It’s often said that players can go deep into a major with a solid, all-around game, but to win it all, they need a real weapon. That one shot or unique ability that distinguishes their game, that frustrates opponents and makes matchups exceedingly difficult.
Let’s take a look at the players who’ve made the semifinals and who are looking to advance to the final and capture the 2016 US Open. The following shots will play pivotal roles in their success.
SERENA WILLIAMS: The Server.
Williams owns perhaps the most dominant shot in the history of the women’s game. Her other strokes can go off from time to time, but her serve is almost always a constant. With impeccable form and innate rhythm and timing, both her first and second deliveries are offensive weapons unlike any other in the game. The serve anchors her game in much the way that it did for Pete Sampras – it allows her to win bucket loads of free points; it keeps her in tight games; it wards off break points with a single swat of the racquet; it deflates opponents. Her serve is a wonder of precise placement and raw power and velocity. Serena has said that she envisions striking an ace every time she steps to the line.
ANGELIQUE KERBER: The Counter Puncher.
At only 5-foot-8, the scrappy German isn’t big enough to overpower many players on tour. But she is a creative scrambler who can turn defense into offense with the best of them, frequently finding uniquely lefty angles. She uses her counterpunching and impenetrable defense to keep more purely offensive players off guard and frustrated. They are such a strength that Kerber, currently No. 2 in the world, may snag the top ranking if she wins the Open.
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The Returner.
Along with Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors, the top-ranked Serb is one of the greatest returners of serve in history. Djokovic makes the most of Gumby-like flexibility, incredible reach and world-class anticipation. While he is one of the most impossible players to ace, he doesn’t only defend well against big servers. He is such an effective returner that he can, with a single shot, begins the point at an advantage. Talk about converting defense into offense. Novak returns up the middle with great depth and also creates superb angles off the return, keeping the best servers off guard.
GAEL MONFILS: The Wingspan.
The supremely athletic Frenchman has gifts most tennis players only dream of. He has raw sprinter’s speed. He has effortless power. He has a unique ability to create – but so many options at his disposal that it can also be a curse. More than anything, the long and lean, 6-foot-4 Frenchman possesses a helicopter-like wingspan. When he is pushed wide for a forehand, Monfils, with his long reach and strength, can generate shocking power from impossible, out-of-court positions.
STAN WAWRINKA: The One-Hander.
The Swiss’s one-handed backhand is a thing of textbook beauty. Wawrinka can create lethal power with incredible upper-body strength, massive torque and unrivaled timing. He is so strong that even at just 6 feet tall, he is unfazed by high balls to the backhand – unlike most other one-handers. From his backhand wing, Stan the Man can rip it deep and heavy down-the-line, or cross court and sharply angled with maximum topspin. While Wawrinka also possesses a classic, defensive slice, when he hits over the ball with purpose, it’s one of the game’s most potent and aesthetically pleasing weapons.
KEI NISHIKORI: Speed Racer.
The sixth-seeded Nishikori is like a lightning bug on court. At 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, he makes up for an absence of size with phenomenal court coverage. His quickness adds an extra dimension to his extremely clean ball striking ability off both sides. Because the Japanese anticipates so well and arrives at balls with time to spare, he can set up his shotmaking, and hold the ball until the last millisecond. Nishikori has great hands to go with his quickness, and he crafts perfect lobs and drop shots – something he used to confound Andy Murray in the quarterfinal.
CAROLINE WOZNIACKI: The Retriever.
The fleet-footed Dane is the tour’s resident Labrador retriever: She joyfully runs everything down. Wozniacki is an indefatigable backboard, throwing up moon balls when she needs added time to get back in position and always making her opponents hit multiple winners to win a point. Wozniacki famously reached No. 1 in the world without adding a major to her resume; it could be argued that her major strength, retrieving, in fact is not enough of a weapon to walk away with a major. Perhaps the 2016 Open will prove differently.
KAROLINA PLISHKOVA: Aces.
The tour leader in aces, with 469 on the year, the slender, 6-foot-1 Czech has perfect technique on her serve. It appears that very little can go wrong with her service motion. Plishkova isn’t the biggest server among the women – her fastest serve at this year’s Open was 115mph, ranking her 15th, whereas Serena’s fastest was 126 mph. Yet the Czech hits a very heavy, and perfectly precise serve, lacing the sidelines and nailing it up the T, putting her opponents on the defensive – if they can even reach the ball.
