In the following clip, Berdych can be seen working on his volleys at the net, adjusting to many different balls played directly at his body. The faster a player is fed at the net, the more he is forced into so-called “body volleys” – i.e. volleys played close to the body.
A stroke that no net player likes to do, but which still has to be done. Here Berdych shows how to get the racket on the ball, stay in balance and control the volley in this emergency situation.
The comfortable Forehand Volley
The first picture shows a classic forehand volley, with both hands close together and the torso held sideways. Berdych executes this volley perfectly. He plays the ball with a ‘two-step’ combination, right-left (see video). He first turns his right knee outwards to initiate the turn, then pushes off with the tip of his right foot before taking a big step with his left foot. He keeps his upper body upright, hits the ball in front of his body and keeps the racket head well above his wrist.
Get out of the way!
This shot towards the right hip forces Berdych to turn and back up with his right leg to stay out of the way of the ball. His contact point is slightly in front of his body and exactly in the middle of the racket. His eyes are perfectly aligned with the contact point.
A closer look
The magnifying glass confirms the perfect contact point! The racket is slightly open, because in this situation Berdych has to lift the ball over the net.
Hard shot on the body
A ball directly to the chest is a big challenge. For these types of shots, using the backhand volley is always the best choice. Berdych has to jump, but he manages to get the racket head at the perfect angle and hit the ball right in the centre.
A deep backhand volley
This is an interesting look at a low backhand volley contact point. The magnifying glass shows that he holds the racket between an ‘Eastern’ and ‘Continental’ grip. His racket head is slightly open and above his hand. His body is sideways and his knees are bent.
Quick response to a more distant forehand volley
A fast ball forces Berdych to the right, to the outer edge of the court, to block the ball back. He barely takes a swing and simply puts the racket behind the incoming ball. The close-up shows the racket head in a perfect position to push the ball over.
Backhand Volley Dropshot
If you watch the video, you will see that Berdych ends the rally with a volley drop shot by starting the swing well above the contact point and swinging down. The racquet head is slightly more open at the contact point, which of course also has to do with the height of the contact point.
Player: Tomas Berdych | Tournament: Mutua Madrid Open
If you want to practice and master volleys in all their facets, it is important to learn from top players and integrate all these situations from level 3 into your training. The competition volley is no oasis. All situations need to be practiced, especially the unpleasant ones.
KEY EDUCATION FACTOR