Tactical Mid-Court Volleys: Singles

Do your players know where to volley as they attempt to play through the mid-court during singles matches?

Based on whether they receive a high or low ball, and whether it’s to their backhand or forehand, there are basically only two choices they have to make in any given situation to execute an effective volley from mid-court.

Practicing the mid-court volley in a game-like situation which limits every ball they receive to one of two responses will help your players master this critical transitional phase of all-court tennis.

Types of Balls Received
When your players are caught at mid court during a serve-and-volley or chip-and-charge situation, they will receive balls that are either high or low, and to their backhand or forehand. In essence, they will receive one of four balls in the mid court: high backhand; low backhand; high forehand; low forehand. For high school (recreational) players, any ball that is received at or below the level of the net is considered a low ball.

The type of ball received will determine what a player’s response should be based on the geometry of the court, which limits high-percentage options.

Ball Height
High balls will allow your players to hit down on the ball and create sharper angles. Low balls will force your players to hit up on the ball, and require a more defensive return. Balls hit to their backhand or forehand will require them to hit either crosscourt or down the line, with one shot more difficult for them to play.

Low Balls
If an attacking player has to play a volley in the mid-court before he or she can close the net, low balls they receive usually cannot be hit for winners (unless the opponent has been pulled so far off the court there is an obvious opening).

In order to keep control of the point, your players should volley low balls from the mid-court back deep and to the corners or to the middle of the baseline (see Diagram A below).

Depending on whether your player receives a backhand or a forehand, and depending on where the opponent is, the attacking player will have two high-percentage locations.

One of these will be back to the center of the baseline to take away an opponent’s angles. This makes it more difficult for the baseline player to pass or drop a sharply angled ball in front of the attacking player.

The other option for an attacking player is to volley deep to either of the corners, based on the ball received and location of the opponent. For example, if a right-handed attacking player receives a low backhand in the mid-court, a deep, crosscourt volley will pin the opponent deep in the corner, requiring a difficult backhand (for a right-handed player). Volleying the ball the down the line will require more skill and may decrease the speed on the volley, which will now be traveling to the opponent’s forehand (if right-handed).

Therefore, your players should come to realize that anytime they approach the net and receive a low ball to their backhand in the mid-court, they should consider a volley deep to the middle of the court or deep and crosscourt (to the opponent’s backhand).

Of course, based on each point situation, a drop volley or deep and down the line volley may be appropriate; however, training your players to own the two highest-percentage responses respond to situations that will occur over and over again during a match will allow your players to instantly and successfully respond to these situations.

High Balls
If an attacking player receives a high ball while in the mid-court, this opens up opportunities for more aggressive play.

A higher percentage, aggressive shot a high ball provides an attacking player in the mid court is wide to the sideline, at or in front of the service line. This shot, along with a volley deep and to the corner, provides the two highest-percentage responses your player can use in this situation.

Again, while an attacking player who receives a high ball while in the mid-court has a number of options based on his or her skill level and the location of the opponent, in most situations, a transitional volley (deep and to the corner which allows the player to advance to the net) or an aggressive angle (at or in front of the service line which pulls the opponent off the court or goes for an open court winner) are the two best choices.

Remember, recreational players are more comfortable and successful volleying across their bodies, rather than forcing a down-the-line or even down-the-middle volley.

Backhands and Forehands
Players will need to realize their abilities to hit the three types of backhand volleys they will receive in the mid-court and their ability to play them. Players will receive: balls into their body, which should be played with a backhand volley; wide balls, which require them to stretch; and balls in their comfort zone.

We have discussed the high-percentage volleys your players should choose when they receive a high or low ball in the mid-court. But this assumes they can control all three types of backhands. Based on your players’ abilities to handle the three types of backhand volleys described above, they may be limited to only one high-percentage shot (for them). Determining this in practice and drilling these limited situations over and over will allow them automatically respond with the correct situation during matches.

This month’s skill-building drill will help your players learn to recognize and respond to the various balls they receive in the mid-court and allow them to play the highest-percentage responses.

Incoming Ball Direction & Positioning
Balls coming from down the line will be played differently from balls coming from crosscourt, especially if your player does not properly address the ball. Since we know from previous articles in High School Tennis Coach that footwork and positioning are responsible for more errors than any stroke problem, it will be necessary for your player to determine their best response to balls coming from down the line or crosscourt.

While there are currently a number of theories on how to play balls based on incoming and outgoing direction, the bottom line, determining factor is your player’s ability to deal with a particular ball.

For example, your players would ideally like to hit most mid-court volleys deep to an opponent’s backhand. But if your player is not able to effectively put a deep, forceful volley there (if they have to hit a weak, inside-out ball), have them go with the more natural deep, crosscourt volley.

Summary
While there a more than a few ways to play any given ball, high-percentage shots are often limited to one or two choices, especially at recreational levels of play.

Teach your players to play the following balls in the following way when they are in the mid court, and have them practice these responses in order to make them automatic. If, based on their skills, they have other high percentage options, have them decide which are their two best, and have them practice those.

Having an automatic, high-percentage response to a situation that occurs over and over lets your players respond much more successfully and lets them take control of matches.

 

High-Percentage, Mid-Court Volley Options Low Backhand — Crosscourt and deep, or down the middle and deep. High Backhand — Crosscourt and deep, or crosscourt and on or before the service line at the sideline. Low Forehand — Crosscourt and deep, or down the middle and deep. High Forehand — Crosscourt and deep, or crosscourt and on or before the service line at the sideline.

Diagram A