Chip and Charge

Chip and charge is one of the great lost tactics of modern tennis. In an era of baseline-only tennis, almost no club player uses it — which is exactly why it works so well when you do.

Quick answer

Chip and charge is a sliced, low return followed immediately by an approach to the net. It works best against weak second serves, indecisive returners, and players who can't hit a good passing shot under pressure — which describes 80% of club opponents.

When to use it

On weak second serves. A soft, high-bouncing second serve is a perfect chip-and-charge target. The ball sits up, you slice it low and deep, and you're at the service line before your opponent adjusts.

Against a nervous server. If your opponent is double-faulting or spraying second serves, add chip-and-charge pressure. Even the threat forces them to hit deeper — and often into more errors.

On big points. 30-all, 30-40, deuce. Coming forward creates pressure the baseline rally can't match.

Against opponents who hate net play. Some players cannot hit a passing shot to save their lives. Find them and never leave the net.

When NOT to use it

• Against a big server whose second serve still has pace
• Against a player with sharp passing shots (rare at the club level, but exists)
• On slow clay courts, where the approach loses steam and the passer has more time
• When you're tired — approaching net requires reflexes and legs

The technique

Grip: continental. Same grip you use for volleys — no grip change needed.

Backswing: short. Racquet head at shoulder height, no further. This is not a groundstroke swing.

Contact point: out in front, ball dropping slightly below waist level.

Motion: high-to-low, slicing under the ball with an open face. The racquet angle stays open through contact.

Follow-through: short and forward. Your body weight moves toward the net as you slice — this is not a "swing and then run" motion, it's a "walk through the ball" motion.

Target: deep, low, and to your opponent's weaker wing (usually the backhand). Depth is more important than pace.

After the chip

Your feet don't stop moving. As you slice, you're already walking forward. Within 3 steps you should be inside the baseline. Within 5 steps you should be on the service line, split-stepping for the passing shot.

The split-step at the service line is critical. Without it, you can't react to a passing shot. Land, read, volley.

The volley target

Your first volley in a chip-and-charge sequence should almost always be:

• Low and deep to force another defensive shot, or
• Angled short crosscourt if your opponent is way behind the baseline

Do not try to hit a winner off the first volley. You just took away their time — take away their court space next.

Practice pattern

Rally with a partner. On every third ball, they feed a weak second-serve simulation. You chip and come to net. They try to pass. Play out the point.

Two 15-minute sessions of this per week and you'll have a new weapon in one month.

If you're on the south side of Indianapolis and want to build a full net-approach game, private lessons work well for this — the drill needs a feeder who can vary the pace.