Half-volley how to?

[sportsfan1]

Trying to understand the half-volley execution better. I hit these ok coming in behind serves or approach shots, but am unsure on how much power to apply to the half-volley. I just drop the racquet and the ball will go over the net if the incoming shot has some pace and I am close enough to the net, but if the return is softer, the half-volley won't go back over the net.

So are you supposed to "push" forward with your racquet a little bit on your half-volleys depending on the pace of the incoming shot and how far back you are from the net?

Any good instructional videos on the half-volley?

 

[President]

The important thing for control IMO is to get your weight into it, you don't want too much arm motion. If your weight is going into the ball it will have decent enough power.

 

[LeeD]

Weight moving forward and hit it 1/2 times harder than you think you should or that much more than you do in practice.
Closed stance is easiest to get weight moving forwards, a little underspin is best for learning, and let Sampras-McEnroe hit theirs with a little topspin.

 

[Tight Lines]

What I do is this.

1. Keep the racket head at the same height as the ball both 1) as it is descending and 2) as the ball is rising. In other words, track the vertical height of the ball with your racket head.

2. Always go cross court.

3. Point the racket face towards where you want the ball to go even after you hit the ball.

4. Keep your hitting structure (hand and arm) still and pivot only from the shoulder. In other words, no flicking of the wrist unless forced to.

Good luck.

Harry

 

[LeeD]

While some basics are correct, to recommend "ALWAYS go CC" is a recipe for losing very quickly.
DTL, the net is only 3" higher, while the court is only 4' shorter, allowing an easier "deep" half volley to handcuff the opponent.
A half volley is basically a kind of approach shot, hardly ever to be taken CC. But CC is used to deceive the opponent, so it does remain in the shot selection.
Except for great drop half volleys, anything half volleyed short is a loser, allowing the opponent to step into the ball moving forwards.

 

[Tight Lines]

I dsagree with a lot of LeeD's comments here.

. . . a little underspin is best for learning, and let Sampras-McEnroe hit theirs with a little topspin

You CANNOT put underspin on a half-volley as the ball would float and basically be a sitting duck for a passing shot.

While some basics are correct, to recommend "ALWAYS go CC" is a recipe for losing very quickly.
DTL, the net is only 3" higher, while the court is only 4' shorter, allowing an easier "deep" half volley to handcuff the opponent.
A half volley is basically a kind of approach shot, hardly ever to be taken CC. But CC is used to deceive the opponent, so it does remain in the shot selection.
Except for great drop half volleys, anything half volleyed short is a loser, allowing the opponent to step into the ball moving forwards.

The net is actually 6" higher at the sideline. Moreover, you are not at the baseline. That extra height matters a lot when you are close to the net. When you have to hit a half volley, you are in a very defensive position. The only thing you can do is to make the other player hit one more shot. If you try to hit it DTL, most likely you will hit into the net or if it clear the net, it will have very little speed. Unless you can hit an offensive half-volley, which is rare, always go CC.

Despite what LeeD says, IMO, you cannot think of a half volley as an approach shot. That is a very offensive shot as opposed to a half volley which is a very defensive shot. Don't try to be offensive. Just try to make the opponent hit one more shot. JMHO.

Harry

 

[rkelley]

I'm with tightlines here. Since, but definition, you're hitting the ball on the rise, below the net, and well inside the baseline, generally with very little racquet motion, getting topspin on ball is going to be really tough. A slight upward motion of the racquet when you hit it will just give you less backspin generally. It would have to be a swinging half volley kind of thing to actually get top spin, which I wouldn't recommend.

Get your racquet in front of the ball and mostly use your forward momentum. Don't swing. Think quiet racquet. And if you're going to try to do something offensive with the shot, then angles and court depth are what you should try. At least that's what I do.

With modern strokes there's a high likelihood the ball's going to get ripped if your opponent has any time to set-up, so be ready.

 

[rkelley]

What I do is this.

1. Keep the racket head at the same height as the ball both 1) as it is descending and 2) as the ball is rising. In other words, track the vertical height of the ball with your racket head.
Harry

Definitely do this. It's key.

 

[LeeD]

Whatever, you two net losers... just kidding.
If 1/2 volley is not an approach shot, and it's NOT a volley attempt for a winner, then what is it?
Obviously, you hit the half volley deep, then move forwards. So it's an approach shot, and anything else is you being a loser on that point.
One in 100 can hit half volleys with topspin, that is pure ridiculous to deny. And of those few, only on the forehand side. The rest of us hit half volleys with a straight ahead stroke, which imparts BACKSPIN, or slice, due to the ball coming off the ground.
Before you guys say any more, why don't you TRY to hit some half volleys?

 

[Enga]

Thinking about half volleys Ive done in the past, I like to have my momentum moving forward, arm still, and attempt to jump at the moment of contact, or use my hips and torso to rotate into the ball and impart topspin. I personally do not have a deep knee bend on half volleys. Dunno if thats somewhere I could improve or not.

This is just my natural inclination, I havent practiced them.

But, yeah, its a stroke people dont hink about often. Pretty much everyone just hopes they can hit a good enouh serve or approach so that they dont have to hit one.

 

[LeeD]

Are you saying you can hit half volleys in the backhand side with TOPspin?
I don't believe you can hit half volleys on the forehand side with topspin.
Unless of course, you are a tour player or an ex D-1 level player.
NOT baseline strokes, but half volleys from around the service line.

 

[rkelley]

Are you saying you can hit half volleys in the backhand side with TOPspin?
I don't believe you can hit half volleys on the forehand side with topspin.
Unless of course, you are a tour player or an ex D-1 level player.
NOT baseline strokes, but half volleys from around the service line.

Lee, could you point to a video that demonstrates a ts half volley? With the ball coming up into the racquet I'm just not seeing how this could be done without a swing, and a fairly fast and modern one.

Not trying to be a jerk, I'm just not seeing it.

 

[LeeD]

RKelly....
No I cannot!
However, some good players CAN indeed hit topspin off their half volleys, guys like Fed, Sampras, Edberg, Cash, and Rafter, mostly on their forehand side.
Only guy I know who can hit topspin off their half volleys on their backhand side is an ex No.1 for UCBerkeley, a rather decent player.
Not only can I not show anyone any topspin half volleys, but I myself have never tried one from inside deep NML.
On groundies, yes, I can hit topspin half volleys.

 

[rkelley]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyj4lvDMqtk

the 3rd one?

Great video. That Fed guy is good.

So the "half volley" at 0:06 isn't a traditional half volley IMO. Fed's at the baseline and takes a pretty full swing at the ball. Yes, there would be topspin on that ball. Might be in a cont. grip - hard to tell.

The next one at 0:19 is about the same swing except at the service line. It's crazy good. Is this a half volley? It gets into semantics at this point. There was top spin on the ball, but Fed had to swing and the ball.

The shots at 0:42 and 1:27 are what I think of has half volleys. No top spin, basically blocking the ball right off the court, well inside the baseline, using angles as the weapon.

So you could say both Lee and I were right. Or not. You pick.

 

[LeeD]

As I said, we all can hit topspin half volleys from NML to the baseline.
But, very few of us can hit half volleys with topspin near the service line or just inside of the service line.
That close, most of us use a version of continental grip, and you're saying to hit with TOPspin?
Fed, Sampras, Edberg, Cash, Rafter can.

 

[rkelley]

As I said, we all can hit topspin half volleys from NML to the baseline.
But, very few of us can hit half volleys with topspin near the service line or just inside of the service line.
That close, most of us use a version of continental grip, and you're saying to hit with TOPspin?
Fed, Sampras, Edberg, Cash, Rafter can.

Thanks for acknowledging that nothing I said in my post was inconsistent with the video. I appreciate it.

 

[LeeD]

Since you're so smart.
Why do you hit weak shots up the middle to someone aiming hard shots into your corners?

 

[rkelley]

Lee, is it so hard to acknowledge that what I said was consistent with the video? I tried to do likewise. The biggest disconnect we're having IMO was what we're calling a half volley. I think we're saying about the same thing.

 

[anubis]

Trying to understand the half-volley execution better. I hit these ok coming in behind serves or approach shots, but am unsure on how much power to apply to the half-volley. I just drop the racquet and the ball will go over the net if the incoming shot has some pace and I am close enough to the net, but if the return is softer, the half-volley won't go back over the net.

So are you supposed to "push" forward with your racquet a little bit on your half-volleys depending on the pace of the incoming shot and how far back you are from the net?

Any good instructional videos on the half-volley?

Half volleys are easy:

1. Never take your eyes off the ball
2. Never move your racquet (keep it still)

Most people try to swing their racquet: no need to do that. It's coming in with enough heat on it, don't need to complicate matters by adding your own.

 

[rkelley]

Half volleys are easy:

1. Never take your eyes off the ball
2. Never move your racquet (keep it still)

Most people try to swing their racquet: no need to do that. It's coming in with enough heat on it, don't need to complicate matters by adding your own.

I agree with the idea of not swinging (unless you're Federer, or feeling lucky), but I do like and use the idea mentioned by tightlines of following the ball's height with the racquet, down and then back up.

I personally don't find it that hard to get those balls back over the net. But it is harder to do much with the ball, via pace (especially) or placement. You definitely have to be ready to hit another shot.

 

[LeeD]

Half volleys are NOT easy.
While it's easy to pop it back short with little placement, it's really difficult to hit a decent approach shot with it, placed within 3' of the baseline, good direction where you want it, and with enough pace and spin it doesn't become a sitter.
Just like serves, anyone can pop it over at 50 mph, so it's "EASY" right?
Can any of us consistently get it IN, with good placement, in a match situation, at 107 mph?

 

[anubis]

Half volleys are NOT easy.
While it's easy to pop it back short with little placement, it's really difficult to hit a decent approach shot with it, placed within 3' of the baseline, good direction where you want it, and with enough pace and spin it doesn't become a sitter.
Just like serves, anyone can pop it over at 50 mph, so it's "EASY" right?
Can any of us consistently get it IN, with good placement, in a match situation, at 107 mph?

well it's easy for me, I'm a 3.5 and 98% of my opponents can't get the ball back to me when I hit a half volley.

If I played 4.5, perhaps I couldn't get away with it as much. But at the 3.5 level, it's almost always a winner for me.

 

[LeeD]

Wait a minute. Aren't you the strong hitter who currently has a really bad losing record at 3.5 level?
You say you win the point most of the time when you half volley? Then why bother to hit groundstrokes. Just come to net on every ball.

 

[Tight Lines]

well it's easy for me, I'm a 3.5 and 98% of my opponents can't get the ball back to me when I hit a half volley.

If I played 4.5, perhaps I couldn't get away with it as much. But at the 3.5 level, it's almost always a winner for me.

That's because you are playing against a 3.5 who doesn't know how to hit a good dipping shot at your feet.

Most of the time, you are forced to hit a half volley because the opponent saw you coming in and hit a heavy top spin dipping shot. Agsint those shots, there is no way the half-volleys can be a winner 98% of the time. May be 2% of the time is more like it.

Harry

 

[LeeD]

Agree with Tight Lines....
At 4.0, any half volley hit in mid NML is a loser for you, me, or any other 4.0 level player. Can you place the half volley within 2' of the baseline, into the open court, or behind the opponent? NO? Then you lose the point.
Weak half volleys just open up topspin lobs, low dipping passing shots, and hard bullets into your backhand hip pocket.
After the first pure luck short half volley, a 4.0 knows to lean forwards when he sees you starting to attempt a half volley. Unless the drop half volley is shorter than 2/3 depth service line, it's a loser for you again.

 

[anubis]

Wait a minute. Aren't you the strong hitter who currently has a really bad losing record at 3.5 level?
You say you win the point most of the time when you half volley? Then why bother to hit groundstrokes. Just come to net on every ball.

I've been training hard and have improved my record. I'm playing 3 matches a week and two days for drilling. I have a solid 4.5 hitting partner that we play practice matches with and drill as well.

As to the half volleys, as tight lines said, i'm taking advantage of the fact that most 3.5s don't understand how to force me into a half volley situation. Most are assuming i'll miss.

But if I did it more often, I'm sure they'd catch on and try to pass me more often.

Also, a lot of mass helps in bunting back a half volley. If you have a 10.5 ounce frame, you might have to put some muscle into your half volley. But i use a 13 ounce frame, so its a lot easier to re-direct it over the net and still keep it away from the opponent.

 

[LeeD]

Racket mass has very little to do with a player's ability to half volley. Skill and getting used to the racket is everything. Lots of Open level players using racket's in the 11 oz range, most being volleyers by preference, and can hit half volleys deep with good direction. Don't be suckered into thinking the racket has anything to do with it. Merely increaasing weight might help with consistently deeper half volleys, but then you start hitting TOO deep, or long.