Building Invincible Volleys Part 2: Two Primary Styles
Chris Lewit
The slice style and the flat style on both sides.
When I look at elite volley technique, I see a fundamental bifurcation - flat style and slice style. Sometimes players use a combination of both depending on the tactical situation.
I call the slice style the "Israeli style" because the nuances were first taught to me by my coach Gilad Bloom, the former Israeli Davis Cup player. In this article let me outline the technical parameters I use when building both invincible flat and slice volleys.
Flat Style and Israeli Style Compared
Both styles of volley are good and valid and both can be used effectively at the high levels of the game. In fact, most players may benefit from learning both styles and I teach both to my students.
The flat style volley is simple and practical. The Israeli style is elegant and more complex.
Chris Lewit is a leading high-performance coach, author, and educator. He is the
author of the best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, and a new technique
book, Winning Pretty, which will be published by New Chapter Press in paperback in
2025. Secrets of Spanish Tennis, Second Edition will be published in September 2024,
also by New Chapter Press. He is also a contributing editor for Tennisplayer.net
magazine and a long-time member of the USPTA and PTR. As an educator, he has
presented at several large conferences including the PTR International Tennis
Symposium. Chris is currently studying kinesiology and biomechanics and headed for
graduate school in that field.
As a player, Chris Lewit played No. 1 for Cornell University and competed on the
USTA and ITF pro circuits. As a coach, he has recently worked with several No. 1 junior
players in the US and has trained hundreds of nationally ranked juniors. He directs a
full-time academy for homeschool/online players and a high performance summer camp
program, as well as high performance training for all ages and levels, all at his
club in the beautiful green mountains of Manchester, Vermont. Contact Chris directly by
phone/WhatsApp 914-462-2912 or chris@chrislewit.com.
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