The Tennis Thread

You said all that on Friday and countless times before. Do you not have any new material? What about the Nadal and Djokovic record at Queens, that other great litmus test of excellence in tennis?

I know I said it all day Friday, it was right then and it’s right now. Federer won 13 of his 19 slams when Nadal and Djokovic were not the finished article. History will tell us that Federer’s most successful spell was sandwiched in between the decline of Samples and Agassi and the emergence of Nadal and Djokovic. He was great at winning the handy ones, less so when he has two fellow elite competitors.

So now you want me to continue to ridicule the grass court game you put up in such lofty heights?

You’re losing the run of yourself, Boycott.

That had to be the worst US Open in history. Definitely an asterisk besude the winner of this one.

Next years slams will be interesting when murray and djokovic come back, with their low seeding we will be getting big games from the 4th round. Going to be interesting.

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Are you putting an asterisk beside Federer’s first 13 slams?

Some of the top 16 seeds for tournaments Federer won are hilarious.

2003 Wimbledon

Australia Lleyton Hewitt (First Round)
United States Andre Agassi (Fourth Round)
Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero (Fourth Round)
Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
United States Andy Roddick (Semifinals)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Fourth Round)
Argentina Guillermo Coria (First Round)
Netherlands Sjeng Schalken (Quarterfinals)
Germany Rainer Schüttler (Fourth Round)
United Kingdom Tim Henman (Quarterfinals)
Czech Republic Jiří Novák (Third Round)
Thailand Paradorn Srichaphan (Fourth Round)
France Sébastien Grosjean (Semifinals)
Belgium Xavier Malisse (First Round)
France Arnaud Clément (Second Round)
Russia Mikhail Youzhny (Second Round)
Brazil Gustavo Kuerten (Second Round)
Russia Marat Safin (Withdrew before tournament began)[1]

2004 Australian Open

United States Andy Roddick (Quarterfinals)
Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero (Semifinals)
United States Andre Agassi (Semifinals)
Argentina Guillermo Coria (First Round)
Germany Rainer Schüttler (First Round)
Spain Carlos Moyá (Withdrew due to ankle injury; replaced by Iván Miranda)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Quarterfinals)
France Sébastien Grosjean (Quarterfinals)
Australia Mark Philippoussis (Fourth Round)
United Kingdom Tim Henman (Third Round)
Chile Nicolás Massú (First Round)
Thailand Paradorn Srichaphan (Fourth Round)
Czech Republic Jiri Novák (Third Round)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Fourth Round)
Netherlands Sjeng Schalken (Fourth Round)

2004 Wimbledon

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
United States Andy Roddick (Finalist)
Argentina Guillermo Coria (Second round)
Argentina David Nalbandian (withdrew)[3]
United Kingdom Tim Henman (Quarterfinalist)
Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero (Third round)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Quarterfinalist)
Germany Rainer Schüttler (Third round)
Spain Carlos Moyà (Fourth round)
France Sébastien Grosjean (Semifinalist)
Australia Mark Philippoussis (Fourth round)
Netherlands Sjeng Schalken (Quarterfinalist)
Thailand Paradorn Srichaphan (First round)
United States Mardy Fish (Second round)
Chile Nicolás Massú (First round)
Czech Republic Jiří Novák (First round)
Sweden Jonas Björkman (Third round)

2004 US Open

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
United States Andy Roddick (Quarterfinals)
Spain Carlos Moyà (Third round)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Final)
United Kingdom Tim Henman (Semifinals)
United States Andre Agassi (Quarterfinals)
Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero (Second round)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Second round)
Argentina Gastón Gaudio (Second round)
Chile Nicolás Massú (Second round)
Germany Rainer Schüttler (First round)
France Sébastien Grosjean (Second round)
Russia Marat Safin (First round)
Chile Fernando González (First round)
Thailand Paradorn Srichaphan (Third round)
Romania Andrei Pavel (Fourth round)

2005 Wimbledon

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
United States Andy Roddick (Final)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Semifinals)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Second Round) - 19 years old
Russia Marat Safin (Third Round)
United Kingdom Tim Henman (Second Round)
Argentina Guillermo Cañas (Withdrew)
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Second Round)
France Sébastien Grosjean (Quarterfinals)
Croatia Mario Ančić (Fourth Round)
Sweden Joachim Johansson (Third Round)
Sweden Thomas Johansson (Semifinals)
Spain Tommy Robredo (First Round)
Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek (Second Round)
Argentina Guillermo Coria (Fourth Round)
Argentina Mariano Puerta (First Round)
Spain David Ferrer (First Round)

2005 US Open

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Third round) - still 19 years old
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Semifinalist)
United States Andy Roddick (First round)
Russia Marat Safin (withdrew)
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Second round)
United States Andre Agassi (Finalist)
Argentina Guillermo Coria (Quarterfinalist)
Argentina Gastón Gaudio (First round)
Argentina Mariano Puerta (Second round)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Quarterfinalist)
United Kingdom Tim Henman (First round)
France Richard Gasquet (Fourth round)
Sweden Thomas Johansson (Second round)
Slovakia Dominik Hrbatý (Fourth round)
Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek (Second round)

2006 Australian Open

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
United States Andy Roddick (Fourth round)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Second round)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Semifinals)
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Quarterfinals)
Argentina Guillermo Coria (Third round)
Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (Quarterfinals)
Argentina Gastón Gaudio (Third round)
Chile Fernando González (First round)
Sweden Thomas Johansson (Fourth round)
Spain David Ferrer (Fourth round)
Slovakia Dominik Hrbatý (Fourth round)
United States Robby Ginepri (Second round)
France Richard Gasquet (First round)
Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero (Third round)
Spain Tommy Robredo (Fourth round)

2006 Wimbledon

Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Final) - 20 years old
United States Andy Roddick (Third Round)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Third Round)
Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (Third Round)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Quarterfinals)
Croatia Mario Ančić (Quarterfinals)
United States James Blake (Third Round)
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (First Round)
Chile Fernando González (Third Round)
Spain Tommy Robredo (Second Round)
Sweden Thomas Johansson (First Round)
Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych (Fourth Round)
Czech Republic Radek Štěpánek (Quarterfinals)
France Sébastien Grosjean (Third Round)
Argentina Gastón Gaudio (Second round)

2006 US Open

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Quarterfinals) - still 20 years old
Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (First round)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Second round)
United States James Blake (Quarterfinals)
Spain Tommy Robredo (Fourth round)
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Semifinals)
Cyprus Marcos Baghdatis (Second round)
United States Andy Roddick (Final)
Chile Fernando González (Third round)
Spain David Ferrer (Third round)
Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych (Fourth round)
Finland Jarkko Nieminen (First round)
Germany Tommy Haas(Quarterfinals)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Quarterfinals)
Spain Juan Carlos Ferrero (Second round)

2007 Australian Open

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Quarterfinals) - 20 years old
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Quarterfinals)
Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (First round)
United States James Blake (Fourth round)
United States Andy Roddick (Semifinals)
Spain Tommy Robredo (Quarterfinals)
Argentina David Nalbandian (Fourth round)
Croatia Mario Ančić (Fourth round)
Chile Fernando González (Final)
Cyprus Marcos Baghdatis (Second round)
Germany Tommy Haas (Semifinals)
Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych (Fourth round)
Serbia Novak Djokovic (Fourth round) - 19 years old
United Kingdom Andy Murray (Fourth round) -19 years old
Spain David Ferrer (Fourth round)

2007 Wimbledon

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Final) - Just turned 21
United States Andy Roddick (Quarterfinals)
Serbia Novak Djokovic (Semifinals, retired) - Just turned 20
Chile Fernando González (Third Round)
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Fourth Round)
Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych (Quarterfinals)
United Kingdom Andy Murray (withdrew due to wrist injury; replaced by Kevin Kim) - Just turned 20
United States James Blake (Third Round)
Cyprus Marcos Baghdatis (Quarterfinals)
Spain Tommy Robredo (Second Round)
France Richard Gasquet (Semifinals)
Germany Tommy Haas (Fourth Round, withdrew due to injury)
Russia Mikhail Youzhny (Fourth Round)
Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (Third Round)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Fourth Round)

2007 US Open

Switzerland Roger Federer (Champion)
Spain Rafael Nadal (Fourth round) - 21
Serbia Novak Djokovic (Final) - 20
Russia Nikolay Davydenko (Semifinals)
United States Andy Roddick (Quarterfinals)
United States James Blake (Fourth round)
Chile Fernando González (First round)
Spain Tommy Robredo (Third round)
Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych (Fourth round, retired due to an illness)
Germany Tommy Haas (Quarterfinals)
Russia Mikhail Youzhny (Second round)
Croatia Ivan Ljubičić (Third round)
France Richard Gasquet (Second round, withdrew due to an illness)
Argentina Guillermo Cañas (Second round)
Spain David Ferrer (Semifinals)
Australia Lleyton Hewitt (Second round)

It’s amazing how the likes of Roddick, Nalbandian and Hewitt et al who would still have been quite young seemed to just fall off the scene near overnight when the likes of Nadal, Djokovic Murray, Tsonga, Wawrinka, Berdych and others of that generation just emereged on the scene.

The likes of Tsonga would have won a few handy slams had he been born 4 or 5 years earlier.

Lot of good players there with a variety to their games in an era when players had to adapt their game to meet the challenges of the different surfaces. Compare that to the last 10 years when you had one paced journeymen Berdych, Ferrer, Tsonga and Gasquet making up the numbers in the Top 10 and the courts slowed down to the extent that there’s no great discernible difference between any of the surfaces. .

That’s nonsense, guys like Hewitt, Safin, Nalbandian, Gonzalez etc were all still in their prime when Djokovic and Nadal emerged yet they completely fell off the scene when they came about.

Look at Roddick who was the most successful outside of Federerer in his generation. From the age of 18 to 25, in the 28 slams he featured in, he managed 1 slam, 3 runners up, 4 SF exits and 6 QF exits. From the age of 26 to 30 when he retired, in the 20 slam appearances, he managed 1 runner up, a SF exits and 2 QF exits. He was left trailing in the new generations wake and called it a day - and he was the most successful outside of Federer in that dross generation.

I’ve just had a look at Andy Roddick, like you asked me to do. Roddick had a 5-4 career winning record against Djokovic and it was 1-1 in their two Grand Slam meetings. Roddick played Nadal twice in Grand Slams as well, both at the US Open with one win apiece. That’s hardly trailing in the wake of Nadal and Djokovic. Roddick retired in 2012 after an injury plagued last couple of years to his career. Roddick’s misfortune was his prime years coincided with Fed’s prime and in all three of his Championship final appearances in 2004, 05 and 2009 (and the masterclass in the 2003 semi final), he had to face the Great Man.

If Roddick had came along a few years later rather than having to face Federer in his prime, Roddick would have won a few times at SW19.

Roddick was basically washed up at 26, Hewitt at 25, Nalbandian at 25. They were done when they should have been at their prime.

You are best off ignoring him. As far as he is concerned Tennis only started in 2007 and anything that has come before or after Nadal. Same as the Gaelic Football didn’t exist till the 2000’s when Tyrone came to the fore.

You could pick holes in his arguments all day long and he will just come back with some more crap.

The records will say Federer was great against Roddick, Hewitt and Nalbandina.

Not so great against the likes of Nadal and Djokovic.

You should reconcile yourself with that fact as that reality bears out.

Edberg won his last Grand Slam at 26, McEnroe and Borg won their last Grand Slams at 25. Wilander had won all 7 of his Grand Slams at the age of 24. Becker had 5 of his 6 Grand Slams won by the age of 23.

Bjorg retired at 25. How do you expect him to win titles over that age when he never played again?

Djokovic has won 7 titles from the age of 26 on.
Nadal has won 6.
Wawrinka 3.
Agassi won 5 of his 8 slams from 29-33.

The fact is that Nalbandian, Hewitt, Roddick, Safin were done as soon as a higher caliber of player came around. A bit like how Federer struggled when a higher caliber of player came around.

There’ll have to be an asterix beside this one for Rafa since he beat no one of significance on route.

So with that asterisk it would leave the standings:

Nadal - 15
Djokovic 12
Federer 5 - (13 gone for the ones he won before Nadal and Djokovic’s peak and the flimsy field and another beside the clay he won without out being able to beat Nadal at Roland Garros)

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Rod Laver never beat Nadal and Djokovic in their ‘peak’. Are you going to scratch off all his as well?

How do you assess a player’s ‘peak’ anyway? When does it start, when does it end and when do you start putting in an asterix?

Rod Laver played tennis when it was a hobby.

You’re displaying your poor grasp of tennis history and basic facts again. Whatever about tennis as a hobby in 1962 when Laver was winning the Grand Slam, Laver picked up 5 Grand Slam titles in the Open era including the Grand Slam in 1969.

Only 5?

Not that much.

I told you for @Nembo_Kid Tennis only started on 2007 anything before that doesn’t count. I am surprised he even knows who Laver and Borg were.