First volley..

[chadw01]

How many people here "guide" their first volley, and how many try to end the point with their first volley on approach to the net?

I find that my first volley is not forceful enough - I can place it well, but there's no 'oomph' to it. Should I be swinging more instead of punching at it to give it more depth and power?

 

[Camilio Pascual]

I usually try to hit a winner with my approach volley as part of my counterpunching style. TENNIS magazine had some charts of where certain styles of players play aggressively, passively, and neutrally. They showed counterpunchers as being aggressive around the serice line area. I'm always looking for a short groundstroke or swinging volley chances I can try to put away from this area. The reason I try to put it away is because I don't do so well on my 2nd volleys, especially low ones. If you are a good net player you might not want to use this strategy.

 

[AndyC]

It would depend on the volley. I find with high balls that a punch-type volley is more than adequate to finish the point off as long as u have a degree of placement.

On low volleys I take more of a stroke.. and guide the ball to an area of the court I am aiming for. I love to play drop/angled shots of low volleys and it's one of the stronger areas of my game.

 

[kevhen]

I tend to try to hit all my vollies deep and that may be the wrong thing to do as my opponents can get a good look at a lob or passing shot while stationed along the baseline. I probably should be more aggressive and hit more angled vollies or dropshot vollies to get my opponent off the baseline. I seldom go for a winner on the first volley, but will either hit the second volley for a winner or will pop it up and give my opponent a good look at a clean pass. I am just an average 4.0 volleyer and need more work in this area though. I tend to move the racquet more than my feet and knees still.

 

[lanky]

above the net height -aggressive below -consevative angle or deep

 

[Burt Turkoglu]

depends.....high ball: hit penetrating volley.........low ball at or behind the service line: guide it deep.........low ball inside the service line: angle short or drop volley in front

 

[GrassCourtFan]

It really depends on what the approach shot was - what the first volley IS.

If you had a short ball that you pounced on with your forehand and used as an approach shot - your first volley is probably going to be a putaway.

If you're serving and volleying off of a serve which you spun in - your first volley is going to be the transition shot to get you into better position, and you won't be able to put it away - you'll just poke it deep.

Rule of thumb - if it's above net level, you can probably try to put it away. If it's below net level OR you're at or behind the service line, you're better off placing it and closing in to put away the second volley.

 

[spress]

volley is the strongest part of my game and on my second serve im almost always on top of the net and i usually hit a hard volley to the corners or a really short drop volley to a side usually if they get to it i have an open court to hit too