So when was the last time you watched a professional tennis match where the players served and volleyed? No, I am not talking about doubles tennis. It is true that serve and volley as a technique has all but disappeared along with the sliced return of serve.
A recent article, written by Kevin Darling for CNN, appropriately titled โDeath of a tennis art: Is this the end for serve and volley?โ takes a look at some of the reasons for this dying style of play. ย Some of the reasons cited for this shift include slower courts, heavier balls, high-tech racquets, and a general desire among tennis organizing bodies to lengthen rallies to attract viewership.
Irrespective of the reasons for the evolution of the game, I would argue that serve and volley players definitely need more speed, precision, and creativity to put pressure on their opponents. Sort of a beat-me-if-you-can bravado, as they rush the net challenging their opponents to pass them!
It is debatable whether the best tennis that you can watch, isย between a base-line player and a serve and volley player, or between two base-line players. Or better still, between two serve-and-volley players as shown below!
Now, if you have been watching professional squash, you will agree that the game is evolving in its own way.
Serve and volley of a different sort is happening in squash! Almost every serve is volleyed back by the receiving player, ensuring that the server has less time to react. Gone are the days when the best players consistently played length waiting for the loose ball that they could put away.
The Egyptians continue to dominate the PSA rankings and have definitely left their mark in the game. Volleys and half-volleys have become the norm, with more of the game now being played in the mid and fore-court. The embedded video below will give you an idea of how professional squash players are using the volley return of serve to their advantage.
So what do you think? Do you think that we will ever see the likes of Boris Becker, Richard Krajicek, Stefan Edberg, and Pete Sampras ever dominate tennis again?
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