March 2019: Tim Henman Backhand Volley

[nemo1965]

Hm... not sure why our top current ten don’t get credit for being great volleyers. I think Federer can be counted
as one of the best volleyers in history.

No.

Roger has fantastic touch and hits fantastic approach-shots... but he is not able - like Edger and Heman - to hit a reasonable flat but controlled deep first volley that builds up for the finishing shot: the angled cross-court volley. He always slices the ball, often inside out, and that is what gives players like Djokovic and Nadal that extra chance to pass him.

Look at Henman and compare that to Roger 'walking' through the ball on the way to the net. Henman drives the ball from his shoulder with almost no turning of the underam, he takes the ball with him, as it were. Roger uses much more arm and I think it is a weaker shot.

[stotty]

Henman has great volleys and touch in the forecourt, but Mac stands alone to me. Pat Cash was right there also.

McEnroe was a volleying anomaly. He was a 'feeler' more than a 'puncher' yet it worked for him. He always popped and nudged the ball into spaces in a way that was uncanny to watch. At the net, he had even greater feel than Roger, and that's saying something. Roger is volleying really well at the moment. He did a beautiful forehand volley off a sneak attack against that German bloke in the first round. He got right underneath and hit it with such perfect feel. There was nothing that outstanding about it other than he did it so perfectly.

[arturohernandez]

They look old school for some reason. No one seems to volley this way anymore. I wonder if it has to do with having grown up with different rackets/strings.

[stroke]

Henman has great volleys and touch in the forecourt, but Mac stands alone to me. Pat Cash was right there also.

[doctorhl]

Like Johnny Mac, part of their success in their drop volleys is that their opponent’s are forced to sit on their heels instead of their toes because the Mac/ Henman volleys(and approaches) are so good.

[friartens]

Able to hit so clean because he throws a leg forward (usu right) to create momentum. Does not look like push-off from back leg cause his weight is forward. Sublime stuff, like Mac. Check out the bottom fingers opening to facilitate the grip change. Fun to guess at what point he decides where to put the ball. Awesome set of clips - Thanks!

[stotty]

I think the clip shows what doubles volleying is much about...blocking, improvising, getting jammed sometimes, and minimal racket work. He was always great at blocking volleys and using his body as wall. He was brilliant at absorbing pace and deflecting it. I always loved McEnroe for the same reasons. McEnroe could absorb pace on his volleys like no one else.

[msmith33]

Interesting that the U shape disappears almost as soon as the fwd motion of his racquet starts. Never noticed before. The U seems to be relevant to the set up phase, but his elbow is straight (or nearly so) when he makes contact with most of these.

[andersonjc]

What is interesting for me is how at contact the racket is relatively flat to the ball, but almost instantaneously after contact, he changes the angle to a slice follow through. I suspect this is how he achieves the crispness of the volley, whilst maintaining consistency. The other thing I noticed is how short and compact the entire stroke is, relying on the energy of the incoming ball to generate the speed, and rather concentrating on directing the ball.

[teachestennis]

Notice he doesn't turn his shoulders quite as much as you suggest.

[stotty]

Hm... not sure why our top current ten don’t get credit for being great volleyers. I think Federer can be counted
as one of the best volleyers in history.

Roger is certainly very good and would have become one of the all time volleyers had he pursued that style of play more often. He started his winning ways at Wimbledon by serve volleying. Nadal is a good volleyer too. The other 8 are pretty tame volleyers in my view.

[brielmaier]

Hm... not sure why our top current ten don’t get credit for being great volleyers. I think Federer can be counted
as one of the best volleyers in history.

[brielmaier]

You're right. It's a lovely shot. I saw Tim hitting with Kyle Edmund a month ago at the National Tennis Centre. He still plays really well and volleys beautifully. Tim was the last truly great volleyer and no one these days comes even close.

That's a great clip you put together, John.

[doctorhl]

Fabulous. I just can’t figure out how to maintain power if I try to volley straight ahead(to hit behind someone)on a ball somewhat close to my body.

[chuahman]

One handed bh ground stroke
makes it more natural than two?