Volley
Striking the ball before it bounces, whether with a racquet near the net or by kicking it out of the air in football.
Definition
In racquet sports such as tennis and padel, a volley is a shot played before the ball has bounced, usually taken close to the net to cut off the point quickly. Meeting the ball early gives the opponent less time to react and can put pressure on their positioning.
In football the same idea applies to kicking: a volley is a strike made while the ball is still in the air, before it touches the ground. In both cases the skill lies in timing the contact cleanly, since there is no bounce to help control the ball.
Where you’ll hear “volley”
Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Padel
A sociable, doubles-first racquet sport played in an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Squash
A fast, high-intensity indoor racquet sport played inside an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
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Equipment
- Padel racketA solid, stringless racket perforated with holes, used to play padel. The lack of strings gives padel its distinctive shorter, flatter shots.
- Pickleball paddleA solid, flat paddle used to hit the perforated plastic ball in pickleball.
- Squash racquetA slim strung racquet used to hit the ball against the walls in squash.
Rules
Skills
Techniques
Tactics
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
- Doubles formationHow a pair positions itself on court — one up, one back, or both at the net — to control space in doubles.
- Net playControlling the point from close to the net with volleys, smashes and touch shots to cut down an opponent’s time.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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