Serve and volley wasn’t always a folly

The French Open is not just about tennis — it also about artistry, technical finesse and the skill of asserting one’s game on a hostile surface. The terre battu courts at Roland Garros have been, as a rule, considered a graveyard for players whose game hinges on serve and volley. But, over the years, there have been a few exceptions to the rule — players who have successfully employed their usual style of play on the slow red clay and come up trumps against the more favoured opponents, writes Bikash Mohapatra.

Patrick Rafter (Australia)

Rafter was one of the last serve-and-volleyers. He also belonged to the above category of players who could assert themselves anywhere, the surface notwithstanding. In the 1997 French Open, it was vintage Rafter. He was so effortless that it seemed he was playing on his favourite surface. A third round win over the 1993 semifinalist Richard Krajicek and a comprehensive quarterfinal win over clay specialist Galo Blanco earned him an opportunity to face two-time winner Spain’s Sergi Bruguera in the last four, the first Australian to do so since Phil Dent in 1977. It was a match in which Rafter did little wrong. Yet he lost. Inexplicable, ain’t it? The pony-tailed Australian, however, went on to win the US Open.

Stefan Edberg (Sweden)

One of best artists of all times, Stefan Edberg and the French Open were always considered an odd couple. With his ‘kicking’ serve and volley game, the Swede was at the net in no time to finish the point. Stefan did have a decent, if not outstanding, record in Paris. His best was in 1989, when he beat Goran Ivanisevic, Alberto Mancini - the Argentine was the favourite going into the event after big wins in Monte Carlo, Nice and Rome - and Boris Becker in successive matches to make it to the decider. He was up two sets to one and had an early break in the 4th but his opponent, Michael Chang, came back to win 6-1 3-6 4-6 6-4 6-2. The Swede proved that a classical serve-and-volleyer can indeed win on clay.

Michael Stich (Germany)

The 1991 Wimbledon champion was no stranger to red clay, having won a considerable number of tournaments on the surface using his usual game to his advantage. So it was not surprising when he made it to the final in Roland Garros in 1986 - rather it was expected since he had impressed in his foray to the last four stage in 1991. What was surprising, instead, was the fact that he actually lost the match against Yevgeny Kafelnikov despite getting most things right. On second thoughts maybe the Russian was plain lucky. But who can forget his comprehensive fourth round win over defending champion and firm favourite Thomas Muster, something that left the Austrian shaking his head in utter disbelief.

John McEnroe (USA)

The temperamental American was synonymous with two majors - the Wimbledon and US Open. However, his clay play was always suspect, especially in the presence of stalwarts like Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas, Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander. But in 1984, the top seed beat formidable Spaniard Jose Higueras 6-4 7-6 3-6 6-3 in the fourth round and then had surprisingly lopsided wins over compatriots Jimmy Arias and Jimmy Connors to enter final. He led by two sets in the title clash but Ivan Lendl, sans a major despite 40-odd titles in five years, was not prepared to be a bridesmaid again (having lost to Borg in 1981). He came back to win 3-6 2-6 6-4 7-5 7-5 but by then McEnroe had made his point, loud and clear.

Boris Becker (Germany)

There was one blemish in the German’s otherwise impressive career - he never won a title on clay. But Boris Becker made up for the disappointment by producing some impressive form on the surface that would have put a specialist to shame. Three appearances in the final of Monte Carlo and an equal number of French Open semifinals gave immense proof of his clay court credentials. His 1989 semifinal against rival Stefan Edberg - which the latter won 6-3 6-3 5-7 3-6 6-2 - is now part of Roland Garros folklore. Had he won against the Swede, he may well have pocketed the title, considering his impressive record against Michael Chang, whom he also beat easily in 1991. Alas, it was not to be.