Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: Who Has a Better Forehand?

Renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou sparked a fresh Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer debate with his list of best forehands in tennis. He picked both legends but placed the Swiss icon third while putting the Spaniard at the top of the chart.

Nadal’s deadly topspin-heavy forehand is a mythical part of tennis folklore. Federer’s forehand also has its place in tennis history as it combines an orthodox style with modern elements. His topspin forehand rotates at 2500 rpm, much higher than the average for other players on tour. However, Nadal’s median of 3200 rpm, peaking at around 5000 rpm, blows it away.

Federer employed a much more traditional, flatter forehand till around 2008. He evolved it to have more topspin. While his coiling technique is not very dissimilar to that of Nadal’s, what differentiates their shot is primarily their contact and finish. Federer has a near-Eastern grip and Nadal has a Western grip, the two extremes for topspin forehands.

The ‘King of Clay’ uses a lot more vertical momentum alongside horizontal, his arm going up and almost around his head in a ‘buggy whip’ technique. Federer, meanwhile, uses the ‘windshield wiper’ finish, taking his racket past his face with an open head. This is also a spin-heavy technique, although less than the buggy whip, but it also keeps the ball low.

This is something that Nadal’s forehands often aren’t, clearing the net by a lot more height than average. Federer also meets the ball a lot earlier than his rival. These are the key differences in the Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal forehand comparison.

Roger Federer hit forehands that averaged from 74 to 78 mph, depending on the spin he chose to impart (via FiveThirtyEight). Rafael Nadal also falls in a similar range but with significantly more rpm than the 20-time Grand Slam champion. This allowed him to dominate on clay, the slow and high-bounce nature of the surface helping his topspin-centric game. However, he possesses the ability to change his forehand technique, making it flatter if necessary on hard/grass courts.

Despite large overall similarities, there remains an elemental difference in their forehands. The Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal debate over who has the better forehand will never end. Both legends have match-winning forehands that are subjectively levels above the rest of the field, most of whom are flat-bat hitters.