Effective Volleying ( Doubles Play)                               MJ Martino

Being able to volley efficiently is a big part of successful competitive doubles’ play! If you are hesitant to volley, or hesitant to “play the net” where volleying happens, use the following tips to help yourself feel less vulnerable and more confident. And practice volleying!

In better competitive doubles, the team that moves forward, in tandem, the soonest, creates pressure and takes time and hitting space away from their opponents- in the vernacular, “crush and rush”, or “chip and charge”, the net!

Racquet Prep:

When you are positioned in the front court (partner serving, and when partner receives serve and hits a solid return with good depth, and you move forward from the service line as a result), carry your racquet in “volley-ready” position:

• Both hands on the racquet

• Up at chest level, a foot or so in front of your chest

• From the above, in backhand position (11 o’clock)

Being volley ready  this way helps you to:

• Be ready to “punch” the ball down or angled, if it comes your way

• Avoid being hit in the face/body by a hard return right at you!

Punch technique:

When the ball is hit to you at the net/front court, bend your knees, push your body weight forward, and “punch”, or push forward in a blocking manner, your racquet.  Chances are the best volley shot will be either:

• Short and angled, so that neither opponent can reach the ball

• Into the medium/deep middle of the court, again unreachable

Your “swing” is very short, as the racquet and your arms are already in front of you!

Slice technique:

Often times a volley needs to be sliced as well as punched, in order to absorb your opponent’s pace and deaden the ball, especially if trying to drop the ball short, in front of your opponents, causing them to reach and pop the ball up for an easy putaway.

Turn your racquet in your hand to achieve a 45-55 degree angle. Try to punch the ball with this angled grip, and note how the ball heads downward, with spin! This angle is effective from above your head down to your waist, or net height. Adjust the angle so that the ball achieves this flight pattern off your racquet face- too much angle will “pop” the ball up or long, which isn’t what you want!

“Catch” more than “Punch”: The Drop Volley

To “catch” a volley is to pull your racquet back at about the same time as the ball arrives, so that your prep takes all the pace out of the hit ball, effectively “drop volleying” short in front of your opponents. If sliced slightly as well, the ball with spin backwards or sideways, making it even harder for your opponents to get to or make solid contact. Probably the hardest volley stroke to learn and employ effectively!

Volleying a dropping ball, or ball below the net line:

• This is a difficult skill, but one that can be learned! Again, you want a  slice grip addressing the ball, but the angle must be very sharp- 20-35 degrees to “lift” the ball over the net. As well, you have to be prepared to bend your knees and get your rear end pretty darn close to the ground, in order to “dig” this type of ball up and over the net and back in play.

Serve and Volley (advanced):

Hit your serve and step 3-5 ft inside the baseline. An average return can then be volleyed back to the returner. If you get the ball to ¾ court depth, or short in his/her service box, you can usually step into the service box, putting pressure on your opponent, and creating a next shot winner volley opportunity. It normally takes two volleys to get to the net with this strategy- keep moving forward!

The Half-Volley:

In some situations you might be attempting to move forward to volley, but the quality of your opponent’s shot leaves you in between, or “in no-man’s land”- not close enough to volley, but too close for a comfortable ground stroke. Here you need to employ a half volley, where you short hop the ball:

• Watch the ball onto your racquet. You’re aiming to make contact within 4 inches of the court surface after bounce!

• Follow through your stroke and push the racquet in the direction you want the ball to fly

**This is a very difficult stroke for some to attempt and become competent in using! Some players never get “this far”! Don’t be discouraged if you find it difficult! Even players who can execute this shot fairly well miss it quite often!

Net player responsibilities in Doubles:

As the net player (partner serving), you are trying to:

• Cut off or “poach” weaker opponent returns, by moving, with your racquet up and out, across the net, and punching the ball in an angled fashion away from  your opponents’ reach, or past or through them, especially down the middle (which you’re moving towards naturally!)

• You are trying to balance moving across the net to pick off returns with “staying home”, or making sure you don’t get beat down the alley, which you’ll have to vacate to effectively “poach”. A good opponent will occasionally test you by hitting the ball “down the line” to “keep you honest”. Being active at the net is key- don’t stand stationary; bounce and move slightly, to distract and keep your opponent guessing!

As the “up” partner (when your partner is receiving serve):

• You stand slightly behind the service line, toward the centre T. If your partner makes a weak return, soft, too high, too short, you are trying to make an emergency pickup to your opponents’ volleyed ball down the middle!

• If your partner makes a good, deep return to the server, or over the opponents’ net person, you are moving forward into prime volley position. Look to cut off balls in the middle of the court, and give your opponents only difficult alley passes. Controlling the centre of the court, while moving forward, is a recipe for success in better doubles.