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Tennis · Level 9: Master · Sub-level 9.5

The Evolution of Tactics and Style

4 tests · 40 facts · updated 13 October 2026 · markdown

How the way tennis is played has changed: the serve-and-volley era on grass, the rise of topspin baseliners, the power baseline game, and the modern all-round player.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1The serve-and-volley eraTake a test

  1. On fast grass, the server could follow the serve in before a strong return came back.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  2. Wimbledon, the US and Australian Championships were on grass; the French was on clay.

    Source: Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com) · recall

  3. Roland Garros was the clay major while the others were on grass.

    Source: Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com) · recall

  4. With small, heavy frames, attacking the net was often safer than out-rallying.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  5. The style depends on the first two shots of the point.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  6. A low return forces the incoming server to volley up.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  7. With grass mainly at Wimbledon, baseline styles gained ground.

    Source: Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com) · recall

  8. 1968, 1970 and 1975.

    Source: Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com) · recall

  9. The US Open left grass after 1974, the Australian Open after 1987, and Wimbledon is still played on grass.

    Source: Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com) · recall

  10. Only the French Championships were on clay.

    Source: Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com) · applied

Test 2The rise of the topspin baselinerTake a test

  1. Borg won five straight Wimbledon titles.

    Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

  2. Borg showed a topspin baseliner could win on grass.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  3. Their success in the 1970s spread the two-handed backhand widely.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  4. Topspin brings the ball down into the court, giving margin to big swings.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  5. Slow clay rewards patience and consistency from the back.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  6. Borg's results showed the baseline game travelled to fast courts.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  7. Two hands make a heavy ball easier to control, though with less reach.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  8. His run ran from 1976 to 1980.

    Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

  9. Serve-and-volley era, Borg's era, then the modern power game.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  10. He won all five years shown.

    Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · applied

Test 3The power baseline gameTake a test

  1. Fast swings and heavy topspin made power from the back reliable.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  2. Better returns made it harder to win behind the serve.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  3. Many players and writers felt the grass played slower afterwards; the club says soil matters most.

    Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

  4. Hewitt's win from the back showed the change at Wimbledon.

    Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

  5. Heavy topspin bounces high and deep, which is hard to attack.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  6. The modern return and slower courts favoured staying back.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  7. Better movement turned more defensive positions into chances to counter.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  8. Equipment changes led step by step to the power baseline game.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  9. 1976, 2001 and 2002.

    Source: Wimbledon, history of The Championships · recall

  10. Net approaches fell as the power baseline game took over.

    Source: General tennis history references (playing styles) · applied

Test 4The modern all-round gameTake a test

  1. Top players blend power from the back with net play when it pays.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  2. Even baseliners come in to finish points they have set up.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  3. Strong returners attack serves, especially second serves.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  4. Statistics on serve directions and patterns now shape match plans.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  5. Slower conditions were partly a response to very short serve-dominated points.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  6. The best movers counter-attack from positions that once meant defending.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  7. Pace and spin keep players moving more in longer, faster rallies.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  8. The game moved from the net, to the baseline, to an all-round power game.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  9. Modern players build from the baseline and finish forward.

    Source: General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame) · recall

  10. The serve-and-volley era ended the most points at the net.

    Source: General tennis history references (playing styles) · applied

Sources

ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame, the Grand Slam tournaments' own histories, Davis Cup, Olympedia and ATP. Original questions authored, nothing reproduced.

  • General tennis history references (ITF history, International Tennis Hall of Fame)26
  • Grand Slam tournament histories (usopen.org, ausopen.com, wimbledon.com)6
  • Wimbledon, history of The Championships6
  • General tennis history references (playing styles)2