In the shots/terminology post we learned that a volley is a shot that is hit before the ball bounces. When you are at the non-volley zone (NVZ) line, there are four types of volleys that you can execute and they are all helpful to have in your arsenal.

Punch Volley

The punch volley is exactly as it sounds. You are punching the ball down at or near your opponent’s feet. This shot works best when you can contact the ball in front of you, above net height. Remember to keep your swing nice and compact as taking a big swing could cause a mishit. This is shot is very effective against bangers who tend to drive the ball from the baseline.

Roll Volley

The roll volley is different from the punch volley in that you contact the ball at or below the net. Because of the lower contact point, you’ll have to impart some topspin on the ball to keep the shot from flying out of bounds. There are a couple of situations when the roll volley is useful —

(a) attacking a third shot drop to keep your opponents back, or

(b) when you want to execute a surprise attack during a dink rally.

The second scenario is a little risky because you are attacking from a low position but, if executed well, it can catch your opponent off-guard and set you or your partner up to land a good finishing shot.

Volley Dink

The volley dink is a dink that is hit before the ball bounces. It’s a non-aggressive volley that is useful during a dink rally when you can hit the ball before it bounces (taking away time from your opponents) but are forced to make contact with the ball below net level. The dink volley is a good shot to use on unattackable balls so you don’t end up letting the ball bounce and stepping away from the NVZ.

Swinging Volley

The swinging volley is an aggressive shot you can use when your opponent pops the ball up in the air. It’s a hard and fast shot that can be a winner or setup shot.

All four volley options are important to have in your repertoire. The more comfortable you are with these types of shots, the easier it will be to select and execute the most appropriate shot based on the height of the ball as it comes over the net and your opponents’ tendencies.