How to hit a volley in tennis: punch, don't swing

Punch, don't swing. Let your feet make the depth.

Traced from real footage

See it, eight instants at a time.

Every frame is traced from real match footage, so you see the shape of the stroke, not a drawing of an idea.

A tour volley, instant 1 of 8 — A tour volley: eight instants traced from the footage, frame for frame. Hover or tap to flip.

A tour volley: eight instants traced from the footage, frame for frame. Hover or tap to flip.

Key facts

1
Use one continental grip for both forehand and backhand volleys, because there's no time to change grips at the net.
2
In a flight model of the volley, removing the backswing barely changes depth, while removing the step-in makes the volley collapse.
3
Common volley targets are 20, then 30, consecutive volley-to-volley makes.
4
A standard reflex volley drill runs in bursts of 30 seconds, four times.

Why it works

A volley is a catch and a redirect. The racquet is already in front when the ball arrives, so the only speed on the ball is what it brought plus what your body adds by stepping across. If the racquet goes behind your shoulder, you swung.

A slightly open face puts a little backspin on the ball, which steadies it and makes it sit down after the bounce. Soft hands means a grip relaxed enough to let the strings give. Absorb on a drop volley, and resist on a punch.

Height decides the shot. Above the net, punch down. Below it, open the face and lift. A low first volley from the service line isn't a finish. Lift it cross-court over the low part of the net and keep closing, because it's the ball that earns the finish.

The line to say on court
“Catch it in front. Step across.”

Drill: Catch to punch

15 min · with a partner

Your partner feeds. Catch the ball on your strings with no swing, ten times on each wing.
Volley to volley with your partner at service-line distance. Count consecutive makes.
Your partner feeds low. Step across, open the face and lift it deep. Hit ten on each wing, and count only balls that land past the service line.

Number to beat20 consecutive volley-to-volley makes

More drills like this: volley and net, beginners

Faults and fixes

Swinging

The racquet goes behind your shoulder, so contact is late and wild.

FixCatch it in front. Treat your front shoulder as a wall.

A tight grip on a touch ball

The strings can't give.

FixRelax your hand at contact.

Volleying a low ball into the net

You're standing tall with the face closed.

FixBend your knees, open the face and lift.

No split step at the net

You get caught flat-footed.

FixSplit on every opponent contact.

Questions players ask

What grip should I use to volley?

The continental grip, for both forehand and backhand volleys. There's no time for a grip change at the net.

How do I get more depth on my volleys?

Step across into the ball. Depth comes from your body moving forward plus the incoming pace, not from a bigger swing.

How should I hit a low volley?

Bend your knees, open the face and lift the ball over the net. On a low first volley, go cross-court over the low part of the net and keep moving in.

Is a swinging volley ever allowed?

Yes. A drive volley uses a full takeback and a low-to-high path, but a standard volley keeps the racquet in front of your front shoulder.

What this doesn't cover

The finding that depth comes from the step, not the backswing, comes from a model, not from measured volleys. Net-point win rates exist but aren't given here until verified.

Sources

Ultimate Tennis Statistics: net points
ATP Stats
USTA volley instruction

StrikeHow to hit a half-volley in tennisTo hit a half-volley, get low before the bounce, block the ball just after it lands with a slightly open face, and keep moving forward. The lift comes from the face angle and your forward step, not from the wrist. It's mostly a posture decision: stand tall and the face closes on its own, and the ball goes into the net.StrikeHow to hit an approach shot in tennisHit your approach shot deep and low rather than hard, then split step at the service line as your opponent strikes. Depth pushes them back and takes away their angles. A low, skidding slice makes them hit up, so the ball reaches you above the net. Then recover to the middle of the passing angles you left open.Move and reactWhat is a split step in tennis, and when to do itA split step is a small hop you make before every ball, timed so you land around the moment your opponent hits. Start it on their forward swing. The landing pre-stretches your leg muscles like a spring, so you push off harder toward the ball. Land too early and the spring goes slack. Land too late and you're still in the air.StrikeWhich tennis grip to use for your forehandThere's no single best forehand grip, but semi-western, with the base knuckle on bevel 4, is the compromise the tour settled on: more spin than eastern, better on low balls than western. The bevel sets your strike zone, from waist to shoulder at eastern to above the shoulder at western. Pick the grip for the balls you get, and change grips in the split step.