Half Volleys: Getting Out of Trouble
The half volley is a necessary evil—a shot you are forced to hit because you have no other choice. Baseball and softball players sometimes field balls on the short hop. Tennis players have to do the same thing with half volleys, but they do it with a racket instead of a glove.
The half volley is not actually a volley, but rather a forehand or backhand groundstroke hit immediately after the ball bounces on your side of the court. The half volley requires about half the swing used for normal groundstrokes, and you have about half the normal amount of time to prepare for it. When you find yourself in a position in which you have to hit a half volley, it’s usually a result of one of the following scenarios:
You are caught somewhere between the baseline and service line—an uncomfortable position where many shots bounce at your feet.
You are late moving into position anywhere on the court (for example, trying to get to the net after a serve or approach shot).
Your opponent has hit a hard drive shot near the baseline before you have had time to move your feet into a position to hit your typical forehand or backhand.
There are only three things you can try to do with the half volley:
Return the ball any way you can. Dig it out. The goal is survival, not technique.
If time allows, take the chance to actually do something good with your shot. Half-volley the ball as deep as possible into your opponent’s backcourt.
If your hand reaction time is really good, place your half volley into an open corner of the backcourt, take the offensive, and turn a bad situation into a winning one.
Inexperienced players often find themselves out of position because they don’t know where to go. Experienced players know better, yet sometimes they can’t do anything about it because they’ve lost a step or two in court coverage. Even elite players who approach the net following a serve have to hit half volleys when opponents hit great returns at their feet. Doubles players use half volleys often. Regardless of your ability level or age group, keep working on court positioning, but develop the skill required to hit a half volley when you need it. Once you have mastered the half volley, you will have moved from beginner status to an intermediate or advanced level.
Tennis: Steps to Success Jim Brown,Camille Soulier