Perfect forehand approach on the run and forehand volley

A perfect Forehand Approach on the Run

& Forehand Volley to finish

I spend a ton of time teaching players of all levels how to hit a forehand on the run to take time away from their opponent and close in to net. Club, juniors and college players alike are often not use to this movement.  Here is a perfect example when John Isner takes the first opportunity to attack, on the run, closes in tight and hits a perfect forehand volley with slight cut for control.  This really stuck out to me for two reasons.  One, knowing John and having had my players play him in college, his game is imposing. The serve alone is like returning a ball from a sky scraper and then the heavy ball he hits due to mass, arm length, etc. is just heavy. But two, he does not get to net nearly as much as he should or could so this was a perfect point for him to do.  Watch the video and I will discuss some key points. (I will be providing video instruction on this and related footwork and swing, technical and tactical aspects of the approach, volley, etc.  So keep an eye out for that).

Taking Time Away

First off, most players would not even move forward to hit this ball let alone conceive of going forward at the same time with the intent of going in. Most players would let the ball come to them and hit it cross court (or behind the opponent) thereby elongating the rally.  The scenario goes like this.  I am watching a point like this and tell a player “That was a ball you could have attacked on the run and drilled cross court and possibly gone in on.”  To which the common reply is “Really, I didn’t think it was that short.”  Ahah! Short has little to do with it.  Yes, we look for balls that are short, but also in the middle, or when the opponent is out of position and two of the three are in this video and possibly all three.  For Isner, who feels comfortable doing this, the ball was short so for him all three were there.  Pop. Right in the wheelhouse, sweet-spot, or strike zone for John.! Watch the video again to see all three.

On the run forehand

So by moving forward he took tons of time from Popyin and in order to do that with that type of ball, he could not do it with a closed stance footwork but with the outside foot on the run. Many club players have been taught you should not run through an approach or a volley etc. Sorry but your pro is misinforming you.  I will have upcoming videos that discuss the many footworks getting us to net off the ground and hitting volleys but in both cases there are times you need to MOVE (or run) through the ball.  Side note: The volley generally still requires a split step (not split stop) or adjustments steps and John does that here.

So as  the ball comes to John, he steps with the outside foot (right for forehand, would have been left for backhand).  As should be the case always, he takes his swing back at the same time lets ‘er rip.  Most people get in trouble here because their swing is TOO BIG based on the ball. They try moving through the ball like John does here but their swing is too big for the ball speed and end up missing it late followed by “I can’t…” (four letter word in life tennis and life by the way), or “See what happens when I do that.”  So shorten your swing. The momentum of your movement will take care of most of the power.  But you have to hurt your opponent on the approach.  Many players make the mistake of hitting the approach too conservatively allowing their opponent to hit an “eeny-meeny-miny-moe” shot. That is, they can pick anywhere to pass. John just tumps this ball. You can hear the thud.

Next John has committed to moving forward as he hits it so he gets in as fast as he can (he is hopefully doing this more because he needs to get to net and hurt opponents more if he is going to win a Slam*). So he runs to the ball normally called “following the ball.”  You would be amazed how many people do not follow the ball. It means go straight to the ball to cut off potential angles.

The Ideal Finishing Forehand Volley

This is one of John’s best technical volleys I have seen him hit. Just perfect.  His split step is just prior (as it should be) to Popyin hitting the scramble forehand. Split step, not stop, not stutter (both feet land simultaneously) is key and then you notice Isner’s next move is his right foot moves first (as always on a forehand anything) but instead of moving out (which on a wide ball it would) he is turning in preparation and doing a slight drop step with the right foot moving back a bit. This is because the ball, in his view, is not that far out and he has to get his body turned and set up for it.  He then moves through the volley. Yes, runs through it. If you watch it in slow motion again or even use your cursor to stop-start the video, at impact his right foot is on the ground, he hits the ball, then the left comes through. That is running through the ball.  It is a legitimate move and I specifically work with players at all levels on this. Club players, juniors and collegians often need work on this.  The point is there are situations you cannot step with the left foot in time to have that left foot forward to volley. (I provide the video again so you can look at it.)

Lastly, John has the face of the racquet open. Yes open.  Too many players have the wrong grip or wrong concept and on a low ball like this the face should not be square or closed.  Other players have it too open at contact resulting in loss of pop on the volley or it shoots up.  The key is he takes it back normally (slight, repeat slightly, open) and has the descending blow to the ball and as he hits it he cuts it a bit (I call it massaging the ball) so the face opens a bit more to control the ball. We gain control with spin in most if not all sports (tennis, golf, basketball, etc).

One thing to remember, tennis is an art. There are technical and tactical “to dos” that do work better than other options. Not ever ball is the same or location you are in hence the beauty of the sport. It requires speed, agility, power, endurance, feel, among many of the physical attributes but also requires mental grit and single mindedness. It truly is one of the most brutal sports mentally.  So even having the court wide open like John has it for this volley, many players miss the shot or do not end the point on the volley.  So keep practicing it, work this pattern with a friend or your pro. Take the forehand on the move and get to net, split and hit the forehand volley on the move.  Again not all balls allow this so that is why having a pro feed balls for repetition is good.

Let er rip.

*I made a comment about John getting in more. You can read some stats about John’s points when opponents get his serve back and rallies ensue, compared to the fact, not opinion but fact, that 65% of points attempted at net on the tour are won (by all players, even the baseliners). Compare that to when only the best of the baseliners win about 56% (and there is really only about 1% separation of points won).  You do the math. And John has one the most oppressive serves in tennis affording him ample chances to get in either off early balls like this one (though he was returning) or even serving and volleying. For some great info along these lines, listen to my podcast The Coach Steve Clark PhD Show with Craig O’Shannessy and on that blog you can click on his Brain Game Tennis link.