Best slam result past the age of 30

[Oceans II]

For every player (excluding Big 3) who finished in the year-end top 10 since 2003:

* = Current player (can't judge completely)

Grosjean - 1 x 2R
Philippoussis - N/A
Nalbandian - 1 x 2R
Moya - 2 x QF
Schuettler - 1 x SF
Coria - N/A
Agassi - 2 x W
Ferrero - 1 x 4R
Roddick - N/A
Gaudio - 1 x 1R
Henman - 1 x 3R
Safin - N/A
Hewitt - 2 x 4R
Ljubicic - 1 x 4R
Davydenko - 2 x 3R
Gonzalez - 1 x 3R
Ancic - N/A
Robredo - 2 x QF
Blake - 2 x 3R

Schuettler next best result is a few 2R.

 

[Oceans II]

Gasquet - 1 x 4R *
Ferrer - 1 x F
Del Potro - 1 x 4R *
Simon - 1 x QF *
Tsonga - 1 x SF
Murray - 1 x SF *
Verdasco - 4 x 4R *
Soderling - N/A
Youzhny - 1 x QF
Berdych - 2 x SF
Almagro - 2 x 3R
Tipsarevic - 3 x 2R
Fish - 2 x 4R

Ferrer, Tsonga, Berdych consistent with other great results.

 

[Oceans II]

Wawrinka - 2 x W *
Cilic - 1 x SF *
Raonic - 1 x 4R *
Nishikori - 1 x 4R *
Monfils - 2 x QF *

 

[helterskelter]

Wawrinka 2 x W
Anderson 2 x F
Isner 1 x SF

 

[Oceans II]

Carreno Busta - 1 x 4R *
Goffin - 1 x QF *
Dimitrov - 1 x 3R *

 

[Oceans II]

Isner - 1 x SF *
Anderson - 2 x F *
Bautista Agut - 1 x SF *

Discuss!

 

[socallefty]

The two reasons used to describe why the Big 2 are winning all the Slams at their age is 1) They are once in a lifetime GOAT contenders or 2) The NextGen sucks. Sounds like the results above showing poor results for other >30 year old players supports the first view as no one else won so much once they got old. The other old guys are not beating the NextGen players.

 

[MichaelNadal]

The two reasons used to describe why the Big 2 are winning all the Slams at their age is 1) They are once in a lifetime GOAT contenders or 2) The NextGen sucks. Sounds like the results above showing poor results for other >30 year old players supports the first view as no one else won so much once they got old. The other old guys are not beating the NextGen players.

Exactly.

 

[Spencer Gore]

The Big Two are just a class above, and Roger wasn't that far behind them.

 

[BGod]

The two reasons used to describe why the Big 2 are winning all the Slams at their age is 1) They are once in a lifetime GOAT contenders or 2) The NextGen sucks. Sounds like the results above showing poor results for other >30 year old players supports the first view as no one else won so much once they got old. The other old guys are not beating the NextGen players.

How so? Guys like Anderson, Isner, Agut, Berdych still being competitive is the point. While also recognizing draws getting broken and how inconsistent NextGen are.

There's a HUGE mental aspect as well like Nadal winning AO by virtue of Shapovalov & Medvedev choking like dogs due to pressure and Nadal's guile.

 

[Sport]

How so? Guys like Anderson, Isner, Agut, Berdych still being competitive is the point. While also recognizing draws getting broken and how inconsistent NextGen are.

There's a HUGE mental aspect as well like Nadal winning AO by virtue of Shapovalov & Medvedev choking like dogs due to pressure and Nadal's guile.

Medvedev didn't choke. He played the best he could but it was not enough to defeat Nadal. Nadal too clutch.

 

[Underdog]

The two reasons used to describe why the Big 2 are winning all the Slams at their age is 1) They are once in a lifetime GOAT contenders or 2) The NextGen sucks. Sounds like the results above showing poor results for other >30 year old players supports the first view as no one else won so much once they got old. The other old guys are not beating the NextGen players.

I think it’s probably both. I fell of Murray, Wawrinka and Delpo had health, they’d be also strong contenders.

 

[Kralingen]

Every tier 1 ATG who played into their 30s (Pete and Borg exempt as they retired) has won Slams

Laver, Rosewall, Pancho, Tilden, Big 3

Agassi Lendl Connors as well had good longevity.

the idea that it’s so crazy for 35 year olds to still be good is a truly egregious lie perpetrated by salty fans tbh.

 

[abmk]

Medvedev didn't choke. He played the best he could but it was not enough to defeat Nadal. Nadal too clutch.

LMAO. Med didn't choke, Nadal was clutch LOLOL.

it'd be called choking if this was prime Nadal. Nadal was fighting but was hardly clutch. just middling as far as important points go. Med was worse. couldn't put away fhs, footwork not sharp enough for significant chunk, self destructive dropshots etc.


One of THE 3 worst chokes of the century along with RG 04 final and USO 20 final.

 

[abmk]

Every tier 1 ATG who played into their 30s (Pete and Borg exempt as they retired) has won Slams

Laver, Rosewall, Pancho, Tilden, Big 3

Agassi Lendl Connors as well had good longevity.

the idea that it’s so crazy for 35 year olds to still be good is a truly egregious lie perpetrated by salty fans tbh.

they can be good, but would never win as many slams as Djoko/Nadal are now.
I mean Agassi of AO 04/USO 04 would easily beat Med of USO 21/anyone in AO 22.
Heck Agassi of AO 05 who wasn't even top 4 by level there (Fed, Safin, Hewitt, Roddick, Nalby were better) would win AO 22.
USO 05 agassi could win vs 20 USO final thiem (pre-final thiem might edge him out) and vs med of USO 21 (question mark is if med can outlast him)

Connors didn't win a slam after USO 83 (31). This with playing well (atleast pre-final) in WIm 84 and splendid in USO 84.
Lendl's last slam was AO 90 (nearly 30). even though he played good in some slams after (AO 91, USO 92 to name the top 2)

Mac didn't win much after turning 30 either.

 

[BGod]

they can be good, but would never win as many slams as Djoko/Nadal are now.
I mean Agassi of AO 04/USO 04 would easily beat Med of USO 21/anyone in AO 22.
Heck Agassi of AO 05 who wasn't even top 4 by level there (Fed, Safin, Hewitt, Roddick, Nalby were better) would win AO 22.
USO 05 agassi could win vs 20 USO final thiem (pre-final thiem might edge him out) and vs med of USO 21 (question mark is if med can outlast him)

Connors didn't win a slam after USO 83 (31). This with playing well (atleast pre-final) in WIm 84 and splendid in USO 84.
Lendl's last slam was AO 90 (nearly 30). even though he played good in some slams after (AO 91, USO 92 to name the top 2)

Mac didn't win much after turning 30 either.

Yeah this with a disclaimer Laver, Rosewall, etc were pros entering a lower dense fields in the early 70s.

Connors and Agassi were basically the only exceptions of top contention post 30 consistently and both ran into other ATGs with Connors getting Lendl, Becker and Agassi getting Fed.

 

[Kralingen]

they can be good, but would never win as many slams as Djoko/Nadal are now.
I mean Agassi of AO 04/USO 04 would easily beat Med of USO 21/anyone in AO 22.
Heck Agassi of AO 05 who wasn't even top 4 by level there (Fed, Safin, Hewitt, Roddick, Nalby were better) would win AO 22.
USO 05 agassi could win vs 20 USO final thiem (pre-final thiem might edge him out) and vs med of USO 21 (question mark is if med can outlast him)

Connors didn't win a slam after USO 83 (31). This with playing well (atleast pre-final) in WIm 84 and splendid in USO 84.
Lendl's last slam was AO 90 (nearly 30). even though he played good in some slams after (AO 91, USO 92 to name the top 2)

Mac didn't win much after turning 30 either.

Well I said Tier 1 no?

If you aren't elite in your mid 30s you don't have a GOAT case. Pancho, Laver, Rosewall, Tilden, Big 3.

PETE and Borg do have a BOAT case and were arguably as good in their prime though, but they weren't even playing tennis in their 30s.

 

[duaneeo]

The two reasons used to describe why the Big 2 are winning all the Slams at their age is 1) They are once in a lifetime GOAT contenders or 2) The NextGen sucks.

In 2022, having played only 7 total tournaments in 2021, a rusty 35 year old past-prime Nadal beat a non-rusty 25 year old peak Medvedev in 5 sets (after being 0-2 sets down) to win his first AO title in 13 years.

NextGens suck.

 

[abmk]

Well I said Tier 1 no?

If you aren't elite in your mid 30s you don't have a GOAT case. Pancho, Laver, Rosewall, Tilden, Big 3.

PETE and Borg do have a BOAT case and were arguably as good in their prime though, but they weren't even playing tennis in their 30s.

I thought you included anyone above Edberg/Wilander/Becker as tier1 since you mentioned Lendl, Connors, Agassi.

 

[Mustard]

In 2022, having played only 7 total tournaments in 2021, a rusty 35 year old past-prime Nadal beat a non-rusty 25 year old peak Medvedev in 5 sets (after being 0-2 sets down) to win his first AO title in 13 years.

NextGens suck.

And Nadal was given a 4% chance of winning the match when he was 2 sets down and 0-1 down in the third set. That 4% must have been even lower when it was 2-3 and 0-40 in that set.