What’s Serve and Volley?

Serve and volley is a bold strategy: a player serves, then immediately charges the net to hit a volley on the next shot.

It’s aggressive, fast, and not for the faint of heart.

1. How It Works
The player hits a strong serve, then sprints forward instead of staying back. They try to cut off the return with a quick volley — ideally before the opponent has time to set up.

2. Why It Matters
Serve and volley was dominant in the ‘80s and ‘90s, especially on fast surfaces like grass. Today, it’s rare — modern rackets and strings give returners more power and spin, making it harder to finish points quickly at the net. Still, when it’s used well, it can catch opponents off guard and completely shift the momentum.

👂 Where You’ll Hear It

“He’s playing serve and volley tennis today.”
Translation: He’s rushing the net constantly — classic old-school move.

“That serve-and-volley point was textbook.”
Translation: Big serve, clean volley, point over.

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