Try to get your eyes, ball and racket at the same level when volleying. This means you have to bend your knees a great deal. I like to tell my kids to “get your chin to the level of the top of the net” when preparing to volley. If you prepare to volley from that position, you can hit the low volley more consistently. If you have to hit a high volley, it is much easier to straighten your legs and get your eyes, ball and racket at the same level. Your legs are six times stronger than your arms so that isn’t a problem. If you are too upright as you prepare to volley and a low ball is hit to you, you have to hope gravity will get you down to the ball in time……it won’t.

With that said, there are two ways to bend your knees….by squatting straight down and by lunging. If you squat you do not move your body forward to volley as you must. Also, you remain just as far from the net and have to volley the ball up. If you bend your knees by lunging, you get closer to the net (more margin for error) and don’t hit up so much. You volley the ball sooner and reduce the time your opponent has to react to the ball as it travels a shorter distance.

Make sure to go Out with your racket when volleying and not Down. You have 38′ of court to volley the ball into and that is a lot of area. When you chop down you often hit the strings on the upper part of the racket and mishit the ball into the net or hit a soft volley that sets up your opponent. You get power from your body moving forward in the direction you are volleying. You don’t bring your racket back. Keep the racket within your peripheral vision not at the side of your head. Keep your strings facing in the direction of your target for as long as possible. If you move your racket (and strings) with your hand, shoulder, body you change the direction and do not hit the ball where you intended.

Hope this helps.
Good luck,
Jim

The grip to use?

Do you change grips (do you usually have time?)

What is your thought process when volleying the ball e.g. Punch;
Volley out not down ? Contact the ball on the strings and move forward etc?

Thanks for your help.
Jim