The 23 Best Returners in Men's Tennis

Blocked returns, chipped returns, full swings from three metres behind the baseline: different answers to the same problem.

1. 1
   Andre Agassi

   Stood on the baseline and took serves early, neutralising the biggest servers of the 1990s.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Novak Djokovic

   Holds the Open-era records for return games won and break points converted across a career.
   861pts
3. 3
   Bjorn Borg

   Eleven-time major champion whose returning underpinned five straight Wimbledon titles.
   690pts
4. 4
   Carlos Alcaraz

   Seven-time major champion who mixes chip returns and full swings to break serve at will.
   669pts
5. 5
   Alex de Minaur

   Lightning-quick Australian who ranks among the tour's best in return points won and climbed into the world's top ten on that strength.
   647pts
6. 6
   Jimmy Connors

   Took the ball early off both wings decades before it became standard practice.
   478pts
7. 7
   Andy Murray

   Read serves as well as anyone of his generation and turned defence into attack from the return.
   478pts
8. 8
   Kei Nishikori

   Japanese baseliner whose early-ball returns took time away from bigger servers and carried him to the 2014 US Open final.
   404pts
9. 9
   Ken Rosewall

   The Australian great's sliced backhand return was famous for decades, helping him win majors across a span of nearly 20 years.
   404pts
10. 10
    Lleyton Hewitt

    Australian counterpuncher who built a No. 1 ranking on getting one more ball back.
    404pts
11. 11
    Roberto Bautista Agut

    Steady Spaniard whose consistent returning places him among the ATP's top ten all-time in return games won.
    404pts
12. 12
    Jannik Sinner

    Current world No. 1 whose flat blocked return puts him in first-strike position immediately.
    404pts
13. 13
    Rafael Nadal

    Stood metres behind the baseline and used topspin returns to drag servers into rallies.
    404pts
14. 14
    Guillermo Coria

    Argentine clay specialist and 2004 French Open finalist whose career share of return games won is among the highest in ATP records.
    404pts
15. 15
    Roger Federer

    Better known for his serve, but his chipped and blocked returns neutralised big servers and helped him win 20 major titles.
    319pts
16. 16
    Nikolay Davydenko

    Russian baseliner who stood inside the court on returns and broke serve so often that he reached No. 3 and won the 2009 ATP Finals.
    319pts
17. 17
    Marcelo Ríos

    Chilean left-hander who took the ball absurdly early on the return and rose to world No. 1 in 1998 without a big serve.
    319pts
18. 18
    Fabio Fognini

    Italian shotmaker who ranks among the top ten all-time in return games won and won the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters.
    319pts
19. 19
    Michael Chang

    Youngest men's major champion, whose speed and return position frustrated bigger hitters.
    319pts
20. 20
    Gilles Simon

    French counterpuncher who absorbed pace and broke serve relentlessly, ranking among the ATP's all-time leaders in return games won.
    217pts
21. 21
    Diego Schwartzman

    At five foot seven he relied on his return, regularly leading the tour in return games won and reaching a world ranking of No. 8.
    217pts
22. 22
    Daniil Medvedev

    Returns from deep in the stands and wins a higher share of return games than almost any peer.
    217pts
23. 23
    David Ferrer

    Spanish grinder who returned relentlessly to reach a French Open final without a big weapon.
    0pts

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