Who's better all-around, Maria Sharapova or Ana Ivanovic?

Question

Make sure you address who has got the better: serve, forehand, backhand, mobility, and looks.

Any other specifics are welcomed as well.

Answer 1

Maria, no doubt about it. Although Ana is improving, but still she's not at the same level with Maria when it comes to skills. She still has some work to do.

LOOKS: They're both beautiful in their own way.

Answer 2

Serve - Maria (when she has one)

Forehand - Ivanovic (its her only weapon)

backhand - Maria

Mobility - Ana

Net game - Maria (I've seens Ana's volleys, they resembled lobs)

Looks... uh I don't really care but if I was gonna look like one of them I'd chose Maria for her hair.

Answer 3

the serve is toss up to me because they're both pretty big and strong. ana's however in the last months has been the more consistent whereas maria's has gone a bit wonky with that toss. otherwise,i think ana is better all-round since i feel she has alot more versatility. and she's an all-court player. plays well on clay where maria does not,on hardcourts and even grass in spite of her early loss. the only thing i think maria has over ana is the mental fortitude....although maria hasn't showed it as strongly in the last two months. movement....well neither are the greatest but since ana has lost some of that weight she's getting to balls she wouldn't have before and actually doing something with them. and to me she looks more elegant moving now. maria to me still looks quite awkward moving.

as for shots....do we really need to address....i think those attributes are pretty obvious. maria has the better backhand whereas ana has the better forehand.

....what do looks have to do with anything?

Answer 4

i think they are the same

Answer 5

i think Maria is great and same for Ana.

Answer 6

Sharapova. I can't stand Ana or her game.

Answer 7

maria but ana is improving in all of the things u mentioned

Answer 8

Maria has the better serve and forehand.

Ana has a slightly better backhand.

Their mobility is about the same.

Looks are totally subjective and to each his own but I would say Maria has a better build and Ana has a better face.

Maria's got more attitude and that can be a slight turnoff.

Ana has a better personality, and clearer skin.

Ana also has a better coach.

Maria has a bigger pocketbook.

Answer 9

If you ask me it's not really a competition at all.

Maria has a far more powerful serve (when she's healthy) and although at times she can become erratic with double faults, when it's on, it's d**n near untouchable (Just ask Justine Henin after this year's Aussie Open).  Ivanovic's serve is alright, it has some pop but you'll never see Ana Ivanovic serve her way out of trouble in a service game, the amount of easy points she gets with her serve is slim to none.  

Forehand is the only department that is competitive.  They both have powerful forehands that they place very well.  Since Maria has a worse reputation for errors especially from the forehand side then I guess I'd go with Ivanovic on this one.  The power and accuracy is pretty even but Sharapova gets into off-streaks with her entire game but especially this shot.  Ivanovic I guess does too, every player does, but not as bad.

I saw someone mention they thought the backhands were about even... what the heck are you thinking?  Maria Sharapova has probably the best backhand on the WTA now that Henin has left the building.  Once again, she can pepper unforced errors with it but this is by far her best shot.  She can create some crazy angles with the backhand crosscourt and can also hit it with good accuracy down the line for flat-out winners.  Ivanovic's backhand is not a weapon at all.  Her forehand is by far her best shot, the separation between the reliability on her forehand and backhand is like a worse version of Roger Federer's.  Much worse.

Mobility I'd have to say is relatively even.  Sharapova moves pretty well for someone as tall and large as she is.  Ivanovic has a lighter and quicker frame but just doesn't seem to stay in good defensive position and lacks the quick first step towards a ball that is much more important than flat-out speed.  (See Rafa Nadal, although he's pretty good at both :-P.)  Edge to Ivanovic because she's just flat-out faster in foot-speed probably but if we were talking about footwork as well I'd have to call it about even.   Sharapova does a great job getting herself in position for shots.

Looks?  Hmmmmm.  Forgive me if I sound like a horny frat boy or something while saying this but there is a difference between pretty/cute and s**y/hot.  Ivanovic is cute.  She prances around the court pumps her fist in a very feminine way when she wins a point, wears a very fashionable visor and has a great skin complexion.  Sharapova meanwhile is the s**y/hot one.  The blond hair, the long flowing legs and the intensity are all turn-ons for guys.  They both have very pretty faces, it seems hard to judge for me because it looks like Ana Ivanovic puts on makeup before coming onto the court while Sharapova comes out mascara and cover-up - less.  The difference in the quality of their skin could be owed to this difference in match preparation.  But that's all presumptuous so I guess we should throw that aside.  As I said earlier, Ivanovic is prettier, Sharapova is hotter.  Take your pick.

Answer 10

serve - maria

forehand - ana

backhand - maria

mobility - maria

looks - ana

i think ana is still improving her game where as maria, shes not going any where right now.