The ten best players on grass in the Open Era
The grass, the grass always dangerous. The area most prone to surprises. That where vital charge serves and volleys become a perfect complement to finish a point. That where little (more than now) no time to rally from the back of the court, which rewards aggressive play and punishes the defense has left us great specialists throughout history. Players that fit like a charm to the peculiarities of the soil either by a good serve, volley innate conditions, or simply a better adaptation than the rest. In Point Break, we analyze some of them. Specifically, those who are arguably the 10 best players who have played on grass along the Open Era:
1 - Roger Federer 12 titles (118-17). Almost certainly the best man in grass that has been in the Open Era. 7 times Wimbledon champion and five in Halle crown a path that led him to be 65 games undefeated on grass. Good serve, better right, excellent and extraordinary slice backhand volley are part of a unique repertoire for these tracks. This is evidenced by the nearly 88% effective in their matches, one against Pete Sampras in the Wimbledon grass. And on top of all that, the best thing is that it runs with extraordinary elegance.
2 - Pete Sampras' 10 titles (101-20). The predecessor of seven Wimbledon Federer behind him too. His powerful serve, fast on some occasions, placed at other assured him clearly winning their services at a time when the grass was very quick. Then I just had to bide his time and assert his or her wonderful slice backhand volley. A genius, who knows, if he had not retired so early (31 years), maybe have collected another title at Wimbledon.
3 - Jimmy Connors: 9 titles (170-34). The player with the most games won on grass, although it was at a time when there were many more tournaments on the same surface. Among them, the U.S. Open and Australia Open, which he won on grass, as did two Wimbledon. Player character and blows planes, arrived on six occasions to the end of the third largest of the season.
4 - John McEnroe: 8 titles (119-20). BigMac it was not easy at the time to be crowned the best on grass. He had to deal with Björn Borg, among others, for the title at the Cathedral of tennis. Talented as few, his lefty kick and good volley gave him three Wimbledon titles and three other finals, and four at Queen's gimped.
5 - Björn Borg: 6 titles (61-12). Five titles at Wimbledon and final more talk about a player who innovated on grass. First, it showed that the Roland Garros-Wimbledon was possible and that there was no need to fear land-grass transition. Second, because they managed to succeed on grass playing from the back of the court with a game that seemed destined to mark an epoch in earth. Of course it was competitive and improved his serve and volley over time significantly. You never know how far they had come to have continued more years on the circuit. But surely, to the top of tennis history.
6 - Rod Laver 6 titles (79-15). He won six titles on grass in the Open Era, including four large. However, before entering this trail of superlatives left was impossible. Lefty who based his game on the serve and volley combination, if not the best tennis player ever, is perhaps so far that it is in time and the difficulty of competing for five years in the pros, at a time when they were not allowed to play Grand Slams.
7 - Boris Becker 7 titles (116-25). Three Wimbledon titles (one of which earned him to be the youngest champion) and four finals in London are enough baggage to appear on the list. But apart from numbers, no pictures. One of them, the iron thrown in volleys looking impossible. And there are ways and ways to win. And when you choose the spectacular, thanks.
8 - Lleyton Hewitt 7 titles (113-33). A single title at Wimbledon, true, but the second man in the Open Era to have the triple crown which means Queen's, Halle and the said Grand Slam after Michael Stich. And best, with a style that could be more concrete. The second most active tennis tournaments on grass. In part, because it adapts superbly to the grass despite not having a good service, not a right nor an excellent spectacular volley. The typical case of tennis that nothing stands out, but nothing is bad. Well, highlight, highlights two aspects: character and ambition. A competitor, a winner.
Hewitt is the second player with the most active titles on grass.
9 - Ken Rosewall 7 titles (126-34). Four-time Wimbledon finalist, three of his major in the Open Era (won eight in total) were on grass (one U.S. Open and two Open of Australia). The king of longevity and a player with a very special gift: play better as veteran grew. Like fine wine.
10 - Rafa Nadal: three titles (50-12). Possibly, in this place would fit also Stefan Edberg, Andy Roddick or John Newcombe, all with more titles on grass. However, none of them has a better win-loss ratio (80%), and five finals on grass at Wimbledon, two of which were resolved with triumph. King of clay, on grass has been able to beat Federer, Djokovic, Murray, Del Potro, Soderling, Berdych and Roddick. That is, big.
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