If you’re like most players you never practice the half volley. After all, it’s not a shot you hit by choice in a match; it’s one you hit only when forced to, right? While that may be true, a reliable half volley is one of the factors that separates good net players from average ones. And smart competitors give this difficult shot regular attention when they’re working on their game.
Next time you go out for a hit, practice your half volley by standing on the service line while your partner hits medium-pace balls at your feet. Your partner can position himself either at the baseline or, if he has controlled volleys, at the net. Try to take these balls immediately after they bounce using an abbreviated ground stroke motion. The longer you wait after the ball hits the court to play your half volley the more difficult the timing becomes—when you do it right the sound made by the ball hitting the court and then hitting your racquet is a rapid “ba-bomp.” Although you would normally move forward after making a half volley in practice stay near the service line so that you can hit this shot over and over again. A few minutes of half volley work in each on-court workout will have you scooping them up deftly in no time.