Bercy, in 2015. A match between two Frenchmen, ignited by Benoît Paire who surprised everyone with an insane backward volley.

How well a player can volley often separates the good from the great. Just ask any multiple-time Grand Slam champion. Pat Cash, who built his game around serve-and-volley and won Wimbledon in 1987, ...

For such a short stroke, it’s very easy to complicate the volley. The shot is all about efficiency—a steady racquet face, simplified technique and precise targeting. Yet the slightest bit of ...