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High volleys are generally easier than low volleys for a simple reason: the net isn't in the way. You have an unobstructed line between your strings and most of the opponent's court, so you can simply hit the ball straight toward your intended target.
High volleys should be hit firmly and placed either deep or toward the corners of the service boxes (the "side pockets"). The higher the point of contact with a volley, the less one needs backspin. When you hit a firm volley with backspin, you get more depth and a lower bounce, but more backspin requires better timing and more accurate matching of the racquet face angle and the angle of the swing. On a volley well above the net, a flat hit is the simplest way to put the ball away. Nevertheless, some players are so used to cutting lower balls, they cut all volleys.
Players most often get in trouble on high volleys by hitting the ball too hard, using a motion that causes the racquet to describe part of a circle in the air. The smaller the radius of that circle, the more the racquet rotates per second, and the more accurate your timing must be to have the string bed facing the intended direction when it meets the ball. A volley that makes the racquet pivot forward at the wrist has the smallest radius and is thus riskiest. One that pivots at the elbow is next worst, followed by one that pivots at the shoulder. One that does not pivot at all is ideal, so hit straight through the ball, with your racquet face maintaining the desired angle from start to finish.
Key points:
Assume a right-handed hitter.
- Grip: Either a Continental or an Eastern grip works well on a high volley. The Eastern is firmer and more comfortable, especially for hitting flat, but the Continental saves you the trouble of switching grips between backhands and forehands.
- Ready Position: Note that the racquet is in a higher ready position at net than it would be at the baseline. This is particularly helpful on high volleys. It's quicker to drop the racquet to a low ball than to lift it to a high one.
- Footwork: After your split-step, you should try to move forward to make contact. The closer you are to the net at contact, the easier it will be to put the ball away. On a fairly fast ball, you might have time only to take one long step forward with your left foot, but on slow floaters, you might be able to move several steps. You want to make contact in a stance between square (shown here), where you step straight forward with your left foot, and closed, where you step across your body with your left foot for a ball that stretches you to your right.
- Backswing: The faster the ball, the shorter your volley backswing should be. The volley shown here uses a moderate backswing.
- Swing path: Try to swing as straight forward as you can. Keeping your racquet face moving forward into the ball's path for a longer time increases the certainty of clean contact. When you try to swing straight forward, you'll naturally end up with a slight downward slant, but your timing window will still be much longer than if you try to cut the ball deliberately.
- Point of contact: Meet the ball roughly a foot farther forward than your head. This point of contact helps you keep your arm and body squarely behind the racquet, see the ball easily, and maintain the forward momentum that makes for good, aggressive volleys.
- Follow through: The follow through should continue the forward motion of the volley swing. As noted above, a slight downward slant is natural.
