Many pickleball enthusiasts have experience with other racket sports like tennis or badminton.
The skills from these sports often translate smoothly to pickleball, but tennis players sometimes struggle with learning the unique volley technique in pickleball.
The volley shot is crucial in pickleball, yet it poses a significant challenge for those transitioning from tennis. In this Selkirk TV original, former tennis player and current pickleball clinician, Jarrett Chirico provides insight on overcoming these challenges.
Tennis vs. pickleball volleys: Key differences
There are many similarities between tennis and pickleball volleys. In both sports, you hold your racket or paddle with the tip in front of your wrist, and you make contact with the ball in front of your body.
However, the primary difference between the volleys lies in the angle of the paddle and the resulting ball trajectory.
In tennis, players often swing through a volley with an open-faced racket, causing the ball to stay high in the air. In pickleball, this gives opponents an easy opportunity to receive a volley above their waist, often resulting in a put-away shot.
How to hold your paddle when volleying
Imagine you are standing in the middle of a giant clock. If you are right-handed, your paddle should be aimed toward the 11. If you are left-handed, it should be aimed toward the 1.
Having your paddle pointed in this direction means that your backhand will be slightly open toward your opponent, which helps:
- Defend yourself from quick attacks;
- Prevent errors caused by improper paddle positioning; and
- Cover your face quickly to prevent injury.
How to adjust your paddle face from a tennis grip
To excel in pickleball, you need to adjust your paddle face. Instead of hitting the ball with an open paddle face like in tennis, aim to hit your volleys with a slightly closed paddle face. This means tilting the top of your paddle slightly forward.
As you push your paddle forward to make contact, roll the top of your paddle forward and over toward the middle of your body. This technique, known as rolling the ball, helps direct the ball toward the bottom of your opponent’s court.
The proper grip and swing path for volleying
When volleying a pickleball, you want to hold your paddle with a slightly firm grip. So, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a tight squeeze, aim for a grip strength of six or seven.
If you were to keep the same loose grip you use when dinking, you wouldn’t generate enough force to challenge your opponent.
It’s also important to keep your swing path short. Not only with this help you reset in between each hit, but a shorter swing path also makes you more accurate when hitting your sweet spot on the paddle.
Remember: it doesn’t matter how big of a backswing you take if you mishit the ball. A shorter swing with more accurate placement will result in a much deadlier shot.
Rather than swinging your arm behind you to hit a forehand, simply open your wrist to your opponent and punch forward. This quick hit will generate ample power to keep you aggressively involved in the rally.
Proper stance and positioning
When hitting the ball, ensure your hips are square to the net and push your chest up. Maintain a low stance, as if you are sitting in a chair, for every shot. This posture provides stability and control, crucial for effective volleys.
Finally, ensure your arm moves in a straight line. If you are aiming to shoot down the line envision your swing path down the sideline. If you want to go cross-court, envision a diagonal line extending from your shoulder to your target.
As you hit the ball, make sure your hips are square to the net and you push your chest up. Keep low in your stance — you should feel as if you are sitting in a chair on every shot.
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