Best Overhead Smash - Nadal or Federer?

For me these 2 players have the best and most effective and clinical overhead smash, but who gets your vote as the best?

Federer? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV9Yp4fpWa8

Nadal? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4tXkoPmu8s

They say Nadal has the most secure O/H in the game...you rarely see him miss one and he does play alot as he stretches people out wide.
In reality you dont actually see Federer hitting as many O/Hs as Nadal - I would say Fed's O/H is more "regulation" and not as good as his serve which is clearly one of the best in the current game.
Djokovic's O/H is not one of his best shots.

Djokovic and Murray allow the ball to bounce far too often.

Nadal and Federer are just giants with the shot. Nadal can more or less hit them from every angle. Federer for me gets far more depth on his than Nadal.

Yes as Nadal tends to slice it more than Federer. But you rarely see Nadal miss one across many years on tour...most commentators say Nadal is the strongest.
Djokovic's technique and timing O/H without allowing the bounce isnt the greatest...a missed smash cost him dear at the last Olympics vs. Tsonga. But yes players will often let it bounce when they dont feel confident in their own ability with the shot.

Must be Nadal - his O/H mechanics are extremely solid. I think his tendency to slice it helps improve the accuracy as it is more a matter of technique rather than just sheer power, bludgeoning the ball.
Fed's is also very good but I feel sometimes he relaxes a bit too much with it and so isn't as reliable as Nadal
[Admittedly, I have 0 stats to back these impressions up...]

I think comparing their smashes is similar to comparing their volleys. I think Nadal misses less volleys but Federer hits more spectacular ones. With Federers smashes I have seen him hit some outrageous ones, but I have also seen him hit rather tame ones. Rafa will always finish them off 9 times out of 10, just like his volleying but they aren't as spectacular as when Federer does.

I think Fed can be a bit unreliable sometimes, but I'd like to give special notice for Federers backhand smash; a thing of beauty and power.

Agreed BB...he played a blinder of one against Seppi (or was it JCF...lol) the other night. The technically hardest shot in the book...and on the old grass courts used to sort out the boys from the men.

I think Feds FH smash from the back of the court is much more on the money than Nadal's. Agree about the BH smash. Especially the cross court version.

Fed's more spectacular and wow factor, miss more.

Nadal's the oposite.

I actually can't remember the last time Nadal goofed a smash, except during "the fiasco with Verdasco".

As usual Nadal's is just strength. Federer's is genius. One is ugly, one is not.

Federer and Nadal are equal weight and equal height.

Federers parents work in the pharmaceutical industry.

Seifer Almasy wrote:As usual Nadal's is just strength. Federer's is genius. One is ugly, one is not.

Genius needs strength and Beauty lies in the eyes of the Beholder, Variety is spice..., etc.

Just watch the Tipsy-Federer AO 2008 or Berdych-Federer AO 2009.

Federer hits with more perfection and Nadal hits hit with more secured.

O/H smash is a weak cousin of Serve, we all know who the better server of the two is, but the thing both are effective, you can only win the point in the end it doesnt matter how effectively you win it, so I would say both are equal in terms of this shot, since both win it.

OH smash? Rather tautological for me.

best overhead smash out of Nadal or Federer?

.....hmmm think i'll go for Sampras

Henman Bill wrote:OH smash? Rather tautological for me.

really? surely theres lots of different ways to smash a tennis ball?

Anyway, in terms of backhand side smash, Tim Henman was the best, and hasn't been bettered to this day.

Federer is not a natural serve and volleyer. I have seen him in a few matches (against Nadal), where his net play has been rather forced and desparate.

Sampras was a good overhead volleyer as was Mr Henman.