Situational Volleying - 2

Where would you volley to?

  • 1 - baseline down the line

    Votes: 17 37.8%

  • 2 - Baseline center

    Votes: 4 8.9%

  • 3 - Baseline cross court

    Votes: 6 13.3%

  • 4 - service line down the line

    Votes: 5 11.1%

  • 5 - service line center

    Votes: 5 11.1%

  • 6 - service line cross court

    Votes: 10 22.2%

  • 7 - volley short down the line

    Votes: 4 8.9%

  • 8 - volley short center

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 9 - volley short cross court

    Votes: 6 13.3%
  • Total voters
    45
T

tennisdad65

Hall of Fame
Here is the situation:
1) You and opponent are righties. He is super fast. His backhand is the weaker side.
2) You serve and volley to the deuce court. His return is high to your backhand and you meet it just inside the service line near the sideline. (see figure below)
3) It is not a lob but a high backhand volley. i.e. you do not have time for a smash.
4) You barely have time to get to it, so you cannot put much power or bite into the volley cross court for a clean winner :).
5) After he makes his return he starts moving in and towards the center to cut off the cross court volley. He is in no man's land, about halfway between service and baseline.
6) What position on the court is your high percentage play (volley).

|--1----------2---------3--| BASELINE
|
| ---------him
|
| 4-----------5---------- 6 | SERVICE LINE
|
|
|
| 7-----------8---------- 9 |
====================== NET
|
|
| you
|
|-------------------------- | SERVICE LINE
|
|
|
|---------------------------| BASELINE
 
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Hitting to 6 will probably result in you getting passed. If you take his return and volley cross-court, his momentum will still be moving towards where you're hitting. He'll probably be in position and have a nice open court if your timing is even slightly too early or too late.

I think the better thing to do is pin him to the deuce corner with a deep volley dtl, then go for a winner on your next shot.
 
So... is the opponent moving into the net or moving back to the baseline?

I would hit it to 4 and take my chance on the next shot.
 
Hitting it down the line is the easiest shot and most effective shot in this case. First of all, you're not redirecting the ball at an angle, so it's easier to make clean contact. Second, you said that this guy is a fast player. If he's moving up towards the net, a sure way to wrong-foot him is to hit it behind him at the baseline where, in the best scenario (for him), he would hit an awkward half volley. Hitting to 1 also has the advantage of placing the ball in the opposite direction of where he's sprinting to (towards the center) wrong footing him further. Logic at its finest.
 
Opponent was at position 1 during his return but moved diagonally forward to cut off the cross court volleys. When you are hitting your volley, he is waiting in No man's land about halfway between service and baseline.
 
Ideally, I would want to hit it to #1

Since I barely have time to get to it and I probably will have hard time tracking my opponent. It will be a defensive or disperate volley. I will probably just reflex it to #2 or #3 at best.
 
Since it was high, I would go for 1 and look to win on the next shot. If it was low, I would hit to 9 and drop back to the middle of the service line.
 
I think it's hilarious that position #1 has gotten the most votes so far. That's the HARDEST shot to hit and thus the lowest percentage shot for you to hit. Sure, your opponent has absolutely zero chance of returning it if you hit it properly, but your odds of success are also near zero.

The most conservative shot to hit in that situation, with the highest reward/risk ratio is to hit to position 5. Perhaps 4 might be better, but it's also more difficult and riskier than 5. Hitting to 5 has several advantages. (1) You can put more pace on the shot with confidence. (2) You are hitting slightly behind your opponent, forcing him to go against his momentum. (3) If you hit at his feet, he has to hit UP on the shot, possibly allowing you an easy putaway the NEXT shot. And (4) He does not have the opportunity to swing freely at the ball, as it is handcuffing him to some extent by being hit directly at his body.

Don't worry about hitting winners immediately. That's how you lose. Instead, focus on continuing to increase your advantage until you have a CLEAR putaway. In that respect, position 5 is the odds-on favorite shot.
 
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I would go short down the line for several reasons...

1. In the situation you stated, the volley was a bit hard to get to. So a volley to the baseline would be a lower percentage shot for me.

2. This is also to his good side, so a deep volley would also be more likely to be returned well by him.

3. If he is anything like me, a short, low forehand is mean. I have a tendency to overhit these shots.

4. There is the chance of the crosscourt short angle for him, but if he's hitting up on a low ball, it will probably sit up for me to hit a forehand volley hard down the line as the next shot.

5. If his backhand is his weaker side, he might be looking for that shot, and the short forehand will catch him off guard.
 
I would go to position 1. I have in many cases been in this situation as the other opponent on the return and i would be able to get to all other positions or cut off anything quickly with my momentum moving forward to cover the cross court volley.
 
Once again, I'm shocked.

Does anyone know how difficult it is to actually hit to position #1 with a high backhand volley?

Unless you're Federer or Sampras, even the pros don't try that shot. I'd give that a 20% chance of success at most.

I'm sorry, but the advice to hit to position #1 is just bad. As I said, hitting the ball hard to his feet is the high percentage shot and is very likely to generate an easy overhead putaway for your next shot.
 
i find cross court to be easy on my wrist, not too much adjustment is needed, and the follow through of my body in the opposite direction seems distracting
but also in doubles, cross court shots "usually" imply going in between the 2 defending players
 
Hitting on #1 is ideal and it can be done but with really good timing and footwork. You really need to make sure you move to the right quickly and turn your shoulder to perpendicular to the net; allowing you to volley the ball straight. I have done it before but it is pretty hard to do on a consistent basis.

Volleying to #4 is also do-able, using the same movement but you loosen up your grip as you volley causing the ball to go dead. ( I did this one yesterday against my opponent who was charging the net). Again very hard to do.

Normal tactic:
Go cross court #3 or #6 - I am sure your opponent already knows that's were most of the volly would be going 80% of the time. SO he is prepared to gas himself up to cut the cross court.

My Prefer tactic:
I would go volley down (backhand slice) to the wheels of the opponent which means #5, I want the opponent to dig up the ball his racquet to clear the ball up / over the net. I will be camping in front of him to finish him off.
 
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In D Zone said:
Hitting on #1 is ideal and it can be done but with really good timing and footwork. You really need to make sure you move to the right quickly and turn your shoulder to perpendicular to the net; allowing you to volley the ball straight. I have done it before but it is pretty hard to do on a consistent basis.

Volleying to #4 is also do-able, using the same movement but you loosen up your grip as you volley causing the ball to go dead. ( I did this one yesterday against my opponent who was charging the net). Again very hard to do.

Normal tactic:
Go cross court #3 or #6 - I am sure your opponent already knows that's were most of the volly would be going 80% of the time. SO he is prepared to gas himself up to cut the cross court.

My Prefer tactic:
I would go volley down (backhand slice) to the wheels of the opponent which means #5, I want the opponent to dig up the ball his racquet to clear the ball up / over the net. I will be camping in front of him to finish him off.
Click to expand...



Finally someone with some sense.
 
TonyB said:
Once again, I'm shocked.

Does anyone know how difficult it is to actually hit to position #1 with a high backhand volley?

Unless you're Federer or Sampras, even the pros don't try that shot. I'd give that a 20% chance of success at most.

I'm sorry, but the advice to hit to position #1 is just bad. As I said, hitting the ball hard to his feet is the high percentage shot and is very likely to generate an easy overhead putaway for your next shot.
Click to expand...


I'll join with you Tony, but for a different reason.

I feel quite confident that there is no way in the world I could execute anything other than a crosscourt shot. The only question is the depth. Going short to the ad service line is too risky for a pass on the next shot, so I'd go for the baseline.

DTL would be wonderful, but it doesn't sound do-able for someone at my level.

Heck, who am I kidding? I would probably frame the ball into position No. 10 -- the light fixture.
 
I'd go to #2 or #5. If I can't put it away, I'd like to put it to the middle (as long as I won't hit a high floater) and put it away on the next ball. Besides, if he's running to cover the crosscourt volley, he might get jammed if you hit it in the middle while hitting the ball away from him gives him time to turn (chances are he'd pop it up too).
 
I have to agree with TonyB regarding pos 1. If you read closely; you just reach the volley and its high, you are serving from the deuce court. There is no way in hell that's my high percentage shot in the situation given!

The problem with a given situation is that you can't talk much about variation.

I would most likely go for a shot placed approx. at # 5. That was also my immediate response without reading the options. I would want to hit it just slightly to his backhand, and try to keep it low so he does a reaction halfvolley that goes high. Giving me an much easier ball to put away.

Even if his BH is weak, I would most likely not hit that many to #6. If I were to hit it deep crosscourt I would try to keep the ball low, just skidding. Since you get almost no power on the ball, he can actually drivevolley it back - with all that court you left open.

Going to much crosscourt (# 6) gives him a big opportunity to pass you.

A drop shot, #9 is actually possible - I would rate it as a mid-percentage shot. I can pull it off, but it can go into the net, out, high or my opponent can read it and go for an easy winner.

Dropping the ball dead at # 4 is also an good option.

According to my playstyle, skills and feel I would vary it into # 4, # 5 and # 9.
 
I disagree...

TonyB said:
I think it's hilarious that position #1 has gotten the most votes so far. That's the HARDEST shot to hit and thus the lowest percentage shot for you to hit. Sure, your opponent has absolutely zero chance of returning it if you hit it properly, but your odds of success are also near zero.

The most conservative shot to hit in that situation, with the highest reward/risk ratio is to hit to position 5. Perhaps 4 might be better, but it's also more difficult and riskier than 5. Hitting to 5 has several advantages. (1) You can put more pace on the shot with confidence. (2) You are hitting slightly behind your opponent, forcing him to go against his momentum. (3) If you hit at his feet, he has to hit UP on the shot, possibly allowing you an easy putaway the NEXT shot. And (4) He does not have the opportunity to swing freely at the ball, as it is handcuffing him to some extent by being hit directly at his body.

Don't worry about hitting winners immediately. That's how you lose. Instead, focus on continuing to increase your advantage until you have a CLEAR putaway. In that respect, position 5 is the odds-on favorite shot.
Click to expand...

(a) It's not THAT hard. If you're a decent volleyer, you ought to be able to block the ball into this spot even if it's a tough volley.

(b) This is a situation where you have to close the deal. Since you're both closing on the net, the point is basically going to be over after your next shot...or your opponent's next shot, if he gets a racket on it. If you hit it anywhere else...including short down the line...there's a chance he might get a racket on it, and there's so much open court that he's probably going to hit a winner, instead of you.

When you have a choice, it's nice to be able to play a conservative shot, if that's your mindset. In this situation, you have to go for a winner, and your best chance is spot #1...
 
tennisdad65 said:
3) It is not a lob but a high backhand volley. i.e. you do not have time for a smash.
4) You barely have time to get to it, so you cannot put much power or bite into the volley cross court for a clean winner :).
Click to expand...

Guys......stop changing the situation :D
 
Everyone around here must think they can volley like Sampras or something. They think they can put away high, barely-reachable backhand volleys on the run into pinpoint locations down the line into the corner for a winner.

Unreal. As I said, there's maybe a 1 out of 10 chance that a 4.0-4.5 can make that shot. And I'm being generous. I consider myself to be a very above-average volleyer at the 4.5 level and I would never even attempt that shot if I actually wanted to win the point.
 
I didn't say it was easy...

TonyB said:
Everyone around here must think they can volley like Sampras or something. They think they can put away high, barely-reachable backhand volleys on the run into pinpoint locations down the line into the corner for a winner.

Unreal. As I said, there's maybe a 1 out of 10 chance that a 4.0-4.5 can make that shot. And I'm being generous. I consider myself to be a very above-average volleyer at the 4.5 level and I would never even attempt that shot if I actually wanted to win the point.
Click to expand...


...I just think that going for spot #1 is pretty much the only choice, tactically, given the situation. Go back and look at the original problem description. Remember, you served and volleyed to get to this point, which tells me, regardless of level, that (1) You know what you're doing at the net and (2) You know what forcing tennis is, as opposed to rally ball. If you hit the ball any where else than spot #1, you might win the point, but the odds aren't in your favor. If you go for spot #1...and make it...you probably will win the point. Remember, serving and volley is attacking tennis, and you aren't going to win every point...but in the long run, fortune favors the bold. Pat Rafter, one of the greatest reaction volleyers ever, basically waded into the net behind every serve and volleyed until he'd won the last point. In a lot of matches, he barely won over fifty percent of his points at the net...but he still won the U. S. Open, twice, by serving and volleying on every point.

Yes, going for spot #1 is technically more difficult than the other options. So what? Go for it anyway. Either you've been in this situation in practice, or you haven't...in which case, if you ever plan to serve and volley again, you need to work on this situation with your practice partner. And if you haven't practiced this shot a lot, go for it anyway. If you make it, it'll give you a boost of confidence you didn't have, and it'll make your opponent think twice. Even if you don't make it, it'll make him think twice. And the next time you serve and volley, get your feet moving! Approaching the net is not a stroll through the garden, it's an all out sprint to beat the other guy to the punch...
 
#2. With him in no man's land, hit the ball down the center at his feet. He must do something aggressive with a half-volley or a very low volley while on the move. This strikes me as a high percentage shot with tactical benefits.

I might hit down the line, but most guys will not get turned sideways enough to hit down the line and they will end up framing the ball.

So, unless you are 4.5 or above, #2 or #5 makes the most sense to me.


-Robert
 
Well... if you are playing the opponent in a match and he kept to his S&V. Expect to see this type of exchanges more than once.
He or She will have plenty of time to read and learn from the strategy you'll be using. You may get to him once or twice, I am pretty sure it he will remember the next time the situation arises. I'd say use the first obvious option first which is cross court, then mixing it up between DTL and to the middle to keep the opponent guessing. S&V players are patience and you need to be wise and patience as well - its a game of cat and mouse.

Another thought is to use body fake. You motion tells your opponent you are going for the cross then you hit the volley to his wheel or simple lob it over behind him ( #5) when he reach the middle of the court - to thow him off . Lobbing to # 5 is also difficult which requires perfect timing and knowing how to imploy the lob; high enough over the reach of the opponent.
 
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tennisdad65 said:
Here is the situation:
1) You and opponent are righties. He is super fast. His backhand is the weaker side.
2) You serve and volley to the deuce court. His return is high to your backhand and you meet it just inside the service line near the sideline. (see figure below)
3) It is not a lob but a high backhand volley. i.e. you do not have time for a smash.
4) You barely have time to get to it, so you cannot put much power or bite into the volley cross court for a clean winner :).
5) After he makes his return he starts moving in and towards the center to cut off the cross court volley. He is in no man's land, about halfway between service and baseline.
6) What position on the court is your high percentage play (volley).

|--1----------2---------3--| BASELINE
|
| ---------him
|
| 4-----------5---------- 6 | SERVICE LINE
|
|
|
| 7-----------8---------- 9 |
====================== NET
|
|
| you
|
|-------------------------- | SERVICE LINE
|
|
|
|---------------------------| BASELINE
Click to expand...

Neither, they are all going to be tough shots with the easier of the shots playing into his respositioning.

If I was stuck in a situation like this, a high-percentage shot would be to hit the ball back to where there is more court which happens to be where he is going. I would not disagree with someone wanting to end the point by hitting at his feet (just before 5) in an all-or-nothing shot.

So, considering the type of player I am, I would take on some risk and hit back towards the place he is vacating and at his feet (hit it down) and I would be utilizing at least two numbers. I would hit in an area loosely outlined from 4, 7, 1, and 2.

I would also have to be alert to recover to a reasonable position to fend off his reply. To me this is at least a two shot deal to get out of this predicament.

On another note, why is this important? Is this a predicament you are often in?
 
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