What are the greatest shots in tennis history? We pick out the game’s most fearsome weapons stroke by stroke, concentrating on the Open Era (since 1968).
By Joel Drucker
Part VII: The Overhead
Final Pick
Chuck McKinley
Shortlist
Pete Sampras
Lew Hoad
Greg Rusedski
Richard Krajicek
Mark Philippoussis
Yannick Noah
John McEnroe
John Newcombe
Illie Nastase
Stan Smith
Dick Stockton
Jeff Borowiak
Billie Jean King
Martina Navratilova
Steffi Graf
Justine Henin
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A tough pick. Today’s players come to net so rarely and strike passing shots so well that it’s rare to see players forced to play too many overheads. Yet it was even more rare to see Pete Sampras miss a smash. His was accurate, thundering and rarely failed to end a point.
In the netrushing prime of 1946-‘80, it was impossible for a player to even be on the tour without owning a fine smash. Among Americans alone, Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzales, Tony Trabert, Chuck McKinley, Stan Smith and John McEnroe were all adept at rapidly getting into position and obliterating lobs that came their way. McEnroe was exceptionally quick. Trabert and Smith were quite powerful – each able to bounce backhand overheads over the fence. Finding an Australian without a good overhead is as rare as finding one who has never had a beer (though, curiously, Rod Laver’s smash was not considered quite as supreme as the rest of his game). Others who many lobbed at their own peril were Dick Stockton and Jeff Borowiak.
But the one with cult-like appreciation belongs to 1963 Wimbledon champion and Hall of Famer McKinley. He stood just a mere 5’ 9”, but to be a champ in his era McKinley knew he’d have to come to net and work very hard on his overhead. He did, learning to jump up in the air to field any but the very best lobs. And as for the weak lobs, he was savage, taking particular delight in bludgeoning them with all his might – a dangerous occasion for any doubles opponent in his way.
Joel Drucker is a contributing editor at TENNIS magazine. The author is grateful for the assistance of many experts and former pros, including Brent Abel, John Barrett, Steve Flink, Mary Carillo, Trey Waltke, Chris Lewis, John Newcombe, Owen Davidson, Fred Stolle and Brian Gottfried.
