The volley
A volley is any shot hit before the ball bounces. Learn the punch volley, the block, the roll volley and the speed-up, and how to stay legal near the kitchen.
What a volley is
A volley is any shot hit out of the air before the ball bounces. In pickleball, volleys happen mostly at or near the kitchen line, where the team that controls the net can take time away from its opponents.
Two rules always apply:
- You cannot volley while touching the kitchen, including the line, and your momentum after a volley cannot carry you into it. See kitchen rules.
- The two-bounce rule means the first two shots of a rally cannot be volleys.
Ready position
Good volleys start before the ball arrives.
- Feet shoulder width or a little wider, knees bent, weight on the balls of your feet.
- Paddle up in front of your chest, tip slightly up, so you can cover both forehand and backhand. Many players favor a backhand-ready position because the backhand covers more of the body.
- Eyes on your opponent's paddle, not your own.
Types of volley
| Volley | What it is | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Punch volley | Short, firm forward push with almost no backswing | Medium-height balls you want to send deep or at feet |
| Block | Paddle held firm, absorbing pace | Hard drives aimed at you; to slow the ball down |
| Dink volley | Soft volley into the kitchen | Taking time away during a dink rally |
| Roll volley | Brushing up to add topspin | Attacking a ball around net height with control |
| Swinging volley | Bigger swing | High, slow balls you can put away |
Technique tips
- Short backswing. At the net you have little time. The paddle should barely go behind your body.
- Contact in front. Meet the ball out in front of you, not beside your hip.
- Firm wrist, soft grip. A firm wrist keeps the face stable; a relaxed grip lets you absorb pace when blocking.
- Use your legs. Bend to get low on low balls instead of dropping the paddle head.
Letting balls go
A hard ball heading high or long will often land out. Learning to duck or move your paddle out of the way wins easy points. As a rule of thumb, balls above your shoulders heading toward the baseline are good candidates to let go, especially when opponents are hitting from low positions. But if it hits you or your paddle before bouncing, you lose the rally.
Hands battles
When all four players trade fast volleys at the net, that exchange is called a hands battle or firefight. Keep your paddle up, hit through the opponent's body or feet, and reset with a block if you are out of position. See beating bangers.
Drills
- Volley to volley. Two players stand a step behind the kitchen lines and volley back and forth without letting the ball bounce. Count to 30.
- Block wall. One player drives from mid-court; the other blocks every ball softly into the kitchen.
- Speed-up and counter. Dink until one player speeds up; both play out the volley exchange.
Common mistakes
- Swinging too big, causing late contact.
- Leaning forward so far that you fall into the kitchen after the shot.
- Volleying balls that would have landed out.
- Keeping the paddle down at your waist between shots.
After every volley, return your paddle to the ready position in front of your chest. Most errors at the net come from a paddle that is out of position for the next ball.
