A Grand Slam champion’s style is easiest to spot in the rallies that keep repeating: a serve followed by a rush to the net, a forehand that opens the court, or a defender who turns a winner into one more ball to chase. But champions rarely fit neatly into one box. The most useful way to compare them is to look at the patterns they relied on—and how those patterns changed with the surface, opponent and era.
Here’s a guide to the main playing styles found among major champions, with examples from both the men’s and women’s game. The labels are shorthand, not strict categories: a great champion could be a counterpuncher one point and an attacker the next.
What “playing style” means in tennis
A player’s style is the set of choices they use to control points. It includes where they stand to receive, which shots they trust under pressure, how readily they come forward and whether they prefer to finish points quickly or extend them. Surface matters, too. A serve-and-volley game can be especially effective on fast grass, while heavy topspin and patient defense often pay off on clay.
Equipment, court speed and playing conditions have also changed over the decades. Comparing champions is most revealing when it’s about their tactical identity—not a claim that one style is automatically superior in every era.
Major champion styles at a glance
| Style | Typical pattern | Representative champions |
|---|---|---|
| Serve-and-volley | Serve, move forward and finish at the net | Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg, Martina Navratilova |
| Attacking baseliner | Take the ball early and drive opponents back or wide | Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Serena Williams |
| Counterpuncher | Defend, redirect pace and wait for a shorter ball | Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Chris Evert |
| All-court player | Change tactics and move between the baseline and net | Roger Federer, Justine Henin, Martina Navratilova |
| Heavy-spin baseliner | Use high, heavy groundstrokes to push opponents out of position | Rafael Nadal, Björn Borg |
Serve-and-volley: win the point before the rally settles
Serve-and-volley champions use the serve to create a weak return, then close the net to cut off the opponent’s options. It demands more than speed: the first volley must be controlled, and the player needs the nerve to keep advancing even when the return comes back firmly.
Pete Sampras built a formidable version of this approach around a powerful serve, a precise first volley and a fearless overhead. His 14 major singles titles included seven Wimbledon championships, where quick grass courts rewarded his ability to take time away from returners. Stefan Edberg, with six major singles titles, was another classic example. His game depended less on brute force than on fluid movement and excellent volleying.
Martina Navratilova’s 18 major singles titles show how effective forward pressure could be in the women’s game, too. She was not simply charging blindly: her left-handed serve, athletic movement and touch made her difficult to pass. Serve-and-volley tactics are less common as an all-match strategy today, but a well-timed trip forward remains a valuable way to finish a point.
Attacking baseliners: take time away
An attacking baseliner looks to dictate from behind the baseline, taking the ball early and using depth or angle to force a short reply. The aim is not necessarily to hit a winner immediately. Often, the attacker first moves the opponent out of position, then finishes into the open court.
Andre Agassi was a master of taking the ball early, especially on the return. His compact strokes let him redirect big serves and rush opponents before they had time to recover. He won eight major singles titles, completing a career Grand Slam across all four events. Steffi Graf, a 22-time major singles champion, paired fierce groundstrokes with an exceptionally damaging forehand. Her speed helped her turn that forehand into an attack from almost anywhere on court.
Serena Williams combined baseline aggression with one of the most influential serves in tennis. Her 23 major singles titles came from more than raw power: she could protect her own service games, attack second serves and raise the pace when a match tightened. In each case, aggressive tennis worked because the champion could also manage risk. Going for too much on every ball is not the same as controlling a rally.
Counterpunchers: turn defense into pressure
Counterpunchers absorb pace, stay balanced and make opponents play another shot. The best ones are not passive. They use depth, direction and movement to push the attacker into a difficult position, then take their chance when it appears.
Novak Djokovic is an outstanding example of defense becoming offense. His flexibility and return of serve help him neutralize attacks, while his ability to redirect the ball can suddenly put an opponent on the run. Djokovic had won 24 major singles titles by the end of 2023. That total reflects a game capable of surviving pressure and then taking control of the rally.
Rafael Nadal’s court coverage and determination made him exceptionally difficult to finish against, particularly on clay. His heavy forehand could push a rival far behind the baseline, turning defense into an opportunity to attack. Nadal won 22 major singles titles, including 14 at Roland-Garros. Chris Evert, with 18 major singles titles, was another champion whose consistency and court sense made opponents earn points repeatedly. Counterpunching works best when “one more ball” also has purpose: a deep reply or a change of direction can make the next shot much harder.
Heavy topspin: move the opponent, then attack
Heavy topspin gives the ball a high bounce after it lands. That can push an opponent back, make contact uncomfortable around shoulder height and create space for the next shot. Björn Borg used this kind of deep, heavy groundstroke to great effect on both clay and grass, winning 11 major singles titles, including six French Open and five Wimbledon championships.
Nadal took the approach to another level with his forehand, often sending opponents well behind the baseline before changing direction. Heavy spin is not a style on its own—both players were also tactically adaptable—but it can be a powerful foundation for controlling a rally. Its value depends on the court: a high bounce can be a weapon on clay and a less comfortable proposition on a very low-bouncing surface.
All-court champions: adapt instead of choosing one lane
All-court players can change the shape of a match. They may defend from the baseline, attack with a forehand, approach behind a strong shot or use a slice to disrupt rhythm. The key is not doing everything equally often; it is making opponents uncertain about what comes next.
Roger Federer blended fluent baseline offense with deft touch and well-timed approaches, winning 20 major singles titles. Justine Henin, a seven-time major singles champion, used a versatile backhand, sharp movement and an effective one-handed slice to vary the pace and open the court. Navratilova also belongs in this group as well as among serve-and-volley players: the strongest champions often resist a single label.
Why champions rarely fit one category
Playing-style labels describe a player’s preferred patterns, not every point they play. A counterpuncher still needs to attack; an aggressive baseliner still needs to defend. Champions adjust their tactics to the opponent and conditions. A player might stand farther back to handle a powerful serve, approach the net against a deep defender or use more margin when the wind makes flat hitting risky.
That flexibility helps explain why there is no single “Grand Slam-winning style.” Sampras’s forward pressure, Agassi’s early ball-striking and Djokovic’s exceptional defense are very different routes to success. What they share is a clear plan, the skills to execute it under pressure and the judgment to change course when a match demands it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which playing style has won the most Grand Slam titles?
There is no simple count, because styles overlap and champions are classified differently. Baseline play has become especially prominent in modern tennis, but serve-and-volley, all-court and attacking styles have all produced major champions.
Can a player be both a counterpuncher and an attacker?
Yes. Many champions defend patiently until they see a short or predictable ball, then attack. “Counterpuncher” describes how a player handles pressure; it does not mean they never take charge.
Which style is most effective on clay?
Heavy topspin, strong movement and patience are often useful on clay because the surface usually slows the ball and produces a higher bounce. But no style guarantees success: players still need to adapt to their opponent and the day’s conditions.
Is serve-and-volley tennis still effective?
It can be, especially when used selectively. A strong serve, a good approach shot and confident volleying can surprise a baseline-focused opponent, even if staying at the net on nearly every point is less common than it once was.
Final Thoughts
Grand Slam champions succeed with different tools: a dominant serve, relentless defense, heavy spin, early ball-striking or the ability to change tactics mid-match. The most revealing question is not simply which label fits a player, but how that player uses a preferred pattern to take time, space or confidence away from an opponent. That is where a playing style becomes a winning one.
