Ellsworth Vines vs Lew Hoad

[Dan Lobb]

Max Roberson gave this as his all-time Wimbledon seedings list in his 1987 book (I sense he goes on peak level +raw power over cumulative achievements):

• Boris Becker
• Lew Hoad
• Pancho Gonzales
• Rod Laver
• John McEnroe
• Jack Kramer
• Frank Sedgman
• Bjorn Borg
• Ken Rosewall
• Tony Trabert
• Jimmy Connors
• John Newcombe
• Roy Emerson
• Jaroslav Drobny
• Budge Patty
• Neale Fraser

of Borg, he said: "I firmly believe that if Borg had been playing in the eras of the great serve—volleyers he would never have won five Wimbledons running... Borg was most vulnerable to the big serve and volley, and McEnroe, who always gave him trouble, was in the end ‘too much for him. I even believe in my heart that Trabert, Newcombe and Emerson would have beaten him two times out of three. But undoubtedly Borg was the greatest clay-court player."

Robertson actually rated Hoad as No. 1 seed in the first edition of this book in 1981, and also in his other Wimbledon book, "Wimbledon: 1877-1977".

 

[Dan Lobb]

Just as an exercise , AI answered this question:

"Who would win a big match between Hoad and Vines?"

"In a hypothetical big match between Ellsworth Vines and Lew Hoad, experts and historical consensus often view it as a toss-up between the two players with the highest "peak" levels in tennis history.. Both were known for being nearly unbeatable when "on," but also for being inconsistent due to injuries or lack of focus.

The Case for Ellsworth Vines

• Raw Power: Vines is frequently cited as having the most devastating serve and forehand of his era. Jack Kramer, who saw both, leaned toward Vines as the No. 1 man for any single given match.
• Domination at Peak: When his game clicked, Vines was legendary for "annihilating" opponents, such as his 1932 Wimbledon final victory over Bunny Austin.
• Historical Endorsements: Prominent figures like Allison Danzig and Jack Kramer ranked Vines as the best ever when playing at his best.

• The Case for Lew Hoad
  • Physical Strength and Variety: Hoad was known for "superman" strength, famously crushing racquet handles during play. Unlike Vines, Hoad possessed a wider variety of spins and more subtle tactics, including legendary topspin lobs.
  • Big Match Mentality: Some analysts argue Hoad rose to big occasions—like the Davis Cup and Wimbledon—more consistently than Vines, who occasionally struggled in European tournaments or Davis Cup play.
  • Field Depth: Hoad competed in a deeper professional era against all-time greats like Pancho Gonzales and Ken Rosewall.

• Verdict: If the match were played on a fast surface at both players' absolute peaks, many experts believe Vines' raw power might give him a slight edge in a single set, while Hoad's superior variety and stamina might favor him in a grueling five-set match. Notably, Vines himself once stated that Hoad was invincible when on his game."

 

[Dan Lobb]

Max Roberson gave this as his all-time Wimbledon seedings list in his 1987 book (I sense he goes on peak level +raw power over cumulative achievements):

• Boris Becker
• Lew Hoad
• Pancho Gonzales
• Rod Laver
• John McEnroe
• Jack Kramer
• Frank Sedgman
• Bjorn Borg
• Ken Rosewall
• Tony Trabert
• Jimmy Connors
• John Newcombe
• Roy Emerson
• Jaroslav Drobny
• Budge Patty
• Neale Fraser

of Borg, he said: "I firmly believe that if Borg had been playing in the eras of the great serve—volleyers he would never have won five Wimbledons running... Borg was most vulnerable to the big serve and volley, and McEnroe, who always gave him trouble, was in the end ‘too much for him. I even believe in my heart that Trabert, Newcombe and Emerson would have beaten him two times out of three. But undoubtedly Borg was the greatest clay-court player."

Famous tennis expert Lance Tingay also rated Hoad as the "most virtuoso" tennis player ever, stating that "on the tennis court, Hoad could do anything".

Lance Tingay - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org