2 - 4 slam winners, who was the best?

Who was closest to being an ATG

  • Murray

    Votes: 117 56.3%
  • Hewitt

    Votes: 4 1.9%
  • Safin

    Votes: 23 11.1%
  • Kafelnikov

    Votes: 1 0.5%
  • Rafter

    Votes: 4 1.9%
  • Bruguera

    Votes: 1 0.5%
  • Keurten

    Votes: 8 3.8%
  • Wawrinka

    Votes: 26 12.5%
  • Courier

    Votes: 24 11.5%

  • Total voters
    208

Terry Tibbs

Hall of Fame
Leyton Hewitt, Andy Murray, Marat Safin, Stan Wawrinka, Jim Courier, Pat Rafter, Sergi Bruguera, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Gustavo Kuerton are players to have won 2-4 slams. Who was the best? Who do you feel under-achieved and had the potential to be an ATG?
 

michael valek

Hall of Fame
Agree with wawrinka close second because of his super hi level ability (sometimes) which no one could have foreseen 10 years ago. Rafter lucky, Hewitt boring, Safin lucky once, kuerten clay only, brugera lucky, Kafelnikov too, courier 1d.
 

Terry Tibbs

Hall of Fame
Murray or Courier, probably Murray is closest in terms of overall stats.

I would say Safin had the most potential.

Yeah. It's difficult to argue against Murray. A staggering 8 finals and 10 semis in addition to his 3 wins. Definitely for me the closest to being an ATG and he really should have been. Only 3 majors is a huge under-achievement. Shame for him that he was blocked so many times by either Federer or Djokovic. Roddick will probably feel the same who is without question the best 1 slam winner.
 

NatF

Bionic Poster
Yeah. It's difficult to argue against Murray. A staggering 8 finals and 10 semis in addition to his 3 wins. Definitely for me the closest to being an ATG and he really should have been. Only 3 majors is a huge under-achievement. Shame for him that he was blocked so many times by either Federer or Djokovic. Roddick will probably feel the same who is without question the best 1 slam winner.

I don't really think Murray underachieved considering how bang average he was in many of those slam finals but his consistency has been remarkable.
 
D

Deleted member 766172

Guest
Can’t we just give Murray ATG status? I mean come on, how unlucky (and lucky, but mostly unlucky) is he to have had to go up against the 3 GOATS to contend for slams?
 

Druss

Hall of Fame
If we're going by achievements I'd give the edge to Murray over Courier, mainly due to his incredible consistency at the top (top 4/5) over almost a decade. Bottom spot would go to Kafelnikov, without a shadow of a doubt. Safin for highest peak.
 

EdSWright

Professional
Leyton Hewitt, Andy Murray, Marat Safin, Stan Wawrinka, Jim Courier, Pat Rafter, Sergi Bruguera, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Gustavo Kuerton are players to have won 2-4 slams. Who was the best? Who do you feel under-achieved and had the potential to be an ATG?
They were all very good.
 

FD3S

Hall of Fame
In terms of total achievements and career consistency it has to go to Murray, but with that said I'd also say Courier's run at the top is unmatched by anyone on the list. At the peak of his powers the man was a monster, a wrecking ball on two legs seemingly that never, ever got tired... but when that flame petered out, that was it besides a few strong, brief flickers here and there.
 

Hitman

Bionic Poster
This debate for me was always going to be Murray v Courier. Courier and Murray both played a key part of their careers during two of the strongest periods in tennis history, and played against several ATGs. I would give to this Murray by an edge because Courier burned out too quickly IMO, and Murray was far more consistent for much longer.
 

King No1e

G.O.A.T.
It's not Murray.
It's not Courier.
It's
C%C3%A9dric%20Mourier%20.jpg
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
I voted Safin because his beast mode was easily equal to Fed or Nadal's very best (it just happened a lot less often). But Murray should be the overall pick since his career stats are by far the best of those listed.
 

RelentlessAttack

Hall of Fame
My boy Marat.

Biased answer. But he took down two GOATs on courts they like in epic fashion to win his slams.

Stan's RG15 is in the same camp for me, but his AO14 final and US16 final scalps were meh
 

JackGates

Legend
I know folk will call me biased but I really would have to give it to Murray because none of the others won as much as he did and in every single category of pro tennis tournament to boot.
What does best mean, best career? Then Murray of course. But if it means highest level of play, then Murray is not very high. But Murray was more consistent, that's why he is considered the best. You said it yourself Murray has mental problems in big matches, I don't think Wawrinka or Safin had that.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Murray.
But none are close, in my opinion to being an ATG. Great players, but the best of the best?
Nope.
 

Start da Game

Hall of Fame
don't really care, but my favourite player from this list is guga........some of the best display of tennis ever on clay........he played like an artist against peak ferrero, peak costa, peak corretja, peak kafelnikov and held the upper hand easily........
 
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Bobby Jr

G.O.A.T.
The slight flip side to this coin is Courier was in crusher mode when he faced the top in the game for a couple of years at majors. Murray never crushed vs the top guys at majors until they were mostly past their prime. Courier won 4 of his first 5 major finals including beating multiple people seeded higher than him in his first two wins.
This debate for me was always going to be Murray v Courier. Courier and Murray both played a key part of their careers during two of the strongest periods in tennis history, and played against several ATGs. I would give to this Murray by an edge because Courier burned out too quickly IMO, and Murray was far more consistent for much longer.
 

Hitman

Bionic Poster
The slight flip side to this coin is Courier was in crusher mode when he faced the top in the game for a couple of years at majors. Murray never crushed vs the top guys at majors until they were mostly past their prime. Courier won 4 of his first 5 major finals including beating multiple people seeded higher than him in his first two wins.

I agree, which is why I said it is very close, since both have merits and both played in very strong eras. Courier was certainly a better number one than Murray also, I just feel Murray edges it because a lot of his finals were against grass GOAT Federer and HC GOATs Fedovic.
 

JackGates

Legend
don't really care, but my favourite player from this list is guga........some of the best display of tennis ever on clay........he played like an artist against peak ferrero, peak costa, peak corretja, peak kafelnikov and held the upper hand easily........
He also beat peak FEd in straight sets at RG.
 

KINGROGER

G.O.A.T.
Murray has one of highest ELO ever and average height was much higher than 00s and earlier when Fed was beating midgets.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
What does best mean, best career? Then Murray of course. But if it means highest level of play, then Murray is not very high. But Murray was more consistent, that's why he is considered the best. You said it yourself Murray has mental problems in big matches, I don't think Wawrinka or Safin had that.

Well, you and I will have to agree to disagree about Murray's level of play (strangely underrated by so many on here in favour of flashier players like Safin and Stan).

Yes, Murray lacked mental strength in many of his Slam finals but his overall record in big title matches still far surpasses anything Safin or Wawrinka have achieved. Murray has 18 officially recognised big titles (3 Slams, 1 WTF, 14 Masters) plus his 2 Olympic titles so make that 20 overall. By comparison Safin has 7 (2 Slams, 5 Masters), Stan has 4 (3 Slams, 1 Masters).
 

JackGates

Legend
Well, you and I will have to agree to disagree about Murray's level of play (strangely underrated by so many on here in favour of flashier players like Safin and Stan).

Yes, Murray lacked mental strength in many of his Slam finals but his overall record in big title matches still far surpasses anything Safin or Wawrinka have achieved. Murray has 18 officially recognised big titles (3 Slams, 1 WTF, 14 Masters) plus his 2 Olympic titles so make that 20 overall. By comparison Safin has 7 (2 Slams, 5 Masters), Stan has 4 (3 Slams, 1 Masters).
So, if your life was on the line, would you pick Murray to play or Wawrinka?
 
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