Nicolás Almagro - 70 perfect backhand winners [HD]

Video of Nicolás Almagro Sánchez's pulverising top spin backhand winners. Almagro's managed to reach the quarterfinals of Grand Slams in 4 occasions - 3 times at the Roland Garros (2008, 2010, 2012 losing each time to the eventual champion Rafa Nadal) and one time at the Australian Open (in 2013) where Nico ended up losing the match after being 2 sets up against fellow countrymate David Ferrer. Nicolás Almagro achieved his career-high singles ranking of World No. 9 in May 2011 and has won 12 titles in his career (all of them coming on clay). Almagro's reached 9 more finals on clay which he's lost.
Note: There are 70 clean backhand winners in the video but also 5 more winning shots that don't fall under the "winner" category as the opponent's racquet comes in contact.

[@cameronearls6497]

This guy had the best one-hander of all time. Come at me Federer/Gasquet/Wawrinka fans

[@yakzivz1104]

Nah Gasquet, Gustavo, and Wawrinka are better; however, Almagro's is pretty good too.

[@Bobby.546]

It’s funny when you say “come at me Federer,gasquet, and wawrinka fans,” but no one replies 😂.

[@synhet84]

​​@@Bobby.546cause nobody except real tennis fans knows about Almagro .. sadly

I think Stan and Nicolás are tied at the number one.

[@gazorpazordfieldii3084]

If Almagro had any kind of net game whatsoever, he'd be a top 10 player and have won a Masters 1000 by now, and made a Grand Slam semifinal. Absolute monster in terms of the groundstrokes, able to hit the backhand for clean winners 4 feet behind the baseline, hit it on a dead run, hit flick crosscourt passing shots. He's got a stronger shoulder joint than Federer or Gasquet, he really understands the technique to deal with the high balls. Very similar to Guga's in terms of the extreme eastern grip. The higher backswing means the strikezone is higher, but he's actually made great grip adjustments when he decides to take returns early, so he's played some great fast court matches well. In terms of rally capability he's almost dead even with Wawrinka. A lot of effortless power, but margin for error is too low and he loses points he should win because he lets opponents reset the point with a floater instead of moving in and finishing at net. I don't mean developing a sophisticated serve & volley game, just poach the net and putting away the easy sitters instead of letting them float back to the baseline. That little tweak would've made the difference in closing out the Ferrer match and gotten him into the 2013 Australian Open semifina.

[@tungt88]

+Gazorpazordfield II (Gazorpazorpfield) Actually, it's even worse than you're already saying -- Almagro almost never uses the slice, has relatively poor movement/defensive capability (due to committing too aggressively to his shot/court position, thus not allowing him to recover if his opponent has correctly anticipated his shot and can get it back), and almost always goes for the "aggressive, power shot" instead of the tactically correct shot. In other words, he has an absolute load of talent, and is absolutely not making the best possible use of it. It's no surprise that he has been called "The Angry Man from Spain" by at least one TV commentator. If Almagro had the tennis brain of, say, David Nalbandian, he would be an contender for Slams. As it is, I love watching him hit groundstrokes, but his play out there leaves a lot to be desired, unfortunately (of course, he produces some absolute gems from time to time).

[@rshivesh3212]

+Gazorpazordfield II (Gazorpazorpfield) He's at least done one of the things you asked for; he was in the top 10 for the better part of 2 years. Though I agree with you completely; I've always said that both his unwillingness to rush the net and his inability to hit a decent volley of any sort has been a tremendous weakness. At the end of the day though, I think it's his head more than anything; he has no mental strength whatsoever.

[@samifolio950]

why don't u go coach the davis cup team of whatever country ur from

[@rogchang5211]

on point. This guy backhands.

[@josephmills7188]

great analysis. The high-ball for the one hander is make a break..

[@petersjeanpaul9071]

Almagro's and Suarez Navarro's backhands are pretty crazy

[@0innerself0]

Glad to see he gets the credit his backhand deserves !

[@MartinJohnZ]

I think Almagro sold his soul to the Devil for this backhand

[@MartinJohnZ]

He may be unsportsmanlike, he may be a douchebag, but by god he has the most effortless single hander out there...

[@AJ-iu6nw]

Only sociopaths use one-handed backhands, and narcissists who think they're too good for 2 hands

[@germanfernandez5576]

Que triste es saber que ya no se verán más esto revez :(

[@fistoftulkas7335]

That QF at the 2013 Australian Open against Ferrer still hurts, he was in very good shape and ready, then everything fell off... Always loved his groundstrokes, he was one of the few being able to bully Nadal around on clay with power-hitting, even at Roland Garros...

[@tungt88]

+Nicola Ferrari To this day, the only guy (with a 1HBH) who never had any issues with Nadal hitting his lefty forehand to that wing. All others (even Wawrinka) have had extensive difficulty dealing with that (Federer, Haas, Gasquet, and many others). Kohlschreiber, too, seems to be ok with the "classic Nadal play".

[@dereksharp3081]

@@tungt88 Thiem?

[@AlexPerez-yw9hm]

El mejor revés que he visto en mi vida el y wawrinca .y murciano!!!!no te tenías que haber retirado

[@daynesymons2843]

Agree can hit it from anywhere incredible to watch

[@michaelmelone9779]

Legend has it that Almagro - Giraldo still playing

[@davidjackson_]

i love Almagro!!

[@MrDESPREOCUPADO04]

La soltura y el timing de ese reves es impresionante

[@forzabarisempre]

we will miss u

[@jhdsf]

Very good, beautiful

[@borisdiawdixosmayokaiendia8901]

The title should be: Almagros one handed backhand vs Giraldo Wawrinka and Nadal

[@jesuskristersson8845]

Almagro is like a spanish version of gulbis, big talent

[@Adri-hs8fh]

I really like the movement he does. I'm trying to play backhands like he did

[@Sir_Leelord]

i like how he says vamos as he hits teh winnner

[@kgaogelomamadi5754]

Youzhny and Haas deserve compilations

[@michaelkieling8820]

😅😅😅😅😅

[@albertrosich2408]

What a beautiful weapon!!!! together with wawrinka the best OHBH EVER

[@luzeternaesprit9395]

Much more beautiful to see than Murray, Rafa, Novak, Roddick, etc.

[@myself-ow7ji]

poor Giraldo

[@kevinzelstrick41]

+myself LMFAO!!! I was thinking the same damn thing.

[@MartinJohnZ]

yeah must be something about that giraldo fellow that makes him hit backhand winners...

[@tungt88]

+myself For sure -- Santi was one of the biggest hitters on Tour in his prime, but the problem was, Nico did everything even better than Giraldo (groundstrokes -- both weren't great movers, but Nico was better there, too); and Almagro had a much, much better serve, to boot. Plus, Nico's great strength (the backhand) was better than Santiago's great strength (the forehand).

[@pasanski]

KOHLSCHREIBER 70 PERFECT WINNER COMING?? :)

[@StefanTennis]

pasanski Well, why not? He's one hell of a backhand :))

[@Irfan87]

Stefan Dimov Stefan, pls do a Safin backhand.

[@luzeternaesprit9395]

Kohslschreiber lacked a bit of power, but with that he might have won more than 1 Slam

[@AJ-iu6nw]

0:33 federer also does this footwork on backhand return

[@Sir_Leelord]

filippo volandri or albert montanes 70 backhands coming???

[@oriondragos5876]

Definition of a Howitzer Backhand: See Almagro, Wawrinka, Gasquet, Shapovalov

[@georgewhite5370]

He can rip a few good backhands against Wawrinka

[@monicaionescu2595]

how about wawrinka

[@synhet84]

already done

[@nawshercse98]

One handed BH winner is the most beautiful to watch in tennis whereas two handed BH shot look so ugly. How many of you will agree with me?

[@Art._.byheart]

I agree. One handers seem to be those classy and flashy weapons from star wars.

[@jhdsf]

Just do it and bit it say Almagro man

[@samifolio950]

i don't know , wawrinka and gasquet have better backhands

[@sincm91]

Yes but this is more elegant

[@yakzivz1104]

yes they do.

[@joestar6194]

If I had a backhand like Almargo, I'll tell you right now, you just kiss my ass.😂

[@aleksandraszwedo-tyniec7583]

bajka trole po polsku

[@raghavthakar3834]

One of those unlucky players who could never make it to the TOP 10

[@Art._.byheart]

He was no 9.

[@tmt7912]

But he never get the champion

[@asantesamuel13]

I love Almagro but that first one is the worst hindrance I've ever heard. Full yell all the way through to the other side despite his opponent still having a go at the ball. I would be shocked if that was not called a hindrance.

[@amigosXcorrespondenc]

0:20 That's disrespectful as fuck.

[@lexou7778]

Not beautiful