Photo credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA
Attacking the Net the Spanish Way By Chris Lewit
istorically, most Spanish players have been averse to attacking the net. Typically they would be content to grind from deep behind the baseline and win points through attrition and defense. That stereotype has now been shattered in the modern pro game. Spanish players have become well known for their offensive capabilities, particularly their forehand weapons, and they have also become well-rounded all court players who can finish consistently at the net. Rafael Nadal is a prime example and exemplifies this trend on the ATP Tour. Nadal has become more aggressive over the course of his career and also more willing to attack the net. Carlos Alcaraz is another good example, and he is a fantastic Next Gen player with a prototypical modern Spanish allcourt game. I’ve noticed in my travels throughout Spain that the net attack and transition game are taught differently than in the US and other
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countries. In the US and other fast court dominated countries, such as England and Australia, the net is usually regarded as the ultimate place to finish points and to dominate your opponent. In Spain, however, coaches and players have a more nuanced and different philosophy regarding the net attack. From the Spanish perspective, the net is potentially advantageous—but also potentially very dangerous. I’ve observed that most American coaches and players don’t view the net that way. Spanish players and coaches understand that being at the net is not ALWAYS a good thing and that you can win points quickly there —but also lose points quickly too. Therefore, because of this more nuanced understanding, Spanish players tend to be more circumspect and judicious in terms of attacking the net. They are willing to move forward but only after good point construction and a thorough assessment and calculation of the risks and benefits. The legendary Spanish coach and player Jose
New York Tennis Magazine • January/February 2022 • NYTennisMag.com
Higueras describes this as being a “responsible” attacking player. He teaches his athletes to be responsible and selective when choosing to approach the net. This mature and conservative style is a hallmark of the Spanish mindset vis-à-vis attacking the net. Selectivity is very important from the Spanish point of view. By being more selective, the approaching player increases the odds of winning the net point and often will produce a win/loss point ratio at the net of 60-70 percent, which is remarkably high. Typically, analytically speaking, Spanish coaches and players like to make fewer total approaches per match with a higher win/loss percentage while players from other countries attack the net more frequently and have a win/loss ratio closer to 50 percent. From a Spanish perspective, a close to 50/50 win/loss ratio means the player is probably not approaching responsibly—assuming they have good net skills.
