I think Agassi and Novak should swap their spots, but everyone else is more or less around the right spot (no comment on Rosewall who I have never seen play ) .
Really hope you aren't trying to say Nadal is one of the best returners of all-time... That would be one of the most clueless things ever written on MTF.
Another thread about this ... It depends how you look at it. If you are looking at ROS only, meaning putting the ball back to the court that's one thing. If you are looking at returning the ball with some interest (therefore punishing the server) then that's a completely different story ...
I've watched Andre in his times - till Djokovic appeared I thought Andre had the best return! But now - simply no. Djokovic has the best reaction and control of the return and the best read of the server. He simply wins matches off this shot.
When Djokovic retires Milos Raonic and his brothers in serve will win GS. Novak is the only man who is stopping this bombers prevail denying them wins and titles.
Murray and Ferrer are good but not so much.
Agassi's time didn't have the servers of today, though. Sampras' serve would be nothing special in today's game, unfortunately for him. :|
I mean, can anyone imagine Isner, Anderson, Raonic, etc. etc. on those lightning-fast courts? It would've made Sampras' serve look like a joke in comparison. Sorry, but it's the truth. :shrug:
In the men's game I'm going with Agassi since Djokovic has the advantage of slower surfaces. Agassi in the 90s had to face the greatest servers on the fastest surfaces.
Just because Agassi played during an era of lightning-fast courts doesn't mean that he had it more difficult as a returner. That's a flawed way of thinking.
Consider this: how would the serves of someone like Isner, Raonic, Anderson, Karlovic, etc. look like on those very same courts? How about servers like Tsonga, Kyrgios, etc.? Would they be any worse of servers than Sampras was?
Consider this, also: how would Sampras' serve look like had he played in today's game?
And today's players are better overall returners (and far more skilled players) than they were back then, anyways.
Consider this: how would the serves of someone like Isner, Raonic, Anderson, Karlovic, etc. look like on those very same courts? How about servers like Tsonga, Kyrgios, etc.? Would they be any worse of servers than Sampras was?
Consider this, also: how would Sampras' serve look like had he played in today's game?
Erm, this is exactly how it would go. Isner, Raonic, Anderson and Karlovic are aided nowadays by improved racket technology. Give Sampras the racket strings of today and he'll bomb the hell out of that fast court as well. So, comparing servers of today with servers 20 years ago is also flawed.
The only factor you need to consider is the speed of the ball AFTER it first hits the court, in which friction plays the most important factor. Slow courts will severely punish the ball's initial bomb speed and will allow it to bounce higher, which will allow the returner more time to reach it. Where Agassi was reflex and fast-thinking, Djokovic is reflex and athletical ability.
I think interpreting stats like that is important for another reason.
IMO one of better pieces of proof that Ferrer is the best returner is that he and Djokovic were tied in return games won last year. Their forehands are pretty even and Djokovic's backhand is 800% better, so the difference is clearly the return.
You're not taking into account the tournaments/surfaces entered, and opponents played against. Nole plays and wins the biggest tournaments while a vulture like Ferrer...?
TBH overall I would say Djokovic but if I had to choose a player to return Karlovic serve it would be Andy no doubt, I think he's the best returner against servebots like Karlovic Isner etc but Djokovic is better at punishing weaker servers and has this insane ability to consistently hit the baseline on return right at opponents feet leaving them completely helpless.
Djokovic for sure, just the depth he gets on his return, it's amazing how he always seems to find the baseline which leaves his opponents completely helpless.
Probably Agassi. Racquet and string technology wasn't as overpowered as it is now. It was harder to return serves and redirect balls even in the late 90s.
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