Choosing the Right Approach Shot
by: Dave Winship @ On The Line

Your effectiveness as a volleyer very much depends on the quality of the shot that gets you to the net - the approach shot.

A major aspect of this is selecting the right ball to come in on. Look for a shortish ball that lands in one of the service boxes. In fact, one of the best opportunities is a weak service.

The next thing to consider is where to aim your shot. Approach shots should be mostly down-the-line. If you go across court, you open up a lot of court for your opponent to pass you. Most importantly, you leave yourself vulnerable to the down-the-line pass that you have no time to cover. So, most of the time, go down-the-line and follow the ball in. But this is not a hard and fast rule. There are times when a cross-court approach is preferable. If your opponent is out of position, for example, it might be better to attack the space. It's also a good idea to consider attacking an opponent's weaker side.

What about the type of shot? Well, using slice is often favored because it's easier to play on the move. Your weight transfers into the shot and it's easier to stay balanced as you follow through and move in. Slice also keeps the ball low, forcing your opponent to lift the ball, giving you a good chance of volleying at a comfortable height.

Topspin allows you the insurance of net clearance and dip and it may present your opponent with an awkward ball that kicks up and forwards. The important thing is to keep a topspin approach deep. If you present your opponent with a short, high-bouncing ball, you could find yourself in a whole lot of trouble.

If you find you have to wait too long for short balls, consider using a "moonball" approach. Hit the ball high and deep with topspin so that your opponent is forced to deal with it from way back behind the baseline. Sometimes your opponent will be surprised to find you at the net and you'll get a relatively comfortable volley, but if he or she sees you coming you'd better expect the lob to go up!

So what's the best type of approach shot? Well, if you weigh up all the factors I've mentioned above, you should have quite a few attacking options to work on. At the end of the day, the best type of approach shot is the one you execute best and the one that hurts your opponent most!

Regards.

Dave Winship