Serve-and-volley

Serve-and-volley is a style of play in tennis where the serving player moves quickly towards the net after hitting a serve, to attempt to hit a volley afterwards. In the serve-and-volley playstyle, the server attempts to hit a volley (a shot where the ball is struck without allowing it to bounce), as opposed to the baseline game, where the server stays back following the serve and attempts to hit a groundstroke (a shot where the ball is allowed to bounce before contact is made). As a returner (receiver, volleyer) of a serve, the player may also attempt to hit a half-volley, instead of waiting longer after the ball has bounced to hit a usual groundstroke (e.g. Roger Federer's SABR).

The aim of this strategy is to put immediate pressure on the opponent with the intent of ending points quickly. This tactic is especially useful on fast tennis courts (e.g. grass courts) and less so on slow courts (e.g. clay courts). For it to be successful, the player needs to be quick and confident in their movement around the net to produce an effective returning volley with less time to react than a baseline game, with the reward of the opponent also having less time to react to their volley. As with any style, a good serve is important as well. Ken Rosewall, for instance, had a mediocre serve but was a successful serve-and-volley player off his volley skills for two decades. Goran Ivanišević, on the other hand, also had success employing the serve-and-volley strategy with great serves and average volleys.

The serve-and-volley style of play was common at the highest level of the sport in the 20th century. It diminished in the 21st century, and is seen far less frequently. Advances in racquet and string technologies allow players to generate a great amount of top spin on groundstrokes and passing shots, making them much more competitive with volleys. It is generally thought that contemporary players with 21st century equipment playing on 1970s courts would produce a string of aces; in response, court surfaces have become slower and balls have been deflated, promoting longer rallies. This, however, had the side effect of devaluing the serve-and-volley style.