A half volley in tennis is a shot that is hit immediately after the ball bounces. The player who is hitting the half volley should take not a full backswing, but still follow through. The grip for this shot is a standard continental. Also, staying down when hitting the shot is very important, or else it will go long. This is the basic form for the volley, hence the name: half volley. The two parts of the tennis court where this shot is generally used are on the baseline and the service line.

A half volley is a difficult shot to make. Often a player hits a half volley only when forced by the opponent or caught out of position. However, some professionals such as Pete Sampras and Roger Federer have exceptional half volleys that can be used as a weapon.

In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer devotes a page to the best tennis strokes he had ever seen. He writes: "HALF-VOLLEY—Gonzales and Rosewall. Kenny had to learn to hit a half-volley because his serve was so weak that he had to pick up shots at his feet as he came to the net. With his great serve, I don't know why Gorgo had to hit so many half-volleys, but he sure learned how."

See also: Volley

Tennis shots