Net players of 21st century.

[mike danny]

Another one I missed. Let's just say he's a doubles guy

I know he dismantled Stan in a grass final.

 

[spottishwood]

I know he dismantled Stan in a grass final.

I'd definitely like to add him lol but I've already filled up the place with the likes of Fish

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Yeah he did TearTheNetOff.

Shapo's pretty good at that; at least, the net is bound to be knocked over eventually.

 

[dapchai]

Shapo's pretty good at that; at least, the net is bound to be knocked over eventually.

I think Shapo is better at DumpTheNetOff and SmashTheRacketOff.

 

[spottishwood]

I think Shapo is better at DumpTheNetOff and SmashTheRacketOff.

HitTheUmpireOff maybe?

 

[dapchai]

HitTheUmpireOff maybe?

Oh my how could I forgot that. Also CmonThePointOff.

 

[skaj]

The poll is a bit flawed.
Mauresmo, Nalbandian, Hingis, Santoro, Date, Schiavone, Henin, Gasquet, Murray, Dimitrov are all better than someone like Mardy Fish, and at least as good as Nadal, Tsonga for example(not to mention Djokovic who was also mentioned in the poll).

 

[skaj]

I understand that people like Sampras and Rafter are not considered since most of their prime tennis was in the 20th century.
So them aside, it's between Llodra and Stepanek. Hingis and Mauresmo on the WTA.

 

[spottishwood]

The poll is a bit flawed.
Mauresmo, Nalbandian, Hingis, Santoro, Date, Schiavone, Henin, Gasquet, Murray, Dimitrov are all better than someone like Mardy Fish, and at least as good as Nadal, Tsonga for example(not to mention Djokovic who was also mentioned in the poll).

No space to add that many players lol. I initially considered ATP players only so didn't think about that. I could've added Nalby instead of Fish ofc.
Regarding Djokovic, he was added on posters' demand as I've already mentioned in the OP. To my surprise he got more votes that Llodra and stepanek combined .

 

[spottishwood]

I understand that people like Sampras and Rafter are not considered since most of their prime tennis was in the 20th century.
So them aside, it's between Llodra and Stepanek. Hingis and Mauresmo on the WTA.

I generally prefer Llodra but Stepanek was also equally good.

 

[NeutralFan]

I generally prefer Llodra but Stepanek was also equally good.

Imo, Stepanek is dufinately in top 5.

 

[spottishwood]

Imo, Stepanek is dufinately in top 5.

Certainly. I'd rank him better than Fedal for example.

 

[NeutralFan]

Certainly. I'd rank him better than Fedal for example.

Any day since his whole game was developed around this skill.

 

[spottishwood]

Any day since his whole game was developed around this skill.

Ofc you can't beat a S&Ver (not servebot, well servebot's game is serve so you can't beat him either) in his own game

 

[mike danny]

No space to add that many players lol. I initially considered ATP players only so didn't think about that. I could've added Nalby instead of Fish ofc.
Regarding Djokovic, he was added on posters' demand as I've already mentioned in the OP. To my surprise he got more votes that Llodra and stepanek combined .

It's no surprise actually. Some people can't make the distinction between the isolated shot itself and the player as a whole.

 

[spottishwood]

It's no surprise actually. Some people can't make the distinction between the isolated shot itself and the player as a whole.

Very true. That's been happening in all the threads related to shots lately

 

[intrepidish]

Very true. That's been happening in all the threads related to shots lately

I think you mean 'always' I would never include the big 3 in any serious poll about individual shots. You just won't get serious answers.

Like I said in the first reply in the thread, Llodra rocks at net and we'll be lucky if half the posters have even heard of him much less watched him play with any interest.

And I have to say, I'm also disappointed no one else referenced one of the greatest locker room stories in tennis history:


The French prankster Llodra decided to surprise Ljubicic by
taking off his clothes and squeezing into the Croatian's locker,
much to the amusement of the other players in the changing
rooms.

"I went to open the locker and I was completely shocked,"
13th seed Ljubicic told reporters.

"He was looking at me, I was looking at him. I said, 'What
the hell are you doing here?'"

"He (Llodra) said to me, 'I'm trying to get positive energy
from you. You're winning a lot of matches this year'," said
Ljubicic.

"The locker, it's not a big locker, it's a small locker.
It's not easy to get in that locker, I'm telling you.

"He is not a small guy [but] very flexible. Very, very
flexible."

Naked truth: Ljubicic's locker room surprise

Ivan Ljubicic was preparing for his third-round match at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Sunday when he found something totally unexpected in his locker, naked fellow player Michael Llodra.

www.espn.com

 

[spottishwood]

I think you mean 'always' I would never include the big 3 in any serious poll about individual shots. You just won't get serious answers.

Like I said in the first reply in the thread, Llodra rocks at net and we'll be lucky if half the posters have even heard of him much less watched him play with any interest.

And I have to say, I'm also disappointed no one else referenced one of the greatest locker room stories in tennis history:


The French prankster Llodra decided to surprise Ljubicic by
taking off his clothes and squeezing into the Croatian's locker,
much to the amusement of the other players in the changing
rooms.

"I went to open the locker and I was completely shocked,"
13th seed Ljubicic told reporters.

"He was looking at me, I was looking at him. I said, 'What
the hell are you doing here?'"

"He (Llodra) said to me, 'I'm trying to get positive energy
from you. You're winning a lot of matches this year'," said
Ljubicic.

"The locker, it's not a big locker, it's a small locker.
It's not easy to get in that locker, I'm telling you.

"He is not a small guy [but] very flexible. Very, very
flexible."

Naked truth: Ljubicic's locker room surprise

Ivan Ljubicic was preparing for his third-round match at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Sunday when he found something totally unexpected in his locker, naked fellow player Michael Llodra.

www.espn.com

Well yeah, it generally happens but it somehow didn't happen in my last 'Pioneer of modern tennis' thread so I thought i might get away with that. Didn't work here, apparently.
Regarding the story, I remember that very well but yeah, surprised to see no one mentioning it here

 

[The Blond Blur]

Netdal is the best volleyer in the top 100.

Source: JMac
His source: Trust me bro.

Also here’s an obligatory gif

 

[spottishwood]

Netdal is the best volleyer in the top 100.

Source: JMac
His source: Trust me bro.

Also here’s an obligatory gif

That's an overhead lol. Also Henman wasn't in top 100 when that statement was made,was he? Neither do I think he'd have thought about stepanek etc.

 

[The Blond Blur]

That's an overhead lol. Also Henman wasn't in top 100 when that statement was made,was he? Neither do I think he'd have thought about stepanek etc.

An overhead volley

 

[skaj]

1. Sampras
2. Rafter
3. Llodra
4. Stepanek
5. Henman
6. Federer
7. Mauresmo
8. Rios
9. Hingis
10. Nalbandian

 

[mike danny]

1. Sampras
2. Rafter
3. Llodra
4. Stepanek
5. Henman
6. Federer
7. Mauresmo
8. Rios
9. Hingis
10. Nalbandian

The net has become mainly a shake hands platform on the WTA tour in the last decade LOL.

 

[spottishwood]

1. Sampras
2. Rafter
3. Llodra
4. Stepanek
5. Henman
6. Federer
7. Mauresmo
8. Rios
9. Hingis
10. Nalbandian

Those two played like 2-3 years lol. One of my main objectives while making this thread were to exclude Sampras and Rafter

But overall, if we include all the players who played in this century, I certainly agree with the list.
Btw, what will your list be if we include Doubles players also

 

[spottishwood]

The net has become mainly a shake hands platform on the WTA tour in the last decade LOL.

It's been like that since Henin retired I guess lol.

 

[mike danny]

It's been like that since Henin retired I guess lol.

Someone like Henin is needed on the WTA badly LOL.

I never followed WTA closely, but it seems like the 2000's was a great era for the WTA.

 

[Kralingen]

The net has become mainly a shake hands platform on the WTA tour in the last decade LOL.

hell, the FH wing is becoming a pusher rally shot for most of the WTA in the last decade.

There hasn't been anyone even approaching an Ivanovic or Stosur level FH since 2012.

 

[spottishwood]

Someone like Henin is needed on the WTA badly LOL.

I never followed WTA closely, but it seems like the 2000's was a great era for the WTA.

I was sort of fanboy of Henin when it came to wta. Started watching in mid 00s. Stopped watching after she retired .

 

[mike danny]

hell, the FH wing is becoming a pusher rally shot for most of the WTA in the last decade.

There hasn't been anyone even approaching an Ivanovic or Stosur level FH since 2012.

Someone like Clijsters is also missed.

 

[NeutralFan]

I was sort of fanboy of Henin.Started watching in mid 00s. Stopped watching after she retired .

Same i stopped watching WTA after Henin's retirement. She could have won much more if she was as dedicated as Serena . What a beautiful game she had.

 

[spottishwood]

Same i stopped watching WTA after Henin's retirement. She could have won much more if she was as dedicated as Serena . What a beautiful game she had.

Her backhand was very solid. One of the best if not the best one technically. Or nobody was good enough to attack it

 

[NeutralFan]

Her backhand was very solid. One of the best if not the best one technically. Or nobody was good enough to attack it

Not just powerful but also very beautiful shot her BH was , btw lol at your DP

 

[spottishwood]

Not just powerful but also very beautiful shot her BH was , btw lol at your DP

Seen a lot of bald Z, your bald Djokovic, Bald Theim, bald Fedr. Now is the time for Bald Nadal

 

[NeutralFan]

Seen a lot of bald Z, your bald Djokovic, Bald Theim, bald Fedr. Now is the time for Bald Nadal

Bald Nadal is the oldest meme but never gets any less funny

 

[skaj]

Those two played like 2-3 years lol. One of my main objectives while making this thread were to exclude Sampras and Rafter

But overall, if we include all the players who played in this century, I certainly agree with the list.
Btw, what will your list be if we include Doubles players also

There would be quite a few other players there.

 

[skaj]

The net has become mainly a shake hands platform on the WTA tour in the last decade LOL.

Yes, unfortunately. I enjoyed Taylor Townsend defeating Simona Halep at the US Open, tremendously.

 

[skaj]

It's been like that since Henin retired I guess lol.

Radwanska and Schiavone played longer than her, even Date, another good volleyer. But they are all gone now too

 

[skaj]

Same i stopped watching WTA after Henin's retirement. She could have won much more if she was as dedicated as Serena . What a beautiful game she had.

Oh, she was more dedicated than Serena. When she played, more dedicated than just about anyone. She just retired earlier.