Player practice guide
Volley Basics
15 min Coach / feederBeginner–IntermediateMatch play
Understand how volley works. Fundamentals
Best for: players learning a stable backhand volley contact before adding movement or touch.
Goal
Meet the ball in front with a firm racket face and direct the backhand volley safely through the middle.
Success today
Land 12 of 16 backhand volleys beyond the service line with the racket head above the hand at contact.
Watch before court
Technique reference
Tricks for Great Volley Contact · 3:23
Technique reference—not the full drill. Watch the contact position, stable racket face and compact movement used on the volley.
Open video on YouTubeArrive ready
Before you go
- One hitting partner who can feed gently
- 16+ tennis balls
- 2 flat cones
- Approximately 15 minutes of court time
Court blueprint
Set up the court
Receive gentle backhand feeds near the service line, step towards contact and guide the volley into the deep-middle target before returning to ready position.
- Ball direction
- Recovery
- Target zone
- 01Mark a generous deep-middle target.
- 02Start near the centre service line.
- 03Ask your partner to feed slow backhand volleys from behind the opposite service line.
Step by step
Your 15-minute practice
0–3 min
Set the contact shape
- Catch four feeds on the strings with the racket in front.
- Keep the racket head above the hand.
8 feeds · 4 min
Add the forward step
- Volley eight gentle balls through the middle.
- Step with the opposite foot without lunging.
7–11 min
Recover to ready
- Return the racket and feet to centre after every ball.
- Ask the partner to vary the feed by one step.
16 feeds · 4 min
Score sixteen volleys
- Count deep targets with a stable contact shape.
- Aim for twelve successes.
Remember
Three player cues
- Racket head above the hand.
- Contact in front.
- Step, block, recover.
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Taking the racket behind the shoulder
- Letting the wrist collapse
- Reaching instead of moving one adjustment step
Keep the same purpose
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Feed from the service line and allow the full back court as the target.
Make it harder
Increase feed pace and alternate backhand depth with a short touch target.
Keep it safe
Feed only after the player returns to ready position and clear balls near the service line between sets.
Continue later