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Improving your tennis volley skills are essential to making your gameplay exciting and dynamic. These tennis volley tips are important for the development of your forehand and backhand volley. A tennis volley is hit before the ball bounces on the ground, unlike other other shots where you wait until the ball bounces.
Tennis volley shots are normally hit when the players are at the net or near the net. Although it is also possible to hit this shot near the baseline. However, volleying away from the net is seldom used or is only used in certain circumstances. The main objective of a tennis volley is to surprise your opponent since this shot limits your opponent’s reaction time because it’s returned so quickly. It’s considered an offensive shot as opposed to a defensive one. The shot also minimizes the bad bounce effect especially on grass and clay courts. In addition, playing a volley (especially if you stand near the net) gives you a wide array of angled shot choices which can be very difficult for your opponent to return. If your opponent does return the ball, normally it is a weak one. To be a successful volleyer you need to have quick reflexes and you need to have perfect hand-eye coordination. Below are some tips for players seeking to improve the forehand and backhand volley.
The continental grip is the most commonly used grip by professional tennis players. It can be used in a forehand volley and in a backhand volley. Meaning you don’t have to change your grip if you use a forehand and a backhand volley alternately. This makes this grip more popular than the other grips. Some players use the Eastern forehand grip to hit a forehand volley, but the disadvantage of this tennis volley grip is the fact that if you want to hit a backhand volley stroke in your next shot, you need to change your grip to a continental grip. This can be very confusing and time consuming especially for beginners. So we recommend keeping it simple but whatever makes you feel comfortable it’s your game after all.
Volleys are normally played on the net, so shot preparation is basically shorter compared to other shots such as groundstrokes. This makes an appropriate tennis volley preparation crucial. Late preparation can lead to a rushed shot resulting in a poor execution. One of the most important tennis volley tips is to be well prepared by anticipating your opponent’s shots. Another tennis volley tip is to limit your opponent’s shot choices or options so that you can react to the ball quickly. Instead of giving your opponent 5-6 shot options, limits it to 2-3 options.
There are some key ways to anticipate your opponent’s shots. The first thing your can do is look into and analyze your opponent’s tendencies and patterns. You can also study hints from your opponents through his or her shots or strokes from earlier in the match. When you develop or improve your perception of the ball’s path and spin this can greatly increase your chances of returning a volley successfully. And lastly is to anticipate your opponent’s shot based on his or her court position.
Aside from anticipating your opponent’s shots, a quick response is vital for success. Developing this skill gives you a big advantage at the net considering how quick volley exchanges can be. An intense volley involves your reaction time and your execution time. Most skilled players’ average reaction time (from the point the ball is released to the start of racket movement) is between 226 milliseconds for forehand volley and 205 ms for backhand volley.
These tennis volley tips show the importance of proper technique on your tennis volley. Most tennis volleys are hit with the use of a short racket swing. This abbreviated racket swing can be done by just bringing the racket back without taking a backswing. This technique is best to use when you are on the service line while executing your tennis volleys. If you follow these tips and tricks your volley play will be much improved. Check out Youtube for more videos on tennis volleying and remember to practice, practice, practice!
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