Tennis world en n 49 Tennis World issue 49 | Page 36

With not much venom in his
ground strokes, Ivanisevic
was forced to go forward
most of the times and
holding serve was not an
option but a necessity for
him, which he did superbly
well.
Patrick Rafter
One of the most gifted and
natural volley players of all
last true serve and volley
player we ever got to saw all
thanks to the slower
surfaces. His chip and
charge strategy on the
returns helped him become
a complete serve and volley
player as this sort of playing
style can only be executed
by players with soft hands.
Henman was ranked as high
as No.4 in the World.
Goran Ivanisevic
The South paw from Croatia
won the lone Grand Slam
title at Wimbledon in 2001.
His blasting serves found
the range most of the times
and that helped him play the
1-2 strategy extremely well.
With a good reach at the
net, Ivanisevic was not the
best serve and volleyer but
surely an effective one.
time, the former World No.1
did not have a big serve. But
with superbly placed serves
and his smooth volleys, the
Australian was known for his
monumental kick serve.
He was also not shy of
jumping around the court,
something very important for
a serve and volley player.
Courtesy his expertise at the
net, Rafter went on two
become a two time Grand
Slam champion.
Pete Sampras
The most prominent serve
and volley player of the
recent times, Pistol Pete is
the name that comes to
one’s mind when it comes to
serve and volley. With a
serve that not many people
could read, Sampras’ serve
had the sting to unsettle
anyone and everyone most
of times.
His strength – one toss
many angles, with serves
being hit out wide and down
the middle with the same
toss, Sampras made things
worse for the returner as he
came in after the serve to
finish the point in a flash.