Hi!
Here’s a solo drill to perfect your moving forehand volley using a ball machine. It’s ideal for developing control, stability and confidence as you move forward to the net.
The goal of this exercise is to improve the quality of your forehand volley on the move by working on footwork, racket-face control and recovery after each shot.
How to run the drill:
- Set up the ball machine at the back of the court and program it to send mid-court balls with a slight topspin.
- Position yourself on the baseline.
- Start the machine and move forward to each ball to hit a forehand volley. Use a continental grip, keep the racket in front of you with the strings slightly facing your target, and follow through after impact to guide the ball.
- After each volley, move back quickly to recover behind the baseline, then come forward again on the next ball.
- Set an interval of about 4 seconds between balls to keep a realistic rally tempo.
Do sets of 10 volleys with 30 seconds of rest between sets.
(Image created with the ETDM software – Download it here)
This drill improves your ability to take the ball early, strengthens the technical control of the volley on the move and builds confidence when coming forward to the net.
Pro tip: On a moving volley, make sure you stabilise your feet just before impact so you can keep control of your shot direction.
