Most athletic player?

Borat

Professional
The other day I was talking to my tennis coach and he said that after seeing Gael Monfil at a tournament, he thought Gael was the most athletic player in the game. I disagreed and said Nadal was. Who do you think is the most athletic player in the curren men's and women's games? All-time?
 
The other day I was talking to my tennis coach and he said that after seeing Gael Monfil at a tournament, he thought Gael was the most athletic player in the game. I disagreed and said Nadal was. Who do you think is the most athletic player in the curren men's and women's games? All-time?

Women all time...i first thought of Graf...present time....not too sure, Kim Clisters springs to mind

Men...that is a little tougher....Federer and Nadal would be high up there...the reason for Federer is because he does make the game look easy by the way he moves around the court.
 

Borat

Professional
I agree, some people may not think of roger as the most athletic, maybe thats because hes so graceful and smooth and not brash and yelling alot like rafa. Fed does make it look pretty easy....
 

Zuras

Banned
The other day I was talking to my tennis coach and he said that after seeing Gael Monfil at a tournament, he thought Gael was the most athletic player in the game. I disagreed and said Nadal was. Who do you think is the most athletic player in the curren men's and women's games? All-time?

Your coach is an idiot. You'd really have to define "athletic". If you mean someone that could have went into just about any other sport and made it to the professional level?

I'd say Mauresmo and Clijsters are the most athletic females. And there are a host of males that fit that description Federer, Nadal, Haas, Safin, Berdych, and ya Monfils is probably in there somewhere, too. Of them, I suspect Haas and Federer would have had the best chances to excel in other sports.
 

Pushmaster

Hall of Fame
Men Current; Nadal, Federer, Safin, Blake, Henman, Monfils.
Women Current; Mauresmo, Serena Williams, JHH.
All-Time Men; Edberg, Sampras, Becker, Rafter.
All-Time Women; Navratilova, Graf.
 

Zuras

Banned
Men Current; Nadal, Federer, Safin, Blake, Henman, Monfils.
Women Current; Mauresmo, Serena Williams, JHH.
All-Time Men; Edberg, Sampras, Becker, Rafter.
All-Time Women; Navratilova, Graf.

Henman? Blake? :p :p :p Ridiculous. All Blake has is speed over a short distance. All Henman has is an ugly mug.
 

J-man

Hall of Fame
I never really would think of Henman as "Athletic". But I would agree with Nadal, Federer, Safin, Blake, Monfils, Berdych... ect
 

tennisfreak

Semi-Pro
Henman? Blake? :p :p :p Ridiculous. All Blake has is speed over a short distance. All Henman has is an ugly mug.

Blake is not athletic? You have some ridiculous standards. I would argue that anyone in the top 5 are probably some of the best athletes tennis has to offer.
 

Zuras

Banned
Blake is not athletic? You have some ridiculous standards.

He's not. He has speed, and that's about it. His coordination is poor and his footwork even worse, most likely due to poor balance caused by his back problems. Bad genes: shingles and severe back deformities.
 

tennisfreak

Semi-Pro
He's not. He has speed, and that's about it. His coordination is poor and his footwork even worse, most likely due to poor balance caused by his back problems. Bad genes: shingles and severe back deformities.

You would never think the guy you just described above could get to the top 5.

Shingles is a skin condition and should not be a strike against you in the athleticism department.

His coordination is not "poor". He probably doesn't have the coordination of a davydenko, but it is still very good.

Granted, his footwork is lacking for someone in the top 5.
 

Pushmaster

Hall of Fame
Henman? :p :p :p Ridiculous.

I don't think it's ridiculous at all. In today's game you would have to be a great athlete to play serve and volley tennis. Henman can move all-around (foreward, backward, side to side) as good as anyone on ATP tour. Also, being the best volleyer in the game I'd say he has among the best hand and eye/reflex coordination in tennis. I'd say he's a very underrated athlete.
 

Zuras

Banned
I don't think it's ridiculous at all. In today's game you would have to be a great athlete to play serve and volley tennis. Henman can move all-around (foreward, backward, side to side) as good as anyone on ATP tour. Also, being the best volleyer in the game I'd say he has among the best hand and eye/reflex coordination in tennis. I'd say he's a very underrated athlete.

I agree that he is underrated as an athlete, but I disagree he is at all in the running for most athletic male tennis player. He's about the same height as Haas but Haas weighs about 30 more pounds than him, and he doesn't have near the coordination or balance to make up for that mass difference like Federer does.
 

Zuras

Banned
You would never think the guy you just described above could get to the top 5.

Shingles is a skin condition and should not be a strike against you in the athleticism department.

Shingles is much more complex than just a skin condition. The most dangerous part about shingles is that it usually attacks the sensory nerves.
 

Banger

Rookie
Your coach is an idiot. You'd really have to define "athletic". If you mean someone that could have went into just about any other sport and made it to the professional level?

I'd say Mauresmo and Clijsters are the most athletic females. And there are a host of males that fit that description Federer, Nadal, Haas, Safin, Berdych, and ya Monfils is probably in there somewhere, too. Of them, I suspect Haas and Federer would have had the best chances to excel in other sports.
An idiot? I take it you really dont know what a true athlete is if you think he is an idiot for picking Monfils. I agree that Monfils is 1 and then Nadal or Fed a close second.
 

Zuras

Banned
An idiot? I take it you really dont know what a true athlete is if you think he is an idiot for picking Monfils. I agree that Monfils is 1 and then Nadal or Fed a close second.

He sure plays some crap tennis for such a supposedly great athlete. Being a moron sure doesn't help, as mental aspects are important for an athlete as well.
 

Borat

Professional
He sure plays some crap tennis for such a supposedly great athlete. Being a moron sure doesn't help, as mental aspects are important for an athlete as well.

First of all he's young, second of all you could be the best athlete in the world and still suck at tennis. Gael Monfils is gonna be good, but hes unrefined and has some emotional problems. No matter what your opinion of him is, you have to agree hes a great athlete
 

Zuras

Banned
First of all he's young, second of all you could be the best athlete in the world and still suck at tennis. Gael Monfils is gonna be good, but hes unrefined and has some emotional problems. No matter what your opinion of him is, you have to agree hes a great athlete

I said he is. He's just not at the top, neither is Nadal, the steroid monkey. His propensity to be such a dumb ass pretty much excludes him from ever being at the top of any list/sport.
 

Borat

Professional
He's not. He has speed, and that's about it. His coordination is poor and his footwork even worse, most likely due to poor balance caused by his back problems. Bad genes: shingles and severe back deformities.
I'd say hes doing pretty well for himself with all those problems. Zuras, explain to me how he could be #4 in the world and still suck.
 

psamp14

Hall of Fame
federer to me is more naturally talented than athletic...i think pete sampras is the most athletic player ever in the mens game
 

Borat

Professional
I said he is. He's just not at the top, neither is Nadal, the steroid monkey. His propensity to be such a dumb ass pretty much excludes him from ever being at the top of any list/sport.

Just cause Nadal is stronger than you don't accuse him of steroid use.
 

35ft6

Legend
Sampras WAS pretty athletic. Of current players, Federer, Blake, Nadal, Hewitt, Paradorn, and Monfils. On No Strings, Schuettler seemed pretty athletic, too.
 

Zuras

Banned
Just cause Nadal is stronger than you don't accuse him of steroid use.

No, i accuse of steroid abuse because he claims he doesn't even lift weights yet one of his arms is 200% bigger than the other and every other part of his body is relatively small.
 

35ft6

Legend
A couple of Paradorn clips, who IMO, is an athletic freak:
Saw the dude changing his shirt during a Qualies match against Todd Woodbridge many years ago at the US Open, yeah, he's a freak. He's got the type of muscles that only come from nature, super full bulging bellies. Total freak.
 

Borat

Professional
No, i accuse of steroid abuse because he claims he doesn't even lift weights yet one of his arms is 200% bigger than the other and every other part of his body is relatively small.

His family is really athletic, some people are just gifted like that. And what do you think, he is injecting steroids into his left arm only? if you take steroids they strengthen your whole body, no just one limb. the reason his left arm is bigger is because A. (he works out, he may not lift, but he works out) B. (he hits a zillion forehonds on that arm every day.)
 

Borat

Professional
No, i accuse of steroid abuse because he claims he doesn't even lift weights yet one of his arms is 200% bigger than the other and every other part of his body is relatively small.

You may not see them much cuz of the long shorts, put his legs are like tree trunks and he is ripped pretty much everywhere else.
 

prince

Semi-Pro
Your coach is an idiot. You'd really have to define "athletic". If you mean someone that could have went into just about any other sport and made it to the professional level?

I'd say Mauresmo and Clijsters are the most athletic females. And there are a host of males that fit that description Federer, Nadal, Haas, Safin, Berdych, and ya Monfils is probably in there somewhere, too. Of them, I suspect Haas and Federer would have had the best chances to excel in other sports.

you must be an idiot too - i am basing it on your response that you thought the coach was an idiot when he picked monfils - and you later on in your post said ya monfils as well.
 
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Zuras

Banned
His family is really athletic, some people are just gifted like that. And what do you think, he is injecting steroids into his left arm only? if you take steroids they strengthen your whole body, no just one limb. the reason his left arm is bigger is because A. (he works out, he may not lift, but he works out) B. (he hits a zillion forehonds on that arm every day.)

Playing tennis will not build muscle mass. As a matter of fact, it's a catabolic sport that will chew muscles up(along with fat) more than build it. The fact only his arm is buff completely negates the chance his muscles are from genetics. Duh.
 
L

laurie

Guest
By the very nature of the game of Tennis, most of the top players are athletic and have to be in this day and age.

Some of you are correct in mentioning the women. Mauresmo, Henin Hardenne, Venus, Serena, Clijsters are among some of the finest athletes in the history of women's sport.

In the past, Graf and Navratilova are easily up there with the finest ever women athletes like Jackie Joyner Kersee and Heike Drexler.

Sharapova and Petrova have been working hard to improve their movement. Great past players like Sabatini and Novtona were fine athletes. Elena Dementieva and Myskina are great athletes. I feel Kuznetsova could be too but just needs to be a bit more lean to move quicker around the court. She has the power.

Mary Pierce, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles covered for their lack of athletic ability with great shotmaking, therefore trying to put their opponents on the backfoot before their opponents put them on the backfoot. Davenport always got frustrated if she couldn't put an athletic player away quickly, and would start making errors as a result.

For the men, again, most of those guys are athletic except Ljubicic. Saampras and Becker and Edberg were the most athletic players of the mid 1980s to mid 1990s. Rafter was also very athletic. Krajicek was a great mover for a guy who was 6 foot 5 inches. Michael Chang of course. Henman is actually very athletic and moves smoothly around the court. Cedric Pioline was also athletic and loved jump smashes. His father played volley ball and his mother was a gymnast. Thomas Muster would run all day if he had to. Pat Cash and Yannick Noah in the 1980s were very athletic. John McEnoroe said in his book that his movement was underated. Lendl was athletic but not explosive, therefore he was always vulnerable to players who have a big game.

Another person I question is Roddick. I've questioned how athletic he really is more than once His movement can be a lot better. He didn't grow up on clay courts but has played well behind the baseline so I question that. Roddick also doesn't employ the classic play for players with great forehands. When Sampras was young, he would love to hit the kick serve to the backhand on the advantage court, get the return and then smack the forehand down the line for a winner. Sampras brought that tactic back into his game in the 02 US Open against Haas and Roddick, it was a good change up to serving and volleying. Federer does it too. To do that you must have excellent footwork to make room on the backhand side to hit the forehand down the line, you have to make quick little skips. Roddick tends to hit the inside out forehand instead, many times straight back to his opponent which means he's vulnerable to the backhand down the line. I've seen it happen to him so many times. So, I'm not sure his movement is top quality consistently.
 
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Zuras

Banned
you must be an idiot too - i am basing it on your response that you thought the coach picked monfils - and you later on in your post said ya monfils as well.

No, I said he's on the list, just not at the top of it. his coach said he was number one, which is ridiculous.
 

Borat

Professional
Nadal may not lift, but i'll bet you any money that he uses resistance chords or does body weight exercise for a couple hours a day and ill bet he concentrates some of thos exercises of his left arm. I can't believe you that hitting forehands all day won't build any muscle. Explain to me why nadals left arm is bigger Zuras
 

Zuras

Banned
Nadal may not lift, but i'll bet you any money that he uses resistance chords or does body weight exercise for a couple hours a day and ill bet he concentrates some of thos exercises of his left arm. I can't believe you that hitting forehands all day won't build any muscle. Explain to me why nadals left arm is bigger Zuras

Tennis doesn't build muscle mass. Never heard anything so stupid.
 

Pushmaster

Hall of Fame
By the very nature of the game of Tennis, most of the top players are athletic and have to be in this day and age.

Some of you are correct in mentioning the women. Mauresmo, Henin Hardenne, Venus, Serena, Clijsters are among some of the finest athletes in the history of women's sport.

In the past, Graf and Navratilova are easily up there with the finest ever women athletes like Jackie Joyner Kersee and Heike Drexler.

Sharapova and Petrova have been working hard to improve their movement. Great past players like Sabatini and Novtona were fine athletes. Elena Dementieva and Myskina are great athletes. I feel Kuznetsova could be too but just needs to be a bit more lean to move quicker around the court. She has the power.

Mary Pierce, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles covered for their lack of athletic ability with great shotmaking, therefore trying to put their opponents on the backfoot before their opponents put them on the backfoot. Davenport always got frustrated if she couldn't put an athletic player away quickly, and would start making errors as a result.

For the men, again, most of those guys are athletic except Ljubicic. Saampras and Becker and Edberg were the most athletic players of the mid 1980s to mid 1990s. Rafter was also very athletic. Krajicek was a great mover for a guy who was 6 foot 5 inches. Michael Chang of course. Henman is actually very athletic and moves smoothly around the court. Cedric Pioline was also athletic and loved jump smashes. His father played volley ball and his mother was a gymnast. Thomas Muster would run all day if he had to. Pat Cash and Yannick Noah in the 1980s were very athletic. John McEnoroe said in his book that his movement was underated. Lendl was athletic but not explosive, therefore he was always vulnerable to players who have a big game.

Another person I question is Roddick. I've questioned how athletic he really is more than once His movement can be a lot better. He didn't grow up on clay courts but has played well behind the baseline so I question that. Roddick also doesn't employ the classic play for players with great forehands. When Sampras was young, he would love to hit the kick serve to the backhand on the advantage court, get the return and then smack the forehand down the line for a winner. Sampras brought that tactic back into his game in the 02 US Open against Haas and Roddick, it was a good change up to serving and volleying. Federer does it too. To do that you must have excellent footwork to make room on the backhand side to hit the forehand down the line, you have to make quick little skips. Roddick tends to hit the inside out forehand instead, many times straight back to his opponent which means he's vulnerable to the backhand down the line. I've seen it happen to him so many times. So, I'm not sure his movement is top quality consistently.

Great post Laurie. I should have added Jana Novotna to my list.
 

Zuras

Banned
Answer the question Zuras, what is your explanation of nadals left arm.

He built his left arm up and let his right arm shrivel so he wouldn't have to lug around the extra 10 pounds it would carry. He also plays wrong-handed on purpose. The dude completely built himself to be a champion without having the talent of a champion.
 

Borat

Professional
He built his left arm up and let his right arm shrivel so he wouldn't have to lug around the extra 10 pounds it would carry. He also plays wrong-handed on purpose. The dude completely built himself to be a champion without having the talent of a champion.

Are you serious? That is the worst explanation I have ever heard. He didn't purposly let an arm shrivel so he wouldnt hve to carry ten extra pounds! are you kidding me. He has plenty of talent, (more than you) and you obviously know nothing about the human anatomy, rafael nadal, or the game of tennis
 

Borat

Professional
If you knew anything you would know that his uncle tony told him to switch early on in his life because he liked hitting BH's lefty
 

Zuras

Banned
Are you serious? That is the worst explanation I have ever heard. He didn't purposly let an arm shrivel so he wouldnt hve to carry ten extra pounds! are you kidding me. He has plenty of talent, (more than you) and you obviously know nothing about the human anatomy, rafael nadal, or the game of tennis

This from a guy that thinks playing tennis is going to build muscle mass? LOL. Real rich, Grim. Time to make a new sock puppet to troll with.
 

Grimjack

Banned
Ah, you've got to love the era of political correctness.

We've got a whole contingent of people who are contending that Monfils is the best athlete in tennis, even though he's stiff, lumbering, mechanical, and shows no signs of progressing in these, his prime move-forward-or-stall-forever years. Great athletes all progress a ton in the years around their early 20's.

Then you've got a whole counter-contingent who sees the utter nonsense of this, but isn't allowed by social convention to point out the obvious.

That's okay, I'm here to save you. Hooray for me: I'm not intellectually bound by your idiotic social rules.

Listen, pro-Monfils crowd: just because the guy is black, doesn't mean he's automatically the best athlete in a white-dominated sport. Yes, the guy is ripped. Big deal. Ever see a bodybuilder try to throw a football? Hilarious.

The following is a public service announcement:

Muscles <> athleticism.
Skin color <> athleticism.
Hard work <> athleticism.

You can always tell the most athletic players because they do all the things the other best players do with a fraction of the effort. Any additional effort is just gravy.
 

Borat

Professional
This from a guy that thinks playing tennis is going to build muscle mass? LOL. Real rich, Grim. Time to make a new sock puppet to troll with.
Your a moron, I dont even know who this Grim guy is.Your both morons, and know nothing about tennis. Oh yah grimjack, just cuz nadal is hispanic hes a great athlete right? How bout Sampras being greek? Federer being Swiss? I'm not the racist here you are, maybe if you saw Monfils play you could see he is an athlete, no matter what skin color he is. There are plenty of great athletes in any sport that arent black. And, a white dominated sport? Ya right, one of the reasons i love pro tennis is because it is so diverse.
 

Borat

Professional
This from a guy that thinks playing tennis is going to build muscle mass? LOL. Real rich, Grim. Time to make a new sock puppet to troll with.
This from the guy that thought that nadal used steriods because one arm is bigger than the other
 

Borat

Professional
Dude zuras you are stupid, 5 people in this forum have called you an idiot, its not just me. All I know about the politacal correctness guy is he doesn't know what he is talking about and he doen't like you. The only thing I agree on with him is that you are a moron.
 

Zuras

Banned
Dude zuras you are stupid, 5 people in this forum have called you an idiot, its not just me. All I know about the politacal correctness guy is he doesn't know what he is talking about and he doen't like you. The only thing I agree on with him is that you are a moron.

You don't know who Grimy is, yet you know 5 people in this forum called me an idiot? C'mon, Grimy. Even AOL idiots aren't this stupid. Use your head.
 
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