WIMBLEDON, England — Carlos Alcaraz marched into his third straight Wimbledon closing on Friday, using all of the instruments in his field as he beat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6) to arrange a conflict with Jannik Sinner.
Along with the punishing forehands and deft drop pictures was a lesser-spotted beast, the serve-and-volley. As soon as a fixture on the grass, it is now a dying artwork.
Nevertheless it’s not lifeless.
“I’m simply serving actually good and I’m simply feeling actually comfy doing serve-and-volley,” mentioned Alcaraz, who gained 16 out of 20 serve-and-volley factors in opposition to Fritz. “I feel I gained plenty of serve-and-volley [points] that I did in the present day, simply not letting the opponent get into the purpose, to get the nice rhythm.
“It is one thing that I’m simply doing so much. I feel on grass it’s a floor that we are able to do it extra usually. I am simply actually feeling comfy doing it.”
Till the flip of the century, it was customary at Wimbledon to see a straight line of worn grass from the baseline to the service field as gamers served and volleyed, a massively profitable tactic on a floor the place the ball stays low.
However, after complaints that the lads’s occasion had develop into too boring, Wimbledon made adjustments to the grass in 2002 that made the ball examine, slowing it down. The balls have additionally modified over time, fluffing up greater than up to now, and enhancements in racket and string know-how have made it simpler to return serve.
In 1997, the primary yr that Wimbledon saved such data, 60% of factors in males’s singles have been serve-and-volley. That whole fell rapidly within the years that adopted, falling to 10% in 2008. Between 2008 and 2024, the proportion ranged between 6% and 10%, and in 2025, it is simply 4%. Within the ladies’s singles, 12% of factors have been serve-and-volley in 1997; in 2025, it’s simply 1%.
However whereas the times of gamers charging in after each serve could also be over, serve-and-volley is simply as profitable a tactic because it was in 1997.
Heading into the ultimate, Alcaraz has served and volleyed 11% of the time, greater than any of the opposite seven quarterfinalists at Wimbledon. He additionally has gained 61 of 77 factors doing it, a hit price of 79%, nicely above the typical this yr of 67%.
Alcaraz has additionally been utilizing it more and more usually within the second week of the event. Within the quarters, he gained 18 of 20 forays to the online after his serve and virtually as many in opposition to Fritz.
Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic served and volleyed 64 occasions by way of his six matches, profitable 45 of them at 70%. He used the technique most of all in his semifinal defeat by Sinner, profitable 15 of 23.
Grigor Dimitrov, who pulled out injured when main world No. 1 Sinner by two units to like within the fourth spherical, gained 36 of his 48 serve-and-volley factors — 75%. Ben Shelton tried it 37 occasions, profitable 26 of them, or 70%, to the approval of his father and coach, the previous professional Bryan Shelton.
Doing it in entrance of those that taught you ways 🥹
Ben Shelton is having fun with a improbable grass courtroom season – and he credit his father, former skilled Bryan, as his inspiration for enjoying on the floor ♥️#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/w0DX0VZtuO
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
“He form of conjures up the best way that I am taking part in on grass, the best way that I am shifting ahead, how I am reducing off angles, wanting to combine within the serve-and-volley classic type of tennis each from time to time,” Shelton mentioned about his father after his fourth-round win.
Except 1999 and 2000, when it dipped to 51% and 59% respectively, the serve-and-volley success price at Wimbledon has been constant, staying between 65% and 71% yearly from 1997 to 2025.
Former world No. 1 Pat Rafter, who popped again into Wimbledon for a quick company gig final week, nonetheless thinks serve-and-volley generally is a big weapon on grass if used well. As does one other Australian, Jordan Thompson, who served and volleyed greater than anybody at this yr’s occasion — 31% — on his technique to the final 16.
“The grass remains to be sluggish, but it surely’s grass, so not letting the ball bounce, taking it out of the air, it should pose an issue for any man,” Thompson instructed reporters. “It creates so many issues. [A lot of players] would not have seen that earlier than.
“Personally, I like seeing the serve-and-volley type. I like seeing slices are available in. I like watching Dan Evans play. I feel that is correct tennis, and that is the best way I wish to play.
“It is good on grass. I would not say it is nice on clay or the sluggish exhausting courts that we have got now. However actually, coming ahead in your phrases remains to be going to be a optimistic should you can volley.”