It’s been a while since my last blog—because what a summer it’s been at 10is Academy. Seven adult teams competed across the summer leagues, with five winning titles and two cementing their place in their divisions. A record to be proud of, and proof of how far our players have come together.
Now, as the dust settles, it feels the right moment to dive back into the tactical side of the game—because while competition sharpens us, knowledge sustains us. And one timeless tactic has recently shown just how powerful it can still be.
In tennis, dominance often hides in the details.
We tend to think of crushing forehands, booming serves, or flawless rallies. But sometimes, the boldest statement you can make is also the simplest: step forward, take charge, and finish the point at the net.
That’s the essence of serve and volley—a tactic that once defined champions and, when used today, still wins an extraordinary percentage of points. At the 2025 US Open, for example, the women who dared to serve and volley won 81% of the time. Eight out of ten points. In professional tennis, those are astonishing numbers.
So why is it so rare?
Because modern tennis has shifted deep behind the baseline. Players are trained to rally, to grind, to wait for mistakes. Which means when a serve-and-volley play does appear, it feels unexpected. It disrupts. It unsettles. And it works.
Why It Matters for You
At 10is Academy, we teach that tennis is not only about strokes—it’s about courage and creativity.
Even at the club level, a well-timed serve and volley can:
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Send a signal: You’re not here to react—you’re here to take charge.
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Disrupt rhythm: Your opponent, locked in a baseline battle, suddenly has to think differently.
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Flip momentum: Just one daring point at the net can shift the confidence balance of an entire match.
You don’t need to serve and volley every game. In fact, the beauty is in the surprise. Use it sparingly, and the effect multiplies.
The Lesson from the Pros
At the US Open, 21 women who tried serve and volley didn’t lose a single point doing it. Zero.
On the men’s side, players like Daniel Altmaier and Ben Shelton leaned on it heavily, still winning nearly seven out of ten points.
The numbers speak clearly: when executed with intent, serve and volley remains one of the most efficient—and underused—weapons in tennis.
Your Takeaway
Next time you’re on court, give yourself permission to be bold. Try serving and following it in. Step up to the net, put your opponent under pressure, and see what happens.
You might just discover the timeless truth: Tennis rewards the brave.