Court-coverage GOAT

hoodjem · 10-30-2012, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ARFED

Djokovic has the best court coverage ever (not even debatable).

Is Djokovic the GOAT here?

I believe that we've done footspeed before; maybe even quickness--which is slightly different but related.

Borg certainly covered the court incredibly well because of his footspeed. Is it a combination of footspeed, anticipation, reflexes, and stamina?

1. Nadal
2. Borg
3. Djokovic
4. Edberg
5. Murray
6. Chang
7. Hewitt
8. Gerulaitis
9. Laver
10. Rosewall
11. Kriek
12. Nastase
13. Ferrer
14. Emerson
15. Mecir
16. Pernfors

Who else?

Magnetite · 10-30-2012, 03:03 PM

Murray is pretty good too.

Magnetite · 10-30-2012, 03:03 PM

Fed should get an honourable mention too.

10-30-2012, 03:04 PM

1. Nadal
2. Borg
3. Gerulaitis
4. Hewitt
5. Chang or Nastase

Those are my top 5 in exact order. Honorable mentions to Federer, Djokovic, Murray, and Edberg. Djokovic definitely isnt the best. He isnt that great in court coverage on grass, and while good on clay is definitely not the very best there either. Only on hard courts is he argaubly top 3 all time. I am judging his whole career, not just 2011.

kiki · 10-30-2012, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoodjem

Is Djokovic the GOAT here?

I believe that we've done footspeed before; maybe even quickness--which is slightly different but related.

Borg certainly covered the court incredibly well because of his footspeed. Is it a combination of footspeed, anticipation, reflexes, and stamina?

Djokovic
Borg
Edberg
Nadal
Murray

Who else?

If anticipation counts for anything, Mac and Evert should be included.They read the game perfectly...oh¡ and what about Laver and Rosewall?
Nastase,Kriek and Gerulaitis were extremely quick.

kiki · 10-30-2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

1. Nadal
2. Borg
3. Gerulaitis
4. Hewitt
5. Chang or Nastase

Those are my top 5 in exact order. Honorable mentions to Federer, Djokovic, Murray, and Edberg. Djokovic definitely isnt the best. He isnt that great in court coverage on grass, and while good on clay is definitely not the very best there either. Only on hard courts is he argaubly top 3 all time. I am judging his whole career, not just 2011.

Vitas ( like Johan kriek) relied so much on their quickness that they seemed to be out of position many times, yet got to the ball and won points.

I always marveled at Martina Hingis anticipation sense, even if not extremely fast, she was always reading the next ( and maybe nexts 2 and 3 more) points.

Prisoner of Birth · 10-30-2012, 05:48 PM

Nadal. I have no doubt in my mind.

Dan Lobb · 10-30-2012, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoodjem

Is Djokovic the GOAT here?

I believe that we've done footspeed before; maybe even quickness--which is slightly different but related.

Borg certainly covered the court incredibly well because of his footspeed. Is it a combination of footspeed, anticipation, reflexes, and stamina?

1. Nadal
2. Djokovic
3. Borg
4. Edberg
5. Murray
6. Chang
7. Hewitt
8. Gerulaitis
9. Laver
10. Rosewall
11. Kriek
12. Nastase

Who else?

Some of the older guys;
Perry, Budge, Gonzales, Hoad, Emerson....all of these would compare well to the best today in footspeed.

piece · 10-30-2012, 08:59 PM

Nadal isn't the very fastest, but he's one of the fastest, and combined with his unparalleled ability to rapidly change direction, he takes this one.

borg number one · 10-30-2012, 09:39 PM

I'll go with Bjorn Borg, due to blazing speed, incredible quickness, great stamina, anticipation, and sublime footwork. He had an ability to finish shots from wild positions even with the old paradigm of wood frames from the baseline against great net play. He had great passing shots largely due to his court coverage. I'd also put Nadal at perhaps #2 with Djokovic and Federer a bit behind Nadal. Federer's footwork gives him a big advantage over Djokovic especially on grass courts, so that's to his credit. I consider court-coverage to be a broad topic, with top speed as only one thing to consider. Yet, even on that score, Borg was a bit faster than Nadal, with better quickness and stamina as well. This is with those old, cool looking Diadoras too! Borg would have thrived in the conditions of today, with a slow hard court major, and frames that allowed for a shift in favor of players that adopted a style of play that players such as Borg and Lendl brought to prominence.

Borg vs. Vilas (thanks Krosero)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKQVdZNsyuQ (Borg goes offscreen)

Borg vs. Lendl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyuiEzBb7hk (This was indoors on fast carpet at MSG in the 81 Masters YEC final. That was the 4th biggest tourney of the year and there were with 18K in attendance.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL__OcegrbY (81 FO final)

Borg vs. Connors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTMx--E0OhY

kiki · 10-31-2012, 05:36 AM

Rosewall footwork was amazing
Borg floated on court, Stefi Graf was similar

Sabratha · 10-31-2012, 05:54 AM

No way is Djokovic the GOAT here, Nadal is.

rafafan20 · 10-31-2012, 05:55 AM

Nadal

No love for Ferrer?

hoodjem · 10-31-2012, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borg number one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyuiEzBb7hk (This was indoors on fast carpet at MSG in the 81 Masters YEC final. That was the 4th biggest tourney of the year and there were with 18K in attendance.)

Check out the rallies!

How do you turn fast, indoor carpet into slow clay?

BTURNER · 10-31-2012, 03:31 PM

Virtually no talk of the women. This includes both horozontal and lateral movement , changing direction and even those quick side steps up at net.

Graf
Clisters
Navratilova
Garrison
V Williams
Mandlikova
Goolagong
Hingis
Evert (84-88, move her up three slots, she got quicker footspeed, to go along with anticipation and footwork)

kiki · 10-31-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTURNER

Virtually no talk of the women. This includes both horozontal and lateral movement , changing direction and even those quick side steps up at net.

Graf
Clisters
Navratilova
Garrison
V Williams
Mandlikova
Goolagong
Hingis
Evert (84-88, move her up three slots, she got quicker footspeed, to go along with anticipation and footwork)

Loved Evonne on her good days floating on court like a fairy.She was really a fairy.When her stick worked along her mind, there was no more delicious player to watch.

kiki · 10-31-2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiki

Loved Evonne on her good days floating on court like a fairy.She was really a fairy.When her stick worked along her mind, there was no more delicious player to watch.

Hana was such a natural mover.Her mom, I think, was national track and fields champion...or was it her father?

piece · 10-31-2012, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by borg number one

I'll go with Bjorn Borg, due to blazing speed, incredible quickness, great stamina, anticipation, and sublime footwork. He had an ability to finish shots from wild positions even with the old paradigm of wood frames from the baseline against great net play. He had great passing shots largely due to his court coverage. I'd also put Nadal at perhaps #2 with Djokovic and Federer a bit behind Nadal. Federer's footwork gives him a big advantage over Djokovic, so that's to his credit. I consider court-coverage to be a broad topic, with top speed as only one thing to consider. Yet, even on that score, Borg was a bit faster than Nadal, with better quickness and stamina as well. This is with those old, cool looking Diadoras too! Borg would have thrived in the conditions of today, with a slow hard court major, and frames that allowed for a shift in favor of players that adopted a style of play that players such as Borg and Lendl brought to prominence.

Borg vs. Vilas (thanks Krosero)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKQVdZNsyuQ (Borg goes offscreen)

Borg vs. Lendl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyuiEzBb7hk (This was indoors on fast carpet at MSG in the 81 Masters YEC final. That was the 4th biggest tourney of the year and there were with 18K in attendance.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL__OcegrbY (81 FO final)

Borg vs. Connors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTMx--E0OhY

I agree that Borg was a bit faster than Nadal. How would you compare the two at changing direction?

BTURNER · 10-31-2012, 07:01 PM

OOPS I forgot the Bqrcelona Bumblebee. She's up there near the top tier. Best retreiver except maybe Clisters

10-31-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTURNER

Virtually no talk of the women. This includes both horozontal and lateral movement , changing direction and even those quick side steps up at net.

Graf
Clisters
Navratilova
Garrison
V Williams
Mandlikova
Goolagong
Hingis
Evert (84-88, move her up three slots, she got quicker footspeed, to go along with anticipation and footwork)

While Garrison had impressive court coverage IMO that is a high ranking for her if you are doing them in order. I also would include Henin, I think she beats Hingis and Evert here, even with their amazing anticipation combined with reasonably good footspeed.

10-30-2012, 09:39 PM	#10
borg number one Legend Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,249	I'll go with Bjorn Borg, due to blazing speed, incredible quickness, great stamina, anticipation, and sublime footwork. He had an ability to finish shots from wild positions even with the old paradigm of wood frames from the baseline against great net play. He had great passing shots largely due to his court coverage. I'd also put Nadal at perhaps #2 with Djokovic and Federer a bit behind Nadal. Federer's footwork gives him a big advantage over Djokovic especially on grass courts, so that's to his credit. I consider court-coverage to be a broad topic, with top speed as only one thing to consider. Yet, even on that score, Borg was a bit faster than Nadal, with better quickness and stamina as well. This is with those old, cool looking Diadoras too! Borg would have thrived in the conditions of today, with a slow hard court major, and frames that allowed for a shift in favor of players that adopted a style of play that players such as Borg and Lendl brought to prominence. Borg vs. Vilas (thanks Krosero) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKQVdZNsyuQ (Borg goes offscreen) Borg vs. Lendl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyuiEzBb7hk (This was indoors on fast carpet at MSG in the 81 Masters YEC final. That was the 4th biggest tourney of the year and there were with 18K in attendance.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL__OcegrbY (81 FO final) Borg vs. Connors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTMx--E0OhY __________________ Borg never pointed to himself. He never even seemed to care if anyone read the advertisements. — Tom Callahan Last edited by borg number one : 10-31-2012 at 06:54 PM.

10-31-2012, 05:36 AM	#11
kiki G.O.A.T. Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 10,721	Rosewall footwork was amazing Borg floated on court, Stefi Graf was similar __________________ " I have watched plenty of matches of the 70´s and 80´s" ABMK, the historian

10-31-2012, 05:55 AM	#13
rafafan20 Semi-Pro Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: USA Posts: 693	Nadal No love for Ferrer? __________________ "Nadal is a few Slams shy of not just being mentioned among the all-time greats but being the all-time great."

10-31-2012, 03:31 PM	#15
BTURNER Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: OREGON Posts: 2,370	Virtually no talk of the women. This includes both horozontal and lateral movement , changing direction and even those quick side steps up at net. Graf Clisters Navratilova Garrison V Williams Mandlikova Goolagong Hingis Evert (84-88, move her up three slots, she got quicker footspeed, to go along with anticipation and footwork) Last edited by BTURNER : 10-31-2012 at 03:35 PM.

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