Volleying on the Move
By Monty Basnyat
Why is it that club players trying to learn to play the net find it so difficult? They
take lessons and practice on the ball machine, but when it comes to match play, they
can’t seem to get it right. In a match, almost everything goes long, into the net, or
right into their opponent’s sweet spot. The problem may lie in how they are
practicing.
Too often club players’ practice volleying from a position, two steps from the net
yet 95% of all volley errors occur when the volleyer is on the move. To be a good
volleyer, practice should simulate game conditions and that means learning to volleying on
the run. More efficient use of practice time will lead to better results.
To perfect the volley technique, position yourself in "no man’s land" (5
or 6 feet inside the baseline) with your coach or practice partner behind the opposite
baseline. Feed a ball across the net to your partner then move in, do your split step, and
execute the volley. Keep moving in until you get as close to the net as possible. The
feeder’s partner should hit the first ball back to the feeder.
To make this drill more realistic and competitive, try placing the first volley (the
set up volley), into the corners then move in and play out each point. To work on the
second volley, tell your partner where you are going to place the first volley then play
out the point from there.
When making that first volley, think, placement, depth control (either deep or short
angle) and short or almost no follow through after contact. On the second volley think
angle if you went deep on the first or vice versa.
Good Luck and remember, efficient practice leads to perfection and that means winning
tennis.
|
