4 Shots or Less

Grass Court Tennis

4 Shots or Less

4 shots — that’s all you get. Not in a Pimm’s cup at Wimbledon. But in a grass court rally.

Rally Length by Surface (ATP Tour)

That top row is the whole story. On grass, 72% of points end within four shots¹. Not four groundstrokes—four shots, including the serve and return. That’s up from 64% on hard and just 59% on clay, where points are basically small novels.

Why? Because grass court tennis is basically the love child of skipping rocks and soccer. The ball stays low and skids quickly through the court, while the players slip and slide on freshly watered grass. This dramatically favors big servers, those who excel at first-strike tennis, and this guy:

So yes: grass favors the big hitters. The Berrettinis, the Sheltons, the Sabalenkas of the world. However, there’s a common misconception that grass is exclusively a power game, and that one “must be 6’ 4” or taller to ride”

It’s not quite that simple.

Grass may be fast, but it rewards more skills than just power. Federer won eight Wimbledon titles using variety, precision, and touch. His backhand slice was a weapon. He’d knife it cross court, get a pop-up reply, then sling a forehand winner right by you. His opponents would point to the towel, not for sweat, but to wipe the tears off their faces.

Murray, too, didn’t need a monster serve to dominate on grass. He redirected pace, played cat and mouse points, and moved on the grass like he had Messi’s cleats on. He didn’t beat you with force; he beat you with footwork, feel, and big tennis brains.

Grass may shorten the rally, but it doesn’t narrow your options. The surface rewards speed, yes—but also touch, disguise, and the ability to think quickly in chaos. Winning in four shots isn’t just about power. Sometimes it’s about knowing which four shots to hit.

So as the grass season flies by—just five weeks, one Slam, and a handful of warmups—enjoy the brevity. Like the rallies, it’s short. But that’s what makes it sweet.

¹https://shura.shu.ac.uk/25348/

Trivia

Since tennis returned to the Olympics as a medal sport in 1988, which player has won the most medals?

A. Venus Williams

B. Andy Murray

C. Serena Williams

D. Rafael Nadal

Find out at the bottom!

Meet the Player

Katie Boulter

From: Great Britain 🇬🇧

Best Slam Result: 3rd Round

Career High Ranking: 23

Fun Facts: Supports Leicester City Football Club + is dating Alex de Minaur

Game Analysis: Boulter’s game is easy on the eyes. Her technique is impeccable, she plays attacking, but measured tennis, and can rip winners off of both sides. That said, she could be a more aggressive mover, and improve on turning defense into offense.

Career Prediction: The 28 year old Brit is still on the rise. I think she cracks the top 20 and makes a slam quarters at least once.

Around the Net

Some of my favorite tennis content I found on the internet this week…

🏆️ Ever heard of a cinderella run? Well 37 year old Tatjana Maria just had one at Queens — winning her first WTA 500 title, and beating four Top 20 players along the way

🥖 That one time a player’s johnson touched Sam Querrey’s baguette at Roland Garros. This story had me in tears.

😮 This shot from teenage Gael Monfils was something else

Answer

A. Venus Williams holds the record at 5 Olympic gold medals. Four gold and one silver