Allen Fox: Playing Rod Laver

By developing heavy topspin on both sides, Rod Laver challenged “the big game” and forced tennis to evolve.

Rod Laver was a pivotal figure in the history of tennis, a quiet man who’s impact changed forever the way the game was played. Up to his time volleyers had a tremendous advantage over baseliners. Laver figured out a way to make the playing field more level.

When Laver came on the scene, most of the best players in the world served and volleyed and won their matches at the net. Jack Kramer believed that the volleyer had the advantage over the baseliner. In the 1940s he promulgated the strategy of “the big game,” based on persistently attacking the net. He theorized if a player came to net at every opportunity (deep approach shots and serves), the enduring pressure would cause the baseliner to make too many mistakes.

Kramer’s version of “percentage tennis” proved to be correct and almost all the champions who followed him (Pancho Gonzales, Frank Sedgman, Tony Trabert, Vic Sexias, Neal Frazier, Alex Olmedo, John Newcombe, etc.) played like he did.

Kramer’s theory held for two reasons. First, most major championships were played on grass, a surface that greatly…