Tennis GOAT

[Oakland]

My ranking:

1) Laver
2) Djokovic
3) Nadal
4) Federer
5) Sampras
others: Rosewall, Tilden, Hoad, Budge, Borg, P Gonzalez, Emerson...

 

[cliftonparksufan]

My ranking:

1) Laver
2) Djokovic
3) Nadal
4) Federer
5) Sampras
others: Tilden, Hoad, Budge, Borg, P Gonzalez, Emerson...

I would have ranked Laver first also, but this "expert" has him 4th.
Top 10 Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time

Here is his list of top women's. I would have guessed Serena as #1, but then you see his list and you could argue any of the top four could be argued for the top spot (Serena, Steffi, Martina and Margaret Court.
Top 10 Greatest Women's Tennis Players of All Time

 

[JackBauer44]

My ranking:

1) Laver
2) Djokovic
3) Nadal
4) Federer
5) Sampras
others: Rosewall, Tilden, Hoad, Budge, Borg, P Gonzalez, Emerson...

1. Fed
2. Laver
3. Nadal
4. Djokovic
5. Sampras
Favorites that are elite but not quite top 5 - Agassi (best returner of all time), Lendl, and Rosewall.

 

[JackBauer44]

I would have ranked Laver first also, but this "expert" has him 4th.
Top 10 Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time

Here is his list of top women's. I would have guessed Serena as #1, but then you see his list and you could argue any of the top four could be argued for the top spot (Serena, Steffi, Martina and Margaret Court.
Top 10 Greatest Women's Tennis Players of All Time

Serena changed the game for women's tennis. Absolutely love the way that Steffi and Hingis play tennis. I modeled my backhand after Henin, as it's the prettiest in all of tennis (men's and women's).

 

[Chip]

My ranking:

1) Laver
2) Djokovic
3) Nadal
4) Federer
5) Sampras
others: Rosewall, Tilden, Hoad, Budge, Borg, P Gonzalez, Emerson...

Seems kinda low for Federer. I'd have him #1.

 

[upperdeck]

dont know that i would put agasi over conners for best returned, i cant imagine what conners would do with thise equipment over the stuff he used

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I would have ranked Laver first also, but this "expert" has him 4th.
Top 10 Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time

Here is his list of top women's. I would have guessed Serena as #1, but then you see his list and you could argue any of the top four could be argued for the top spot (Serena, Steffi, Martina and Margaret Court.
Top 10 Greatest Women's Tennis Players of All Time

Weird that I agree completely with both lists.
My favorites, though were Graf and Borg.

 

[Oakland]

Its probably clear to most observers by now that Djokovic is the GOAT among the big 3, but if he wins tomorrow it will be silly to argue otherwise.

 

[Newhouser]

If Seles didn't get attacked her legacy would have been Serena-esque.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

If Seles didn't get attacked her legacy would have been Serena-esque.

I didn't know until very recently that Seles is married to Tom Golisano. He's worth over 4 billion and 32 years older than her. I wonder if she still grunts.

 

[JackBauer44]

Its probably clear to most observers by now that Djokovic is the GOAT among the big 3, but if he wins tomorrow it will be silly to argue otherwise.

200% agree with this and it pains me to say

 

[Oakland]

I would have ranked Laver first also, but this "expert" has him 4th.
Top 10 Greatest Men's Tennis Players of All Time

Here is his list of top women's. I would have guessed Serena as #1, but then you see his list and you could argue any of the top four could be argued for the top spot (Serena, Steffi, Martina and Margaret Court.
Top 10 Greatest Women's Tennis Players of All Time

Concerning the women:

Maureen, Lil Mo, Connolly should be in the top ten - she won the first 9 majors she played in!!!! Unfortunately, a horse riding accident ended her career at that point.

I was a Christie fan, but I would take Martina on every surface except clay against Serena.

 

[ScrabbCuse]

Its probably clear to most observers by now that Djokovic is the GOAT among the big 3, but if he wins tomorrow it will be silly to argue otherwise.

I think Djokovic is the best all around player. Federer in his prime though was unbeatable on grass and hard courts. Clay was his weakness which will hurt him come the head to head comparison. I think a 25 year old Federer would give current Djokovic a run for his money but the fact that Djokovic has been consistent throughout his whole career probably gives him a slight edge now. Win the US Open and no debate needed anymore.

 

[Fireball Jr.]

All hail the Joker! Imagine how much tickets to the US Open final will cost if Djokovic is playing!

 

[SWC75]

When I was growing up, golf had a "Big Three", (I even recall they co-sponsored a syndicated show by that name where they played matches.).

(1) The Big Three - Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player | Skysports Golf Documentary - YouTube

The US Amateur was still considered a major when Palmer won it in 1954 and Nicklaus won it in 1959 and 1961 and Jack has always considered that he had won 20 majors. Gary won 9 and Arnold 8 by that measure.

Here's tennis with 3 Nicklauses in the same generation.

It brings up the question: is it equally hard to win a major in both sports? I could think of two differences, both involving control of what your opponent does - or the lack of it.

- Tennis is match play. the gold majors are stroke play. In golf, you are competing against the whole field at once, in tennis, one opponent at a time. You don't have to beat anybody but the person in front of you. there may be someone whose style is troublesome for you - but someone else can beat him and then you can beat the somebody else. In golf you can think you have a solid lead but then hear a roar from another part of the course and suddenly you don't - and there was nothing you could have done to prevent that roar.

- There's no defense is golf. Tennis is almost like boxing. you keep throwing punches at the other guy and think "see if you can handle this one". Only it's shot that the other player is going to have a hard time returning. They don't let you chose what shot the other fellow is going to have to make in golf. And you don't get to block his shots, (and it would hurt if you did).

So maybe winning 20 golf majors is more difficult than winning 20 tennis majors.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

When I was growing up, golf had a "Big Three", (I even recall they co-sponsored a syndicated show by that name where they played matches.).

(1) The Big Three - Palmer, Nicklaus, and Player | Skysports Golf Documentary - YouTube

The US Amateur was still considered a major when Palmer won it in 1954 and Nicklaus won it in 1959 and 1961 and Jack has always considered that he had won 20 majors. Gary won 9 and Arnold 8 by that measure.

Here's tennis with 3 Nicklauses in the same generation.

It brings up the question: is it equally hard to win a major in both sports? I could think of two differences, both involving control of what your opponent does - or the lack of it.

- Tennis is match play. the gold majors are stroke play. In golf, you are competing against the whole field at once, in tennis, one opponent at a time. You don't have to beat anybody but the person in front of you. there may be someone whose style is troublesome for you - but someone else can beat him and then you can beat the somebody else. In golf you can think you have a solid lead but then hear a roar from another part of the course and suddenly you don't - and there was nothing you could have done to prevent that roar.

- There's no defense is golf. Tennis is almost like boxing. you keep throwing punches at the other guy and think "see if you can handle this one". Only it's shot that the other player is going to have a hard time returning. They don't let you chose what shot the other fellow is going to have to make in golf. And you don't get to block his shots, (and it would hurt if you did).

So maybe winning 20 golf majors is more difficult than winning 20 tennis majors.

In tennis, your opponent can win the match for you. Less likely to happen in golf.

 

[SWC75]

In tennis, your opponent can win the match for you. Less likely to happen in golf.

Jean van de Velde says Hi!​

Jean van de Velde (golfer) - Wikipedia

 

[upperdeck]

In tennis you can play awful and win.. In golf you need 154 other guys to play awful.

In tennis you can play great and lose in golf 154 other guys can play great on those same 3 days..

In Tennis you are playing 1 person at the same time and place and just have to beat the one person

In Golf you can play better than anyone in your draw, but half the field plays 4 hrs later or earlier and crushes you

Tennis is like match play in golf.. the Amateur is like both.. half the match you beat the field half the match you beat 1 person

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Jean van de Velde says Hi!​

Jean van de Velde (golfer) - Wikipedia

As I said, less likely. For clarification, that is different than never.

 

[SWC75]

As I said, less likely. For clarification, that is different than never.

Golfers blow up all the time. The real difference is that not all of the ones you need to beat will. Jordan Spieth was tied for the lead with 2 holes to go, had a bogey and missed a 1 1/2 footer for another bogey and, with an Oosthuizen birdie, suddenly he's three back. But Morikawa, (-11) isn't.

 

[Briancuse]

Don't follow tennis like I used to but if prob go

Federer
Sampras
Laver
Nadal
Djokavich

 

[Fat tire 13]

Looks like this may be career ending for Fed - makes me wish he was able to get the best of Novak in that epic Wimbledon final in 2019

Federer out for 'many months,' to miss US Open

Roger Federer announced on Instagram that he is going to miss the US Open and be sidelined for what he said will be "many months" because he needs a third right knee surgery.

www.espn.com

 

[HRE Otto IV]

I don't see how Martina is not #1. Look at who she was up against. She had 2 of the all time greats as her competition. On top of that she played both doubles and mixed doubles every tournament. That is physically amazing.

Finals lost to Evert (4)
Finals lost to Graff (4)

 

[ScrabbCuse]

Looks like this may be career ending for Fed - makes me wish he was able to get the best of Novak in that epic Wimbledon final in 2019

Federer out for 'many months,' to miss US Open

Roger Federer announced on Instagram that he is going to miss the US Open and be sidelined for what he said will be "many months" because he needs a third right knee surgery.

www.espn.com

He could very well be done but I could see him trying to get in shape for one last Wimbledon. That’s the place he’d love to retire at. Hope it works out for him and he can go out like Sampras.

 

[Oakland]

To be going for the grand slam and the record for major wins in one match is amazing - truly a once in a lifetime event, and we get to see it live.