Most overrated player in the Open Era

[trailgraves]

Surfaces have been slow down a lot. Nadal benefited from that.

He benefited from weak draws at wimbledon 2010 us open 2013 2017.

Nadal is the biggest fighter ever with amazing physical abilities. But his tennis shots are not as good and there's a lot of payers who hit the ball better than him.

I dont think there is anyone who would have beaten Nadal at Wimbledon 2010 and U.S Open 2013 so I dont think he benefitted from weak draws at those events. The only one who might have beaten him at either event is the one he actually played- Djokovic 2013 U.S Open, and he won that it turned out. So while I agree his draws at those events were weak, I also dont think it meant anything at days end.

2017 U.S Open was also a weak draw, but this one is more questionable, since unlike those other events he atleast might have lost to some of the people he didnt wind up playing. That is pretty much the only example I can think of in Nadal's case though. Weak draws aside I dont think any of his other slam wins he avoided anyone who seriously might have won over him.

 

[Benjamin Rio]

I dont think there is anyone who would have beaten Nadal at Wimbledon 2010 and U.S Open 2013 so I dont think he benefitted from weak draws at those events. The only one who might have beaten him at either event is the one he actually played- Djokovic 2013 U.S Open, and he won that it turned out. So while I agree his draws at those events were weak, I also dont think it meant anything at days end.

2017 U.S Open was also a weak draw, but this one is more questionable, since unlike those other events he atleast might have lost to some of the people he didnt wind up playing. That is pretty much the only example I can think of in Nadal's case though. Weak draws aside I dont think any of his other slam wins he avoided anyone who seriously might have won over him.

He won those tournament because Fed was playing terrible at those events.

And Novak losing to Nadal at the Us open 2013 must be one of his biggest regrets as he was in control if that match. A shame for him he lost two important games that year against Nadal at the FO and US open. Matches he should have won.

 

[trailgraves]

He won those tournament because Fed was playing terrible at those events.

And Novak losing to Nadal at the Us open 2013 must be one of his biggest regrets as he was in control if that match. A shame for him he lost two important games that year against Nadal at the FO and US open. Matches he should have won.

I probably agree on the U.S Open but not the French. The final match stats show Nadal outplayed Djokovic by a good margin, and it was a minor miracle Djokovic was in a possible winning position at all.

 

[Benjamin Rio]

I probably agree on the U.S Open but not the French. The final match stats show Nadal outplayed Djokovic by a good margin, and it was a minor miracle Djokovic was in a possible winning position at all.

Clay matches there's always going to be ups and downs.

He had the break in the 5th set....and lost it on that point

Such a shame.

 

[trailgraves]

Clay matches there's always going to be ups and downs.

He had the break in the 5th set....and lost it on that point

Such a shame.

It is a shame he lost a chance to win since it would have been an amazing win. He would have won a)playing a super strong Nadal, b)inspite of that Nadal clearly overall outplayed him that day.

I do think on merit the right player won that particular match though. Honestly even the U.S Open match since Nadal wasnt great that day but he was atleast consistent all the way through, while Djokovic played 2 very good sets and 2 utterly awful ones. Djokovic is such a choker at the U.S Open over the years, but he might have finally turned the corner. It would be funny if he atleast equalled Federer, Sampras, and Connors' 5 there after years of being labeled the ultimate U.S Open choker.

 

[Benjamin Rio]

It is a shame he lost a chance to win since it would have been an amazing win. He would have won a)playing a super strong Nadal, b)inspite of that Nadal clearly overall outplayed him that day.

I do think on merit the right player won that particular match though. Honestly even the U.S Open match since Nadal wasnt great that day but he was atleast consistent all the way through, while Djokovic played 2 very good sets and 2 utterly awful ones. Djokovic is such a choker at the U.S Open over the years, but he might have finally turned the corner. It would be funny if he atleast equalled Federer, Sampras, and Connors' 5 there after years of being labeled the ultimate U.S Open choker.

Novak was not playing his best at the FO 2013 at the end of the tournament. I think he had lost Jelena Gencic. I think Nadal was extremely lucky to win that match at the end.
Novak at the US open could have won 2012 2013. If he had not wasted all his opportunities in the third set he may have not played a terrible 4th set.

Fed has choked a few times at the US open. In the final against Del Poltro and twice against Novak in 2010 2011.

 

[skaj]

I dont think Graf is overrated since most dont even think she is GOAT anymore. Most rate Serena over her. Which I dont disagree with btw, I also probably rate Serena as the #1 over Graf at this point, but if she were really overrated most or nearly everyone (since even most ranking Graf as GOAT above Serena, while arguably wrong, isnt unreasonable, and wouldnt be enough to stamp her as that overrated) would still be ranking Graf as the GOAT which I dont believe most do. And she even has a fairly large legion of extreme haters, mostly Seles fanatics, who say she is much worse than that, and try and put her out of the top 5 or lower than Seles (lol). Which goes against the idea of her being overrated even more.

Federer is probably overrated. Many talk about him as the clear undisputed GOAT which is probably an overstatement when guys like Laver and Gonzales should have strong cases still, and maybe even Djokovic and Nadal considering how competitive they are with Federer in the same era. Some super biased tennis fans even try and pimp him up as the best athlete of all time which is extreme overrating. I am fine with Federer being considered GOAT, but he is overrated, I agree. Graf not really.

There will always be crazed fans and haters, Seles fans, Graf fans, Federer fans, Nadal fans... And it's not the goat thing that I had in mind. I am talking about the numerous threads and polls where people call them "by far the best" at things they are not even the best at.

 

[skaj]

Everyone on that quoted list could be reasonably said to be overrated.

Sabatini- you already conceded.

Sharapova- you already conceded.

Jaeger- was predicted to be going to, along with Tracy Austin, be the one to take over womens tennis from Evert and Navratilova. Didnt even end up winning a single singles slam.

Seles- the large legion of Seles fanboys who insist she was a certain 25-30 slam winner without the stabbing already easily make her fall into the overrated category.

Capriati- if you were alive in the early 90s, I dont need to explain this one to you. Even in her second career as a top player (2001-2004) she was overrated by people like Mary Joe Fernandez and Cliff Drysdale and that dumb arse Mary Carillo who acted like just because she was the one who arguably played Serena the toughest she was Serena's equal and superior to the other top players, almost all who she had losing records against.


Nadal- OK probably not overrated too much, but those who talk about him as the GOAT are overrating him, and believe me there are some people who still try to argue Nadal as GOAT despite that it looks likely he is destined for a distant 3rd best in his own era.

Safin- The people who talk him about as a god who is unbeatable when he plays well.

Agassi- Just like Capriati, if you were alive in the early 90s, this needs no explaining.

Nalbandian- To a lesser degreee than Safin, but people seem to have this god complex and Nalbandian unbeatable when on myth.

Zverev- He sucks so anyone who thinks he is good period is overrating him.

Jaeger - I can't say.
Seles - crazed fans say crazy things, but if anything she is underrated in the sense that Graf got all the glory and she ended up almost forgotten, even though the two were equal rivals before the unfortunate event.
Capriati - I don't remember her being overrated in the 90s. She was one of the up and coming talents. Perhaps in her home country, since Evert retired Navratilova was close to retiring and they needed a new star.
Nadal - his fans overrate him yes, but who's fans don't overrate their hero?
Safin - well, he was very, very hard to beat when on. Maybe some people do exaggerate there, but I still wouldn't call him "an obvious candidate" because of them.
Agassi - look Capriati.
Nalbandian - look Safin
Zverev - I can't say, I don't follow him too much.

 

[trailgraves]

Jaeger - I can't say.
Seles - crazed fans say crazy things, but if anything she is underrated in the sense that Graf got all the glory and she ended up almost forgotten, even though the two were equal rivals before the unfortunate event.
Capriati - I don't remember her being overrated in the 90s. She was one of the up and coming talents. Perhaps in her home country, since Evert retired Navratilova was close to retiring and they needed a new star.
Nadal - his fans overrate him yes, but who's fans don't overrate their hero?
Safin - well, he was very, very hard to beat when on. Maybe some people do exaggerate there, but I still wouldn't call him "an obvious candidate" because of them.
Agassi - look Capriati.
Nalbandian - look Safin
Zverev - I can't say, I don't follow him too much.

Seles- so she is both underrated and overrated depending who you talk to. I dont think she merits being regarded Graf's equal based on nothing more than a what if though.

Capriati- well if you are not American that explains it, and I totally get you not understanding how she was ever that overrated. I can ensure you if you were American you would get it. The hype machine on here was crazy, and it was understandable at first, but it should have died out when she went years not producing results. I mean real results that would warrant the hype, not 4 or 5 years straight just a 7th best in the world never making slam finals type even before the burnout. That was great when she was 14, when she was 17 and 18, not so much. These days she probably isnt overrated since she did make her unlikely comeback to finally become a champion with 3 slam wins and some time ranked #1, and people dont even talk about her that much or call her that great today. So in that sense yeah she isnt overrated in a current sense, but she sure as heck was overrated many years ago.

Nadal- maybe but like Seles fans they are loud enough, vocal enough, and flat out crazy enough to justify an overrated tag. Thank goodness he never got stabbed, I can just imagine the Vamos band talking about how he would have won 10 Wimbledons (even the Seles nutters arent quite that obnoxiously stupid) and denied Federer and Djokovic any future slam they won.

Safin- on hard courts he could beat anyone when he was on (although that is very different from saying could never lose a match when on which definitely is not true), on clay and grass that was never really proven, particularly grass he didnt ever show squat. Even Seles probably achieved more on grass. Yet there are still some who insist on labelling him "unbeatable" on any surface when on.

Agassi- again if you arent American I can see you not getting it. If you were American, or atleast lived in the U.S in the early 90s, trust me, you would. By the end of his career he was definitely not overrated, but he sure was when he was either slamless or just sitting on 1 slam. Ever hear the slogan "image is everything" except in the case of Agassi it wasnt even meant as satire at that point, people were dead serious.

Nalbandian- Basically everything I said about Safin, except even moreso as he isnt even as good as Safin.

 

[skaj]

Seles- so she is both underrated and overrated depending who you talk to. I dont think she merits being regarded Graf's equal based on nothing more than a what if though.

Capriati- well if you are not American that explains it, and I totally get you not understanding how she was ever that overrated. I can ensure you if you were American you would get it. The hype machine on here was crazy, and it was understandable at first, but it should have died out when she went years not producing results. I mean real results that would warrant the hype, not 4 or 5 years straight just a 7th best in the world never making slam finals type even before the burnout. That was great when she was 14, when she was 17 and 18, not so much. These days she probably isnt overrated since she did make her unlikely comeback to finally become a champion with 3 slam wins and some time ranked #1, and people dont even talk about her that much or call her that great today. So in that sense yeah she isnt overrated in a current sense, but she sure as heck was overrated many years ago.

Nadal- maybe but like Seles fans they are loud enough, vocal enough, and flat out crazy enough to justify an overrated tag. Thank goodness he never got stabbed, I can just imagine the Vamos band talking about how he would have won 10 Wimbledons (even the Seles nutters arent quite that obnoxiously stupid) and denied Federer and Djokovic any future slam they won.

Safin- on hard courts he could beat anyone when he was on (although that is very different from saying could never lose a match when on which definitely is not true), on clay and grass that was never really proven, particularly grass he didnt ever show squat. Even Seles probably achieved more on grass. Yet there are still some who insist on labelling him "unbeatable" on any surface when on.

Agassi- again if you arent American I can see you not getting it. If you were American, or atleast lived in the U.S in the early 90s, trust me, you would. By the end of his career he was definitely not overrated, but he sure was when he was either slamless or just sitting on 1 slam. Ever hear the slogan "image is everything" except in the case of Agassi it wasnt even meant as satire at that point, people were dead serious.

Nalbandian- Basically everything I said about Safin, except even moreso as he isnt even as good as Safin.

I meant they were equal rivals before the stabbing.

 

[trailgraves]

I meant they were equal rivals before the stabbing.

I know that and I agree. I just think that ranking her far below Graf in all time rankings (for those who do that) is correct. Her achievements are what they are, and whether she would be up with Graf (and if she were to have been that successful Graf would be lower than she currently is, so even this wouldnt neccessarily place her where Graf currently resides) is forever open to debate and completely unproveable.

Aside from total career achievements it is not like you can even say before the stabbing she was more dominant than Graf was at her best, or something like that either. Graf's 88-89 and 95-96 are both far more dominant than Seles's 91-92. Whether she would have ever been able to without the stabbing again is open for debate and forever completely unproveable.

As someone who does not like either Graf or Seles, and is pretty much neutral (or a bit below neutral) on both as far as fandom goes.

I think Graf might, or atleast might have, belong(ed) in the overrated players category but that is another topic. I think that much less now that more people are saying Serena is the GOAT, hence stopping saying Graf is as it seemed more were doing before that (I myself was never really sold on Graf as the GOAT even before Serena, and not even really because of the stabbing, but that is a whole other topic).

 

[smoledman]

Alexander Zverev!

 

[angrybirds89]

I voted Zverev. He sucks, gigantic flop, and no talent.

 

[King No1e]

Rios.?

Gaudio and Johansson won more Slams than Rios. No.

 

[skaj]

Gaudio and Johansson won more Slams than Rios. No.

How does that make Rios overrated?

 

[King No1e]

How does that make Rios overrated?

Because he's considered a much better player than those guys, which is probably true but not to the degree that Rios fans make it to be.

 

[angrybirds89]

How does that make Rios overrated?

That he couldnt even win a slam in the transition post Sampras/pre Federer dominance era (98-midish 2004) that even the likes of Gaudio and Johansson won slams in.

 

[skaj]

Because he's considered a much better player than those guys, which is probably true but not to the degree that Rios fans make it to be.

Because he's considered a much better player than those guys, which is probably true but not to the degree that Rios fans make it to be.

Well, fans will be fans, we should not use them as criteria

 

[skaj]

That he couldnt even win a slam in the transition post Sampras/pre Federer dominance era (98-midish 2004) that even the likes of Gaudio and Johansson won slams in.

Yes, but I don't think people prize him for his success, but his talent and his entertaining game.

 

[Third Serve]

I don't like to use the word "overrated" because it really all comes down to personal preference, but for me it would be either Safin or Nalbandian. They were insane talents, sure, but neither of them is the double-digit slam winner some people make them out to be. Besides, it's impossible to prove as they're both long retired.

 

[PDJ]

Capriarti was possibly over-rated at the beginning of her career (she was definitely NOT the next Chris Evert) BUT to comeback from all those horrors and win 3 majors, become no.1, and not be phased by a rampant Serena Williams deserves some praise.

 

[jasonbrown]

Nalbandian. People talk how great he is and all but what did he win exactly.

 

[skaj]

Nalbandian. People talk how great he is and all but what did he win exactly.

People talk about his game and his talent being great, which is true. Nobody talks about his great accomplishments.

 

[Mainad]

Nalbandian. People talk how great he is and all but what did he win exactly.

2005 YEC (beating Federer in the final), 2007 Madrid (beating Nadal, Djokovic and Federer), 2007 Paris (beating Federer and Nadal).

 

[jasonbrown]

People talk about his game and his talent being great, which is true. Nobody talks about his great accomplishments.

I guess but I find people who are talked up as having this god like talent when they dont have the achievement patently annoying. It is ok if they atleast have a few slams like Mandlikova, and people say well if she was mentally tougher she could be as good as Navratilova and Evert, but not for slamless nobodies.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Who do you believe is the most overrated player in the Open Era.

Sharapova

By three TTW members. I will leave them nameless to spare them from going into yet another shame spiral.

Seles

Oh, yes. She was a great player, but this board is filled with threads where a gaggle of Doc Browns attempt to alter time all to claim she was greater than--or would have been greater than one of the few GOAT players--Graf. Thankfully, there's enough sensible, history-minded members around to debunk that worn Seles fantasy, which is not supported by facts such as non-winning record--and lack of ability to win the Wimbledon title.

Jaeger

Not really; next to no one ever mentions her in any reverential manner.

My vote went to Nadal. It is crazy some have him 2nd best of the Open Era when Borg, Sampras, Djokovic are better than him on every single surface except for clay.

Nadal won the Wimbledon title twice--one of those times over the alleged best player at the event (Federer), so he certainly is versatile and cannot be written off as some clay court specialist. Further, he won the US Open three times (and Olympic Gold)--something true clay court specialists are not known for achieving, so he is anything other than overrated. Its just the opposite.

Compare that to Federer, where his more obsessed fans try to use his one French Open title (not played against Nadal in 2009) to claim he's some "master" at all majors. That is a case of overrating a player.

Nalbandian

This is more to the point; Nalbandian never had the total gifts required to win majors, but this dreary, one-dimensional player has been propped up like the textbook definition of a false idol, particularly on this board.

 

[Benjamin Rio]

By three TTW members. I will leave them nameless to spare them from going into yet another shame spiral.



Oh, yes. She was a great player, but this board is filled with threads where a gaggle of Doc Browns attempt to alter time all to claim she was greater than--or would have been greater than one of the few GOAT players--Graf. Thankfully, there's enough sensible, history-minded members around to debunk that worn Seles fantasy.
Capriati



Not really; next to no one ever mentions her in any reverential manner.



Nadal won the Wimbledon title twice--one of those times over the alleged best player at the event (Federer), so he certainly is versatile and cannot be written off as some clay court specialist. Further, he won the US Open three times (and Olympic Gold)--something true clay court specialists are not known for achieving, so he is anything other than overrated. Its just the opposite.

Compare that to Federer, where his more obsessed fans try to use his one French Open title (not played against Nadal in 2009) to claim he's some "master" at all majors. That is a case of overrating a player.



This is more to the point; Nalbandian never had the total gifts required to win majors, but this dreary, one-dimensional player has been propped up like the textbook definition of a false idol, particularly on this board.

Fed is not overrated on clay. He's mainly lost to the king of clay winning once playing 4 finals at the FO....

 

[PMChambers]

Federer is far more over rated than Nadal in this forum, at events and the general public.
For a tennis forum to put Nadal says a lot about the quality it TW Forum posters these days.

I'd probably go with one of my fav in Mercier. There was a time he was considered more talented than Wilander and destined to win FO & Wim.

Agassi is up there. But he did manage to get it all together late in his career. He's only over rated by those that never saw his first 8 yrs on circuit and think he played like that all career.

 

[smoledman]

Federer is far more over rated than Nadal in this forum, at events and the general public.

Can't tell if serious.

 

[Heuristic]

My vote went to Nadal. It is crazy some have him 2nd best of the Open Era when Borg, Sampras, Djokovic are better than him on every single surface except for clay.

Borg is better than Nadal on hardcourts?

 

[Heuristic]

2005 YEC (beating Federer in the final), 2007 Madrid (beating Nadal, Djokovic and Federer), 2007 Paris (beating Federer and Nadal).

Nalbandian was awesome when his game was on, but he erred badly when it was off and looked quite mediocre. Strange player.

 

[1990's Graphite]

Murray

 

[WestboroChe]

Jaeger - I can't say.
Seles - crazed fans say crazy things, but if anything she is underrated in the sense that Graf got all the glory and she ended up almost forgotten, even though the two were equal rivals before the unfortunate event.
Capriati - I don't remember her being overrated in the 90s. She was one of the up and coming talents. Perhaps in her home country, since Evert retired Navratilova was close to retiring and they needed a new star.
Nadal - his fans overrate him yes, but who's fans don't overrate their hero?
Safin - well, he was very, very hard to beat when on. Maybe some people do exaggerate there, but I still wouldn't call him "an obvious candidate" because of them.
Agassi - look Capriati.
Nalbandian - look Safin
Zverev - I can't say, I don't follow him too much.

Jaeger’s career ended due to injury and an auto accident. I think she would have gone on to become a top player. She had the game and mentality.

Kind of an odd name to bring up in this discussion. I think she belongs in the category of players who just never got to their peak so we can’t say. Not overrated though. She barely rates at all!

 

[WestboroChe]

Nalbandian was awesome when his game was on, but he erred badly when it was off and looked quite mediocre. Strange player.

That’s how a lot of these players are. Sure they can all play top level tennis at times but the sport requires you to do it consistently. He was not consistent.

 

[Mainad]

Nalbandian was awesome when his game was on, but he erred badly when it was off and looked quite mediocre. Strange player.

Consistency. The essential difference between the very top players and the rest.

 

[Dan Lobb]

Consistency. The essential difference between the very top players and the rest.

How would you define "consistency"?

A definition we could use for every era.

 

[Mainad]

How would you define "consistency"?

A definition we could use for every era.

Staying at the top and winning big titles just like the current Big 3 are still doing and have been doing for the last 15 years.

 

[Dan Lobb]

Staying at the top and winning big titles just like the current Big 3 are still doing and have been doing for the last 15 years.

Thank you for formulating a definition....how do you bracket a beginning and end to this display of greatness? What is a big title?

And what if there are big gaps in the record? Is that still consistency?

 

[Mainad]

Thank you for formulating a definition....how do you bracket a beginning and end to this display of greatness? What is a big title?

For me, it begins and ends with their ability to stay on top and keep winning big titles. I follow the ATP's definition of big titles ie. Slams, WTF and Masters 1000s.

And what if there are big gaps in the record? Is that still consistency?

Depends on how big the gap is and how quickly they can close it.

 

[Dan Lobb]

For me, it begins and ends with their ability to stay on top and keep winning big titles. I follow the ATP's definition of big titles ie. Slams, WTF and Masters 1000s.



Depends on how big the gap is and how quickly they can close it.

You know, Kramer defined consistency as "day to day, week to week" consistency, steady slogging, which is the kind of consistency which Kramer himself

excelled at.

He was not thinking of big titles, which is not an area where Kramer himself was particularly strong in. But more the consistency of playing well every day.

That is where the old pro tour was competitive, making money every day, punching the time-clock.

There were very few professional tournaments which looked like major events, at least until the late fifties when there were 11 Hall of Fame players on the

regular tour. Those old pros did not think in terms of longevity as much as making the most money, and the player who won the most money was the top dog.

The biggest events were the long money tours, and some players were left out of the mix for the big money tours, for example, Rosewall did not play the major

money tours in the U.S. A. in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 (there was no tour that year). So that was a huge gap in the resumes of some players.

 

[Mainad]

You know, Kramer defined consistency as "day to day, week to week" consistency, steady slogging, which is the kind of consistency which Kramer himself

excelled at.

He was not thinking of big titles, which is not an area where Kramer himself was particularly strong in. But more the consistency of playing well every day.

That is where the old pro tour was competitive, making money every day, punching the time-clock.

There were very few professional tournaments which looked like major events, at least until the late fifties when there were 11 Hall of Fame players on the

regular tour. Those old pros did not think in terms of longevity as much as making the most money, and the player who won the most money was the top dog.

The biggest events were the long money tours, and some players were left out of the mix for the big money tours, for example, Rosewall did not play the major

money tours in the U.S. A. in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 (there was no tour that year). So that was a huge gap in the resumes of some players.

The consistency of playing well tournament by tournament has not changed. That's what leads to the big titles and, of course, the inevitable monetary rewards winning them brings.

 

[Dan Lobb]

The consistency of playing well tournament by tournament has not changed. That's what leads to the big titles and, of course, the inevitable monetary rewards winning them brings.

So when you say "big" titles, you are not restricting that to pro majors on the old system, but including anything at a high level.

 

[Mainad]

So when you say "big" titles, you are not restricting that to pro majors on the old system, but including anything at a high level.

As I said, I follow the current ATP definition ie. Slams, WTF, Masters.

 

[Dan Lobb]

As I said, I follow the current ATP definition ie. Slams, WTF, Masters.

Okay, so that's about 14 tournaments (including the year-end Masters Final), plus Olympics ? Davis Cup?

That is remarkably similar to the world tournament tour championships in 1946, 1959, 1964-69.

The 1959 tour was fifteen tournaments, which also used a point system. The 1946 series also awarded points.

 

[Mainad]

Okay, so that's about 14 tournaments (including the year-end Masters Final), plus Olympics ? Davis Cup?

The Olympics was not, of course, available to the older pros but I would definitely include it for today's players. Davis Cup of course has a long and venerable tradition and should always be included.

That is remarkably similar to the world tournament tour championships in 1946, 1959, 1964-69.

The 1959 tour was fifteen tournaments, which also used a point system. The 1946 series also awarded points.

Seems about the right number then.

 

[PDJ]

How would you define "consistency"?

A definition we could use for every era.

How do I personally define consistency?
Two words.... Chris Evert.
I could back this up with staggering stats, but l don't think I need to given both yours, and @Mainad , knowledge of the game.

 

[Dan Lobb]

How do I personally define consistency?
Two words.... Chris Evert.
I could back this up with staggering stats, but l don't think I need to given both yours, and @Mainad , knowledge of the game.

Yes, indeed. I always thought of Evert as the female counterpart to Kramer, the most consistent player of her time.

 

[chimneysweep]

Sharapova. We now see without doping she is useless. She probably would be slamless had she been clean like other players her whole career.

A close 2nd is Henin who also benefitted greatly from doping.

And just due to her crazy fans who never give up the idea she was the sure GOAT if she didnt get stabbed, Seles rounds out the top 3.

 

[chimneysweep]

Jaeger - I can't say.
Seles - crazed fans say crazy things, but if anything she is underrated in the sense that Graf got all the glory and she ended up almost forgotten, even though the two were equal rivals before the unfortunate event.
Capriati - I don't remember her being overrated in the 90s. She was one of the up and coming talents. Perhaps in her home country, since Evert retired Navratilova was close to retiring and they needed a new star.
Nadal - his fans overrate him yes, but who's fans don't overrate their hero?
Safin - well, he was very, very hard to beat when on. Maybe some people do exaggerate there, but I still wouldn't call him "an obvious candidate" because of them.
Agassi - look Capriati.
Nalbandian - look Safin
Zverev - I can't say, I don't follow him too much.

Seles is definitely overrated. Being the best for 2 years doesnt mean you likely would have been for 10. Thanks to Parche far too many assume the latter, despite the mounting evidence otherwise, both historically and individually. Too many mythologize her as this false god, just look at some of the comments on a place like youtube, asinine.

Capriati was insanely overrated as a young player. Even moreso before her unlikely successful comeback in the early 2000s. Thank goodness for that, otherwise she would be the most hyped player to literally do nothing, not even reach a slam final, or win an event like the YEC, Indian Well, Miami.

Nadal isnt overrated. He is underrated by Djokovic and Federer fanboys.

Safin and Nalbandian are very overrated. Both inconsistent headcases who didnt win much, atleast Safin won some things.

 

[Tshooter]

Nalbandian. People talk how great he is and all but what did he win exactly.

https://nathansfamous.com/hot-dog-eating-contest/