Top 30 Matches of 2011- Tennis Channel

Can someone please explain to me how the S.Williams vs. Stosur match from the U.S. Open is, according to the Tennis Channel, the 7th best match of 2011?

I'd say that, arguably, the first set or two of the Djokovic-Tipsarevic match, again in Flushing, was immensely better by comparison...not that it's worthy of the top 30, but still...

I wish I knew what Tennis Channel's criteria was in ranking the top matches of 2011.

Somewhat related, I don't understand how a straight sets match can qualify as one of TC's classic matches...

Hmm. Where there any other wta matches in the top 10? They probably figured they had to throw one in there if there wasn't. Can't look too biased towards mens tennis despite it being infinitely more interesting.

They better be saving Fed-Djokovic FO/USO for the top 3...

Spindiculous said:

Can someone please explain to me how the S.Williams vs. Stosur match from the U.S. Open is, according to the Tennis Channel, the 7th best match of 2011?

I'd say that, arguably, the first set or two of the Djokovic-Tipsarevic match, again in Flushing, was immensely better by comparison...not that it's worthy of the top 30, but still...

I wish I knew what Tennis Channel's criteria was in ranking the top matches of 2011.

Somewhat related, I don't understand how a straight sets match can qualify as one of TC's classic matches...

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First we have to define what a "top" match is, is it defined by:

A) Quality of technical ability, say forehand, backhand, serve, footwork
B) Context - is it the final of Wimbledon, or the final of a ATP 250?
C) Drama - an injury problem (e.g. Sampras puking and still beating Rafter), fan coming on the pitch (Roland Garros 2009 final), a player cheating
D) An epic come-back or the quantity of the match (time, say Isner-Mahut)
E) Special player situations (coming back from injury)

I'm sure we could think of many more.

If we are defining a top match by point A, then yes, Djokovic vs Tipsarevic would be one of the top matches of the year, the level of technical hitting, and surprisingly, even variety, from both players, was very impressive, and not many matches beat it, but the other points need to be considered.

These lists are subjective to opinion. I do think, however, that the best match this year was Federer against Djokovic at Roland Garros and many seem to agree on this, but for example, in the same tournament, Montanes against Fognini in the 4th round, had much, much more drama. It depends on what pleases the eye.

They left it up to fans voting, a match could completely suck but if their favorite is in it and won, it is a great match to them.

One of the best matches of the season was between two youngsters, the Milos Raonic- Ryan Harrison match at Indian Wells yet it isn't even considered.

There was a lot of drama and attention around the match, and Stosur did amazingly well to withstand the pressure, played a great match.

Yeah, the Federer vs. Dokovic French Open semifinal and, (as Gaudio2004 mentioned), the Federer vs. Djokovic US Open final must be in the top 3. If they're not, I'm canceling Tennis Channel...

RG Fedole was not an option

Gaudio2004 said:

First we have to define what a "top" match is, is it defined by:

A) Quality of technical ability, say forehand, backhand, serve, footwork
B) Context - is it the final of Wimbledon, or the final of a ATP 250?
C) Drama - an injury problem (e.g. Sampras puking and still beating Rafter), fan coming on the pitch (Roland Garros 2009 final), a player cheating
D) An epic come-back or the quantity of the match (time, say Isner-Mahut)
E) Special player situations (coming back from injury)

I'm sure we could think of many more.

If we are defining a top match by point A, then yes, Djokovic vs Tipsarevic would be one of the top matches of the year, the level of technical hitting, and surprisingly, even variety, from both players, was very impressive, and not many matches beat it, but the other points need to be considered.

These lists are subjective to opinion. I do think, however, that the best match this year was Federer against Djokovic at Roland Garros and many seem to agree on this, but for example, in the same tournament, Montanes against Fognini in the 4th round, had much, much more drama. It depends on what pleases the eye.

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I think that's a fair and accurate criteria.

You know they are going to throw some chick matches in there even if they were snooze fests or god forbid include Serena.

Just checked the site- nope, Fed-Djok wasn't even on the ballot/nominated. That's a shame.

Here's the link if anyone's interested in seeing the top 30 nominees:

http://www.tennischannel.com/ymc/vote.aspx

Spindiculous said:

Just checked the site- nope, Fed-Djok wasn't even on the ballot/nominated. That's a shame.

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Or how to lose any credibility! Lol

sdont said:

Or how to lose any credibility! Lol

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+1. Nominating the Men's Aussie Open Final is one way to do it. lol

Although the concept is wonderful — reflecting on the top 30 matches of the year in a month that features a dearth of live tennis — this list is an utter abomination. I haven't seen so many undeserved nominations since "Forrest Gump" won over the Academy Awards.

First, we're not really picking 30 great matches, but merely ranking the limited selection provided for us. When one sees the Murray-Djokovic Australian Open final as the first choice, your list has lost all legitimacy and you should be terminated. But when one reads the entire selection and finds the Federer-Djokovic FO semi absent (not to mention the Murray-Nadal semi there to rub salt in the wound), the offender must be defenestrated from the nearest available window.

Someone needs to tell this nominating committee that ...

1. Good matches happen before the semifinals. (How about including that Nalby-Hewitt first-round epic at the AO?)

2. Not every big final is worth including. (Somehow I think we could have survived without the Fish-Djokovic final in Montreal, though the panel had the limited sense to omit the Cinci retirement.)

3. Good matches can sometimes feature players outside the Top 10. (Why not include a rising star like Dolgopolov, Tomic or Harrison? Raonic is there, though it being a Roddick final should account for that.)

4. Tennis, despite what a few players would desire, continues past the U.S. Open. (I do understand their reasoning — those fall matches are recent in the memory while the others are months old — I just don't accept it. You can't take a survey of an entire year's worth then immediately discard some of its best offerings simply because of their temporal proximity. That would be like the Oscars ruling all autumn movies ineligible. Well, guess what, you end up handing the prize to the latest "Transformers" abortion — though, when judged in a contextual sense against the AO final, that film series comes off like "The Godfather.")

5. It's sheer stupidity — especially with ratings at stake — to show bias against the world's most popular player. (Really? Only three Federer matches — and none of them winning matches — but four for Fish and five for Murray?)

Perhaps it shouldn't surprise me due to the list's lack of imagination and variety, but it appears whoever came up with these nominees is a Nadal fan. He gets nominations in 11 out of 30 matches, one more than Djokovic even. That makes the glaring omission of the Fed-Nole FO semi — righteously condemned in the page's comments — all the more shocking. To leave off the year's best match is more than a blunder or bad taste. It's either a case of inspired absurdism or an act of tennis war.

How is Murray-Djokovic AO final even on the list. Worst match of the year.

joeri888 said:

How is Murray-Djokovic AO final even on the list. Worst match of the year.

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It's a mock up list. That's what it looks like anyway.

This list looks saner

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15455&zoneid=25

namelessone said:

It's a mock up list. That's what it looks like anyway.

This list looks saner

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=15455&zoneid=25

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Yeah, though I'd put Nadal delpo lower, because I just don't see DC as being a big occassion really. I know it was tense and stuff, but it just doesn't work for me. It's of course, all debatable, so yes, that list is pretty decent.
It's strange how Murray managed to make all his Slam matches being so boring. When has that guy ever played an epic grandslam match, one for the ages? Best I can think of are matches he duck out where he should have been winning in straights like Wawa at Wimbledon and Gasquet maybe when he wasn't priming yet.