Players with very good strokes that never quite made it to the top
 

Some players have very good strokes but never quite make it to the top. Name some players who you think had the strokes but never quite made it (this is debatable of course but still try:)). active players can be mentioned too but they should be towards the end of the career so that it is not expected that they make it.

One player I liked when he was young was the Dane kristian pless. he won a junior GS and had a promision start but never made it past 50 in the world ranking or so. he had very nice and big flat groundstrokes and was a tall guy. but injuries derailed his career I think.

What do you mean to the top? top 5? top 10? top 20?

I can tell a lot of them, but first we need to know what is to the top

well I know that is tricky. let's make that cutoff at a consistent top20 (short stint doesn't count so maybe at least 25 weeks in the top20 or so). however you can change the criteria if you think that a player had way more talent than his ranking.

you´re basically asking about the ´under-achievers´, right?
players who didn´t fulfill their talent?

arazi ? goellner ?... gulbis (still can !) ?

Amritraj, John LLoyd,Krishnan,Mark Cox.

don't argue what "top" is. just post names:D. the underachiever question: well kind off but great strokes and ability are not always the same. if you have great strokes but you move like a slug then you technically didn't underachieve. so this is about great strokes but not really the results that correspend with that whatever that means:).

I also think arazi was a good choice. he was kinda short but he had a great touch. also his fellow countryman el aynaoui (sp?) was a very nice player with powerfull strokes (legendary match with Arod). I'm not sure if he was top20 but I don't care. I think he could have done a little more with his strokes.

Most 6.0's have very good strokes. But only a handful make it.
1. Mental
2. Injuries
3. Opportunities
4. timing

Younes El Aynaoui. His talent was phenomenal, but injuries always got in the way.

Agustin Calleri.

I agree, he had one of the most beautiful 1hbhs ever.

gotta throw guillermo garcia lopez in there too. Julien Benneteau is the best player on tour without a title

also nicolas mahut and peter polansky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTjWpcs1Vj4


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Dancevic

Only 3 years younger than Roger so i don't know if he could possibly copy Roger's strokes. There is a definite resemblance though.

here is one against Nadal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMXdbKerv4g

Don't knew the qualifications here but here goes--
Vijay Amritrau
Henri Leconte
Miloslav Mecir
Michael Chang-Was never number one.
Tony Roche-See Chang

Always hero-worshipped Leconte when I was young, and wished I could play his swash-buckling tennis; too bad he under-achieved in many ways, and was unfortunately soundly beaten in the only slam final he made, :(

Is the thread about great practice players - versus match achievers?

Eric Jelen

certainly nice strokes.

Bumgert,Kunkhe,Bundig and Rolf Ghering!!

Bungert, Kuhnke, Buding and Rolf Gehring:):):) you couldn´t get at least one name right?:)

Uli Pinner

MaratSafin
PetrKorda
JohanKriek