Volley
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A volley in tennis is a shot that is hit before the ball bounces on the ground. Generally a player hits a volley while standing near the net, although there are instances where it is executed farther back, in the middle of the tennis court or even near the baseline.
The primary objective of the volley is to go on the offensive, cutting the opponent's reaction time. The opponent has much less time chasing down the ball from a volley. Also, while being near the net, the volleyer can have a wider choice of angles to hit into the opponent's court. The difficulty, however, is that the volleyer must have quick reflexes to hit a volley, which requires a good touch. A volleyer must also be aware of passing shots and lobs from the opponent.
Generally, a player who advances to the net in the serve and volley type of game will make his initial volley fairly near the service line. He will then move closer to the net in hopes of making a put-away volley for a winning point. It is difficult to hit an effective volley in the area between the baseline and the service line and this is consequencely often called no man's land.
Hitting a volley
A regular volley is hit with a short backswing and a punching stroke. While standing at the net, a player usually has no time to take a long backswing. When the ball comes at less pace, though, the volleyer can take a longer backswing to impart more force on the ball, which is called a swing volley.
The lower the ball comes at the volleyer, the harder it is to hit an effective volley. In some cases, a player is better off to let the ball bounce rather than attempt to volley it; he then hits it on the rise right after the bounce. This is called a half-volley (although technically it is not a volley) and is one of the most difficult shots in tennis; John McEnroe, who had superb hand-eye coordination, was a master of it.
Great volleyers
Tennis players known for their superior volleying skills include
- Vinnie Richards
- Frank Sedgman
- John McEnroe
- Stefan Edberg
- Patrick Rafter
- Pete Sampras
- Roger Federer
- Martina Navratilova
- Jana Novotna