Interactive Forum February 2024: Roger Federer Backhand Volley

[jimlosaltos]

Personally, I don't think so. It could be the backhand slice simply seeping into the backhand volley. But also another factor could be that 95% of the time we are seeing players moving in behind overwhelming force and then hitting away higher volleys, seldom do we see players hitting low volleys. So players are typically playing volleys that are on the high side so are carving down the ball.

Interestingly, Roger was a better volleyer at the start of his career than at the end. He simply got out of practice (at proper all court volleying) as the game changed and the years went by.

During what I call "The Tony Roche Period", when Federer made a conscious return to a more net-centric game, Fed said something akin to "You have to commit to volleying throughout your games to be good at it." I presume as distinguished from waiting until one has a golden opportunity, then hitting the first volley in the set on a big point.

[doctorhl]

I have noticed variances of hand tension with player volleys. I try to squeeze my grip at contact to about an 8 or 9. I was told that some pros squeeze about a 5 with the bottom 3 fingers to give just a minute amount of wrist flexion at contact. Trying this generated a tremendous amount of additional volley power, although it took practice to time the squeeze. Has anybody else experienced this, or is it just a weird idiosnyncracy on my part?

[stotty]

Does the down cut have anything to do with handling today's huge topspin?

I recall John's video on hitting slice backhands on incoming balls with heavy topspin -- John used his ball machine to simulate Rafa, I believe.
Without a hard cut, i.e. hitting a Budget type drive backhand, the ball flew into the parking lot <g>.
Could that also be a factor with pro-level volleys?

Personally, I don't think so. It could be the backhand slice simply seeping into the backhand volley. But also another factor could be that 95% of the time we are seeing players moving in behind overwhelming force and then hitting away higher volleys, seldom do we see players hitting low volleys. So players are typically playing volleys that are on the high side so are carving down the ball.

Interestingly, Roger was a better volleyer at the start of his career than at the end. He simply got out of practice (at proper all court volleying) as the game changed and the years went by.

[jimlosaltos]

Tend to agree with Pat Cash. I watched a wonderful clip of Frank Sedgman once hitting numerous stunningly good volleys. The clip had been enhanced and was crystal clear to watch. Sedgman, a far better volleyer than Roger, had his racket much more behind the ball and hit through the ball much better as a consequence.

I think the more pronounced 'downward slicing trend' on the volley is a spill over from the modern sliced backhand where players use a steeper downward movement to deal with heavily top spun balls. It's kind of obvious that modern sliced backhand would seep into the backhand volley too...and it probably shouldn't have.

Does the down cut have anything to do with handling today's huge topspin?

I recall John's video on hitting slice backhands on incoming balls with heavy topspin -- John used his ball machine to simulate Rafa, I believe.
Without a hard cut, i.e. hitting a Budget type drive backhand, the ball flew into the parking lot <g>.
Could that also be a factor with pro-level volleys?

[stotty]

Tend to agree with Pat Cash. I watched a wonderful clip of Frank Sedgman once hitting numerous stunningly good volleys. The clip had been enhanced and was crystal clear to watch. Sedgman, a far better volleyer than Roger, had his racket much more behind the ball and hit through the ball much better as a consequence.

I think the more pronounced 'downward slicing trend' on the volley is a spill over from the modern sliced backhand where players use a steeper downward movement to deal with heavily top spun balls. It's kind of obvious that modern sliced backhand would seep into the backhand volley too...and it probably shouldn't have.

[johnyandell]

Roger Federer Backhand Volley

So to go with our forehand volley footage last month (Click Here) this is rare footage of Roger Federer hitting backhand volleys in a clinic.

Gorgeous. Great turn, compact backswing. But do you are with Pat Cash in last month’s volley (Click Here) article that his swing is too much downward?