Wimbledon, England — Carlos Alcaraz reached the third straight Wimbledon final on Friday, setting up a clash with Janik Thinner, beating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
In addition to punishment forehands and skillful drop shots, it was a beast with few spots, serve and bory. Once prepared for the grass, it is a dying art.
But it’s not dead.
“I’m just doing really good service and just doing serve and boree makes me feel really comfortable,” said Alkaraz, who scored 16 of 20 serve and boree points against Fritz. “I think I got a lot of serve and boree (points) I did today.
“That’s something I do a lot, I think it’s a surface that can be done more often on the grass.
Until the turn of the century, Wimbledon was customary to see the grass straight from the baseline to the service box as players were putting out and supplying the volleys.
However, after complaints that the men’s event was too boring, Wimbledon changed grass in 2002, checking the ball and slowing down. The ball also changed over time, becoming more fuzzy than before, and improved racket and string technology made it easier to return serves.
In 1997, the first year Wimbledon held such a record, 60% of the points in the men’s singles were serve and boree. That total fell rapidly over the next few years, falling to 10% in 2008. Between 2008 and 2024, the percentage ranged between 6% and 10%, with only 4% in 2025. In 1997, 12% of the points were served and boree in women’s singles. In 2025, it’s only 1%.
However, in the age when players charge after all serves are finished, Serve and Bory is just as successful in tactics as they did in 1997.
Heading into the finals, Alcaraz served 11% of the time and volleyed more than the other seven quarterfinals at Wimbledon. He also scored 61 of his 77 points. This is a 79% success rate, well above this year’s average of 67%.
Alcaraz is also used frequently in the second week of tournaments. In the quarter, he scored 18 of 20 advancements to the net after serving, earning almost as much against Fritz.
Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic volleyed 64 times in six matches, earning 70% in 45 of those matches. He used the strategy in the semi-finals by the sinners, winning 15 out of 23.
Grigor Dimitrov scored 36 of 48 serve and vory points as he was injured when leading the world’s first crime criminal in two sets in the fourth round – 75%. Ben Shelton tried it 37 times, winning 26 years old, or 70%, to the approval of his father, coach, former ProBrian Shelton.
How do you do that in front of those who taught you?
Ben Shelton enjoys an amazing grass court season – and he praises his father, former professional Brian, as his inspiration for playing on the surface ♥♥#wimbledon pic.twitter.com/w0dx0vztuo
– Wimbledon (@wimbledon) July 7, 2025
“He inspires the way I play with grass, the way I move forward, the way I want to cut off angles and mix vintage-style tennis at times,” Shelton said of his father after a four-round victory.
With the exception of 1999 and 2000, the success rates of serve and borley at Wimbledon have been consistent when soaked in 51% and 59% respectively, ranging from 65% to 71% each year from 1997 to 2025.
Former world No. 1 Pat Rafter, who returned to Wimbledon last week for a short corporate gig, believes that if used wisely, Serve and Bolly can become a massive weapon in grass. Another Australian, Jordan Thompson, served more than anyone else at this year’s event, volleying on his way to his final 16.
“The grass is still slow, but it’s grass so don’t bounce the ball off, take it out of the sky, and it’s going to bring problems for any guy,” Thompson told reporters. “It creates so many problems. (Many players) probably never saw it before.
“Personally, I like to see the serve and the boree style. I like to see slices coming in. I like to see Dan Evans playing. I think that’s the right tennis. That’s how I want to play.
“It’s good in grass. I’m not saying it’s great for the clay and slow hard coat we have right now. But certainly moving forward on your terms will still be positive if you can volley.”
