Is Federer reviving the volley game?

[gzhpcu]

It sure looks like it. He dismantled Djokovic with his forays to the net, and has adapted very well to this new strategy. Instead of engaging younger players in endless, grinding baseline exchanges, attacking the net to close the point when the situation is favorable. Less tiring for him, more exciting for the spectators. Sure he gets passed now and then, but it is the constant threat of appearing at the net which puts the opponent under mental pressure and out of their normal comfort zone.

Djokovic is still relying on a pure baseline game with net attacks few and far between.

Nishihori is also adapting this type of game I feel, and how others will follow.

[don_budge]

Modern Tennis…a modern joke

It sure looks like it. He dismantled Djokovic with his forays to the net, and has adapted very well to this new strategy. Instead of engaging younger players in endless, grinding baseline exchanges, attacking the net to close the point when the situation is favorable. Less tiring for him, more exciting for the spectators. Sure he gets passed now and then, but it is the constant threat of appearing at the net which puts the opponent under mental pressure and out of their normal comfort zone.

Djokovic is still relying on a pure baseline game with net attacks few and far between.

Nishihori is also adapting this type of game I feel, and how others will follow.

It's laughable that it has come to this…it's insulting to one's intelligence if you know your history. Tennis history.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/10/41/Shanghai-Sunday-Brain-Game-Federer-Simon.aspx

You have to ask yourself for some honest answers…otherwise the lesson is lost. How did it come to this? How did we allow the leaders in the sport to steer it so far astray? The answer…we had no say in it and nobody made a peep about it. Just go along to get along. Dissenting opinions are made to look like pariahs…conspiracy theorists.

The net game was being ushered out post John McEnroe and the standard sized tennis racquet era. After that…the game was too fast so of course it had to be slowed down to the present form in an attempt to get the thing watchable. But it didn't work either. Just last night my wife's son made some of the same comments that I talk about on the forum here and he doesn't play tennis at all. He's 42 years old by the way…just barely old enough to know the meaning of the reality of things.

See Roger volley. Now the pundits and commentatoes will make it seem that he has invented the volley game. Not just reviving it but inventing it. They are astounded by his audacity to go to the net! Amazed at his courage! How does he dare to do it against the human howitzers like Novak Djokovic and all of the rest?

Those that are too young to remember will automatically believe it. Just as they were led to believe that the modern game is superior to the old classic game. It's a matter of information and disinformation now. Disinformation is winning due to an decided edge in technology. Just remember though…with every invention comes a curse.

[stotty]

Tricky dilemma...

It sure looks like it. He dismantled Djokovic with his forays to the net, and has adapted very well to this new strategy. Instead of engaging younger players in endless, grinding baseline exchanges, attacking the net to close the point when the situation is favorable. Less tiring for him, more exciting for the spectators. Sure he gets passed now and then, but it is the constant threat of appearing at the net which puts the opponent under mental pressure and out of their normal comfort zone.

I think he's certainly showing others there is another way, Phil. Let's face it, he would be unlikely to beat Djokovic playing purely from the back. Djokovic is nye on impregnable in baseline exchanges for most players.

The problem I see is that not everyone is Djokovic. The rest of the tour look quite happy having baseline exchanges with each other. Djokovic represents an impasse so players try something different against him, even the grand master, Federer, feels the need to change his approach.

Overall I don't see things changing because players seem to spend far less time in their formative years learning to volley than they do ground strokes. That comes at a heavy price and is probably irreversible unless your a genius like Federer. It hard to have confidence in a style of play which isn't your A game and which is fundamentally alien to you. A player cannot suddenly transcend or bypass a learning curve in a area so specialised as volleying.

It's hard to know how the game could be changed to necessitate more volleying. Speeding the courts or lowering the bounce might make things worse. Some intricate fine tuning would certainly be needed.

[gzhpcu]

Well, let's wait and see, success is often emulated...

[seano]

Volleys

Like everything else in life, it's cyclical. It starts with teaching pro's/young jr's see Fed's success and want to emulate it, so it becomes emphasized more. Racquet/string technology made it more difficult to volley, so it took a back seat to the heavy groundstrokes. Volleys being used mainly as a sneak attack tactic when players were put on the defensive and the pace of the groundies was manageable.

I agree that if current pro's aren't comfortable with their volleys, they are less likely to employ that strategy. But with Fed reviving his career doing it again, at the age of 33, people will take notice and do the same. I'll say one thing, It sure has brought an excitement back to the game.

Sean

[gzhpcu]

I would like to see Federer take on Nadal with his new game plan....

[10splayer]

Wait a second, I thought (at least according to some) that Fed had no clue how to volley....hmmmm

[gzhpcu]

Probably the same ones saying he should retire 3 years ago...

[gzhpcu]

Here is a nice article summing it up and providing statistics:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Ten...rer-Simon.aspx

[klacr]

Well, let's wait and see, success is often emulated...

Hmmm...It's although we touched on this style earlier this year and now it comes up again. Wish this website had articles that touched on serve and volley. Oh wait, It does...

***SPOILER ALERT*** Shameless self plug

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ve_and_volley/

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ley_mentality/

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...al_components/

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ritical_shots/

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ley_drills_p1/

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...ley_drills_p2/

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...olley_summary/

Sorry, I had to do it.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

Guess Federer has been reading your articles Kyle...

[klacr]

Federer has Edberg in his corner. I think he\'s doing a few steps better than reading my articles.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

At then end of this video, 12 year old ball boy Roger Federer receives a gold medal... (around 6:19...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0PtT9mKIeo

[gzhpcu]

Federer on serve and volley....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEq4RDIM2Dc