Why Points are Shorter on Grass (And How to Win Them)
Are you a “grinder”? Do you love the long, tactical, 20-shot rallies you get on a clay or hard court? Do you like to patiently “work the point,” moving your opponent side to side before pulling the trigger?
If so, take a deep breath. Grass court tennis is about to break your heart.
On grass, the 20-shot rally is an endangered species. The 4-shot rally is king. This isn’t a failure of strategy; it’s the nature of the surface itself. Grass is the fastest surface in tennis, and the single most crucial adjustment you can make is mental: you must embrace speed on grass courts and learn to love the short point.
Why is Grass a Different Beast?
It comes down to simple physics. The ball doesn’t just bounce; it skids.
- Speed: The slick, living blades of grass offer very little friction, so the ball retains its forward velocity. It “shoots” through the court.
- Low Bounce: The soft turf absorbs the ball’s energy, killing its vertical bounce.
The result? The ball gets to you faster and lower than on any other surface. This drastically cuts down your reaction time and forces the game into a “first-strike” style.
Adopt the “4-Shot Rally” Mindset
In “baseline tennis,” you can afford to play a few neutral balls to “get into the point.” On grass, the point is often decided by the time you’re done “getting into it.”
You must be prepared for the point to be over in four shots or fewer:
- The Serve
- The Return
- The Serve + 1 (the first shot by the server after their serve)
- The Return + 1 (the first shot by the returner after their return)
Key Takeaway: Stop seeing a 3-shot point as a failure or a “lucky” shot. On grass, it’s the norm. Your goal is to be the one who dictates and wins that 3-shot point.
How This Mindset Changes Your Game
When you accept that rallies will be short, it forces you to be more purposeful with every single shot, starting with the first two.
1. Your Serve Becomes an Offensive Weapon
On grass, your serve isn’t just to start the point—it’s to end it, or at least set up a simple put-away.
- Focus on the “Serve + 1”: Don’t just serve and stand there. Serve and anticipate. Expect a weak, floating, or chipped return. Be ready to pounce on it with an aggressive forehand or a drive-volley. This 1-2 punch is the bread and butter of grass court tennis.
- Slice is Your Friend: A good slice serve that pulls your opponent off the court or a flat “bomb” down the ‘T’ is devastating because the ball will skid away, making a quality return incredibly difficult.
2. Your Return Becomes a Weapon (Not a Reset)
You can’t just loft the ball back and hope for the best. The server is already charging in or setting up for an aggressive “Serve + 1.”
- Use the Chip/Slice Return: A low, slicing return is an offensive shot on grass. It forces the server to hit up on their next shot (a challenging task) and gives you time to recover or even move forward yourself.
- Block it Back: Sometimes, especially against a huge serve, the best you can do is block it. Shorten your backswing, use the server’s pace, and focus on getting the ball low and deep.
The Mental Adjustment: Don’t Get Frustrated
This is the hardest part. You will have points where your opponent hits a good serve, you hit a decent return, and they knock off a simple volley. You’ll feel like you “didn’t even get to play.”
That’s okay.
You have to accept this. Don’t get frustrated by the lack of rhythm. Grass tennis isn’t about rhythm; it’s about explosive, opportunistic moments. The pressure is on both players to execute from the very first ball.
Stop trying to play a marathon. Learn to win the sprint. Go here for more information on how to play faster tennis on grass. Register here to access everything on the Grass Tennis Club site.
