Tennis Smash: 10 Tennis Players With the Best Overhead Play

Asking a specific question, including who has the best tennis smash is an issue of deep contemplation. A smash should be easy to evaluate compared with other tennis strokers—only it isn’t.

If you visit various tennis forums with fans answering the question, you will only have the same names. These are Roger ~ freaking awesome ~ Federer, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Pat Rafter, and Ken Rosewall, among others.

In a Match Charting Project that analysed more than 3,500 tennis matches, it came up with a list of the best smashes in tennis. The Project measures it by winner/win per smash (W/SM) ratio.

List of tennis players with the best W/SM ratio as measured.

1) Jo Tsonga | 78% W/SM | 90% PTS/SM

The best smasher in men’s tennis is Tsonga, winning a point 90% of the time he hit a smash. It was all about the quality of his overhead shots that won him an extra point every 600 points compared with other ATP players.

2) Tomas Berdych | 76% W/SM | 88% PTS/SM

Berdych’s best tennis plays involved a forehand smash. His smashes connect 76%of the time, earning him 88% points won for every smash.

3) Pete Sampras | 75% W/SM | 86% PTS/SM

Sampras hits 84% of the smash opportunities with 75% WSM. These hits convert to points 86% of the time. Other than Agassi, Sampras is the only tennis player to have consistent match rates. 

4) Roger Federer | 73% W/SM | 86% PTS/SM

Federer also hits 84% of the smash opportunities afforded to him, and he hits about 50% per smash opportunity. This could mean that the Fed’s smashes are more difficult than other players.

5) Jelena Jankovic | 73% W/SM | 83% PTS/SM

Jankovic is the leading women’s tennis players with the highest percentage of W/SM at 73%. A high percentage of her wins was because of a smash. She even used her famous forehand smash against Williams.

6) Serena Williams | 72% W/SM | 81% PTS/SM

Williams creates 72% wins for every smash she had, converting to 81% of points. 

7) Rafael Nadal | 69% W/SM | 84% PTS/SM

Nadal is the fifth men’s tennis player who creates 69% W/SM. His smashes convert to 84% of points. Again, it is also about the quality of his smashes that are able to generate more points for him.

8) Stefi Graf | 61% W/SM | 81% PTS/SM

When it comes to the quality of smashes, however, Graf holds dominance. She creates 61% W/SM that gives her 81% more points per smash. Her smashes are few, but they almost always convert to points.

9) Svetlana Kuznetsova | 70% W/SM | 79% PTS/SM

Kuznetsova wins tennis matches because of her 70% W/SM record. This converts to 79% points per smash.

10) Simona Halep | 66% W/SM | 76% PTS/SM

Halep’s known for her quick thinking and quicker responses on the court, giving her 66% wins per smash. About 76% of these converts to points.

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If you are to choose, who is the best tennis smasher of all time?