Well, best defensive FH might be more due to Novaks natural born athleticism rather than the FH, but I thought I would make the case for everyone.
Juan Martin Del Potro does not make my cut. Federer did not think it was the best either.
Poll: <Best> forehand in the men's game of all time
- Thread starter Heuristic
- Start date
Well, best defensive FH might be more due to Novaks natural born athleticism rather than the FH, but I thought I would make the case for everyone.
Juan Martin Del Potro does not make my cut. Federer did not think it was the best either.
You've seen their HC matches, prime for prime? Leaving aside very fast indoors, Nadal completely dominates Federer's FH.
skaj
Legend
If defensive means forehand on the run, Sampras and Nadal who are (at least) his equals in the athleticism department are better. If we talk about the slice forehand Federer is the best there, of those mentioned.
I don't see how can Novak's forehand be better than Del Potro's. Didn't get who's Federer did not think was the best, Del Potro's?
Yeah, asked when Del Potro beat him at the US Open 2009, if it was the best. Fed thought Nadal, which doesn't surprise me since Nadals FH dominated his FH prime for prime
skaj
Legend
Well, ok, but that has little to do with what I was talking about. Federer does't think Del Potro's is the best but Nadal's, it's not a surprise really.
For me those three are the best(and Sampras on the run). Del Potro is in a way even more impressive, since he is a much weaker mover than any of them.
I don't think Del Potro's fit the criterion for best overall. But I did include it in biggest and most imposing, as you may recall
skaj
Legend
I added in my previous comment, he is in a way even more impressive since he is a much weaker mover than any of them.
Born_to_slice
Legend
He used to dominate Federer's bh with his fh, that's the catch, and not even that now.
Also the FH to FH exchanges, he won more often than not. If Fed had the best FH on the planet, he would put Nadals loopy FH away. Like Youshny did, like Soderling did, Like Roddick did, like Gonzalez did. Mind you two of those shut outs were at the australian open courts.
Born_to_slice
Legend
Fh to fh exchanges are almost non-existent in that match-up. Only time either of them goes to his opponent's strong side is when there's previously built open court advantage or wrong-footing opportunity. All players you mentioned have worse h2h with Nadal than Federer does now.
Nadal himself has excellent fh, but it's overrated outside clay. The shot is so extremely labor-some and imho one of the ugliest shots in tennis.
Last edited:
Prime for prime, on hardcourt, Federer was usually not able to put Nadal away permanently when he (Fed) run around the BH. This is a fact and this is why Feds FH could never be the best of them all
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
They needed to be in the zone to beat Nadal. And it's very rare to beat him by breaking down his forehand. No single shot can grind down opponents the way Nadal's forehand does.
Yes very rare.. 5 dudes, of which four are relative nobodies
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
SaintPetros
Hall of Fame
Never realized how much Youzhny looks like Woody Harrelson.
Yes, tell me again how these guys dominated Nadal's forehand?
Yes, tell me again how these guys dominated Nadal's forehand?
He lost in straights to both Gonzalez and Tsonga at the AU, didn't even put up a fight, on his supposedly best HC surface.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Nadal was a baby on HC until 2008. You can't evaluate the Nadal forehand just based on those AO losses.
Tsonga whopped his ass in 2008's AU! I don't....He also got steamrolled at the UO. He later improved as a player overall but he sure didn't blow those guys away with his FH
D
Deleted member 762343
Guest
Lol, Djokovic doesn't belong in this poll.
Had to include him considering he rarely gets owned and FH is such a crucial part of tennis
Verdasco has a great FH but he is nowhere near as consistent as Nadal. When it is on it's great but it's not always on.
SaintPetros
Hall of Fame
I'm still baffled by the exclusion of Sureshs, and the lack of subsequent outrage.
Not really, Nadal can do a lot more things with his FH than Verdasco.
vaillancourt
Rookie
Haha with Djokovic more votes than Sampras. I bet most of the people here have never seen Sampras in his prime play.
vaillancourt
Rookie
No, I agree Novak's forehand is easily in the top 10 all time. Dont think it quite makes my top 5. My poll options would have been Sampras, Federer, Nadal, Courier, and maybe Agassi.
vex
Legend
This except I think Agassi/Djokovic should leapfrog up behind Nadal. I can’t see how Lendl’s FH can be views as better than djokers when Djoker trades FHs toe to toe with FEDAL and wins. Now granted some of that is his movement and defense so I’m not arguing his FH is better than theirs.
vex
Legend
Watched all of sampras’s career. It’s hard to delineate where thier forehands are separated from thier movement. They’re certainly in a discussion.
vaillancourt
Rookie
Cant believe I forgot Lendl. He should totally be on the poll.
vex
Legend
This is truth and admittedly it’s hard to separate thos factors out and JUST evaluate his FH. Even setting those things aside you’re left with a very very accurate FH that can turn defense into offense, and when he’s playing aggressive he can run you into death before finishing you. It’s not a winner machine (Fed) or a pummel you to submission shot (Nadal) but it’s extremely good.
vaillancourt
Rookie
vex
Legend
I didn’t watch much Lendl bc I picked up with Agassi/Sampras (living in the states). I’ll have to YouTube
Born_to_slice
Legend
Nadal's strategy was to play 40 shots if need be to Federer's bh. Read his book. Running around bh to escape being pinned down by someone's best shot to your weaker side is desperation, more than opportunity to blast a winner or take advantage in the rally. Federer finally solved that conundrum by changing his racquet specs and taking more risk with the bh.
You are circling away from the FH debate. Surely you agree that prime for prime, Nadal's FH was doing better than Fed's in their head to heads, with the possible exception of Wimbledon
Looks like a mummy against Sampras in UO 1990. Not impressed at all by his groundstrokes. But maybe the they were more dynamic when he was young
vaillancourt
Rookie
Lendl was definitely starting to down at that point. His peak years were really 1985-1987. His prime-ish years were probably 82-84 and 88-89.
vaillancourt
Rookie
My Open Era only top 10 would go:
1. Nadal- I have him over Fed since his forehand is WAY better on clay, and they are extremely close everywhere else.
2. Lendl
3. Federer
4. Courier- 2nd best forehand to Nadal on clay and slow hard courts, which is why I rank him this high.
5. Sampras
6. Agassi
7. Djokovic
8. Del Potro
9. Wawrinka
10. Gonzalez- would put him higher but he can be very inconsistent with it
1. Nadal- I have him over Fed since his forehand is WAY better on clay, and they are extremely close everywhere else.
2. Lendl
3. Federer
4. Courier- 2nd best forehand to Nadal on clay and slow hard courts, which is why I rank him this high.
5. Sampras
6. Agassi
7. Djokovic
8. Del Potro
9. Wawrinka
10. Gonzalez- would put him higher but he can be very inconsistent with it
Born_to_slice
Legend
It's just one match-up and it's more about Nadal being lefty than anything else. Anyway, since ******* started to beat him regularly and Nadal has same FH as ever, it reveals that it was more tactical issue than anything and especially not anyone's prime.
SaintPetros
Hall of Fame
Which is in itself sad. Judging by past posts, there used to be some true GOATS on this board.
WEAK ERA
SaintPetros
Hall of Fame
Because he is, unlike your idol Roddick, or false idol Fred
HetTheGreaterer
Banned
Pete is the mental giant, there's nothing denying it
But goat, hell no
UnderratedSlam
G.O.A.T.
For every FH winner Pete would miss 5. So much for best FH...
UnderratedSlam
G.O.A.T.
You're so right. Fed loses to a lot of these guys and nobody understands why...
UnderratedSlam
G.O.A.T.
Precisely.
We can't compare eras. How do we know Connors wouldn't have had a stellar ultra-crushing FH if he played as a 30something now?
SaintPetros
Hall of Fame
You talking about Petr Korda? Definitely not Sampras lol
UnderratedSlam
G.O.A.T.
Oh yes, Pete was regularly outplayed on the baseline - in matches that he won. Total profiteer of the 90s power age... Sampras wouldn't have 3 slams in this slower balls era. Just as Rafter would have had 11 slams in the 70s, or Chang would have had more slams in this era. Luck plays a huge factor in everything.
Similar threads
