15 Best Tennis Shots of 2011

For tennis, 2011 truly was a spectacular season to be a part of—whether you were in the crowd, checking score updates on your phone or simply watching at home.

But it was also great for the players that made spectacular shots in highly contested rallies.

The amazing thing about tennis is that even if you lose a match badly, you can still walk away happy after striking an unconventional skill shot.

Here are the top 15 shots of last year.

Honorable Mention: Andy Murray's Half-Volley Backhand

Watch his control of the racket to just steer the ball onto the line for a passing shot against Gilles Simon.

Go to 1:45.

Honorable Mention: A Great Way to End a Set

Watch Delpo close out the set by spanking a forehand against another hard hitter in the game.

15. How Djokovic Was Able to Beat Nadal 6 Times in a Row

This forehand angle is indicative of the way Djokovic plays Rafa.

14. Del Potro Goes from Defense to Offense in One Shot

The Delpo forehand is simply a brute force.

13. Robin Haase Destroys This Forehand

This air forehand is spectacular, but it hasn't been unseen in the tennis world.

Even I've struck one like this...OK, maybe not one of that stature, but still.

12. Monfils Hits an Air Forehand

Yes, he has done this before, but it never gets old to watch.

11. How Did He React to That?

I cannot even tell what Monfils planned on doing when Ferrero hit the ball to him.

10. Rafa Toys with Monfils

When Gael Monfils is losing, he begins to fool around...and that only leads to him losing even worse.

9. Feds with the Backhand Flick

Shots like these explain how Roger was able to end Novak Djokovic's winning streak.

Go to 9:15.

8. A Tweener Not Hit by Feds

Mikhail Youzhny closes out the set in style.

7. Another Tweener Not Hit by Feds

It's rare to see a player outsmart, or "out-mousetrap," Andy Murray, but when it happens it is both comical and entertaining.

6. Whatever Passing Shot You Can Hit, I Can Hit Better

Watch John Isner and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga exchange extraordinary passing shots.

Watch from 12:00-12:30 and 13:30-13:40.

5. Davydenko Takes the Ball on the Rise

Watch the incredible anticipation to track down balls on the defensive end of the points and strike-passing shots instantaneously.

Watch from 2:18-2:33 and 2:43-2:59.

4. How Djokovic Won the U.S. Open

The shot itself isn't that incredible—the fact that he hit this down double match point and came back to win, is.

3. Doubles, Doubles, Toil and Troubles

This point is indescribable—just watch.

2. Yet Another Tweener Not Hit by Feds

Bob Bryan won over hearts at the ATP World Tour Finals by hitting this shot.

1. A Tweener Hit by Feds!

This was the best shot of the year because Roger reacted on impulse and really had no idea what he was planning to do with this tweener, but it wound up being a winner anyways.

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