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TennisOne Lessons 
How to Half Volley with Skill and Savvy Paul Fein "It is impossible to attempt a net attack without a half-volley." — Pancho Segura, 1950s pro star The unglamorous half volley must have reveled in its 15 seconds of fame in the memorable 2015 US Open women’s semifinals. Roberta Vinci nonchalantly massaged two half volley, drop shot winners to close out her monumental upset over Serena Williams. If this shot could talk, it would shout, “It’s about time I got some attention!” And how about some respect? It’s not even a volley, just a half volley. But is the term “half volley” a misnomer? Some coaches contend the shot is not a volley at all—that it’s really an abbreviated groundstroke. Others say it’s a form of a volley. They’re both right in some respects because it’s actually a hybrid shot.
What everyone can agree on, though, is that the half volley—when a ball is hit only a few inches off the ground—is the one shot in tennis you want to avoid as much as possible. That’s because it’s so difficult to execute and is usually very defensive. Sure, 1920s star Henri Cochet was renowned for his aggressive half volley, from “no-man’s-land,” of all places, as he raced to the net. Sublimely talented Roger Federer, considered by many the greatest champion ever, is even more reckless. With his SABR (Sneak Attack By Roger), he occasionally half volleys opponents’ serves blasted up to 120 miles per hour. Unbelievable, but the tactic is also undoable and crazy for the rest of us mere mortals. Here are some tips to avoid hitting the half volley and to handle it effectively when you have to.
Choosing the Right Shot How do you hit the half volley as seldom as possible? In her book Tennis to Win, 1960s−70s superstar Billie Jean King, one of the greatest volleyers in tennis history, advised: “After the point is over, trace back the circumstances that made you have to hit a half volley in the first place. If your opponent hit a good shot and forced you into a defensive posture, that’s one thing. But most of the time you’ll have to hit a half volley because of a miscalculation you made on the way to the net. Don’t rush the net, either behind a service or a groundstroke, unless you’re sure you can get there, and once you’ve decided to go forward, don’t change your mind halfway through the trip.” But if you haven’t miscalculated, you can sometimes avoid hitting half volleys when the ball is coming at your feet in the forecourt or just behind the service line. How? If the ball isn’t coming fast, you have two options. You can move forward quickly and volley it from at least knee high, though the higher you hit it and the closer to the net you are, the better. Or, if you have more confidence in your groundstrokes, you can take a long, quick step back from the likely bounce point and stroke an aggressive forehand or backhand on the rise. If you opt for a groundstroke, make sure your weight is moving forward as you hit the ball. When you scout your opponent, take note of the speed, spin, and placement of his passing shots and serve returns. That information will better prepare you for low shots in the forecourt however you decide to play them. Conversely, also note his skill level when he’s handling half volleys. If they give him problems, hit low passing shots more often than usual and be ready to pounce on his weak half volleys. The Right Grips When you’re positioned in the forecourt, play the half volley with the Continental grip. If you’re half volleying a powerful groundstroke near the baseline, use your forehand or backhand grip. That will make it easier to add some topspin, which will in turn allow you to return the ball with a fair amount of power and control. Rafael Nadal and Federer are masters at turning backcourt half volleys into attacking shots, a skill and tactic unheard of until this century. One Hand vs. Two Hands “Two-handers should both volley and half volley with one hand,” recommends former world No. 4 Gene Mayer, who hit both his forehand and backhand with two hands and his volleys with one hand. “That’s because you can’t reach as well at net with two hands, and you don’t have the time [to maneuver your racket] for two hands. So it’s one hand and one grip—the Continental to accommodate both forehand and backhand.” Footwork and Balance
Just as with low volleys, with half volleys it’s vital to get down low with a deep knee bend so your eyes are as close to the level of impact as possible. Stay down long enough to make solid contact with the ball and continue to transfer your body weight forward as you gradually and smoothly elevate your knees. Good balance is essential. To enhance your balance, hold your left arm out in front of you, and take a medium-long step forward (perpendicular to the net) with your left leg on your forehand half volley and your right leg on your backhand half volley. The half volley follow-through is straight forward and upward, and it should be smooth and controlled but somewhat shorter than a normal groundstroke follow-through. Lower-body stretching and flexibility exercises, such as deep-knee bends and lunges, will really pay off on half volleys. The Timing On the forehand half volley, the contact point is slightly in front of the front foot (the left foot for right-handed players). The contact point is six to 12 inches further forward than that for the backhand half volley. Hitting the ball behind these contact points usually produces a shot that lacks power and depth and sets up an easy passing shot for your opponent. The same unhappy fate occurs when you hit off-center, away from the “sweet spot” of the strings. So you must do everything right to half volley crisply and deep.
Contact Point On the forehand half volley, the contact point is slightly in front of the front foot (the left foot for right-handed players). The contact point is six to 12 inches further forward than that for the backhand half volley. Hitting the ball behind these contact points usually produces a shot that lacks power and depth and sets up an easy passing shot for your opponent. The same unhappy fate occurs when you hit off-center, away from the “sweet spot” of the strings. So you must do everything right to half volley crisply and deep. Angle of the Racket Face and Shaft Generally, contact the ball with a vertical racket face that is perpendicular to the ground. Noted coach and clinician Peter Burwash, in his instruction book Total Tennis, pointed out one important exception to this rule. “If you keep a flat or open racquet face on a half volley against an extremely heavy topspin shot, the ball will tend to fly off your racquet,” wrote Burwash. “The basic principle in this case is ‘counter spin with spin.’ So, close the racquet face a little [that is, put some topspin on your half volley] on hard topspin balls.” Another exception occurs on half volleys struck very close to the net. To hit the ball with enough upward trajectory to clear the net, you may have to open the racket face slightly and swing more upward than usual. The angle of the racket shaft is also important. Ideally, it should be parallel to the ground. A deep knee bend and a medium-long stride by your front leg will enable you to keep the shaft parallel or angled down only slightly. The Wrist You need a firm wrist, particularly for difficult half volleys. However, when you have enough time and good balance, you can use some wrist, along with a rolling over of the entire arm, to come over the ball to produce topspin. John McEnroe was a master at hitting aggressive forehand half volleys with topspin. He executed them beautifully in the 1979 US Open final against Vitas Gerulaitis, whose serve returns often landed at McEnroe’s feet.
Rhythm In Dennis Van der Meer’s Complete Book of Tennis, the esteemed teaching pro rightly likened the half volley to a soccer drop kick. “The instant the ball touches the ground, you kick,” wrote Van Der Meer. “It is a little beat-one-two/one-two. Bounce and hit, with no discernible delay in between. If you can get the bounce-hit beat, then you have the half-volley rhythm.” Rhythm is the glue that keeps the parts moving smoothly together in every tennis stroke. The Federer forehand, the Simona Halep backhand, and the Pete Sampras serve are among the most rhythmical, and not coincidentally, among the best. So the more rhythm you can develop in your half volley, the more grooved, controlled, and consistent it will be.
Poise Tennis is a fast-paced sport requiring a diverse array of athletic abilities and technical skills. The half volley severely tests them because it forces you to make a split-second decision and execute one of the most difficult shots in the sport. If the half volley comes on a big point, the stress makes this challenge even tougher. So try your best to stay calm and confident. You can achieve these two key mental attributes through rigorous practice and tournament competition. Shot Selection and Placement In singles, it’s generally safest to aim down the line and very deep so that your half volley lands about a yard inside the baseline. If your opponent is positioned where your down-the-line shot would go, and if you have the time, go aggressively crosscourt and deep. Keep in mind, though, if you hit the ball too short, it will land in the middle of the court, and your opponent will almost certainly finish you off with a passing shot. In doubles, the key is to keep your half volley away from the net player. When both opponents are positioned at net, use more topspin and lower your net clearance to between 6” and 12” above the net to keep the ball at their feet. If you possess the requisite finesse, go for a sharply angled half volley. And if you’re a true touch artist like Vinci, a half volley drop shot should be in your crowd-pleasing, point-winning repertoire. Drills for Skills To acquire the proper timing, advanced beginners and intermediate players can drop the ball two to three feet to the left and right of their body and about a foot in front of their body. Try to hit the ball as soon as you can after the bounce. As you improve, you can start rallies with your practice partner by stroking forehand half volleys. You can also practice half volleys on a backboard. If you’re an advanced player or you have terrific hand-eye coordination, try doing the same thing against a brick wall where the unpredictable ricochets will test your reflexes, hand-eye coordination, and technique. Finally, play mini-tennis with a practice partner with both of you standing either on the service line or up to a yard inside the service line. Try to hit every ball medium speed at each other’s feet to create half-volley situations. Both players should move laterally, diagonally, or forward to play half volleys as often as possible. After your technique, movement, and timing improve, one player should position himself just behind the baseline and drive groundstrokes with varying speeds and spins at the feet of the net player. For each shot, the net player must quickly decide whether he should hit a low volley, a half volley, or a compact groundstroke. When that decision-making becomes automatic and correct, you know you’re well on your way to handling shots targeted at your feet. The half volley is a stroke occasionally neglected, or even ignored, by coaches and teaching pros. Don’t make that mistake. Practice it in every workout. A mediocre or inconsistent half volley will cost you a lot of points. On the other hand, a topnotch half volley will neutralize your opponent’s offense and help turn a lot of points in your favor. And some of these points can make the difference between winning and losing close matches. So, yes, give the half volley the attention and respect it deserves. You’ll be glad you did. * * * * * Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Paul Fein's article by emailing us here at TennisOne.
Paul Fein Paul Fein has received more than 30 writing awards and authored three books, Tennis Confidential: Today’s Greatest Players, Matches, and Controversies, You Can Quote Me on That: Greatest Tennis Quips, Insights, and Zingers, and Tennis Confidential II: More of Today’s Greatest Players, Matches, and Controversies. Fein is also a USPTA-certified teaching pro and coach with a Pro-1 rating, former director of the Springfield (Mass.) Satellite Tournament, a former top 10-ranked men’s open New England tournament player, and currently a No. 1-ranked Super Senior player in New England. |
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