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Keep Moving As You Go To The Net!

Dave Kensler - Peter Burwash International (PBI)

One of the most important skills you can learn when transitioning from the baseline to the net is to hit a volley while your feet are moving! The same is true for the approach shot and even the return of serve, if your intention is to get to the net with the latter.

Once James Blake makes the decision to come to the net his feet never stop moving until after
he hits the volley.

I have never agreed with the premise that it is okay to hit groundstrokes while moving but it is taboo to do the same when hitting a volley while coming to the net?! Why?

As you view the videos in this article you will notice one common theme in all of them: None of the professionals are standing still when they are hitting shots as they move from the baseline to the net. Their feet are always in motion! And you should practice the same thing.

In my opinion, there are three key issues which create the confusion, uncertainty, and ultimately poor execution as it relates to what your feet should be doing when coming to the net. Let’s look at them in detail:

The Split-Step Is Not a Split-Stop!

As John McEnroe follows his serve into the net he uses a very brief split-step to move to his left in order to hit the volley.

This is the big one! When professionals use a split-step (and this is not all the time), they are doing so for two purposes:

  1. To maintain good balance
  2. To change direction and / or move laterally

Yet even when they do split-step it is often only for a split-second! Somehow though, both split-step and split-stop have become one and the same for many tennis players. This not only halts your momentum as you come to the net it often creates weak court and hitting positions because players end up waiting for the ball to come to them rather than going to the ball.

If a ball is coming towards you there is nothing wrong with continuing to run towards the ball! Players do it all the time when hitting groundstrokes!

Here is a typical scenario which I see all the time in doubles: The server hits the serve and follows it to the net; then he takes a split-stop and the ball lands right at his feet or the ball is away from him but he cannot get his feet moving again quickly enough to react laterally.

Pete Sampras recognizes a weak return and "runs through" a volley / overhead as he comes to the net. His shot wins the point. What type of shot would he have had to play had he done a split-stop at the service line?

This leads to my second point.

Do Not Stop When the Opponent Makes Contact!

Whenever I am teaching a doubles clinic, the number one answer (and there is not even a close second) to my question, "When have you been told to split-stop," is, “When my opponent makes contact with the ball.”

However, this concept is responsible for creating the majority of problems.

For the sake of argument, let’s say you split-stop right on the service line as the opponent makes contact while standing on their baseline. This means the ball still has to travel 39-feet to the net and 21-feet to you at the service line; yes 60-feet yet you have already come to a stop!?!? Is it any wonder then if the receiver, having been taught how to return serve when someone is coming to the net, is able to hit the ball at your feet!

So the question I pose to my students is, “How much closer to the net (See easier volley!) can you get while that ball is traveling 60-feet?” Obviously this in part is determined by the velocity of the return but in my experience most people can get another 2-3 steps closer.

Patrick Rafter is beginning to move forward while hitting his approach shot; then uses a quick split-step to cover the forehand volley followed by a backhand volley. His feet are moving when he makes contact on
all three shots!

This speaks to the key advantages of not doing a split-stop. You are able to get much closer to the net for your first volley and the number of balls at your feet and / or half-volleys goes down.

When you split-stop and even split-step right at the time the opponent makes contact you are doing so without first observing the quality of the shot! You are reacting to the contact rather than the ball when it is in flight.

There is no need to make such a decision that far ahead of time. Let the ball travel. If you feel compelled to split-stop or split step than one suggestion is to at least wait until the ball reaches the net. Even then it still has 15-20-feet to go!

The Relationship Between Your Feet and Racquet

In the videos you will notice even when the feet are moving quickly the hands / racquet are much more “calm” and under control. Many tennis players have problems hitting while moving because they swing their arms / racquets as fast as they are moving their feet. Hence a wild shot. I believe this is why the split-stop concept has slowly woven itself into the style of many tennis players i.e. Stop the feet first so you can then hit the volley.

After making contact on his return of serve, Taylor Dent's feet never stop moving until after he hits a forehand volley.

Martina Navratilova hits her volley will running forward and airborne! She's far inside the service line at contact. Perfect position!

Here is a simple reminder to help you on this matter: Think…Fast feet and slow arm.

Otherwise, to integrate this concept into your game is like anything else in tennis, it will take some practice. However my belief is if you can hit a serve or an approach shot or a return of serve and you can volley; then you hit those shots combined while moving.

Click photo: Once Nadia Petrova recognizes her groundstroke has her opponent in trouble; she decides to come to the net and "runs through" her forehand volley.

When you serve and volley this is essentially what is happening:  A Throw – Run – Catch! When I teach someone who has never served and volleyed before I will often have them stand at the baseline; throw a ball then run towards the net and catch a ball I gently hit to them, just so they can get the “feel” of how to execute this shot sequence. For someone who has played before, I will have them serve and work on the first volley only off a variety of returns i.e. Fast, high, slow, “floaters,” low and so forth with the objective being to keep moving while they hit.

Please remember…I am not suggesting you should never split-step or split-stop. What I am advocating is, it is not necessary to do it every time and you should practice hitting your net shots while moving.

It is much easier than you think and it adds one more options to your tennis game!

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Dave Kensler's article by emailing us here at TennisOne.

Dave Kensler has 28-years of teaching experience with Peter Burwash International (PBI), the highly successful international tennis management company. PBI directs tennis programs at exclusive hotels, resorts, and clubs in North America, Europe, Caribbean, Asia, Middle East, Pacific, Central America, Mexico, and the Indian Ocean. Over 3 million people have received instruction from PBI Professionals during the 35-year history of the company. All PBI Tennis Professionals play with PRINCE racquets and wear PRINCE shoes. For information on PBI tennis destinations and employment opportunities please go to www.pbitennis.com.