Volley doctor has cure for ailing returns

Here are some quick cures to help improve your forehand volley.

Hit volleys using the Continental grip. If you use the Eastern grip, balls above the net can be hit, but balls below the height of the net will end up in the net because the racquet is not open enough for your shot to clear the net.

The Continental is open enough.

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Hit volleys using the Continental grip.

If your forehand volley is constantly going in the net you must turn your shoulders more.

The forehand volley is hit in front with the opposite leg crossing toward the ball and forward. This will cause a natural shoulder turn when making contact with the ball.

If you use the Western grip at the net - stop!

Try to learn the Continental. If that is too drastic a change, then move to the Eastern. Once you have that the Continental is only a smidgeon away. Learning the Continental is not a quick cure, but necessary to improve your rating or ranking.

If you tend to take a too large a backswing on your forehand volley here are two ways to get the feel of reaching forward:

n Take balls to your forehand volley while holding your wrist with the non-hitting hand. With left hand holding right wrist, right-handed players can not take a backswing and get the feel of forward only on the volley.

n Stand at the net without a racquet and have someone toss you balls so you can catch them with your hitting hand. What you will see is that the only arm motion you will to do is stick the hand up in front of yourself and catch the ball. What you will not do is take your hand behind your shoulder and then move it forward to catch - a waste of time and motion - same as it is on the volley.

Give these two practice tips a try.

If your forehand volley is constantly going in the net you must turn your shoulders more.

Do this little exercise at home. Stand with your racquet as if you are at the net facing the opposite side of the court, lift your arm up and forward, notice how the face of the racquet is facing down. Now without moving the arm at all, turn your shoulders 45 degrees toward your racquet and watch how the face will open up all by itself. The shoulder turn is the key in controlling the face of the racquet.

The opposite leg and foot will make your shoulders turn. Here's a home exercise that can demonstrate how the opposite leg and foot can improve the forehand volley.

In a perfect world the forehand volley is hit in front with the opposite leg crossing toward the ball and forward. This will cause a natural shoulder turn when making contact with the ball.

As we know the ball is not always at the perfect spot, sometimes it is close enough so no step is needed, or it is hit too close to you and a step out is required. In both scenarios the opposite foot must turn in toward the ball.

Stand in the volley position, pretend a step is not needed and simulate a volley.

If the opposite foot does not turn in, the shoulders will not turn, and you'll see the racquet face aimed down.

When you turn the foot you will see the shoulders naturally turn and the face open up. You will notice the same is true when a shot is coming too close but is still a forehand volley. An outward side step with the opposite leg is needed to create space and the foot must turn in.

Practice these moves at home to develop muscle memory.

Use these little tricks and your forehand volley will improve.

Next month: Cures for the backhand volley.

Bill Longua has been the tennis director/head pro at Palm Island Resort, Cape Haze, since 2007 and is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association with more than 35 years teaching experience. For more tennis tips and his book "Winning Tennis Strokes" go to onlinetennistraining.com or e-mail questions to bill@onlinetennistraining.com. A $3.99 download book holiday sale is at onlinetennistraining/holidayspecial.