Interactive Forum May 2021: Karen Khachanov Forehand

[stroke]

Personally, I think Fognini's forehand is as efficient as Roger's or Rafa's. It's beautiful. He hits through the ball so well and with less spin than Rafa, and I think Roger, but what you get is a bullet. He has a higher finish and uses the wiper less than most players. He is definitely in the same hemisphere as Roger and Rafa but the rest of his game is less...not much of a serve or much discipline as an individual....which sets him back somewhat. But in the forehand department he's up there...as is Verdasco.

From what I have seen of the Fognini rpm's on his forehand, he is on par with Nadal and more on average than Fed. All are still behind Berrettini, slightly.

[jeffreycounts]

My concern with this shot would be return of serve. You don't have time to do all that stuff he does at the beginning of the stroke.

[stroke]

My concern with this shot would be return of serve. You don't have time to do all that stuff he does at the beginning of the stroke.

That's the truth. No dropping on edge and meeting the ball there. In fact, I have never seen Khachanov do the abbreviated take it early return of serve. He swings the same all the time and forehand return of serve is an issue for him.

[stotty]

That's the truth. No dropping on edge and meeting the ball there. In fact, I have never seen Khachanov do the abbreviated take it early return of serve. He swings the same all the time and forehand return of serve is an issue for him.

Same story with Sock. I watch him a few years ago at Wimbledon and he resorted to bunting returns back off his forehand side.

[jimlosaltos]

From what I have seen of the Fognini rpm's on his forehand, he is on par with Nadal and more on average than Fed. All are still behind Berrettini, slightly.

Yup. Youngster Casper Ruud hits arguably the heaviest spin combined on forehand and backhand, with his forehand at 3,300 to 3,500 RPMs. More to come on that.

[jimlosaltos]

Here is the Tour Portrait we did on Khachanov a while back when he had his first, good run. By the way, I read some analyst citing KK as an example of a player that switched rackets and it hurt his game. I believe that was after he won the Paris / Bercy Masters?
https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...ren_khachanov/

Two samples.

filedata/fetch?id=93684&d=1620321520&type=thumb

filedata/fetch?id=93685&d=1620321520&type=thumb

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[jimlosaltos]

Yup. Youngster Casper Ruud hits arguably the heaviest spin combined on forehand and backhand, with his forehand at 3,300 to 3,500 RPMs. More to come on that.

On cue Ruud upsets Tsitsipas. Spin "down" to 3,054 RPMs from around 3,300 to 3,500 in Barcelona, I believe it was. If "fastest shot" is a 120 mph forehand for each player, that's impressive. Serve stats show a higher number so that can't be it.

P.S. Only 1 breakpoint faced and 1 mini-breaker in the match, and both players won an identical 50 points. 7-6(4), 6-4.

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/match-stats/archive/2021/1536/MS013

filedata/fetch?id=93687&d=1620326142&type=thumb

[stotty]

On cue Ruud upsets Tsitsipas. Spin "down" to 3,054 RPMs from around 3,300 to 3,500 in Barcelona, I believe it was. If "fastest shot" is a 120 mph forehand for each player, that's impressive. Serve stats show a higher number so that can't be it.

P.S. Only 1 breakpoint faced and 1 mini-breaker in the match, and both players won an identical 50 points. 7-6(4), 6-4.

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/match-stats/archive/2021/1536/MS013

filedata/fetch?id=93687&d=1620326142&type=thumb

A 120mph forehand would seem outrageously quick. I saw Del Potro hit one a forehand at 111mph which was a bullet. Can we trust that stat?

[jimlosaltos]

A 120mph forehand would seem outrageously quick. I saw Del Potro hit one a forehand at 111mph which was a bullet. Can we trust that stat?

They might be counting overheads. That's my best, latest guess.

[jimlosaltos]

A 120mph forehand would seem outrageously quick. I saw Del Potro hit one a forehand at 111mph which was a bullet. Can we trust that stat?

120 is exceptional but not unheard of. Let's see if this pastes on my phone from something I wrote ages ago. If not I'll post tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Worked!?

James Blake 125 mph USO 2011

https://youtu.be/eiHCjwd3LiQ


Gael Monfils 120 2009

https://youtu.be/VFnODj_mTlQ


Jack Sock 120 mph 2015 AO


Fernando Gonzalez 117+ mph at least 2x

https://youtu.be/Hu5qFYumKes

Pancho Gonzales (+ Segura) 112 way back when men were men and they used wood rackets


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancho...ssional_career …