It might surprise you to learn that recreational tennis players have more options for serve and volley strategies than the pros. While the pros may have faster serves and more foot speed, their opponents have more skills that allow them to create more offensive responses. Your opposing recreational players aren't able to create the same acute angles on returns the pros can, giving you more options to add this tactic to your game.
Serve Into the Body
Serving into your opponent's body, even at a slower speed, forces your opponent to swing inside out, rather than across his body. This makes it more difficult to hit balls down, forcing him to pop returns up. Balls that are ascending when they reach you are easier to volley than balls that are dropping.
Serve Wide
Serving wide gives your opponent an opportunity to hit short angles and down-the-line returns, but many recreational players can't do this. Players running wide for balls often don't turn their shoulders enough to take advantage of the angles you give them, so try this strategy to see how your opponent responds. If she passes three times with no problem, switch to serving down the middle to take the away angles and use wide serves sparingly to surprise her.
Divide the Court
When you serve, your opponent can return the ball down the line, to the middle of the court or crosscourt. He may not be able to hit all three of these shots equally well. Instead of covering the middle of the court when you come in or following in directly behind the ball, cover two-thirds of the court and give your opponent one-third. For example, if you can serve extremely wide to the backhand in the ad. court, your opponent may not be able to rotate his upper body enough to go down the line. Cover the middle and crosscourt return and dare him to go down the line.
Stay Back
The key to the serve and volley is neither the serve or volley --- it's the split step you make just before your opponent hits the ball. If you are moving when your opponent hits the ball, you need to stop, then move to the ball. Stopping before your opponent hits the ball lets you respond with only one movement, toward the ball. Stop earlier than you think you need, to gauge how well you are executing your split step. You may be farther back in the court, but fewer balls will get past you.
1-2-3
Try to finish serve and volley points with three shots. Hit your serve, hit your midcourt volley deep into your opponent's court to pin her back, then hit your second volley using a short angle. After you split and hit your first volley, continue to the net to create the opportunity to hit your second volley short.
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