Who had the second best serve in Sampras’ era?

[d-quik]

Becker and krajicek won wimby but becker had a good backhand and krajicek had amazing returning the year he won. Ivanisevic though pretty much won Wimbledon only with his serve.

Please watch the last game of the finals and tell me HOW UNINVOLVED RAFTER WAS IN DETERMINING THE OUTCOME OF THE POINT

Ivanisevic loses when he double faults
When serve goes in it's ace/unreturnable

Won't spoil it for anyone as to why the final game laated over 7 minutes but I will say what reason it wasn't because of: it wasn't because the rallies were long

 

[skaj]

He usually kicks his second serve whereas the first serve was faster and flatter. So 2 normal serves to me.

It wasn't just the kick serves, he was able to hit a service winner or an ace down the T with his second serve frequently.

 

[NicoMK]

Becker and krajicek won wimby but becker had a good backhand and krajicek had amazing returning the year he won. Ivanisevic though pretty much won Wimbledon only with his serve.

Please watch the last game of the finals and tell me HOW UNINVOLVED RAFTER WAS IN DETERMINING THE OUTCOME OF THE POINT

Ivanisevic loses when he double faults
When serve goes in it's ace/unreturnable

Won't spoil it for anyone as to why the final game laated over 7 minutes but I will say what reason it wasn't because of: it wasn't because the rallies were long.

I'd say yes and no. The part that you mention is the very end of the match, with all the tension etc. Poor Pat, I agree with what you said, but I wouldn't reduce Ivanisevic to being a server only. He could do very well on clay too.

But I'd say that he probably wouldn't have won Wimbledon without his serve, that's for sure.

 

[NicoMK]

And for me, Boris had a better serve than Goran. Goran's was probably the fastest serve but Boris' was much louder and, again, a more secure shot that Goran's, at least to me.

I'd go for:
1. Pete
2. Boris
3. Goran

Stich coming close.

 

[d-quik]

I wouldn't reduce Ivanisevic to being a server only

Of course not but comparatively speaking we can both agree that Becker had the better backhand than goran and and in-form krajicek (rarely seen due to injuries) could return better than an in-form goran (also rarely seen)

 

[JasonZ]

Of course not but comparatively speaking we can both agree that Becker had the better backhand than goran and and in-form krajicek (rarely seen due to injuries) could return better than an in-form goran (also rarely seen)

ivanisevic had a good return of second serves on grass. clearly above krajicek.

 

[NicoMK]

Of course not but comparatively speaking we can both agree that Becker had the better backhand than goran and and in-form krajicek (rarely seen due to injuries) could return better than an in-form goran (also rarely seen)

Yep, agree. Still, I think that Goran had a more solid backhand return than Krajicek, except when he was in the zone, which happened for example during "his" 1996 Wimbledon tournament.

 

[d-quik]

ivanisevic had a good return of second serves on grass. clearly above krajicek.

video evidence?

 

[abmk]

And for me, Boris had a better serve than Goran. Goran's was probably the fastest serve but Boris' was much louder and, again, a more secure shot that Goran's, at least to me.

I'd go for:
1. Pete
2. Boris
3. Goran

Stich coming close.

nah, Goran's serve was just considerably more unplayable/unreadable than Boris'. its not about just the speed. Boris' being better in the clutch doesn't make up the gap.

For instance, Goran was 3-4 vs Agassi and Becker was 4-10 despite the rest of Becker's game being clearly better than Goran's. Just an example, I know its not conclusive or anything.

 

[JasonZ]

video evidence?

are you kidding??? you posted the goran - rafter video above, where goran has 4 great/good returns of rafter second serve, and you ask for video evidence?

 

[mental midget]

nah, Goran's serve was just considerably more unplayable/unreadable than Boris'. its not about just the speed. Boris' being better in the clutch doesn't make up the gap.

For instance, Goran was 3-4 vs Agassi and Becker was 4-10 despite the rest of Becker's game being clearly better than Goran's. Just an example, I know its not conclusive or anything.

agree here, boris in his heyday backed his up with very good all-around skills at net and off the ground. but isolating the serve, the angles goran hit were on another level--like you said, not just speed, but the spots he hit, i remember him hitting so many serves where the returner was nowhere near to even getting a racket on the ball, might as well have been returning from the wrong side of the court.

 

[Adam233789]

I will always be a big Pistol Pete fan!

 

[Kemitak]

wtf is a Stitch?
Stich, on the other hand, had a god mode option on his serve.