heftylefty
Hall of Fame
When God plays His weekly tennis match against some the of the games's legends; He has been known to say that His backhand was in Haas-Mode.
In the history of Men's tennis who had/has the best One Handed Backhand?
When God plays His weekly tennis match against some the of the games's legends; He has been known to say that His backhand was in Haas-Mode.
It's not about being pretty. Anyone who hits 1 hander, he/she should know how
technically advanced Gasquet's backhand is. All the shots he hits routinely are
very hard shots that most pros avoid to hit frequently.
By far, the most capable and complete 1 hander I've ever seen.
Problem is, he hasn't made a major achievement(slam) with it yet. So it is not well
respected. If he had won a few slam with it, his 1 hander would have been regarded as
the GOAT 1 hander easily by large margin.
not really true.
btw id say felianciano lopez has the worse backhand in top 50 ^ u didnt ask someone else did.
On what basis other than an irrational hatred of Nadal who has won Wimbledon twice?
Nadal would blow the shortie Laver off the court.
heftylefty
Hall of Fame
One, I don't hate Nadal. Check my post, so don't your back up.
If you don't believe that there is not difference in racquet & string technology on the speed of the grass at SW19, there is no reason to try to explain why I feel as I do.
Finisterre
New User
I dont't know if the best ever but I like Gustavo Kuerten backhand..
Extreme grip but he was able to play good drop shot too
His backhand had a ridiculous amount of spin and he had the ability to change direction early during the rally with it ..He could hit a cross court and then immediately hit a DTL effortless..
Extreme grip but he was able to play good drop shot too
His backhand had a ridiculous amount of spin and he had the ability to change direction early during the rally with it ..He could hit a cross court and then immediately hit a DTL effortless..
kiki
Banned
heftylefty
Hall of Fame
IMHO, included would be Justine Henin
If you win 23 (or 25) majors you don't need a topspin backhand...
J
JRAJ1988
Guest
I didn't follow the womens game, I think of Henin
toddrobert38
Rookie
Its not about looks... its racquet head speed, spin, ability to hit aggressively as well as defend. To be honest, its not really close. His is the best I've ever seen by far.
Gasquets overall game is limited by his stupid forehand, lame serve, average speed and fitness and inferior tactics due to these weaknesses.
borg number one
Legend
With Rosewall and Laver, we all know that they had two of the best one handed backhands during their time in tennis. If you move them out of their era to consider how their backhands would perform, you have to give them the latest frames and strings. They would tear it up! The topspin and power would be challenging, but they would have much greater weaponry. That's something that's often overlooked. Those guys were so skilled. They have two of the greatest one handed backhands ever. Other players with great one handed backhands include Budge, Lendl, Edberg, Vilas, Haas, Gasquet, Wawrinka, and many more.
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You are correct. Also, no way Nadal's backhand would have been effective against serve and volleyers on grass playing with a wooden racket. Nadal would have been toast vs. Rosewall's slices on an old grass court going backhand to backhand.
Would Nadal's backhand be different if he played then? Certainly. Would Rosewall's game be different if he played now? Of course.
You should take each in its own time and make a judgement as best you can. No one can say for sure which is greater, but there are certainly opinions and valid reasons for many opinions..
llodra_fan
Professional
Boris Becker is surely up there. Nobody hit such strong and beautiful inside-out backhand so consistently. Remember that inside-out backhand by Federer in AO that commentators went gaga ? Becker hit multiple of those with more power in the '96 masters cup against Sampras.
DRII
G.O.A.T.
his BH is not efficient enough. it takes too much production, without doing enough consistent damage (unlike Guga's), to be the best on tour...
DRII
G.O.A.T.
the only one handed BH that has won slams lately is Federer, and no one is claiming he has the best BH. also Haas has not one a slam yet his BH is routinely cited has one of the best in nthe game (including by me).
so Gasquets lack of slam has nothing to do with my assesment of his BH. point is, its just not efficient enough or doesn't cause enough damage to negate its lack of efficiency to be the best...
The_Begum_of_Bhopal
Rookie
Overall, I would say that best one handed backhand of all time, of both men and women, has to Justine Henin - it is just perfect!
toddrobert38
Rookie
wow, idk if you are watching the same guy as everyone else. He does more damage from places nobody else can even make bone handers (Fed) than anyone I've ever seen. I guarantee you if you asked the players who had the best backhand they'd say Gasquet.
And BTW, you don't win slams with your backhand, you win them with your overall game. Guga was an amazing mover with an effective, albeit odd-looking, serve. His BH was rock solid, as was Muster's, but nowhere near as offensive as Gasquet's.
DRII
G.O.A.T.
completely disagree! you are completely over estimating Gasquet's BH.
i suggest you go back and look at some tape of Kuerten...
Federer stands on the baseline. Gasquet stands 8 feet behind to make that loopy stroke. Gasquet's bh is over rated
TheCanadian
Semi-Pro
Becker said that Edberg's BH was the greatest stroke he's ever seen on a tennis court. I'll take his word for it as he played all the top players of his era.
Edberg's was fanstastic. Do you have the source of that quote? I'd be interested in seeing the rest of the interview or whatever it was. There's a nice, big series of YouTube videos that showcases his backhand. I find myself watching the various parts all the time. And I think his backhand was the biggest influence on Federer's, if I remember correctly.
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
helterskelter
G.O.A.T.
Irrational hatred of Laver, you mean. NO WAY does Nadal beat Laver as often as one time in twenty under the conditions s/he was talking about.
Perhaps one in a hundred. But probably less.
Of course, if you make Laver play with today's rackets, balls, strings, and courts, the result is reversed. All of which goes to show: the conditions really do determine the outcome to a very large degree.
I think you have separate the ohbh into (at least) 2 categories: effectiveness and gracefulness. Someone can have a very effective shot but not be very graceful and versa visa. Wawrinka and Gasquet have a very effective shot. Fed and Sampras have graceful shots (although with all the practice Nadal gives Fed you'd think it would be more effective). Blake could be one who fits in both camps.
DRII
G.O.A.T.
uhm, your logic is pretty much the reverse of reality...
sunof tennis
Professional
You think Samparas' backhand was graceful? Not only was is not very fluid, it was by far, the weaker of his groundstrokes.
toddrobert38
Rookie
Wow... so he doesn't hit winners from inside the baseline then? While Fed shanks BH after BH off Raf's FH, Gasquet crushes winners and forces Rafa to the other side. Nobody else with a one hander other than Almagro ever accomplishes that.
Other BH's are great but Gasquets is better.
nobody else can do stuff like this: not even close
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ddvtzOhjHI
toddrobert38
Rookie
he is referring to the old school 1HBH vs the newer heavier stroke you see now. I think Wawrinka is as close to a hybrid of the two as he doesn't loop all the time. Gasquet and Almagro are new school. Fed is new school as well but doesn't have quite the timing or versatility of those two, although his accuracy is pin point on occasion.
THE FIGHTER
Hall of Fame
you're over estimating guga's backhand. both players possess great backhands, but gasquest has done things that guga never has. he is able to consistently produce more spin, more power, and better angles—from tougher positions and circumstances.
some may attribute that to advancements in conditioning, racquets, and strings. however, we can only observe what we are given, so despite the shift in game that happened in the 7 years between their initial years on tour, one can make the argument that stroke for stroke, gasquet's backhand is better.
now if we're to look at it from a lens with eras in mind, that's a different argument.
10is
Professional
Oh please! Federer's OHB has done that and more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bByvWPmMZ_8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vrojpBD2iU
toddrobert38
Rookie
LOL, More shanks thats 4 sure...
10is
Professional
LOL! Great non-response!
DRII
G.O.A.T.
of course I'm making some comparative adjustments regarding difference in technology (poly strings), but not much!
Guga's BH was the best and most accurately powerful I've ever seen with only a few that could compare (Haas, Hoad (talk about era adjustments)) and Gasquet's is not one of them...
President
Legend
Kuerten was one of the first top players to use a full bed of polyester strings.
paulorenzo
Hall of Fame
Perhaps my view of gasquet's and federer's backhands; shanks, half-volleys and unbelievable winners considered. gasquet's is better IMO.
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