I have been enjoying watching US Open Tennis on the TV screen these days. Being the month of Ramadan, one can afford to watch late night matches.
Of late I am wondering where the genuine serve and volleyers have gone. They have become as rare as the Lion tailed monkey in Silent Valley, an endangered species.
Heavier balls, taller and stronger players, the switch to bigger composite racquets, luxilon strings, coaching academies churning out baseliners, profligacy of hard courts, the power centre shifting to Europe, and nearly two decades of top players who were baseliners like Borg, Wilander, Lendl, Courier, Agassi, ................. even Sampras, Federer and Nadal - all had a tremendous impact on the youngsters.
To really think of a last great serve and volleyer, one has to go back about couple of decades to John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker. The only serve and volleyer in the mens section today is Taylor Dent and there is none in the distaff side.
Despite all the brilliance of Roger Federer, one would wish he would come to the net more often. He has amazing touch, has a superb volleying techiniques and more importantly he has the best footwork - a much under rated aspect of his game. This would also be his key to correct his bad record against Nadal, for man to man Nadal is stronger from the baseline. Why RF doesnt adopt to serve and volley against Nadal is still a mystery.
Though these days the ground strokes can be an aggressive weapon, there is no greater thrill than when a serve and volleyer charges up the net and tries and puts pressure on the baseliner. Anticipating a pass, intercepting with an acute angle volley is an amazing scene. Attack vs Defence - the contrast, that is what makes the game so absorbing to watch. The acceleration toward the net, the cool angles that are created on the volleys, the fast pace and athleticism, and most of all the simple idea of cause and effect, risk and reward: oh! how I miss them all. I am convinced that serve and volley is still a viable strategy, even in the age of the ground-stroke missile and the dipping return. One just have to take the best young prospects and teach them that mindset from the beginning.
Who can forget the amazing racquet control of McEnroe at the net, or a Stefan Edberg gliding up with pinpoing volleys or Boris Becker diving around in the fore court. Amongst the modern day players, I have seen Roger Federer display unbelievable touch in the net - he is as comfortable picking up a half volley from the boot laces or volleying solidly on either side as he is on hitting his booming ground strokes. And he has one of the best serves in the Game. I can't see Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Del Potro, Davidenko or any other top 10 venturing beyond the service return line other than to shake hands.
The Volley enables the player to use the angles very very effectively. If you have a doubt, just watch a good doubles match. When I started playing Carrom Board, I was taught to use the angles and I have found it to be the best advice I ever had. In fact I had carried forward that advice to my life as well - I am always aggressive, looking for the angles that will baffle others.
