Chris Eubanks certainly hasn’t had the best of seasons, with a record of six wins and 15 losses in 2024 so far.
The American has shot all the way down the rankings to 128th place, having enjoyed a career-high ranking of 29 this time last summer.
First round exits at both the French Open and Wimbledon will have been hugely disappointing for the 28-year-old.
The latter came against qualifier Quentin Halys, who knocked out last year’s quarter-finalist in straight sets.
And in the former, it was always going to be difficult against Jannik Sinner, although Eubanks delighted fans after giving his racket to a young supporter despite the loss.
Chris Eubanks blown away by Nick Kyrgios’ forehand
A strong finish to the year will now be the aim for the American, but he has spent some time analysing an iconic clash from all the way back in 2017.
The Miami Open semi-final saw Roger Federer and Nick Kyrgios go head to head, with the former winning 7-6, 6-7, 7-6.
The latter did, however, produce an unforgettable moment in the match in the eyes of Eubanks, who said on the ATP Tour’s X account: “Nick hits the hardest forehand I think I’ve ever seen.
“It’s a slapshot forehand that he actually goes for a lot and makes it a lot. It’s so impressive how he’s able to do that.”
Which ATP players rank highest for topspin forehand speed and spin?
A strong forehand is obviously a much-needed skill to succeed in tennis, with Kyrgios certainly boasting one.
Unfortunately it has not been seen for quite some time due to his ongoing injury issues, but Kyrgios has said he is ‘very close’ to returning to the court.
Interestingly, however, Eubanks ranked highest for average forehand topspin speed (mph) on tour in 2023, as per Tennis Insights.
The American was among the players with the highest speed and spin averages, with Arthur Fils leading the way for average forehand topsin RPM (revolutions per minute).
Felix Auger Aliassime, Matteo Berrettini and Jack Draper also ranked high for topspin forehand speed and spin.
Who has the best forehand in tennis history?
One player that certainly leans heavily on his forehand is Stefanos Tsitspas, with the Greek having hit 133 forehand groundstroke winners compared to only 93 combined for his 11 opponents at Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome this year, as per the official ATP Tour website.
The 40-point difference was the largest of any shot on court, but interestingly his opponents hit the ball harder on average, at 79mph to Tsitsipas’ 77mph.
In terms of the best forehands in the history of the sport, however, one player stands out for tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Sharing his thoughts on his Instagram, he ranked Rafael Nadal as the best he’s ever seen in that specific area, followed by Fernando Gonzalez and Roger Federer.
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