Determining the best players in tennis seems a straightforward matter of consulting the rankings and the tournament results. Determining the best strokes in tennis remains a more subjective affair even with the recent growth in statistics and analytics. More than two dozen leading coaches, players and analysts were asked to list at least three top men and women in each category. Extra weight was given to those with firsthand experience. For example, Ivo Karlovic, one of the world’s best servers, seems particularly well qualified to determine top returners. The men who have hoarded Grand Slam titles over the past decade dominated these rankings, and though this is far from Serena Williams’s finest season, she made a strong showing in many categories.

The best of the current men’s game by consensus:

BEST FOREHAND

1. Rafael Nadal

2. Roger Federer

3. Juan Martín del Potro

4. Novak Djokovic

5. David Ferrer

The two topspin forehands that changed the game are still market leaders.

Nadal and Federer were in the top three on nearly every ballot, with several making the point that Nadal’s was best on clay while Federer’s was effective on all surfaces. Del Potro’s forehand, despite his latest extended layoff because of wrist problems, has definitely not faded from memory. Darren Cahill, a leading coach, considers Ferrer’s forehand “very underrated.” Fernando Verdasco, whose explosive forehand got ample support from the panel, misses the top five because of shot selection.

Image Novak Djokovic led the list for his signature shot, the two-handed backhand. Credit... Andy Lyons/Getty Images

BEST TWO-HANDED BACKHAND

1. Novak Djokovic

2. Andy Murray

3. Tomas Berdych

4. Kei Nishikori

5. Ernests Gulbis