Oof, I'm torn between Federer's forehand with Nadal's volleys, or Nadal's forehand with Federer's volleys. Obviously with Novak's backhand and Isner's serve
Kyrgios has a big serve, but isner beats him on effectively every important serve statistic. Service game win%, 1st serve %, 1st serve win%, 2nd serve win%, DF %, etc. Kyrgios has a better baseline/rally game, yet isner still has better win% in his service games/points, which clearly indicates a better serve. Trying to factor in height makes it very messy as there's no fair way to do so, but even if we just look at players near kyrgios's height, raonic has better serve stats. However, I jumped the gun on isner being a guarantee since karlovic also has a very strong case here as his serve performance has been ridiculous while having much weaker skills in the rest of his game.
Stan had a great single handed backhand, but as with the rest of his game, it didn't have nearly as much consistency as novak had. When stan hit his peak form, he had incredible offensive potential on his backhand, but novak has far better defensive performance on his backhand and was much more reliable. Djokovic's backhand return, consistency, and especially his incredible defence, makes pretty much an objective fact of tennis that his backhand is better than stan's. Novak vs stan in backhands is almost certainly close to a unanimous answer in the tennis community.
yes, but isner’s serve is primarily so good because of his height (6’10)
to keep things in line with other players, i’d probably pick nick’s serve because it is so excellent when he is 6’4. technically, he’s only two inches taller than novak
i’m sayin!! obviously Djokovic has a goat level if not the goat backhand, Nalby doesn’t have the consistency across the years, but in his prime a more than solid shot and damn it gave people fits
Forehand: Nadal - Federer for inside out and Nadal for passing forehand with Sampras as best running forehand
Backhand: Djokovic - Andy or Agassi for best cross-court with Djokovic as the best overall, best return and best running backhand
Serve: Sampras (not trying to choose a servebot here bc that’s almost too easy and heights don’t match up)
Slice: Federer
Volley: McEnroe - overhead behind the back volley goes to Federer though
Drop shot: Alcaraz recently comes to mind - I’d also put McEnroe here for this
Trick shot: Kyrgios - I like Bahrami and Santoro but Kyrgios actually uses them very effectively more often
One that everyone’s forgetting sort of: the lob: Sir Andy
Interesting how few people pick Karlovic’s serve over Isner’s, it seems clear to me that Karlovic’s was the most effective serve ever and it’s one of the only categories here we have enough data to approach a none-subjective answer.
He posted slightly better numbers in most serve stats than Isner, but his return game numbers are all lower. This suggests Isner probably has the superior non-serve game (which definitely passes the eye test). So since Isner is better equipped whenever the ball comes back, Karlovic would have needed to be getting a bit more out of the actual serve itself just to equal Isner’s service game numbers, and in general he exceeded them.
It’s hard not to put Dr. Ivo as the GOAT for every shot but I’ll do my best:
Forehand: Del Potro
Backhand: Wawrinka
Serve: Karlovic. Among active players, Kyrgios
Volley: Stefan Edberg
Slice: Federer
Speed/Athleticism: Monfils
Forehand: Nadal
Backhand: Djokovic
Serve: Isner (Sampras if no giants allowed)
Return: Andre Agassi
Lob: Sir Andy
Volley: Johnny Mac
Slice: Feliciano Lopez
Drop shot: Despite his youth I think Alcaraz has the best drop shot I've seen
Smash: Federer
Tricks: Kyrgios
Forehand: Nadal Backhand: Djokovic Serve: Isner/Kyrgios Slice: Federer Dropshot: Alcaraz
Lol I’m trying to imagine a player w a lefty FH and righty 2hbh
OP
Oof, I'm torn between Federer's forehand with Nadal's volleys, or Nadal's forehand with Federer's volleys. Obviously with Novak's backhand and Isner's serve
If the goal is to create the best player, it feels like djokovic's backhand and isner's serve should be guaranteed picks.
How do you dare disrespect Stan BH
I’d say it’s personal preference. Also I think Wawrinka has arguably the best one hander ever. Kyrgios has a massive serve especially for his height.
Kyrgios has a big serve, but isner beats him on effectively every important serve statistic. Service game win%, 1st serve %, 1st serve win%, 2nd serve win%, DF %, etc. Kyrgios has a better baseline/rally game, yet isner still has better win% in his service games/points, which clearly indicates a better serve. Trying to factor in height makes it very messy as there's no fair way to do so, but even if we just look at players near kyrgios's height, raonic has better serve stats. However, I jumped the gun on isner being a guarantee since karlovic also has a very strong case here as his serve performance has been ridiculous while having much weaker skills in the rest of his game. Stan had a great single handed backhand, but as with the rest of his game, it didn't have nearly as much consistency as novak had. When stan hit his peak form, he had incredible offensive potential on his backhand, but novak has far better defensive performance on his backhand and was much more reliable. Djokovic's backhand return, consistency, and especially his incredible defence, makes pretty much an objective fact of tennis that his backhand is better than stan's. Novak vs stan in backhands is almost certainly close to a unanimous answer in the tennis community.
yes, but isner’s serve is primarily so good because of his height (6’10) to keep things in line with other players, i’d probably pick nick’s serve because it is so excellent when he is 6’4. technically, he’s only two inches taller than novak
Huh. I've never thought of Djokovic's \*drop shot\* as something so superlative. Of people not on the list, I'd rather have Alcaraz's drop shot.
Gaston or Moutet dropshot are miles ahead of the rest of the field.
I’ve always thought he has a beautiful drop shot but I do understand liking alcarazs more though
His drop shot was never very good until recently. Even then it’s just off the backhand
Forehand: Rafa Backhand: Nole Slice: Roger Lob: mury goat Serve: Isner Volley: Sampras Trick Shot: **Fabrice Santoro**
The fact you aren’t taking Novak’s backhand must mean this is based on preference and not what you think is best right?
Forehand - Federer Backhand - Henin (1h) Djokovic (2h) Serve - Isner Volley - Sampras
Thanks for mentioning Henin! Absolute beauty!
Henin's backhand was beautiful!
Forehand: Delpo Backhand: Thiem Serve: Sampras Slice: Dimitrov Volley: McEnroe Drop shot: Alcaraz
Serve: Isner/Karlovic Forehand: Nadal Backhand: Djokovic Volley: Federer
forehand: federer backhand: safin serve: isner slice: barty volley: siniakova dropper: alcaraz trick: kyrgios
I do like Barty's slice a lot
Siniakova is a beast at the net!
serve: Karlovic (GOAT)/Sampras (for height) forehand: Federer (all surface & peak)/Nadal (clay & longevity) backhand: Djokovic (2 hands)/Wawrinka (1 hand) slice: Rosewall volley: John McEnroe drop shot: Santoro lob: Murray
No one picking González forehand (even Roger said the best) is astonishing
Serve: Serena Forehand: Iga Backhand: Henin Dropshot: Vondrousova/Jabeur Lob: Krejcikova Net/Volley: Navratilova/Siniakova
Forehand: Nadal Two Handed Backhand: Rios One Handed Backhand: Wawrinka First Serve: Ivanisivec Second Serve: Isner Volley: Edberg Lob: Hewitt Dropper: Moutet Return: Djokovic Slice: Federer Tweener: Kyrios Overhead: Sampras
Forehand: Delpo Backhand: Nalbandian Serve: Sampras Return: Agassi Volley: Edberg Drop shot: Federer Slice: Feli Lopez Lob: Murygoat Intangibles: Monfils
Honestly I think Nalbandian might have the best 2H Backhand ever.
i’m sayin!! obviously Djokovic has a goat level if not the goat backhand, Nalby doesn’t have the consistency across the years, but in his prime a more than solid shot and damn it gave people fits
Great build
Forehand: Nadal - Federer for inside out and Nadal for passing forehand with Sampras as best running forehand Backhand: Djokovic - Andy or Agassi for best cross-court with Djokovic as the best overall, best return and best running backhand Serve: Sampras (not trying to choose a servebot here bc that’s almost too easy and heights don’t match up) Slice: Federer Volley: McEnroe - overhead behind the back volley goes to Federer though Drop shot: Alcaraz recently comes to mind - I’d also put McEnroe here for this Trick shot: Kyrgios - I like Bahrami and Santoro but Kyrgios actually uses them very effectively more often One that everyone’s forgetting sort of: the lob: Sir Andy
Interesting how few people pick Karlovic’s serve over Isner’s, it seems clear to me that Karlovic’s was the most effective serve ever and it’s one of the only categories here we have enough data to approach a none-subjective answer. He posted slightly better numbers in most serve stats than Isner, but his return game numbers are all lower. This suggests Isner probably has the superior non-serve game (which definitely passes the eye test). So since Isner is better equipped whenever the ball comes back, Karlovic would have needed to be getting a bit more out of the actual serve itself just to equal Isner’s service game numbers, and in general he exceeded them.
Forehand - Rafa Topspin backhand - Guga Slice backhand - Adriano Panatta Serve - Milos Raonic Volley - Edberg Trick shot - Pablo Cuevas
Someone didn’t watch the fourth round of the 2016 AO
Forehand: Santoro Backhand: Norrie Serve: Brian Battistone Slice: Santoro (has to be Santoro due to forehand technique) Volley: Roddick
Having Wawrinka instead of Novak on BH is a crime
Forehand: Federer Backhand (one-handed): Henin Backhand (alternative two-handed): Kyrgios Slice: Feli Lopez Drop shot: Alcaraz Serve: Sampras Volley: Henman Return: Agassi Trick Shot: Monfils
It’s hard not to put Dr. Ivo as the GOAT for every shot but I’ll do my best: Forehand: Del Potro Backhand: Wawrinka Serve: Karlovic. Among active players, Kyrgios Volley: Stefan Edberg Slice: Federer Speed/Athleticism: Monfils
Missing lob. For lob I would definitely go for Alcaraz though.
you should choose Krejcikova for lob, she does great ones such as this championship point in australia: https://youtu.be/5mddh1Nbe9Y?t=201
Forehand: Nadal Backhand: Djokovic Serve: Federer Slice: Berretini Volley: Sampras Drop shot: Krygios Lob: Alcaraz Trick shot: Monfils
just give me thiem
Forehand: McEnroe Backhand: Roddick Serve: Chang Slice: Agassi Dropshot: Raonic
I did forget lob and I’d say Murray
Forehand: Nadal Backhand: Djokovic Serve: Isner (Sampras if no giants allowed) Return: Andre Agassi Lob: Sir Andy Volley: Johnny Mac Slice: Feliciano Lopez Drop shot: Despite his youth I think Alcaraz has the best drop shot I've seen Smash: Federer Tricks: Kyrgios
Forehand: Federer Backhand: Djokovic Serve: Isner Return Djokovic Slice: Federer Trick shot: Kyrgios Athleticism: Monfils
I agree except for drop shot I would pick Alvarez.
Edit. Alcarez.
Of all the things you could have chosen for Djokovic, you chose the drop shot. Da fuq????
If the goal is to create the best player then either Djokovic return or backhand should be included. No other way around it