HERE’S THE DEAL
A tip for angles, or the angle on tips
This tip really is about angles and tips, literally. Like most things we do, since we can’t see outside our bodies (well most people can’t and if they can I would be a bit worried), most are not aware of how much they do swing when volleying. So what? Well if you want to hit a nice angle volley you need to do a couple of things: 1) get as close to net as possible and 2) get the tip of the racquet out front immediately. Did I say immediately? Let me repeat. Get the tip, the very top of your racquet, pointing toward the corner or baseline before you hit the ball. I have to repeat it because almost everyone I teach on this hears it and thinks they are dong it but in reality (and the camera doesn’t lie) are about a foot or two away from doing it. So don’t feel badly. Everyone else is doing it too just about.
First get as close to the net as possible. For some this is terrifying and for others they think they are but I could fit a washer and dryer between them and the net. It is basic geometry. The closer you are to the net the easier to hit finishing angle vollies and even drop vollies. The lower the ball the closer to the net you need to be to hit the acute angle well with success. Otherwise you might have to hit up on the ball which gives the shot away and your opponent time to get it. Closing the net doesn’t mean you give away the lob (your partner who is hanging out on the baseline will get it anyway). You close with the intent to hit the volley (the ball as already been hit) or you close anticipating your opponents shot that you want to angle away. In short the closer you are, and the more angle your opponent hits off a groundstroke (i.e. sharp crosscourt) then the easier it is to hit angle on your volley (sharp crosscourt).
Second, get the tip of the racquet out front. Most people take the racquet back too far as it is and never get the tip around on the outside of the ball in time to hit an angle. When you take the racquet back that far (parallel to the net or further back) you have to swing to get the tip forward which means you will lack touch or feel and the attempted angle with fly out or too much toward the middle (i.e. not an angle). So next time literally just put the tip almost straight forward (due to habit this will be hard but if you try to exaggerate it you might find a happy medium). As the ball comes over the net, your racquet face will be on the outside of the ball and ready for a world class angle.
Happy New Year and I’ll see you on the court hitting sweet angles!