Someone said Moya......he doesn't have a 1-hander....How about Corretja?
Forgot about Corretja, great backhand for sure, i would put him in top 5 in this tread.
Someone said Moya......he doesn't have a 1-hander....How about Corretja?
True that. There is that strange and rare distinction of being a great "all-court" player, that would include those who had both great baseline skills and great volleying abilities.
This is where you find a name appearing on both lists of great baeliners and great volleyers.
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...
Funny that no one has mentioned Wawrinka. I'd take his backhand over Federer's any day.
However, I do believe Guga takes the prize in this category. As far as pure baseliner 1-handed backhands go, his was/is the best ever.
Wrong thread! This thread is about who is the greatest baseliner in the open era with a 1hb, not who has the best 1hb in the open era. If that was the question, then the answer is Rod Laver.
Ooops. I misunderstood the question.
Now that I understand it better, I'd have to go w/ Lendl, only because I consider Federer & Sampras as 'All Court' players. Guga *could* have been the best, but I'm guessing his hip injury limited what he could do in US/Aussie Opens.
I would agree that Sampras was an all courter. But, IMO, Federer is as much a baseliner as anyone. He plays almost exclusively from the baseline, even moreso than Lendl, and his baseline game is much better than his net game, maybe moreso than Lendl in that respect too.
I guess you are talking about the Federer of the last few years. I remember the Federer of the early-mid 2000s, when he would hit that short slice backhand, then finish at the net, or rip a forehand "inside-in", then put the easy volley away.
Federer still hits that shot with good effectiveness against some. It doesn't work that well against Nadal or Djokovic. Nadal either belts it down the line with his forehand or hits a heavy topspin forehand sharp crosscourt to the Federer's backhand.
nadal just rips it apart tbh. Federer only rarely uses it vs him in the past 2-3 years ..
federer has way more success with it vs djoker , see for example their FO meeting last year. djoker handles it ok I suppose , but when fed's slice is correctly working, it still causes him some problems ...
Agree.Vilas, Lendl, Kuerten, Moya, Muster.
Also I like that.Satsuma Illini,
My top ten of onehanded backhand players:
1 Rosewall
2 Budge
3 Kovacs
4 Laver
5 Edberg
6 Nüsslein
7 Vilas
8 Ashe
9 Hoad
10 Emerson
KG,1) Wawrinka
2) Edberg
3) Rosewall
4) Budge
5) Lendl
6) Laver
7) Kurten
8) Vilas
Federer 's backhand is the best I've seen with Edberg , IMO , excellent shot .No mention of Federer is a bit of joke tbh . The guy won most of his slams largely from the baseline against other baseliners.
Federer 's backhand is the best I've seen with Edberg , IMO , excellent shot .
But I see it as problematic blow when the balls are high and lift.
The backhand has been the weak point too many times to Roger .
I can not put it much higher.
Good point. It's not a thread about all time great backhands but best baseliners with one handers. Yes Federer should be there.No mention of Federer is a bit of joke tbh . The guy won most of his slams largely from the baseline against other baseliners.
Good point. It's not a thread about all time great backhands but best baseliners with one handers. Yes Federer should be there.
Edberg actually wasn't a great baseliner. He had a great backhand but he wasn't a great baseliner. McEnroe was probably a better baseliner than him.
If that's the case Jack Kramer and Bobby Riggs should be on the list. Kramer had an excellent backhand and super forehand. Many of Kramer's opponents rank Kramer as one of the best baseliners they had faced including his nemesis Pancho Gonzalez. Gonzalez named Kramer, Segura and Rosewall as the top baseliners he faced in his career.
Rigg's control from the baseline was incredible. He was the master of the lob and drop shot. He also had power when he needed it.
Actually come to think of it perhaps Segura should be there also for the same reasons as Federer.
I mentioned Tilden in post 68. Tilden could very well be number one on the list since in his prime he had a great backhand with variety and a great forehand. Vines wrote he never saw a player who could do more on both sides than Tilden. And Vines saw Budge, Perry, Rosewall, Laver, Kramer, Kovacs, Segura, Connors and Borg.What about Tilden?
Yet I do think Federer's backhand can be underrated. It's only really been preyed upon by Nadal. Djokovic even now doesn't beat Federer by simply targeting the backhand.
Was discussing this with a friend the other day. For the Open Era, Ivan Lendl seemed to be the best I could think of. All the other single-backhand players seem to be serve-and-volleyers. For all-time, who would be in the top ten for best baseliner with a one-handed backhand?
Federer even at his late age has imo improved his backhand. I'm very impressed by this. I don't think Federer's the baseliner he used to be but I wonder if Nadal is healthy could he attack Federer's backhand now like he used to.What about Tilden?
Yet I do think Federer's backhand can be underrated. It's only really been preyed upon by Nadal. Djokovic even now doesn't beat Federer by simply targeting the backhand.
I thought of Rosewall too, most particularly as having a great backhand.I'd pick Ken Rosewall for number one. Other possibilities would be Bill Tilden, Don Budge, Rene Lacoste, Nusslein, Trabert, Segura, Vilas, Nastase, Gimeno, Bobby Riggs. I understand Jack Kramer, although he was known for his great serve and volley was a fabulous baseliner.
I picked Rosewall as number one in those days to be honest to be nice to someone. I thought it was possible but frankly Tilden is superior if we don't use the requirement of a great backhand (by that I mean I thought Rosewall's backhand was superior to TIlden's backhand) and Tilden did have a super backhand anyway. However Tilden had a superior forehand to Rosewall's forehand. It's considered one of the best of all time. Here's a video of Tilden around age 38.I thought of Rosewall too, most particularly as having a great backhand.
But was he a strict (or even mostly a) baseliner? (It seems that just a day or two ago Bobby was offering up Muscles as a great Serve and Volleyer. Bobby, this is NOT A CRITICISM.)
Aren't these categories more or less exclusive? Can he be both a great S&Ver and a great baseliner?
(After all, one almost never goes to the net, and the other almost always goes to the net.)
Also I like that.
I thought of Rosewall too, most particularly as having a great backhand.
But was he a strict (or even mostly a) baseliner? (It seems that just a day or two ago Bobby was offering up Muscles as a great Serve and Volleyer. Bobby, this is NOT A CRITICISM.)
Aren't these categories more or less exclusive? Can he be both a great S&Ver and a great baseliner?
(After all, one almost never goes to the net, and the other almost always goes to the net.)
Federer even at his late age has imo improved his backhand. I'm very impressed by this. I don't think Federer's the baseliner he used to be but I wonder if Nadal is healthy could he attack Federer's backhand now like he used to.
Perhaps but I have to admit I really like the way he's hitting his backhand now when he's in position. I would guess it was because of Edberg. I have no doubt his movement and stamina has gone down.I'm unsure of quite how much Federer's backhand has improved- in the Wimbledon to Dubai period of 06 -07 where Federer lost just one match in 62 matchse I think his backhand was easily this good. It's certainly better than it's been for a very long time though atm. I think the main difference is in his heyday Federer would have tournaments where his backhand was on fire but also period swhere perhaps it was a bit inconsistent. I'm not sure if the new frame has helped with this.
As for Nadal, I'm not sure. The backhand itself might deal with the high balls better - it's one facet he has probably worked on a lot. But his movement and stamina has declined so he might not be in the correct position as often as he would have been in his better years in a long match.
Perhaps but I have to admit I really like the way he's hitting his backhand now when he's in position. I would guess it was because of Edberg. I have no doubt his movement and stamina has gone down.
Nancy Richey's was better. ;^)BSteffi Graf
I understand Pauline Betz had a great backhand too. Alice Marble around the late 1950s or early 1960s called it the best she had seen.1. Steffi Graf
2. Suzanne lenglen
3. Helen Wills
4 Mo Connolly
All time, I think those four fit the category, but nobody mentioned them.
Funny that no one has mentioned Wawrinka. I'd take his backhand over Federer's any day.