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What is a half volley in tennis?

3 min read

Asked by: Eric Laughlin

In tennis: Strategy and technique. The half volley is a shot played on a very short bounce, usually a defensive stroke effected when one cannot quite reach an opponent’s shot in the air and volley it. The drop shot, which is often hit from the same motion as a drive, attempts…

What is the difference between a volley and a half volley?

The half volley is also known as an “on the rise shot” because the ball is rising as the player hits it. For the half volley, timing is even more difficult than a regular volley because you’re hitting the ball after the bounce, not before.

How do you hit a half volley in tennis?


In the direction of the target line after he makes contact so the finish is the key. So he's going to keep practicing keeping those strings facing his target.

Why is it called a half volley?

The player who is hitting the half volley should not take a full backswing, but should still follow through. The grip for this shot is a standard continental. Also, staying down when hitting the shot is very important, or else it will go long. This is the basic form for the volley, hence the name: half volley.

What are volleys in tennis?

A volley in tennis is a shot in which the ball is struck before it bounces on the ground. Generally a player hits a volley while standing near the net, although it can be executed farther back, in the middle of the tennis court or even near the baseline. The word derives from M. French volée meaning flight.

What is full volley?

A volley is an air-borne strike in association football, where a player’s foot meets and directs the ball in an angled direction before it has time to reach the ground. A volley can be extremely hard to aim and requires good foot-eye coordination and timing.

What is backhand volley in tennis?

In this position, your hitting arm is bent and your elbow is centered between your shoulders. The backhand volley begins with a hip and shoulder turn. Volley standing close to the back fence to test the size of your backswing.

How do you play volleys?

But for the right handers. Left leg on the forehand volley. Right leg on the backhand volley. And use your body aggressively. Don't be scared to go right for the volley as you're hitting it.

Who has the best volley in tennis?

The following slides are an attempt to recall the 10 most dominant serve-and-volley players in tennis history.

  • Stefan Edberg. 8 of 10.
  • Pete Sampras. 7 of 10. …
  • Pancho Gonzales. 6 of 10. …
  • Jack Kramer. 5 of 10. …
  • Boris Becker. 4 of 10. …
  • Patrick Rafter. 3 of 10. …
  • Tim Henman. 2 of 10. …
  • Richard Krajicek. 1 of 10. …

Why are volleys important in tennis?

The main objective of a tennis volley is to surprise your opponent since this shot limits your opponent’s reaction time because it’s returned so quickly. It’s considered an offensive shot as opposed to a defensive one. The shot also minimizes the bad bounce effect especially on grass and clay courts.

Is volleying allowed in tennis?

The simple answer is no. While it may be tempting at times to take that first ball out of the air, this is not allowed. The servers ball must hit the ground inside the correct service box in order for the point to be started.

Where do you stand when volleying in tennis?

Volleying in doubles—proper court positioning



Stand in the middle of your service box when your partner is serving. Stand around halfway between the doubles sideline and the net, and halfway between the net and service line (about 21 ft. or so, around 10-11 ft. from the net).