Quickest way to improve Serve & Volley

[GN-001]

Hi guys,

I want to improve my serve and volley and would like some advise. is doing it more often in practice matches the best way to get better at it?

I play around the 4.0 - 4.5 level and considers my serve and forehand as weapons. I have a decent kick serve and can get some weak returns which I usually use my forehand to finish the point but Im wanting to adopt serve and volley into my game. Right now I probably serve and volley 5-10% of the time, usually at 40-0 or 40-15 just because I cant quite rely on it. I do play quite abit of doubles and have a decent punch volley up high but I struggle with guiding and drop volley especially with its placement and depth. Meaning if I serve and if it isnt an easy put-away volley, my guiding volley sometimes does not have the control of direction and depth to get the opponent on the run or off balance so at my level, I do get passed easily. I know volley is mainly a touch shot and I try to loosen my arm but I still feel like I cant guide it well, especially the ones at my shoelaces.

My footwork for serve and volley is quite bad as I sometimes charge the net and forget to split step meaning im usually off balance when I hit the volley or sometimes I split step late and by the time I move to the ball, Im already passed.

 

[MajesticMoose]

Volley drilling with a partner is a good start. In terms of your footwork, split stepping is key or do a short little shuffle instead of doing a split step. A lot of the great S&V players did this. After the serve and rushing in, they would shuffle step instead of doing a full split step. The short shuffle clears the mind real quick and gets you ready for the 1st volley.

Firm wrist, make sure you're getting low. Can't be standing upright on those low ones. Rec players often forget about getting low on those.

 

[SinjinCooper]

1. Be ready and willing to lose. Developing and implementing a new strategy successfully is about being willing to take your lumps...and learn from them. If winning at all costs, now, is your primary focus, just fuhgeddaboutit. You'll get further, faster by being willing to get passed and handcuffed over and over again, and learning how to adapt to those situations through trial and error.

2. Split step WAY too early. Like, serve, step, split. Be well behind the service line when you do. This'll do a couple things for you. First, it'll guarantee you're in ready position when the opponent fires back, so long as you don't let yourself go flat-footed. Remember that even after split stepping, your first move afterward CAN still be forward, so don't get in the mindset of "reach the net right away or be damned!" S&V is about working your way forward. It's not a kamikaze mission. Second, it'll give you plenty of practice handling difficult balls midcourt. As you grow to understand exactly how fast your serve gets to your opponents, relative to how fast it comes back, you can adjust forward with more steps before you split. It's better to be on balance and out of position than off balance and in position.

3. Mix up your serves. Predictability is the death of S&V, unless your serve is completely overwhelming your opponent.

4. Chip and charge when returning. Whatever gets you more looks from the net in live ball play is a good thing. If you suck at it, GOOD! Get better.

5. Consider mixing grip work into your exercise routine. Strong hands make a ton of difference when handling incoming firepower. So does strength to the back of the shoulder, on the BH side. Also, a heavy racquet doesn't hurt. Volleying well is all about redirecting pace, and that's easiest when incoming balls don't bat you around like a beachball in a tropical tempest.

6. Practice the **** out of your overhead. If it's not a gimme point-ender more often than not, you have no business up there.

7. Think about the open court for your SECOND volley, not your first, unless the first is a gimme. For the first, stick to the percentages, even if that means going straight back at the returner (and it often will). S&V is still about point construction.

 

[MajesticMoose]

1. Be ready and willing to lose. Developing and implementing a new strategy successfully is about being willing to take your lumps...and learn from them. If winning at all costs, now, is your primary focus, just fuhgeddaboutit. You'll get further, faster by being willing to get passed and handcuffed over and over again, and learning how to adapt to those situations through trial and error.

2. Split step WAY too early. Like, serve, step, split. Be well behind the service line when you do. This'll do a couple things for you. First, it'll guarantee you're in ready position when the opponent fires back, so long as you don't let yourself go flat-footed. Remember that even after split stepping, your first move afterward CAN still be forward, so don't get in the mindset of "reach the net right away or be damned!" S&V is about working your way forward. It's not a kamikaze mission. Second, it'll give you plenty of practice handling difficult balls midcourt. As you grow to understand exactly how fast your serve gets to your opponents, relative to how fast it comes back, you can adjust forward with more steps before you split. It's better to be on balance and out of position than off balance and in position.

3. Mix up your serves. Predictability is the death of S&V, unless your serve is completely overwhelming your opponent.

4. Chip and charge when returning. Whatever gets you more looks from the net in live ball play is a good thing. If you suck at it, GOOD! Get better.

5. Consider mixing grip work into your exercise routine. Strong hands make a ton of difference when handling incoming firepower. So does strength to the back of the shoulder, on the BH side. Also, a heavy racquet doesn't hurt. Volleying well is all about redirecting pace, and that's easiest when incoming balls don't bat you around like a beachball in a tropical tempest.

6. Practice the **** out of your overhead. If it's not a gimme point-ender more often than not, you have no business up there.

7. Think about the open court for your SECOND volley, not your first, unless the first is a gimme. For the first, stick to the percentages, even if that means going straight back at the returner (and it often will). S&V is still about point construction.

That's all very well worded and excellent advice. Esp when you talk about "be prepared to lose a lot and get passed a lot because it's going to happen".

With S&V, you've got to have a very short memory and focus on the next rush.

Mixing serve is another good point. I try to go for a couple kickers in a row on both 1st and 2nd but then maybe hit a hard flat out wide or a slice up wide then go back to maybe 1 kick and go flat then 2 more kick. Slice backhand 60-70% of the time on that wing is good as well. Approaching up the line and trace it in.

 

[Shroud]

1. Be ready and willing to lose. Developing and implementing a new strategy successfully is about being willing to take your lumps...and learn from them. If winning at all costs, now, is your primary focus, just fuhgeddaboutit. You'll get further, faster by being willing to get passed and handcuffed over and over again, and learning how to adapt to those situations through trial and error.

2. Split step WAY too early. Like, serve, step, split. Be well behind the service line when you do. This'll do a couple things for you. First, it'll guarantee you're in ready position when the opponent fires back, so long as you don't let yourself go flat-footed. Remember that even after split stepping, your first move afterward CAN still be forward, so don't get in the mindset of "reach the net right away or be damned!" S&V is about working your way forward. It's not a kamikaze mission. Second, it'll give you plenty of practice handling difficult balls midcourt. As you grow to understand exactly how fast your serve gets to your opponents, relative to how fast it comes back, you can adjust forward with more steps before you split. It's better to be on balance and out of position than off balance and in position.

3. Mix up your serves. Predictability is the death of S&V, unless your serve is completely overwhelming your opponent.

4. Chip and charge when returning. Whatever gets you more looks from the net in live ball play is a good thing. If you suck at it, GOOD! Get better.

5. Consider mixing grip work into your exercise routine. Strong hands make a ton of difference when handling incoming firepower. So does strength to the back of the shoulder, on the BH side. Also, a heavy racquet doesn't hurt. Volleying well is all about redirecting pace, and that's easiest when incoming balls don't bat you around like a beachball in a tropical tempest.

6. Practice the **** out of your overhead. If it's not a gimme point-ender more often than not, you have no business up there.

7. Think about the open court for your SECOND volley, not your first, unless the first is a gimme. For the first, stick to the percentages, even if that means going straight back at the returner (and it often will). S&V is still about point construction.

Number two is apply numbered . At least for me, thats were it goes in the crapper

 

[Shroud]

Hi guys,

I want to improve my serve and volley and would like some advise. is doing it more often in practice matches the best way to get better at it?

I play around the 4.0 - 4.5 level and considers my serve and forehand as weapons. I have a decent kick serve and can get some weak returns which I usually use my forehand to finish the point but Im wanting to adopt serve and volley into my game. Right now I probably serve and volley 5-10% of the time, usually at 40-0 or 40-15 just because I cant quite rely on it. I do play quite abit of doubles and have a decent punch volley up high but I struggle with guiding and drop volley especially with its placement and depth. Meaning if I serve and if it isnt an easy put-away volley, my guiding volley sometimes does not have the control of direction and depth to get the opponent on the run or off balance so at my level, I do get passed easily. I know volley is mainly a feel shot and I try to loosen my arm but I still feel like I cant guide it well, especially the ones at my shoelaces.

My footwork for serve and volley is quite bad as I sometimes charge the net and forget to split step meaning im usually off balance when I hit the volley or sometimes I split step late and by the time I move to the ball, Im already passed.

You probably know this but just incase the court coverage is opposite what it is at the baseline.

 

[kramer woodie]

Hi guys,

I want to improve my serve and volley and would like some advise. is doing it more often in practice matches the best way to get better at it?

I play around the 4.0 - 4.5 level and considers my serve and forehand as weapons. I have a decent kick serve and can get some weak returns which I usually use my forehand to finish the point but Im wanting to adopt serve and volley into my game. Right now I probably serve and volley 5-10% of the time, usually at 40-0 or 40-15 just because I cant quite rely on it. I do play quite abit of doubles and have a decent punch volley up high but I struggle with guiding and drop volley especially with its placement and depth. Meaning if I serve and if it isnt an easy put-away volley, my guiding volley sometimes does not have the control of direction and depth to get the opponent on the run or off balance so at my level, I do get passed easily. I know volley is mainly a feel shot and I try to loosen my arm but I still feel like I cant guide it well, especially the ones at my shoelaces.

My footwork for serve and volley is quite bad as I sometimes charge the net and forget to split step meaning im usually off balance when I hit the volley or sometimes I split step late and by the time I move to the ball, Im already passed.

GN-001

Sinjin Cooper above gave you some really and I mean really good advise above. Serve and volley is all about learning the rhythm to it. The only way to learn is to fail and find out what does not work. Practice volleys from the service court line and on each one
move forward closer to the net for the next one. Learn to get low and I mean low, with the ability to take balls off the top of
your shoe tops using your knees not bending at the waist...keeping your eyes on ball contact...not straightening your legs until
the ball has left your racquet...then come up with the racquet ready for the next volley.

You will find you have the opportunity to win points quick, but there is a price to be paid if you have to volley more than
2 times. If your volleys are weak or returned directly to your opponent you can expect to lose the point if you need more than
2 volleys.

It is a fun way to play attacking tennis...put your opponents under pressure...real pressure or just the threat is in their mind.
It will lead you to being an all court player instead of a baseline basher. One of the best ways to help develop serve and volley
is watch and play lots of doubles.

Good Luck, Aloha

 

[Friedman Whip]

Here's an opposing view. I don't buy the 'go in and split step' view. Makes it seem like you're coming to a stop and then looking for where the ball is coming back. I keep coming in as far as I can until I see where the ball is coming. Then I go to the ball and get in the best position I can to volley it. I figure that every inch closer to the net you can get makes the volley a little bit easier and more effective. I know it's against conventional wisdom but it's worked pretty well for me for a long time. FWIW I've never had a tennis lesson in my life.

 

[LeeD]

Basically, it appears OP is asking whether he should practice, and that includes tiebreaks, practice sets, practice match's and real match's, S/V and C@C.
Well, basically YES.
If you don't use it ever, you won't have it.
If you use it a lot, it usually get's better.

 

[LeeD]

Here's an opposing view. I don't buy the 'go in and split step' view. Makes it seem like you're coming to a stop and then looking for where the ball is coming back. I keep coming in as far as I can until I see where the ball is coming. Then I go to the ball and get in the best position I can to volley it. I figure that every inch closer to the net you can get makes the volley a little bit easier and more effective. I know it's against conventional wisdom but it's worked pretty well for me for a long time. FWIW I've never had a tennis lesson in my life.

ha ha, that's just funny...
So you're advising against the split step, which is coming to a stop and getting your feet wide apart, then unweighting both feet silghtly for a quicker reaction to where the ball is going.... Instead, you advocate moving forwards (not running, I know), and react accordingly with whatever footwork happens to be planted at the moment of you recognising where the ball is headed. OK.

 

[Friedman Whip]

ha ha, that's just funny...
So you're advising against the split step, which is coming to a stop and getting your feet wide apart, then unweighting both feet silghtly for a quicker reaction to where the ball is going.... Instead, you advocate moving forwards (not running, I know), and react accordingly with whatever footwork happens to be planted at the moment of you recognising where the ball is headed. OK.

Right. You've almost got it. Except I do 'run' toward the net. Just as fast as I can. And I usually don't 'plant' my feet until I move into position to hit the volley. It's been described as more of a shuffle step instead of a split step.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

- Work a lot on that first volley, either after a serve or a return. Remember that it is rarely a putaway opportunity, unless it's a high ball you can smash at the net man. Work instead on solidly volleying it back deep so you can continue forward to establish net position.

- Split so that you land after your opponent makes contact and you've figured out where the ball is going. It's a timing question, not a location question. If your serve is fast and the return is also, you will have to split much sooner than if your serve and the return are slow.

- I wouldn't worry about drop volleys yet; that will come later. For now, concentrate on solid first volleys.

- You and your partner need to be moving as a unit to cover the possibilities.

- You mentioned your footwork is bad. Footwork is critical to S&V. Before even concentrating too much on practice matches, just do a bunch of drills where your partner feeds you balls intended to mimic a service return and you can practice the heck out of your split and first volley. Do this a few hundred times and you should start getting a pretty good feel for the footwork and balance.

Bottom line is that this is a relatively new skill and it will take time and repetition to hone. Be patient and enjoy the journey.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Right. You've almost got it. Except I do 'run' toward the net. Just as fast as I can. And I usually don't 'plant' my feet until I move into position to hit the volley. It's been described as more of a shuffle step instead of a split step.

But what happens when you get lobbed? How do you arrest your forward momentum and move backwards?

I play doubles at a local park with a guy who is a terror at net when he plays S&V because he simply charges forward and clobbers everything he can get his 115 in^2 racquet on. But if you lob him, he can't move backwards.

I try to pass him because lobbing would get boring and I get to work on my extreme TS angle passers.

 

[OnTheLine]

I have some odd advice for what at least worked for me in transitioning to a more S&V singles game.

Line up a few matches with people BELOW your level ... you say you play at 4.0/4.5 ... go find yourself a strong 3.5 or weak 4.0. Play a match S&V only to get the rhythm and practice in a match that does not count.

By playing down a level, you can work at a slightly slower overall game pace and get the paths ingrained.

Me, I play at the 3.5 level and figured out my S&V method by playing 4 tournament matches against 3.0s and a weak 3.5 in one weekend. (small draw, they put all 3.0s and 3.5s together)

I came out of that weekend not only with a shiny trophy but also with complete confidence in a S&V game that I then took back to my 3.5 league and won with.

That being said what @SinjinCooper wrote is all quite good practical advice in my mind.

 

[Friedman Whip]

I have some odd advice for what at least worked for me in transitioning to a more S&V singles game.

Line up a few matches with people BELOW your level ... you say you play at 4.0/4.5 ... go find yourself a strong 3.5 or weak 4.0. Play a match S&V only to get the rhythm and practice in a match that does not count.

By playing down a level, you can work at a slightly slower overall game pace and get the paths ingrained.

Me, I play at the 3.5 level and figured out my S&V method by playing 4 tournament matches against 3.0s and a weak 3.5 in one weekend. (small draw, they put all 3.0s and 3.5s together)

I came out of that weekend not only with a shiny trophy but also with complete confidence in a S&V game that I then took back to my 3.5 league and won with.

That being said what @SinjinCooper wrote is all quite good practical advice in my mind.

Great advice. Works when you're trying to improve any part of your game.

 

[Friedman Whip]

But what happens when you get lobbed? How do you arrest your forward momentum and move backwards?

I play doubles at a local park with a guy who is a terror at net when he plays S&V because he simply charges forward and clobbers everything he can get his 115 in^2 racquet on. But if you lob him, he can't move backwards.

I try to pass him because lobbing would get boring and I get to work on my extreme TS angle passers.

When I get a good lob return I put on the brakes as much as I can. My feeling about effective lob returns is that my serve was not good enough. If I can't put enough pressure on with my serve to prevent a lot of really good lob returns, then I have no business rushing the net. If I'm getting some weak lobs that I can put away, some that go long and some that are too good I can live with that. I should say I am mostly talking about doubles play, which is what I mostly play now. I spent years playing S and V singles and doubles on hard courts on practically every serve but play clay now (and I'm older) and cannot do that any more.

 

[Nellie]

I find hard to practice S&V in matches because you get really short points of the return of serve (double faults, serve/ pass, serve/missed return, etc.) so you don't really practice the volley that much. I find the hardest part is the transition out of the serve to the net. One way I like to practice is to play points with a friend in which you pretend to serve and start coming forward, and while you are coming forward, your friend feeds you a shot to volley, and you two then play out the point. The friend should not give you a nice first shot (wait for you to get to the net and hit an easy/high right in your volley sweet spot). Instead, the friend should be feeding shots that force you to take an award first volley in no mans land and and you then continue toward the net.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

I find hard to practice S&V in matches because you get really short points of the return of serve (double faults, serve/ pass, serve/missed return, etc.) so you don't really practice the volley that much. I find the hardest part is the transition out of the serve to the net. One way I like to practice is to play points with a friend in which you pretend to serve and start coming forward, and while you are coming forward, your friend feeds you a shot to volley, and you two then play out the point. The friend should not give you a nice first shot (wait for you to get to the net and hit an easy/high right in your volley sweet spot). Instead, the friend should be feeding shots that force you to take an award first volley in no mans land and and you then continue toward the net.

you could play sets where you:
* you s&v, c&c
* both s&v, c&c
* half court only, you s&v, c&c
* half court only, both s&v, c&c

next, the hardest thing will be finding folks that actually want to practice this... better players will.

 

[SinjinCooper]

I find hard to practice S&V in matches because you get really short points of the return of serve (double faults, serve/ pass, serve/missed return, etc.) so you don't really practice the volley that much. I find the hardest part is the transition out of the serve to the net. One way I like to practice is to play points with a friend in which you pretend to serve and start coming forward, and while you are coming forward, your friend feeds you a shot to volley, and you two then play out the point. The friend should not give you a nice first shot (wait for you to get to the net and hit an easy/high right in your volley sweet spot). Instead, the friend should be feeding shots that force you to take an award first volley in no mans land and and you then continue toward the net.

It might be hard to practice S&V.

But it's easy to practice serves. And it's easy to practice volleys.

Once you get a feel for how any steps you want to take before splitting (typically two or three), integrate the footwork into your solo serving practice.

Once you get a feel for how far into the court you get when the split step comes, start taking volley practice from there some of the time, including the transitional footwork to help you close to the net, when appropriate.

The skills will translate, even if they're practiced in isolation.

 

[ByakuFubuki]

1. Be ready and willing to lose. Developing and implementing a new strategy successfully is about being willing to take your lumps...and learn from them. If winning at all costs, now, is your primary focus, just fuhgeddaboutit. You'll get further, faster by being willing to get passed and handcuffed over and over again, and learning how to adapt to those situations through trial and error.

2. Split step WAY too early. Like, serve, step, split. Be well behind the service line when you do. This'll do a couple things for you. First, it'll guarantee you're in ready position when the opponent fires back, so long as you don't let yourself go flat-footed. Remember that even after split stepping, your first move afterward CAN still be forward, so don't get in the mindset of "reach the net right away or be damned!" S&V is about working your way forward. It's not a kamikaze mission. Second, it'll give you plenty of practice handling difficult balls midcourt. As you grow to understand exactly how fast your serve gets to your opponents, relative to how fast it comes back, you can adjust forward with more steps before you split. It's better to be on balance and out of position than off balance and in position.

3. Mix up your serves. Predictability is the death of S&V, unless your serve is completely overwhelming your opponent.

4. Chip and charge when returning. Whatever gets you more looks from the net in live ball play is a good thing. If you suck at it, GOOD! Get better.

5. Consider mixing grip work into your exercise routine. Strong hands make a ton of difference when handling incoming firepower. So does strength to the back of the shoulder, on the BH side. Also, a heavy racquet doesn't hurt. Volleying well is all about redirecting pace, and that's easiest when incoming balls don't bat you around like a beachball in a tropical tempest.

6. Practice the **** out of your overhead. If it's not a gimme point-ender more often than not, you have no business up there.

7. Think about the open court for your SECOND volley, not your first, unless the first is a gimme. For the first, stick to the percentages, even if that means going straight back at the returner (and it often will). S&V is still about point construction.

It's already been said, but those are darn good points. Some helped me out a lot, others I will definitely try, since I need to rediscover this scheme.

Another thing I know I'm just repeating is emphasis on the First Point. That kind of Mindset sure is needed when improving/experimenting, but never forget the feeling. I developed from a Defensive Baseliner to an Aggressive Baseliner to An All-Courter with a lot of Serve & Volley employed thinking like that, than I improved my Net Coverage to a point where I rarely got passed and often lost points at Net just because of my own Unforced Errors (or so I thought). Then I got into the Mindset that whenever I'm at Net I need to win the Point and as soon as my usual opponents got good at either returning at my feet or hitting Short Angles which exposed my Coverage as simplistic with some kind of consistency I lost all my confidence on my Net Play and regressed to some sort of Consistencyless Pusher. I'm always trying and trying to reintegrate Serve & Volley in my game but keep approaching the Net with too much pressure on myself, and this is no good.

Also, remember that in Tennis to Attack doesn't always (if ever) mean to blast the hell out of every ball. As already stated somewhere in this Thread, Serve & Volley is all about Point Construction, so what you want from your Serve is not the direct point (unless, to steal an expression from SinjinCooper, it is completely overwhelming your opponent), but to get you the easiest First Volley possible. Study your opponent's returning, be adaptable and VARY. You need to always keep your opponent guessing. Also, purists will want to kill me for saying this, but Spin is a much better friend than Power if you want to follow your Serve.

Technically, aside from what the others have said ("First Volley needs to setup for the Second rather than to close the point" and "practice your Overhead until it's basically a free point" especially), I'd say you generally want to be in a position which allows you to always be aggressive and attack the ball with your weight forward rather than be forced to defend yourself getting no chance to place the ball and take control of the point (my Coach calls this "suffering the ball"). For this, you may want to keep enough distance from the Net to always be able to make a step forward, although as a general rule, the closer you are the better you cover the angles.

I have no decent drill to suggest, unfortunately. Usually I practice this stuff on Sets/Matches, but doing as @OnTheLine said generally helps with my confidence (some issues such as the near nonextinstence of worse players than me and my social awkwardness make the opportunity extremely rare, though).

 

[Limpinhitter]

Deleted.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

I find hard to practice S&V in matches because you get really short points of the return of serve (double faults, serve/ pass, serve/missed return, etc.) so you don't really practice the volley that much. I find the hardest part is the transition out of the serve to the net. One way I like to practice is to play points with a friend in which you pretend to serve and start coming forward, and while you are coming forward, your friend feeds you a shot to volley, and you two then play out the point. The friend should not give you a nice first shot (wait for you to get to the net and hit an easy/high right in your volley sweet spot). Instead, the friend should be feeding shots that force you to take an award first volley in no mans land and and you then continue toward the net.

You don't practice S&V in matches; you practice S&V in practice. Matches are when you put all of that practice into...well, practice. But yes, getting into a rhythm is tough if you're expecting long points. So the key is to change your expectations.

And your drill is a good one. I do the same one.

One important thing I've found is to treat the 1st volley like an approach in that it is a setup shot, not a putaway [unless you get a sitter]. And make sure you split step and remember that it's not *where* you split that's important, it's *when*.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

"Serve and volley" should be called "serve, volley, and overhead" because if you can't hit overheads really well from all spots on the court, you are toast before you even begin. The minute someone finds out you have a weak overhead, your volley skills won't matter because you will never see one.

 

[10isMaestro]

1. Go to a court;
2. Bring a folding table and something heavy;
3. Put the table on its side somewhere around the service line;
4. Hit your serve so it bounces, hits the table and comes back.

That way, you just need a good control on your serve to ensure you get to practice volleying each time and you don't need anyone to do it. The difficult part of s&v is the damn footwork which needs to be really good to help you volley well.

 

[GN-001]

Hey thanks everyone for the suggestions! It was great reading them and appreciate all the help.

I think one of the reason why I have problems with the guiding and drop volley is not just the footwork but also as @MajesticMoose said, "getting low." Im sometimes too upright for the waist height or below volleys or I bend at the hips instead of my knees.

Also a great suggestion about finding a player slightly below and playing S&V only for the match. I think that could be a really great way to practice. Will look to arrange something like this for the upcoming week!

 

[kramer woodie]

GN-001

There is a good way to practice moving to the net. It will take a partner or better yet a coach. Start this drill with the partner or coach at the net
feeding you balls deep to the baseline. You stand 3 feet behind the baseline. The first ball you hit a ground stroke and follow it towards the net.
The next shot should be an approach volley at the service court line or just short of it. The next shot will be a volley and move forward again until
you are 3 to 4 feet from the net. Then go back behind the baseline and start over.

Do this drill over and over again. Moving in closer to the net on every shot. You will find this will quickly improve your footwork, reaction time,
and balance. The drill is not so much to hit winners, but to improve your footwork, focus, balance and stroke technique. The person helping you
will also benefit as their volleying control improves. Unless, you have a coach who is also a strong player, then he will have fun plunking you in the
side when you can't recover for the next shot fast enough.

Do this, over and over again until you can't stand up and are exhausted. Move forward aggressively, but don't just charge straight to the net. Hit
the first ground stroke move forward at least 6-8 feet being ready for the next ball to hit. Then again move forward. See if you can hit 5-6 shots
before you get to within 3-4 feet of the net.

Aloha

 

[Carefree]

1. Be ready and willing to lose. Developing and implementing a new strategy successfully is about being willing to take your lumps...and learn from them. If winning at all costs, now, is your primary focus, just fuhgeddaboutit. You'll get further, faster by being willing to get passed and handcuffed over and over again, and learning how to adapt to those situations through trial and error.

2. Split step WAY too early. Like, serve, step, split. Be well behind the service line when you do. This'll do a couple things for you. First, it'll guarantee you're in ready position when the opponent fires back, so long as you don't let yourself go flat-footed. Remember that even after split stepping, your first move afterward CAN still be forward, so don't get in the mindset of "reach the net right away or be damned!" S&V is about working your way forward. It's not a kamikaze mission. Second, it'll give you plenty of practice handling difficult balls midcourt. As you grow to understand exactly how fast your serve gets to your opponents, relative to how fast it comes back, you can adjust forward with more steps before you split. It's better to be on balance and out of position than off balance and in position.

3. Mix up your serves. Predictability is the death of S&V, unless your serve is completely overwhelming your opponent.

4. Chip and charge when returning. Whatever gets you more looks from the net in live ball play is a good thing. If you suck at it, GOOD! Get better.

5. Consider mixing grip work into your exercise routine. Strong hands make a ton of difference when handling incoming firepower. So does strength to the back of the shoulder, on the BH side. Also, a heavy racquet doesn't hurt. Volleying well is all about redirecting pace, and that's easiest when incoming balls don't bat you around like a beachball in a tropical tempest.

6. Practice the **** out of your overhead. If it's not a gimme point-ender more often than not, you have no business up there.

7. Think about the open court for your SECOND volley, not your first, unless the first is a gimme. For the first, stick to the percentages, even if that means going straight back at the returner (and it often will). S&V is still about point construction.

This. As I've been trying to get a S&V game going, this was the hardest thing to stop doing. Still do it and remind myself that I'm an idiot.

 

[mcs1970]

A lot of great advice here. Apart from that, work on your fitness and quickness (not speed) to slide around at the net. Plus you'll also have to constantly move back to handle overheads. All these movements put a different type of load on your legs than just running around at the baseline. Jump rope for at least 30 mins every day and get a rock solid racquet. Those 2 things will help you the most.

I am also trying to transition to coming more to the net as I'm getting older. Not S&V but waiting for the first short ball to either slice or place to approach the net. The issue is once there if I'm not quick I'm at the mercy of the baseline player. So, first the approach shot has to be low so that your opponent can't blast it easily. Next is the quickness on your feet. I'm fast, but quick feet is a different beast, and is requiring a different type of workout for me to get better at that. I wonder how many players who played badminton transition naturally to a S&V style when they picked up Tennis. The foot movement there seems very similar, in that the heels never seem to rest too long on the floor.

 

[LeeD]

Whatever tips you get, it still takes a full year to work on the S/V game and get it to where your baseline game was when you started playing S/V. No shortcuts, just a lot of work, lots of losing, and lots of match's that could have been won from the baseline.

 

[Friedman Whip]

While you're doing all this losing as you learn how to serve and volley I'd recommend playing only singles. If you play doubles your partner is going to watch you serve and then muff ball after ball and wonder if you've lost your marbles.

 

[GuyClinch]

While you're doing all this losing as you learn how to serve and volley I'd recommend playing only singles. If you play doubles your partner is going to watch you serve and then muff ball after ball and wonder if you've lost your marbles.

Your kind. I recommend not becoming a S & V player if you haven't shown any aptitude at it.. People are really good at ripping groundstrokes nowadays - so at the 4.5 level its really tough. You have to hit great serves - and if you have great serve you can often win points hanging back..

 

[LeeD]

S/V works great against returner's who don't crush the ball on the return, but float them deep.

 

[GN-001]

1. Be ready and willing to lose. Developing and implementing a new strategy successfully is about being willing to take your lumps...and learn from them. If winning at all costs, now, is your primary focus, just fuhgeddaboutit. You'll get further, faster by being willing to get passed and handcuffed over and over again, and learning how to adapt to those situations through trial and error.

2. Split step WAY too early. Like, serve, step, split. Be well behind the service line when you do. This'll do a couple things for you. First, it'll guarantee you're in ready position when the opponent fires back, so long as you don't let yourself go flat-footed. Remember that even after split stepping, your first move afterward CAN still be forward, so don't get in the mindset of "reach the net right away or be damned!" S&V is about working your way forward. It's not a kamikaze mission. Second, it'll give you plenty of practice handling difficult balls midcourt. As you grow to understand exactly how fast your serve gets to your opponents, relative to how fast it comes back, you can adjust forward with more steps before you split. It's better to be on balance and out of position than off balance and in position.

3. Mix up your serves. Predictability is the death of S&V, unless your serve is completely overwhelming your opponent.

4. Chip and charge when returning. Whatever gets you more looks from the net in live ball play is a good thing. If you suck at it, GOOD! Get better.

5. Consider mixing grip work into your exercise routine. Strong hands make a ton of difference when handling incoming firepower. So does strength to the back of the shoulder, on the BH side. Also, a heavy racquet doesn't hurt. Volleying well is all about redirecting pace, and that's easiest when incoming balls don't bat you around like a beachball in a tropical tempest.

6. Practice the **** out of your overhead. If it's not a gimme point-ender more often than not, you have no business up there.

7. Think about the open court for your SECOND volley, not your first, unless the first is a gimme. For the first, stick to the percentages, even if that means going straight back at the returner (and it often will). S&V is still about point construction.

Thanks so much SinjinCooper. I constantly go back and reread your advise. Very well said about the movement forward. Im starting to concentrate alot on this and trying to make it a habit. Really need to shift away from the kamikaze mission

Your kind. I recommend not becoming a S & V player if you haven't shown any aptitude at it.. People are really good at ripping groundstrokes nowadays - so at the 4.5 level its really tough. You have to hit great serves - and if you have great serve you can often win points hanging back..

yeah I think so too but Im not doing this to make S&V my main style of play. I want to get great at it so I can mix it up and also become S&V player just for a particular match if I'm either getting outplayed from the back of the court or just use it on a player that is not used to S&V play.

 

[GN-001]

A quick update on my progress. I took the suggestion to play someone at 4.0 level. He has a nadal style game (lefty, banana topspin forehands with great court coverage and defense).

I played the match with a S&V mindset, coming into net at around 60%-70% of the time on my serve and even chip and charge on some returns. First set: my serve was good but not great. I still couldnt get my footwork right for the volley so I end up doing the kamikaze and charging the net as fast I can. lost 6-2 from getting passed or errors from the volleys.

Second set: Tweaked my serve a little, reduced a little bit of speed. Now I got high percentage of first serves as well placing the ball with great accuracy and spin (slice and kick). He started missing returns and later in the set started to block and slice returns giving me easy put-away volleys. Im started to focus on footwork and afew I did split step early which allowed me to get my first volley in. won the set easily 6-1. However it was still mainly due to my serve and the easy put-away volleys. My guiding volley is still quite average.

Third set: He's starting to read my serve again and started to return better which meant I got less easy put-away volleys. Back to relying on my very average guiding volleys and subpar S&V footwork. we got to 5-5 and stopped because we ran out of time.

Overall, I think Im starting to make progress a little bit. I think I know what I need to do but now it's about executing the suggestions from you guys. Thanks alot!

 

[SinjinCooper]

Sounds like a good outing. Nice.

 

[ChaelAZ]

Volley drilling with a partner is a good start.

One thing I notice for people who are not comfortable with S&V, they don't split step or half-ass it and try getting right in to the net really close. I don't serve and volley much in singles, but in doubles you know when moving in a ton of the first volley's are in no-man's-land. One coach I hit with pointed out that too many players practicing volley's do it right up on the net. His volley practice was always service line and back to start and working to close the net. That imitates real life situations more in my opinion.

Worth checking yourself on.

 

[LeeD]

One thing I notice for people who are not comfortable with S&V, they don't split step or half-ass it and try getting right in to the net really close. I don't serve and volley much in singles, but in doubles you know when moving in a ton of the first volley's are in no-man's-land. One coach I hit with pointed out that too many players practicing volley's do it right up on the net. His volley practice was always service line and back to start and working to close the net. That imitates real life situations more in my opinion.

Worth checking yourself on.

Yup, that's were we always practice our volleys from, service line.
Anyone can angle away a winner from near the net.
From service line, you get to practice low and half volleys, and learn to step into your thigh high to shoulder high volleys.

 

[Shroud]

Yup, that's were we always practice our volleys from, service line.
Anyone can angle away a winner from near the net.
From service line, you get to practice low and half volleys, and learn to step into your thigh high to shoulder high volleys.

Dude you wearing lingerie?? Again??

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

One thing I notice for people who are not comfortable with S&V, they don't split step or half-ass it and try getting right in to the net really close. I don't serve and volley much in singles, but in doubles you know when moving in a ton of the first volley's are in no-man's-land. One coach I hit with pointed out that too many players practicing volley's do it right up on the net. His volley practice was always service line and back to start and working to close the net. That imitates real life situations more in my opinion.

Worth checking yourself on.

That's actually how I gauge my opponent during warmup: without exception, every opponent who took volleys on top of the net were not good volleyers and were never a factor at net during the match.

SL-SL volley drills are an excellent way to promote control.

 

[LeeD]

Some player's like to hit mini groundies with topspin on SL-SL warmups. Good for them.
For me, who'd rather end the points at net, I'm practicing my volleys, low and half.

 

[GN-001]

2nd update!

played that guy again with the nadal style game. I won 6-2, 6-4 with S&V and the R&V (return and volley)!

High first serve percentage, lots of mix up of pace and spin and very committed for the volleys. Yes I miss some volleys occasionally, especially the low volleys where I still suck at placing it well, however I did enough to comfortably hold and was pressuring him all the way with what I call 'pulverise & charge' as well as the usual chip & charge. On the points that I didn't come in immediately, I constructed points well with my forehand and set it up so that I finish it with an easy put-away at the net. He did get like 5 nice topspin lob winners against me. maybe I need to back away after the volley and watch out for the lobs. My footwork has gotten abit better too since I split step abit earlier now.

This guy has a decent lefty slice serve, and the occasional kick but his serves are not huge and has decent return but great groundies. I'm not sure how I would have played if I played someone with better serve and returns but overall I'm really glad about the progress so far. The suggestions you guys have given me has definitely helped. I now firmly believe S&V is one of those 'the more you practise, the better you get' things.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

Your kind. I recommend not becoming a S & V player if you haven't shown any aptitude at it.. People are really good at ripping groundstrokes nowadays - so at the 4.5 level its really tough. You have to hit great serves - and if you have great serve you can often win points hanging back..

I disagree. I have a mediocre serve for a 4.5 but still manage to win with S&V. There is considerable pressure put on the BL guy when he sees someone charging the net. My losses were against guys who were particularly steady and patient at dismantling my net game. They didn't beat me by ripping GSs.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

2nd update!

played that guy again with the nadal style game. I won 6-2, 6-4 with S&V and the R&V (return and volley)!

High first serve percentage, lots of mix up of pace and spin and very committed for the volleys. Yes I miss some volleys occasionally, especially the low volleys where I still suck at placing it well, however I did enough to comfortably hold and was pressuring him all the way with what I call 'pulverise & charge' as well as the usual chip & charge. On the points that I didn't come in immediately, I constructed points well with my forehand and set it up so that I finish it with an easy put-away at the net. He did get like 5 nice topspin lob winners against me. maybe I need to back away after the volley and watch out for the lobs. My footwork has gotten abit better too since I split step abit earlier now.

This guy has a decent lefty slice serve, and the occasional kick but his serves are not huge and has decent return but great groundies. I'm not sure how I would have played if I played someone with better serve and returns but overall I'm really glad about the progress so far. The suggestions you guys have given me has definitely helped. I now firmly believe S&V is one of those 'the more you practise, the better you get' things.

Good on 'ya, mate!

As you play more net, you are also building up a library of opponent shots and tendencies that will benefit you in the future. Your anticipation will get better as a result.

 

[kramer woodie]

2nd update!

played that guy again with the nadal style game. I won 6-2, 6-4 with S&V and the R&V (return and volley)!

High first serve percentage, lots of mix up of pace and spin and very committed for the volleys. Yes I miss some volleys occasionally, especially the low volleys where I still suck at placing it well, however I did enough to comfortably hold and was pressuring him all the way with what I call 'pulverise & charge' as well as the usual chip & charge. On the points that I didn't come in immediately, I constructed points well with my forehand and set it up so that I finish it with an easy put-away at the net. He did get like 5 nice topspin lob winners against me. maybe I need to back away after the volley and watch out for the lobs. My footwork has gotten abit better too since I split step abit earlier now.

This guy has a decent lefty slice serve, and the occasional kick but his serves are not huge and has decent return but great groundies. I'm not sure how I would have played if I played someone with better serve and returns but overall I'm really glad about the progress so far. The suggestions you guys have given me has definitely helped. I now firmly believe S&V is one of those 'the more you practise, the better you get' things.

GN-001

Keep at it!!! Won't be long and others will start calling you an All Court Player. My 17 year old student received that comment from a X-Pro this
last Tuesday. The X-Pro said about my student, "he's now definitely an All Court Player". The 17 year old was thrilled and everything about his
game is improving rapidly.

GN-001 keep it up and good luck to you (though it might be best to learn to create your own luck with your racquet).

Aloha

 

[SinjinCooper]

2nd update!

played that guy again with the nadal style game. I won 6-2, 6-4 with S&V and the R&V (return and volley)!

High first serve percentage, lots of mix up of pace and spin and very committed for the volleys. Yes I miss some volleys occasionally, especially the low volleys where I still suck at placing it well, however I did enough to comfortably hold and was pressuring him all the way with what I call 'pulverise & charge' as well as the usual chip & charge. On the points that I didn't come in immediately, I constructed points well with my forehand and set it up so that I finish it with an easy put-away at the net. He did get like 5 nice topspin lob winners against me. maybe I need to back away after the volley and watch out for the lobs. My footwork has gotten abit better too since I split step abit earlier now.

This guy has a decent lefty slice serve, and the occasional kick but his serves are not huge and has decent return but great groundies. I'm not sure how I would have played if I played someone with better serve and returns but overall I'm really glad about the progress so far. The suggestions you guys have given me has definitely helped.

Right on! Also, may I suggest, "Pulverize & Proceed."

I now firmly believe S&V is one of those 'the more you practise, the better you get' things.

Everything is one of those things.

 

[LeeD]

OP should read and reread post #9, plain and simple.

 

[TennisCJC]

2nd update!

played that guy again with the nadal style game. I won 6-2, 6-4 with S&V and the R&V (return and volley)!

High first serve percentage, lots of mix up of pace and spin and very committed for the volleys. Yes I miss some volleys occasionally, especially the low volleys where I still suck at placing it well, however I did enough to comfortably hold and was pressuring him all the way with what I call 'pulverise & charge' as well as the usual chip & charge. On the points that I didn't come in immediately, I constructed points well with my forehand and set it up so that I finish it with an easy put-away at the net. He did get like 5 nice topspin lob winners against me. maybe I need to back away after the volley and watch out for the lobs. My footwork has gotten abit better too since I split step abit earlier now.

This guy has a decent lefty slice serve, and the occasional kick but his serves are not huge and has decent return but great groundies. I'm not sure how I would have played if I played someone with better serve and returns but overall I'm really glad about the progress so far. The suggestions you guys have given me has definitely helped. I now firmly believe S&V is one of those 'the more you practise, the better you get' things.

This sounds familiar. Is your name Roger and your opponent's name Rafa?

 

[Nellie]

Sometimes, when I am playing an opponent who lobs a lot, I will set up to volley closer to the service line than the net so I am not constantly backing up. I find that by the time you hit a 5th overhead winner, they stop trying to lob.

That being said, a topspin lob is more of an offensive shot. If you opponent is hitting this shot often, it suggests that you are not hitting a good approach (ball too high/short). It is hard to hit a top spin lob off of a ball near your feet or ten feet behind the baseline.

 

[MajesticMoose]

1st volley is so key. If you just hit it (even if it's a deep one) right down the middle where they're standing they have a few different options to choose from. You've gotta get them on the run and stretching for the shot or at least just on the move. If they can consistently hit running forehand passing shots like Sampras then just say good shot but 9 times out of 10 at the 4.0-4.5 level, it's a hard shot to consistently come up with. Get them running and then knock off the 2nd volley for a winner.

 

[S&V-not_dead_yet]

1st volley is so key. If you just hit it (even if it's a deep one) right down the middle where they're standing they have a few different options to choose from. You've gotta get them on the run and stretching for the shot or at least just on the move. If they can consistently hit running forehand passing shots like Sampras then just say good shot but 9 times out of 10 at the 4.0-4.5 level, it's a hard shot to consistently come up with. Get them running and then knock off the 2nd volley for a winner.

I'll take the opposite argument: I think the DTM deep volley is under-rated. It reduces the potential angles the passer has, especially if he's a flat ball hitter. And he has to create some space by moving away from the ball vs closing the gap by moving toward it. Not everyone is good at the former.