The tennis season is in full swing. We’ve seen an increase in talented players, and especially with how the Australian Open went, we know that this year could be a big year for tennis. With a long season left to go, we can expect an action-packed Roland Garros, U.S. Open, and Wimbledon, as well as many other large-scale tournaments like the Miami Open and Barcelona.
But who are you going to bet on? There are thousands of professional tennis players out there, and sometimes betting on the wrong person can be costly, especially considering that many of the top players have been going through rough patches.
Not only that, but there are three different court types in the game of tennis. With that being said, it can be hectic to find the right player to bet on. Luckily for you, I’ve composed a list of the best tennis players from around the world for their court type.
(Note: Some players can show up on more than one court type.)
Hard courts are the icon of tennis. They incorporate the speed of grass courts with the durability of clay courts. It mixes the two into a perfect combination, bringing about a unique experience on the hard court where intelligence and physical capability are both matched to the highest level.
In order to succeed on the hard courts, players must know how to control rallies and build momentum. However, they must also know how to handle the speed of shots and create openings when possible. Only those who can master these skills can truly succeed in tennis.
You don’t need to be a genius to know that Roger Federer is one of the best players to have ever picked up a racquet. He’s the only player to acquire twenty Grand Slams and is known for his deadly serve. His style of play has made him unstoppable even at the age of thirty-six, an age when most players would be considering retirement.
His fast type of play has helped him win eight Wimbledon titles, five U.S Open titles, six Australian Open titles, and one French Open title. He’s spent a record of 302 weeks at the number-one spot, a feat that no one has achieved except him. That’s almost six years as the best player in the world!
Though many players may be considering retirement at his age, Roger Federer is only getting started. He’s defied all odds at the age of thirty-six, and with a fresh Australian Open title under his belt, I don’t think Federer plans on going anywhere anytime soon.
There have been very few successful Korean tennis players. However, one of them is Chung Hyeon, an upcoming prodigy in the world of tennis. He won the Next Gen Finals and recently made it to the 2018 Australian Open semifinals, beating six-time AO (short for Australian Open)Champion, Novak Djokovic, in the process.
Chung Hyeon is one of the upcoming players you’ll want to keep your eye on. He’s already shown that he can play against the top players in the world, and his consistent playstyle makes him a threat even when he’s at his worst.
Many consider Djokovic to be a player that has one of the strongest baseline games. However, during his match against Hyeon, it was Hyeon who beat Djokovic at the baseline. This shows that his ability to consistently rally with his opponents will prove versatile when he begins his advance towards fame.
There’s no doubt that Novak Djokovic needs to be on this list. Though he may be having a shaky season right now (largely thanks to an injury), his dominance on the hard court has made him a six-time Australian Open champion and two-time U.S. Open champion.
In 2016, Djokovic went 28-1 on hard courts. 2017 was a hard year for him due to him playing poorly on all court types and being out for a large portion of 2017 due to an injury. However, when Djokovic returns, he’ll be stronger than ever.
He already holds twelve Grand Slams and is notorious for his ability to keep the rally going no matter how hard his opponent attacks him. At his peak, Djokovic was able to take on both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer with ease.
It’s just a matter of time before Djokovic gets back to the peak physical position he was once in, and once he does, you’ll want to make him your top pick for the hard court. He’s already proved himself to be one of the best hard-court players of all time. Just be patient, and soon, Djokovic will be your cash cow.
This Canadian player has been known to dominate the hard-court scene due to his ability to serve and dominate the game with his fast strokes. With the hard court being based on the speed of the ball and quick point play, Raonic’s playstyle synergizes perfectly with its necessities.
In 2016, he had the second-highest win rate on the hard court, going 17-3 the entire season. He also managed to win the Brisbane title, a championship that is extremely difficult to acquire. On the hard court, it seems like Milo Raonic is virtually unstoppable.
Raonic is only twenty-seven years old. This means that he has several years left in his career before he’ll meet his retirement age. Because of this, he will soon evolve into a world-wide threat, and if you want a player that can bring about consistent results for the next few years, cast your eyes on Milos Raonic.
There’s something about the British wonder that just makes you go “Wow!” The thirty-year-old player from Great Britain has scored numerous accomplishments throughout his highly successful career as a professional tennis player.
He’s won three Grand Slam titles, while making eleven Grand Slam finals himself. He holds a total forty-five titles and has an impressive 79% win rate on the hard court himself. Andy Murray may be considered to be a grinder (a player who can just get the ball back), but he’s more than that.
He isn’t known for hard shots or a big serve. Instead, he’s known to be a player that plays consistent, smart tennis, and he’s the type of guy that will get back any shot you hit at him. Because of this, he’ll be the perfect match for any bettor looking for a player that will give out consistent results.
Clay is like the bull of tennis. It’s dirty, stubborn, and steadfast. There are very few players who come out of a clay court still clean. The balls are slower and have more spin, and the points are won more off the other player’s durability rather than the point-play itself.
Tennis on the clay court is more about sliding and diving rather than running and jumping. Because of this, the clay court is more about how much you want the point and less on how to create the point.
It would be a crime for me not to put Rafael Nadal on this list. His achievements on clay far surpass that of any individual throughout the history of tennis…ever. Simply put: he’s placed records on clay that people won’t beat for a long time.
Last year, at the ripe age of thirty, he claimed his tenth Roland Garros title without dropping a single set. Winning Roland Garros is hard enough but managing to win it without even dropping a set is nearly impossible…unless you’re Rafa.
Nadal has a jaw-dropping 91.69% win rate on the red dirt courts, with over fifty clay court titles under his belt. This is a feat that not even Roger Federer can beat. In 2005, from April to May, Rafael Nadal single-handedly went on the longest career streak on a single court, winning eighty-one consecutive matches on clay.
There’s a reason Nadal is called the “King of Clay.” He’s never given up a point without fighting to the end. He’s never given his opponents an easy victory, but most importantly, he’s willing to drag a game out for hours if it’s what it takes to win it all.
Nadal has had a generous share of success himself, winning sixteen Grand Slams in total, second to Federer. He’s almost unstoppable on the clay courts and has seen very little opposition throughout the years. If there’s one guy you want to have your money on during the Clay Season, it’s going to be Nadal.
While you may know Federer as the Swiss legend, there’s one other Swiss player you should keep your eyes on. His name is Stanislas Wawrinka, and for the past few years, he’s seemed unstoppable on clay. Playing on clay requires a patient mindset where outlasting your opponent is more important than dominating the point.
However, Wawrinka is the complete opposite of this. He plays fast-paced, and if you try to out-rally him, eventually he’ll take you down. During his time on the ATP Tour, he’s garnered a total of three Grand Slam titles and has one Masters title. Since 2015, he has a 75.5% win rate, making him one of the top clay court players in the current year.
Wawrinka is not a player that can be easily defined. He plays crazy and unpredictable, making him someone that very few know how to beat consistently. His backhand is dangerous, and his baseline game is easily one of the best in the game.
Because of this, Wawrinka is a top contender going into the clay quarter of the tennis season. He may have had a shaky start in the Australian Open, but I can assure you that it’s not going to be the same once the clay courts roll around.
One of the upcoming stars of tennis is Dominic Thiem. He has a signature one-handed backhand and an athletic mindset that is unique from all the rest. He’s unstoppable from the baseline, and his playstyle matches perfectly with the requirements needed to become a master of clay.
Since 2015, he’s won six clay court titles and has a 73% win rate on the red dirt court. This is extremely impressive for a player who is only twenty-four years old and has quite a while before he’ll need to be considering retirement.
At a current ranking of six in the world, Dominic Thiem could become the next king of clay once Rafa leaves the stage. He’s already proven that he is a world-class threat and knows how to play the game extremely well.
This year could be the breakout year for Dominic Thiem. Since 2015, he’s been pumping out consistent results, and with a 73% win rate at the age of twenty-four, you should have no problem making money with this talent.
Grass is a unique court type in the way that it incorporates speed and accuracy over consistency and sturdiness. Combined with the fact that the slippery texture of grass has left many players injured, the grass courts have become somewhat of a cutthroat environment where very few have really made it big.
While Roger Federer certainly is known for his dominance on the hard court, his legacy on the grass court is what has made him famous. There is no player on the tour who can match Roger Federer’s prowess and skill on the grass court.
He’s accumulated a total of eight Wimbledon titles, seventeen grass titles, and has a shocking 87% win rate on his favorite court. Combined with his deadly serve and fast groundstrokes, Roger Federer is the perfect candidate for the grass season.
Looking into the grass season, Roger Federer has a lot of potential for the future. He’s already shown that, since his debut, he is a threat on every court type, but the kind he’s the most dangerous on is definitely grass.
With grass courts emphasizing the speed and accuracy of shots, Roger Federer will have no problem playing his game, and when Federer can play his game, it’s very hard to stop him once the legend gets going.
Djokovic being a top grass court contender is quite surprising considering that he is highly dependent on his ability to rally and hit. However, once you look at the statistics, the doubt will be gone. He has an astounding 82% win rate on the grass courts and holds four titles, one of them being Wimbledon.
Djokovic’s forte may be on the hard court, but that doesn’t mean his groundstrokes aren’t fit for Wimbledon’s fast courts. Though he is still recovering from an injury, once he is back, he’ll be looking for yet another Wimbledon title…and I’m telling you it could be possible.
John Isner is a surprising one on this list, considering his strength is more suited toward hard courts. However, this doesn’t mean that his ability to serve aces averaging around 150 miles per hour won’t help him on grass.
John Isner currently has three titles on the grass court to his nameand has a solid 64% win rate. With his playstyle mainly being based on his ability to serve and volley, John Isner is perfect for the grass courts.
The hot-tempered but extremely talented Australian prodigy has certainly proved himself to be a formidable foe to anyone who stands in his way. He has an extremely creative way of playing and isn’t afraid to pull out different tactics throughout his match.
While his statistics aren’t eye-popping, he does have the game needed to make himself a threat for the upcoming season. He’s built himself a blazing forehand and one of the most precise and fastest serves out, inferior only to the likes of Isner and Federer.
The Aussie is only twenty-two years of age, meaning that he still has a lot to prove before he can close his curtains. One of these achievements could be a possible Wimbledon title under his belt. He has the potential. Now let’s see him put it into action.
The Croatian has reached a peak ranking of number three in the world, and he can attribute his success to his dominating forehands, backhands, and athleticism. His agile feet and dominating groundstrokes make him a serious threat on the tour, and that’s why he is certainly one of the top players for the grass court.
Last year, he made the 2017 Wimbledon Finals before falling to Roger Federer. Despite his loss, he’s proved that he has the game needed to make it far on a court type that very few can get used to. Currently, he holds a 70% win rate on grass and plans to add more titles to his belt. Currently, he holds one title from grass.
Marin Cilic’s game shouts “grass.” He builds points from his momentum, creates openings through huge forehands and backhands, and can turn the point on his opponent with one swing of the racquet—all while playing the points at around seventy miles per hour. His inhumane skill and agility will make him a top contender for the grass titles in 2018.
There you have it. This is our list of the best players of 2018 on their respective court types. There are many new players coming into the tour this year, and some of them have begun to have a breakout season.
Recently, twenty-one-year-old Chung Hyeon made it to the 2018 Australian Open semifinals, and Marin Cilic started his career out by making it to the Australian Open Finals. Of course, Federer won it all, but that doesn’t mean other players won’t have a shot at the other titles.
However, what if you don’t know who to bet on? After all, there are thousands of talented players out there, and the choices seem endless. Luckily for you, this list narrows down the best players for each court type, just for your betting convenience.
If you know your player’s court strength and their court weaknesses, and have already found a great tennis betting site, then you’ll have the advantage over everybody.
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