Are you in search of valuable info that will help you improve your tennis skills and start climbing your way to the top? You came to the right place!
If you’re only starting to play tennis and you’re looking for simple and easy ways to practice your skills, you’re in luck. There is a ton of exercises you can go for to improve your serve, volley, backhand, forehand, footwork, and anything else you need.
However, finding this info can prove a difficult task since there is a deluge of info online. You can easily get confused and not know where to look, and what is even worse—this type of research can take hours, if not days.
That is why we decided to summarize all the essential info on how to hit a strong volley in tennis into a neat and user-friendly guide for you! Not only will you be able to read it in less than 10 minutes, but you will also find everything you should know to perfect your volley in that time. Let’s get right into it!
Read our post on how to get better at tennis by yourself.
What Is a Volley?
Before we explain what types of volleys exist, you should get acquainted with what a volley actually is. This can be especially useful if you’re a beginner, so make sure you pay attention to every detail.
A volley in tennis is a shot that a player has to make before the ball bounces on the ground. As you might already know, you will need to hit the ball and land it on your opponent’s side.
Volleys are typically performed near the net or at the service line, and they are usually aggressive. You don’t have a lot of time to think about your move and you need to act fast when performing a volley, so it’s important to practice it and master it before stepping onto the court.
A Guide to Hitting a Strong Volley in Tennis
Now that you fully understand what a volley is, it is time to learn what you can do to perform well and hit a strong volley every time you play tennis. To make things easier, we provide you with a three-step list of what to do. Take a look below:
1. Consider Your Footwork
The first thing you should pay attention to is your footwork, and not only when it comes to hitting a strong volley. Footwork is very important when it comes to playing tennis and practicing footwork drills can give you a considerable advantage against your opponents.
As for hitting a strong volley, getting into the right position and considering your footwork will make all the difference. Some players choose to go for a split step, which can prove as an excellent choice, especially if you’re a beginner. A split step will help you regain balance and secure your stance, which will further help you hit a strong volley.
2. Position Your Racket Correctly
The next thing you should consider is how you hold your racket. Although there is no right or wrong grip, per se, there are certain grips that make hitting volleys easier than others. For example, the continental or ‘’chopper’’ grip is a good choice when it comes to hitting a strong volley.
The reason why you should go with this grip is that it is extremely efficient when it comes to hitting both forehand and backhand volleys, which doesn’t leave much room for mistakes. When you need to hit the volley, you won’t have much time to think, and changing your grip multiple times in those short seconds can result in you losing the point. That is why using a continental grip is your safest bet.
3. Choose the Right Motion
The last thing you should factor in and work on when hitting a strong volley is your movement. You must make sure you are not moving sideways or backward but forward. A lot of players are afraid to get closer to the net and move forward because they think they might get hit easier that way.
However, that is not true. You should make sure that your body weight and feet move and lean toward the shot if you want to hit a strong volley. It’s easier to get hit when you’re on your heels than on the balls of your feet. With that being said, there are also some exercises that you can do if you want to practice before stepping on the court.
Have someone toss the ball at you while you’re on your heels first, then do the same again while you’re at the balls of your feet and lean forward. You will see that it is much easier to get hit when you’re on your heels.
How To Practice Hitting a Strong Volley
You can find a ton of volley exercises and do them regularly to improve your skills and perfect hitting a strong volley. Here are some volley exercises you can do easily with or without a partner:
- Wall drills – Use a wall at your local tennis court or any brick wall you can. Start slow, and switch up between forehand volleys and backhand volleys. This exercise is excellent if you want to practice by yourself and not look for a partner
- Partner volley – If you, however, want to practice with a partner, you totally can. Make sure to take it easy and stand closer to the net. In the beginning, do simpler and easy touch volleys, then gradually take a step back, and keep doing this until both you and your partner can do it from your service lines
Watch this video if you’re interested in common volley mistakes:
Conclusion
Hitting a strong volley isn’t a piece of cake, especially if you’re a beginner. To master it, you will need to put in the hard work and practice regularly.
However, once you learn how to do volley exercises and get into the right position, as well as how to properly hold your racket, you’ll be able to hit a strong volley like a pro every single time!
References:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-volley-in-tennis
https://www.usta.com/en/home/improve/tips-and-instruction/national/learning-the-basics–volleys.html
