Who are the best doubles team ever?

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by Jet Rink

Mac/Fleming. Amazing and completely complimentary. Saw them many times and they were devastating.

Jet

They could be devastating. If Big Flem was on, they were unbeatable. If he was off, which happened, they were definitely beatable.

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by TENNIS_IS_FUN

Sampras in his prime + Federer

Uummm.... no.

[Elina]

So far Woodies are the best team ever. If Bryans keep up the level for some years they might get there, too.

[The Grand Slam]

And replying to some previous posts...

Adding two AWESOME SINGLES PLAYERS together does not add up to AWESOME DOUBLES TEAM.

[Laker]

John McEnroe and anyone else, even me.

[Steve Huff]

I like Rabbit's list. McMillin/Hewitt were great. In one of the slams, Newcombe and either Roche or Stolle were in their 40's and played McEnroe/Fleming in their prime. They took them to 5 close sets before losing.

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by jelle v

As a Dutchman I most say it breaks my heart that you don't even mention Haarhuis/Eltingh

I stand corrected and accept your friendly amendment. The omission was not intentional my Dutch friend. You are correct, Haarhuis and Eltingh were a great pairing.

Originally Posted by Steve Huff

I like Rabbit's list. McMillin/Hewitt were great. In one of the slams, Newcombe and either Roche or Stolle were in their 40's and played McEnroe/Fleming in their prime. They took them to 5 close sets before losing.

Thanks, Steve. I do love doubles.

[Douggo]

I'll say Flach and Seguso, just because I like saying Flach and Seguso. And because Seguso's wife is hot.

[urban]

Rabbit has made a good list. There was a time, when the real great singles players also played doubles, not for fun, but in earnest. So with all credit to the Woodies, i rank some of the older teams higher on pure class of the individual players. I once saw the Woodies getting really whipped by the German team of Stich (maybe the best doubles player of th 90s) and Kühnen in a deciding Davis Cup final. Newcombe and Roche in their primes were devastating, one had the best forehand volley, the other the best backhand volley. As a team Hewitt and McMillan were marvellous, Hewitt (a very decent singles player, maybe a bit slow) had a wonderful return, McMillan superb volleys with his doublehander. The oldtimers say, that Brugnon and Bromwich were the best doubles players, Brom won doubles over 20 years with Quist and young Sedgman. Sedgman himself won the only Grand Slam of doubles together with McGregor in 1951, and almost did it again in 1952.

[travlerajm]

Isn't Mac still winning titles on the ATP tour every time he decides to grab a random partner like Bjorkman?

And Navratilova seems to be the female equivalent of Mac, winning multiple GS titles in her late 40s with different partners.

It's too bad Mac and Martina are both ad-courters, or else they could have teamed up!

[Kaptain Karl]

Great list:

Originally Posted by Rabbit

Hewitt / McMillan
Newcombe / Roche
Case / Masters
McEnroe / Fleming
Smith / Lutz
McNamara / McNamee
Denton / Curren
Flach / Seguso
Woodbridge / Woodforde
Haarhuis / Eltingh
Paes / Bhupathi
Woodforde / Bjorkmann
Bjorkmann / Myrni
Bryan / Bryan

I'd consider adding:
Gottfried / Ramirez
Ashe / Okker
McNair / Stewart

- KK

[noeledmonds]

Originally Posted by travlerajm

Isn't Mac still winning titles on the ATP tour every time he decides to grab a random partner like Bjorkman?

And Navratilova seems to be the female equivalent of Mac, winning multiple GS titles in her late 40s with different partners.

It's too bad Mac and Martina are both ad-courters, or else they could have teamed up!

Mac did indeed win an ATP tountnament last year with Bjorkman. A remarkable achivement for someone of his age. I would hardly describe Bjorkman as a random partner though, Bjorkman has as many doubles GS as Mcenroe and Bjorkman's career is far from over (Bjorkman and Myrni are currently world no. 1s).

Martina is the ultimate in doubles achivement and brilliance. She had over 30 womens doubles GS titles and at least 10 mixed GS titles as well. It is a shame she never teamed up with Mac, that is a partnership I would like have to seen.

I do not see the big deal about the Bryans. They can't dominate an old Bjorkman and a relativly unacomplished Myrni (who himself is unlikely to leave great legacy). Comparing them to The Woodies is plain absurd.

I feel Mahesh Bhupathi does deserve a mention for his contribution to mens's doubes and particularly mixed doubles. He also has led an interest for tennis in India that may be pivital in the future of the games's success.

[mileslong]

i will never vote for the bryan brothers, no two men, much less brothers, should be bumping uglies on the tennis court...

[The Gorilla]

The greatest doubles partnership of all time is John mcEnroe and anyone- Peter Fleming.

[travlerajm]

Originally Posted by noeledmonds

Mac did indeed win an ATP tountnament last year with Bjorkman. A remarkable achivement for someone of his age. I would hardly describe Bjorkman as a random partner though, Bjorkman has as many doubles GS as Mcenroe and Bjorkman's career is far from over (Bjorkman and Myrni are currently world no. 1s).

Martina is the ultimate in doubles achivement and brilliance. She had over 30 womens doubles GS titles and at least 10 mixed GS titles as well. It is a shame she never teamed up with Mac, that is a partnership I would like have to seen.

I do not see the big deal about the Bryans. They can't dominate an old Bjorkman and a relativly unacomplished Myrni (who himself is unlikely to leave great legacy). Comparing them to The Woodies is plain absurd.

I feel Mahesh Bhupathi does deserve a mention for his contribution to mens's doubes and particularly mixed doubles. He also has led an interest for tennis in India that may be pivital in the future of the games's success.

It sems to me that any time either of these two decides to grab a new partner, a grand slam title results. 1992 was a great example.

Mac grabbed Stich, and Navratilova grabbed Stark, and both won Wimbledon.

[JLyon]

Would be tough to leave off Bhupathi/Paes they were solid for the time they spent as a team.
I would think The Woodies, then Mac/???, Grabb/Reneberg, then Bryan's

[BlankenshipBabaganoosh]

Paes Bhupathi are the best of all time

[eunjam]

johnny mac in his heyday with anyone else.

[cak]

Originally Posted by noeledmonds

Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge are almost undisputably the best pair ever with 11 mens doubles titles together, and more with other partners. As for other great induviduals, I would say Mcenroe and Bjorkman. Mcenroe was one of the few successfull singles and doubes players. Mcenroe won 9 mens doubes GS titles with several different players. Surely he would have won many more titles if he just played doubles. Bjorkman has 9 doubles GS titles (so far) and has won with 4 different players. He will surely add to this tally as he is currently on top of the game (with Max Mirnyi) as the number 1 mens doubles pair.

Just last year McEnroe and Bjorkman paired to win the 2006 SAP. I'm very disappointed they didn't come back to defend their title. The interesting thing was in the first match together, despite this being McEnroe's first trip back to the ATP tour since something like 1992, it looked like Bjorkman was the nervous one. At age 47 McEnroe was the oldest ATP title winner in 30 years.

[Craig Sheppard]

You guys are way off... best doubles team? Hands down:

Ana Ivanovic & Maria Kirilenko