The Straight Volley Kill is one of the most brutal and vicious shots in the game but a very effective one if you are seeking to up the tempo or if your opponent plays a weak shot.

It’s hit hard with a lot of venom but also hit very low so that it will bounce quite high up the court with the aim of bouncing twice as quick as possible, making it tough to retrieve.

It can be played as both a Straight shot and a Cross-Court shot.

Hit a good Volley Kill in three quick steps:

Make sure you apply the general principles for playing a good Volley shot. These include taking the ball as early as you can to take even more time away from your opponent and always looking for the opportunity to Volley with your racket ready. These skills need to be combined with those of playing a good Kill shot.

High backswing – As with many other shots in the game, you want to ensure that your racket is higher than the ball when you hit it to help you bring it down.

Extreme high to low swing – As with the Kill, you need to really go from too high to low dramatically. Experiment with just how much of a downward cut you can apply and see how vicious you can make your Kill shot.

Shorter follow-through – The Kill shot can benefit from having a slightly shorter follow through than a Volley shot, as this can stun the ball and help keep it short. Although if you find you prefer a longer follow-through and achieve the required accuracy consistently, don’t change it.

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→ Check out our other related Volley pages:

→ Recommended posts for those looking at volleying:

Changing the pace of the game, Watching the Return of Serve