Mastering The Forehand Volley - 3 Easy Steps

The volley is an extremely crucial shot in tennis. It is hit at the net and is used to return the ball with more pace, as well as in more strategical places on the court. Unlike other the other shots, serves, ground shots, and overheads, the volley does not require a swing. Instead, one "steps into the shot" to gain momentum and power. In order to hit a volley successfully, one must have the correct form. 

1. The Grip: Similar to the serve, the volley requires "Continental Grip." This means that you are, in a sense, "shaking hands" with the racket, because your hand is angled the same as the racket. 

2. The Stance: Hold the racket out in front of your body with a tight, firm wrist. Keeping strength in your hand in wrist will ensure a clean shot. Make sure to keep the racket about face-height and avoid angling it too far back or too far forward.

                                             

                                              

3. The Step: For any volley, forehand or backhand, you step with the opposite foot. In this case (forehand), you step with your left foot if you are right-handed, and your right foot if you are left-handed. This will give you more momentum, and therefore, more power.

  

Extra Tips: When volleying, everything moves much faster because you are closer to the net, therefore closer to the ball after the opponent hits it. This means that you must be quick on your feet and be ready to move even before the opponent hits the ball. Preparation is key. Also, be sure to attempt to strategically aim the ball to the corners of the court, or anywhere where it seems the opponent will have a hard time reaching.

Works Cited:

Gotennis100. "Tennis Tip Volley - Super Slow Motion." YouTube. YouTube, 01 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Lpth. "Is My Coach Teaching Forehand Volleys Incorrectly? - Page 3 - Talk Tennis."Talk Tennis RSS. Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

 Waite, Ron. "Tennis Server - Turbo Tennis - The Grip: Picture Perfect." Tennis Server - Turbo Tennis - The Grip: Picture Perfect. Tennis Server, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

William. "One Minute Tennis Lesson." One Minute Tennis Lesson. WordPress, 5 Jan. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

NBL Girls' Tennis Doubles Tournament

Hi everyone! For me, this past week has been filled with much excitement and many memories. I was chosen to participate in the North Bay League Girls' Tennis Doubles Tournament with the number one singles player on my team. Since the two of us normally play singles, we knew it would be a bit of a challenge to transition into the "doubles" state of mind. We quickly learned the main doubles strategy of  "attacking the net," and were able to prepare well for the competition. On Wednesday, October 30th, we played two matches. The first was against Ukiah. Although it took us a few games to get the hang of playing together, we were able to defeat the other team by using the net to our advantage. The second match was against Casa Grande, and we used the same strategy of "coming to the net," as we did against Ukiah. From the net, we could hit volleys and overheads and win some quick points. As we played more and more with each other, we were able to communicate effortlessly and take another win. The next day, October 31, we fought for our place in the final. Our opponents were a singles player and a doubles player from Cardinal Newman. After losing the first set, 3-6, we realized that we would have to step-up our game in order to make it to the final. We encouraged each other and played smart, using more strategy than in our other two matches. Soon enough, we were able to win the second set, 6-4. During the break, we talked, and my partner told me that she knew we could win, and from then on, we played our hearts out. Two hours and 30 minutes later, we had won the match, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, and were moving on to the final championship. In that moment, I knew that no matter how the final went, I was proud of how far we'd come. We were to play Santa Rosa's one and two singles players. As the match began, we kept our spirits high and took an early lead, however, we were not able to carry it out to win the first set. In the second set, we played hard, but once again, the other team was able to beat us 2-6. Although we lost in the final championship, we were able to exceed our own expectations throughout the tournament and play some amazing tennis. I would not have traded the experience for anything, and I am grateful that I had the chance to create memories that will last a lifetime. 

Check out the article in the Press Democrat: 

http://www.pdpreps.com/news/article/47348/girls-tennis-santa-rosa-high-duo-takes-nbl-doubles-title/