In the second video of our mini tennis warm-up series we will be talking about the “Bump-Pass” rally to help you focus on the control of the ball and racquet. If you have not seen the first video in the mini-tennis series “Bump-Bounce-Hit”, make sure to watch the first as that is a prerequisite to this skill.
The Bump-Pass rally is a volley drill where you and a partner will be passing the ball back and forth without letting the ball touch the ground.
Start by positioning yourself about 10 yards apart from your partner over the net. In this rally, you must bump the ball before you volley it back over to your partner. As the ball is coming to you, use your racquet to absorb the incoming ball speed and pop it up in front of you a couple feet.
Keeping your eye on the ball, wait until it falls back down around shoulder level before you pass it back. It is very common on first starting this drill to bump the ball all over the place, so don’t get too discouraged if this happens to you. The trick here is control the ball so that it is bumped up in front and on the side of you so you can use proper volley technique to pass the ball back to your partner.
If you are struggling with sustaining a rally, have your partner start by tossing you the ball and practicing the skill on one side of the net before attempting a rally.
Tennis Warm-up: Bump-Pass Volley Video
Ball control is vital when playing tennis, and it is extremely important when playing up near the net. Use the Bump-Pass mini-rally to hone in your racquet skills to help you at the net.
Get more involved with Tennis!Written by Dustin Blackburn, Certified Tennis Professional at Elite Sports Club-West Brookfield
Dustin is a USPTA P2 certified teaching pro who has been teaching full time since 2012. He began teaching tennis his senior year in high school where he worked at the Waukesha Tennis Association for 5 years. Upon graduating from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a degree in Physical Education, Dustin worked as a teaching pro at Lake Country Racquet and Athletic Club in Hartland, WI and then moved to be a Director of Tennis at Four Lakes Athletic Club in Elkhorn, WI. At the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh he was an Assistant coach for the women’s tennis team for three seasons under head coach Steve Francour. When Dustin is not on the court, he enjoys the great outdoors and spending time with family and friends.