You just hit it back and the rally begins. Sounds like a wasted opportunity, doesn’t it? You bet it is. Winning tennis means exploiting weaknesses and looking for opportunities to strike first. A great way to attack a second serve is by chipping and charging.
First, decide ahead of time when you will chip and charge.
Second, don’t plant your feet when chipping. Move through the shot to set up quickly at the net for the volley. Third, chip up the line to most quickly get into the correct volley position on the same side of the center service line as the opponent. And, finally, time the split well based on when the opponent contacts the ball.
That said, attacking a slower serve and getting to the net has historically meant chipping and charging. The benefits are that the chip shot usually has more dwell time in the air, giving the attacker more time to get into position at the net.
However, there is also something to be said for simply attacking with a driving topspin return to give your opponent less time to react. You may have to hustle more quickly to get into the net, but you should also get easier volleys to put away.
Joe Dinoffer is a USPTA and PTR Master Professional. Visit his site, Oncourt Offcourt, at www.oncourtoffcourt.com.
Since its inception in 1994, Oncourt Offcourt has become the world’s leading source for hundreds of creative training aids, books and videos for the tennis industry.
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