Andy Murray Explains The Difference Between Rafael Nadal And His Return Position

Former World Number one, Andy Murray gave a detailed insight into his return of serve and how it varies from the players like Rafael Nadal. Generally while returning, the Spaniard stands way back behind the baseline and then returns the ball. During the 2016 season, Craig O’Shannessy’s calculations proved Nadal to be the ‘King of Returns’. 

“The guys, like Thiem, Rafa, Medvedev – Medvedev maybe doesn’t have the biggest swing on the backhand – but those guys, what they do is, although it doesn’t appear they’re being aggressive on the return, they step back, hit the ball very high. What they’re trying to do is they’re trying to push you back off the baseline, then they move in after their first shot. Whereas for me, I’m right on the baseline from the return,” said Andy Murray.

He might not be a prodigy like Novak Djokovic, but Andy Murray owns an extra-ordinary service game. When he concluded the year as the World Number one tennis player in 2016, that year Murray’s return rating was 172.2 which is the second-best record on the ATP track (the first one being Djokovic with 180.3 rating in the year 2011).

“The positive thing about being inside the baseline is if you hit a good return, you take time away. If you hit a bad one, you’re in a terrible position. You need to make sure you hit that return well. If you stand back, there’s a little bit less pressure. You need to hit a good return,” Murray added.

He further elucidated what position does he prefer as a server and how does the position of the receiver’s stance affect the server’s game. “As a server, I think I prefer if guys stood back. It’s a little bit less pressure when someone’s standing back. It does allow them a little bit more time to use their kind of big swings, then they try to be aggressive on their second shot,” Murray said.

“It’s just a slightly different way of going about things. The guys that do it have been successful. I prefer to just return the way that I have been.” 

The gifted returner of the ATP fraternity, Andy Murray perceives his second serve returns to be his strongest weapon and many ATP players have embraced that strategy. While returning a second serve Murray stands inside and the baseline and tries to be aggressive. 

“Maybe it’s a flaw of mine, but I always return second serves inside the baseline,” Murray said. “I think it’s been a strong part of my game. Maybe it’s good to have the option to go back and have that variety, but it’s not something that I’ve practiced or really tried. Lots of guys are doing it now.”

“Strategically it’s a different way of playing the point. I find I have quite a short, compact swing on the returns, so I can stand inside the baseline, and I don’t take big swings,” Murray explained.