Your best player's defining shot

Right, we all have a favourite tennis player. On this board there seems to mostly be fans of the top 4, and somewhere there's rumoured to be a James Blake fan I think... Anyway, all players have their strengths and their weaknesses, but this article is to state what you think is your player's "defining shot", and why. This could be the shot that gets him out of trouble time and again, the shot which he hits really well, with great consistency, or whatever you decide it to be.

I'll get the ball rolling. Most regulars on here know I'm a Murray fan, and for me his defining shot is the backhand down the line. He hits this shot so well, flat and with great disguise. Often you'll see the opponent not move for it as they're surprised by the change of direction.

What about you?

Good topic, I am a big Djokovic fan and I guess everyone would point to his backhand, its right up there with the very best in the business and he can go up the line or cross court with it. But in my mind the shot or the weapon that most defines his success is the return of serve. Last year his serve was awful yet he finished in the top 3 on the strength of the best return in the ATP tour, leading in break percentage. This season he is still on top of the charts in breaking his opposition at an incredible 43 percent clip. Players on the ATP tour are just not used to being broken nearly half the time. Psychologically, this has a huge impact, he is leading the tour in points won on second serve as well. Nothing gets into an opponent's head faster than having your serve eviscerated and to be under constant pressure on the serve. While Novak has a great backhand a very good forehand, its the return that intimidates the opposition. The return of serve and the serve are the two most important shots in tennis.

Andy Murray's drop shot : )

Solerina

Roger Federer's forehand, backhand, serve, volley and drop shot. All head and shoulders above the rest.

I am going to go with my favourite 2 shots that I have enjoyed to watch again and again.

1 - Pete Sampras Backhand - This was an absolute beast of a shot. I can remember seeing Agassi, Henman, Becker all struggle to cope with this shot. I know serve and volley were big parts of his game, but the backhand for me is probably worth 7 of the 14 Slams he won.

2 - Rafael Nadal Forehand - For the me the most ridiculous shot in terms of spin and revs. It's the variety in this shot that makes it so different. Change of pace and length during rallies. Watching him hit passing forehands down the backhand line is such a lovely shot to watch.

There are other shots from other players I enjoy to watch as well.

Djokovic and Murray drop shots

Federer, Gasquet and Ljubicic backhands

Soderling and Del Potro forehands

Funny legendkillar most people including myself don't really regard the pete backhand as that legendary, he was capable of hitting some big winners with it but it would often breakdown and give up a lot errors to. But when he was on with it he would crank some winners.

socal1976 wrote:Funny legendkillar most people including myself don't really regard the pete backhand as that legendary, he was capable of hitting some big winners with it but it would often breakdown and give up a lot errors to. But when he was on with it he would crank some winners.

I think it was a very underrated shot. He kept him in points on so many occasions. Most generic tennis fans I know think of Pete as just a big serve. The backhand proved to be such an effective weapon. I know it probably doesn't have the same elegance as a Federer or Gasquet backhand, but he was able to find the corners most times with it. When it did breakdown it cost him matches no doubt, but if his serve wasn't working or volleying and the backhand was it was a shot that he could go to to turn the tide in matches.

gasquet backhand is artistry

n nadals recent years slice is quite nice to see,,floating n landing well at the baseline

backhand crosscourt , thing of beutay

fogna's fh half volley.

Murrays drop shot ( when it's working!)

Surprised that a few people are going for Murray's drop shot. Yes he's very good at them, but I think the BHDL is a thing of pure beauty, and such a great shot, it's probably what got me hooked on Murray. I guess though the dropshot is a sign of how good his touch is, which is one of his defining characteristics.

If I had to answer this question for the rest of the top 4, I'd go:

Nadal - forehand down the line, you know that amazing bendy shot which looks like it's going out but at the last minute bends back onto the line for a winner.

Djokovic - return of serve. What socal said basically.

Federer - the serve. Tricky as he also has a brilliant forehand, but over the years the serve has been such a weapon. Not saying he's a serve only merchant (he most certainly isn't), but how often do you see him pull out the big delivery when needed?

Others that spring to mind.

Soderling - forehand, probably the inside-out one to the backhand corner.

Ferrer - no really defining shot as such (though he has a great forehand), more the never-say-die attitude.

MFC
Agree with your comment about Murray - yes, he has great touch and feel, so is one of the best drop shot and lob players in the game, but the two shots that really define him are the cross court running froehand and the down the line backhand. His timing on the latter is exquisite when on song.

I slightly disagree with you re Federer and Nadal's defining shots - Fed's has to be the attacking forehand (although his serve is one of the most effective, it's not like he's Karlovic), while for me Nadal's best shot is the inside out forehand - he always seems better to me playing the forehand while moving to his right, while he can be beaten if someone actually attacks him wide on his forehand side.

As for Sampras, his two defining shots were the second serve and the overhead.

Dummy, Pete had a great forehand as well. But the overhead and second serve are in my mind the greatest in the history of tennis. Somehow you never felt you had the advantage when you were on his second serve and he would hit so many aces with it.

MFC have to disagree with you on Rafa's forehand and with dummy. Dummy says his inside out forehand is better you say the up the line forehand. I think his defining shot is the cross court forehand to his opponents back hand. That is the shot he beats Fed with and puts most guys under pressure with. When he uses that in conjunction with the up the line forehand it can be lethal.

Ebar have to agree with Gazza's single handed backhand, quite possibly the most beautiful and lethal single hander in the history of the game. Too bad he doesn't have a good forehand or second serve.

Socal

It's easy to forget how good an all-round game Sampras had, because he was such a good server - volleys on both sides were solid, overhead was the best ever (anyone who goes through an entire Wimbledon in the 90s without being lobbed successfully has to have been good at smashing the ball), the running forehand (especially curling up the line) was a great shot and the rest was good.

As for Gasquet, yes the backhand shot production is great (although I think Mauresmo and Henin might arque about it being the best ever), but the biggest downside to his game is really the mentality - a talented player who hasn't realised that it takes more than natural ability to become a world beater.

Dummyhalf, definetly Pete was the total package very similar to what roger brought to the game although Pete had a better serve and Roger was the better returner and mover.

Gazza is great, he has a really nice game but as you say he has never made the commitment to fitness and hasn't showed very much mental toughness in crucial situations.

Cannot believe people are overlooking the backhand of Sampras. Far more important shot than the second serve IMO

In respects to the Murray drop shot, I know this will anger some Murray fans, but Djokovic has the best drop shot. The disguise and execution is perfect.

Legend I have disagree there isn't a more important shot in tennis than the second serve. It is more important in my mind to have a good second serve than a first serve. Sampras' backhand was way inconsistent but his second serve was the best second in the history of the game, the cornerstone of his success. But I agree with you novak's drop shot is ridiculously good and the more confident he is the better he hits it.

Socal
"there isn't a more important shot in tennis than the second serve"

Please can you go and be Andy Murray's coach, and drum this through his thick skull. A second serve that isn't an opportunity for the opponent to attack is a paramount. Sampras just took it to extremes, in having a 2nd serve that was better than the first serve of many of his contemporaries (not for pace necessarily, but for placement and spin). Edberg was the only one of his predecessors I can think of that was noted for having a great 2nd serve (with a hugely effective kick serve that was very difficult to return).

I would say Becker had the best second serve I saw. Very good with both first and second. The most inportant shot in tennis socal is the return, so I would disagree with the second serve being the most important.

Return is up there, but serving and returning are approximately equal. Of the two deliviries the second serve is more important than the first. I just don't rate Pete's backhand as that great. Don't get me wrong when he was on he would blast some gorgeous one handers ,but when he lost he would usually lose on the backhand side.

I think the reaason I rated it so much was because it was so flat and the fact his length on it was about a ft to the baseline for me made it more remarkable.

Becker had a great second but Pete's was the best by quite a bit nobody has ever even been close. I love Boris, one of my top 3 favorites of all time (Novak, Boris, and Jimmy) but Boris' second was not even 90 percent of the second serve Pete's was. And I don't even like Pete as a fan, nothing more boring than watching Sampras play ivanisivic on grass or indoors, a complete yawn fest.