An approach can fail long before the volley. The ball may have been wrong for coming in, the target may have been wrong, or you may have been caught running when your opponent hit. All three are decisions you can check on video and change in practice. The USTA's level descriptions show how this part of the game develops: a 3.0 player is often uneasy at the net, a 3.5 is more comfortable there, and a 4.0 uses approach shots and volleys with success.
Which balls should you approach on?
Before you go, ask three questions. Will I hit this ball inside the baseline? Am I balanced and moving forward? Can I land it past the service line? Three yes answers mean you go. Any no means you play a rally ball and wait. This rule is our suggestion. In practice, you can approach more often than the rule says, because you learn more from a lost net point than from one you never tried.
| The ball or situation | Decision | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lands near or inside the service line, and you can reach it at waist height or above | Approach and drive it | You are already close, and you can hit through the ball. |
| Lands short but stays low, below the height of the net | Approach with a slice or controlled topspin, aimed deep | You have to lift it, so depth matters more than pace. |
| Your opponent is stretched wide or far behind the baseline, and the reply floats | Close in and take it in the air | They have little time, and you cut off their recovery. |
| A high, slow ball while your opponent stands far back | Move in if you trust your swing volley. Otherwise let it bounce | Coaches differ here. It is a strong play, but the shot takes practice. |
| A deep ball pushes you behind the baseline | Stay back | You have a long way to go, and your ball will probably land short. |
| You are running wide at full stretch | Stay back and recover | You cannot control the shot well enough to follow it in. |
| Your opponent has just hit a drop shot | Keep going forward after you reach it | Running back gives them an easy passing shot or lob. |
Avoid stopping in the middle of the court, between the service line and the baseline. Balls land at your feet there. Go all the way forward or return to behind the baseline.
Where to hit your approach shot
Depth comes first. A deep approach gives your opponent less time and a harder angle. As a target, aim past the halfway point between the service line and the baseline, which is about 2.74 m (9 ft) inside the baseline. Then choose a direction.
| Target | When to use it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Deep, down the line | The usual choice, especially when you hit from near a sideline | You stay on the same side, so your path to a good net position is short. Your opponent has less angle for a pass. |
| Deep, through the middle | When you hit from the center, or you are unsure | It takes away angles for a passing shot. Some coaches prefer it at club level, but it moves your opponent less. |
| Deep, crosscourt | When you hit from the center, or when a clear weakness is on that side | You have further to go to cover the line, so it needs to be a stronger ball. |
| Short and low, usually a slice | When your opponent stands well behind the baseline | It can force a low reply, but a ball that sits up is easy to pass. Use this as a second option. |
Slice and topspin both work. A slice stays low and makes your opponent hit up, and it gives you time to move forward. Topspin suits a ball you can reach at waist height or above. Hit the approach at a pace you control. A very hard approach comes back faster and gives you less time to reach your position.
Where to stop, split step and stand
Keep moving after the approach, along the line of your ball. Then make a split step as your opponent hits, wherever you are at that moment. A small study of 10 male collegiate players, using a simulated reach task and not match play, found that they reached the target in 764 ms with a split step and 868 ms without. Being balanced at the moment of contact matters more than being one step closer.
- Hit and keep going. Do not stop to watch your approach.
- Follow your ball. After a down-the-line approach, finish slightly to that side of the center of the court, so you cover the line and most of the crosscourt pass.
- Split as they hit. Land balanced, with your knees bent and racket up.
- Move diagonally forward to the volley. Meet the ball as early as you can, without waiting for it to come to you.
- Play the first volley deep to the open court. This first volley is often played near the service line, which is 6.40 m (21 ft) from the net, so a winner from there is a hard shot.
- Close again. Keep moving forward for the next ball. Many coaches suggest a position about halfway between the service line and the net, about 3 m (10 ft) away. Too close and a lob beats you easily. Too far back and you volley from below the top of the net.
How to practice coming to the net
Work through these in order, with a partner. Pass marks are suggestions. Move to the next step when you reach the mark in two separate sessions.
- Approach to a target. Your partner feeds 20 short balls from across the net. Approach each one and land it past the service line. Pass mark: 14 of 20.
- Freeze at the split. Same feed, but your partner shouts "freeze" just as they hit the next ball. Stop and check: are both feet down, are you balanced, and is your racket up? Pass mark: balanced on 8 of 10.
- Approach and finish. Your partner feeds short and then tries to pass or lob you at medium pace. Play out the point and score to 11. Pass mark: win one game of three, then two.
- Must-approach game. Play points from the baseline. Any ball that lands inside the service line must be approached, and a point you win at the net scores 2. Play three games to 11 and note how often you left a short ball alone.
If your feet are the problem, add a block from our footwork drills before you work on the volley. Against a player who rarely misses, this skill becomes the main plan, as our guide on how to beat a pusher explains.
How to check your net game on video
Film from behind the baseline with both baselines and the alleys in the frame. This is a hand tally. TennisAI's listing does not advertise net points or tactical analysis, and its scores cover forehand, backhand and serve. For each approach in a six-game sample, write one line with these five marks.
| Mark | What to check | What a pattern means |
|---|---|---|
| Ball | Was it short, medium or deep when you decided to come in? | If you lose mostly from medium or deep balls, you are approaching on the wrong ball. |
| Depth | Did your approach land past the service line? | Short approaches give easy passes. Slow down and aim deeper. |
| Split | Pause when your opponent hits. Are you mid-stride, or landing from a split step? | If you are often mid-stride, use the freeze drill. |
| Position | At the same pause, where are you: behind the service line, on it, or inside it? | If you are often far behind it, you started too late or stopped too early. |
| Result | Won or lost, and how: passing shot, lob or your own volley error. | Many lobs: stand further back. Many passes: improve the approach. Many volley errors: practice the volley. |
Do not judge the net by your wins there alone. In the same sample, work out the share of net points you won and the share of baseline points you won. As a rough rule, if the net share is higher, come in more often. You can also keep a count of short balls left alone, using the sheet in our match review routine. The contact and footwork in your approach are where TennisAI's groundstroke feedback can help, once your tally shows that the approach is what breaks down.
Frequently asked questions
When should you approach the net in tennis?
Approach when you can hit the ball inside the baseline, balanced and moving forward, and can land it past the service line. Also close in when your opponent is off balance or far behind the baseline.
Should I approach down the line or crosscourt?
Down the line is the usual choice, because your path to a good net position is short and your opponent has less angle. Some coaches also like a deep ball through the middle. Crosscourt works best when a clear weakness is on that side.
Where should I stand at the net in singles?
Finish slightly to the side of your approach and keep closing forward. Many coaches suggest about halfway between the service line and the net, about 3 m (10 ft) away, adjusting for lobs.
Do I need to split step at the net?
Yes. Make a split step as your opponent hits, wherever you are, so that you can move in any direction. Being balanced at that moment matters more than being one step closer.
What do I do if I keep getting lobbed at the net?
Stand a little further back, and turn sideways early for the overhead. If the lobs are coming from comfortable positions, check whether your approach is landing too short.
See this in your own game
Upload a practice or match video to TennisAI and get feedback on your forehand, backhand and serve.
Sources
This article is general information about tennis training and does not replace a coach or medical advice. Stop and see a professional if something hurts. TennisAI is made by Pace, the publisher of this blog.
