Best running forehand ever?

[volleynets]

I am surprised at the few times Nadal has been picked. I think Nadal has to have the best running forehand. He hits passing winners off of it almost every time when the opponent is at the net.

[Ledigs]

Steffi Sampras and nadal in that order. Doesn't matter if she's a man or woman, what matters is what you do against your competition. She can't help she's not 6'3" 200 lbs. The sexism on here is irritating to say the least. If I hear "for a woman" one more time...

[jrepac]

Lendl
Sampras
Nadal

Honorary mention to Newk...


Sampras hit some great forehands I agree, but Ivan was a master at this shot...how he generated that pace and spin on the run was simply amazing...

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by 380pistol

The order remains.....

1. Sampras
2. Nadal
3. Lendl

I'd go along with this, but it's very very close. I MIGHT Lendl over Nadal in terms of the actual shot, Lendl could blast it through better...but Nadal is faster at actually getting to the ball.

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by 380pistol

So Lendl's running forehand was "SO MUCH BETTER" based on disguise, and he "DID NOT TELEGRAPH THE SHOT"... good to know.
.

Yes, that was just a SILLY assertion. Sampras DID NOT hit winner after winner, year after year, on the running forehand with it being readable.

In fact, tour players, are so fast, and have such good anticipation, that no matter how hard you hit a shot on the run, if it's readable, you're going to be in trouble 8 of 10 times. If it's readable, they'll cover it most of the time, and all they have to do is redirect it into your wide open court to put you in a world of hurt, and that's something every one of them can do if they can just get to it. What made Sampras' forehand great (and the others mentioned here), was his ability to whip the racquet up at the last second and drive it down the line OR deep crosscourt or even buggy whip a short angle, without the opponent getting a good read on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMQKj...eature=related

Yes, so readable. Too bad he was only playing schmucks who for SOME reason couldn't read it.

[timnz]

In the late 80's Ivan Lendl was playing Edberg at the Sydney Indoor tournament. In those days that was a big tournament. I saw this on TV, but what I recall is that Edberg hit an extremely wide shot to Ivan's Forehand side. There was no way in heaven and earth that he was even going to reach the ball -but he did reach it, he was nearly in the crowd by the time he hit it and hit it he did for a winner. The acceleration, control and power he showed was extraordinary. It was such a spectacular shot it was shown on regular TV replays I recall.

I watched Sampras many times, and yes his running forehand was impressive, but I just don't think he had the reach that Ivan did.

Lendl had extraordinary power off it as well. The ball would come back to opponents who were sometimes waiting for it but couldn't control it because of the depth and power.

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by Ledigs

Steffi Sampras and nadal in that order. Doesn't matter if she's a man or woman, what matters is what you do against your competition. She can't help she's not 6'3" 200 lbs. The sexism on here is irritating to say the least. If I hear "for a woman" one more time...

Actually it's your sexism that is disgusting. Showing favoritism simply because she is a woman is sickening and condesending. An insult to both her and her competition. Yes, she "can't help" it that's she a woman. No, she doesn't need you to pretend he forehand is on par with the men. Those who say "for a woman" are simply acknowledging a truthful fact that allows them to give her credit, nor false credit. Grow up and drop the sexism.

[lawrence]

Originally Posted by thejackal

from what Ive seen, running forward: federer; running laterally: nadal and sampras

Originally Posted by The-Champ

Running fh cc - Sampras

Running fh dtl - Nadal

agree with these

[dannykl]

Originally Posted by Ledigs

Steffi Sampras and nadal in that order. Doesn't matter if she's a man or woman, what matters is what you do against your competition. She can't help she's not 6'3" 200 lbs. The sexism on here is irritating to say the least. If I hear "for a woman" one more time...

You go too far by accusing people of sexism just because they only want to acknowledge Steffi has the best running forehand in women's game instead of asserting hers is the best overall in tennis history.

You can argue Graf has the best overall but you have to listen to and understand the arguments who favour Pete or Ivan Lendl or Nadal as the best as well.

To me both positions are defensible depending on different perspectives.
From the viewpoint of the degree of dominance and the damage it caused to opponents, Steffi's running forehand is probably the best in tennis history.
Her opponents are probably more vulnarable to her running forehand than Pete or Ivan's opponent are to their running forehand.

Sampras' and Lendl's running forehand, however, seem more powerful than Steffi's, and Lendl's running forehand is as consistent as Steffi's,so it is also legitimate to claim powerwise Pete or Lendl has better running forehand than Graf.

Personnally I think Steffi's running forehand is as good as Pete's. Her excellent footwork and court speed allow her to execute this shot with power, accuracy and consistency, which is an amazing combination. However I definitely can see the point those people who argue for Lendl or Sampras as the best ever. I think it is insane to call them sexism.

Acctually I think you yourself make you look more like a sexist, a sexist agaisnt man who does not allow people contend that some male players have better running forehand than Graf.

[BounceHitBounceHit]

Federer, Sampras, Lendl, Graf..........yep. BHBH (oh, and Agassi's didn't stink either)

[Ledigs]

Originally Posted by dannykl

You can argue Graf has the best overall but you have to listen to and understand the arguments who favour Pete or Ivan Lendl or Nadal as the best as well.

Personnally I think Steffi's running forehand is as good as Pete's. Her excellent footwork and court speed allow her to execute this shot with power, accuracy and consistency, which is an amazing combination. However I definitely can see the point those people who argue for Lendl or Sampras as the best ever. I think it is insane to call them sexism.

Acctually I think you yourself make you look more like a sexist, a sexist agaisnt man who does not allow people contend that some male players have better running forehand than Graf.

I do understand the arguments for each player's forehand. They are all well thought out. I'm not speaking out against THOSE arguments.

I did not choose Steffi just because she is a woman. I am talking objectively about her forehand vs. Sampras and the others you mentioned. IN MY OPINION, it was the most dominant vs. her competition.

When I said certain speech in here was sexist, I was talking about people who say that her forehand is good "for a woman". That term is sexist. When people contend that Sampras has a better running forehand, they have excellent reasoning and it could be true. When SOME dismiss Steffi from the entire thread because she is a woman and her forehand wouldn't be as effective against a man, that is what I'm calling sexist. All that matters is how she uses it against competition of her own sex. Same with Sampras, same with Lendl. Same with Nadal.

[Ledigs]

Also I'm not saying everyone who chooses a man is sexist. That's preposterous. I'm saying that everyone who dismisses Steffi entirely or says that her forehand is only good "for a woman" is sexist.

[Winners or Errors]

Originally Posted by Ledigs

Also I'm not saying everyone who chooses a man is sexist. That's preposterous. I'm saying that everyone who dismisses Steffi entirely or says that her forehand is only good "for a woman" is sexist.

I'm not following. Why is it sexist to say that Steffi's forehand wouldn't hold a candle to the top 100 men's forehands in the same period? It's probably true. Against your competition is fine, but let's be realistic.

Since Steffi would not even have been competitive against the top 100 men of her own era, how is it sexist to leave her forehand off the list?

Maybe I'm just dense, but for the same reason Steffi can't play in the GOAT discussion I think she's out of this one.

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by Ledigs

Also I'm not saying everyone who chooses a man is sexist. That's preposterous. I'm saying that everyone who dismisses Steffi entirely or says that her forehand is only good "for a woman" is sexist.

Thanks for spelling out your ugly sexism once again. I suppose everyone who doesn't think Mal Washington was the greatest player of all time is a racist. And you ACCUSE others of racism? UGLY.

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by Winners or Errors

I'm not following. Why is it sexist to say that Steffi's forehand wouldn't hold a candle to the top 100 men's forehands in the same period? It's probably true. Against your competition is fine, but let's be realistic.
.

It's preposterous of course. My running forehand is one of my best shots. One could argue that against MY competition, it's arguably more effective than any pro's! But of course that's asinine.

And to the accuse anyone who would not subscribe to such a ridiculous methodolgy of measuring the "best" forehand of sexism? That's just ugly reverse sexism.


PS There's also no point in even trying to imagine Sampras's running forehand against Seles! LOL.

[BTURNER]

Sidestepping the sexism arguments, Steffi's forehand ( note I do not modify with 'running' ) may be the single most dominant weapon I have seen in the tennis sport, her entire game was built around using it as exclusively as possible. Almost every victory against any type of player, on any surface, she can credit her forehand for. Her speed allowed it , sometimes her serve set it up, and her backhand was a fortress but over and over again, even when players attacked her backhand wing, the forehand ended up forcing errors or claiming outright winners. Lendl's forehand is the best among the guys. The running part just confuses this up IMO