyer.

Should have been more clear, I was referring to a floating slice reply. You're right, a short low chip is very hard to volley.

I guess it depends on what's easier for the individual though. I prefer putting away floaters at the net but I know people who like volleying back heaters because they have less time to think and are more effective when they just react

 

[swfh]

Even with a good returner, sometimes coming in makes him nervous and he misses...
Works for me

 

[RogueFLIP]

Even with a good returner, sometimes coming in makes him nervous and he misses...
Works for me

Yes, I agree.

I'm in the same boat as the OP, serve doesn't always go where I thought it was going to go.

But even against a good returner, I will throw in the occassional S & V just to mix it up a little. Might not always be successful, but will just give the opponent something else to think about.

Even if opponent is pummeling your serve, I'd even do the S & V just to try to break the rhythm.

Oh, but I'd make this decision prior to serving.

 

[pkshooter]

If you play at that level then the dude your playing is probably inconsistent and just as likely to crush you off your good serve or mishit, so I'd say just nut up and run up. S & v looks better for the ladies anywho :twisted:

 

[snvplayer]

Most of times, you decide before you serve and commit to it. In terms of match flow, you want to serve - volley to catch the opponent off guard, or keep him guessing. Or, when the opponent shows certain return pattern and you want to take advantage of it. During the baselines exchange, there are times when you see the opponent on the stretch, and recognize the moment the move in, but s-v usually happens with plan.

If your serve is not going to the direction that you intend it to, then I assume that you are at or below intermediate level. This makes it tough. Still, if you committed to S-V, my suggestion is to follow-through. 1)The opponent may be surprised and miss the return, 2)You might get a very easy volley, 3) It keeps him guessing. 4) You are practicing s-v.

 

[Shroud]

I'd like to incorporate serve & volley in my game. At what point do you decide to come in in a serve & volley? Do you commit when you are serving? Advanced players may do so, but as a recreational player, I won't know if my serve went the direction I intended and my opponent is stretched. For non-advanced players, then, do you wait until you see a stretched out opponent or a weak floater before you begin to move in? Otherwise, you'll easily get trapped in the no man's land while trying to move in.

So, what's the advice for players who cannot place serve as intended all the time?

SV is more a mindset than anything. You have to commit to it and realize that it is an aggressive style that seeks to pressure your opponent, take away their time and rhythm and make them come up with the perfect shot everytime.

IMHO as a SV you are not concerned with being stuck in no mans land as you are with putting pressure on the opponent and getting to the net. If they get a few great returns, well good for them. Lets see if they can keep it up over the course of the match. And even if you can place your serve, they can still trap you in no mans land....

Said another way, if you look at that great FED/NADAL wimby final, IIRC Nadal won 295 points to Feds 290. As a Serve and Volleyer, I saw that and though, "wow, I can get passed 290 times and STILL win a match!"

 

[dknotty]

Rather than how good you think your serve is, it's more important how well the returner return's your serves. If he's pummelling them without a miss, hard and low, maybe better to stay back and take your chances with your ground game.
If you have confidence in your net play vs your opponent, go in. If you don't, stay back. Net play is all about your confidence, and how good your opponent can handle your approach shots.
Only thru years of experience in match play will you ever know when to move in, and you will be correct only 60% of the time.
It's an ART form, not a scientific procedure.

Correct. If you work out that your opponent is struggles with returning your serve, there's a good case for moving forward. That said I'd generally only come forward after a first serve out wide or to the backhand.

If you get a decent reply its often a hustle to get to the ball.

In rally play I'd hope to come forward when I know I've put my opponent under substantial pressure where I expect a short, weak reply or none at all.

 

[PhrygianDominant]

Even with a good returner, sometimes coming in makes him nervous and he misses...
Works for me

Sometimes the opposite happens. I play against two different guys who seem to hit the ball a lot better when I give them a target. It's really frustrating.

 

[andreh]

So, what's the advice for players who cannot place serve as intended all the time?

In all honesty, my advice would be not to serve and volley too much until you develop more control over your serve. You must at least have directional control since you need to "follow the ball in". That means you for instance, if you hit a serve wide you don't run to the T, you run a little towards the side line to cover a down the line return. If you don't know where the serve is going, the approach to the net will be awkward at best.

I would instead work my way towards the net in rallies in the mean time.

S&V is difficult. It's hard learn by yourself. Get a coach to teach it to you and run drills etc.

Also, you don't, as people above already said, decide to play S&V "on the fly" based on the quality of the serve. It's a deliberate attitude and strategy you decided to play already before you walk up to the line to hit your serve. That is another reason you need better control over your serve before adopting this strategy.

 

[Nellie]

I serve and volley often, and I decide to whether to come in after hitting the serve. By this, I mean that I am planning to come in off of almost any serve, but I decide to split step and push back if I don't feel that I hit a good serve. So the default is go to the net unless I feel a reason not to, and I am not waiting for the return or watching the opponent. Instead, I am looking for a feeling off my racket from the serve (does the ball have a good spin, do I get a good explosion forward, etc.).

 

[andreh]

^^ If you can make that work good for you. I wouldn't be comfortable with that. I suppose it could work if you get really weak returns back. Then any hesitation wouldn't hurt you so much, but the key to S&V is to close in on the net quickly and any second you lose is a bad one.

It also depends on what level you play, I guess. If there's significant power hitting involved I would be killed if I didn't have a solid S&V plan before I hit my serve.