If You Go to the Net, Better Know How to Do It
Tennis, as it is played today, is very different from 5-10 years ago.
Players no longer approach the net as often as before.
As tennis players began to play more from the baseline, one shot that began to disappear was the half-volley.
Recreational players or doubles players at clubs who still use the serve and volley style will likely find themselves using this challenging shot.
In the six photos that follow, I will explain some of the basic rules for executing a great half-volley.
The Backhand Half-Volley
In the first photo of the backhand half-volley, notice that I am right behind the service line to execute this shot.
My head is balanced and still, and my knees are bent to allow me to get as low as possible to the ball.
Notice that my backswing is very short, as I don’t need a lot of power for this shot, but I do need a lot of control.
The ball bounces at my feet, so a very wide swing would force me to hit the ball behind my body, and I would lose control.
My shoulders are level, not tilting to one side or the other, so I am perfectly balanced to execute this shot.
In the second photo, you see that my non-playing arm moves away from the racket and starts to move backward.
This will keep my body balanced throughout the entire backswing.
Again, notice how my knees are bent, allowing me to lower myself as much as possible and lift the ball over the net.
Again, my head is not looking down but is balanced almost to the point where you could place a book on it without it falling.
It’s generally easier, and usually more useful, to execute the half-volley in a closed or sideways position rather than in an open stance.
In the last photograph of the backhand half-volley, you can still see that my knees are bent and have remained bent throughout the entire backswing.
My left arm has continued to move backward to keep me balanced until the end of the backswing.
My head is still balanced, and my eyes are still watching the point where the ball and racket met.
Looking up too soon to see where you will hit will make you hit the ball off-center on the string bed. The movement of my right arm, i.e., the arm that will strike during a half-volley, is an upward joint movement.
This is a different shoulder movement from a basic backhand, which is instead a rotational joint movement. During the half-volley, the shoulder should rise directly behind your shot.
The string bed of the racket will be parallel to the court after completing the movement.
The Forehand Half-Volley
In the first photo of the forehand half-volley, notice that the racket contacts the ball just in front of my left foot. My knees are bent to allow me to lower myself as much as possible to the ball and hit it with an effective response.
The stance is almost sideways or slightly closed, which will allow me to remain balanced throughout the movement. It’s acceptable, though a bit more difficult, to try to do it in an open stance.
My backswing for the half-volley is very short, almost non-existent.
This allows for a short and very controlled shot. There’s no need for speed on a shot like this, but control is important.
In this second photo, you can again see that I am still in a sideways position, with my knees bent throughout the movement.
My racket begins to move forward, and the string bed is open and points towards my target.
This is not the typical finish of a fundamental shot. The movement is upward, with the string bed of the racket as we have already described for the backhand half-volley.
I need more of a volley movement, with a slight finish. You can see the ball exiting the photo and the trajectory is very low, as I am aiming towards the middle of the court and above the lowest part of the net.
In the last photo of the forehand half-volley, you can see the end of the technical movement.
At the end of the movement, the string bed is still pointing towards my target, and this will allow me to control the shot.
When attempting to hit the half-volley, there’s no need to do it forcefully.
Use the power of your opponent and block or hit the ball in response with a short backswing and a short finish. Also, notice that my head is still looking down at the point of contact.