Grass Court Tactics: The Art of Returning in Wimbledon

Wimbledon, the famous tennis tournament, is known for its fast grass courts. Players with strong serves often get a lot of attention. But, the real skill lies in returning those powerful serves. Ben Shelton is one such player. He is known for his strong serve. But in a recent match, he showed his improving return skills. In a tight third-set tiebreak, his opponent, Lorenzo Sonego, served a 129 mph ball. Shelton managed to return it with a powerful forehand, winning the point easily. Shelton's journey to improve his returns is notable. He admits he's not yet at the top level. But he's making progress. His recent win against Sonego proves that. He won 31% of points on his opponent's first serve. This is a significant improvement. A strong serve is important, but it's not everything. John Isner, known for his powerful serve, only made it to the semifinals once at Wimbledon. This shows that returning is just as crucial. Taylor Fritz is another player who excels at returning. He uses a strategy of standing closer to the baseline and blocking the ball back. This approach works well on grass. It forces big servers to move forward and scramble. Iga Świątek, a top women's player, also focuses on her returns. She hits fewer return winners but wins nearly 40% of points on her opponent's serve. She uses a patient approach, making smart decisions and playing shots at full power without taking big risks. The trend is clear: returning is key to success on grass. Players who can consistently return serves, even if they don't hit winners, make life difficult for their opponents. This is evident in the statistics. Many of the top players in the tournament are also top returners. Emma Navarro is an example of this. She's not known for her serve but made it to the second week of Wimbledon. She returns 76% of her opponent's serves, showing the importance of this skill. Ben Shelton's improvement in returning is a big part of his success. He's winning more points on his opponent's serve. This makes it hard for his opponents to score points. In the end, it's not just about hitting powerful serves. It's about being able to return them as well. This balance is what makes a player truly great on grass.