Have you ever had a shot hit right
at your body when you were at the net? They are tough to handle.
The best way to hit a reflex
volley on a ball hit right at your body is with a backhand grip.
With a backhand you can hit balls from your chest to your right
hip (for righties), and, of course, anything to your left. In
contrast, the forehand volley has a much more limited range and
can only handle shots on your right side.
Remember, we are talking about a
reflex volley, one where you don't have much time to react.
To execute the backhand reflex volley:
Make sure you always have your
racket up in the ready position (chest high and pointed in
front of you).
Raise your elbow so that you can
move the racket face in front of your body to block the
ball.
Check out our previous tip,
Punch the volley, for pointers
for when you do have time on the volley.
The reflex backhand volley can keep you
in the point, and possibly save you a bruise or two. Remember to
keep that racket up and in front of you to give yourself more
time on the volleys.
