Tennis is a sport that requires far more than just physical assets to succeed.
It is the unique blend of technical perfection, along with incredible mental fortitude, that makes it one of the most revered and respected sports on the planet.
Because there are so many ways to win a match, and such a wide range of play styles, people will often rank the different techniques when creating their perfect player.
However, when Sebastian Korda did so, he made a rather surprising pick whilst selecting the best backhand on the ATP Tour.
The best backhand on the ATP Tour has been named
This is a topic that is debated far more often than some might think, and naturally, the best players of all time are always in the conversation.
Patrick Mouratoglou has often named Novak Djokovic as top of his list, noting: “The best backhand, maybe in the history – the one of Novak Djokovic.
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“In the case of Novak, they end up exactly aligned, but it shows a big weight dispatch, so that’s amazing.”
Ironically, Djokovic said Andre Agassi had the best backhand of all time.
And yet, whilst Korda was picking from the current crop on the ATP Tour, he snubbed Djokovic to instead state: “Backhand? Let’s go with [Kei] Nishikori. I practice with him a lot. His backhand is so difficult to read.”
Kei Nishikori is Japan’s greatest-ever male tennis player
Whilst four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka has to be considered the greatest Japanese tennis player of all time, Kei Nishikori certainly leads the way on the men’s side.
After all, the 35-year-old has punched above his weight throughout his entire career, being ever-present on the ATP Tour during arguably the toughest era in history.
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He even reached the final of the US Open in 2014, and remains the only Japanese man to ever reach the top-five of the world rankings.
The Big Three are all aware of his talents too, with Rafael Nadal admitting: “Needless to say, Kei [Nishikori] is a top-class player who has been on tour for many years. Unfortunately, repeated injuries have put the brakes on his success. Without injury, he’s definitely one of the top five players in the world, and he’s a player who [would have consistently reached] the semifinals in Grand Slams.”
Djokovic echoed that sentiment: “He’s a fighter. He’s a very talented player. One of the quickest players on the tour. You know, hard worker. I have lots of respect for him.”
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