Best S & V players in the game today?

Benjamin · 03-17-2004, 07:46 AM

Now that Edberg, Rafter, and Sampras are all gone, who are the top three serve and volley players in the game today?

Benjamin

Grimjack · 03-17-2004, 07:51 AM

Of players who'd you'd categorize as "S&V'ers," probably Henman, Mirnyi, and Dent.

That said, there are a handful of good all-courters who can S&V at a pretty high level (see: Federer) when they want.

Kevin Patrick · 03-17-2004, 08:08 AM

Hell,
Dent, Mirnyi, & Henman are the ONLY s&v players in the game.

Shaolin · 03-17-2004, 08:17 AM

kevin--
I guess youve never seen Fish, Escude or Llodra play.

Rabbit · 03-17-2004, 08:33 AM

Add Wayne Arthurs to the list, he ain't great, but does S/V.

chad shaver · 03-17-2004, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rabbit

Add Wayne Arthurs to the list, he ain't great, but does S/V.

Very true. He's more like SERVE.....oh yeah, volley.

Would love to have his serve, though.

Kevin Patrick · 03-17-2004, 08:55 AM

Shaolin,
Forgot about Escude, I've always thought it strange when players with 2-handed backhands Serve&Volley.
Don't consider Fish a S&V, more of an allcourter who mixes it up.
Llodra? have only seen him play doubles, I'll take your word on him. What's he ranked in singles?
Personally, I think it will be quite a few years before a S&V player emerges to have the success of Rafter.

Shaolin · 03-17-2004, 09:05 AM

Yeah one handers arent too common anymore but a 2 hander can s&v just as well as a one. I play s&v and have a 2 so I like players like Escude and Fish.

I thnk the days of guys rushing the net behind any random shot are over, nowadays you have to have a seriously good approach. Just a slice wont work out too well against a big hitter off the ground. I think s&v on first serves, and staying back waiting for the short ball on 2nd is the way of the future, with occasionally banging a big 2nd serve to come in on.

@wright · 03-17-2004, 09:11 AM

This question is like asking "which transistor radio is the best?"

polakosaur · 03-17-2004, 09:34 AM

fed isn't a serve and volley like edberg or dent or sampras, he doesn't live by it, but if he did s&v he would be pretty good at it

AAAA · 03-17-2004, 10:01 AM

Henman plays more all-court than s&v. It's only at Wimbledon when he plays s&v after almost all his serves. In other tournaments he plays all-court as he did in beating Corretja at Indian Wells.

Kevin Patrick · 03-17-2004, 10:08 AM

Shaolin,
I agree with your points. In fact, I think pure serve & volleying(like Rafter) could prevent one from becoming an elite player nowadays. I don't Federer will ever change in that direction(like Sampras did in '99), and will continue to rack up slams in the future.
But it would be nice to see some 'old school' serve & volleyers contend for slams. Think Escude has a chance tonight?

guernica1 · 03-17-2004, 11:22 AM

Llodra has always been around 80-100ish but I think he could be a lot better. His mother died last year I think so he did not play much singles for a long stretch of time. He's still young-ish so is still someone to keep an eye on.

There's another French guy named Gregory Carraz, late bloomer who plays a lot of serve-volley, 1 handed backhand classic strokes, nice player to watch now ranked about 60's I've seen a few times.

Another guy in the top 100 who does a lot of serve volley is Stepanek who has a 2 hander.

Escude is not pure serve and volley and I think the times when he mixes it up he is the most dangerous. If he mixes it up tonight I think he can win but a lot of it is whether or not he is truly healthy again.

Kevin Patrick · 03-17-2004, 11:37 AM

Thanks for your post guernica. I'll keep an eye out for Llodra. I think I saw Carraz play Rusedski at the US Open last year. It seems like French players always have flair in their game.

alienhamster · 03-17-2004, 07:56 PM

Carraz is fun to watch, and I believe Wesley Moodie (from South Africa) is another up-and-comer to check out. He's primarily s & v, as far as I can tell. Saw him for a bit at Cincy last year, and he seemed to have a pretty solid game.

16 · 03-17-2004, 08:11 PM

does todd reid S&V?

zpr1872 · 03-18-2004, 08:54 AM

I have seen Llodra play singles and doubles on several occasions; he is one of my absolute favourite players. I agree, he should be ranked much higher than he is, he has so much talent! A great guy to watch. And yes, he does S&V most of the time in singles too.

dander · 03-18-2004, 10:39 AM

check out the dent interview on the pac life open website. evidently rod Dick didn't even mention dent as a serve and volley player "i'll give you a hundred dollars for every one you can name" was the quote. a reporter mentioned this to dent, who said "i can't believe he said that. that's very surprising"

@wright · 03-18-2004, 10:54 AM

Uh oh, time for Andy to get smacked around for some big words.

boris becker 1 · 03-20-2004, 03:44 AM

1 federer
2. henman
3. escude(when Healthy)

03-17-2004, 07:46 AM	#1
Benjamin Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 285	Best S & V players in the game today? Now that Edberg, Rafter, and Sampras are all gone, who are the top three serve and volley players in the game today? Benjamin

03-17-2004, 08:17 AM	#4
Shaolin Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 93420 Posts: 3,702	kevin-- I guess youve never seen Fish, Escude or Llodra play. __________________ Sampras, Rios, Federer, Tsonga, Nishikori, Gulbis, Bahrami

03-17-2004, 09:05 AM	#8
Shaolin Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 93420 Posts: 3,702	Yeah one handers arent too common anymore but a 2 hander can s&v just as well as a one. I play s&v and have a 2 so I like players like Escude and Fish. I thnk the days of guys rushing the net behind any random shot are over, nowadays you have to have a seriously good approach. Just a slice wont work out too well against a big hitter off the ground. I think s&v on first serves, and staying back waiting for the short ball on 2nd is the way of the future, with occasionally banging a big 2nd serve to come in on. __________________ Sampras, Rios, Federer, Tsonga, Nishikori, Gulbis, Bahrami

03-17-2004, 09:11 AM	#9
@wright Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,568	This question is like asking "which transistor radio is the best?" __________________ Proudly donning the Nadal avatar until Fed either wins Roland Garros, or serves Nadal a bagel.

03-17-2004, 10:01 AM	#11
AAAA Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 3,390	Henman plays more all-court than s&v. It's only at Wimbledon when he plays s&v after almost all his serves. In other tournaments he plays all-court as he did in beating Corretja at Indian Wells. __________________ Fed 2010: Federer aged 28 16 Slams(inc. career slam) vs Sampras aged 28 14 Slams(no FO)