I sense a bit of panic out there when you approach the net.
So much so that it sure looks like you’re hoping you can end this point right now with your 1st volley.
That’s rarely going to happen.
What’s more likely going to happen is that you’ll make your 1st volley and your opponent shanks their pass, makes their pass, or you’re going to have to play 2nd volley.
Playing a 2nd volley is usually where you get an opportunity to end the point.
This video is going to show you how a specific type of 1st volley can really set you up for a 2nd volley easy put away …
Brent’s Forehand & Backhand Volleys Course
Pure Simple Fundamentals That You Can Copy So That
Your 1st Volley Technique Allows You To Take Your Time (Consistency)
And NOT Panic
Hey guys.
Very disappointed that the 2012 Australian Open is NOT making their YouTube match play highlight videos available to the folks in at least the USA and Australia.
Not sure why. The lead up tournaments, Brisbane, Hobart, & Sydney tournaments did, but not the Australian Open.
Hmmmm.
Brent
Traditional teaching of the volley usually says to go deep or to go very short in this situation, but I think that Brent, you bring up a good case for this type of volley. I frequently tell my students to think about a two or three shot volley sequence to control the point and to avoid going for too much on the first volley.
I think that the key is that you hit a volley that is just wide enough so that your opponent has to struggle to get there. If you don’t have enough angle on the ball, then the groundstroker can go either way with his shot.
Hey Bobby. You’re right, too many baseliners get comfortable backing up anticipating a deep 1st volley.
Mixing in the drop volley and the one shown in this video will keep them closer to their baseline and then the deep volley is much more effective.
Again, thanks for the re-tweets over at Twitter this morning.
Brent
Will EVERYONE please refrain from making ANY comments on here….I made a mistake and selected “email comments” box and now get ALL comments emailed to my Inbox making it horribly full….heeeeelp!
Nothing works to get me delisted from comments !!!
Only you people can help now and stop it.
S
Okay, I’ll stop making comments on this topic b/c your inbox is filling up and you haven’t mastered the concept of email filters
Huh?
B-
I’ll let you know what’s happening: Nadal is NOT burnt out like you said a little while ago.
Outstanding point you make here about the angle volley that brings in the opponent to handle this low skidding shot.
I think it’s also important to note the approach was hit off a ball that was not only short, but one that lacked pace and landed near the center T. The big advantage of hitting the approach from that center T area is that it gives you many options, leaving the opponent unable to anticipate your approach intentions. You can go to either side with that angle volley Brent mentions, or right back at him, along with some other options. The center approach also allows you to go to their weaker side with your stronger wing.
Morning Chuck.
You’re right about the approach. It’s got to be played with COMPLETE commitment.
It’s less about where you decide to play your approach and much more about totally committing to the feet to not only get on it early but too also move through the approach (under control and on balance) to get up inside that service line.
Brent
I guess we just have to disagree on that important aspect of the transition game.
An excellent approach can mean a easy volley or even no volley to even have to make.
Hit an avg or below approach and it may not matter how much commitment to your feet,
because that weak approach shot invites a monster passing shot to deal with or
watch go past your reach. Lack of attention to how and where to hit the approach shots
is the main reason we see so little successful net play these days.
I agree that to hit a good approach shot leaves one an easy rather than difficult volley, but to back up to the approach, doesn’t it have to be a *deep* approach shot. If I don’t “deliver” on an approach shot I end up getting passed with vigor every time. Some times I don’t have good control running up hitting the approach and I am punished every time that I can’t keep the opponent behind the baseline.
Also, is the formula: approach DTL deep, and then volley to the open court? I don’t think I could volley back to an opponent after they have returned my approach shot … Did I get that right?
thanks Brent, awesome clip as usual!
Hi Fay.
A deep approach down the line is the staple for sure, but if you go there each and every time, your opponent will anticipate it, and then it won’t be as effective.
You’ve got to mix in deep approches with drop shot approaches as well to keep that opponent from backing up so they can handle your deep approach.
You can also approach cross court from time to time but only IF your footwork is available to get you over there to cover a possible passing shot.
Approach variety is the name of the game.
Brent
Thanks … I meant this as plan A, and then watch to see what happens and mix it up.
Fay,
I have had to deal with the same plague. I don’t know if my issue was similar to yours, but pay attention to the height your slice bounces after you hit it. If your slices are bouncing up into their wheelhouse, then you are basically giving them a setup shot.
In other words, IMHO, relative to your level of play, you may be providing an excellent approach shot opportunity for them with a shot that may not only bounce up, but the pace may be providing them time as well to have fun at your expense.
Slices from fellow players, at my level, often meet both of those conditions, and then most players at my level will hit a flat or some topspin drive in reply. The key for me was first to recognize that what I was giving them was an excellent approach shot setup.
I have worked various solutions to his issue, but recently, due my recognition of the need for a low bouncing slice drive, deep or short, I identified the stroke changes needed to hit low underspin with both forehand and backhand, and now I am regularly taking a ball machine out and working on those shots, hitting from the baseline and from close to the service line.
Very important I have found is to drive hit that shot at the top of the bounce on my side, rather than as the ball is descending after the bounce.
It’s real easy to see what shots are skidding low on their side and which once are popping up into their wheelhouse. If I want to ABC (always be closing) I need to hit low underspin drives, among other shots, and appropriate angled low serves that allow me to ABC. So I define it as “ABS with low, angled, and high approach shots” to help me keep my job in mind.
A low skidding slice is apt to come up to me for a good volley rather than be ripped into me or into the open court if I’m setting them up with a wheelhouse slice.
Kindest regards
Hi Rodger … I use top spin on FH and slice or top spin on BH, but I try to always hit high balls that bounce near the baseline. If I let a good player step inside the baseline it is all over for me. I agree with what Brent said about mixing it up, but I assume there is no second volley as I have to play deep, grab the approach to hit deep somewhere, and then go Cx Court of Open Court with the volley for a winner. if I volley it to anyone who can play well the second time it is all over. It must keep it away from them. I am trying to develop plans as in A, B, C, etc. Try one set of combinations for a while and see how they respond. Mix it up … in that of course not do the exact same thing. I used to go to matches try to play each ball fresh, as in just hit it as best I can. I can see that I just can’t think fast enough to do that … I’m trying to develop “sets” of shots that I can practice over and over, if that makes sense. For my level I have a fantastic FH, but my BH top spin is not solid yet. My slice is accurate but not enough speed to give anyone with any skill a challenge, so I try to hit high bouncing balls to pin them back behind the baseline on either corner, and try to volley away from the player. I cannot hit a volley hard enough at anyone’s feet to give them trouble. The only thing I have with pace is my FH.
Great reply Fay,
I find we have a lot in common. Have you thought about adding a slice forehand? I started doing that about a year or so ago. However, both were not staying low and with insufficient pace.
Now, when I hit a low slice, it has quite a bit of pace to it as I’m hitting off the outside foot and at the top of the bounce.
Right, there are a lot of first strikers out there. Give them an opportunity shot in their wheelhouse without insufficient pace and it is all over for me too in singles. Also, are you familiar with Wardlaw’s directionals???
My failures/losses are my best indicators of my learning opportunities.
By the way Fay, here is a secret. If you can drive a FH with pace, you can drive a slice with pace and keep it low. It is simply, IMHO, and in my experience, a matter of technique and it is quite a fun and satisfying shot to make.
Yuppers, the FH Slice is a shot I have yet to master … Mine sits up too much or misfires as it is something I usually end up hitting when I’m trying to dig something out near my feet, LOL. I am familiar with The Directionals. Hence spent tons of time working on my FH DTL when I learned this was not a natural shot. If I spent as much time on my BH as I have my FH things would be looking a bit better
But I am definitely lacking my FH slice. I had a plan Get a great FH top spin which I have, now I am working on the serve and OH. Made a lot of progress in a few months. My volley is pretty decent for someone at my level, but I decided to go from 1-H top BH to 2 handed. I just cannot get enough pace with 1. Torn a tendon in my shoulder about 20 years ago and lifting that arm in a way to generate the right timing is not doing it any good as they save. the FH slice would be a lot easier to implement. Thanks Rodger for the suggestion. I’ll start working on that on Sat. Tomorrow day off.
This forehand slice, I find is a terrific approach shot. Hit well (hard and deep/wide) it keeps aggressively low whlst also giving yo more time to approach the net, get set. Return is hit upwards making volley easier. As an extra benefit, however hard you hit it, it will be slower than the rallying shots before generally and its this ‘change of pace’ on the ball that also brings errors, it has opponents suddenly lunging foreward to play the ball
Have only used in doubles though so far…
Stephen
Fay, be sure to keep your grip relaxed so you don’t hurt your wrist when starting the FH slice. It felt real awkward to me at first, but gets comfortable over time. Look for a ball at the top of its bounce that is higher than net height.
Best.
Thanks Rodger … I’ll start working on that!
Good one Brent! I can vaguely remember how a young J. McEnroe would do precisely this `check`/`checkmate` tactic! It was quite frustrating to play him…….poor Ivan!
Thanks
Andreas
Hello Andreas.
I don’t vaguely remember, I vividly remember McEnroe showing short angle volleys knowing his opponent would likely get to it, but also knowing that Mac was in charge of the point.
The reality is we can play so many more types of shots that our opponents can get to BUT where we maintain complete control of the point.
This tip hopefully will help all of us breathe a little easier when we play a 1st volley so that we don’t force ourselves to have to hit a winner.
Brent
To recognize this “classic” situation and to execute it in a classical way is what this is all about. The key is to recognize what’s happening in time. Any hesitation or delay completely destroys the opportunity. Perfect demonstration.
I agree Ken.
That’s a great point you make about not hesitating.
Unless we practice this specific sequence of shots (approach, short angle cross court 1st volley, and open court 2nd volley) we’ll never build the confidence to NOT hesitate once we get into a match.
Brent
Hi Brent,
I admit I would have tried to hit the backhand corner with the first volley. My fear would have been that a shorter first volley wuold have given the opponent a good passing shot possibility. The shorter angled volley you suggest has to bounce low without pace, yes??
Cheers,
Sigurd
Hello Sigurd.
Right, that short angle cross court volley needs good solid technique to insure that it doesn’t just sit up, but the volley technique is pretty easy to copy and model.
The continental grip is imperative to insure the racket face is open to impart underspin.
Brent
I kind of like it up there in the box, and I don’t mind playing two or three balls to close out the point if that is the way it plays out. My first thought is controlling the ball and next is trying to make the opposition do something they are not comfortable doing — moving their feet more than two steps, reaching over or down — so they cannot set up and get a swing on it. Trying to kill volleys causes a lot of problems with execution, and we wind up beating ourselves.
Hi Robert.
Glad to hear you’re comfortable up inside the service line to wait for a true put away opportunity.
Most players aren’t.
You’ve pointed out the biggest reason for a sense of panic up there – not committing to moving the feet to help get properly aligned to the path of the opponent’s shot.
Right, we tend to get anchored and then just reach …
Brent
Great point, Brent. We do very often try to do too much with the first volley.
Hey Julius.
So, let’s all commit to get out this week / weekend and tinker with 3 different types of 1st volleys.
Deep, drop, and short cross court angle …
Brent
good one
Brent, not only is this a great tip; but the whole series of the video vignettes has been great. tks,
Hey George. Really glad to read that you’re enjoying these tips.
More to come.
How’s the Florida senior tournament tour treating everyone so far?
Give my best to Larry Turville.
Brent
Brent,
Great advice. Will use it when I get on the courts.
Thanks.
Go get em Tim!
Brent
I love that He knows his oponents youth and weakness to set up this pattern.
Dolgo wasnt horribly out of position coming in on the first volley but he made 2 bad choices
1) getting both hands on the racket —narrowed his flexibility and shot selection
2) going back cross court ——-(leaving the whole court open behind him)
If Dolgo goes one hand cut chip down the line He cuts the angle of return down and has a good chance to turn the point to his advantage
(thanks for the training Brent!)
Outstanding feedback Eric.
Dolgo would have been better suited with a one-handed continental grip to deal with that low 1st volley from Stepanek.
The two hander in that situation is extremely limited. A lob would have maybe worked out better, but a two handed backhand flick lob from there is very tough to play.
If Dolgo does go one-handed backhand with a continental grip, I think a cross court lob could have worked.
Brent
Hmmm… Watching it again, Stepanek is quite over to one side so I really think a sliced down the line shot would have been the best option. At this level, lobs rarely win a point.
Best
Stephen (London)
Hey Stephen.
Maybe at this pro level you’re right, lobs aren’t nearly as effective as against the rest of us.
But the reality is this, a continental grip underspin or even flat lob directed over the opponent’s backhand from where Dolgo is will work if you can get it decently deep.
Doesn’t have to be a winner but does have to beep enough so the net player is forced to play a high backhand volley.
Brent
Brent, as usual, great stuff.i am learning so much from this format.Pl keep it coming. Awesome!
Hi Poh.
I too really enjoy this format.
Will keep em coming …
Brent
Brent…I always enjoy your short videos. I payed for your “1st Serve Mastery” course and was suppose to get a DVD with the course. I received the DVD but it is non readible. Could you send me another one?
Kerwin
Hi Kerwin. Absolutely. We’ll get another in the mail to you right away.
Brent
Brent, in coming to the net what is a percentage of success that we should be trying to achieve? I need to keep some perspective because after a couple of passing shots coming wizzing past me it’s easy to retreat back to the baseline and want to stay there.
Hi David.
It is to retreat after a couple of passing shots go by you, and it some rare situations, you may better off staying back if tour opponent is simply on fire.
But all things being equal, if you vary your approaches, you should be able to win 2/3 of those points over the big picture of the entire match.
If you get too caught up in measuring how you’re doing each and every time you approach, it’ll drive you nuts.
Brent
Hi Brent,
Though provoking tip, but I would like to ask whether there might be an adjustment club players should make rather than trying to imitate a pro of Stepanek’s quality. My concern is that hitting the short and cross court volley takes nearly as much control and skill as going for the deep volley further into the corner. That level of control is beyond club players, including myself — and I am a 4.0 who is very comfortable taking low volleys of the kind Stepanek hits in the clip. Therefore, I wonder whether a better strategy is simply to go right down the middle, every time. That limits your opponents angles and it increases your margin of safety and consistency — crucial for club players. Unless your opponent hits a great passing shot, you can close on the next volley and easily hit an angle.
My thought here is really stimulated by your terrific suggestion to serve at the body of your opponent virtually every time. What really happens is that a good deal of the time you get into the body and your inevitable mis-hits end up being great serves into the corners rather than going out. Similarly with the first volley — go for the middle for consistency; you will end up going further cross court and behind your opponent a fair amount of the time, keeping him guessing. And you will greatly increase your percentage,
By the way, your suggestion to serve at the body, together with a fabulous lesson from Steve Stefanki, has greatly improved my serve. Double faults have virtually disappeared, and I rarely lose my serve now. The transformation took about six weeks and I have gone from feeling uneasy about serving to loving it.
Hi David.
If you always go deep with your volley, your opponents will anticipate that and set up accordingly.]]
I’m not saying you should always play the short angled volley, but often enough so that your opponent doesn’t gave the luxury of backing up a couple of feet in anticipation of another deep volley and/or approach.
Variety is the key. And it simply ma be that your deep volley is your bread and butter where it’s not for the next guy. That next guy might be able to make that short angle all day as you do with your deep volley.
Whatever the case is, you gotta show variety.
Brent
Brent,
“First Volley-Second Volley” Clip: really good stuff, thanks. Not only club players, but league players need to hear, see and DO waht you have demo-ed in your clip.
Singles play, of course! Doubles play? Yes, if both opponents are back on or near the base line, true again your angled 1st volley to set up the second volley as the put away volley down the middle works well in doubles. (Right, in doubles too, nothing wrong with hitting short, safe volleys to make the oppenet HIT UP AT THE BALL (a la 1930s-’40s- 50′s + tactic. I’m from the ’60s.)
Brent, thanks for the video and thanks for Commnet Section.
Tim G.
PS. How do you get club, recreational players, mainlly 3.5 level and even some Senior 4.0 to do First Volley/Second Volley hitting tactics? I mean actually implement what is SO Clear in your WEB Tennis video? Thanks.
trg
PS. How do you get club, recreational players, mainlly 3.5 level and even some Senior 4.0 to do First Volley/Second Volley hitting tactics? I mean actually implement what is SO Clear in your WEB Tennis video? Thanks.
IMHO, the answer is you don’t.
Forget it. Focus on yourself.
The few who want to improve will find Brent and Jim, etc. on their own.
The rest just wanna have fun – that is their right and leave them alone if you want to keep your friends.
Believe me, when they see you improve, an occasional nibble will result, but most often it leads nowhere as it takes commitment, and a lot of hard work and frustration to go forward and the commitment is not there for the fun time players.
Lead by example, the racquet speaks the loudest.
KIndest Regards, I share your frustration…very deeply.
Reality check RS – thanks.
I see this ALL of the time at my club, the Berkeley TC.
We have tons of good players, but a huge majority of them talk about this and that, but rarely do they go out there and drill that specific match play situation.
Brent
Hi Tim. I’d be careful in doubles with short angles that your opponent can to.
It’s OK if they actually have to hit back up to you, but if that ball sits at all out wide, you and your partner now have to cover a ton of court because of the angles you’ve just given your doubles opponents.
And to answer your P.S., it’s my job to inspire and motivate anyone who watches these videos to go out there and tinker, experiment, and work though this stuff.
As simple as the tips may appear, no one can simply watch one time and then implement successfully.
I should probably also include a very specific drill video along with each tip.
Brent
Yes yes ! Drills would be good. I play 5 days a week, 3-4 matches, and I always do an hour of drills before I play to warm up … Hubby and I are always trying to figure out own drills out either to alternate feeding to each other or use the balls machine.
Thanks !
Dog gone it Fay, I picked a wife who doesn’t play tennis. Back to the ball machine.
Fortunately for me Rodger, my hubby plays tennis and will be my warm up partner for matches which really helps ….. too much tanking on warmup here. We are both retired figure skating coaches and used to team teach together sometimes as well. Very active into our golden years, LOL
Ahhh the lost art form of a chip volley. Brent is it me or have we lost touch of the art of lobbing and the deadly chip lob all together? He had a perfect opportunity to hit a quick cross court chip lob to his back hand side and instead drove the ball?
Hi Alex.
The younger generation of pros and rec players have lost the art of the chip lob because IMHO they haven’t been properly taught how to use a continental grip.
Most of the strokes in the game of tennis should be played with the continental grip.
- Serve
- Overhead
- Volleys
- Slice groundstrokes
- Slice approach shots
- Drop shots
- 1/2 volleys
- Chip & charge return of serve
- and on and on
Topspin groundstrokes (& drive returns of serve) can use either an eastern forehand or eastern backhand grip, but other than those two strokes, it’s all continental.
Brent
This dialogue about the deployment of the volley is fantastic. I echo the notion that the first volley is rarely intended as a winner. Come to think of it, scarcely any shot but the overhead should have termination as its primary objective.
I think it’s possible to successfully execute all sorts of volleys — that is, so long as we let ourselves practice them. And practice doesn’t just mean drilling, but also things like those day-in, day-out matches at the club-park with our buddies.
The biggest thing Brent has helped me with on volleys is waiting for the ball and using feet more than hands. As a lefty I have pretty good reflexes — that’s the lefty blessing. The lefty curse — and even John McEnroe and Rod Laver talk about this — is getting a bit too relaxed with the feet. Engage the feet and the hands will behave. The rub is that it takes more work — so it’s better to try something hard for 15 minutes than something lazy for 30.
Thanks Joel.
One of the common themes in these comments is about the reality of putting in some pretty tough practice.
Most players don’t. Most players want to quickly figure something out and not have to be burdened with the perception of boredom and drudgery of repetitive practice.
If someone out there’s got the magic pill for improvement, let me know ….
Brent
Hey..great point of using footwork…I have all my people learn the Bryant Brothers shadow dance! Its fits Brents one-two Idea or rec doubles points that often have three or four volleys …and its a great workout for common folk…and a perfect warm up drill for all doubles players at any level
If you havent seem do it…Here it is!
Start with a split, cross right foot over left and shadow a slice backhand, step back into a split, cross left foot over right and shadow a forehand volley and repeat 10-20-30 times..
Feeback Brent?
Hi Brent,
All of your mini-series on various shot making concepts focus on Singles play. How about some Doubles pointers?? There has to be a huge number of us out here!!
Thanks.
Hi Bates.
For sure. I’ve been taking the clips uploaded by the recent tournaments in Australia and so far I haven’t see nay doubles clips.
The reality is that pro level doubles rarely shows us tings we can somewhat copy and model.
I’m not saying it’s waste of time, but it might be better to video some 4.5 or 5.0 doubles and use those matches and points as our examples.
I’m heading to Palm Springs next Tuesday for the senior Babolat tournament and I’ll do my best to video plenty of doubles matches for you.
Brent
Great video Brent
I’m very afraid of approaching at the net, because my backhand-volley is very crappy, and 90% of all hits ends in the net, or goes wide out. Otherwise, my forehand volley is good I think. It’s only the backhand that I’m not able to hit well… Sometimes I didn’t hit them with the strings, and then is when I get wrist injuries. I hope you can tell me some tricks to improve that. It seems like I can’t find the right position of me or my raquet to hit the ball in…
Have a nice weekend, and keep playing and teaching so well. Greetings
PD: Sorry about my bad english expression, I’m from Spain.
Hello Wolf.
Would be best if I could get a video clip of your backhand volley.
Any chance you could send me a short (no more than 15 seconds) clip of tour backhand volley.
Thanks,
Brent
Great point, too many people try to put that 1st volley away for the winner instead of being patient at the net.
Hi Paul. It takes a lot of practice to develop that kind of patience.
Most players won’t grind through those practice sessions.
But the few that do, the payoff is big time.
Brent
Today we worked on deep returns, when we got a short ball we approached deep and then did the volley CxCourt. Monday we’ll work on another combination when we get some time
Got a question for you Brent, though slightly off topic. I have an understanding on what to do to hit a deep, low bouncing slice drive.
On the other hand, the common problem with a short chip is that one can get a high bounce. What is the key to keeping the mid-court chip from bouncing up?
I’m guessing that both shots are hit the same except for aiming point, and that what causes the chip to bounce up is a lack of commitment due to lack of faith in ones stroking mechanics.
Rog…On your chip it is vital to keep your wrist at/or below ball level at impact (lots of leg bend my freind) and FOLLOW THROUGH the stroke finishing with the racket facing the sky (or palm up if you will)….Most rec players stop this stroke at impact with an open racket angle and this is the cause of the ball sitting up…take your ball machine, slow down the interval and practice stepping through the chip with technique and watch the ball skip on the other side !!! let us know how it works!
Additions: A chip is a half volley so.. Turn your shoulders, make contact at your side not so much out front—-and use a CONTINENTAL GRIP..
Thanks Eric.
I think the key here is keeping the ball bouncing low for midcourt placed build-the-point shots, when making those shots in a variety of situations. I think most players avoid the chip as they don’t effect it correctly and it ends up bouncing up, being neither a good drop shot or a good deep sliced drive, which either of these tend to be my current preference until I can get a consistently low bouncing mid court chip.
When it did work…..Last week, in the middle of a doubles point, I effected a forehand slice from deuce mid court wide, crosscourt to deuce mid wide that stayed low. I had to take the shot on the decline so instinctively I went for side spin (I like to use underspin on the rise or at the top of the bounce to match the flight of the ball and use the natural spin of the ball from the flat/topspin shots received).
I remember I was down in the legs pretty low and ended palm up, but with my arm staying low so as to not pop it up, and yes used a continental grip, a relatively low curving swing.
This was a touch shot for me with not a lot of pace but also not a lazy floater. Did not focus on a drop shot because I had to take it on the decline, rather than the rise, so was worried I might pop it up.
I did not intend a half volley, nor a drop shot, nor a slice drive…and so I’m kind of unclear what I would call it, but certainly it had sidespin.
The key here is repeatability. What you don’t clearly understand you can’t build a repeatable stroke from.
The opponent picked up the shot which came upward to me for a first volley that I played to his forehand, which when returned to my partner got put away for a winner. It really was a nicely done play that was set up by that mid court wide low slice over to my partner’s court coverage side.
I have been getting more thank you’s from my partners these days for my setups to them. The reverse doesn’t often happen as they are often playing more independently from me, ignoring my court coverage issues and trying to exit the point quickly with their fairly flat singles shots.
I think you agreed with me Eric on how to do the shot. Players, failing to commit to the shot, may be more tentative with this shot (in an attempt to avoid hitting out as they lack confidence in their spin and not getting in there quick enough to catch the ball at the top of the bounce) thereby putting less spin on it and even putting more of an up ending to their stroke increasing the amount of the bounce. I think you really have to have the confidence to get in there and go for the shot, otherwise it sets them up for a great approach attack.
Rain, rain, rain.
Morning Rodger.
I think you understand the stroke part of it pretty well.
Just be sure you don’t have too severe of a high to low swing path.
You can get underspin that way, but the ball tens to sit up.
The key is to fully commit to moving the feet against and through the ball.
I really feel that the stroke here is much more like a net high volley where the it’s short & a level swing path BUT with much more emphasis on footwork.
Where players tend to screw this up is when they open their shoulders too early, end up facing forward too soon, and the swing path wants to go across the ball and not in line with the target.
Can you stop this rain …
Brent
Tinker time again. My local court has been condemned by the USTA, but you do get a lot of interesting ball bounces.
great tip on not opening through the ball!
hi
Wuzzup Lina?
Got a question?
Brent
thanks
thanks
lina
Brent , took another look at the clip this morning…., Stepanek gave us all another lesson
Look how penetrating his approach is!…ridiculous how fast he hits the service line..Perfect footwork pattern to copy! He really unloads from his right side and drives foreward toward the net using a long/explosive first step and a quick shuffle into a split step….
Morning Eric.
Right, if you think of it, the commitment to those first few steps can really help close the gap.
I remember watching Stan Smith serve and volley, and I was just shocked at how determined he was after his serve to really hustle through those first couple of steps before his split step.
He really eliminated a lot of no man’s land by really committing to the hustle.
Brent
I’ve watched this a number of times … why did the player on the far side hit the ball back to the guy at the net, instead of at least trying to hit it somewhere DTL to the open court?
Hi Fay.
Wrong grip.
Dolgo went with a two handed backhand grip – very limiting with the geometry he had from there.
A one handed backhand continental grip from there would have given him a couple of more options such as a lob or a soft low chip cross court.
Brent
OK thanks ! Didn’t see that