| p>Amazingly enough a great percentage of today's | | | | David Ferrer serving score - 40 -30 |
| tennis matches are indeed won at the net. What does | | | | Djokovic shows his versatility as well as the full grasp |
| this mean to all players? No matter how much you do | | | | of the tactical sense needed to win big matches and |
| not like to go to the net, if you want to win, you need | | | | become a true contender in major Grand Slam |
| to develop your net game skills and that means: | | | | tournaments. He takes Ferrer's service early, drives it |
| The Volleys | | | | deep to the forehand side and moves in quickly to |
| The Net Footwork | | | | draw a mistake on Davids' forehand passing on a not |
| The Serve and Volley | | | | so good volley from Djokovic. |
| The Approach Shots | | | | David Ferrer serving score 40 - 40 |
| The Overhead Smash | | | | Novack Djokovic does not want to serve out the |
| The Half-Volleys and other specialty shots | | | | match and senses his opponent is about ready to |
| Why does it have to end at the net? After exhausting | | | | throw in the towel, so he decides to attack once more. |
| long rallies and having exploited all baseline possibilities | | | | This time he takes the first short cross court backhand |
| against an opponent and all things are still equal, tennis | | | | from Ferrer and once more attacks deep down the |
| players are often faced with the question, how am I | | | | line two draw a second error passing shot this time on |
| going to win this match? | | | | what could have been a relatively easy shot for David. |
| The answer is simple, by attacking! | | | | David Ferrer serving score Match-point |
| A blunt example of this is the end of the match with | | | | Emboldened by the previous two points success and |
| David Ferrer serving at 4/6, 4/6, 3/5 against Novak | | | | realizing that his opponent is under enormous pressure, |
| Djokovic at the US Open 2007. After running | | | | from the baseline Djokovic slams a deep forehand |
| themselves to death on previous matches and now | | | | downline and moves in to finish with a superb short |
| faced with the specter of a Roger Federer final, both | | | | angle backhand volley winner! |
| players knew a 5 set event would sap the rest of | | | | So if you want to shorten up points, save much |
| their already meager reserves. So they still stuck to | | | | needed energy for future rounds, put your opponent |
| their old baseline routine, but with more frequent | | | | against the wall in a do or die situation and win big |
| attacks to shorten up points, culminating with these last | | | | matches, develop your attack! |
| three: | | | | |