TennisOne Lessons
The Backhand Volley CSU Bakersfield Head Coach Dan McCain While the majority of the best players in the world play more often from the baseline these days, using traditional volleys at the net can still be an effective way to pressure opponents and finish points. I say traditional volleys, because swinging topspin volleys are becoming increasingly common in today’s game, and that’s not what we are going to focus on in this article.
The backhand volley, which can be considered similar in technique to the backhand slice groundstroke, is an essential tool for any player who wants to be proficient at the net. Pros on the ATP Tour that possess the best backhand volleys have a great deal in common in regards to the technique of their strokes. We can identify these elements to help improve our own backhand volleys. These elements include the use of the wrist and the elbow of the dominant hand, the role of the opposite hand, and how to turn the shoulders and step into the shot. This notion of stepping into the shot is relatively simple; it should be the goal of every player to make a split step and step into the backhand volley with the right foot (for a right-handed player) although this isn't always possible. In some circumstances the split step is not needed, or impractical. For example, if the ball is traveling slowly toward the net player, or floating, the volleyer won't need a split step and should simply close in tight to the net and hit the volley, or if the ball is struck with very high speed, the volleyer may not have time to split. Ideally though, the volleyer should consider a split step as part of the volley technique.
This split-step is made by jumping with both feet up off the ground an inch or two and then landing with both feet on the ground simultaneously, shoulder-width apart. The landing should be completed at the same time a net player’s opponent makes contact with the ball. Typically, the absence of a good split step, or a split step that is not in sync with the opponent’s contact point will lead to an inability to step into the backhand volley with the right foot, which is an essential piece of the backhand volley technique. The split step adds balance to all volleys and makes it infinitely easier for the forward-moving player to cover the net in either direction. A good step into the backhand volley with the right foot can positively influence the shoulder turn of the shot, which is also pretty easy to execute. By simply turning sideways (a comfortable amount), a player hitting a backhand volley instantly has the ability to make contact with the shot out in front and with a relatively straight arm. Hitting the ball out in front enhances both power and accuracy, and by turning a bit sideways and pointing the right shoulder towards the target, this happens more naturally.
The correct use of the opposite hand adds strength and stability to the backhand volley. While the vast majority of good backhand volleys on the pro tour are one-handed backhand volleys, both hands are involved in the stroke. For a right-handed player, the fingers on the left hand should be wrapped around the throat of the racquet both in the ready position at the net, and the take-back during preparation for the backhand volley shot. After the take back – which will be discussed shortly – the left hand holds on to the throat of the racquet even as the racquet propels forward toward contact. Only then do the hands separate before impact. Holding on to the throat with the left hand as the racquet moves forward toward the ball provides strength and stability to the stroke. Tommy Haas has excellent technique across the board with his backhand volley, and he uses his left hand this way, as does Federer and the same recently retired Justine Henin. The use of the wrist is the most essential piece of the puzzle for any volley (forehand or backhand). The rule is to set and lock the wrist, and to never break it for any reason. Ever. The set and/or locked wrist of the dominant hand (meaning to tilt the wrist up to create a U or V shape from the knuckles to the lower forearm) can provide the volleyer a positioning of strength to the net player that a broken wrist cannot provide. The set and locked wrist also provides a chance for the net player to point their racquet face at the shot target while contacting the ball out in front. Once the wrist is set and locked, which should occur during ready position and be held throughout the backhand volley, the use of the elbow in the dominant arm is the last element of technique to consider. After setting the wrist, making the split step, and turning sideways, the volleyer should bend the elbow into an L-shape while taking the racquet back, bringing the racquet face behind the player’s head or back shoulder. Then the volleyer should straighten the arm/elbow as he or she propels the racquet toward the ball just before making contact. So the elbow is bent on take back, and straightened on impact.
After impacting the ball with a slightly open racquet face, thus hitting the bottom of the ball, most pros, with great backhand volleys, have a small follow-through upward, pointing the racquet face up to the sky to ensure that their wrist stays locked. Patrick Rafter used to do this on his backhand volley with regularity and so did Justine Henin (above). So as we can see, locking the wrist, turning sideways, and the act of bending and then straightening the elbow in conjunction with proper footwork are the all-encompassing elements of good technique on the backhand volley. Think about these things the next time you hit your backhand volley, and it will definitely improve.
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