Who tennis player sabotaged his game the most
- Thread starter Smecz
- Start date
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
Tomas Berdych. He was so concerned with being a gracious king dropping crumbs to the peasants on tour that we never got to see his real game. His real game is well documented in practices where it was okay to embarrass his opponents without any fanfare.
As his son, he was actually furious when he found out people knew of him bageling Nadal and Federer in practice. The most humble athlete in sporting history. Not just tennis.
As his son, he was actually furious when he found out people knew of him bageling Nadal and Federer in practice. The most humble athlete in sporting history. Not just tennis.
I didn't know about it
Shock!!Good,but she has a two big failures at the Us Open,Arguments with referees that were unnecessary!!.
Federer and Del Potro
Bionic Poster
I didn't know about it
Legend has it he bageled Federer in Wimbledon 2017 practice. And Federer didn't drop a set that whole tournament
Break To Win
Semi-Pro
Safin. Imagine if he took tennis seriously. He won an M1000 with a hangover, destroying Nalbandian in the final.
I just don't remember if it was Madrid or Paris-Bercy.
I just don't remember if it was Madrid or Paris-Bercy.
helterskelter
G.O.A.T.
It's a very interesting(next shockLegend has it he bageled Federer in Wimbledon 2017 practice. And Federer didn't drop a set that whole tournament
),Berdych had a big potential,but only in matches he seemed unsure of himself!!.And in training it was probably the other way around!!
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All right,she is a Goat,but her behavior often did not help her win!!!
D
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Guest
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Aestheticsaboveallelse
Legend
Wait this isn't necessarily professionalism... I mastered serving once to where I was able to hit every serve very cleanly with a lot of power on 1st serves and tons of spin on 2nds... and get almost all serves in... but then soon I became unable to do it anymore at all and serve been terrible ever since no matter how much practice. Almost all unclean mishits
This Coria probably ran into the same problem. Maybe something gets misaligned in the shoulder that forces incorrect swings idk what happened
Aestheticsaboveallelse
Legend
King Gulbis is no joke
Kralingen
Talk Tennis Guru
OK I’d like to make a correction @Aestheticsaboveallelse is the biggest sabotager of his game
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
This. Nalbandian also.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
Changing to that horrible albatross FH is what ruined him.
TheFifthSet
Legend
Coria didn’t y sabotage his game in the conventional sense, he just got the yips. 1 ace for every 30 DF’s is mental.
President
Legend
David Nalbandian’s lack of interest and commitment was fairly embarrassing for a top pro. The guy was exceptionally talented, absolutely amazing groundstrokes and return. In contrast, Andy Roddick was extremely professional, but his tactical choices in terms of his forehand severely handicapped him. Safin is in the same mold as Nalbandian, although in his case I think injuries were the bigger factor.
To me, Safin and Nalbandian were far more talented than Hewitt and Roddick and really should have been Federer’s main rivals before Nadal emerged. Credit to the latter two for their professionalism and work ethic.
To me, Safin and Nalbandian were far more talented than Hewitt and Roddick and really should have been Federer’s main rivals before Nadal emerged. Credit to the latter two for their professionalism and work ethic.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Dean Goldfine decided to turn Roddick into a counterpuncher for... some reason I suppose?
Terenigma
G.O.A.T.
That's my point LOL
President
Legend
I have read (cannot remember where) that Roddick observed that Nadal was able to trouble Federer with heavy topspin and wear him down with consistency. Roddick apparently tried to emulate Nadal’s strategy, but lacked Nadal’s explosive topspin and athleticism/footwork.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Yeah Roddick was pretty much the type of player who really should never try to be a counterpuncher.
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
Safin, Tsonga, and now we could probably add Shapovalov to the list.
Rios and Nalbandian were amazing in their own right, but they did lack the power and the dominant serve to bail them out.
Rios and Nalbandian were amazing in their own right, but they did lack the power and the dominant serve to bail them out.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Shapo was never that good in the first place so there was nothing to sabotage.
President
Legend
And as much as Nalbandian’s serve held him back, you could say the same for Safin’s erratic forehand and even more so for Jo’s atrocious backhand.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Safin's forehand was more of an occasional liability than a legit weakness. Tsonga's backhand though...
President
Legend
If Marat had even had Nalbandian or Davydenko’s routine stability and confidence in the forehand, he would have had far fewer random losses. He had to be really “on” for his forehand to be a great shot. His technique was a bit flawed. Legendary backhand and great in every other aspect of the game though.
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
Hard disagree. He had all the technical and physical advantages in the world. Easy serve (inconsistent but it was always a focus issue, not a technical issue). One of the best FH on tour, all the power and variety you could ask for in a 1H (and could hold its own against Rafa on clay). Exceptional feel at the net. Solid enough return that it wasn't a glaring Achilles heel (unlike Tsitsipas or Wawrinka). Athletic beast. Great court sense when his head was in the game.
Only problem, his head was rarely in the game.
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
Good point, but he still could've achieved so much more even with that. A weak BH isn't nearly as damaging as a weak serve or FH (see Gasquet, Paire)
President
Legend
What is his best match against a well playing top level opponent? Genuine question, it is possible I’ve somehow missed some amazing performances from Denis over the last 5 years or so.
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
The one that comes to mind was him crushing Zverev at AO22. That was a masterclass if I've ever seen one. His Rome matches vs Nadal were up there for shotmaking too.
I'm going off eye tests more than results here, though. I've rarely seen him actually get outgunned (Alcaraz at RG23 might've been the first time he genuinely looked like he didn't have the weapons to compete.)
President
Legend
Key word in my post was “well playing”
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
See his match vs Zverev at Paris 2019, both guys were knocking the cover off the ball. Not sure if the court level highlights are still up on YT, but those really give you a better idea of how hard and heavy he could hit. And how effortlessly he could redirect pace and run Zverev around the court.
EDIT: I also recall a great 5-set match he played vs Sinner a couple years ago. Early on at AO. Some great hitting from both guys, even if there were mental lapses and racquet smashes. But Shapo was pretty clearly the superior shotmaker in that match. I really think if he maxed out his talent, he'd be right up there with where Sinner is now, if not even better.
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Aestheticsaboveallelse
Legend
Thank you I accept my title as worlds largest unexplained loss of skill
Aestheticsaboveallelse
Legend
The key is to turn ur fat into muscle.
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
Capriati.
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
These are professional athletes. They are not sabotaging their own game. They can't play better than what they did which is why they lost the matches they did.
These tall tales like Berdych never showing real games mean nothing to me.
Only 2 I can agree who sabotaged their own game are Marat Safin and Serena Williams. Both could achieve much more.
These tall tales like Berdych never showing real games mean nothing to me.
Only 2 I can agree who sabotaged their own game are Marat Safin and Serena Williams. Both could achieve much more.
Fixing his toss will go a long way.
JoshDragon
Hall of Fame
Nick is the only player on this list without a big title.
And in all honesty, it's pretty difficult to nose-dive your career more than he did.
And in all honesty, it's pretty difficult to nose-dive your career more than he did.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
McEnroe by far. After Fed, he's clearly the most talented tennis player ever. He went 82-3 in 1984 but meets Tatum in December. He promptly loses loses both his rubbers in the Davis Cup in Sweden, then after Lendl beats him in the '85 USO final, takes a sabbatical.
He was never the same player, squandering his chances to win more slams. He descended into drug use, steroid abuse and all sorts of tacky off court drama with an extremely high maintenance wife.
He was never the same player, squandering his chances to win more slams. He descended into drug use, steroid abuse and all sorts of tacky off court drama with an extremely high maintenance wife.
Dimitrov for trying to imitate Federer (especially the serves - he actually has more success with imitating Fed BH/slice/FH, but his serve is a failure) and failing. At least a Dimitrov with a real good serve would have been a completely different beast.
Also, the fact that Dimitrov plays as a grinder show that Dimitrov has been copying Federer strokes without understanding Federer tennis/strategy.
Also, the fact that Dimitrov plays as a grinder show that Dimitrov has been copying Federer strokes without understanding Federer tennis/strategy.
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
Hard to say he "sabotaged" his career when he's got 7 Majors, 4 years at #1, a boatload of career titles, and a firm spot in the all-time pantheon.
He did sabotage his 1990 Australian Open chances, though
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Fedr
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
Disagree.
Players like Rios, Nalbandian, nowadays Kyrgios could have been MUCH better than their results with just a little better work ethic and focus.
