| the net hit from the point at the first opportunity given | | | | placement more than speed, although speed may be |
| to get the racquet squarely on the ball. All the laws of | | | | used on a high volley. |
| footwork explained for the drive are theoretically the | | | | Closely related to the volley, yet in no way a volley |
| same in volleying. In practice you seldom have time to | | | | stroke, is the overhead smash. It is the Big Bertha of |
| change your feet to a set position, so you obviate | | | | tennis. It is the long range terror that should always |
| trouble by throwing the weight on the foot nearest to | | | | score. The rules of footwork, position, and direction |
| the ball and pushing it in the shot. Volleys are of two | | | | that govern the volley will suffice for the overhead. |
| classes: (1) the low volley, made from below the waist; | | | | The swing alone is different. The swing should be |
| and (2) the high volley, from the waist to the head. In | | | | closely allied to the slice service, the racquet and arm |
| contradistinction to the hitting plane classification are | | | | swinging freely from the shoulder, the wrist flexible and |
| the two styles known as (1) the deep volley and (2) | | | | the racquet imparting a slight twist to the ball to hold it |
| the stop volley. | | | | in court. The overhead is mainly a point winner through |
| All low volleys are blocked. High volleys may be either | | | | speed, since its bounce is so high that a slow |
| blocked or hit. Volleys should never be stroked. There | | | | placement often allows time for a recovery. Do not |
| is no follow through on a low volley and very little on a | | | | leap in the air unnecessarily to hit overhead balls. Keep |
| high one. You will hear much talk of "chop" volleys. A | | | | at least one foot, and when possible both feet, on the |
| chop stroke is one where the racquet travels from | | | | ground in smashing, as it aids in regulating the weight, |
| above the line of flight of the ball, down and through it, | | | | and gives better balance. Hit flat and decisively to the |
| and the angle made behind the racquet is greater than | | | | point if desired. |
| 45 degrees, and many approach 90 degrees. | | | | Most missed overhead shots are due to the eye |
| Therefore I say that no volleys should be chopped, for | | | | leaving the ball; but a second class of errors are due |
| the tendency is to pop the ball up in the air off any | | | | to lack of confidence that gives a cramped, |
| chop. Slice volleys if you want to, or hit them flat, for | | | | half-hearted swing. Follow through your overhead shot |
| both these shots are made at a very small angle to | | | | to the limit of your swing. The overhead is essentially a |
| the flight-line of the ball, the racquet face travelling | | | | doubles shot, because in singles the chances of |
| almost along its plane. | | | | passing the net man are greater than lobbing over his |
| In all volleys, high or low, the wrist should be locked and | | | | head, while in doubles two men cover the net so easily |
| absolutely stiff. It should always be below the racquet | | | | that the best way to open the court is to lob one man |
| head, thus bracing the racquet against the impact of | | | | back. |
| the ball. Allow the force of the incoming shot, plus your | | | | In smashing, the longest distance is the safest shot |
| own weight, to return the ball, and do not strive to | | | | since it allows a greater margin of error. Therefore |
| "wrist" it over. The tilted racquet face will give any | | | | smash 'cross court when pressed, but pull your short |
| required angle to the return by glancing the ball off the | | | | lobs either side as determined by the man you are |
| strings, so no wrist turn is needed. Low volleys can | | | | playing. |
| never be hit hard, and owing to the height of the net | | | | Never drop a lob you can hit overhead, as it forces |
| should usually be sharply angled, to allow distance for | | | | you back and gives the attacking position to your |
| the rise. Any ball met at a higher plane than the top of | | | | opponent. Never smash with a reverse twist, always |
| the net may be hit hard. The stroke should be crisp, | | | | hit with a straight racquet face and direct to the |
| snappy, and decisive, but it should stop as it meets the | | | | opening. |
| ball. The follow through should be very small. Most low | | | | Closely connected to the overhead since it is the usual |
| volleys should be soft and short. Most high volleys | | | | defence to any hard smash, is the lob. A lob is a high |
| require speed and length. | | | | toss of the ball landing between the service-line and |
| The "stop" volley is nothing more than a shot blocked | | | | the baseline. An excellent lob should be within 6 feet of |
| short. There is no force used. The racquet simply | | | | the baseline. Lobs are essentially defensive. The ideas |
| meets the oncoming ball and stops it. The ball | | | | in lobbing are: (1) to give yourself time to recover |
| rebounds and falls of its own weight. There is little | | | | position when pulled out of court by your opponent's |
| bounce to such a shot, and that may be reduced by | | | | shot; (2) to drive back the net man and break up his |
| allowing the racquet to slide slightly under the ball at the | | | | attack; (3) to tire your opponent; (4) occasionally to, win |
| moment of impact, thus imparting back spin to the ball. | | | | cleanly by placement. This is usually a lob volley from a |
| Volleying is a science based on the old geometric | | | | close net rally, and is a slightly different stroke. |
| axiom that a straight line is the shortest distance | | | | There is (1) the chop lob, a heavily under-cut spin that |
| between two points. I mean that a volleyer must | | | | hangs in the air. This, is the best defensive lob, as it |
| always cover the straight passing shot since it is the | | | | goes high and gives plenty of time to recover position. |
| shortest shot with which to pass him, and he must | | | | (2) The stroke lob or flat lob, hit with a slight top spin. |
| volley straight to his opening and not waste time trying | | | | This is the point-winning lob since it gives no time to, the |
| freakish curving volleys that give the base-liner time to | | | | player to run around it, as it is lower and faster than |
| recover. It is Johnston's great straight volley that | | | | the chop. In making this lob, start your swing like a drive, |
| makes him such a dangerous net man. He is always | | | | but allow the racquet to slow up and the face to tilt |
| "punching" his volley straight and hard to the opening in | | | | upward just as you meet the ball. This, shot should |
| his opponent's court. | | | | seldom go above 10 feet in the air, since it tends to go |
| A net player must have ground strokes in order to | | | | out with the float of the ball. |
| attain the net position. Do not think that a service and | | | | The chop lob, which is a decided under cut, should rise |
| volley will suffice against first-class tennis. | | | | from 20 to 30 feet, or more, high and must go deep. It |
| Strive to kill your volleys at once, but should your shot | | | | is better to lob out and run your opponent back, thus |
| not win, follow the ball 'cross and again cover the | | | | tiring him, than to lob short and give him confidence by |
| straight shot. Always force the man striving to pass | | | | an easy kill. The value of a lob is mainly one of |
| you to play the hardest possible shot. Attack with your | | | | upsetting your opponent, and its effects are very |
| volleys. Never defend the ball when at the net. The | | | | apparent if you unexpectedly bring off one at the |
| only defensive volley is one at your feet as you come | | | | crucial period of a match. |
| in. It is a mid-court shot. Volleys should win with | | | | |