Do Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev need a net game to reach next level of play? 

Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev are superb players. Even as each has established himself as a top ten mainstay, these two have sought to improve their skills, most notably in the transition part of the court. But it is rather disturbing that this quest to sharpen their approach shots and volleys has come at such a late stage of each man’s career.

For make no mistake: a player uncomfortable at the net will quite often overplay his or her groundstrokes. This was at least part of the reason why Fritz and Medvedev lost early at the Australian Open to opponents who delicately and powerfully unraveled them.

In defense of Fritz and Medvedev, do their shortcomings moving forward reveal the logic of an instructional and competitive ecosystem that often neglects building volley skills and a broad sense of the court?

The implications for player development here are significant. For all the hours devoted to groundstrokes, fitness, and focus, parents, coaches, and instructors have an upside: build the most versatile player possible (examples: Alcaraz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda). It’s encouraging, for example, to hear about junior doubles tournaments where the players must serve and volley.

Does the player need to become another Patrick Rafter or Stefan Edberg? No. But surely, player development should devote significant attention to long-term breadth over short-term victories.