The Return of Serve and Volley: Can It Happen?

Could serve and volley again be a winning style in pro tennis? As a long time coach, I’m often asked will serve and volley type players ever return at the highest levels of the game? This is a complicated question that is impossible to answer with just a yes or no. There are many factors to consider such as racket technology, string technology, court speeds, swing shapes, and training regimes. The final factor, which is always the wild card, is the mind and heart of a great champion. No one can predict where the next great champion will take the game. What a great champion does is play the game on his own terms not others. If serve and volley tennis does return, it will be because a champion emerges who chooses that style and can impose it on the game. Playing Factors Let’s look at what makes a great volleyer. When I say great volleyer, I’m talking about a player who is predominately winning or losing points at the net. We all know the names of past great serve and volley players: Jack Kramer, Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras among…