Pat Cash on the Volley – Part 3

On the high backhand volley, should the racket end up at the same height where the ball is contacted?

First, let’s describe the height zones. The high zone is above the shoulders. The medium zone is from the waist to the shoulders. And the low zone is below the waist. The volley followthrough is the same as groundstrokes in some respects. The highest volley, of course, is the smash, and like the serve, its follow-through is sharply downwards.

The opposite is true for the very low volley, though it’s not a drastically sharp upwards movement because that will create a pop-up volley. But for most volleys between the chest and the waist, a reasonably level or parallel followthrough with some rotation of the shoulders and arm is good.

Which variables determine grip firmness for the volley? The strength of the player? The speed and spin of the oncoming ball? Or the intended shot of the volleyer?

The grip firmness at contact must be strong. Otherwise, the wrist will bend and that will produce a loss of control in the racket. We see this problem a lot with children who lack strength. A player’s arm should be relaxed most of the…