Carlos Alcaraz reached his third consecutive Wimbledon final by showcasing a full range of shots against Taylor Fritz, including the serve-and-volley – a tactic now rarely seen but utilized effectively in his 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6) semifinal victory.
Once a staple on grass courts, the serve-and-volley has become less common in modern tennis. However, as demonstrated by Alcaraz, who won 16 out of 20 such points against Fritz, it is far from obsolete.
“I am just serving really well, and I feel very comfortable doing serve-and-volley,” Alcaraz commented. “I believe I won many serve-and-volley points today, preventing the opponent from getting into the rally and finding a good rhythm. It`s something I`m doing frequently. On grass, it`s a surface where we can employ it more often, and I`m genuinely comfortable with it.”
Before the year 2000, it was common to see visibly worn paths on the Wimbledon grass courts stretching from the baseline to the service box, a testament to the widespread use of the serve-and-volley, a highly successful strategy on the low-bouncing surface. However, changes were made to the grass in 2002 to slow the ball down following complaints that the men`s matches had become uninteresting. Subsequent changes to balls (which become fluffier) and advancements in racket and string technology have also made returning serve easier.
Statistical data shows a significant decline in the tactic`s prevalence. In 1997, the first year official records were kept, 60% of men`s singles points involved serve-and-volley. This figure plummeted to 10% by 2008 and currently stands at just 4% in 2025. In women`s singles, the drop is even more drastic, from 12% in 1997 to a mere 1% in 2025.
Despite the sharp decrease in usage, the effectiveness of the serve-and-volley tactic has remained remarkably consistent, maintaining a success rate between 65% and 71% at Wimbledon from 1997 to 2025 (with minor dips in 1999 and 2000).
Carlos Alcaraz serves and volleys on 11% of his points in this tournament, the highest percentage among the quarterfinalists. His success rate is also impressive, winning 61 out of 77 serve-and-volley points (79%), well above the tournament average of 67%. He has increased his use of the strategy in the latter stages, winning 18 of 20 attempts in the quarterfinals and a similar number against Fritz.
Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic also employed the tactic successfully, winning 45 of 64 serve-and-volley points (70%) across his matches, utilizing it most frequently in his semifinal loss to Sinner (15 out of 23 points).
Other players have also found success with it. Grigor Dimitrov won 36 of 48 serve-and-volley points (75%) before retiring injured against Sinner. Ben Shelton won 26 of 37 attempts (70%), a style encouraged by his father and coach, former pro Bryan Shelton.
Ben Shelton noted that his father`s style influences his approach on grass, particularly his willingness to move forward and mix in the “vintage” serve-and-volley.
Jordan Thompson, another Australian, led the tournament in serve-and-volley usage at 31% on his path to the last 16. He believes it remains a powerful tool on grass, even if the courts are slower than in the past.
“The grass is still slow, but it`s grass, so not letting the ball bounce, taking it out of the air, it`s going to pose a problem for any guy,” Thompson told reporters. “It creates so many problems. Many players haven`t seen that before.”
Thompson expressed his personal preference for the style. “Personally, I like seeing the serve-and-volley style. I like seeing slices come in. I like watching Dan Evans play. I think that`s proper tennis, and that`s the way I want to play.”
“It`s effective on grass,” he concluded. “I wouldn`t say it`s great on clay or the slow hard courts we have now. But certainly, coming forward on your terms is still going to be a positive if you can volley.”
