Most dominant grand slam winners

A few stats on the most dominant slam winners of the open era, in terms of conceding the smallest amount of games/sets throughout the tournament.

Clean sheets at the French Open:

Bjorn Borg, 1978 --32 games
Bjorn Borg, 1980 -- 36 games
Rafael Nadal, 2008 -- 41 games
Ilie Nastase, 1973 -- 47 games (2-setters in the fist 2 rounds)

Only one set on the way to the title dropped: Borg 1975, Vilas 1977, Noah 1983, Lendl 1986, Courier 1992, Kafelnikov 1996, Nadal 2007
 
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For Wimbledon, the only winner in the open era without dropping a set seems to have been Borg (1976, conceding 70 games).

One set dropped: McEnroe 1983, 84 (both times in the early rounds); Cash 1987; Sampras 1994, 99; Krajicek 1996; Federer 2003, 05, 06.
 
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For the US Open, the following winners conceded only one set (there is no winner with an entirely clean sheet):

Rosewall 1971, Connors 1976, Vilas 1977 (76 and 77 the early rounds were 2-setters), McEnroe 1979, Lendl 1985, 86, 87.

Thus, Lendl dropped just 3 sets in 21 consecutive matches.
 
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pc1

G.O.A.T.
Jack Kramer won the 1947 Wimbledon losing one set and lost only 37 games while winning 130 for the most decisive Wimbledon.

Suzanne Lenglen won 10 sets to none and 60 games while only losing 5 in the 1925 Wimbledon. Now that's impressive.
 

CyBorg

Legend
For Wimbledon, the only winner in the open era without dropping a set seems to have been Borg (1976, conceding 70 games).

One set dropped: McEnroe 1982, 84 (both times in the early rounds); Cash 1987; Sampras 1994, 99; Krajicek 1996; Federer 2003, 05, 06.

'83, you probably mean.
 
Finally, for the Australian Open:

Clean sheet:

Rosewall 1971, 55 games conceded (only 5 rounds)
Federer 2007, 74 games conceded

One set dropped: Rosewall 1972, Newcombe 1973 (only 5 rounds at both occasions), Agassi 1995, 2003, Djokovic 2008
 

AndrewTas

Rookie
Also posted on previous post

From http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=267566

Games won-lost at majors
Another way at looking at how dominate a player was during winning a major is the amount of games won and lost in the tournament. Here is a look over all the majors.

At the Australian.
Best ever record: 1909 Wilding Played 4 matches,
Games Won 73, Lost 11 for a % of 86.90

In the Open Era: 2003 Agassi (4th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 121, Lost 48 for a % of 71.60

Next best in Open Era: 1995 Agassi (10th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 129, Lost 61 for a % of 67.89

Worst in Open Era: 1975 Newcombe (2nd Worst) Played 6 matches
Games Won 145, Lost 115 for a % of 55.77

Worst Ever: 1954 Rose Played 5 matches
Games Won 112, Lost 91 for a % of 55.17


At the French.
Best ever record: 1978 Borg Played 7 matches,
Games Won 127, Lost 32 for a % of 79.87

Next best in Open Era: 1980 Borg (2nd overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 126, Lost 38 for a % of 76.83

3rd best in Open Era: 2008 Nadal (3rd overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 128, Lost 41 for a % of 75.74

Worst in Open Era: 1999 Agassi (5th Worst ever) Played 7 matches
Games Won 151, Lost 113 for a % of 57.20
(Federer 2009 victory was the 7th worst ever with a win-loss % of 58.43)

Worst Ever: 1950 Patty Played 7 matches
Games Won 145, Lost 112 for a % of 56.42


At Wimbledon.
Best ever record: 1947 Kramer Played 7 matches,
Games Won 130, Lost 37 for a % of 77.84

In the Open Era: 1984 McEnroe (15th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 134, Lost 63 for a % of 68.02

Next best in Open Era: 2006 Federer (18th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 135, Lost 68 for a % of 66.50

Worst in Open Era: 2001 Ivanisevic (4th Worst overall but worst ever playing more than 1 match) Played 7 matches
Games Won 160, Lost 139 for a % of 53.51

Worst Ever: 1911 Wilding Played 1 match (Challenge Round)
Games Won 18, Lost 18 for a % of 50.00


At the US.
Best ever record: 1883 Sears Played 4 matches,
Games Won 57, Lost 16 for a % of 78.08

In the Open Era: 1977 Vilas (8th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 106, Lost 41 for a % of 72.11
(There were 4 best of 3 sets involved in the tournament)

Next best in Open Era: 1987 Lendl (19th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 134, Lost 59 for a % of 69.43

Worst in Open Era: 2000 Safin (5th Worst, 2nd worst playing more than 1 match) Played 7 matches
Games Won 153, Lost 120 for a % of 56.04

Worst Ever: 1897 Wrenn Played 1 match (Challenge Round)
Games Won 26, Lost 23 for a % of 53.06


The stats just show how players like Agassi (Australian), Borg (French) and McEnroe (Wimbledon) dominated the tournament during some of their victorious years while players such as Safin and Ivanisevic did it the hard way.
 

Borgforever

Hall of Fame
I would add that the US Nationals tourney -- or US Open as it's called today -- wasn't a true open international tourney until the year 1884 -- in one way effectually disqualifying Sears in 1883.

But the first non-American, overseas player of note to compete in the USO was the British E. G. Meers in 1889. He reached the All-Comer's SF in that edition.

So for winning USO without set-loss with several strong, world no. 1 contenders in the draw -- we have to choose Lawrence Doherty in 1903, 21-0 in sets - 130-44 (174) for a 74.71 % game-winning percentage.

Thus, it seems, H. L. Doherty is still, 106 years after this feat was achieved, alone with this record in this specific category at the USO as the most dominant men's singles tourney winner ever in a single singles event. Still unmatched by any other dominant and/or multiple USO winner in history; including, of course, seven time winners such as Tilden and Larned and five-time winners such as Connors, Sampras and Federer.

As regards to the OP -- in this specific category the most dominant Grand Slam-major winner ever in the history of tennis, by far, is Björn Borg.

At only the remarkably young age of 24 years in 1980 -- achieved far into the open era -- he had already accumulated 10 major men's singles championships of the Grand Slam-label in a fiercely competitive era rife with many other great major winners and strong surface specialists on arguably the most diverse of surfaces of any era before or since.

Björn Borg had -- in this specific category of records -- managed to win no less than an unprecedented 3 (three) Grand Slam-majors at the age of 24 without set-loss: Wimby 1976, RG 1978 and RG 1980 -- and Björn also won RG in 1975 (at age of only 19!) with only one set lost in that tourney in total.

That's two Grand Slam-majors won more than anybody else who had achieved that level of dominance over their peers in this specific category of records...

At only 24 years of age...
 
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Q&M son

Professional
From http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=267566

Games won-lost at majors
Another way at looking at how dominate a player was during winning a major is the amount of games won and lost in the tournament. Here is a look over all the majors.

At the Australian.
Best ever record: 1909 Wilding Played 4 matches,
Games Won 73, Lost 11 for a % of 86.90

In the Open Era: 2003 Agassi (4th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 121, Lost 48 for a % of 71.60

Next best in Open Era: 1995 Agassi (10th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 129, Lost 61 for a % of 67.89

Worst in Open Era: 1975 Newcombe (2nd Worst) Played 6 matches
Games Won 145, Lost 115 for a % of 55.77

Worst Ever: 1954 Rose Played 5 matches
Games Won 112, Lost 91 for a % of 55.17


At the French.
Best ever record: 1978 Borg Played 7 matches,
Games Won 127, Lost 32 for a % of 79.87

Next best in Open Era: 1980 Borg (2nd overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 126, Lost 38 for a % of 76.83

3rd best in Open Era: 2008 Nadal (3rd overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 128, Lost 41 for a % of 75.74

Worst in Open Era: 1999 Agassi (5th Worst ever) Played 7 matches
Games Won 151, Lost 113 for a % of 57.20
(Federer 2009 victory was the 7th worst ever with a win-loss % of 58.43)

Worst Ever: 1950 Patty Played 7 matches
Games Won 145, Lost 112 for a % of 56.42


At Wimbledon.
Best ever record: 1947 Kramer Played 7 matches,
Games Won 130, Lost 37 for a % of 77.84

In the Open Era: 1984 McEnroe (15th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 134, Lost 63 for a % of 68.02

Next best in Open Era: 2006 Federer (18th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 135, Lost 68 for a % of 66.50

Worst in Open Era: 2001 Ivanisevic (4th Worst overall but worst ever playing more than 1 match) Played 7 matches
Games Won 160, Lost 139 for a % of 53.51

Worst Ever: 1911 Wilding Played 1 match (Challenge Round)
Games Won 18, Lost 18 for a % of 50.00


At the US.
Best ever record: 1883 Sears Played 4 matches,
Games Won 57, Lost 16 for a % of 78.08

In the Open Era: 1977 Vilas (8th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 106, Lost 41 for a % of 72.11
(There were 4 best of 3 sets involved in the tournament)

Next best in Open Era: 1987 Lendl (19th overall) Played 7 matches
Games Won 134, Lost 59 for a % of 69.43

Worst in Open Era: 2000 Safin (5th Worst, 2nd worst playing more than 1 match) Played 7 matches
Games Won 153, Lost 120 for a % of 56.04

Worst Ever: 1897 Wrenn Played 1 match (Challenge Round)
Games Won 26, Lost 23 for a % of 53.06


The stats just show how players like Agassi (Australian), Borg (French) and McEnroe (Wimbledon) dominated the tournament during some of their victorious years while players such as Safin and Ivanisevic did it the hard way.

Thanks Andrew as usually, fine stats.
 

pc1

G.O.A.T.
HOw's about the ladies?


Lenglen at the 1925 Wimbledon won 60 games and lost only 5. Talk about pressure. People use to hope she would win Wimbledon without the loss of a game.

I think she may have won some tournaments without losing a game.

Helen Wills didn't lose a match for years so she would be up there also.

I'll check in recent years how players like Navratilova, Graf, Seles, Evert, Court and King have done.
 

drwood

Professional
A few stats on the most dominant slam winners of the open era, in terms of conceding the smallest amount of games/sets throughout the tournament.

Clean sheets at the French Open:

Bjorn Borg, 1978 --32 games
Bjorn Borg, 1980 -- 36 games
Rafael Nadal, 2008 -- 41 games
Ilie Nastase, 1973 -- 47 games (2-setters in the fist 2 rounds)

Only one set on the way to the title dropped: Borg 1975, Vilas 1977, Noah 1983, Lendl 1986, Courier 1992, Kafelnikov 1996, Nadal 2007

Yes, but this fails to take into account the quality of the opposition defeated. Courier's 1992 draw was MUCH more difficult than any of the other feats mentioned, yet he dropped only one set -- he beat in succession Muster, Mancini, Medvedev, Ivanisevic, Agassi and Korda -- all of whom have won at least 1 Masters event, and 4 of whom were peaked at #1 or 2 in the world.
 

CyBorg

Legend
Yes, but this fails to take into account the quality of the opposition defeated. Courier's 1992 draw was MUCH more difficult than any of the other feats mentioned, yet he dropped only one set -- he beat in succession Muster, Mancini, Medvedev, Ivanisevic, Agassi and Korda -- all of whom have won at least 1 Masters event, and 4 of whom were peaked at #1 or 2 in the world.

Not a good way to look at things, without context and not taking account certain variables. Medvedev had just recently turned pro - not even close to the player he'd eventually become. Ivanisevic was never amazing on clay. Mancini was way past his prime. Muster was not yet close to his. Agassi/Korda - hardly worldbeaters on clay.

I've seen better.
 

Moose Malloy

G.O.A.T.
Not a good way to look at things, without context and not taking account certain variables. Medvedev had just recently turned pro - not even close to the player he'd eventually become. Ivanisevic was never amazing on clay. Mancini was way past his prime. Muster was not yet close to his. Agassi/Korda - hardly worldbeaters on clay.

I've seen better.

Muster was the winner of '92 Monte Carlo. Mancini was RU at the '91 Italian(he was an up & down type player but always considered extremely dangerous on clay) Agassi was the '90 & '91 FO RU.

as someone who followed the game closely in 1992(did you?) I can assure you they were expected to be very competive matches by the analysts & the oddsmakers. Much moreso than most of Nadal's opponents on clay in recent years. I doubt anyone in the history of tennis had a tougher 1st week draw at the French that Courier had at the '92 FO(I wonder if we'll ever see the current Rome champion play the current Monte Carlo champion in the 2nd round of Roland Garros -with 32 seeds, it seems rather unlikely. The hype was tremendous for that Courier-Muster encounter & Courier destroyed him. And then to have to play Mancini 2 days later? He was in the zone...)
 
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