This article is a continuation of “Why Great Volleying Has Never Guaranteed Grand Slam Success.”
In Part 1, we established an uncomfortable but necessary truth ….
great volleying has never guaranteed Grand Slam success.
That insight naturally leads to the next question many serious players ask ….
“If net play isn’t the strategy, then why do champions still come to the net?”
The answer is simple, and often misunderstood.
The Net Was Never the Battlefield
At the highest level, the net has never been the place where battles are fought.
It has always been the place where battles are concluded.
Champions do not go to the net to fight.
They go to the net to finish.
This distinction changes everything.
Why ‘Using the Net More’ Is the Wrong Goal
Many players tell themselves:
- “I must use the net more”
- “I must look aggressive”
- “I must play complete tennis”
These goals sound positive …. but they are dangerously vague.
They shift focus away from ….
- Rally quality
- Decision-making
- Timing
- Court awareness
And they replace it with forced intention.
Net play driven by intention is pressure.
Net play driven by opportunity is freedom.
How Champions Actually Reach the Net
Elite players arrive at the net only after one of these conditions is met ….
- The opponent is stretched
- The opponent is late
- The ball is short
- The court is clearly open
In other words, the opponent has already lost balance, time, or control.
The net appearance is not brave.
It is logical.
The Most Important Skill Is Not the Volley
This may surprise many players.
The most important net skill is not volley technique.
It is approach selection.
A simple volley after a good approach wins more points than ….
- A beautiful volley after a neutral approach
- A stylish touch volley under pressure
Most volley errors happen before the volley, at the moment the player chooses to come forward.
What High-Percentage Net Play Looks Like
When net play is used correctly, it looks boring, and that is a compliment.
- No rushing
- No drama
- No forced angles
- No unnecessary touch
Just ….
- One good approach
- One simple finish
Champions are not artists at the net.
They are accountants …. collecting what is already earned.
Why Rushing the Net Backfires Under Pressure
Under pressure, forced net play causes ….
- Tight hands
- Poor footwork
- Low-percentage volleys
- Momentum swings
That is why many players “feel” net play is unreliable.
In reality, it was not the net that failed.
It was the decision to go there.
The Sequence That Never Fails
Elite tennis always follows this order ….
- Control the rally
- Take time away
- Force a short ball
- Step forward
- Finish simply
When this sequence is respected, net play becomes easy.
When it is skipped, net play becomes risky.
A Simple Reality Check for Players
Ask yourself before every approach:
“Is my opponent defending …. or am I just bored?”
If the opponent is defending, the net is correct.
If you are bored, the net is a trap.
Why This Understanding Changes Careers
Players who understand net play as a reward ….
- Stay patient longer
- Choose better moments
- Reduce unforced errors
- Win ugly matches
Players who treat net play as a strategy ….
- Rush points
- Lose close sets
- Feel confused under pressure
The difference is not skill.
It is clarity.
Final Closing Thought (Part-2)
The net does not create winners.
It reveals them.
Those who arrive there after doing the hard work look calm.
Those who arrive there early look rushed.
In modern tennis, success belongs to players who understand one timeless rule ….
First earn control.
Then accept the reward.
About the Author
Alex Gomes is a high-performance tennis coach and mentor with decades of on-court experience working with serious junior and competitive players.
His coaching philosophy, The Gomesee Way, focuses on understanding why improvement stalls, how training disconnects from match performance, and how players regain clarity under pressure.
This platform reflects lived court-side observation …. not borrowed theory.
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