learning to serve and volley in a week?

[randomname]

ok, let me start this off by saying I love doubles, and I like playing the net, but for some reason I can never force myself to serve and volley, I come in off of returns all the time, but I just cant get the transition game. Anyway, I have a big doubles tournament this weekend and will be practicing every day for it, what are some good drills that will really get me used to playing serve and volley in doubles? will I be able to get comfertable with it by then?

 

[Tomek_tennis]

Play crosscourt points:
1. you feed first ball from the hand, and then run to the net
2. your partner feeds easy ball, you attack and approach the net
3. you serve and run to the service line, do some cha,cha,cha steps and a split step.
4. the same but finish with a volley or smash as if the real ball was coming at you
5. you serve, and your partner attacks your FH, BH or body
6. you serve and your play a point crosscourt.

These are just some ideas. Just remember that in doubles you can play down the line as well

 

[larry10s]

start at half speed/intensity. serve come in slowly SPLIT STEP when your partner hits the ball go to the ball and volley deep crosscourt continue foward SPLIT STEP when your partner hits the ball volley from inside service box. high ball at phantom net player. low ball crosscourt. have partner hit lob practice overhead. repeat ten thousnd time and you will start to get the hang of it. as you get more comfortable pick up the pace and tempo

 

[raiden031]

I wouldn't count on becoming good at it by this weekend. But you just need to do it. Tell yourself that you are going to S&V on every serve no matter what the results are. You need repetitions to get better at it.

Nike says it best, "Just Do It!"

 

[morten]

1 serve, 2 attack the net, 3 volley

 

[fuzz nation]

One guy who joined our doubles group this year realized that he was overcooking his rush to the net. He has been more of a singles player before getting together with our winter indoor group and his big revelation came a couple of months ago when he realized that he didn't need to try and get all the way forward in one move. His best success (when serving) came when he'd hit the returner's shot from at or just inside the baseline and then move forward behind his second shot. Less of a frantic rush and more control that way. Just keep your shots away from the net person on your way forward.

Remember in doubles that positioning and placement can easily beat muscle. If you can manage your shots, keeping most of them low to your opponents or even away from them, you can force them to hit up and give you more sitters. Stay patient and avoid blasting away when you don't have a window to hit through. If you can be the team that is hitting down more than hitting up, you'll have the initiative in your matches much more often.

 

[LeeD]

As usual, FuzzN has excellent advice.
Especially if you don't have S/V dialed (dat takes 4 years at least), you should mix your S/V with some S/baseline, with some S/into the court SOME, to surprise your opponent. Charging full speed ahead is an invitation to a deep crosscourt lob return of serve, catching you too far inside the service line, and your partner hopelessly in the wrong spot to cover for you.
Just how good is your volley? If you first volley doesn't land well deep past the service line, you are inviting to be passed, topspin lobbed, or get your partner to take a ball in his teeth. If you can volley well, go for it, but then you wouldn't be asking anything here.
And your serve. Can you get it in enough to get to net? I mean the majority of the time with some placement and mix of spins? How good is your serve for getting into the net?
All those points determine whether and how often you should S/V.