The rise of the rally

Marat Safin baselined his way to US Open success

BBC Sport's Iain Carter looks at the rise and rise of the rally in tennis - and the slow decline of the serve and volleyer.

Obituaries written for the rally in tennis are proving premature.

As the tennis year heads to its climax it has become increasingly clear that the sport has gone back to the baseline.

This is confirmed by a glance at the likely field for the season-ending Masters Cup in Lisbon which will feature the best eight players in 2000.

Of those certain of a place, only Pete Sampras is an established serve and volley specialist.

It seems the sport has gone full cycle

  Iain Carter

It's only a couple of years ago that fans were worrying that they would never see another rally.

Racquet technology, lighter balls and faster courts were playing into the hands of the big servers and the likes of Sampras, Goran Ivanisevic, Richard Krajicek, Mark Philippousis and Greg Rusedski were blasting their way to victories with a barrage of aces.

Now it seems the sport has gone full cycle. Heavier balls were used at the US Open where Marat Safin won predominantly from the baseline - and here in Stuttgart for this week's Masters Series event the court is very slow for an indoor surface.

Rusedski has spotted the trend. He said: "There are really not too many serve and volleyers left. There's myself, (Pat) Rafter, (Tim) Henman, Krajicek, Sampras.

Agassi - brilliant groundstrokes

"After that of the younger generation the only one you have is Max Mirnyi who's really classified as a serve and volley player.

"It's just the way tennis is going at the moment because guys are hitting big returns, big ground strokes and big passing shots.

"Look at what Safin did to Sampras in the US Open final because the balls were a little bit slower."

The Russian obliterated the Wimbledon champion in that match and signalled a changing in the guard of modern tennis.

Fitting chatting with Safin this week he was keen to point out that it was the best tennis of his life but that he believes the feats of Sampras would never be matched again.

A broader range of players are capable of winning in slower surroundings

  Iain Carter

That's probably because a broader range of players are capable of winning in slower surroundings.

While that can make for more entertaining tennis the authorities must make sure the serve and volleyers can still survive. After all a match between contrasting styles is the most attractive tennis of all.

Anyone who watched the baseline game of Andre Agassi succumb to Rafter's sorties to the net in this year's classic Wimbledon semi-final would be certain to agree.

It is a match those who run the sport would do well to remember when deciding whether they should be slowing down playing conditions.