Best Shot of 2012?

A friend of mine asked my recently "What was your favourite shot this year?" and I couldn't give him an answer. A couple that sprang to mind were:

Dimitrov's shot v Troicki: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEAkvegtPyw

Murray's shot v Raonic: (About 3:20) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1vXqNua1JQ&feature=plcp

What's the best shot of 2012?

Dimitrov's.

This was pretty good too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAeFXIIq95A

Oh and this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_6eLUo01o

emancipator wrote:

Oh and this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_6eLUo01o

you young rascal you!

emancipator wrote:
Oh and this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_6eLUo01o

The Socalled Mr.Match Point panicked and crumbled against the real Iron Man.

Some good nominations there, if being the match point of a major final helps then in that context Djokovic's winner against Federer on Monday could be a contender as well.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/9674552/Andy-Murray-Rafael-Nadal-and-Grigor-Dimitrov-among-the-contenders-for-2012-best-tennis-shot.html

Federer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=239M9wDg80M
Janowicz
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O05oZrPX6xY
Dan King-Turner (who?)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LrTZ839ylk

Borrowed from another forum

invisiblecoolers wrote:

emancipator wrote:
Oh and this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_6eLUo01o

The Socalled Mr.Match Point panicked and crumbled against the real Iron Man.

You've reminded me; how many times did Djokovic double fault on big points in that match?

Wonderful HB, many thanks for those.

emancipator wrote:
Oh and this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv_6eLUo01o

F*ck yes.

Without question the best shot of 2012 was delivered by the terribly robotic, defensive grinder Novak Djokovic. True artists, and I speak from experience here save their most dramatic work for the moment when it would make the biggest impact. For example the great Van Gogh knew that with the advent of photography his trip into surrealistic pleasure in starry night would be the future of art. Or when Colonel Sanders invented the idea of selling fried chicken to drunks and stoners, again everything fell into line for the great artist. Similarily Djokovic saved the shot of the year for the last shot of the year.

When one is faced with a tennis talent of the likes of Federer, in a close match and on match point the GOAT hits a beautiful forehand inside out to the backhand corner of Djokovic. 999,999 other tennis players would have had no shot on the GOAT's legendary inside out forehand on such a short ball. I know a certain slightly overweight club player who tore his hamstring trying to reach a ball not nearly as difficult but very similar. But yet Djokovic with 1.7 million and bragging rights more importantly on the line hits an immaculate winner. As I have said over and over again, noboby, nobody defends the backhand corner like Novak Djokovic, not now, not ever.

Funny how this talentless and robotic grinder, without question and without doubt produces the consensus shot of 2011 and 2012. I mean if shots that count matter then it isn't even close. If pretty highlight footage that doesn't count trumps pretty highlight footage that matters well then vote for the other shots.

Have to hand it to you for getting Van Gogh and KFC into the same paragraph whilst linking that to tennis!

I've never called him a grinder but his style can be a little robotic at times given his approach to the game...in that he's able to produce identikit shots for shot after shot, hour after hour. His consistency off the ground is second to none. But he's too powerful to be called a grinder.

He probably has the best DHBH in the game, if anything he prefers that wing so balls coming into that side are no problem for him. It took Nadal some time to work that one out as it had worked for him vs Federer, since he changed to attacking the FH this year he had more success. But the best attribute of Novak's make up by far is his movement...it's what has always separated out all the top players in the history of the game.

I would describe Novak as robotic, but very much in the positive sense in that he is able to hit penetrating deep ground strokes with incredible consistency. Obviously those that don't like Novak could use robotic as an insult as it implies a lack of variety or imagination.

That's the same with any player though. Murray plays with a mixture of spins and paces, which I see as great imagination and creativity... To a Murray critic it's evidence that he's a pusher.

I wouldn't worry about it socal.

socal1976 wrote:Funny how this talentless and robotic grinder, without question and without doubt produces the consensus shot of....2012.

By consensus, you mean you've agreed with yourself?
Didn't Djoko say afterwards he hadn't even noticed Fed had come to the net, he was just trying to get it back in court? I would have thought a great winning shot should at least have been deliberate.

Consensus my a*rse.

It was a routine passing shot, just happened to be on match point.

Besides socal, I've already provided a link to screech's shot of the year.

I remember seeing Dimitrov's point live and was stunned, but like a lot of tweener shots and in football bicycle kicks theres a little element of luck to them (not totally mind).
More than that I don't feel that theyre good shots in the sense that they're out of nowhere sort of shots when they're in an impossible position. A well constructed point, ending in a screaming winner that they were in a good position to make I always feel is a better shot, even if less spectacular.

Anyone remember the third set tiebreak between Fed and Djoko in the AO 2008? Fed hit an inside out backhand right in the corner. He set the point up got in a good position and ripped it. I feel thats a better shot than any of Feds tweeners tennis wise.

I would guess of the spectacular shots, Djoko's Wtf winner was probably the best, he was in a slightly better position to do it, and the shot was mostly down to his amazing execution on the backhand stretch

Best tweener shot I ever saw was Santoro vs Spadea...standard stuff in that Spadea played drop shot, Santoro runs forward to scrape it back, Spadea lobs him to the baseline...Santoro dashes back and plays a tweener lob straight over Spadea's head into the corner for a winner. Touche Vincent!

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Funny how this talentless and robotic grinder, without question and without doubt produces the consensus shot of....2012.

By consensus, you mean you've agreed with yourself?
Didn't Djoko say afterwards he hadn't even noticed Fed had come to the net, he was just trying to get it back in court? I would have thought a great winning shot should at least have been deliberate.

I saw him say that a passing shot was a great way to finish the match because it is one of his favourite shots! It's clear that shot was more than just getting it back in court - it was hit with power of the highest part of the net!

emancipator wrote:It was a routine passing shot, just happened to be on match point.

Routine?! Did you see where he was and what position he was in when he hit it? I wouldn't personally say it was shot of the year but it was pretty darn good!

This is what he said
"Yes. It's best way to finish the match, I guess, with a passing shot ‑ one of my favorite shots. I wasn't intending to get him on the net. I tried to stay in the rally and get more aggressive in that rally. But, you know, he came in. That was the only space left for me to make a passing shot, and I made it."

So yes, very good shot, but the I guess the rally wasn't going as he had hoped i.e. he didn't intend to draw Fed in and go for a passing shot.

lydian wrote:Have to hand it to you for getting Van Gogh and KFC into the same paragraph whilst linking that to tennis!

I've never called him a grinder but his style can be a little robotic at times given his approach to the game...in that he's able to produce identikit shots for shot after shot, hour after hour. His consistency off the ground is second to none. But he's too powerful to be called a grinder.

He probably has the best DHBH in the game, if anything he prefers that wing so balls coming into that side are no problem for him. It took Nadal some time to work that one out as it had worked for him vs Federer, since he changed to attacking the FH this year he had more success. But the best attribute of Novak's make up by far is his movement...it's what has always separated out all the top players in the history of the game.

Thanks Lydian I am glad you liked my holy trilogy of Novak/Van Gogh/Colonel Sanders. The flexibility Novak has on his backhand side really lets him get into that scrambling open stance double hander. It is funny I tore my hamstring basically on a very similar ball to the one Djokovic hit. I was scrambling wide at a dead sprint and went into a deep Novak lunge at full speed to dig out the backhand and let me tell you that shot is not only difficult but if you aren't plastic man like Djokovic it can be very dangerous. That ability to dig the ball out of that backhand corner almost in a full split and still get power and control on the ball is quite amazing.

falzy21 wrote: I remember seeing Dimitrov's point live and was stunned, but like a lot of tweener shots and in football bicycle kicks theres a little element of luck to them (not totally mind).
More than that I don't feel that theyre good shots in the sense that they're out of nowhere sort of shots when they're in an impossible position. A well constructed point, ending in a screaming winner that they were in a good position to make I always feel is a better shot, even if less spectacular.

Anyone remember the third set tiebreak between Fed and Djoko in the AO 2008? Fed hit an inside out backhand right in the corner. He set the point up got in a good position and ripped it. I feel thats a better shot than any of Feds tweeners tennis wise.

I would guess of the spectacular shots, Djoko's Wtf winner was probably the best, he was in a slightly better position to do it, and the shot was mostly down to his amazing execution on the backhand stretch

I agree Falzy as I said before if shots that don't mean anything can be classified as shot of the year all the ones produced on film are wonderful examples of relatively routine match situations. A shot produced as the very last shot of the year, in one of the biggest matches of the year that decides the contest, while being an incredible bit of technique and athleticism crowns it as the shot of the year.

JuliusHMarx wrote:This is what he said
"Yes. It's best way to finish the match, I guess, with a passing shot ‑ one of my favorite shots. I wasn't intending to get him on the net. I tried to stay in the rally and get more aggressive in that rally. But, you know, he came in. That was the only space left for me to make a passing shot, and I made it."

So yes, very good shot, but the I guess the rally wasn't going as he had hoped i.e. he didn't intend to draw Fed in and go for a passing shot.

Of course he didn't intend to draw federer in, as I stated before a short mid court forehand like that to federer most players don't even get a racquet on it. And his quote clearly indicates that he saw the only space he had an on the dead run he made the shot. I love it, Novak doesn't hit any great shots intentionally they just happen for him by accident. Julius how many times am I going to have to tell people what the consensus is online before the media agrees with me. Just like a consensus has been generated around the idea of the golden generation or golden age of men's tennis something I have been predicting oh for nearly 5 years and in the last two or three years the paid media has finally started repeating the same things I have been telling you since 08. Just like I told everyone "the shot" in 2011 USO semi against Fed would be remembered for a long time so will this one.

HM Murdoch wrote:

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Funny how this talentless and robotic grinder, without question and without doubt produces the consensus shot of....2012.

By consensus, you mean you've agreed with yourself?
Didn't Djoko say afterwards he hadn't even noticed Fed had come to the net, he was just trying to get it back in court? I would have thought a great winning shot should at least have been deliberate.

I saw him say that a passing shot was a great way to finish the match because it is one of his favourite shots! It's clear that shot was more than just getting it back in court - it was hit with power of the highest part of the net!

emancipator wrote:It was a routine passing shot, just happened to be on match point.

Routine?! Did you see where he was and what position he was in when he hit it? I wouldn't personally say it was shot of the year but it was pretty darn good!

Yes that shot was routine Murdoch, I love it. Wow we must have some athletes on here if they think it is routine to go from a full sprint, into a near split, while focusing on a ball, maintaining your balance and hitting the shot on a dead run into about a one to two square foot target with federer bearing down on the net to save match point.

With all my self deprecating jokes I am actually a pretty damn good tennis player and pretty fit. I tried a much simpler version of that Djokovic shot and I nearly tore myself a new arssehole. That is how routine that shot is, try and don't get it right and you can literally tear yourself in half, and it isn't fun.

Nah, that shot will be forgotten in a few months. Good shot, shot of the year? Not in a million years.

The emancipator has spoken!

In fact it wasn't even the top shot in the ATP top 10 list for the WTF

Socal drinking too much again.

What is it with all the gamblers and drinkers on here.

Sort 'em out Haddie.



emancipator

Yes that it is right oh child Luvsports.

And henceforth this discussion is closed.

JHM you may lock the thread.



emancipator - intergalactic tennis historian and freelance moderator

Emancipator when I drink your posts start to make sense, I am not drinking by the way it is 10:30 am thanksgiving day, I will be gorging on food and drink like every American in aprroximately 3 to 4 hours.

Now to the point of the thread, Djokovic's shot is clearly not routine and the circumstances surrounding the shot again elevate it above other great shots that were in no way as significant. One or two of the other shots were prettier but none were even close to as significant. So if you like we can say that Djokovic hit the greatest or most significant shot of the year. Best shot if you are interpreting it on highlight quality alone maybe one or two of the other candidates are as good. But to me clutch performances of quality with everything on the line always trump quality porduced in routine circumstances.

happy thanks giving socal, may you get well and truly stuffed!

its on my to do list: have a thanks giving meal.

coincidentally a recent point on my list that has now been fulfilled is: buy reggae reggae sauce

socal1976 wrote:Julius how many times am I going to have to tell people what the consensus is online before the media agrees with me.

I dunno. How long have you got?

Routine?
lol

Wasn't routine, I was there at the match, it was a superb back-hand passing shot!

But one thing I have to say, personally, I don't think it was the best shot of the match, for me Federer's shot 5-6 down in the TB 1st set was slightly better.
And I'm meant to be anti-Fed (apparently) so there you go. Both shots were brilliant anyway.

As for 'shot of the year'; no way, no way. I've seen better shots this year, even from Djokovic. Nadal FH vs Federer AO SF passing shots from 3 metres outside the tramlines was stunning, Dimitrov also hit a great hot-dog.

Lastly I would like to say I disagree with this notion that hitting a shot in a pressure situation means its a better shot. In my eyes this is simply not the case.
A better shot is a better shot, whether it's 15-15 or match point. The pressure issue is separate.

It Must Be Love wrote:Routine?
lol

Wasn't routine, I was there at the match, it was a superb back-hand passing shot!

But one thing I have to say, personally, I don't think it was the best shot of the match, for me Federer's shot 5-6 down in the TB 1st set was slightly better.
And I'm meant to be anti-Fed (apparently) so there you go. Both shots were brilliant anyway.

As for 'shot of the year'; no way, no way. I've seen better shots this year, even from Djokovic. Nadal FH vs Federer AO SF passing shots from 3 metres outside the tramlines was stunning, Dimitrov also hit a great hot-dog.

Lastly I would like to say I disagree with this notion that hitting a shot in a pressure situation means its a better shot. In my eyes this is simply not the case.
A better shot is a better shot, whether it's 15-15 or match point. The pressure issue is separate.

I agree with some of what you say IMBL but as usual we do diverge in perspectives at some point. For example I think you can not divorce the quality from the impact from the shot. For example in basketball hitting a game winning three pointer in one of 82 regular season games is rarely if ever remembered it happens all the time. Now hit the same shot in game 7 of the NBA finals and they will build you a shrine. Are you telling me a free kick hit in the finals of the world cup at 90 minute mark isn't a better shot because of the circumstances surrounding the execution than lets say hitting the same or somewhat better shot in a battle of two mid table teams in a league cup match?

But absolutely it is logical to give a shot or a play more creedence based on its impact and the factors surrounding it, we do it all the time in other sports. The bigger the stakes the more impressive a performance is under those conditions.

Maybe it is partly down to terminology maybe best shot connotes most highlight worthy. I look as the "best" as being most important or biggest so to speak.

I agree with Socal. The same goal at 2-2 88 minutes in the world cup final is a better goal than the identical shot at 4-0 88 minutes in a sunday league match.

One of the great things about Federer's hotdog against Djokovic was that it came at 5-6 0-30, it was a match deciding point. Likewise Djokovic's match point saves.

But this is subjective. It is a matter of opinion, no absolute answer.

Lots of great selections already put forward. But as HB says, this is of course all totally subjective - there can never be one shot that is universally deemed 'the best' and ultimately it will always come down to personal opinion.

One of my own favourites actually came very early in the season in the Federer/Tomic Aussie Open match. It stayed in my mind all year mainly because of the way in which what looked to be a certain winner was answered with a moment of creativity and instinct that can never be taught. Tomic seemed even more astounded than those watching from the stands (in marked contrast to Federer himself .......)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=jEn-jUY2TpU&NR=1

Was that the shot that ended Tomic's career? It sure looks to be going that way.

bold statement considering he is just 20.

It's been alleged via various forums he's more like 22yo.

emancipator wrote:Nah, that shot will be forgotten in a few months. Good shot, shot of the year? Not in a million years.

I agree. It was an excellent shot, but not the type of shot that'll stand out beyond many others in years to come.

As for shot of the year, call me crazy but the most impressive 'shot' I saw was a wide serve from Raonic to Murray at Tokyo, MP down in the final set. Anyone else catch it? It was absolutely outrageous, and great execution on such an important point.

But conventionally, I reckon this takes some beating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSmDCHLJM70 (Federer at 17:13)