Fastest Backhand Ever Hit

P

piece

Professional
Some of the biggest forehands ever hit in a match seem to be well known around this forum (e.g. Delpo in the USO final, Blake's return, some of Gonzalez's, these two from Berdych and Djokovic, Monfils at the AO), but I was wondering what the fastest backhand ever hit on the pro tour was. I know it can be tough to get actual speed readings, so video will suffice. I've included a fair few below that were among the biggest I could find (player listed first is the one who hit the shot).


The Reference Points:

Both of these are very big backhands but not the fastest I've seen, IMO. It's useful to have them here because the speed of both shots is shown in the video

Federer v. Murray AO 2010 (154 kph) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw8dZB0mSQo
Murray v. Federer Shanghai 2010 (159 kph) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzkP-UMez2A


The Fastest Backhands:

Federer v. Murray TMC 2008 (0.44) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLzU7IHRdjM
Federer v. Henman W 2001 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAze6rSmVFI (Federer doesn't have one of the biggest backhands on tour, but he rips it on occasion. This one against Murray and the second one against Henman are the two fastest ones I can recall seeing from him)

Gonzalez v. Haas 2007 AO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dvgUZY12uU
Gonzalez v. Tsonga 2009 USO (0.26, also 4.19 and 5.22 are pretty fast but not as big) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReQmejWYy4
Gonzalez v. Reynolds 2008 USO (3.30) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if_O_3Qxznc
(Again, Gonzo's backhand wouldn't be one of the biggest on average, but when he goes for it it's just as big as anyone's backhand. The third vid has the biggest backhand of his I could find)

Del Potro v. Roddick 2009 Montreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrm4psJ0UvM

Safin v. Federer 2004 TMC (2.16) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1ygVBl4nHg
(This doesn't look as fast, to me, as most of the others I've included but I had to put Safin in here somewhere. I'm sure he has hit some bigger ones)

Kohlschreiber v. Roddick 2008 AO (6.07 and 6.23) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6YiMHI4NBg
(Love Kohly's backhand, wouldn't be surprised if he's hit faster ones than this)

Almagro v. Nadal 2010 Madrid (0.46 and 7.07) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06CdClj1zj4&p=0A0A2ED152DE734F&playnext=1&index=20
Almagro v. Nadal 2010 Madrid (2.27) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWET9siaIws&p=0A0A2ED152DE734F&index=22&playnext=2
(Almagro has the second biggest backhand on tour, IMO, wouldn't be surprised if he's hit faster ones than this, especially given that it's clay)

Gasquet v. Hewitt 2007 USO (first shot) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAHCy5WkZzw
(Had to include Gasquet, he really swings hard. This was the best I could find)

Gulbis v. Nadal 2008 Madrid (5.07) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btYGqak2_bM
(From the guy who I think has the biggest backhand on tour. Watch the whole video to see why I think so. Not the fastest individual shot I've included, though)


The Two Winners:

Nadal v. Djokovic 2007 Montreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V6joI-Yc9E

Brown v. Simon 2010 Stuttgart - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EJaFYbKcvQ&feature=related
(Brown's first winner is the fastest on the list, I think)
 
Last edited:
L

ledwix

Hall of Fame
I think I might agree with Nadal's being the winner. It never went more than a few inches above the net, yet at the same time it had to travel ridiculously far to get to that corner. So straight even though it traveled that far.
 
M

Messarger

Hall of Fame
hey piece, the Gulbis Nadal one is linked wrongly. shows Tsonga vs Gonzalez instead.

great compilation though. enjoyed it as much as anyone.
 
P

piece

Professional
Phonco said:
I felt the video you supplied for Gasquet does not do him justice, so in return I provide you with this one :)

Murray v. Gasquet - 2010 Roland Garros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpmStbqiAR8&feature=related
(@ 0:49)


He completely obliterated Murrays serve. Assuming that radar gun is correct, then I feel it definitely belongs. Its just as fast as other players' forehands.
Click to expand...

Woah definitely. I was hesitant to post the vid of Gasquet that I did because I feel that returns that use the pace of the serve have an advantage of other groundstrokes, but there's no way Gasquet used the pace of Murray's serve in that vid. It was all him.

This one's not bad either, doesn't look so quick at first, but on the slow mo replay you can really tell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjMnEFYvRjs


Anyway that makes Gasquet the winner out of the measured shots so far. 102 mph = 164 kph
 
Last edited:
cknobman

cknobman

Legend
Fastest backhand on record was recorded in High Definition at the 1949 Wimbledon 4th round where Pancho Gonzales hit an 89 mph running backhand winner down the line.
 
FeVer

FeVer

Semi-Pro
piece said:
Some of the biggest forehands ever hit in a match seem to be well known around this forum (e.g. Delpo in the USO final, Blake's return, some of Gonzalez's, these two from Berdych and Djokovic, Monfils at the AO), but I was wondering what the fastest backhand ever hit on the pro tour was. I know it can be tough to get actual speed readings, so video will suffice. I've included a fair few below that were among the biggest I could find (player listed first is the one who hit the shot).


The Reference Points:

Both of these are very big backhands but not the fastest I've seen, IMO. It's useful to have them here because the speed of both shots is shown in the video

Federer v. Murray AO 2010 (154 kph) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw8dZB0mSQo
Murray v. Federer Shanghai 2010 (159 kph) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzkP-UMez2A


The Fastest Backhands:

Federer v. Murray TMC 2008 (0.44) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLzU7IHRdjM
Federer v. Henman W 2001 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAze6rSmVFI (Federer doesn't have one of the biggest backhands on tour, but he rips it on occasion. This one against Murray and the second one against Henman are the two fastest ones I can recall seeing from him)

Gonzalez v. Haas 2007 AO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dvgUZY12uU
Gonzalez v. Tsonga 2009 USO (0.26, also 4.19 and 5.22 are pretty fast but not as big) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReQmejWYy4
Gonzalez v. Reynolds 2008 USO (3.30) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if_O_3Qxznc
(Again, Gonzo's backhand wouldn't be one of the biggest on average, but when he goes for it it's just as big as anyone's backhand. The third vid has the biggest backhand of his I could find)

Del Potro v. Roddick 2009 Montreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrm4psJ0UvM

Safin v. Federer 2004 TMC (2.16) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1ygVBl4nHg
(This doesn't look as fast, to me, as most of the others I've included but I had to put Safin in here somewhere. I'm sure he has hit some bigger ones)

Kohlschreiber v. Roddick 2008 AO (6.07 and 6.23) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6YiMHI4NBg
(Love Kohly's backhand, wouldn't be surprised if he's hit faster ones than this)

Almagro v. Nadal 2010 Madrid (0.46 and 7.07) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06CdClj1zj4&p=0A0A2ED152DE734F&playnext=1&index=20
Almagro v. Nadal 2010 Madrid (2.27) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWET9siaIws&p=0A0A2ED152DE734F&index=22&playnext=2
(Almagro has the second biggest backhand on tour, IMO, wouldn't be surprised if he's hit faster ones than this, especially given that it's clay)

Gasquet v. Hewitt 2007 USO (first shot) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAHCy5WkZzw
(Had to include Gasquet, he really swings hard. This was the best I could find)

Gulbis v. Nadal 2008 Madrid (5.07) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btYGqak2_bM
(From the guy who I think has the biggest backhand on tour. Watch the whole video to see why I think so. Not the fastest individual shot I've included, though)


The Two Winners:

Nadal v. Djokovic 2007 Montreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V6joI-Yc9E

Brown v. Simon 2010 Stuttgart - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EJaFYbKcvQ&feature=related
(Brown's first winner is the fastest on the list, I think)
Click to expand...

No. Nadal's is much bigger. Brown's looks faster than it is because of the camera angle, which is looking down almost vertically above the players.
 
aphex

aphex

Banned
piece said:
Some of the biggest forehands ever hit in a match seem to be well known around this forum (e.g. Delpo in the USO final, Blake's return, some of Gonzalez's, these two from Berdych and Djokovic, Monfils at the AO), but I was wondering what the fastest backhand ever hit on the pro tour was. I know it can be tough to get actual speed readings, so video will suffice. I've included a fair few below that were among the biggest I could find (player listed first is the one who hit the shot).


The Reference Points:

Both of these are very big backhands but not the fastest I've seen, IMO. It's useful to have them here because the speed of both shots is shown in the video

Federer v. Murray AO 2010 (154 kph) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw8dZB0mSQo
Murray v. Federer Shanghai 2010 (159 kph) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzkP-UMez2A


The Fastest Backhands:

Federer v. Murray TMC 2008 (0.44) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLzU7IHRdjM
Federer v. Henman W 2001 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAze6rSmVFI (Federer doesn't have one of the biggest backhands on tour, but he rips it on occasion. This one against Murray and the second one against Henman are the two fastest ones I can recall seeing from him)

Gonzalez v. Haas 2007 AO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dvgUZY12uU
Gonzalez v. Tsonga 2009 USO (0.26, also 4.19 and 5.22 are pretty fast but not as big) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReQmejWYy4
Gonzalez v. Reynolds 2008 USO (3.30) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if_O_3Qxznc
(Again, Gonzo's backhand wouldn't be one of the biggest on average, but when he goes for it it's just as big as anyone's backhand. The third vid has the biggest backhand of his I could find)

Del Potro v. Roddick 2009 Montreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrm4psJ0UvM

Safin v. Federer 2004 TMC (2.16) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1ygVBl4nHg
(This doesn't look as fast, to me, as most of the others I've included but I had to put Safin in here somewhere. I'm sure he has hit some bigger ones)

Kohlschreiber v. Roddick 2008 AO (6.07 and 6.23) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6YiMHI4NBg
(Love Kohly's backhand, wouldn't be surprised if he's hit faster ones than this)

Almagro v. Nadal 2010 Madrid (0.46 and 7.07) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06CdClj1zj4&p=0A0A2ED152DE734F&playnext=1&index=20
Almagro v. Nadal 2010 Madrid (2.27) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWET9siaIws&p=0A0A2ED152DE734F&index=22&playnext=2
(Almagro has the second biggest backhand on tour, IMO, wouldn't be surprised if he's hit faster ones than this, especially given that it's clay)

Gasquet v. Hewitt 2007 USO (first shot) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAHCy5WkZzw
(Had to include Gasquet, he really swings hard. This was the best I could find)

Gulbis v. Nadal 2008 Madrid (5.07) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btYGqak2_bM
(From the guy who I think has the biggest backhand on tour. Watch the whole video to see why I think so. Not the fastest individual shot I've included, though)


The Two Winners:

Nadal v. Djokovic 2007 Montreal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V6joI-Yc9E

Brown v. Simon 2010 Stuttgart - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EJaFYbKcvQ&feature=related
(Brown's first winner is the fastest on the list, I think)
Click to expand...

Great thread!

The fastest one in my opinion is the second one here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAze6rSmVFI


If the one against Murray was 154kph, this is at least 180kph (112mph)
 
U

urban

Legend
Has anyone measured the speed of those shots with reliable instruments? What makes you sure, that they are fast or faster? Have you considerated the angle and perspective of the camera? What else you have than some personal, subjective impressions?
 
P

Phonco

Rookie
Well, some of the videos like the Gasquet video I posted, or the Federer Murray videos at the top have the speed of the shots actually recorded. So those somewhat set up a reference point for comparing speeds of other shots. Of course, without any actual speed readings or whatnot, everything is for the most part speculation. However, you cannot deny the ones with velocity readings.
 
viduka0101

viduka0101

Hall of Fame
from wikipedia:
Great backhands

The player long considered to have had the best backhand of all time, amateur and professional champion Don Budge, had a very powerful one-handed stroke in the 1930s and '40s that imparted topspin onto the ball. He used an Eastern grip, and some pictures show his thumb extended along the side of the racquet for greater support. Ken Rosewall, another amateur and professional champion noted for his one-handed backhand, also used a continental grip to hit a deadly accurate slice backhand with underspin throughout the 1950s and '60s. Connoiseurs of the game also rate Swede Henrik Sundström's one-handed backhand as technically magnificent and as powerful as many forehands, but Sundström's career was cut short by injury,

In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer devotes a page to the best tennis strokes he had ever seen. He writes: "BACKHAND—Budge was best, with Kovacs, Rosewall and Connors in the next rank (although, as I've said, Connors' 'backhand' is really a two-handed forehand). Just in passing, the strangest competitive stroke was the backhand that belonged to Budge Patty. It was a weak shot, a little chip. But suddenly on match point, Patty had a fine, firm backhand. He was a helluva match player."

On the men's pro tour, dramatic changes have occurred since then. In the 1980s, many great players such as Ivan Lendl, Henrik Sundström and John McEnroe were leading the charge with their one handed versatile backhands. But a new wave of players, such as Jimmy Connors, Björn Borg or Mats Wilander, started to show the world that two-handed backhands could also offer major advantages. Players could now increase the speed and control of their two-hander in key defensive shots, such as returns, passing shots and lobs. Since then, many players followed this trend. Among the main ones, we count Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Sergi Bruguera, Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal, Lleyton Hewitt, David Nalbandian (owning the fastest recorded backhand at 110 mph), Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. However, the one-handed backhand is still used effectively by a few great players like Roger Federer, of which he generates decent power but great consistency. It kept improving throughout his career and can now come up with great winning shots. Justine Henin's backhand is considered on par with the men's, with all time great John McEnroe saying "Justine Henin has the best single-handed backhand in both the men's and women's game."

On the women's pro tour, one of the great rivalries of the 1980s was symbolized by two different backhand styles: Martina Navratilova's smooth one-handed sliced backhand versus Chris Evert's perfectly controlled two handed backhand. Many different styles of backhand arose in the late 1980s. Among the best ones, we count Steffi Graf's exceptional sliced backhand, and Monica Seles' two-handed backhand, characterized by its rapidity of execution. This trend was followed by many players in the 1990s, such as Martina Hingis, Serena Williams and Jelena Janković.

Jelena Janković is able to generate great power with a two-handed backhand and is currently deemed as one of the best on tour.
Click to expand...

but I can't find when and where he hit it
btw 110mph=177.03kph
 
P

piece

Professional
FeVer said:
No. Nadal's is much bigger. Brown's looks faster than it is because of the camera angle, which is looking down almost vertically above the players.
Click to expand...

Maybe. Nadal's probably covers the court quicker, but Brown's looks like it accelerates off the racquet much more quickly to me, which suggests that the clay is slowing it down a fair bit. In fact, watching it, the effect the clay has on his shot is very noticeable, the ball visibly decelerates quite a lot.
 
P

piece

Professional
viduka0101 said:
from wikipedia:


but I can't find when and where he hit it
btw 110mph=177.03kph
Click to expand...

I'd be surprised if that were true. Nalbandian's is one of my fave backhands on tour but I couldn't think of a single instance where he's ripped it as hard as in the vids already posted. He's more of a depth, placement, angles, change of direction kind of guy
 
Last edited:
L

Limpinhitter

G.O.A.T.
piece said:
Connors' look faster to me, looks like he puts more into them as well, but then again the crosscourt camera angle probably helps that.

Don't suppose there's any footage of Laver's famous return in that doubles match. Was it Newcombe that described it?
Click to expand...

It probably was. (Did you see all 4 examples? I edited a few times.). It sure made more noise. The Wilson T2000 was a very powerful frame, too! And this isn't Laver at his best, it's just clearer footage than the other examples available on YouTube.
 
L

LeeD

Bionic Poster
Having watched pro men's tennis since the late '60's, I'd have to say Nadal is the guy who can consistently hit the fastest moving backhand shots of anyone, but is he hitting a backhand at all?
Should we go with 1hbh's instead?
 
P

piece

Professional
Limpinhitter said:
It probably was. (Did you see all 4 examples? I edited a few times.). It sure made more noise. The Wilson T2000 was a very powerful frame, too! And this isn't Laver at his best, it's just clearer footage than the other examples available on YouTube.
Click to expand...

Yeah watched all four.

It probably doesn't matter too much if the player was at their best or not. We're looking, for the most part, at freak shots here, they can happen at any time during a player's career if everything lines up just right. Trouble is finding these moments, especially when it comes to the older players given how limited the youtube footage is.
 
K

krosero

Legend
Limpinhitter said:
Connors at :45 and 8:11; Laver at 4:33 and 6:03: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SptdffCeVmM
Click to expand...

Nice examples. All those are passing shots, but Connors has one in the 1976 USO final from the opposite baseline (at 5:36): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Appqh9a9yI

Laver has this one at Hilton Head in '76 (at 1:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-VeBIal8TU
(I don't think it's that fast, but he has two other BH's that I think might be traveling faster, in that match; not included in the highlights)

1969 AO semifinal (Laver at 2:25 and 3:22): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHaN2h21ANs
 
K

krosero

Legend
piece said:
Yeah watched all four.

It probably doesn't matter too much if the player was at their best or not. We're looking, for the most part, at freak shots here, they can happen at any time during a player's career if everything lines up just right. Trouble is finding these moments, especially when it comes to the older players given how limited the youtube footage is.
Click to expand...
Thanks for doing the work of putting together that compilation. Enjoyed it a lot. And it's a great idea for a thread.

Has there been one for forehands?
 
P

piece

Professional
krosero said:
Thanks for doing the work of putting together that compilation. Enjoyed it a lot. And it's a great idea for a thread.

Has there been one for forehands?
Click to expand...

No worries.

"Biggest Shot Ever??"

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=349202

and

"Bullet Shot Videos"

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=324566

Neither are specifically for forehands, but they ended up being the focus just because they tend to be faster than backhands. The biggest forehand vids tend to get repeatedly posted so they're quite well known I'd think. Not so much with backhands
 
L

Limpinhitter

G.O.A.T.
krosero said:
Nice examples. All those are passing shots, but Connors has one in the 1976 USO final from the opposite baseline (at 5:36): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Appqh9a9yI

Laver has this one at Hilton Head in '76 (at 1:30): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-VeBIal8TU
(I don't think it's that fast, but he has two other BH's that I think might be traveling faster, in that match; not included in the highlights)

1969 AO semifinal (Laver at 2:25 and 3:22): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHaN2h21ANs
Click to expand...

Laver's bh at 3:22 may be the hardest hit on this thread. And, with a Dunlop Fort no less.
 
okdude1992

okdude1992

Hall of Fame
nice list. i like brown's death scream after hitting those two winners! :)

and the nadal vid is old, but still absolutely ridiculous.
 
I

IvanisevicServe

Banned
Federer 04 USO QF vs. Agassi hit a DTL winner at 101 MPH. That may have been wind-aided, though. I think the wind was fairly calm at that point. Or it may have been hit AGAINST the wind...who knows. LOL.

Then he blasted another one over 100 against Hewitt in the tie break in the 2005 SF.

I think Srichaphan unloaded a few over 100.

100+ MPH backhands are pretty rare. I would think the all-time record is no higher than 106-108.
 
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