2019: Greatest Back to Back Slam Semi-finals Everer?

[Meles]

With Roland Garros arguably just having had the greatest final 4 in its history and the Big 3 in their best Wimbledon form and first time together since 2007, is this the greatest back to back slam semi-finals?

Some may decry Roberto Grassista Agut, but with three straight wins on hard in recent times over Djoko plus better points won on grass career than his career average on all courts, Grassista clearly the best option out of his weak quarter to keep Novak honest.

 

[Meles]

Willing to do a poll if we have any other contenderers.

 

[Deleted member 743561]

 

[Meles]

 

[Meles]

@Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil & @Mainad , do we have back to back slam semifinals with three of the big 4? Is 2011 the only other contender with Big 4 at RG and Tsonga stopping Federer at Wimby for back to back Big 4 SFs?

2011 Auz Open had Murray and Ferrer (who beat Nadal in QF) for three of the Big 4 and of course 2011 RG. 2012 Auz Open had Big 4 and then Ferrer stopping Murray in QFs at RG.

 

[Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil]

@Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil & @Mainad , do we have back to back slam semifinals with three of the big 4?

2012 AO had the entire Big 4 in the semis with 2012 RG having the Big 3 and Ferrer. 2012 Wimbledon then had a Fedovic semifinal and Murray in the other with Tsonga.

 

[ChrisRF]

I have nothing against Bautista Agut in the SF here. I mean, the Big 3 were clear from the beginning, and someone just has to be the fourth guy. So why not the man who beat Djokovic two times this year against Djokovic? Couldn’t be much better if you ask me.

 

[Meles]

2012 AO had the entire Big 4 in the semis with 2012 RG having the Big 3 and Ferrer. 2012 Wimbledon then had a Fedovic semifinal and Murray in the other with Tsonga.

2012 AO delivered the matches and the lineup for sure. Ferrer at RG better than Agut at Wimby, so maybe one gives that the nod. The 2019 RG/Wimby combo I'd favor over the 2012 editions; Thiem >> Ferrer and for some reason 2019 Wimbledon feels more momentous than 2012.

For me the anticipation is just higher with this 2019 combo ignoring the weather report at RG. The Federer v Nadal match feels very big and despite Djoko's recent dominance over Fed at Wimby, I'm just not so sure backhanderer couldn't pull off an upset in the final. Given the last fast court slam Fedal encounter was 2017 Auz doozy plus the race for GOAT slam count to me 2019 just brings us to a tremendous crescendo despite Nole being a narrow favorite over Nadal in final. Much anticipation here in 2019 even if the handwringerers won't admit it.

 

[NoleFam]

@Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil & @Mainad , do we have back to back slam semifinals with three of the big 4? Is 2011 the only other contender with Big 4 at RG and Tsonga stopping Federer at Wimby for back to back Big 4 SFs?

2011 Auz Open had Murray and Ferrer (who beat Nadal in QF) for three of the Big 4 and of course 2011 RG. 2012 Auz Open had Big 4 and then Ferrer stopping Murray in QFs at RG.

I think Tsonga beat Federer in the QF in 2011 Wimbledon.

Edit: Nevermind, read it wrong

 

[Meles]

I have nothing against Bautista Agut in the SF here. I mean, the Big 3 were clear from the beginning, and someone just has to be the fourth guy. So why not the man who beat Djokovic two times this year against Djokovic? Couldn’t be much better if you ask me.

100% and the alternatives were at best a gassy Zverev or RaoMug/Anderson stumbling in. Servebot free tennis looks very good and these courts are firm and therefore slow so no surprise. It is hard even for Djokovic to hit through these courts, but RBA usually has the hot hand with his forehand against Nole and he was quite capable today of hitting through the very mobile Pella. I don't see how RBA does it (nor Khach if he'd somehow gotten through), but I have hope and will be looking forward to the match.

 

[Meles]

I think Tsonga beat Federer in the QF in 2011 Wimbledon.

Correct, but Murray betterer than just his Big 4 status at Wimby. Imagine if we had a healthy Murray this year in for RBA who Novak has never beaten on grass; that would have been crazy.

 

[NoleFam]

Correct, but Murray betterer than just his Big 4 status at Wimby. Imagine if we had a healthy Murray this year in for RBA who Novak has never beaten on grass; that would have been crazy.

Yes that would have been. That would been quite the ending for this Wimby.

 

[papertank]

2011 USO and 2012 AO had all of the big 4, those were the best ever IMO.

 

[N01E]

USO11-AO12 is as good as it gets. Everyone was playing great.

 

[mr tonyz]

2008 USO had a Big-4 (it's strange to say Big-4 these days) Semi-Final line-up.

 

[Meles]

2011 USO and 2012 AO had all of the big 4, those were the best ever IMO.

We have a winner! With that US Open hands down the lineup and competitive to great matches the rest of the way. Insanely busy in large parts of 2010-2012 and I remember 2012 US Open final and 2010 Nadal run, but 2011 I need to watch those matches some time; I might have missed the whole thing. 2012 Auz I saw the final, but probably missed the SFs.

 

[Meles]

2008 USO had a Big-4 (it's strange to say Big-4 these days) Semi-Final line-up.

I loved Murray's baffling of Nadal that year; that was really something and disappointed he went down so hard to Fed.

 

[Phoenix1983]

Are you just going on name recognition?

How do you know in advance that these W semis will be any good? (One of the FO semis this year wasn't, btw)

 

[Meles]

Are you just going on name recognition?

How do you know in advance that these W semis will be any good? (One of the FO semis this year wasn't, btw)

This is really on anticipated matches. At this point we have the most anticipated back to back RG/Wimby SFs as 2019. RG had all 4 top seeds through. Here at Wimby 2019 we have Big 3 in fine form plus RBA as bad matchup for Djoko.

The big winner is 2011 US Open and 2012 Auz where we had back to back Big 4 in prime form. Those had the anticipation and delivered. 2019 RG only Thiem v Djoko delivered and really the wind/weather destroyed much of what could have been.