Your 1st volley, the shot after your serve in either singles or doubles, is always played behind the service line unless:

• You’ve hit the slowest serve of all time which gives you time to get closer to the net and maybe even inside the service line;
• AND your opponent is receiving it way way back behind the baseline (more time);
• AND your name is Usain Bolt (uh, in that case, you’re so fast you could forget the 1st two conditions above).

1 – When your 1st volley becomes dependable, you won’t have a tendency to rush through the serve to get as close as possible to the net to play that 1st volley.  Not rushing through the service motion allows all of the good serve technique fundamentals to hit on all cylinders.

2 – When your 1st volley becomes dependable, you won’t feel a need to rush through the volley which allows you to complete the service motion on balance and in its proper rhythm.

3 – When your 1st volley becomes dependable, the rest of your game gets an immediate confidence boost, and when that transfers to your serve, you realize that you don’t have to hit the biggest serve of your life to have a chance in the point.  In fact, when you back off of your serve’s power meter by 15%, your 1st serve percentage goes up dramatically.

4 – Bonus reason:  You start to think of your serve as an approach shot.  It’s no longer a hoped for one shot wonder.  Your serve now becomes a seamless part of the transition from the baseline up to the eventual ideal net position (serve, 1st volley, and then either a 2nd volley or overhead).

Most players work on their volleys by standing at the ideal volley position which is inside the service line and slightly to the side of where the ball is on your opponent’s side of the net.

We don’t play 1st volleys from there.  We play 1st volleys as transitional shots somewhere behind the service line.

What’s the biggest challenge for you with your 1st volley in either singles or doubles?

Let me know below in the Comments area.  Thanks in advance.

Brent

Related Tennis Lessons

Forehand and Backhand Volleys – The Specific Fundamentals For Your Transitional Volleys & When You’re Up At Net

1st & 2nd Serve – How To Create A Spin That Actually Gives You Safety Over The Top Of The Net, Curves Back Down Inside The Service Box, and Bounces Up And Out Of Your Opponent’s Stroke Zone

3 Lesson Package = 30% Discount – That’s right.   You choose the 3 specific lessons you want and you’ll get a 30% package discount.