Toughest Grand Slam Draw

[noeledmonds]

Who has had the toughest grand slam singles draw and still won the title?

Here are a few draws that I thought were particularly tough to get the ball rolling-

Kuerten FO 1997:
1st Dosedel
2nd Bjorkman
3rd Muster
4th Medvedev
Q Kafelnikov
S Dewulf
F Bruguera

This is a very difficult draw to come through. Kuerten had to beat 3 former French Open winners to win the title. Between those 3 former winners they had won the previous 4 French Open titles. Medvedev was a former French Open semi-finalist and went on to be a French Open finalist also. Dewulf is a relatively weak semi-finalist though.


Lendl USO 1987:
1st Moir
2nd Fleurian
3rd Pugh
4th Jarryd
Q McEnroe
S Connors
F Wilander

This draw is only tough from the quarter final onwards. However it is very difficult at this stage. McEnroe and Connors were both high pedigree USO Champions and Wilander would become champion the next year.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Who has had the toughest grand slam singles draw and still won the title?

Here are a few draws that I thought were particularly tough to get the ball rolling-

Kuerten FO 1997:
1st Dosedel
2nd Bjorkman
3rd Muster
4th Medvedev
Q Kafelnikov
S Dewulf
F Bruguera

This is a very difficult draw to come through. Kuerten had to beat 3 former French Open winners to win the title. Between those 3 former winners they had won the previous 4 French Open titles. Medvedev was a former French Open semi-finalist and went on to be a French Open finalist also. Dewulf is a relatively weak semi-finalist though.


Lendl USO 1987:
1st Moir
2nd Fleurian
3rd Pugh
4th Jarryd
Q McEnroe
S Connors
F Wilander

This draw is only tough from the quarter final onwards. However it is very difficult at this stage. McEnroe and Connors were both high pedigree USO Champions and Wilander would become champion the next year.

Muster was #5 and Kafelnikov #3, Dewulf 122 and Bruguera 19. I don't know how tough that is. The amazing thing to me is that Kuerten was then #66!

 

[noeledmonds]

Muster was #5 and Kafelnikov #3, Dewulf 122 and Bruguera 19. I don't know how tough that is. The amazing thing to me is that Kuerten was then #66!

Rankings do not always reflect a player's ability on clay and can be misleading. The rankings are not surface specific. Muster and Kafelnikov were almost certainly the best clay courters at this time.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

Who has had the toughest grand slam singles draw and still won the title?

Here are a few draws that I thought were particularly tough to get the ball rolling-

Kuerten FO 1997:
1st Dosedel
2nd Bjorkman
3rd Muster
4th Medvedev
Q Kafelnikov
S Dewulf
F Bruguera

This is a very difficult draw to come through. Kuerten had to beat 3 former French Open winners to win the title. Between those 3 former winners they had won the previous 4 French Open titles. Medvedev was a former French Open semi-finalist and went on to be a French Open finalist also. Dewulf is a relatively weak semi-finalist though.


Lendl USO 1987:
1st Moir
2nd Fleurian
3rd Pugh
4th Jarryd
Q McEnroe
S Connors
F Wilander

This draw is only tough from the quarter final onwards. However it is very difficult at this stage. McEnroe and Connors were both high pedigree USO Champions and Wilander would become champion the next year.

goran at wimbledon 2001 !
1R: jonsson
2R: moya (best ranking #1)
3R: roddick (BR #1)
4R: rusedski (BR #4)
QF: safin (BR #1)
SF: henman (BR #4)
F: rafter (BR #1)

 

[federerfanatic]

I disagree about the 97 French Open. Muster began a very sharp decline after the 97 hard court season, beginning with a disaesterous (for him) 97 clay court season. Bruguera was clearly past his prime by that point, and he was a pretty big surprise to even make the final. Kafelnikov I am surprised ever won the French Open, but he was still Kuerten's toughest opponent of that draw IMO.

 

[federerfanatic]

Here is one tough draw to win a major. Bjorn Borg in winning Wimbledon 1977:

First round- Antonio Zugarelli
Second round- Mark Edmondson
Third round- Nikola Pilic
Fourth round- Wojtek Fibak
Quarters- Ilie Nastase
Semis- Vitas Gerulaitis
Final- Jimmy Connors

 

[urban]

Mac's last 4 matches at USO 1980 (of course) were pretty tough, including Lendl, Connors and Borg.Laver's Wim 1969 with Leschly, Smith, Drysdale, Ashe and Newcombe also. I found Couriers 1992 FO with Mancini, Costa (?) Muster, Medwedew, Ivanisevic, Agassi and Korda quite impressive, also Kuerten in 1997.

 

[noeledmonds]

goran at wimbledon 2001 !
1R: jonsson
2R: moya (best ranking #1)
3R: roddick (BR #1)
4R: rusedski (BR #4)
QF: safin (BR #1)
SF: henman (BR #4)
F: rafter (BR #1)

I am not sure about that. Moya was never a real threat on grass, particularly by 2001. Roddick was playing Wimbledon for the first time so would never be a real threat. Rusedski is one of the worst players to ever break into the top 5 in the world and had no backhand. Safin hated Wimbledon and grass, and once claimed he would never play Wimbledon again. Henman was good and consistant at Wimbledon. Rafter is by far the best player here and he still never won the title. All those oponents collectively never won a Wimbledon title. That does not suggest much pedigree to me.

I disagree about the 97 French Open. Muster began a very sharp decline after the 97 hard court season, beginning with a disaesterous (for him) 97 clay court season. Bruguera was clearly past his prime by that point, and he was a pretty big surprise to even make the final. Kafelnikov I am surprised ever won the French Open, but he was still Kuerten's toughest opponent of that draw IMO.

Agreed that these players were not at their peak. However they where still the best clay court competition around at the time. Muster was still ranked in the top 5 in the world as was Kafelnikov. The fact that between Muster, Brugera and Kafelnikov they held the last 4 French Open titles says it all to me. If these were not the dangerous players on clay, then who were? I challenge you to find another grand slam draw where a champion defeats the 3 immediate previous champions on route to victory.

 

[federerfanatic]

Mac's last 4 matches at USO 1981 were pretty tough, including Lendl, Connors and Borg.

McEnroe only played 1 of those 3, Borg, at the 1981 U.S Open. Maybe you meant the 1980 U.S Open?

 

[federerfanatic]

Agreed that these players were not at their peak. However they where still the best clay court competition around at the time.

Well that doesnt mean much neccessarily. If Nadal beat Nalbandian in the quarters, Davydenko in the semis, Federer in the final, you would say he beat the best clay court competition around at the time, but that wouldnt mean it was that tough a draw in the big picture, just that the field today on clay isnt that strong, like it wasnt in the transition period from the Courier-Muster-
Bruguera era to the Kuerten-Ferrero-Moya era either.

Muster was still ranked in the top 5 in the world as was Kafelnikov. The fact that between Muster, Brugera and Kafelnikov they held the last 4 French Open titles says it all to me. If these were not the dangerous players on clay, then who were?

Based on performance that year on clay in the leadup events Corretja and Rios were the strongest clay courters that year and should have done much better at the French Open then they did. I also thought Moya and Costa were better on clay then those players by that point in time, and of course both would go on to win French Opens in ensuing years. Muster and Bruguera were already the past on clay by then IMHO.

 

[noeledmonds]

Well that doesnt mean much neccessarily. If Nadal beat Nalbandian in the quarters, Davydenko in the semis, Federer in the final, you would say he beat the best clay court competition around at the time, but that wouldnt mean it was that tough a draw in the big picture, just that the field today on clay isnt that strong, like it wasnt in the transition period from the Courier-Muster-
Bruguera era to the Kuerten-Ferrero-Moya era either.
.

This is true however these players were not as past their prime as you imply. Despite not winning the French Open in 1996, Muster was still very dominant on clay at this time. If it had not been for an inspired Stich then Muster would surely have picked up the title. Kafelnikov was defending French Open champion of course. His game style makes him aimable to very few tennis fans (including myself) however he was a strong clay courter in 1997. I agree that Brugera was a suprise finalist, however a clay courter of his pedigree would always be a threat. His form was clearly good enough to make the final so beating him would be no mean feat.

Based on performance that year on clay in the leadup events Corretja and Rios were the strongest clay courters that year and should have done much better at the French Open then they did. I also thought Moya and Costa were better on clay then those players by that point in time, and of course both would go on to win French Opens in ensuing years. Muster and Bruguera were already the past on clay by then IMHO

Rios was strong on clay this year however he was rarely ever a threat at the Grand Slams as his poor results at them reflect. He was often too much of a headcase over best of 5 sets. Corretja did have a good season and he would definately been a tough oponent on clay. Muster had won 2 events by this time in 1997, including a Masters title, proving he was still a force to be reckoned with. Medvedev also won Hamburg so was in good clay court form just before the French Open. Moya was good but not as strong the likes of Muster or Kafelnikov on clay at this time. I always thought Costa was pretty weak as far as French Open champions go. It was not until 5 years later that Costa won the French Open anyway.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Check out the career high rankings achieved by the guys Wilander beat to win the '85 FO:

Tulasne, Thierry 10
Becker, Boris 1
Sanchez, Emilio 7
Smid, Tomas 11
Leconte, Henri 5
McEnroe, John 1
Lendl, Ivan 1

Also at the '82 FO, he beat 4 of the top 5 seeds(Lendl, Gerulaitis, Clerc, Vilas) to win it.

Another impressive slam was Stich beating Courier, Edberg, & Becker back to back to win '91 Wimbledon.

Mac's last 4 matches at USO 1980 (of course) were pretty tough, including Lendl, Connors and Borg.

Mac beating Connors & Borg, both in 5 sets, in less than 24 hours to win the 1980 USO has to rank as one of the most amazing efforts in tennis history.

 

[AndrewD]

I think you could pick and choose from any number of majors played and won by Lendl. He just had tougher draws to contend with than any other time during the Open era excluding the first three years.

Two of Lendl's wins:

Roland Garros, 1987,
R128 Agenor, Ronald (HAI)
R64 Canter, Jonathan (USA)
R32 Tulasne, Thierry (FRA)
R16 Nystrom, Joakim (SWE)
Q Gomez, Andres (ECU)
S Mecir (Sr.), Miloslav (SVK)
W Wilander, Mats (SWE)

US Open 1986,
R128 Layendecker, Glenn (USA)
R64 Seguso, Robert (USA)
R32 Svensson, Jonas (SWE)
R16 Gilbert, Brad (USA)
Q Leconte, Henri (FRA)
S Edberg, Stefan (SWE)
W Mecir (Sr.), Miloslav (SVK)

 

[Rhino]

Safin winning the Aus Open in 2005, just because he beat Federer - something nobody else has been able to do at a non-clay slam since the 2003 US Open. He also took out Djokovic, Ancic, and Hewitt on the way.

 

[urban]

Speaking of tough draws, but has anyone other than me the same feeling, that the depth in mens tennis is less than a few years ago. The 32 draw system is certainly a factor, but we see so many straight sets victories and so many bagels (12 yesterday) in the first two rounds at the AO, that is astonishing. Ok, that Federer pulverizises a happless chap, but Hewitt does the same. It looks like the WTA in the times of Graf and Navratilova.

 

[westside]

Hewitt AO 2005

R128 - Clement
R64 - Blake
R32 - Chela
R16 - Nadal
Q - Nalbandian
S - Roddick
F- Safin

 

[McLovin]

What about Agassi's 1994 US Open? I can't remember all the players, but I do remember he was unseeded and had to beat 5 seeded players sequentially (this is back when they only seeded 16). Didn't he beat Stich in the finals?

 

[Grimjack]

Hewitt AO 2005

R128 - Clement
R64 - Blake
R32 - Chela
R16 - Nadal
Q - Nalbandian
S - Roddick
F- Safin

I believe there are circumstances which prevent Hewitt's 2005 AO from qualifying in a contest to decide...

Who has had the toughest grand slam singles draw and still won the title?

Losing to good players is not an accomplishment.

 

[oberyn]

Stefan Edberg 1992 U.S. Open

F- Defeated Pete Sampras
SF- Defeated Michael Chang
QF- Defeated Ivan Lendl
4R-Defeated Richard Kracijek (Kracijek in 1992 reached the semis at the Australian Open)
3R-Defeated Jonas Svensson (2-time French Open semifinalist by that point in his career)
2R-Defeated Jakob Hlasek
1R-Defeated Luiz Mattar

 

[McLovin]

Ah, found it, Agassi's 1994 US Open:

1R - Eriksson
2R - Forget (tough lefty)
3R - Ferreira (12th seed)
4R - Chang (6th seed)
QF - Muster (13th seed)
SF - Martin (9th seed)
F - Stich (4th seed)