The most ICONIC shots from any tennis player are...?

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Nathaniel_Near

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Let's get the ball rolling!

Djokovic: "The Shot"—the return while MP's down against Federer in the 2011 US Open semi-final. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj7Tk7VqH38

Federer: That BH passing shot that ensured the 2008 Wimbledon final would go down as one of the great matches in the history of the sport. Federer was MP down (CHAMPIONSHIP POINT down). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_ncO9euPPs

His tweener winner vs. Djokovic toward the end of the 2009 US Open semi-final. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMJ0-1GGf5k

Federer has hit many incredible shots but I'd venture to say that these two are the most well down shots among not just the tennis "experts" but also the more casual observers.. the shots that left an indelible mark.

Connors: The backhand pass to end this quite miraculous rally:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el9-TnpGbHc

The crowd can barely control themselves! The atmosphere: electric!


Add more, please please.
 
Nathaniel_Near said:
Let's get the ball rolling!

Djokovic: "The Shot"—the return while MP's down against Federer in the 2011 US Open semi-final. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj7Tk7VqH38

Federer: That BH passing shot that ensured the 2008 Wimbledon final would go down as one of the great matches in the history of the sport. Federer was MP down (CHAMPIONSHIP POINT down). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_ncO9euPPs

His tweener winner vs. Djokovic toward the end of the 2009 US Open semi-final. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMJ0-1GGf5k

Federer has hit many incredible shots but I'd venture to say that these two are the most well down shots among not just the tennis "experts" but also the more casual observers.. the shots that left an indelible mark.

Connors: The backhand pass to end this quite miraculous rally:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el9-TnpGbHc

The crowd can barely control themselves! The atmosphere: electric!


Add more, please please.
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Federer Smash against ARod the precursor to a legendary career
 
Charlemagne said:
Nadal: One of the many passing shots he hit in that 2009 AO Final- incredible stuff!
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I remember his play in the AO 2009 as a collection of sweet passes and such, but what really iconic shot is there from Nadal among them? If I had to pick one, then the banana shot DTL on the FH against Verdasco. How about his shot to set up MP point—that completes a tandem of iconic shots—in the Wimbledon 2008 Final, 4th set tie-break.

What single shots from Nadal left an indelible mark on the tennis public at large?

And also, from other players?
 
Inanimate_object said:
Funnily enough, Chang's underhand serve against Lendl at the French is I think a very telling and defining shot of Chang's. Ha, love everything about that one.

So many to choose from. But...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYPgViK6oxU#t=2m58s
I think this deserves to be the most iconic and important shot in the last 30 or so years.
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Ahhhhh, good call. That's the sort of shot I'm looking for. Definitely, that is iconic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzFEfzNm6jw (first shot in the vid)

Also, yeah, I hadn't thought about that shot from Federer. That was a shell-shocking shot and upset, and in hindsight it was an ominous sign of things to come.
 
Perhaps the forehand that Hingis hit in the '99 FO final that was called out and preceded one of the most dramatic meltdowns in recent times? I've spoken to people over the years who aren't even hardcore tennis fans and yet they know about that moment.
 
Federer inside-out FH he hit against Haas@2009 FO.

#1 - it's an iconic shot from peak-Fed years
#2 - it saved a break point that would have had Haas serve out the match and end Roger's dreams of ever winning a French Open title

perhaps the biggest shot in tennis history.
 
Serena's "shots fired" at the lineswoman at the US Open against was it Clijsters in 2009? Not the type of shot I was originally thinking of, but certainly memorable.
 
Nadal will always be any one of these types of shots:

1. Passing shot (FH / BH, CC / DTL) on the run
2. Banana shot DTL
3. I/O runaround FH winner

Some examples would be his banana FH v Verdasco and Kohlschreiber, his running forehand passing shot DTL v Federer Wimbledon 2008 (I think it was in the fifth set, I never remember), his runaround I/O forehand winner against Del Potro at Wimbledon 2011 (might have been at 3-3, but again, I forget), or even his half overhead, half forehand winner against Djokovic at AO 2012.

Some of the passing shots he hit to break Djokovic's serve in the final game of RG 2013 SF are contenders as well.
 
phnx90 said:
Nadal will always be any one of these types of shots:

1. Passing shot (FH / BH, CC / DTL) on the run
2. Banana shot DTL
3. I/O runaround FH winner

Some examples would be his banana FH v Verdasco and Kohlschreiber, his running forehand passing shot DTL v Federer Wimbledon 2008 (I think it was in the fifth set, I never remember), his runaround I/O forehand winner against Del Potro at Wimbledon 2011 (might have been at 3-3, but again, I forget), or even his half overhead, half forehand winner against Djokovic at AO 2012.

Some of the passing shots he hit to break Djokovic's serve in the final game of RG 2013 SF are contenders as well.
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Surely you mean the pass to set up MP in the 4th set breaker? I'd consider that to be one of Nadal's iconic individual shots.
 
Federer's smash counter vs Roddick 2002 Basel QF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMs7ebIyz38

Borg's passing shot vs Lendl 1981 Roland Garros Final:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL__OcegrbY

Chang's passing shot vs Agassi 1995 San Jose Final

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6Yf1ZsWRQQ&t=2m8s

Nadal's tweener vs Djokovic 2011 Madrid Final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEzgysQEmyg

Lopez's passing shot vs Llodra 2011 Paris 1st Round

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ3eRL9debw

Edberg's lob vs Krajicek 1996 Rome QF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy9ToqYyi6I

Murray's forehand winner vs Cilic 2010 Australian Open SF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuAxC911Me8

Becker's volley vs Lendl 1986 Wimbledon Final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yol_LK5wC8

Roddick's passing shot vs Chela 2002 US Open 4th Round

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5DOO_DpJJU
 
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Iconic rally. I bet that's the rally that will be most chosen in 20 years time to offer up some microcosm of the Federer-Nadal rivalry to the newer fans to be.
 
It's pretty much, however well Federer was hitting, Nadal always found a way to get the ball back over the net.
 
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Djokovic2011 said:
Djokovic's backhand has never been better than it was in that match. What I wouldn't give for him to hit it that sweetly at this year's RG.
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Usually, when a stroke is that good for one match and never shows up again, it may be either a fluke or affected by another factor that is no longer in play now, such as 2011 confidence.

The same can be said of Nadal's USO 2010 serve, except hitting a backhand that hard and accurate, and hitting a serve hard, belong in different difficulty levels.
 
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