How far can you go as a competitive tennis player without a topspin forehand at your disposal? 32-year-old Romanian star Monica Niculescu has tried to provide an answer to that question all through her career.
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At the beginning, it would feel surreal to watch someone hitting a slice forehand every single time during a rally (even against the likes of the Williams sIsters and Maria Sharapova). But the feeling goes from surreal to blown-out absurdity when you see the same player come on top of the rally by doing just that.
Niculescu has done that through most of her career. She has sliced and diced her way through tough opponents, matches and even long drawn-out tournaments altogether.
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That is not to disregard the rest of her game. When it comes to having a consistent backhand and solid game at the net, Niculescu ranks right at the top, with the best athletes of the game.
Commentators and skeptics were quick to dismiss her as a fluke or a one-hit wonder, but Niculescu's eight singles WTA finals and three titles have put those arguments to rest. The answer then, to the question posed earlier (how far can you go as a competitive tennis player without a topspin forehand at your disposal?) is: all the way!
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About the author
Vedant Chandel
Vedant is an experienced journalist at Sportskeeda, having been part of the team since 2016. Known for his insightful coverage of Tennis, Hockey, and Olympic sports at the company, he has also been contributing to the Hindustan Times for the past 3 years.
Holding a Master's degree in English, and a PG Diploma in Print Journalism, Vedant's academic background equips him well for his journalism endeavors. He has covered the Olympics qualifiers on the ground, taken exclusive interviews with multiple Indian Olympians, and clinched Sportskeeda's prestigious Writer Award for Best Olympics Commentator in 2021.
While Vedant remains neutral on the Tennis GOAT debate, he holds a deep admiration for Tsvetana Pironkova and Petra Kvitova for their unparallelled grasscourt skills and personalities, along with Juan Martin del Potro. As for tournaments, his heart is undeniably drawn to Wimbledon, and when asked why, he simply states, "There's something about the grass."
Beyond his passion for sports, he enjoys traveling and has a soft spot for good movies.