Volley

Intermediatenet-play

Athletic stance at the net, racket up in front, weight forward.

A short, compact punch at the net. No big backswing — step, block, and redirect the ball with firm wrists.

Key points

•Continental grip — same for forehand and backhand
•Short backswing — barely past the shoulder
•Step into the ball — meet it in front
•Firm wrist — punch, don't swing

Practice with Coach Elena

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The volley is all about simplicity and timing, not power. At the net, you have less than half a second to react, so a compact motion is essential. Use a continental grip for both forehand and backhand volleys — there's no time to change grips. The backswing should be minimal — the racket head barely moves past your shoulder. As the ball approaches, step forward with the opposite foot (left foot for forehand, right foot for backhand) and punch through the ball with a firm wrist. The racket face should be slightly open to give the ball some underspin, helping it stay low over the net. Think 'catch and redirect' rather than 'hit'.

Fun Fact

Martina Navratilova won 167 doubles titles — more than any player in history — largely thanks to her extraordinary volleying skills. She once described the volley as 'a handshake with the ball'.

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.