The serving team's advantage is created by the cycle of the point. The cycle is composed of an entrance shot, a transition shot, and a net shot. Entrance shots are used to enter the point - they are serves and returns. Transition shots are hit from the mid-court and used to transition to the final phase of the point that happens at the net. Net shots are hit from inside the service line and are used to end the point (successfully we hope!).

The serving team's advantage lies in the fact that they hit their entrance shot first and therefore will have first rites to the net zone. If the server is able to enter behind a solid serve, and make a nice crosscourt transition shot, the chances of the receiving team winning the point from behind in the cycle are not very favorable. So you can see that the serving team's transition shot is critical to its success in the net zone.

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