The best backhand ever? - Page 94

pc1 · 11-21-2012, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jean pierre

The best backhand is here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWeieo4osDU

Guillermo Vilas certainly had one of the finest backhands of all time. The man had a wrist of steel. I saw him hit a ball that landed very short and close to the net and perhaps about two or three feet above the net and Vilas flicked his backhand and hit the ball into the stands behind the court. That was awesome strength. I've seen Laver do similar things with his backhand.

I've always thought that in today's day and age with his excellent speed and heavy topspin power (plus super stamina) that Vilas would be a nightmare today to play against. I think he would be quite similar to Nadal except with a one handed backhand.

JAY1 · 11-21-2012, 08:45 AM

The best backhand of all time and there is no doubt at all about this, was Jimmy Connors, he could do anything with it. Flat, topspin, slice, lob, drop shot, power, placement, so penetrating, clean winners or never miss, take it on the rise, disguise it, block it, angle it, reverse, return of serve, hit it harder than anyone before, during and after his career. Shall I go on?!
I love some of the one hander topspin backands out there now and over the years, Rosewall, Edberg, Federer etc, but i'm afraid two handed topspin backhands are just stronger.
Borg, Wilander, Agassi, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray.
And of course the greatest of all time 'Jimmy Connors'!

kiki · 11-21-2012, 10:54 PM

Sliced:Rosewall and Edberg with Orantes and maybe Ashe and Patty next
Flat:Budge,Connors and Agassi reign and also a mention for Emmo and Kovacs
Top:Laver and Borg with Vilas,Djokovic and maybe Costa and Safin next
Laver was the most complete
Also great bh those from Hoad,Roche,Korda,Rios,Pietrangelu,Lacoste and,on the ROS,Becker,Kodes,Murray,Lleyton Hewitt and Stolle

pc1 · 11-22-2012, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiki

Sliced:Rosewall and Edberg with Orantes and maybe Ashe and Patty next
Flat:Budge,Connors and Agassi reign and also a mention for Emmo and Kovacs
Top:Laver and Borg with Vilas,Djokovic and maybe Costa and Safin next
Laver was the most complete
Also great bh those from Hoad,Roche,Korda,Rios,Pietrangelu,Lacoste and,on the ROS,Becker,Kodes,Murray,Lleyton Hewitt and Stolle

Kiki,
Excellent list.
Ashe also had an incredible topspin backhand and flat backhand. Ashe and Laver had the most versatile backhands I've ever seen. It's wasn't better than Laver's imo but it was certainly close. Ashe just played too much low percentage tennis and went for too many winners on the backhand side and would miss.

Here's a tremendous match with Ashe and Laver. Incredible amount of backhand winners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43csIDKmkMk

JAY1 · 11-22-2012, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pc1

Kiki,
Excellent list.
Ashe also had an incredible topspin backhand and flat backhand. Ashe and Laver had the most versatile backhands I've ever seen. It's wasn't better than Laver's imo but it was certainly close. Ashe just played too much low percentage tennis and went for too many winners on the backhand side and would miss.

Here's a tremendous match with Ashe and Laver. Incredible amount of backhand winners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43csIDKmkMk

If you were to ask any pro from that era, who's backhand would you like to have? 80% would have said Connors!

kiki · 11-22-2012, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAY1

If you were to ask any pro from that era, who's backhand would you like to have? 80% would have said Connors!

Laver and Connors are not in the same era

JAY1 · 11-23-2012, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiki

Laver and Connors are not in the same era

Ok any player from the 60's to 80's (30 years of tennis). Connors backhand was a huge weapon it was like having a huge 1st serve, Gonzalez etc.
Not until Agassi did this occur again.
I agree Laver could hit slice, topspin, dropshots, lobs etc etc and had a complete backhand, as did Edberg, Ashe etc, but as a sheer devastating weapon that would dictate and decide matches, never had a grounstroke had this effect until maybe Lendl's forehand came along.
But that's what's fun about all of this, it's all so subjective!!

pc1 · 11-23-2012, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAY1

If you were to ask any pro from that era, who's backhand would you like to have? 80% would have said Connors!

I never said Ashe's backhand was better than Jimmy Connors' backhand but that it was more versatile and it was a great backhand. Clearly Connors had a superior backhand and one of the best of all time, arguably the best of all time.

DolgoSantoro · 11-23-2012, 02:16 PM

My vote goes to Safin

President · 11-24-2012, 05:25 AM

Last 20 years Agassi, Kafelnikov, Murray, Nalbandian, Djokovic, and Safin IMO.

Tennusdude · 11-24-2012, 05:38 AM

Hey Guys dont forgot even the men players use to like to watch Gabriella Sabatini's backhand! Or maybe they just like watching Gabby! Anyway her backhand was a nice shot.

gplracer · 11-25-2012, 10:30 AM

Lots of one handers in here.

Nostradamus · 11-25-2012, 10:42 AM

where is Gasquet ? we all must emulate him. and I don't know how he does that with extended racket, it is beyond my comprehension

nikdom · 11-28-2012, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jean pierre

The best backhand is here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWeieo4osDU

Puke. Cmon, there's got to be a better example of the man's BH from his playing days. This looks like absolute 3.0 crap from my local tennis park.

pc1 · 11-28-2012, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikdom

Puke. Cmon, there's got to be a better example of the man's BH from his playing days. This looks like absolute 3.0 crap from my local tennis park.

Here's a better example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLKV-f7B1OU

The guy playing Vilas had a pretty decent backhand too.

NLBwell · 11-28-2012, 02:50 PM

When Arthur Ashe hit flat, it may have been the hardest hit backhand ever.

DunlopDood · 11-28-2012, 05:35 PM

Marat Safin!

hoodjem · 11-28-2012, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NLBwell

When Arthur Ashe hit flat, it may have been the hardest hit backhand ever.

I think you'll find some nice backhands here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43csIDKmkMk

TomT · 11-28-2012, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pc1

Here's a better example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLKV-f7B1OU

The guy playing Vilas had a pretty decent backhand too.

Great vid. Thanks for posting.

TomT · 11-28-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoodjem

I think you'll find some nice backhands here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43csIDKmkMk

Another great vid of top level tennis back in the day (that I didn't have). Thanks.

11-21-2012, 10:54 PM	#1863
kiki G.O.A.T. Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 10,476	Sliced:Rosewall and Edberg with Orantes and maybe Ashe and Patty next Flat:Budge,Connors and Agassi reign and also a mention for Emmo and Kovacs Top:Laver and Borg with Vilas,Djokovic and maybe Costa and Safin next Laver was the most complete Also great bh those from Hoad,Roche,Korda,Rios,Pietrangelu,Lacoste and,on the ROS,Becker,Kodes,Murray,Lleyton Hewitt and Stolle __________________ " I have watched plenty of matches of the 70´s and 80´s" ABMK, the historian

11-23-2012, 02:16 PM	#1869
DolgoSantoro Semi-Pro Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 404	My vote goes to Safin __________________ Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on: Winston Churchill

11-25-2012, 10:30 AM	#1872
gplracer Semi-Pro Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 773	Lots of one handers in here. __________________ Wilson 6.1 95

11-25-2012, 10:42 AM	#1873
Nostradamus Hall Of Fame Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: In the future Posts: 4,132	where is Gasquet ? we all must emulate him. and I don't know how he does that with extended racket, it is beyond my comprehension __________________ Babolat Pure drive 2012, 55 lbs, Kirschbaum Proline X / X-1 biphase. Nalbandian backhand and Nadal forehand.

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