Aussie Open

[Dead_Cat]

I don’t think there is any doubt any more - not only is Federer the GOAT, but I would be willing to bet that the player who surpasses him hasn’t been born yet. Had Nadal and Federer had health records opposite to what they have been, it would probably have been Nadal, but as we have often said before, a big part of that is playing style. In other words, if Nadal had changed playing style to reduce injuries, he probably would have been less effective.

[notfrommensa]

@Dead_Cat

I don’t think there is any doubt any more - not only is Federer the GOAT, but I would be willing to bet that the player who surpasses him hasn’t been born yet. Had Nadal and Federer had health records opposite to what they have been, it would probably have been Nadal, but as we have often said before, a big part of that is playing style. In other words, if Nadal had changed playing style to reduce injuries, he probably would have been less effective.

Based on Head to Head in Slams, Federer probably would have won more add’l Slams in Nadal-free world than Nadal would have won in a Federer free world.

Without Nadal, Federer might have gone down as the best ever Clay Court champion. But he kept losing to Nadal, the best ever Clay Court tennis player, by a huge margin.

Nadal lost a lot of Aussie, Wimbledons, and US Open before he ever got to play Federer.

[icon]

@Dead_Cat

I don’t think there is any doubt any more - not only is Federer the GOAT, but I would be willing to bet that the player who surpasses him hasn’t been born yet. Had Nadal and Federer had health records opposite to what they have been, it would probably have been Nadal, but as we have often said before, a big part of that is playing style. In other words, if Nadal had changed playing style to reduce injuries, he probably would have been less effective.

Although playing style certainly has a lot to do with it, another thing is that Federer (or maybe his team) has always known how to manage his schedule. People are talking about that now because of last year, but there were a few times during his “peak” years where he would take a month off during the tennis season. No doubt that helped then as it does now that he is older.

//i\

[icon]

@Guest-starring_Id

So Wozniacki takes it in 3, in just under three hours, in what I thought was an impressively hard-fought battle with long rallies that sent each player all over the court. After 43 majors, this is the first she’s won. (Halep - 31 - still hasn’t won one)
I hope Rory’s pissed.

I did not see the whole match, but the last set was certainly great. I remember a few years ago when the finals were about which player was not going to choke rather than which player was going to win. I am so glad that was not the case here and I hope it continues to be that way.

//i\

[K364]

@notfrommensa

Based on Head to Head in Slams, Federer probably would have won more add’l Slams in Nadal-free world than Nadal would have won in a Federer free world.

Without Nadal, Federer might have gone down as the best ever Clay Court champion. But he kept losing to Nadal, the best ever Clay Court tennis player, by a huge margin.

Nadal lost a lot of Aussie, Wimbledons, and US Open before he ever got to play Federer.

See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federer%E2%80%93Nadal_rivalry"The results of their matches are somewhat polarized by playing surface, with Nadal leading Federer on clay (13–2), but with Federer having an edge on both hard courts (11-9) and grass (2–1)."

[Mahaloth]

@Dead_Cat

I don’t think there is any doubt any more - not only is Federer the GOAT, but I would be willing to bet that the player who surpasses him hasn’t been born yet. Had Nadal and Federer had health records opposite to what they have been, it would probably have been Nadal, but as we have often said before, a big part of that is playing style. In other words, if Nadal had changed playing style to reduce injuries, he probably would have been less effective.

I think Nadal was his equal at his peak, but it is clear at this point that Nadal did not have a play-style that would allow him to have the length of career Federer has had.

Everyone was saying it back when Nadal won his first few French’s and it has been shown to be true.

Still, Nadal is certainly top 5 of all time, probably number 2 or 3.