The TWO Types of Volley / Technique and Tactics

The TWO Types of Volley / Technique and Tactics

by | Tennis Training | 0 comments

In my opinion, the volley is the easiest tennis stroke to learn and teach.
This is because of its simplicity and the fact that it has the fewest technical elements to consider.
However, aside from the technical aspects, there are also tactical considerations. In this regard, we can identify two main types of volleys:

  • The Low Volley: This volley involves making contact with the ball below the net level.
  • The High Volley: This volley involves making contact with the ball above the net level.

The Low Volley:
Technically, you want to keep your racquet head and your… head/eyes together. When the racquet head lowers for the below-the-net ball, you must also lower your head. Imagine the two “heads” being connected by a string: when one lowers, it pulls the other down. This head lowering should be achieved by bending your knees, not your back, as demonstrated in the video below.
Tactically, the low volley is a setup or placement shot. You want to get it over the net and place it strategically, ideally deep. However, you can also attempt a short angled shot only if you believe your opponent will have difficulty reaching it.

The High Volley:
This volley is, or should be, an aggressive shot because you catch the ball above the net level and can hit it with more power.
Technically, swing the racquet from high to low with a shortened swing (for more control) and transfer your body weight into the shot to generate the necessary power.
Tactically, go for angled winners. If you cannot finish the point with the first shot, you should be in a position to do so with the follow-up.

A third volley shot could be identified if you consider the one you contact at the waist or net strap level, which can be hit deep and aggressively. From a technical and tactical standpoint, I would categorize this with the high volley.

I have recorded a video for you to see and compare the two main types of volleys: low and high. Check out the video and let me know in the comments section below if you have any problems with this shot. I would be happy to provide tips and help you improve it.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share my best tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

Are You Serving With A Backhand Grip?

Are You Serving With A Backhand Grip?

by | Tennis Tips Blog, Tennis Training | 0 comments

In a recent email, where I shared an 8-minute video with one of my favorite serve tennis drills, a couple of our subscribers replied and asked me if I was serving with a backhand grip.

Indeed, I serve with an eastern backhand grip, and here’s why…

When I was 15, I got sent to high school in a city about 4 hours away from where my parents lived. 
There, I continued my tennis training with a new coach who, after noticing that, even though I was beginning my serve motion by holding the racket with a continental grip (which you should), during the swing I would change the grip and end up hitting the ball mostly flat using a… forehand/eastern grip.

My new coach decided to take my hand before each serve and position it in an eastern backhand grip. And then he would say:

“Go ahead… serve!”

He did not tell me why or how to serve. He just told me to go for it. 

My father (who was my first coach), later on, when I went back home, saw me serving with an eastern backhand grip and he could not believe his eyes how easy I was putting spin on the serve, and how consistent my serve had become.

This is the story of my serve with a backhand grip. 🙂

Have you ever tried it?

You might be surprised how easily you’ll hit the ball with slice and kick.

I hope this tip helps. I would be curious to know how it goes for you, or if you have any story like this you could share with me. Leave your comment in the box below…

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

Personal Story / How to Play Against Higher Ranked Tennis Player

Personal Story / How to Play Against Higher Ranked Tennis Player

by | Tennis Training | 0 comments

Does competing against higher-ranked players make you feel worried and nervous before the match?

Here’s a story from when I was in my late 20s, competing in a local tournament:

Before a match, as I was entering the tennis club, the lady at the front desk, who knew me, told me that it should not take me more than 40 minutes to beat my next opponent.
Her statement put so much pressure on me that all I could think of was how embarrassed I would be if I were to face her after ‘losing’ that match.

I eventually won, but even now, after 20 years, I remember the involuntary pressure that the ‘lovely’ lady put on me and how much it affected my performance on court.

Therefore, when playing a higher-ranked player…

  • Keep in mind that even your higher-ranked opponent may feel nervous against you, especially if they have a reputation to defend. After all, they are the expected winner, not you.
  • Resist the temptation to play at a level that is above you. This means going for shots that you do not yet control. This would be the quickest way for you to head to the locker room defeated. Instead, stick with the play you feel comfortable with.
  • If you still feel intimidated by your higher-ranked opponent, try to avoid eye contact as much as possible during the match. Keep your focus on your strings between points, and walk confidently.
  • Ultimately, keep in mind that you have nothing to lose against players with a better reputation.

Enjoy the chance to compete and learn from such opponents.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

How to Avoid Hitting the Ball Late… Off the Back Foot

How to Avoid Hitting the Ball Late… Off the Back Foot

by | Tennis Tips Blog, Tennis Training | 0 comments

In a recent email, I received a question from a tennis player seeking advice on how to avoid consistently hitting the ball late. Additionally, she asked if I could recommend any tennis drills to help improve her ability to make contact with the ball earlier.

In response, I have created a video (see above) that not only addresses her concern but is also beneficial for anyone looking to enhance their forehand and backhand groundstrokes by making contact further out in front.

The tennis drill I present in the video is quite straightforward.
While rallying with a tennis partner or utilizing a ball machine, focus on pushing your body forward each time you strike the ball. Make sure that at the completion of your swing, your weight is shifted onto your front foot (assuming you step forward to meet the ball) while simultaneously elevating your back foot.
If you’re practicing with a partner, it’s a good idea to communicate the purpose behind this technique to avoid any bewildered expressions. Just let your partner know what you’re aiming to achieve with this footwork adjustment. This way, you can steer clear of any amusing or puzzled looks. 🙂

I encourage you to try this drill, and share your experiences or any alternative suggestions you may have for achieving early ball contact in the comment box below. Your feedback will be appreciated.

 

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

How to Stay Focused During Tennis Matches

How to Stay Focused During Tennis Matches

by | Tennis Training | 0 comments

Often, during a match, players allow themselves to be distracted by certain external factors. By the time they realize what’s happening, they have already lost a set or even the entire match. This raises the question: How can a player stay focused during a match?

In this article, I will highlight four tips that I’m confident will help you concentrate more effectively in your next tennis match:

Keep your eyes on the court.
It’s easy to get distracted by noises from the surroundings, such as people shouting or crying babies. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep your eyes focused on what’s happening on the court. This includes paying attention to your opponent, the ball, and the umpire or scorekeeper if applicable.

Learn to watch the ball.
While it may seem obvious that you should be watching the ball as it approaches you, sometimes our attention shifts prematurely toward where we want to send the ball. To address this, I have an exercise that I would like you to practice:
Find a quiet spot, either sitting or standing, and choose a spot on the wall or any object to direct your gaze towards. Try to maintain your focus on that spot without allowing your eyes to wander for a minute or two.
This exercise will improve your ability to concentrate and track objects like the ball during a match.

Always remember the score.
To stay focused and engaged in the match, it’s important to continuously be aware of the score.
I recently witnessed a match where my younger daughter was losing. She approached the fence near where I was watching and asked, “Tati, what’s the score?” This made me realize that her lack of focus on the score was impacting her performance.
Not knowing the score during a game is a sign that your attention is wavering, and your mind is not fully in the game.

Stay focused during long rallies by counting.
A helpful technique to maintain focus, especially during extended rallies, is to count each time you hit the ball. Start from one and continue counting with each stroke.
This method keeps your attention anchored to the ball and ensures your presence in the rally.

Give these four tips a try, and I’m confident you will experience improved focus and, hopefully, achieve more victories in your tennis matches.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

How to Practice Against the Wall / Tennis Drills and Tips

How to Practice Against the Wall / Tennis Drills and Tips

by | Tennis Training | 0 comments

Do you find playing against the wall boring? 

One of our subscribers asked me how to make the best of wall practice – get a good workout while improving his tennis skills. 

So here’s the advice I gave him, and a few drills to consider:

“If I had a wall to work with only, I would focus on conditioning, accuracy, and ball feel. That means hitting a lot of balls (pick a number that you consider challenging), without making a mistake, aiming them at a certain spot assigned on the wall. 

Every time I practice against the wall, I draw a circle/square on it (if there wasn’t one already) and try hitting a certain number of balls into that area (I usually go for 15, 20, or 25). 

A Word of Caution: 

Do not stay too close to the wall because the ball comes back sooner than you would if you were rallying with someone over a net – that means your stroke technique will be rushed, your arm will become tense, and your follow-through/finish will be shortened. 

Instead, stay further back and, if you want, let the ball bounce twice so that you have more time to relax your arm on every shot. 

Another aspect you can practice is footwork and conditioning (see the first drill below).

Here are a few drills that you can do against the wall: 

1) Hit the ball straight ahead and move your position side to side, alternating one forehand and then one backhand. Your legs will soon be tired and you’ll get excellent cardio.

2) Practice the transition from the imaginary baseline to the net – hit 3-4 groundstrokes, then move up to take the ball right off the bounce (half-volley) and advance closer to the wall where you take the ball in the air (volleys). 

3) Serve, then move up to take the next ball as a half-volley, and continue towards the wall where you will practice volleys (practice serve-and-volley).

You can be creative with your wall workout, but keep in mind to NOT stay too close to the wall because you’ll become tense and rush your technique.”

Do YOU have any suggestions to get the best out of the tennis wall practice? Share it with us in the comment box below.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.

How to Anticipate the Lob for Better Offense

How to Anticipate the Lob for Better Offense

by | Tennis Training | 0 comments

As a tennis player, you know that moving up to the net can give you a great advantage in the game.

However, it can also leave you vulnerable to lobs from your opponent(s).

Anticipating a lob can be the difference between winning and losing a point, so it’s important to know how to read your opponent’s shots and react quickly.

The following (2) tips are part of Tennis Questions / Tennis Answers which is one of the newest WebTennis24 programs focusing on quick tips and short lessons on technique, mental strength, tactics and strategies:

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Q: Is there a way to know if my opponent intends to lob me?

A: You come up to the net, split step, and get ready to hit your first volley.

But your opponent intends to lob you. How can you tell if he is going to do that?

There are two things that give away your opponent’s intention of hitting a lob:

Cue 1: He is backing up (making at least one step back) – in this situation, the court will be too big for him to hit an aggressive groundstroke passing shot, therefore he will choose to lob you.

Cue 2: He leans backward – meaning, he transfers his weight onto his back foot. This is another cue showing that he intends to get under the ball and send it high.

Once you learn to read those cues, take a step away from the net as soon as you can, and prepare for an overhead. Better have room afterward to step forward and smash the ball than have to scramble for one that you could barely reach.

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Discover more tips and quick lessons inside the Tennis Questions / Tennis Answers.

Cosmin Miholca

Cosmin Miholca

Certified Tennis Coach

Check out my work at WebTennis24 where I share with you my best video tennis lessons, drills and tips for players, coaches and tennis parents.