Greatest Baseliner with One-Handed Backhand

[Backhanded Compliment]

Guga... Rosewall if you want to include slice but Guga's BH simply destroyed people (like Fed, even Sampras on slow hardcourt a few times)... so much so I think it was the tactical model for Rafa's FH. I can just see Uncle Tony watching Guga with the Luxilon strings pulling people wide off the court then nailing DTL's with a FH or BH. Kinda sad his hip was such a liability.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by pc1

Didn't notice you mentioned Open Era so along with Rosewall I would pick Vilas, Federer, Nastase, Kuerten, Okker, Orantes, Clerc, Kodes (yes Kiki, be happy ), Gomez, Muster, Korda.

Good list.I think Laver must be included as well as Lendl, of course.

Good to know you appreciate Clerc and, particularly Gomez.I have seen Gomez at his peak, and he could beat anybody when inspired.He lacked a bit of self confidence and arrogance, though.

Costa, IMO, is very underrated, but his one handed BH is one of the best of the last 15 yers or so...

[pc1]

Originally Posted by kiki

Good list.I think Laver must be included as well as Lendl, of course.

Good to know you appreciate Clerc and, particularly Gomez.I have seen Gomez at his peak, and he could beat anybody when inspired.He lacked a bit of self confidence and arrogance, though.

Costa, IMO, is very underrated, but his one handed BH is one of the best of the last 15 yers or so...

Well I didn't mention Lendl because he was mentioned by the person who started the thread. Laver was a great baseliner but the thread mentioned they wanted people to not mention serve and volleyers which Laver obviously was.

Clerc was a superb player for a while. I thought he would accomplish more.

[jokinla]

Originally Posted by DolgoSantoro

Well the OP was talking about the open era, which federer is certainly a part of, and I'd answer him with regards to the question but I'll say Lendl if Federer is arbitrarily disqualified

A former pro player, in the open era, fairly simple isn't it.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by jokinla

A former pro player, in the open era, fairly simple isn't it.

It doesn't have to be a former pro player. The OP's criteria are (1) best baseliner, (2) 1hb, (2) open era.

[jokinla]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

It doesn't have to be a former pro player. The OP's criteria are (1) best baseliner, (2) 1hb, (2) open era.

Yes I know the criteria, which are a part of a thread in the "Former Pro Player Talk" forum. You do realize this is the "Former Pro Player Talk" forum, where, surprise, "former pros" are discussed, if they aren't "former pros", then they should be discussed in the "General Pro Player Discussion" forum. I know people here can't discuss Fed enough, and that's fine, head on over to the other forum and discuss away, and probably in the next few years, he'll become a "former pro", and then we can have endless threads of him here too.

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by Devilito

you can change the thread title to "Roger Federer" and remove all further discussion. I’m a total nostaligiatard but this is cut and dry

Does this mean--once and for all--that Fed is a baseliner? Okay.

But then let's put to rest any discussion of Fed being a really great volleyer.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by hoodjem

Does this mean--once and for all--that Fed is a baseliner? Okay.

But then let's put to rest any discussion of Fed being a really great volleyer.

But Federer is great in everything, isn't he?

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by pc1

But Federer is great in everything, isn't he?

Of course. He is the greatest at everything.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by jokinla

Yes I know the criteria, which are a part of a thread in the "Former Pro Player Talk" forum. You do realize this is the "Former Pro Player Talk" forum, where, surprise, "former pros" are discussed, if they aren't "former pros", then they should be discussed in the "General Pro Player Discussion" forum. I know people here can't discuss Fed enough, and that's fine, head on over to the other forum and discuss away, and probably in the next few years, he'll become a "former pro", and then we can have endless threads of him here too.

Yes, I also realize that the criteria for this poll include both former and current pros. If the OP had intended that only former pros should be considered, he would have said so, as is the custom here in the former pro section. If you want to discuss former pros exclusively, then I suggest that you start your own thread rather than trying to arbitrarily impose your personal criteria on someone else's thread.

PS: In the mean time, my vote remains for Federer, who, despite the protestations of those who don't know better, is not an all court player.

[jokinla]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

Yes, I also realize that the criteria for this poll include both former and current pros. If the OP had intended that only former pros should be considered, he would have said so, as is the custom here in the former pro section. If you want to discuss former pros exclusively, then I suggest that you start your own thread rather than trying to arbitrarily impose your personal criteria on someone else's thread.

PS: In the mean time, my vote remains for Federer, who, despite the protestations of those who don't know better, is not an all court player.

It's not my personal criteria, I didn't name the forum "former pro player talk", but it's good to know that Federer is included in this forum, I thought Fed just owned the "General Pro Player" forum, now I know he also owns this forum, cool.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by jokinla

It's not my personal criteria, I didn't name the forum "former pro player talk", but it's good to know that Federer is included in this forum, I thought Fed just owned the "General Pro Player" forum, now I know he also owns this forum, cool.

Haha! I'm sensing a touch of OCD here.

[krosero]

Originally Posted by hoodjem

Does this mean--once and for all--that Fed is a baseliner? Okay.

But then let's put to rest any discussion of Fed being a really great volleyer.

We would also have to say Laver and Rosewall are not great volleyers, since they have both received votes in this thread.

[Netspirit]

Originally Posted by jokinla

It's not my personal criteria, I didn't name the forum "former pro player talk", but it's good to know that Federer is included in this forum, I thought Fed just owned the "General Pro Player" forum, now I know he also owns this forum, cool.

His retirement is at hand. Nobody thinks he can redefine his game, change the ways he plays, win much more than he has already won (even a single slam is now very questionable), so for all intents and purposes he is part of the history and the talk about former pro players.

[jaggy]

Muster is first name I thought of

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by krosero

We would also have to say Laver and Rosewall are not great volleyers, since they have both received votes in this thread.

It's almost as if baseliner and net player are mutually exclusive. But, the truth is that Laver and Rosewall were equally skilled at both and Federer is not. Should that disqualify Laver and Rosewall from consideration, even though they may have been 2 of the 3 greatest "from the baseline" with a 1hb? I don't think so.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

It's almost as if baseliner and net player are mutually exclusive. But, the truth is that Laver and Rosewall were equally skilled at both and Federer is not. Should that disqualify Laver and Rosewall from consideration, even though they may have been 2 of the 3 greatest "from the baseline" with a 1hb? I don't think so.

It shouldn't but that's what the person who started the thread wrote.

I do have reservations with naming Kuerten even though he's one of my all time favorites because he really wasn't great as a baseliner on all surfaces. Some guys like Rosewall are great baseliners on every surface, grass, clay, hard court, wood, indoor.

[pc1]

Another problem is that some guys, like Segura or Federer, while having fine backhands use their great forehands as often as they can as they should of course.

[zagor]

Originally Posted by hoodjem

Does this mean--once and for all--that Fed is a baseliner? Okay.

Yes, he mostly is a baseliner with some all-court abilities but that is based on the fact that he stays back so often not on whether he's considered one of the greatest baseliners with a 1HBH or not.

Originally Posted by hoodjem

But then let's put to rest any discussion of Fed being a really great volleyer.

So Fed is limited to being great only in one facet of the game? Mind you, I'm not saying Fed's a great volleyer (he's adept at the net but that's about it).

Originally Posted by pc1

But Federer is great in everything, isn't he?

Just like Laver and Rosewall, right?

[pc1]

Originally Posted by zagor

Yes, he mostly is a baseliner with some all-court abilities but that is based on the fact that he stays back so often not on whether he's considered one of the greatest baseliners with a 1HBH or not.



So Fed is limited to being great only in one facet of the game? Mind you, I'm not saying Fed's a great volleyer (he's adept at the net but that's about it).



Just like Laver and Rosewall, right?

It's a joke. Of course Laver and Rosewall aren't good in everything.
Incidentally I admired many of the great players from the past including Gonzalez, Nastase, Lendl, Mecir, Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Agassi, Sampras, Kramer, Vines, Sedgman, Segura and a million others. I don't know why you mention Laver and Rosewall.

Remember the thread that Federer won against a famous basketball player on who played basketball better. It's a joke. By the way I think the best basketball player of anyone who played World Class tennis is John Lucas. lol.

You're taking it too seriously.