Poll: Big 3 - Peak for Peak - Who’s the Best?

Who’s the best all around player peak for peak

  • Federer

    Votes: 67 45.9%

  • Nadal

    Votes: 27 18.5%

  • Djokovic

    Votes: 52 35.6%
  • Total voters
    146
Federev

Federev

Legend
It’s obviously impossible to know for certain, but ....

Take what you consider the best “form” 3-4 years in a row for each player and - if they could play alongside one another - vote who you think comes out the best.

(Please refrain from comparing over-all career spanning stats. Plenty of other threads to do that with - and you can even start more of your own. In this thread I’m looking for thoughts on peak for peak speculative comparisons.)
 
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Raul_SJ

Raul_SJ

G.O.A.T.
Peak Fed would never stand a chance on clay against any version of Rafa from 2005-2015... Maybe even 2020 Rafa.

This is why Fed is eliminated from any GOAT discussion.

A true GOAT must be minimally competitive on clay, head to head, against anyone.
But hapless Fed has not had a single head to head victory at RG over Rafa.

Sad!
 
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T

TheNachoMan

Guest
Raul_SJ said:
Peak Fed would never stand a chance on clay against any version of Rafa 2005-2015... Maybe even 2020 Rafa.

This is why Fed is eliminated from any GOAT discussion.

A true GOAT must be minimally competitive on clay, head to head, against anyone.
Click to expand...
Would 2011 Djoker have beaten RAFA in the final of RG that year? It’s a question I often ask myself.

thanks to Fedr gatekeeping for his best friend, we will never know :cautious:
 
Wander

Wander

Hall of Fame
Raul_SJ said:
Peak Fed would never stand a chance on clay against any version of Rafafrom 2005-2015... Maybe even 2020 Rafa.

This is why Fed is eliminated from any GOAT discussion.

A true GOAT must be minimally competitive on clay, head to head, against anyone.
Click to expand...
Fed beat Nadal on clay twice.
 
MichaelNadal

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
This day, this kit, this man.

Rafael+Nadal+French+Open+Roland+Garros+2008+veJSyTAiMcGl.jpg
 
Frans Bleker

Frans Bleker

Professional
TheNachoMan said:
Peaking non choking Federer is unstoppable. Luckily, he didn’t show up at Wimbledon last year ;)
Click to expand...

I think somewhere between 2008 and 2011 there was a RG final were Federer totally destroyed Nadal in the beginning of the first set after that he started chocking and lost. It's insane what Fed can do when he is on his best, but yeah, sustain it over a longer time on a level that will keep beating Nadal and Djok might be another story.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
Well, the way it’s phrased in the op... still, I’ll treat this thread as a lighthearted discussion so these are just what I think. Plenty of room to disagree.

Rating their best four years

Fed 2004-2007
Ned 2008, 2010, 2013, 2007/2011
Djoker 2011, 2015, 2012, 2016 (despite the bad second half)

Djoker 2015
Fed 2006
Djoker 2011 / Fed 2004 / Fed 2005
Fed 2007
Ned 2008
Ned 2013
Ned 2010
Djoker 2012
Djoker 2016
Ned 2007/2011
 
CYGS

CYGS

Legend
Peak Federer winning all hypothetical matches as usual. Fortunately, he lost majority of his real matches against Djokodal, and those are the only matches that matter.
 
O

octogon

Hall of Fame
Nadal on Clay.

We have this "debate" every couple of months here, and the answer is never going to change.

Nadal is also more "great" on non-clay surfaces than Djokovic and Federer are on clay. So he probably edges the "overall" peak as well.
 
upchuck

upchuck

Hall of Fame
It's difficult to say, really. For instance, Federer at his best played the most impressive looking tennis ever, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was the highest peak because Nadal and Djokovic have games that could've well made him play less stellar.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
CYGS said:
Peak Federer winning all hypothetical matches as usual. Fortunately, he lost majority of his real matches against Djokodal, and those are the only matches that matter.
Click to expand...
We know where you stand on “cow”.

No need to reiterate!
 
T

TheNachoMan

Guest
upchuck said:
The title clearly says best all around player at their peak so I don't know why you all are jumping up and down with 'Nadal on clay' posts. All around clearly encompasses more than one surface.
Click to expand...
I was thinking of a more neutral surface like hard court, no?
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
upchuck said:
The title clearly says best all around player at their peak so I don't know why you all are jumping up and down with 'Nadal on clay' posts. All around clearly encompasses more than one surface.
Click to expand...
Yeah - you got it. Clay is one of several surfaces and many venues.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
Raul_SJ said:
Yes, because Slams are not regarded much higher than Masters.
:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Yeah - the question isn’t just about clay or (there would be no point in polling that right?) or only slams.

Its your best sense of peak v peak v peak across all surfaces/ all venues.
 
O

octogon

Hall of Fame
upchuck said:
The title clearly says best all around player at their peak so I don't know why you all are jumping up and down with 'Nadal on clay' posts. All around clearly encompasses more than one surface.
Click to expand...

Peak Nadal probably takes the overall crown as well. He's beaten peak Federer at Wimbledon and peak Djokovic at the US Open twice. In finals. Nadal took out the supposed grass GOAT at his peak in the final of Wimbledon. And he took out the alleged hardcourt GOAT in two US Open finals, when he was at or near his peak.

None of the other two replicated that feat at Roland Garros.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
octogon said:
Peak Nadal probably takes the overall crown as well. He's beaten peak Federer at Wimbledon and peak Djokovic at the US Open twice. In finals. Nadal took out the supposed grass GOAT at his peak in the final of Wimbledon. And he took out the alleged hardcourt GOAT in two US Open finals, when he was at or near his peak.

None of the other two replicated that feat at Roland Garros.
Click to expand...
That’s really credible ...for real. Worthy analysis.

But in my conception Federer’s peak is 2004-2007. I don’t think a 1 slam year for Federer (w mono and the most embarrassing of his RG losses is peak Fed). Especially when he did so much better the next year.

But of course it’s all subjective and we’re going to find ways to see our guy as the best.
 
CYGS

CYGS

Legend
Baby Nadal > Peak Federer, eg W2008
Peak Djokovic > Peak Nadal, eg Season 2011

Djokovic > Nadal > Federer. Case closed.
 
F

FRV3

Guest
CYGS said:
Baby Nadal > Peak Federer, eg W2008
Peak Djokovic > Peak Nadal, eg Season 2011

Djokovic > Nadal > Federer. Case closed.
Click to expand...
Fed was able to beat Djokovic in 2011RG and 2012Wimbledon, so it's not as cut and dry. Also, they have had variable levels of play against the field as well, so that needs to be taken into consideration.
 
USO

USO

Banned
octogon said:
Peak Nadal probably takes the overall crown as well. He's beaten peak Federer at Wimbledon and peak Djokovic at the US Open twice. In finals. Nadal took out the supposed grass GOAT at his peak in the final of Wimbledon. And he took out the alleged hardcourt GOAT in two US Open finals, when he was at or near his peak.

None of the other two replicated that feat at Roland Garros.
Click to expand...

An interesting view and a pretty good argument. He also beat Federer in the 2009 AO final when Federer was also the hardcourt GOAT and still in his prime years.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
USO said:
An interesting view and a pretty good argument. He also beat Federer in the 2009 AO final when Federer was also the hardcourt GOAT and still in his prime years.
Click to expand...
Generally speaking, though, it's a much tougher challenge to defeat Nadal at RG.

Defeating Fed at Wimbledon or Djokovic at the USO are not equivalent accomplishments to defeating Nadal at RG.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
I think another thing to consider is how dominating Federer was in his peakerer years of 2004-2007.

This is where people start trading weak era accusations back and forth. But those aside, Fed was unreal dominant in his peak years.

111-2 on HC alone from 2005-2007. And Obviously unbeatable on grass.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
AnOctorokForDinner said:
Obviously Federer. A sign of great trouble that the masses have strayed from this truth.

AO 2nd, RG joint 2nd, WB 1st, USO 1st, YEC 1st of the three. IW 1st, Hamburg (Madrid) joint 1st, Cincy 1st, Shanghai (Madrid Indoors) close 2nd.
Click to expand...
Agree with this:

AO: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
IW: Federer >= Djokovic > Nadal
Miami: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
Monte-Carlo: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
Madrid / Hamburg: Nadal = Federer > Djokovic
Rome: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
RG: Nadal > Federer = Djokovic (could make a decent case for Fed having the peak argument at RG, though)
Wimbledon: Federer > Djokovic > Nadal (in terms of peak level, Djokovic and Nadal are very close)
Canada: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
Cincinnati: Federer > Djokovic > Nadal
USO: Federer > Nadal >= Djokovic
Shanghai: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
Paris: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
WTF: Federer > Djokovic > Nadal
 
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Federev

Federev

Legend
Third Serve said:
Agree with this:

AO: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
IW: Federer >= Djokovic > Nadal
Miami: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
Monte-Carlo: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
Madrid / Hamburg: Nadal = Federer > Djokovic
Rome: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
RG: Nadal > Federer = Djokovic (could make a decent case for Fed having the peak argument at RG, though)
Canada: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
USO: Federer > Nadal >= Djokovic
Shanghai: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
Paris: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
WTF: Federer > Djokovic > Nadal
Click to expand...
No Wimby?
 
AnOctorokForDinner

AnOctorokForDinner

Talk Tennis Guru
Third Serve said:
Agree with this:

AO: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
IW: Federer >= Djokovic > Nadal
Miami: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
Monte-Carlo: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
Madrid / Hamburg: Nadal = Federer > Djokovic
Rome: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
RG: Nadal > Federer = Djokovic (could make a decent case for Fed having the peak argument at RG, though)
Canada: Nadal > Djokovic > Federer
USO: Federer > Nadal >= Djokovic
Shanghai: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
Paris: Djokovic > Federer > Nadal
WTF: Federer > Djokovic > Nadal
Click to expand...

Wimbledon: Federer > Djokovic >= Nadal
Cincy: Federer > Djokovic > Nadal

Fred gets two slams, YEC and 2.5 masters
Ned gets one slam and 3.5 masters
Djok gets one slam and 3 masters

Fed>Ned>Djok in peakest peak hierarchy. Djokodal are close while Fred's a bit above due to slam+yec peak superiority.
 
chjtennis

chjtennis

G.O.A.T.
Physically young and peaking Fed with 97 sq inch frame would've fared much better v peak Nadal even on clay. Not saying he would've won most of the times, but he might have been able to win a few more times. Then, on other surfaces, it would've been quite the opposite - Nadal would've found it virtually impossible to beat Fed on non-clay, just like he has found out in 2015-present.

V Djokovic, it would've been very close. However, based on the fact that Fed still pushes Djok to his limit despite being 6 years senior and at 38, I would give the edge to Fed.
 
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