Best one-handed backhand return game?

[thejoe]

I was watching Queens earlier, and trying to think of a decent returner of serve that uses a one-hander. I know James Blake with his short swings can come up with some bombs, but is he a really great player of return games? For instance, Federer's return game is his biggest weakness, as it is for the guy in my avatar.

Check out these stats:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/tennis/1/en/2008news/return_leaders.asp

Not one 1hb to be seen in any of the categories. So, if there is any, who is the best?

 

[crazylevity]

http://www.atpworldtour.com/tennis/en/players/matchfacts/

Points won returning 1st serve with one handed backhand (these are in the top 20 of each category):
10-Tommy Robredo
11-Phillip Kohlschreiber
13-Fernando Gonzalez
16-Roger Federer

Points won returning 2nd serve:
6-Tommy Robredo
13-Roger Federer
15-Phillip Kohlschreiber
17-Stanislas Wawrinka

Return games won-
10-Tommy Robredo
13-Philip Kohlschreiber
19-Stanislas Wawrinka
20-Roger Federer

Robredo, Kohlschreiber, Wawrinka and Federer are consistently in the top 20 with a one handed backhand.

 

[joeri888]

The fact that Federer is right up there has little to do with his return imo. It's horrendous on most days (although it worked exceptionally well against Soderling), but he's just got real class from the baseline, so he gets chance to make up for his awful return.

 

[Tempest344]

Robredo's backhand returns are okay..but I have never (or rarely) seen that guy hit a winner off his backhand side...its a nice safe shot with good spin but thats it

 

[tata]

check this one out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxzFlrFfUrg&feature=related

 

[All-rounder]

check this one out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxzFlrFfUrg&feature=related

140 mph wow :shock: he returned it like it was a second serve

 

[crazylevity]

The fact that Federer is right up there has little to do with his return imo. It's horrendous on most days (although it worked exceptionally well against Soderling), but he's just got real class from the baseline, so he gets chance to make up for his awful return.

I disagree ever so slightly, with all due respect. Federer still needs to get at least a decent, if not good return in before his ground game can have a chance to take over. I think he can get apprehensive on returns, especially against Nadal, chipping 2nd serve returns weak, short, and in the middle of the court. But when he's confident, he can return really well. Look how well he's handled the biggest serves on tour over the years. Roddick, Karlovic, etc.

 

[thejoe]

I'll back up my suggestion of Blake. He was crushing returns with his one hander today.

 

[joeri888]

I disagree ever so slightly, with all due respect. Federer still needs to get at least a decent, if not good return in before his ground game can have a chance to take over. I think he can get apprehensive on returns, especially against Nadal, chipping 2nd serve returns weak, short, and in the middle of the court. But when he's confident, he can return really well. Look how well he's handled the biggest serves on tour over the years. Roddick, Karlovic, etc.

I'm talking the last few months, when indeed he's low on confidence. His return was great in his prime, but now it just seems off so often. Sure, against Del Potro and Roddick at AO, against Soderling at RG, against Murray at US Open, it was great and he's got the potential of course, but it's just off so often these days. It's one of his most downgraded shots in the past year and a half

 

[crazylevity]

I can agree with that. Federer somehow seems like a confidence player, and that has happened throughout his career. Early on when his backhand wasn't as good, you could tell whether he was feeling tentative by the number of slices he hit. If he was stepping into the court and ripping it on the rise, that was confident Federer. It's the same with the return now.

 

[TennisFan481]

Federer used to be one of the best returners in the history of tennis.

The last two years he's fallen off markedly. I wonder if his reaction time has just declined due to age.

 

[T0P5P1N@DD1CT]

Federer used to be one of the best returners in the history of tennis.

The last two years he's fallen off markedly. I wonder if his reaction time has just declined due to age.

I definitely don't think its due to his reaction time declining.

I really think its a mental thing with him. A lot of the guys on tour think that he is vulnerable and he knows it so it may play on his psyche a bit.

A lot of them are tuned in to that lil chip backhand return (most of his opponents serve to that side more often- i'd say) so he does not really get on top of the rally as much. Which is prob why he's ranked low in the percentage of games broken and the other categories mentioned in a previous post.

Whenever he does feel confident though, like at the end of that Haas match, those numbers are quite the opposite...

Just my $.02

 

[tintin]

I know James Blake with his short swings can come up with some bombs, but is he a really great player of return games? For instance, Federer's return game is his biggest weakness, as

what has Blake won worth mentioning with his "superior" return of serve?:shock:
let's see

Masters Series? NO!
title on clay?NO!
title on grass? NO!
a grand slam semifinal?NO!
olympic medal?NO!
a grand slam maybe?HELL NO!

hell the man can't even win a title when the top 5 players are in the draw:roll:

I'll take Federer;his 14 victories in ALL 4 majors and his "weak" return of serve over your boy Blake returning bombs any day any damn time!:roll:

Blake would agree with me and give all of his 10-11 little tier 3 titles to make just 1 semis in a major;and a Master series I promise you:lol:


I'd say Federer

Haas when healthy and playing well
Blake on hard courts alone
Almagro on clay alone
Kohshreiber when he's on fire:Australian Open last year against Roddick and this year in Paris against Djokovic
Gasquet on grass

 

[Sentinel]

i remember the onehanders of the 90's really crushing some returns.

... rafter, lendl, becker edberg...

sadly. federer likes to slice back. maybe its more difficult today with slower courts and the ball kicking up higher ???