create the (near) perfect player

Bit of a down-time thread. Using current players, who would you use to create the perfect player with the following categories:

- Serve
- Forehand
- Backhand
- Volleys
- Movement
- Mentality

Catch is that you cannot use any of the Big 4.

A different player also has to be used for each category.

Serve: Karlovic
Forehand: Delpo
Backhand: Wawrinka
Volleys: Stepanek/LLodra
Movement: Monfils
Mentality: Nishikori

Assuming Murray is no longer in ATP Top 4, can I use him?

First player...

Serve: Kyrgios (PS: second choice is Raonic)
Forehand: Sock
Backhand: Murray (if allowed).
Volleys: Tsonga
Movement: Del Potro (for a big man, he has ideal movement) or Goffin.
Mentality: Ferrer

- Serve - Raonic
- Forehand - Verdasco on a good day
- Backhand - Gulbis
- Volleys - Stepanek
- Movement - Ferrer
- Mentality - Sharapova

It's unlikely that a player could move like Ferrer and have a serve like Raonic though so in more realistic terms I'd go for Tsonga's serve to compliment Ferrer's movement.

Serve: Cilic
Forehand: Dimitrov
Backhand:Nishikori?
Volleys: Berdych
Movement: Daveed
Mentality: Daveed again

Only one I might question is the BH, theres some good ones out there. Berd brains good great volleys when he can be bothered to use them, and Daveed is a rock betwene the ears, only faltering against the big 4

- Serve: Raonic
- Forehand: Del Potro
- Backhand: Nishikori
- Volleys: Llodra
- Movement: Monfils
- Mentality: Robredo

Serve- Cilic
Forehand- Del Potro
Backhand- Wawrinka
Volleys- Llodra
Movement- Dimitrov
Mentality- Ferrer

Some interesting choices. I think mine would be:

Serve : Isner

Amazed no one has chosen him. Went out of the US Open in R3 without losing serve all tournament. His huge kick second serve gives him the edge on Ivo/Rao for me.

Forehand: Del Potro

Very consistent with blistering power. Best option for me.

Backhand: Cilic

Exceptional two-hander. Also demonstrated a useful slice in his Open triumph.

Volleys: Paes

Still playing doubles so I reckon I can pick him. Silky skills at the net.

Movement: Monfils

Mentality: Krygios

To date, seems to have a real champions mentality. So tough to beat Gasquet saving all those matchpoints, nerveless against Nadal and showed he could back it up with some fine displays at the US.

Laver - no, Murray is not a permitted choice.

21 - A player can only be used once

I only made two rules!

Nick K - Serve
Del Po - Forehand
Cilic M - Backhand
Jo Wil T - Volleys
Da Veed - Movement
Kei Nish - Mentality

Serve - Tsonga
Forehand - Verdasco
backhand - Wawrinka
volley - Llodra
Movement - Dimitrov
Mentality - Simon.

Not actually too difficult, as outside from Nadal/Federer forehand and Maybe Djokovic backhand, the top four don't really have tour leading attributes.

I'm surprised at the votes for Stan's backhand over Ernie's. As we saw during the FO when it's on, it's up there with Djokovic and Murray.

Monfils athleticism is being confused with movement, interesting. Nalbandian has better movement than Monfils. Just watch the TMC 2005 final.

Watching Monfils vs Federer where he almost breaks his ankle, but challenges, makes me wonder why his movement is being equated to his "flying" skills.

Movement, to me, means the quote "Fly like a butterfly...". Effortless and graceful, like a ballet dancer, not the huffing-puffing of La Monf. Just my 2c.

I agree with TSJ, if I cannot pick Murray, Gulbis would be my choice for the DHBH.

I was fascinated by Golubev's BH, but he seems to have stalled.

@BS... Some of the doubles players have excellent volleying skills. Jamie Murray is pretty good. Does anyone recall Nielsen/Marray (not Jamie) @W 2012? Bryan brothers are not bad either.

BTW, I used to watch Fleming/McEnroe, Woodbridge/Woodforde, McNamara/McNamee. What fun and what hands!

The Special Juan wrote:I'm surprised at the votes for Stan's backhand over Ernie's.  As we saw during the FO when it's on, it's up there with Djokovic and Murray.

Surely shot consistency (which Gulbis lacks) is a huge factor for whichever shot we are picking?

ChequeredJersey wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:I'm surprised at the votes for Stan's backhand over Ernie's.  As we saw during the FO when it's on, it's up there with Djokovic and Murray.

Surely shot consistency (which Gulbis lacks) is a huge factor for whichever shot we are picking?

Yeah I can't argue with that. I'll stick "on a good day" beside the backhand then

kingraf wrote:Serve - Tsonga
Forehand - Verdasco
backhand - Wawrinka
volley - Llodra
Movement - Dimitrov
Mentality - Simon.

Not actually too difficult, as outside from Nadal/Federer forehand and Maybe Djokovic backhand, the top four don't really have tour leading attributes.

Including the top 4, I would have Fed's forehand, Murray's backhand, Novak's movement and Rafa's mentality.

Serve: Isner
Forehand: Del Potro
Backhand: Wawrinka
Volley: Llodra
Movement: Dimitrov
Mentality: Del Potro

Isner for serve I always find hard to agree with because so much of it is to do with his height, so when you give this imaginary player Isners serve you give him his body, so 6'10 who moves like ferrer, dimitrov this guy is already an absolute beast, Le Bron on a tennis court

Born Slippy wrote:

kingraf wrote:Serve - Tsonga
Forehand - Verdasco
backhand - Wawrinka
volley - Llodra
Movement - Dimitrov
Mentality - Simon.

Not actually too difficult, as outside from Nadal/Federer forehand and Maybe Djokovic backhand, the top four don't really have tour leading attributes.

Including the top 4, I would have Fed's forehand, Murray's backhand, Novak's movement and Rafa's mentality.

A lot of these things are interdependent, though. I think Ferrer is a better mover than both Djokovic and Nadal, but because his groundstrokes are inferior to Theirs, his return product is poorer, which leads to the idea that they are better movers. I think Tsonga once in position, Tsonga's forehand can do everything Federer's can, and more, but his footwork doesn't get him into the positions Federer's does... it goes on