serious about my net game!

[Tigerarp1]

OK guys i have been plagued by an imcomplete game for my entire life. I have a 5.0 backcourt game, but a 3.0 net game. I want to work my butt off and get my net-game on par with everything else.
I have 4 months before the collegiate season starts up again and I will have plenty of time every day. Please list any drills or strength training that is mandatory or helpful in building a top-notch net-game. Oh, technique is not a problem... the problem is hand-eye coordination, timing, anticipation, confidence, execution, controll and power.
...I guess im kinda looking for some sort of rigorous net-game training program
(I will have access to a good ball machine)
Thanks guys

 

[DRtenniS1112]

Dude looks like you're going through the same kinda thing as me. I want to boost up my net game as well for college, this was my first year and i know i could play a higher dubs spot if i got my volleys down. I move well, serve well, stroke well, but volleys are weak. Sorry i couldn't help but i figured i'd sympathize with you instead

 

[Tigerarp1]

where do you play man? Maybe we have played each other...
I play at John Brown University and am also a freshman.

 

[DRtenniS1112]

Havent played each other, I go to the University of Southern Maine. Where is John Brown located?

 

[Rickson]

OK guys i have been plagued by an imcomplete game for my entire life. I have a 5.0 backcourt game, but a 3.0 net game. I want to work my butt off and get my net-game on par with everything else.
I have 4 months before the collegiate season starts up again and I will have plenty of time every day. Please list any drills or strength training that is mandatory or helpful in building a top-notch net-game. Oh, technique is not a problem... the problem is hand-eye coordination, timing, anticipation, confidence, execution, controll and power.
...I guess im kinda looking for some sort of rigorous net-game training program
(I will have access to a good ball machine)
Thanks guys

The ball machine is only half the battle. If you want to be good at the net, you have to have good appoach shots and how are you gonna get that from a ball machine? Hit your approach shots deep and close to the baseline. It's much more difficult for your opponent to pass you from 60 feet than from 20 feet. I've seen some clowns approach on short shots and I pass them so easily, it's hilarious. Don't approach on anything inside the service line except if you make him sprint up on a well executed dropshot. Anything other than a fantastic dropshot should be a deep approach or you'll open yourself up to get passed very easily.

 

[Tigerarp1]

approach shots are good. I can controll the points with my groundies. Problem is that I hit a huge forehand, they run it down and pop up a high deep lob and the point starts over again. I should be at net the moment i see them open up their racquet face or stretch out wide for a ball, but i just do not have the game to finish the points.

This is why I am loosing matches... I get 1 or 2 of these types of plays every point. until I eventually miss. If I could get good enough at net, to where I was in position to end these the first time... I would be a completely different level of player.

 

[Fuzzless]

you could just have a guy stand at the service line with a hopper and smack balls at you and throw in a lob occasionally

 

[akj27]

play doubles

 

[Tigerarp1]

i play dubs and singles nearly every day, and my volleys have improved greatly. Still, they are a far cry from my backcourt game. A pro that I play matches against told me the other day that If I could learn to play all-court then I would be a scary opponent to face and I would be able to beat players that are beating easily right now.

 

[slewisoh]

I'm not a singles player and I am a lesser caliber player so I can only be of limited help. That being said, over the last six months I have had much more success finishing points because I have worked on targeting. In the past, I would get to the net but would not have a plan for finishing the point. Lots of panicked shots - too much angle, too much pace, too much (fill in the blank).

For my dbls game that has meant learning to target deep low volleys with underspin through the middle, and low "touch" angles with tons of underspin. Note that I have not said anything about crisp, clean volley winners hit powerfully to the corners. I don't know what the targets are for singles players...but I'm thinking you do.

I'm assuming you are using a continental grip - might want to confirm that you are actually getting there and staying there. Just last week, my pro was talking about tying a sweatshirt around your arms to force you to volley with your arms close to the body. Instead of bondage we decided to visualize squeezing your elbow into your pecs at contact. I found this to be surprisingly helpful in that it prevented me from taking the racquet back and also forced me to take additional steps to get my body closer to the ball.

You are probably way beyond technique tips but perhaps developing your plan and using the ball machine to practice hitting targets will help you.

I'm hoping you will get some useful advice here, as I am always looking to improve that part of my dbls game. Good luck!

 

[Achillesg]

Tigerarp,

You're a better player than I, but I can share that the thing that has helped my net play more than anything else is the backboard. I practice volleying from all different distances, from 24 inches to 21 feet. It doesn't improve your reaction time per se, but it puts your reflexes, your body movement and your hand-eye coordination on the same page. This winter I've been using an indoor raquetball court for my volley practice.

If you're not already doing it, try 30 - 45 minutes a day on the backboard doing volleys only. See if your volleys aren't noticeably better by the end of the first week.

 

[papa]

One drill that works well is to play mini-tennis using only the diagonal courts. Learn also to play the "ball" instead of the "other player". Keep your head steady and watch the seams - aim for your opponents feet and keep the ball low. The lower you learn to keep your shot the better/effective your volley will become.

If you can round up a couple of more players, play the "zipper" drill where each player hits the ball (mini-tennis) but never twice in a row untill you change direction. You do that inside the service line on a regular basis, your net play will get much better. You can do this keeping the ball in the air and constantly change directions - its fun and it will work. Strive to hit 30-40 shots without letting it touch.

If you just have a ball machine, prop it up on some milk crates and keep changing sides or taking a step of two back and then close on the ball.

Try and remember "not to think" and consistently be moving forward into the ball. A lot of players who have bad vollies are consistently going backward - you might find yourself doing this. If your afraid of being hit (more players than you would ever believe have this problem) wear a face shield like carpenters use - lets you get used to balls coming over the net right at you but elliminates/reduces the fear factor.

 

[mattm]

like all other strokes, you have to see it to hit it well. Seems like my vollys got signficantly better when I started focusing on watching the ball contact the racket. Quiets the head and reduces mishits.

 

[DANMAN]

I am surprised that you have a 5.0 backcourt game and a 3.0 volley. I have been playing 5.0 level tennis lately and have found that you really get one chance at a volley...even if your approach is great and your first volley is solid, so many players can hit running passes and flick lobs that a solid volley is not good enough. I find the best way to improve my volley (which is strong) is to get my doubles partner and hit rapid exchange volleys from the service lines. We move in as we hit, keeping the ball low and angling it off. If a floater comes, the punishment is a peg. It makes you focus and improves your reaction time greatly. It makes passes from the baseline seem like nothing.

 

[Tigerarp1]

Danman, i do have a 5.0 backcourt game... but because my volleys are so poor, I just do not come to net. I try to keep it aggressive until i can put away a short ball or hit a winner from the baseline. Problem is... I cannot win alot of matches playing like this... I could win so many more points so much faster if i had a good net game and could play all-court

 

[Kaptain Karl]

[Get a training] partner and hit rapid exchange volleys from the service lines. We move in as we hit, keeping the ball low and angling it off. If a floater comes, the punishment is a peg. It makes you focus and improves your reaction time greatly. It makes passes from the baseline seem like nothing.

Yes. That's a good one.

Concentrate on quick feet, with good footwork ... and making contact forward, toward your target. If you don't have a training partner, do this same drill on the backboard.

You can also do this with half-volley drills. (But you cannot close on the net as much.)

- KK

 

[scotus]

I would suggest:

(1) lots of handicapped matches, wherein you only get to either serve-and-volley or chip-and-charge.
(2) check out James Jensen's dvd. It shows lots of partner drills.