When I’m coming up to net behind my serve, return of serve, or approach shot, “where” do I split step?
[ And after my explanation here, I've got a video tip for you below. ]
And my answer is always the same. “I don’t know”, it totally depends on when your opponent is going to make contact with your shot.
The sooner your opponent is about to make contact with your shot, the sooner you’ll split step, meaning ths further away from the ideal net position you’ll have to split step.
Quick review. What’s the main purpose of the split step? It’s to allow you to efficiently react and move to wherever your opponent hits their shot back to you.
Thinking that you have to get from the baseline all the way up to the net without having to possibly play a shot in what we sometiomes call “no man’s land” can only happen if your opponent is positioned well back behind their baseline and your approach shot to them is played with medium to slow pace.
In that situation, you get more time to move forward before you’ll have to split step.
What happens if you want to come in to net behind your serve and you end up playing a big time first serve AND your opponent loves to return serve from iniside their baseline?
Right, your opponent makes contact with your big serve almost immediately after you complete your service motion and you’ll have to go into your split step almost a step or two after your serve.
Is that a problem? Of course not. Can you learn to split step and play an incoming approach volley from half way between your baseline and service line? Yes, you can…
Check out this short video tip and then let me know your feedback on the biggest challenges you face when approaching the net in either singles or doubles.
Brent’s Serve and Volley Lesson.
Thanks, Brent
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