It does pee me off when commontators say things like - "Djokovic has reached the final without really being tested etc...." He's WORLD #1 FFS!!!
If you're world No.1 then you have earned the right not to play the other best players until the 1/4's at the earliest and more often not to the semis. No one wants to see the best players facing each other in the first week of a Grand Slam. We want the best two players in the final.
It does pee me off when commontators say things like - "Djokovic has reached the final without really being tested etc...." He's WORLD #1 FFS!!!
If you're world No.1 then you have earned the right not to play the other best players until the 1/4's at the earliest and more often not to the semis. No one wants to see the best players facing each other in the first week of a Grand Slam. We want the best two players in the final.
It does pee me off when commontators say things like - "Djokovic has reached the final without really being tested etc...." He's WORLD #1 FFS!!!
If you're world No.1 then you have earned the right not to play the other best players until the 1/4's at the earliest and more often not to the semis. No one wants to see the best players facing each other in the first week of a Grand Slam. We want the best two players in the final.
They must have missed the warinka match. LOL
Exactly. He looked down and out in that despite starting so brightly. He is amazing. He must be the best 5 Set player today.
Just got broken back but matched Nadal's Hold so 4 all in 3rd now.
best player ever lived, doing it in the hardest era
Who? Federer? Nadal? Djokovic?
For me it's Fed. OK he is dropping away at the moment but in his day he was unstoppable. Nadal is a phenomenal athlete but his body seems to struggle to maintain it now. Djokovic is different. He'd consistent but not incredible. He's fit but not on the same level as Nadal and not as good a player as Fed. That might change though
As for Murray - great player but not really in the same league as the 3 mentioned
Agree it's a truly golden age for tennis and just what it needed after Pistol Pete's drab period of dominance though.
Federer is still the greatest for me, for a long time he was absolutely untouchable by 90% of the rest of the world and in terms of technique and skill I still haven't seen anyone come close. Nadal and Djokovich are both very talented, but for me it's their physical power and prowess that makes them so good. Federer was never quite as fast/strong as Nadal - but had the technique and the smarts to match him all the way.
Murray is the best British player for a very long time, but nowhere near Nadal and Federer, and frankly Djokovich will be the one to beat for the foreseeable future.
I definitely believe that if he can stay fit for another 2-3 years, Nadal will overtake Fed's grand slam record. 13-17 now.
I suspect so because it's now a 2 horse race between him and Djokovic. Murray will scrape into the occasional final and may ge a couple more majors but NAadal - when fit - is the best there is right now
best player ever lived, doing it in the hardest era
I always love the 'doing it in the hardest era' line. Equipment has changed certainly. Rackets/strings give a huge edge to modern players. But the balls have been slowed down significantly to. Would love to see Borg play Nadal. It won't happen but only an idiot would say Nadal is better. The same with Federer and McEnroe and lets add Djokovic and Agassi. Most of all would love to see them return Pistol Petes serve.
Perversely, his serious knee injury may in the long run help to prolong Nadal's career. An enforced rest from the game has allowed him to recharge and give his body a rest. The way he plays, all action, twisting and turning has put great stress on his body over the years. Remember he has been at the top since he was a teenager. Djokovic is starting to look a bit tired and leggy. Perhaps a break would do him good. Irrespective, these two are by far, on even moderate form, the best in the world
to be honest for sheer tennis skills its mcenroe for me but nadal as all time greatest he has not finished yet and i think may well surpass 17 but look at who has beat, this era has 4 top class players , he owns fed its very one sided even novak he is well in front, also has a olympic gold. great player who plays amazing tennis lets hope the knees hold up
Nadal 22-15 Djokovic Nadal 21-10 Federer Nadal 13-5 Murray
Nadal v Federer's head-to-head is a little misleading though - and not just becuase almost half of their matches have happened on clay.
Federer would have a much better head to head against Nadal if Nadal had been making it through to the finals of non-clay events while Federer was still a clear world number one, but Nadal was at the time getting knocked out by somebody other than Federer before reaching the final. The exception was on clay, where Federer would reach the final but lose to Nadal. So Nadal was getting the better of the head-to-head record, yet Federer was clearly the better player.
By the time Nadal became good enough to start reaching finals regularly on surfaces other than clay, Federer had almost passed his peak, and Nadal has clearly been the better player since.
What I don't think can be argued is that Nadal's had it tougher - Federer was beating people like Roddick, Safin, Hewitt etc for his early titles, Nadal has won the vast majority of his 13 against Federer and Djokovic.
If Nadal goes onto get 3 or 4 more Slams, I don't think you can look past him as the most effective player ever. The only issue for the 'GOAT' is if aesthetics come into it, and if so I'd pick Federer every time - I can't imagine any player has come close to being as enjoyable to watch as Federer.
A comment I've seen on the Federer/Nadal debate that summed it up for me was this:
"I'll put it this way. If I was trying to weasel my way out of purgatory and I had to choose one Tennis player to play for my soul, it would be Nadal. If I was told I was staying and I had to watch one player for all of eternity it would be Federer."
Comments
He's WORLD #1 FFS!!!
If you're world No.1 then you have earned the right not to play the other best players until the 1/4's at the earliest and more often not to the semis.
No one wants to see the best players facing each other in the first week of a Grand Slam. We want the best two players in the final.
Just got broken back but matched Nadal's Hold so 4 all in 3rd now.
Imagine if it ends with a 5th set tie break.
For me it's Fed. OK he is dropping away at the moment but in his day he was unstoppable.
Nadal is a phenomenal athlete but his body seems to struggle to maintain it now.
Djokovic is different. He'd consistent but not incredible. He's fit but not on the same level as Nadal and not as good a player as Fed. That might change though
As for Murray - great player but not really in the same league as the 3 mentioned
Agree it's a truly golden age for tennis and just what it needed after Pistol Pete's drab period of dominance though.
Murray is the best British player for a very long time, but nowhere near Nadal and Federer, and frankly Djokovich will be the one to beat for the foreseeable future.
Equipment has changed certainly. Rackets/strings give a huge edge to modern players.
But the balls have been slowed down significantly to.
Would love to see Borg play Nadal. It won't happen but only an idiot would say Nadal is better.
The same with Federer and McEnroe and lets add Djokovic and Agassi.
Most of all would love to see them return Pistol Petes serve.
Djokovic is starting to look a bit tired and leggy. Perhaps a break would do him good. Irrespective, these two are by far, on even moderate form, the best in the world
Nadal 21-10 Federer
Nadal 13-5 Murray
I've seen better
Federer would have a much better head to head against Nadal if Nadal had been making it through to the finals of non-clay events while Federer was still a clear world number one, but Nadal was at the time getting knocked out by somebody other than Federer before reaching the final. The exception was on clay, where Federer would reach the final but lose to Nadal. So Nadal was getting the better of the head-to-head record, yet Federer was clearly the better player.
By the time Nadal became good enough to start reaching finals regularly on surfaces other than clay, Federer had almost passed his peak, and Nadal has clearly been the better player since.
What I don't think can be argued is that Nadal's had it tougher - Federer was beating people like Roddick, Safin, Hewitt etc for his early titles, Nadal has won the vast majority of his 13 against Federer and Djokovic.
If Nadal goes onto get 3 or 4 more Slams, I don't think you can look past him as the most effective player ever. The only issue for the 'GOAT' is if aesthetics come into it, and if so I'd pick Federer every time - I can't imagine any player has come close to being as enjoyable to watch as Federer.
"I'll put it this way. If I was trying to weasel my way out of purgatory and I had to choose one Tennis player to play for my soul, it would be Nadal. If I was told I was staying and I had to watch one player for all of eternity it would be Federer."