British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

Emma underway - shame her match clashes with Katie

Skysports tennis - ch 408

The Ukrainian stands so deep in the court, yet still makes winners from there.

Thanks!

These moonballs are quite something, but they are working!

First set Emma. 7-5

She is named as an exponent of the art when searching with Google AI

Several professional tennis players, both historical and modern, are noted for utilizing high-looping "moonballs" to disrupt opponents, break rhythm, or manage difficult, low-pace rallies.
Here are the players most famous for this tactic:
Most Notable "Moonballers"
Harold Solomon (USA): Often cited as the king of the moonball in the 1970s and 80s, his "Solly Slop" involved high-arching, heavy-topspin shots designed to push opponents far behind the baseline and break their rhythm.
Michael Chang (USA): Early in his career, particularly during his 1989 French Open run at age 17, Chang utilized extreme top-spin moonballs to defeat physically stronger opponents like Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg.
Andrea Jaeger (USA): Known for her consistent, high-lob style in the early 1980s, she is frequently referenced in discussions regarding defensive, high-ball tactics.
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN): In the modern era, Wozniacki was known for occasionally using high-looping balls to force errors and manage defensive positions.
Other Players Associated with High-Spin/Loopy Shots
Rafael Nadal (ESP): While not a traditional "pusher," Nadal is famous for generating extreme topspin that creates very high-bouncing balls, which opponents often treat as aggressive, high-margin-of-error moonballs.
Angelique Kerber (GER): Known to use high, deep defensive shots to counteract faster, more aggressive players.
Andy Murray (GBR): Known to use high lobs or slow, looping shots when in trouble or to disrupt opponents' pace.
Oleksandra Oliynykova (UKR): Recently demonstrated the high moonball as an offensive weapon on the WTA tour.
Context of the Shot
Moonballing is generally considered a defensive or "pushing" tactic at the club level, but at the professional level, it is often used strategically to:
Reset a point when the player is out of position.
Force errors by taking pace off the ball.
Break the rhythm of hard-hitters.
Defy physics on slower clay courts, as seen with Nadal.