Like Dr Frankenstein, we built a monster. This is the ultimate tennis player |
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We know the perfect tennis player doesn’t exist.
Of course, in men’s tennis, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are getting close.
Australian tennis great Paul McNamee even goes as far as saying Alcaraz is the best all-round player the world has ever seen.
“I have never seen tennis played like that – he is a virtuoso,” McNamee said.
Alcaraz’s peers are a little more circumspect in their praise, but former world No.1 Daniil Medvedev admitted last week, when asked about the current dominance of the pair, that the gap the top two ranked male players had opened up would be difficult to close.
Carlos Alcaraz is hard to beat.Credit: Eddie Jim
“When he hits stronger than you, puts everything in the court, runs definitely not slower than you, [and] serves not worse than you, it’s tough to beat him,” Medvedev said.
It’s no surprise they are dominant in almost every category.
In women’s tennis, the gap between the top 10 players is tight, but there are still those with certain skills far beyond their peers’.
Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1, has always had power. Now her touch game is improving and, although she may not be considered the best in the world at any specific shot, her all-round game makes her tough to beat.
By bringing together the biggest weapons of players competing in this year’s Australian Open to create the complete tennis player, we reveal where the real on-court battles will be happening when the best meet the best in the next fortnight.
Aryna Sabalenka in full flight.Credit: Eddie Jim
The methodology is simple.
Who has the best forehand, backhand or serve on tour? Who excels at the net? Who handles the pressure best? Who returns serve the best? Does someone have a scary drop shot? Who is the fittest player on tour? And who can do the impossible if required?
We crunched the numbers and canvassed expert views to build the best men’s and women’s player on tour and playing at this year’s Australian Open.
If Nick Kyrgios was handed, and accepted, a wildcard to the Australian Open, he would have got the nod here as his peers rate him leagues ahead of the rest when it comes to serving. But he won’t be playing singles at Melbourne Park, so Mpetshi Perricard gets the nod.
The 22-year-old Frenchman’s first serve would get a speeding fine on the Autobahn. He averages 215km/h as he rifles the ball at his opponent from a great height, given he stands 201 centimetres . He wins half his first-serve points without having to play another shot, given reading whether the ball is heading to the T, the body or out wide is so tough for his opponents.
The fact he is ranked outside the top 50 (he reached No.29 in February 2025) shows other parts of his game need improvement, but that serve… if you blink, you miss it. The USA’s Ben Shelton and Italy’s Matteo Berrettini also possess brutal serves, but Mpetshi Perricard has one of the fastest serves ever recorded.
Why can some players serve better than others? Tennis Australia analyst Simon Rea says there are many variables, but one is essential: “Being biomechanically efficient on serve is a massive part of the equation.”
Known for his power, Alcaraz doesn’t hesitate to move forward to finish a point.
His athleticism and skill combines well with his aggressive attitude when it comes to........