20 years since 7-time champion Novak Djokovic and 2-time champion Andy Murray made their debuts at Wimbledon at 18, both getting knocked out in R3.

[Maddamhussein]

Djokovic lost to 9th seed Sebastien Grosjean in 4 sets (7-5 6-4 5-7 6-4)

Murray lost to 18th seed David Nalbandian in 5 sets
(6-7(6) 1-6 6-0 6-4 6-1)

 

[Razer]

Who cares????

We do care because the past shall never be back and those were good times long gone.

 

[Razer]

I WANT BAT SOUP

The mods will take you out like the trash that you are, 1 click and all of your posts are erased. Does it feel good to get kicked?

 

[Valerie]

The mods will take you out like the trash that you are, 1 click and all of your posts are erased. Does it feel good to get kicked?

I reported the post here and on another topic too.

 

[Tennfan123]

I enjoyed grosjean and Nalby more than Djokovic and Murray.

 

[Hood_Man]

I reported the post here and on another topic too.

I've reported several and now I've just blocked them.

 

[Mustard]

Djokovic lost to 9th seed Sebastien Grosjean in 4 sets (7-5 6-4 5-7 6-4)

Murray lost to 18th seed David Nalbandian in 5 sets
(6-7(6) 1-6 6-0 6-4 6-1)

I remember Murray's loss to Nalbandian much more. It was on Centre Court, with Sean Connery in attendance. At that time, i.e. summer of 2005, Murray was 18 and had issues with cramping.

 

[helterskelter]

Making R3 is really impressive when you are 18 years old. There hasn't been an 18-year-old slam finalist since 1989, after all.

@RaulRamirez Fonseca should take heart in matching the accomplishments of Djokovic and Murray at the same age. Though Bernard Tomic made the QFs at 18, so you can't know what the future holds for a young player.

 

[Mustard]

The following year at 2006 Wimbledon, at age 19, Murray beat Roddick, the runner-up of the previous two years, in straight sets in the third round, but then lost to Baghdatis in straight sets in the fourth round.

 

[helterskelter]

The following year at 2006 Wimbledon, at age 19, Murray beat Roddick, the runner-up of the previous two years, in straight sets in the third round, but then lost to Baghdatis in straight sets in the fourth round.

Remind me why he didn't play in 2007.

It was a few years in a row in which he had a big win that he failed to follow up at all well, as in 2008, he had the comeback from two sets and a break down against Gasquet (who served for it at 7-5 6-3 5-4) to make his first QF, but then lost 3-6 2-6 4-6 against Nadal. I remember thinking at the time that Gasquet would have given Nadal more of a test than Murray did - after all, he was a game away from beating Murray pretty convincingly. But given Gasquet's career record against Nadal, perhaps I was wrong.

 

[Mustard]

Remind me why he didn't play in 2007.

A wrist injury, sustained while he was leading 5-1 against Volandri in the first set of his first round match at 2007 Hamburg, putting him out of tennis for 3 months.

It was a few years in a row in which he had a big win that he failed to follow up at all well, as in 2008, he had the comeback from two sets and a break down against Gasquet (who served for it at 7-5 6-3 5-4) to make his first QF, but then lost 3-6 2-6 4-6 against Nadal. I remember thinking at the time that Gasquet would have given Nadal more of a test than Murray did - after all, he was a game away from beating Murray pretty convincingly. But given Gasquet's career record against Nadal, perhaps I was wrong.

The match against Gasquet at 2008 Wimbledon, where Murray won from 2 sets and a break down, was a before and after moment of Murray's career. It changed everything. Nadal absolutely crushed Murray in the quarter final in one of Nadal's best performances.

 

[Mustard]

I remember thinking at the time that Gasquet would have given Nadal more of a test than Murray did

When they were young kids, Gasquet apparently beat Nadal more often than vice versa. The last time that Gasquet beat Nadal was in France in 2003 in a challenger tournament, when Nadal retired injured. The next time that they met after that was at 2004 Estoril, when Nadal carried on playing despite an ankle stress fracture, being determined to send a message to Gasquet that he wasn't going to retire against him because of injury again. Nadal beat Gasquet that day and missed the next 3 months of tennis. In 2005, commentators were talking up their future rivalry during their close semi final at 2005 Monte Carlo, and even at the 2005 French Open (Nadal won that in straight sets). Gasquet never beat Nadal again after 2003, and never did on the main ATP tour.

As for a hypothetical 2008 Wimbledon quarter final between Nadal and Gasquet, I think it's straight sets to Nadal considering Nadal's form at the time. Nadal beat Youzhny in straight sets convincingly, a contrast to the year before and Youzhny usually pushed Nadal or beat him.

 

[helterskelter]

A wrist injury, sustained while he was leading 5-1 against Volandri in the first set of his first round match at 2007 Hamburg, putting him out of tennis for 3 months.


The match against Gasquet at 2008 Wimbledon, where Murray won from 2 sets and a break down, was a before and after moment of Murray's career. It changed everything. Nadal absolutely crushed Murray in the quarter final in one of Nadal's best performances.

Thanks for the reminder.

Bit of a before and after moment of Gasquet's career, too, I think!

 

[Mustard]

Thanks for the reminder.

Bit of a before and after moment of Gasquet's career, too, I think!

And also that Gasquet tested positive for cocaine in 2009, and claimed that it happened because he had kissed a female stripper in a nightclub. A lot of people laughed.

 

[helterskelter]

And also that Gasquet tested positive for cocaine in 2009, and claimed that it happened because he had kissed a female stripper in a nightclub. A lot of people laughed.

I remember. An excuse as ludicrous, but not quite so complicated, as that from last summer.

 

[zagor]

Djokovic lost to 9th seed Sebastien Grosjean in 4 sets (7-5 6-4 5-7 6-4)

Murray lost to 18th seed David Nalbandian in 5 sets
(6-7(6) 1-6 6-0 6-4 6-1)

Sean Connery was in the stands if I remember correctly.

 

[Mustard]

Thanks for the reminder.

Brad Gilbert was Murray's coach at the time (July 2006 to November 2007). Gilbert never got to coach Murray at Wimbledon, but Murray got into the top 10 for the first time in April 2007, and peaked at world number 8 while Gilbert coached him, in June/July 2007 before his Wimbledon fourth round points from the previous year came off the rankings computer.

 

[Rebel-I.N.S]

Djokovic lost to 9th seed Sebastien Grosjean in 4 sets (7-5 6-4 5-7 6-4)

Murray lost to 18th seed David Nalbandian in 5 sets
(6-7(6) 1-6 6-0 6-4 6-1)

The only time in Murray’s career that he lost from two sets up. Impressive record.

 

[Mustard]

The only time in Murray’s career that he lost from two sets up. Impressive record.

Only once for Djokovic too, i.e. 2010 French Open QF vs. Melzer.

3 times for Nadal, i.e. 2005 Key Biscayne F vs. Federer, 2015 US Open R32 vs. Fognini, 2021 Australian Open QF vs. Tsitsipas

4 times for Federer, i.e. 2003 Davis Cup SF vs. Hewitt, 2005 YEC F vs. Nalbandian, 2011 Wimbledon QF vs. Tsonga, 2011 US Open SF vs. Djokovic.

Edit: 5 times for Federer, also 2018 Wimbledon QF vs. Anderson.

 

[BigThreeForever]

Only once for Djokovic too, i.e. 2010 French Open QF vs. Melzer.

3 times for Nadal, i.e. 2005 Key Biscayne F vs. Federer, 2015 US Open R32 vs. Fognini, 2021 Australian Open QF vs. Tsitsipas

4 times for Federer, i.e. 2003 Davis Cup SF vs. Hewitt, 2005 YEC F vs. Nalbandian, 2011 Wimbledon QF vs. Tsonga, 2011 US Open SF vs. Djokovic.

Forgot the 2018 Wimbledon quarterfinal between Federer and Anderson where Federer lost from 2 sets up, so five in total.

 

[Mustard]

Forgot the 2018 Wimbledon quarterfinal between Federer and Anderson where Federer lost from 2 sets up, so five in total.

Oh yeah. That was silly of me. Corrected.

 

[TheAssassin]

The only time in Murray’s career that he lost from two sets up. Impressive record.

Thumbs up for Riquelme

 

[Rebel-I.N.S]

Thumbs up for Riquelme

Real ones know.

I still miss Zlatan too.

 

[zagor]

The only time in Murray’s career that he lost from two sets up. Impressive record.

He's also the guy who came back the most times from 0-2. 11 I think.

 

[RS]

Real ones know.

I still miss Zlatan too.

Football FTW

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Real ones know.

I still miss Zlatan too.

Football FTW.

 

[Rebel-I.N.S]

Someone explain a ‘no touch nutmeg’ in Tennis terms.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Murray's flexing at Wimbledon is one of the iconic images of our time.

Someone explain a ‘no touch nutmeg’ in Tennis terms.

Federer's inside-out forehand sprinkled with a bit of wizardry.