hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Yep, primarily singles.
I think someone else started a list for doubles.
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Greatest Volleyers of All Time
- Thread starter hoodjem
- Start date
I think someone else started a list for doubles.
kiki
Banned
Amritraj is an underrated volleyer over those boards.He was much more of a touch and position volleyer than an atheltic one like Edberg or Rafter.Still, you feel when one guy is so at ease at the net and Vijay certainly was.
When he handled down Borg,Laver,mac or Connors, it was because he dominated at the net.
When he handled down Borg,Laver,mac or Connors, it was because he dominated at the net.
pc1
G.O.A.T.
Vijay also had very good groundies when he was "on" his game. He's one of the many players who didn't come close to living up to his talent. He was one of my all time favorites. He could beat Nastase and lose to a nobody in the next round.l
Leelord337
Hall of Fame
i was thinking the bryan bros and danny nestor too..
li0scc0
Hall of Fame
However, net play would include the overhead, and Vijay's was below average.
kiki
Banned
I really can´t remember that well.You could be right.However, he was one of the best all round players, being able to playe great either at the baseline or at the net.From Laver to Mc Enroe, beat them all ( except Lendl)
pc1
G.O.A.T.
I thought Vijay had a very good overhead. However he choked on an easy overhead against Kodes at Wimbledon I believe in 1973 at a crucial moment. Hard to have good records against Nastase, Connors and Borg if you didn't have a good overhead.
He was (according to the ATP website) 3-2 against Connors (I think that may be wrong), 6-6 against Nastase and 1-5 against Borg. So he was 10-13 against three superstars.
In stroking ability I am not sure where you could pinpoint a major weakness with Vijay. I think he wasn't as fast as he could be but he wasn't slow either. Vijay was just a great talent. Many thought of the three top young players in the early 1970's (Vijay, Connors and Borg) that Vijay was the most talented.
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hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Here it is.
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hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Tier-one: McEnroe, Edberg, Laver, Rosewall, Sedgman, Roche, Emerson.
Tier-two: Segura, Hoad, Newcombe, Panatta, Rafter, Cash, Kramer, Gonzales.
Tier-three: Ashe, Lutz, Gerulaitis, Sampras, Nastase, Pecci, Borotra, Cochet, Henman, Patty, Fraser.
Tier-four: Llodra, Becker, Krajicek, Stich, Perry, Ramirez, Gottfried, Kriek, McLaughlin, Trabert, McGregor, Fraser, Stolle.
Present: Nalbandian, Tsonga, Federer, Mahut, Fish, Ancic, Marc Lopez, Llodra.
Tier-two: Segura, Hoad, Newcombe, Panatta, Rafter, Cash, Kramer, Gonzales.
Tier-three: Ashe, Lutz, Gerulaitis, Sampras, Nastase, Pecci, Borotra, Cochet, Henman, Patty, Fraser.
Tier-four: Llodra, Becker, Krajicek, Stich, Perry, Ramirez, Gottfried, Kriek, McLaughlin, Trabert, McGregor, Fraser, Stolle.
Present: Nalbandian, Tsonga, Federer, Mahut, Fish, Ancic, Marc Lopez, Llodra.
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kiki
Banned
Pecci and Ramirez on clay.
Fraser is very underrated, but rock solid and a very accomplished volleyer.Belongs to third tier.
I guess this list does not contemplate doubles.
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
You are correct.
kiki
Banned
The list is very good.I don´t think anybody is missing it, except pre WWI guys such as Mo Mc Laughlin,Doherty and Gore who were considered as the best volleyers of their time ( 1900-1915).
We could as well consider different kinds of volleys.Not just FH and BH but also Drop Volleys, First and second volley combo, Deep volleys, below the net volleys and so forth
We could as well consider different kinds of volleys.Not just FH and BH but also Drop Volleys, First and second volley combo, Deep volleys, below the net volleys and so forth
kiki
Banned
Ilie Nastase had a particular net game of his own.
why so?
Nastase was lightening fast and quick with wonderful reflexes ( maybe one of the fastest reflexes in tennis) and he was a natural teaser.When he wanted to volley from the BH side, he usually left more space to his left, teasing his opponent try to hit to his BH volley because this opponent had more space open in that side.The opposite for the FH volley.
Thanks for the correction Hoodjem; I have made a small change in the introduction...
why so?
Nastase was lightening fast and quick with wonderful reflexes ( maybe one of the fastest reflexes in tennis) and he was a natural teaser.When he wanted to volley from the BH side, he usually left more space to his left, teasing his opponent try to hit to his BH volley because this opponent had more space open in that side.The opposite for the FH volley.
Thanks for the correction Hoodjem; I have made a small change in the introduction...
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hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
See Tier Three.
hoodjem, I strongly suggest to put Newcombe in tier-one. In the 1970s a panel of many players chose him for best forehand volley (Roche best backhand volley).
Steady Eddy
Legend
Maybe Vilas had the best? We wouldn't know because he never went to the net.
Russeljones
Talk Tennis Guru
Not better than Stich, I reckon.
NatF
Bionic Poster
I was watching the 1994 YEC SF with Agassi and Sampras and interestingly the commentators were saying how Sampras' volleys weren't great, (he missed a few in the match) and that his serve often allowed him to hit easy volleys. They said he wasn't an Edberg at the net.
Was this a common perception at the time? I imagine it changed later on when he went full on serve and volley, I assume his volleys improved as he got older.
Was this a common perception at the time? I imagine it changed later on when he went full on serve and volley, I assume his volleys improved as he got older.
Russeljones
Talk Tennis Guru
I don't believe anyone had Sampras above Edberg in volleying terms. I think it's an interesting debate where Becker and Stich stand in comparison to Sampras. I can't say that my mind is made up.
jean pierre
Professional
In the FO, no. But in Australia, he went to the net almost on every point !
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Tier-one: McEnroe, Edberg, Laver, Rosewall, Sedgman, Roche, Emerson, Newcombe.
Tier-two: Segura, Hoad, Panatta, Rafter, Cash, Kramer, Gonzales.
Tier-three: Ashe, Lutz, Gerulaitis, Sampras, Nastase, Pecci, Borotra, Cochet, Henman, Patty, Fraser.
Tier-four: Llodra, Becker, Krajicek, Stich, Perry, Ramirez, Gottfried, Kriek, McLaughlin, Trabert, McGregor, Fraser, Stolle.
Present: Tsonga, Federer, Mahut, Fish, Ancic, Marc Lopez, Llodra, Paes.
Tier-two: Segura, Hoad, Panatta, Rafter, Cash, Kramer, Gonzales.
Tier-three: Ashe, Lutz, Gerulaitis, Sampras, Nastase, Pecci, Borotra, Cochet, Henman, Patty, Fraser.
Tier-four: Llodra, Becker, Krajicek, Stich, Perry, Ramirez, Gottfried, Kriek, McLaughlin, Trabert, McGregor, Fraser, Stolle.
Present: Tsonga, Federer, Mahut, Fish, Ancic, Marc Lopez, Llodra, Paes.
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kiki
Banned
I admire your elegance when fitting in " present"
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Élégance, moi?
Thanks a lot, hoodjem. You know I'm not a huge Newcombe fan but he has deserved to be rated as top tier volleyer.
kiki
Banned
I like the list.I know it is tight enough but when I think of Gottfried, I think of a guy AT LEAST belonging one tier upper ( 3 rd tier).
He was considered the best volleyer of much of the 1970´s on fast courts.
And Rosewall is too way up; he was a very sound volleyer but not better than second tier, and yet...
He was considered the best volleyer of much of the 1970´s on fast courts.
And Rosewall is too way up; he was a very sound volleyer but not better than second tier, and yet...
"Expert" kiki, Why do you belittle Rosewall so often even though you use to claim you loved his game?
In 1966, when Laver was at his peak, "World Tennis" wrote that Muscles had the best backhand volley in the game. And experts know that Ken had an equal great forehand volley as Laver...
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Djokovic2011
Bionic Poster
chandler bing
Rookie
Gerulaitis, because it was all about his volleys. He didn't have a big serve or a huge groundstroke that he could monster and get an easy volley off.
kiki
Banned
kiki
Banned
Sentinel
Bionic Poster
Does this make Llodra the best of the present volleyers being the only one on the tier list ?
Russeljones
Talk Tennis Guru
I'd say Stepanek is at least Llodra's equal.
kiki, This thread is NOT about serve and volley!!!
So bad your list!
objectivity
Banned
not sure who the best volleyer is, but the best baseline half-volleyer SURELY has to be Federer. by a huge margin. only agassi comes close.
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Tier-one: McEnroe, Edberg, Laver, Rosewall, Sedgman, Kramer, Roche, Newcombe.
Tier-two: Hoad, Emerson, Panatta, Segura, Rafter, Cash, Gonzales.
Tier-three: Ashe, Lutz, Gerulaitis, Sampras, Nastase, Pecci, Borotra, Cochet, Henman, Patty, Fraser.
Tier-four: Becker, Krajicek, Stich, Perry, Ramirez, Gottfried, Kriek, McLaughlin, Trabert, McGregor, Fraser, Stolle.
Present: Tsonga, Federer, Mahut, Fish, Ancic, Marc Lopez, Llodra, Stepanek, Paes.
Tier-two: Hoad, Emerson, Panatta, Segura, Rafter, Cash, Gonzales.
Tier-three: Ashe, Lutz, Gerulaitis, Sampras, Nastase, Pecci, Borotra, Cochet, Henman, Patty, Fraser.
Tier-four: Becker, Krajicek, Stich, Perry, Ramirez, Gottfried, Kriek, McLaughlin, Trabert, McGregor, Fraser, Stolle.
Present: Tsonga, Federer, Mahut, Fish, Ancic, Marc Lopez, Llodra, Stepanek, Paes.
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NatF
Bionic Poster
Is present tier 5 or could you see some of them being in Tier 4?
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
No, Present Tier is not Tier Five. It is simply other (i. e. present).
Yes, I could see some in the present making it into the tiers above.
NatF
Bionic Poster
Where would you rate Paes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyMUMw8I1nI
In terms of touch volleys he must be up there with anyone.
hoodjem, Newk again downgraded (by mistake)?
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Yes a mistake, sorry. (Pasting from an earlier version.)
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
Yes, excellent, soft droppers. (I'd have to study more than two highlights to know where.)
