Items26The creator’s order
  1. 1Roger FedererRoger FedererBorn 8 Aug 1981Roger Federer is the bridge between the two grass eras. Early on he served and volleyed, beating Pete Sampras that way at Wimbledon in 2001; later he won mostly from the baseline with a precise first serve, taking the ball early and stepping in to finish at the net. Light footwork on a slippery…0i
  2. 2Martina NavratilovaMartina NavratilovaBorn 18 Oct 1956Martina Navratilova was the most complete serve-volleyer the women's game has produced. Her left-handed slice serve dragged opponents wide, she was at the net before the return arrived, and her athleticism and fitness, unusual for the time, let her cover the angles. She won nine Wimbledon singles…0i
  3. 3Pete SamprasPete SamprasBorn 12 Aug 1971Pete Sampras won seven Wimbledon titles in eight years, from 1993 to 2000, with the most reliable serve of the fast-grass era. He could hit the same ball toss for a flat serve out wide, down the middle or a kicker, so returners could not read it, and he followed it with sharp first volleys. On the…0i
  4. 4Novak DjokovicNovak DjokovicBorn 22 May 1987Novak Djokovic mastered modern grass from the baseline. His return neutralised big servers, and his ability to slide on grass, once thought impossible, let him defend wide balls and reset rallies. He also learned to serve well under pressure, saving two championship points against Roger Federer in…0i
  5. 5Serena WilliamsSerena WilliamsBorn 26 Sept 1981Serena Williams had the best serve in women's tennis, and on grass, where a low, skidding ball is hard to return, it was decisive. She paired it with a heavy return that attacked second serves, so most of her points lasted only a few shots. She won Wimbledon seven times between 2002 and 2016, often…0i
  6. 6Steffi GrafSteffi GrafBorn 14 Jun 1969Steffi Graf won Wimbledon seven times with a combination that suited fast grass perfectly: a huge inside-out forehand and a low, skidding sliced backhand that opponents had to dig out from around their ankles. Her speed let her run round the backhand to hit forehands from almost anywhere. In 1988…0i
  7. 7Rod LaverRod LaverBorn 9 Aug 1938Rod Laver won Wimbledon four times, in 1961 and 1962 as an amateur and in 1968 and 1969 as a professional, with wooden rackets on very fast grass. As a left-hander he swung serves wide on the ad court, came forward and finished with angled volleys, and his topspin backhand gave him passing shots…0i
  8. 8Margaret CourtMargaret CourtBorn 16 Jul 1942Margaret Court used her height, long reach and strength to dominate at the net, at a time when three of the four majors were played on grass. Her serve-volley game won her Wimbledon in 1963, 1965 and 1970, the last as part of a calendar Grand Slam. She won 24 Grand Slam singles titles in all, still…0i
  9. 9Billie Jean KingBillie Jean KingBillie Jean King built her game around attacking the net, chipping and charging on returns and volleying with authority, which made her ideal for the fast grass of the 1960s and 1970s. She won six Wimbledon singles titles and 20 Wimbledon titles across singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Her…0i
  10. 10John NewcombeJohn NewcombeBorn 23 May 1944John Newcombe's big, heavy serve and solid first volley were built for grass. He won Wimbledon in 1967, the last year before the Open era, and again in 1970 and 1971, and he was also one of the great doubles players with Tony Roche. His matches show the basic grass pattern at its clearest: serve…0i