StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
Now that the season is over, who was the best player of 2019? Obviously there are only two options.
Best player of 2019
- Thread starter StrongRule
- Start date
maratha_warrior
Hall of Fame
Djokodal 
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
So Murray had a better 2016 than Djokovic? Come on now. Nadal is the number 1, but it doesn't mean he had a better year.
Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil
Talk Tennis Guru
Their highest points were pretty much the same. Same number of Slams and Masters. Novak got one extra title because of a 500 event in Tokyo. But Nadal went far at almost every event he played. So I'd go with him slightly.
But I wouldn't switch if offered. Australian Open and Wimbledon victories were both so awesome.
But I wouldn't switch if offered. Australian Open and Wimbledon victories were both so awesome.
octobrina10
Talk Tennis Guru
The"Best Player" award does not exist in the men's professional tennis circuit (ATP & ITF).
The ATP's year-end award is: "ATP World Tour No. 1" (= The player who ends the year as World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.)
The ITF's year-end award is: " ITF World Champion". (The ITF website says: ¤¤ The ITF’s selection of its World Champion is based on the system that considers all results during the year, but gives special weight to the Grand Slam tournaments [the total number of points earned from four GS tournaments] and Davis Cup.¤¤)
And the 2019 ATP World Tour No. 1 is:
The ATP's year-end award is: "ATP World Tour No. 1" (= The player who ends the year as World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.)
The ITF's year-end award is: " ITF World Champion". (The ITF website says: ¤¤ The ITF’s selection of its World Champion is based on the system that considers all results during the year, but gives special weight to the Grand Slam tournaments [the total number of points earned from four GS tournaments] and Davis Cup.¤¤)
And the 2019 ATP World Tour No. 1 is:
ibbi
G.O.A.T.
Edge to Rafa. Novak's one more win is meaningless, his one more title is not so much, but it's a 500. They each have 2 slams and 2 1000s, but what gives Nadal the edge for me is the fact that except for the WTF just now he's made SF's or better at every tournament at 1000 level or above that he's played this year! That's pretty crazy for him, he doesn't normally accomplish stuff like that. He's 48-5 in tournaments 1000 and up, compared to Novak's 46-10, Djokovic gets the participation trophy for playing more, but gotta go with Nadal.
Djokovic2011
Bionic Poster
Obviously Nadal. What's the point in even asking such a question?
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
Nothing obvious here. They had very similar results.
NoleFam
Bionic Poster
Yea a 7th title at AO (all time record) and 5th at Wimbledon (tied with Borg for 3rd in the OE) means he met two milestones this year. I wouldn't trade either of those Slams for the other two.
NoleFam
Bionic Poster
Very similar title wins but then Rafa made a Slam final and he made a 4th round so yea it's pretty straight forward to Rafa.
Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil
Talk Tennis Guru
The (contrasting) manners in which he won them too. Destroying Nadal and 40-15ing Federer... Even though we have seen plenty of both from Djokovic before, that was dominance and drama at their finest.
GabeT
G.O.A.T.
If Player A wins all four slams in a year and Player B wins all nine masters Player B would get, rightfully so, the YE1. But many may prefer Player A's results in their resume. Nothing wrong with that.
Murray was rightfully YE1 in 2016. But Nole's wins were quite sweet as well.
NoleFam
Bionic Poster
Yes it was. Hopefully he can sort himself out on the break because he seems mentally spent after this year.
Backspin1183
Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal, but Djokovic also had a great season. Many of his fans might even prefer he won 2 Slams and ended #2 than win just 1 Slam and ended the year #1, whilst someone else got 2 Slams that year.
Djokovic2011
Bionic Poster
Not really, Nadal was clearly the more consistent player throughout the year. Had Djokovic won the WTF you could argue he'd been the better player even if he finished at #2 but seeing as that didn't happen there's really not much to debate.
MurraysMetalHip
Hall of Fame
Delpops.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
Murray was more regular than Djokovic. Year End #1 rewards the most regular player.
Which player was "better" is a subjective category not recognized by the ATP. Everyone can define "better" as they want. That is the reason why only the Year End #1 trophy matters. You don't receive a trophy por being the "better" player, whatever "better" is depending on who you ask to.
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
Wins matter, not consistency. Nadal was the best player of 2013 despite losing in the first round of Wimbledon and skipping AO. Just as this year Djokovic would be clearly the best if Nadal lost that USO final. But this year their results were very close. Nadal has the YE#1 though.
Good point, people talk about Federer's weak slams so I'm voting Novak.
MeatTornado
Talk Tennis Guru
Best: Djoker
Greatest: Bull
Greatest: Bull
Sport
G.O.A.T.
Nope. There is no dichotomy between "best" and "greatest", as both terms are synonyms according to dictionary definitions.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
You are a Nadal hater.
You are are 'troller'
SummerBreeze
Rookie
This
SummerBreeze
Rookie
This!
Sport
G.O.A.T.
Nope. So Nadal earns the Year End #1, earns more points than Djokovic (meaning he was more regular), wins as many Slams as Djokovic, reaches the semifinal of all Slams (unlike Djokovic) yet you vote Djokovic because you are butthurt Nadal earns the Year End #1 and you are a Nadal hater.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
40Love liked your post because you agree with him.
SummerBreeze
Rookie
I thought that according to Nadal non-haters some slams were worth less then others? 'You' reap what you sow
duaneeo
Legend
A 19 slam winner who hasn't won the Australian Open this decade and a 20 slam winner who choked.
Somehow the titles the opponent has is not brought to the debating table now.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
Thanks. Nice to see an objective forum member from another fanbase. Even Djokovic fans agree Nadal was the overall better player as he was more consistent.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
True. Since 2017, Thiem has had better results at RG than Nadal at the AO.
Thanks, another objective forum member from a rival fanbase.
octobrina10
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes, Andy Murray ended the year 2016 as World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings and he received the year-end award "ATP World Tour No. 1"
Andy Murray was also named the 2016 ITF World Champion (according to the criteria the ITF uses):
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Sport
G.O.A.T.
Don't know who you refer to. All Slams have the same value.
When the quality of opposition argument doesn't favour Nadal suddenly people who use it are 'haters' in your opinion. I see how this works now - when it favours Nadal it's fair and legit and when it doesn't they are 'haters'. Gotcha !
vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
SummerBreeze
Rookie
Objectively speaking I would agree of course, hands down. But, since it was invented by Nadal fans (later followed by djoker fans) that some slams are worth more then others, you could make an argument that no, he wasn't the best player this year. Of course this metric only is valid for slams not called French open and this pre-2008 (this is very important!).
Sport
G.O.A.T.
Yes you are a Nadal hater by voting Djokovic was better despite the fact that Nadal won the same number of Slams but reached the semifinals of all Slams (unlike Djokovic), and earned more ATP points.
I never said Federer was a worse player than anybody in the years he won the Year End #1, so I don't know what are you talking about.
SummerBreeze
Rookie
Do I see the weak era argument slowly but surely dying?
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
The player who won the real slam
I get it - I didn't vote the way you think I should vote so that makes me a 'hater' in your eyes.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
In this particular case yes. Check out the poll results. Even Djokovic and Federer fans are voting for Nadal. You really need to dislike Nadal to be so unobjective.
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