Best All Time Composite Female Tennis strokes

[pc1]

BTURNER mentioned there weren't many females threads recently so I was inspired to start one.

There was a thread of top composite all time male strokes recently so I thought I start the female equivalent.

I'll throw out some possibilites.

Serve-Serena Williams, Margaret Court, Alice Marble, Martina Navratilova
Backhand-Chris Evert, Justine Henin, Evonne Goolagong, Pauline Betz (I heard she based her backhand on Don Budge), Lenglen, Seles
Forehand-Graf-I'm not sure if there is even a close second but I'll mention Helen Wills.
Volley-Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Alice Marble, Lenglen
Speed and Agility-Serena Williams, Evonne Goolagong, Kim Clijsters, Suzanne Lenglen, Graf, Venus Williams
Overhead-Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova
Return of Serve-Seles, Evert

 

[boredone3456]

My personal Possibilities

Serve- Serena Williams, Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Martina Navratilova, Wills Moody
Backhand- Chris Evert, Justine Henin, Evonne Goolagong, Suzanne Lenglen
Forehand- Graf.............Davenport, really can't think of anyone else right now
Volley- Martina Navratilova,Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Louise Brough Clapp, Doris Hart (last 2 based on what I've read in various places)
Speed and Agility- Evonne Goolagong, Wendy Turnbull (they didn't call her rabbit for nothing), Kim Clijsters, honorable mention to Vicario & Molla Mallory
Overhead- Martina Navratilova
Return of Serve- Evert
Lob- Evert
Drop Shot- Not to sure here, but some possibilities would be Evert, Graf, Navratilova could hit a good one occassionally, Hingis hit a pretty good one
Tactical ability- Evert, Hingis, Lenglen

Funny how the same names keep coming up, If I had to assemble a player I would probably pick the following

First Serve- Serena Williams
2nd Serve- tough call....but Navratilova
Backhand- Chris Evert
Volley- any of the above would work for me, I would probably have a tough choice between King, Court and Martina though
Speed and Agility- Evonne Goolagong (such a good mover...to bad the rest of her game didn't go with it)
Forehand- Graf, but Davenports would not be awful either
Overhead- Martina Navratilova (Serena's has power, but Martina had to develop one good enough to counter Evert, and it became a very good shot)
Return of Serve- Evert
Lob- Evert (any player could make use of this...just adding it as an honorable mention more than an actual shot, like Graf's forehand it was just such a clutch shot for quite some time)
Drop Shot- I really don't know..
Tactical Ability- Lenglen...I have read it several times she played tennis like Chess, and although Evert was good I'd pick Lenglen.

 

[BTURNER]

GOOD LIST: I USED CAPS TO AMEND

First Serve- Serena Williams M. COURT
2nd Serve- tough call....but Navratilova,
Backhand- Chris Evert SELES
Volley- any of the above would work for me, I would probably have a tough choice between King, Court and Martina though
Speed and Agility- Evonne Goolagong (such a good mover...to bad the rest of her game didn't go with it) GRAF
Forehand- Graf, but Davenports would not be awful either SERENA
Overhead- Martina Navratilova (Serena's has power, but Martina had to develop one good enough to counter Evert, and it became a very good shot)I HEARD INCREDIBLE THINGS ABOUT KING'S
Return of Serve- Evert, SELES
Lob- Evert (any player could make use of this...just adding it as an honorable mention more than an actual shot, like Graf's forehand it was just such a clutch shot for quite some time) HINGIS
Drop Shot- I really don't know.. BACKHAND LOTS, KING, NAVRATILOVA HINGIS ETC; FOREHAND ONLY EVERT, NEVER USED IT AT A DUMB TIME
Tactical Ability- Lenglen...I have read it several times she played tennis like Chess, and although Evert was good I'd pick Lenglen.HONORABLE MENTION HINGIS

 

[boredone3456]

^^^Bturner, Good Choices as well, I can't believe I left Graf out of the movement category entirely, she was great as well, would probably have a tough choice between her and Goolagong, Goolagong's movement was the thing that really kept her in some of her matches with Evert, if she didn't move as well as she did she probably would have a much worse h2h with her than she does. Although you could say Graf's movement won her many of her matches as well....very tough call for me.

Some good recommendations for Drop Shot, I just left it blank because there are, as you said, quite a few possibilities. Evert would probably be my choice there though if only because she used it smartly and tactically well. But there are many you could pick, sort of like the volley category, it really comes down to just who you think was ever so slightly better...and there really are a few quality choices for almost all of these fields, although I don't think Graf can be beat in the forehand category, Davenport is great but even hers is a somewhat distant 2nd.

 

[dannykl]

From the open era

Serve: Serena is the best,
Nav, Court and Graf the second bests.

Return: Seles is the best.
Linsay is the second.

Volley: King and Nav as the best.
Court seconds to them.

Forehand: Graf is the best. She dominates this category with a wide lead.
No other players come close to the standard Graf sets for a great
forehand.

Backhand: Henin as the best.
Evert, Seles, Hingis and Serena are close seconds.

Overhead: Nav as the best.
Court the second.

Lob: Evert the best.
Hingis the ssecond.

Drop: Hingis the best.
Evert the second.

Movement(speed and footwork): Graf is the best.
Goolegone, Sanchez and Venus the second.

Mental Strengh: Evert, Graf, Seles and Serena are all tier 1 players in this aspect.

 

[Joe Pike]

...
Mental Strengh: Evert, Graf, Seles and Serena are all tier 1 players in this aspect.

Players who peaked only for 2 years (showing their potential) but had another 10 years with terrible losses don't seem mentally strong to me.

 

[BTURNER]

Is Serena that mentally tough? I don't see it either week in/out or in all the slams. its there for two tournaments or three a year she really cares about - but the tour last 11 months. How I could have missed Sanchez or Navratilova in the movement deptis beyond my comprehension.

 

[pc1]

Is Serena that mentally tough? I don't see it either week in/out or in all the slams. its there for two tournaments or three a year she really cares about - but the tour last 11 months. How I could have missed Sanchez or Navratilova in the movement deptis beyond my comprehension.

BTURNER,

There has been a lot of female tennis players. You cannot remember every one of them immediately.

I think Serena is mentally tough in the majors. When she loses in the majors I think it is often because of being out of shape.

In other tournaments I think she can lose some concentration. I think a lot of it is because I believe she thinks she is about to raise her game when it is necessary to win and it doesn't always happen.

 

[AndrewD]

What a load of nonsense. You're just throwing in names without having the slightest idea how good their shots really were.

Also, any list of best serves which doesn't include Wade, Shriver and Casals is rubbish. Any list of best volleyers which doesn't include Casals and Shriver is rubbish. Any list of best backhands which doesn't include Sabatini is rubbish.

 

[BTURNER]

Andrew, reread the opening post " I'll throw out some possibilites" in other words there is no expectations this will be conclusive without other input. So you provided some. Take a chill pill.

 

[pc1]

Andrew, reread the opening post " I'll throw out some possibilites" in other words there is no expectations this will be conclusive without other input. So you provided some. Take a chill pill.

As you wrote so well, this is meant as a discussion thread. Anyway there are so many excellent female players with great strokes that it is impossible to name everyone.

 

[scotus]

Gotta include Venus in the service department.

Graf for backhand slice.

Graf is a must for speed/movement. The best ever.

 

[BTURNER]

Venus moves beautifully as well, better than Serena.

 

[boredone3456]

Venus moves beautifully as well, better than Serena.

Venus moves incredibly well, especially considering how tall she is. If Davenport moved as well as Venus did Davenport would have won many more titles and a few more slams to boot.

 

[nat75]

Sabatini's Topspin backhand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN2P5L41CbM

And what about Gaby's overhead??

 

[pc1]

Venus moves incredibly well, especially considering how tall she is. If Davenport moved as well as Venus did Davenport would have won many more titles and a few more slams to boot.

I think you're right. Whenever I see Davenport against Venus, Serena, Henin and players that are far more mobile than she is, it disturbs me. I see so many points that she loses because she doesn't get to the ball when I know a Clijsters or the women I named above would get to those shots easily.

I felt the same way about Seles, especially when she gained so much weight after the stabbing.

 

[BTURNER]

Movement was one of a few reason Pierce did not do better. She struck the ball beautifully and hse even knew how to volley.

 

[FloridaAG]

Saw Martina play today in a charity event - even just screwing around her volleys are a sight to see - beautiful

 

[pc1]

Saw Martina play today in a charity event - even just screwing around her volleys are a sight to see - beautiful

Perhaps the greatest volleyer of all time.

 

[PDJ]

Can I add 'anticipation'?
Evert. Vastly underrated.

 

[BTURNER]

Boredone added 'tactician' and ollectively, we named Evert, Hingis, Lenglen. Maybe we just had not had enough access to Billie Jean's clips, but she ALWAYS had a plan out there, and a plan B and C just in case you caught on to it. Never seemed to hit a ball without that ball fitting into a one. It was sometimes its execution that got her into trouble, but rarely her vision of how that point was going to proceed. It was very hard to get any kind of a rhythm on your stroke or game while playing BJK. She liked to put the ball in annoying spots, with annoying little spins. She understood the concept of a 'comfort zone' and made damn sure her opponent rarely found their own. Must have been a real pain in the ass to play her.

Watching her play, I always end shake my head and think, 'if she only had a better forehand, she could have made a career out of this tennis gig'

 

[jrepac]

Boredone added 'tactician' and ollectively, we named Evert, Hingis, Lenglen. Maybe we just had not had enough access to Billie Jean's clips, but she ALWAYS had a plan out there, and a plan B and C just in case you caught on to it. Never seemed to hit a ball without that ball fitting into a one. It was sometimes its execution that got her into trouble, but rarely her vision of how that point was going to proceed. It was very hard to get any kind of a rhythm on your stroke or game while playing BJK. She liked to put the ball in annoying spots, with annoying little spins. She understood the concept of a 'comfort zone' and made damn sure her opponent rarely found their own. Must have been a real pain in the ass to play her.

Watching her play, I always end shake my head and think, 'if she only had a better forehand, she could have made a career out of this tennis gig'

I recall her playing Austin at Wimbledon in '82...was amazed by her crafty play. Had really only seen BJK 'live' at the later stages of her career. Thoroughly enjoyed watching her play on the grass at W with her 'old knees'.

 

[PDJ]

I recall her playing Austin at Wimbledon in '82...was amazed by her crafty play. Had really only seen BJK 'live' at the later stages of her career. Thoroughly enjoyed watching her play on the grass at W with her 'old knees'.

She also gave Evert fits at Wimbledon 82.
Especially with her drop shot, lob, drop shot, lob and repeat!

 

[sandy mayer]

First serve Serena Williams
Second serve Serena Williams
Forehand Graf
Backhand Henin
forehand volley Court
backhand volley Navratilova
overhead Navratilova
return Evert
passing shots Evert
lob Evert
drop shot Sanchez Vicario
movement Graf
stamina Graf
all round ability Serena Williams
mental toughness Navratilova

 

[BTURNER]

She also gave Evert fits at Wimbledon 82.
Especially with her drop shot, lob, drop shot, lob and repeat!

I recall all those forehand loops to Evert's backhand, coupled with those chops and slices all which had zero pace and then once in a while, she'd pop a topspin. everything designed to keep Evert from getting into a groove until King to get into the net. Its the same tactics that brought her victory against Austin. It didn't beat Evert but absent the Navratilova power advantage, it was the perfect grasscourt gameplan to do just that.