Position on the Ball: Volleys and Returns

Position on the Ball-the third fundamental at net and on returns. In this series on the five fundamentals for all the strokes in tennis, we've looked at the Ready Position (Click Here), the Preparation (Click Here), and Position on the Ball for the groundstrokes. (Click Here.) Now let's look at Position on the Ball for the volleys and for the returns. Volleys The optimum contact height on a volley is at eye level, with the contact a forearm's length in front of you. This is actually the same spacing between your racket and your nose that you start with in your ready position. To create this powerful position at contact, the key is Position on the Ball, or how we move and set up for the shot. Let's see how this works by examining the forehand volley of Taylor Dent, one of the few serve and volley players on the tour in recent years and currently in the midst of an amazing comeback. Footwork on the volley can be confusing, because the players flow forward through the shot. But as they move forward, there is still a clear sequence of steps players use to create the alignment they need to...