Serve and volley

[greengoblin69]

Hi there everyone, i was just wondering if i could please get some tips on how to serve and volley. I can do it, but with a 40% succes rate, not very good. I'm an all court player, 6 feet tall, with big serve and big forehand, and was rated 4.0 by my local pro. Been playing for about a year and half, quick learner and willing to try anything. Thanks for the help in advance

 

[Ulam]

Explode up to the ball as you hit your serve and move quickly to the net. When you see your opponent hit the ball, you must split step to be able to change directions really fast. Split step should happen inside the service line. Don't forget about bisecting the angles. If you serve wide, move more wide.

 

[greengoblin69]

Sweet thanks for replying so fast, ummm what kind of serve should i follow with tho, like when i hit hard first serve sometimes they use my pace and guide crossourt right near the line, just i go for a slice on deuve and a kicker on ad. Also is it a bad stradegy to serve and volley on second serves?:mrgreen:

 

[Ulam]

Experiment. I think a 90 mph with some spin is enough to challenge a 4.5 player. It is enough if you mix it up well.

 

[greengoblin69]

lol i've never had my serve radared, would be cool to see i guess. My old coach used to be a top junior in canada, and he said he serves around 125 and his other students said i serve a bit slower than he does, but that my kicker has more work than his, which is pretty impressive. I remember i played a match against my old coach and i hit 3 straight aces through the back fence with about 4 feet of pop, that might give you an idea of how hard that is, maybe u can make a guesstimation haha.

 

[Bagumbawalla]

The serve and volley has gone ot of fashion. Even in pro doubles, the server often stays back on their serve.

As hard, fast, and deep as returns are hit, the serve and volley is more difficult than ever.

If you have the physical talent and mentality to give it a shot, basically, it requires (as the name implies) a good (really good) serve and a good (really good volley.

Serve and volley does not work unless your serve can elicit a comparatively weak return.

1, Serve hard and comparatively flat If possible)- try for a weak or uninspired return.

2, Follow your foreward momentum from the serve into the court and ( if there is no way to angle your shot for a winner) hit a half volley deep as you can and continue to the net to cut off the angles.

3, If eveything went right, the ball comes back and you put it away-- or you are in big trouble.

Don't be overly fluid with your rush to the net. Pause to hit your half volley. Move foreward, find your balance, set up, strike the volley firmly.

If you get good at this, you will have an edge on all but the better/best baseliners.

Personally, I do not recommend serve and volley as your main tactic-- more as a change-up or surprise-- just like the way you will vary your pace or spin, or throw in a drop shot now and then.

Good luck,

B

 

[DX_Psycho]

The serve and volley has gone ot of fashion. Even in pro doubles, the server often stays back on their serve.

As hard, fast, and deep as returns are hit, the serve and volley is more difficult than ever.

If you have the physical talent and mentality to give it a shot, basically, it requires (as the name implies) a good (really good) serve and a good (really good volley.

Serve and volley does not work unless your serve can elicit a comparatively weak return.

1, Serve hard and comparatively flat If possible)- try for a weak or uninspired return.

2, Follow your foreward momentum from the serve into the court and ( if there is no way to angle your shot for a winner) hit a half volley deep as you can and continue to the net to cut off the angles.

3, If eveything went right, the ball comes back and you put it away-- or you are in big trouble.

Don't be overly fluid with your rush to the net. Pause to hit your half volley. Move foreward, find your balance, set up, strike the volley firmly.

If you get good at this, you will have an edge on all but the better/best baseliners.

Personally, I do not recommend serve and volley as your main tactic-- more as a change-up or surprise-- just like the way you will vary your pace or spin, or throw in a drop shot now and then.

Good luck,

B

very good advice. i often rush through to try for the volley winner but this messes me up. i suck at half-volleying though so i've basically stopped serve and volleynig except against weaker players for fun.

 

[drakulie]

If you have the physical talent and mentality to give it a shot, basically, it requires (as the name implies) a good (really good) serve and a good (really good volley.

Serve and volley does not work unless your serve can elicit a comparatively weak return.

1, Serve hard and comparatively flat If possible)- try for a weak or uninspired return.

2, Follow your foreward momentum from the serve into the court and ( if there is no way to angle your shot for a winner) hit a half volley deep as you can and continue to the net to cut off the angles.

3, If eveything went right, the ball comes back and you put it away-- or you are in big trouble.

Don't be overly fluid with your rush to the net. Pause to hit your half volley. Move foreward, find your balance, set up, strike the volley firmly.

If you get good at this, you will have an edge on all but the better/best baseliners.

To the OP, if you could serve around 125 as you state, and play in a 4.0 league, you should have no problems Serving & Volleying, and I would highly recommend it as you are probably getting very weak replies, and mostly guys praying they could block the serve back and get it in.

I would follow the above advice.

 

[ZPTennis]

If you are that big of a server, you will not be able to split step on your first serve inside the service line. You will be a few feet behind it but that doesn't mean its all bad.

So don't think in your head that you have to rush the net as fast as possible or you will end up running through a volley or even worse, not be able to change directions well enough. The important thing is to stay controlled.

Work on practicing your volleys 3 feet behind the service line. This will help you get used to volleying from this position for your transition volley, which is the most important volley for setting up point to your advantage.

If your playing 4.0's you shouldnt have to worry much if your already serving 120. But if you play a better player, this is where learning that first volley becomes very important.

 

[greengoblin69]

i find guys just taking short cracks at my serve and placing it right at me at as i go up, and i let it go it falls in right before the baseline, and my volley from so far back just goes deep down the middle

 

[newnuse]

With your serve, I would S&V often. I think you should mix up your serves. Don't be predictable but hitting hard/flat all the time. Once your opponent times your serves, he will get it back. A slower kick serve will also do the job. It will give you more time to close in so don't be afraid to use it.

Is your 2nd serve good enough? If yes, follow it up.

 

[drakulie]

i find guys just taking short cracks at my serve and placing it right at me at as i go up, and i let it go it falls in right before the baseline, and my volley from so far back just goes deep down the middle

Then you are probably not serving anywhere near 125.

 

[Ulam]

Or he only knows how to serve in one spot and the 4.0 is a sandbagger.

 

[ucd_ace]

In my experience, the more spin the better on your serve when you're trying to serve and volley. I recently played 4.0 singles and 5.0 doubles where I served and volleyed very effectively. I was probably only serving 70 m.p.h or so... I don't really know... but I was able to get well into the service box for my first volley and almost always was able to put it away. However, I didn't get a whole lot of easy volleys. I think you need to concern yourself with getting better at volleying. A serve and volleyer has to be able to volley balls hit at his body just as well as when the ball is hit at their forehand or backhand. It shouldn't be a problem. You also need to work on you half-volley a lot. If you're spinning your serve in and getting in really close to net for your first volley like I was, then it's not quite as important. I suggest that you get someone who's a good volleyer and play points where you both start three steps or so behind the service line, feed the ball and play out a point where you just keep going at each other, not trying to hit winners and trying to force your opponent to hit up on the ball. Everytime you hit the ball, you have to move in closer to net or you lose the point. This will help your reflexes and should help you with volleys right at your body since that's the best place for your opponent to go in this drill.

 

[DrewRafter8]

I seem to remember Pat Rafter using a kick serve that was deadly. I like to mix up my serve to make it more unpredictable. I hit slice, flat, and kick. The kick serve is sometimes the most effective. I will even come in behind my kick second serve in doubles, because it's so effective.

 

[magilligan]

big flat serves that are well placed either get you weak replies or get you burned as the returner doesnt have to do much to hit a big return. Kcik and slice serves are what i generally use when i serve and volley as they have more action on them and give me a little bit more time to close the net AND are generally out of the returner's comfort zone, which generally means a weak reply towards the middle of the court if not a service winner. The general rule of thumb that I've learned for serve and volley is this. For first serves, hit the serve, take ONE step and then split step, then continue to close towards the volley. For second serves take TWO steps after eh serve, split step, and continue to close towards the volley(i.e. move through teh volley). Hit your volleys to the same corner that your serve was, if you're serving to the deuce court, your first volley should be to the deuce court. This is effective because your body is moving in that direction and it is much easier to hit a deep, effective first volley, which will often be followed by a much easier second volley that you can put away. This works very well for me and is simple because it lets your body do most of the work on that first volley, pushing it nice and deep leaving the returner with a VERY tough passing shot.

 

[federermcenroeagassi]

Hi there everyone, i was just wondering if i could please get some tips on how to serve and volley. I can do it, but with a 40% succes rate, not very good. I'm an all court player, 6 feet tall, with big serve and big forehand, and was rated 4.0 by my local pro. Been playing for about a year and half, quick learner and willing to try anything. Thanks for the help in advance

well try serving down the T, do not serve very wide because that gives your opponent many angles to pass you, whereas down the T, he has less options.

oh btw, run to the net.. fast!

 

[Duzza]

90% of the time follow the volley in to the side they came from. e.g Serve to Forehand on the Forehand side volley back to that side.