Is Nadal-Djokovic greater than Sampras-Agassi?

[veroniquem]

Originally Posted by The_Order

Nadal v Federer matches are WAAAYYYY more exciting than Nadal v Djokovic matches.

You have a valid point that Rafa and Novak have met almost everywhere, but I'm a quality over quantity person. Rafa v Fed WIM matches have occurred more often than Rafa v Novak at WIM and 2 of the Rafa v Fed matches are classics especially 2008. The Rafa v Novak WIM matches aren't anything special at all.

Rafa has also played Fed more times at the AO than Djokovic. That 09 final is probably not quite as dramatic as the 12 final, but the quality of the tennis was much better.

Rafa has also played Fed more times at RG than Novak. Novak took his very first set against Rafa at RG in last year's final but only when the rain completely changed the conditions of the court. Fed at least was able to get a set everytime except for 08 and didn't need it to piss down rain.

The USO is the only major where Rafa and Novak have met more times than Rafa and Fed. IMO, those USO matches were entertaining, but based on Rafa and Fed's history I'd be willing to bet that a USO meeting between the 2 would've been more entertaining and certainly more dramatic since they've never met before.

I agree about grass. That's where Fed/Nadal has been the most exciting. I've said so myself but it's only happened over 3 years. Nothing since 2008. Too bad.
I disagree about AO. The 1 match Nadal/Djoko played was tighter, more spectacular and every bit as high quality and the 5th set was superior to the 5th set Nadal played vs Fed in 2009. In 2012, there wasn't even a 5th set in the match vs Fed.
At RG, Fed/Nadal were good matches, no doubt. In clay masters, Djoko/Nadal have usually been intense and very high quality though. Djoko has pushed Nadal in M-C and Madrid more than Fed imo and unlike Fed, he has beaten him in Rome
At USO: nothing. At WTF: very one sided.
Once again, it's not to say that Fed/Nadal was "uninteresting", of course not but it was limited in both time and scope. Djoko/Nadal is not just about quantity. Not only has it happened everywhere but the level of play has been amazing. The Olympics match was thrilling. The USO matches were fantastic. The 2009 Madrid match was insane. The AO match was historic. I couldn't disagree more about their encounters in general lacking in quality. The Fed encounters were quality ones too, you're right about that but not on all surfaces and in all events like Djoko and Nadal have been.