The Official Tennis Thread

[Jermio]

Djokovic has dominated the toughest era in mens tennis

That may be overdoing it. Why do you think this is the toughest era in men's tennis? Federer literally cannot move like he did through 2006 or so, where he looked supernatural on the court and demoralized players off-ball. Nadal's knees have been a problem for like 14 years.

 

[Regular_P]

Djoke didn't either. He wasn't blasting Fed and Nadal off the court in 2005-2007, but he put in work, and I knew he had next. Hewitt feasted a bit on some transitional era shyt, but even he was really good for a few years.

Novak outlasted everybody. It's really interesting how the Big 3 careers intersected and peaked at different times.

Fed's older, so his best years were obviously before the other two rose to prominence. I do believe he's held on so long in part because a next generation never arrived whether due to injury (DelPo and Murray) or lack of talent.

Nadal peaked in the '08-10 range.

Djokovic first peaked in the '13-16 range and now again the past few years ('18-21).

I don't have a problem with people who have Joker as the GOAT. That's perfectly reasonable and valid. I just don't personally see it that way.

 

[Regular_P]

23-24 is how many majors he'll have by 2023..

It's very possible; possibly more.

 

[phcitywarrior]

His game fell apart at Tokyo which is rare but happens. Remember he took that first set 6-1 so when he's on Zverev is food for him.

I know bro, but it still hurt. Nothing I love more than seeing at athlete that does not shy away from the fact that they want to be the greatest. Just a raw competitor.

 

[Nero Christ]

Please tell me what the strongest era in mens tennis is breh?

Look at who Djokovic has had to beat to win the majority of his slams Federer in comparison has won 13 of his 20 against players outside of the big four. Federer won his first 5 slams against lesser players

all I'll say is things woulda been different with healthy DelPo & Stan on the tour....to this day, Stan is one of the few I've seen take on Novak at his best and still win

also, I knew FAA wouldn't win but the way he fell apart in the 2nd set add that on top of 0-8 in finals and never have won a set

 

[Jermio]

Please tell me what the strongest era in mens tennis is breh?

Look at who Djokovic has had to beat to win the majority of his slams Federer in comparison has won 13 of his 20 against players outside of the big four. Federer won his first 5 slams against lesser players

I know what you're saying, but if you watched the tournaments live year after year, you wouldn't have this impression. Fed beating
Philippoussis
or some shyt is actually more impressive than it looks, when you realize how nasty that dude's serve was at his peak. It's like people dissing Roddikk. Roddikk was, at his best, capable of beating everybody except Federer. Literally everybody. But he's presented as this second-rate American joke sometimes.

 

[phcitywarrior]

all I'll say is things woulda been different with healthy DelPo & Stan on the tour....to this day, Stan is one of the few I've seen take on Novak at his best and still win

Yea, I’ll give you that. I had high hopes for Stan. DelPo, nah.

 

[Mazino]

That may be overdoing it. Why do you think this is the toughest era in men's tennis? Federer literally cannot move like he did through 2006 or so, where he looked supernatural on the court and demoralized players off-ball. Nadal's knees have been a problem for like 14 years.

I don't buy those excuses.

Federer was winning multiple slams in 2017, Nadal has had the French on lock for how long. All these guys have had an iron like grip on the slams for how long and now you're trying to tell me they all been washed?

Even without Federer and Nadal Djokovic been dominating an era that's seen Del Potro, Murray, Warwrinka etc not to mention excellent players that never won slams like Berdych, Ferrer, Nalbandian and more.

And you're talking about Roddikk? No disrespect but I won't rate him like Murray, Warwrinka and Del Potro. That dude was an epic chocker.

 

[Jermio]

Yea, I’ll give you that. I had high hopes for Stan. DelPo, nah.

The DelPo shyt weirds me out to this day. I played varsity tennis in HS (I aced a MF who beat Stepanek!!!!), and I remember reading an article in Tennis magazine or some shyt where Chrissy Evert was talking about DelPo maybe getting injured and needing years to come back after his US 2009 win. To this day that's some of the spookiest shyt I've ever seen. I still don't understand how or why she would have intuited that.

 

[malbaker86]

Novak outlasted everybody. It's really interesting how the Big 3 careers intersected and peaked at different times.

Fed's older, so his best years were obviously before the other two rose to prominence. I do believe he's held on so long in part because a next generation never arrived whether due to injury (DelPo and Murray) or lack of talent.

Nadal peaked in the '08-10 range.

Djokovic first peaked in the '13-16 range and now again the past few years ('18-21).

I don't have a problem with people who have Joker as the GOAT. That's perfectly reasonable and valid. I just don't personally see it that way.

we talked about a year or so ago….people don’t remember that Djoker ALWAYS troubled Rafa and Fed from the start (should have beaten Fed in the 07 USO Final but choked the 1st two sets), he just could never consistently get across the finish line (people forget Nadal was thisclose to losing the number 2 ranking to Novak DURING the 08 clay season). Once it clicked for him late 2010 and he won the Davis Cup for Serbia, he went to a DIFFERENT DIFFERENT level.

 

[Jermio]

I don't buy those excuses.

Federer was winning multiple slams in 2017, Nadal has had the French on lock for how long. All these guys have had an iron like grip on the slams for how long and now you're trying to tell me they all been washed?

Even without Federer and Nadal Djokovic been dominating an era that's seen Del Potro, Murray, Warwrinka etc not to mention excellent players that never won slams like Berdych, Ferrer, Nalbandian and more.

And you're talking about Roddikk? No disrespect but he has nothing on Murray, Warwrinka and Del Potro. That dude was an epic chocker.

I'm not saying Djoke's era wasn't tough. It was. Lots of depth. But the very best competition were compromised. Fed and Nadal have not been remotely at their best over the course of an entire tournament in years, even when they won slams. I'll give you Wawy, though. Murray's hip fukked up how many potential positive slam results? DelPo is in and out, a non-factor.

 

[Mazino]

I'm not saying Djoke's era wasn't tough. It was. Lots of depth. But the very best competition were compromised. Fed and Nadal have not been remotely at their best over the course of an entire tournament in years, even when they won slams. I'll give you Wawy, though. Murray's hip fukked up how many potential positive slam results? DelPo is in and out, a non-factor.

I still don't buy this.

If not for Djokovic they would have won the slams breh, he is the one that was stopping them period. They have not been comprised to such a degree at all unless you're talking about being dominated as meaning compromised.

And this era isn't just his era I'm taking about the last decade as one era.

 

[Regular_P]

we talked about a year or so ago….people don’t remember that Djoker ALWAYS troubled Rafa and Fed from the start (should have beaten Fed in the 07 USO Final but choked the 1st two sets), he just could never consistently get across the finish line (people forget Nadal was thisclose to losing the number 2 ranking to Novak DURING the 08 clay season). Once it clicked for him late 2010 and he won the Davis Cup for Serbia, he went to a DIFFERENT DIFFERENT level.

I think his record against Nadal is more interesting than Fed. There's a natural progression against Fed when you factor in age and experience. Fed had the h2h lead in the first half and Djokovic has taken over in the backhalf.

Him and Nadal are essentially the same age and Nadal REALLY had his number early on. Novak has been pretty honest about how those two made him better and stronger. Without those early thumpings toughening him up maybe he doesn't reach the level he's gotten to. He really focused that shyt, learned and evolved into the monster he is now.

 

[Regular_P]

I'm not saying Djoke's era wasn't tough. It was. Lots of depth. But the very best competition were compromised. Fed and Nadal have not been remotely at their best over the course of an entire tournament in years, even when they won slams. I'll give you Wawy, though. Murray's hip fukked up how many potential positive slam results? DelPo is in and out, a non-factor.

Fed winning slams as late as he did is a testament to how watered down the competition was. That's my guy but no way a 36 year old with a crumbling body should be winning Slams. Historically, the greats have been done winning slams by 31-32.

 

[Guess Who]

Okay that was fukking dope