The Net Game: Macro Perspective

[don_budge]

nytennisaddict and glacierguy...a post from 2012.

Bring back the Dodo...I say.

Would love to hear what you thought of Rod Heckelman's article "How to Incorporate the Approach".

Remember chip and charge? Remember Johnny Mac attacking Ivan's second serve? The only reason that these techniques have gone the way of the Dodo bird is that at the professional level it's a new world of speed and spin. But for most others, (probably 99.9% of the tennis population) it is a wonderful tactic to use to break down a baseline player or capitalize of on pressuring an opponent. What is really been lost is much of the starting skills towards net and the footwork during the execution of the shot.

Quite right Rod. Super article! The way to bring back an extinct species is an interesting subject and today one immediately thinks of cloning...but the first step to bringing it back into existence is to think about it and then you must talk about it. Why did it go extinct and how do you bring it back?

Fascinating that here at the TennisPlayer.net this talk has revived such a discussion about volleying and such. But of course no conversation about volleying is justifiable unless you first talk about approaching the net. Afterall, how are you going to get into position to make a volley. You must approach the net.

The engineering of the game with regard to racquets, court surfaces and most recently the strings have all served tennis in a negative way if you wish to consider the way that it was originally conceived to be played. For years one of the most important aspects of the game was the tradition and this permeated the sport throughout from the color of the clothes which were all white for many decades to the equipment and to sportsmanship. It has been an act of extreme arrogance to completely disregard the original premise that the game was designed around and much has gone by the wayside as a result.

If you want to incorporate the approach game in the context of modern tennis one must first understand the logistical problems that one faces in such a rash act as approaching the net. As you have astutely surmised...there is no logical reason why that for 99.9% of the tennis playing population approaching the net should be out of the question. This includes the professional ranks as well. It seems that not only has the game been reengineered but there has been a sort of "brainwashing" that has taken place among the coaches, players and students of the game that says that it cannot be done. Social engineering as well as mechanical engineering.

Of course it can be done, but you must use your head and make astute tactical decisions and choices about how and when you are going to approach and you must train the body and the mind as well as your strokes...to go forwards. Going forwards is an aggressive tactic and with the speed of the game there is no possibility of retreat so one must be decisive when going to the net. You go there to win and not to defend. This is a radical change in thinking compared to the way tennis is being played in this particular era.

That being said please consider the following drills that I have worked on the forum here and at the small club that I work at. I feel that these drills incorporate the "process" of the net game and not just one particular aspect. I work on these drills with my beginner students as well as my more advanced students. The most difficult ball for a beginner to react to is the short ball and deep balls are another situation that gives the beginner a tough time.

If you work with beginners at the beginning of their training in the tennis universe to go forwards it is not such a shock to their system if they should happen to find themselves in the position to go forwards...selectively. Take the short ball...put it someplace where your opponent will find themselves in an off balanced position to make their passing attempt and carry out your tactics and designs with the proper technique.

Before talking about any specifics please consider these drills...use your imagination! We can call this "The Tennis Dance". Everyone grab a partner.

1. Both players start at the baseline and one of the players advances to the net hitting balls with a rallying partner who keeps the ball going. The advancing player gets all the way to the net and then retreats all the way BEHIND the baseline...where he immediately advances to the net again. Up and back, over and over. He should complete the whole trip to the net and to the baseline hitting a maximum of six shots. Here you can throw up a lob when the approaching player reaches the net for some overhead practice. Control the rally, work together.

2. One player starts at the net and the other starts at the baseline. The one at the net starts retreating as the rally commences and the baseline player advances to the net. One player is retreating as the other advances...up and back. Working in tandem. Control the rally, work together.

3. Both players start at the net. Both players retreat to the baseline together and once they reach the baseline they both advance to the net together until they are close enough to shake hands. Then they retreat to their respective baselines at the same time. Control the rally, work together.

The journey backwards to the baseline is just as important in this drill. The balance required to go backwards while to shift your weight forwards to meet the ball is part of your concept of skateboarding to the net. Hitting off balance is an art in itself. Half volleys, in between strokes all require a different mindset and stroke action that is only mastered with lots of repetition and work.

I think also that this type of drill is best performed if you use all kinds of approach tactics and spins...don't rule out underspin, sidespin and flatter shots as a tactic that is designed to throw your opponent off balance. Work on your depth or hitting short. Borrow a couple of pages from McEnroe's book of approach tactics. That split second that it takes to make the adjustment from hitting off constant topspin and speed is often enough to give the advantage to the net player...at least that is the theory. Learn to hit the flatter ball as well...overspin tends to make the ball sit up a bit when penetration is of more paramount importance when approaching. It takes a different animal to go forwards than to go side to side and it requires a different set of skills technically speaking. I would greatly appreciate it if you would give me some feedback on these drills and you might possibly share them with your keen student...Jeff Greenwald.

Your article represents a bold statement these days...to actually advocate going forwards is as you said...a dying concept. The journey that Jeff Greenwald, Paul Cohen and yourself have documented here is extremely interesting and further demonstrates that the Dodo does not necessarily have to die. Perhaps it can raise itself out of the ashes like the legendary Phoenix. It is an extraordinary concept and we have not even begun to discuss the possibilities of approaching the net behind a perfect service motion complete with masterful tactics...which come to think of it is another extinct bird.

[don_budge]

"My belief is that the speed of the modern serve and the improvement of the return game has made traditional serve and volley, as a game style, unviable. The serve is actually coming in too fast and the return coming back too fast to allow enough time to get in for a good classic volley play."

If you think about this above statement just a bit carefully it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The speed of the serve makes serve and volley unviable? The improvement of the return game? What has actually improved? Actually both of these points are only related to the speed of the court. The courts of today suck up the speed of the serve...you don't see the ball skidding through the court anymore like it used to on slick grass. Or faster hardcourts of the past. The same is true of the return game. The ball is sucked up on a velcro type surface and it stands up and is delivered into the returners strike zone. Harder to slide the ball away from the opponent as well as more difficult to get the ball to slide into the body. Speed up the courts and you will see a return of the game that led to the slow down of the surfaces as they are now.

"However, I can also imagine a future where a new game style emerges - serve and topspin volley. You already see top players like Roger Federer use this on occasion. In this style, the server would halt near midcourt - what we traditionally call “no man's land" - and look to hit winning and transitional topspin volleys from that court position. It would turn the old view of the midcourt - as a place you don't want to be - on its head."

This is a bit far fetched. I haven't seen an inkling or a clue as to this type of play being played on a regular basis. "The old view of the midcourt" being turned on its head. Let me clue you in on something...there is nothing new under the sun. The old view has been engineered into what is viewed as irrelevant. What has happened due solely to engineering to strings, court surfaces and racquets is just some monkeying around. Now that is one great line...it is only some monkeying around. Amazing how it helps people to feel superior to the past.

[nytennisaddict]

You could also use the "bolo" Connors overhead. If you turn your back a bit to the ball and hit it more like a slam dunk rather than like a traditional overhead then you can catch it lower and still hit the ball forward.

Since your arm is going forward you can guide it in any direction.

It's not a regular type of shot but for the ball in between a volley and an overhead it might be a viable solution.

i can't even picture what your're talking about... have a vid? is this how you handle it? my solution has been to slice it back (much less pace than a full smash) deep as an approach shot

[arturohernandez]

random thoughts, as i read through your articles:


* the not-quite-an-overhead - is another shot i have trouble with... do i squat down and treat it like an overhead... do i take it as a high volley, and go back deep, do i just slice it back as an approach shot? tips?

You could also use the "bolo" Connors overhead. If you turn your back a bit to the ball and hit it more like a slam dunk rather than like a traditional overhead then you can catch it lower and still hit the ball forward.

Since your arm is going forward you can guide it in any direction.

It's not a regular type of shot but for the ball in between a volley and an overhead it might be a viable solution.

[glacierguy]

I personally think the popular Nadal type racquet is not great at mid court service line type volleys. The traditional Fed type racquet, close to 13 oz, headlight, with a with a 340/345 or so swingweight, is much more solid and confidence inspiring on these type volleys. But it certainly may not be more confidence inspiring playing behind the baseline seeing how much topspin on can hit.

That's interesting, and a perspective I do not have, since I'm playing RF85 (which I've just looked up has strung weight about 355g and swing weight of 329). It's quite good at picking volleys off my toes around the service line as I fail, yet again, to close the net quickly enough.

[nytennisaddict]

I personally think the popular Nadal type racquet is not great at mid court service line type volleys. The traditional Fed type racquet, close to 13 oz, headlight, with a with a 340/345 or so swingweight, is much more solid and confidence inspiring on these type volleys. But it certainly may not be more confidence inspiring playing behind the baseline seeing how much topspin on can hit.

yup, i had exactly the same thought.
while i'm a huge nadal fan, and love his racquet (and similar basher racquets), i switched to the rf97, and is greater than 13oz after all is said and done.
it takes some sting out of my groundstrokes, but helps alot with returns and volleys.

because of the slight loss of baseline pace/spin (i still get a decent amount), i know spend a bit more time focusing on placement, rather than trying to crush every ball asap. so now i'll focus more on depth, then maneuver opponent out of position, wait for short ball, approach, finish at net. i've typically tried to finish at net, but typically tried to illicit a short ball from bashing (if i was on, i typically won, but if i was off, i'd lose epic-ly)

the weight of the racquet ddefinitley forces me to swing with my body more, and overall has improved my technique (sync'ing legs/core/arm/hands). it's subtle, but i definitely arm-ed the ball more with my prior lighter racquets.

part of my switch was recognizing that i'm getting older, so bashing from the baseline over 3 sets is unsustainable for me.now... so like fed, i'm looking to finish the points earlier. so i'm adding to my baseline game, elements of s&v, chip&charge, and attacking the net whenever possilbe (taking more chances much sonner than my baseline-bashing-only days).

[stroke]

Yes. Volley warm up from a static position at the net is pointless for me, bearing no relation to how volleys present in a game. Better to start volley warm up at service line and move in gradually with every shot.

I personally think the popular Nadal type racquet is not great at mid court service line type volleys. The traditional Fed type racquet, close to 13 oz, headlight, with a with a 340/345 or so swingweight, is much more solid and confidence inspiring on these type volleys. But it certainly may not be more confidence inspiring playing behind the baseline seeing how much topspin on can hit.

[stotty]

interestingly, half volleying nearer the bounce is easier than if i half volley from say between knee and waist height... i kinda "lose track of contact" if i let it bounce up too high.

Very true. It's interesting because we cannot actually watch a ball that is half volley come off the ground. Human eyesight just isn't quick enough. So we end up intuitively swinging the racket at an area where we sense the ball must be, which as you say, is far easier than taking the ball just slightly later off the bounce. I find I can time a half volley better than any other shot.

[klacr]

thx kyle...

regarding half volleying when you say "cover" the ball... do you mean i should be hitting a rising ball with a vertical or closed face? at least that's what i've been trying to do... but with conti grip, i'm not practiced enough to hit a ball with vertical/closed face (i'm well practiced slicing with a open face). interestingly, half volleying nearer the bounce is easier than if i half volley from say between knee and waist height... i kinda "lose track of contact" if i let it bounce up too high. (at chest or head high, it's just a normal slice approach shot for me)

low-overhead... yeah, that's what i've been doing, trying to volley firm & deep... but i sometimes overhit. don't know why, but i prefer to hit a waist/chest/head high volley firmrly, but when it's over my head, but not quite an overhead, i have trouble with the right amount of force

volleying from service line... yeah, whenever i come across someone that even tries to voelly from the svcline (or behind it), i presume theirr volleys are gonna be good everywhere. similary i've had many folks intentionally avoid me at net, just because i was volleying decently from behind the svcline.

You are correct. You are on the right path. It won't actually be closed but it will have the feeling of it. Keep practicing. Often times we try to slice too much on those shots and the ball sails long or goes too high for an easy pass from an opponent.

Also, forgot to comment on the correction the pros give you in clinics...yeah, that's one of my pet peeves. That's just a sad example of how many coaches still don't understand the volley and its true essence. Ignore them and realize you are on the right path. Your gains are bigger than their opinions.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Palo Alto
SETS Consulting

[nytennisaddict]

Yes. Volley warm up from a static position at the net is pointless for me, bearing no relation to how volleys present in a game. Better to start volley warm up at service line and move in gradually with every shot.

ideally that's how i should be warming up... volleying while moving forward...
because my "touch" changes if i include my forward momentum (effectively making the ball faster and harder to control with soft hands)
but sometimes i'm too lazy to reset to behind the svcline every 2nd or 3rd shot :P

[nytennisaddict]

nytennisaddict,

Thanks for reading!
Lots to digest.
a few answers to your queries:

-for the half volleys you struggle with, keep the racquet directly behind the ball, continental grip and aim low over the net to keep it down. Not too much racquet work. 100% correct on hitting on the rise, you need to cover that ball or else the launch angle will make it sail.

- Take that low overhead as a high volley, penetrate that court like a firm approach shot, don't let it bounce. Make them come up with an impossible pass.
- Table Drill: Time the split step with the bounce on the ball in the service box.
-I always, always practice volleys from service line. You will get all types of volleys, low ones, high ones, half volleys etc. I know that if a player can volley consistently from the service line or slightly behind it then they can volley from just about anywhere. Sounds crazy, but at one point my half-volley was arguably one of my best shots.

Hope those pointers help. keep charging forward. Embrace the net!

Kyle LaCroix
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

thx kyle...

regarding half volleying when you say "cover" the ball... do you mean i should be hitting a rising ball with a vertical or closed face? at least that's what i've been trying to do... but with conti grip, i'm not practiced enough to hit a ball with vertical/closed face (i'm well practiced slicing with a open face). interestingly, half volleying nearer the bounce is easier than if i half volley from say between knee and waist height... i kinda "lose track of contact" if i let it bounce up too high. (at chest or head high, it's just a normal slice approach shot for me)

low-overhead... yeah, that's what i've been doing, trying to volley firm & deep... but i sometimes overhit. don't know why, but i prefer to hit a waist/chest/head high volley firmrly, but when it's over my head, but not quite an overhead, i have trouble with the right amount of force

volleying from service line... yeah, whenever i come across someone that even tries to voelly from the svcline (or behind it), i presume theirr volleys are gonna be good everywhere. similary i've had many folks intentionally avoid me at net, just because i was volleying decently from behind the svcline.

[glacierguy]

* i too take all my warmup volleys from at the svc line (or even 1ft from the line closer to the baseline)... i even have coaches in clinics "correct" my position, which i found odd (i was still making my volleys, albeit making it harder for myself where contact was at my kneecaps or shoe laces)

fantastic writeup, thx for pointing it out to me!

Yes. Volley warm up from a static position at the net is pointless for me, bearing no relation to how volleys present in a game. Better to start volley warm up at service line and move in gradually with every shot.

[klacr]

nytennisaddict,

Thanks for reading!
Lots to digest.
a few answers to your queries:

-for the half volleys you struggle with, keep the racquet directly behind the ball, continental grip and aim low over the net to keep it down. Not too much racquet work. 100% correct on hitting on the rise, you need to cover that ball or else the launch angle will make it sail.

- Take that low overhead as a high volley, penetrate that court like a firm approach shot, don't let it bounce. Make them come up with an impossible pass.
- Table Drill: Time the split step with the bounce on the ball in the service box.
-I always, always practice volleys from service line. You will get all types of volleys, low ones, high ones, half volleys etc. I know that if a player can volley consistently from the service line or slightly behind it then they can volley from just about anywhere. Sounds crazy, but at one point my half-volley was arguably one of my best shots.

Hope those pointers help. keep charging forward. Embrace the net!

Kyle LaCroix
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

[nytennisaddict]

random thoughts, as i read through your articles:

* love the metaphor... "long grinding hours at the restaurant == baseline game"...
* that's cool that you played nalbandian. would be an honor to get passed at the net over and over again by his 2hbh
* mentality, definitely was tough leaving the comfortable/predictable baseline world... it's funny how volleys are taught, ie. that nice waist height volley from just inside the service line... but the reality is that you often have to improvise, lunge, jump, dig, shank, etc...
* agreed, racquet tech is often an excuse not to try the unpredictable world of s&v... if you've been playing for any amount of time, and invested in groundies... it's a hit to the ego to venture to net and look so uncoordiated trying to volley.(as evidenced by the many 4.0's i come across that take their practice volleys (if they take any) from 1ft from the net)
* regarding "long hypnotic sleep inducing rallies"... lol, while i like to s&v, baseline rallies satisfy my ocd!
* took me a while to learn that i need to serve like a baseball pitcher, and not try to blast every ball... it's even easier to s&v spinning more serves with placement, than it is to try serving 100+ every time... more often than not, my fastest/flatttest serves are hardest to handle at net (comes back faster, can't close as much, easier for opponent to block back with a short backswing, etc...)
* "we stay in the point on the baseline, we win points at net" love it. a mentallity i have today. not having a big baseline weapon has helped me evolve this philosophy.
* "I often joke with my players that the best volley is the one you never have to hit."... it's amazing how volleys i don't have to hit... when i win s&v'ing, for sure it's because my opponent missed overhitting a passing shot (vs. me making incredible volleys)
* "i'd rather lose than get passed" - why the heck is this true? you see the same in dubs... when asking folks to poach... they think they look dumb when they get passed down the alley (despite winning 3 of 4 points when poaching)
* took me a while to realize that i don't have to get to the svc line for first volley... just matters i'm splitting, staying balanced, etc... often sampras was in nml... "get to svc line (for first volley)" was definitely a teaching tip for like a slow serving 3.0, that somehow passed along by folks eaves dropping on the lesson...
* "make an effort for every point"... oh good message, i don't always do that... didn't think it's allso sending a message to my opponent.
* stamina - yeah, kinda like the difference between running quarter mile sprints, vs. running a 10k run
* half volleys, and just-after-half-volleys - are the toughest shots i have trouble with... actually half vollyes are much easier to time, but if i let it bounce to knee or waist height off a heavy fast moving ball (ie. volleying on the rise), i have trouble with it... i get confused: do i drive it flat with conti grip, do i slice it like a regular volley (slicing on the rise is hard to do because the ball and contact are moving parallel to each other)... any tips?
* the not-quite-an-overhead - is another shot i have trouble with... do i squat down and treat it like an overhead... do i take it as a high volley, and go back deep, do i just slice it back as an approach shot? tips?
* i really like the serve and soft catch drill... i struggle to switching between hard grip and soft grip... i like to grip and rip, but that "hardness" doesn't work well to execute soft short angle volleys
* the 4 corner box drill for half volleys looks great, will definitely do that with my kids/students in the spring... and have them feed that to myself.
* serve into table drill... oh man, never saw this before... will definitely steal this one. will have to start carrying around a portable table... what's the timing of the split step for this drill? guessing on the sound of the table hit?
* i too take all my warmup volleys from at the svc line (or even 1ft from the line closer to the baseline)... i even have coaches in clinics "correct" my position, which i found odd (i was still making my volleys, albeit making it harder for myself where contact was at my kneecaps or shoe laces)

fantastic writeup, thx for pointing it out to me!

[klacr]

i'm glad to see that there's still some success with s&v at the pro level {brown, feli, ivo).
agree, at rec level, net game/style is viable... but probably don't see much at the rec level, since there's not much at the pro levels to copy...

personally i've been spending much more time working on s&v/c&c, partly for dubs, but also because i don't have the wheels to grind out from the baseline like i used to.

Good for you nytennisaddict. You'll find its a fun endeavor and you will give many of your opponents real trouble if you execute it. Serve & volley still has a place in today's game although not a primary game style. If you don't see much at the recreational level that should give you even more reason to use it opponents not familiar with it will be disrupted and not be familiar on how to handle it.

Check out my 7 part series on S&V in the strategy section of this website. Let me know on your progress. I would love to help any way I can.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting