Beyond The Big 3/4/5/6 - Who Are/Were Your Favorite Players?

[RaulRamirez]

Probably, 80% of this forum revolves around The Big 3, and I'm a part of some of those discussions.
Let's change it up: Who are, or have been, some of your favorite players - current and past - who have not had Hall of Fame careers? (So no, Fedr wouldn't apply here...) Pick up to 5.
If you'd like, give a quick reason for that (whether personality, style of play, particular shot, result, etc.)

(Yes, WTA players count as well - perhaps, separately.)
I'll throw in some names later of some of my own personal favorites.

 

[Standaa]

Radek Stepanek, Pete Sampras. I also like dr. Ivo.

Suarrez-Navarro from the WTA. And of course Genie Bouchard, but not for tennis-related reasons.

 

[KINGROGER]

Andy Roddick

 

[ak24alive]

Beyond the big4 and Stan in ATP:
Marin Cilic.


Juan Martin Delpo.
Diego Schwartzman.

Dominic Thiem.
Kevin Anderson.
Goffin.
Dimitrov.


WTA:
Simona Halep.


Sloane Stephens.
Sabalenka.
Kerber.
Kvitova.
Svitolina.
Muguruza.

 

[Hamnavoe]

Kei Nishikori - my second favourite player after Murray. I've always loved watching him play and his backhand is one of my favourites in the game.
Diego Schwartzman - I like Diego for his huge fighting spirit and his tennis is entertaining to watch too.
Andy Roddick - primarily for his witty interviews. I liked watching him play when he was on song.

Others: Ebden, Jaziri, Simon, Dolgopolov, Tsonga, Goffin, Thiem, Klizan, Tsitsipas, Lajovic, Llodra, Basilashvili

WTA: Kasatkina, Barty, Osaka, Niculescu

 

[RaulRamirez]

Radek Stepanek, Pete Sampras. I also like dr. Ivo.

Suarrez-Navarro from the WTA. And of course Genie Bouchard, but not for tennis-related reasons.

"Step" and CSN (although those my age and older may picture/hear Crosby, Stills & Nash) are interesting choices; Pete, as a Hall of Famer, is outside the range of the "OP." Yeah, I'd love to see Genie (who took too much abuse and ridicule,in my opinion) return to at least Top 15 or so.

 

[StannisTheMannis]

Zvrv

 

[Chanwan]

Good thread - and some good names already.
From the current ATP, I'll go with the following none big 3:
Stan, Delpo, Nishi, Tsonga, Fognini (when he gives somewhat of a f*ck), Schwartzmann, Goffin, Dimitrov, Shapovalov, Thiem, Tsitsipas, Verdasco, Gasquet, de Minaur, Pouille, Kohlschreiber, Kyrgios, Chardy, Lopez, Klizan, Cuevas, Gulbis, Mueller, FAA, Brown, Llodra, Mischa Z, Dolgopolov.

Edberg, Agassi, Safin and Nalby are all former favorites - as well as the magician.
Henin and Hingis on the women's side. But all these are HoF'ers.

 

[toby55555]

Yevgeny Kafelnikov (too highly ranked?), Henri Leconte,

 

[toby55555]

Radek Stepanek, Pete Sampras. I also like dr. Ivo.

Suarrez-Navarro from the WTA. And of course Genie Bouchard, but not for tennis-related reasons.

If you’re having Pete Sampras I’ll have Steffi Graf.

 

[RaulRamirez]

Good thread - and some good names already.
From the current ATP, I'll go with the following none big 3:
Stan, Delpo, Nishi, Tsonga, Fognini (when he gives somewhat of a f*ck), Schwartzmann, Goffin, Dimitrov, Shapovalov, Thiem, Tsitsipas, Verdasco, Gasquet, de Minaur, Pouille, Kohlschreiber, Kyrgios, Chardy, Lopez, Klizan, Cuevas, Gulbis, Mueller, FAA, Brown, Llodra, Mischa Z, Dolgopolov.

Edberg, Agassi, Safin and Nalby are all former favorites - as well as the magician.
Henin and Hingis on the women's side. But all these are HoF'ers.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov (too highly ranked?), Henri Leconte,

Well, Kafelnikov's not in the HOF...at least not yet...so he's eligible by my definition.

 

[carlitoo]

The Velvet Fog.

 

[RaulRamirez]

...will try to quickly throw out 4 groups of 5 current and past for both ATP and WTA, but gotta run in a couple minutes. If I accidentally throw in a Hall of Famer, please correct me.

ATP (outside of Big 6 - 4 plus Stan and Delpo): Dolgopolov, Gasquet (really, just the backhand, but), Cuevas, Monfils (even though too flaky...I'll split his spot with Fognini, love the Fog's shotmaking, but a borderline jerk), and Nishikori.

WTA: I'll throw Halep, and Stephens in as they're not surefire HOFers...yet, Radwanska, Osaka and Cirstea.

...will try to do past players later...

 

[Rafa.the.Magnificent]

So many I like! But keeping the list to five, for the currently active men I'll pick:
Monfils, Tsitsipas, Feliciano Lopez, Fognini, Thiem.

Current WTA faves would include Safarova (I love Lucie!), Kasatkina, Bertens, Kuznetsova, Keys.

 

[BrokenGears]

I like Gasquet

 

[lud]

Shapovalov - even he is kind of arrogant lately

 

[Ann]

I could pick 5 today and 5 retired... and I will.

Delpo, Tsitsipas, Sabalenka, Halep, Medvedev

Evert, Connors, McEnroe, Agassi, Navratilova

 

[Steve0904]

13 year old me loved the Roddick serve and FH.

Others are Agassi, Hewitt, and Haas.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Dimitrov, Cilic,

Zverev when he isn't passive.

 

[RaulRamirez]

I could pick 5 today and 5 retired... and I will.

Delpo, Tsitsipas, Sabalenka, Halep, Medvedev

Evert, Connors, McEnroe, Agassi, Navratilova

A little too much greatness on that list - but your prerogative.

 

[RaulRamirez]

So many I like! But keeping the list to five, for the currently active men I'll pick:
Monfils, Tsitsipas, Feliciano Lopez, Fognini, Thiem.

Current WTA faves would include Safarova (I love Lucie!), Kasatkina, Bertens, Kuznetsova, Keys.

Lucie seems like a sweetheart (I'm not trying to be patronizing), but I just don't have a strong sense of her game. I have trouble warming up to Keys's game, but I like her.

 

[duaneeo]

Hewitt, Soderling, Safin

 

[Rosstour]

Dimitrov: he strangely looks a bit like me. And I can identify with the lifetime of unmet expectations.

Ivanesevic

Soderling (Fed fans owe him so much)

Mary Pierce

Amanda Coetzer

Baghdatis

 

[Meles]

Early Simon, Gonzo and his forehand, plus Gulbis if you turn back the hands of time a little. Magnus Norman, Mecir, and Curren going way back.

In current Strong Era:
Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Shapovalov, Rublev, Coric, Zverev, Thiem (of course), Tiafoe, de Minaur, Auger-Alliasime, Ruud, Molleker, Korda, and possibly Hurkacz who reminds of a big version of Murray (past fave among big 4).

 

[StanIsTheMan]

No love for Berdych here, definitely far away from the GOATs but always enjoyed watching him play. Other than him Stan, Delpo, Roddick and Haas. I'm starting to like Coric.

 

[NatF]

Hewitt, Roddick, Del Potro, Wawrinka, Fognini

Come to mind first.

 

[NastyWinners]

For me on the current mens side it would be Goffin, Kohlschreiber, Nishikori, Dimitrov, and Thiem.

"NextGen" that I enjoy watching are De Minaur, Tsisti, and Coric.

On the retired side, I loved watching Hewitt, Blake and Haas.

 

[HetTheGreaterer]

Agassi
Safin
Hewitt
Roddick
(I would really love to sue fed for destroying these 3 plus nalby)
Nalbandian
Ferrer

 

[Azure]

It's hard to check on who's got the HoF but on the WTA side some of my favs who played under the shadow of greats in no particular order

ASV, Dementieva, Schiavone, Carla Suarrez Navarro, Sabatini

 

[Azure]

I could pick 5 today and 5 retired... and I will.

Delpo, Tsitsipas, Sabalenka, Halep, Medvedev

Evert, Connors, McEnroe, Agassi, Navratilova

Your list is awesome but all dominated the field at some point! - the past greats that is...

 

[Bender]

Out of the current active players, I enjoy watching (in no particular order):

• Stanimal
• Tsonga
• Thiem
• Nishikori
• Edmund
• Tsitsipas
• Verdasco
• Gasquet
• Kyrgios

 

[Bartelby]

 

[EloQuent]

Current 4-6, Delpo. But I'm on the lookout for the next crop with Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Khachanov, Edmund, Coric all young guys in the 11-20 rank. Some of them will break top 10 or 5.

 

[Federer and Del Potro]

Del Bro Tro
Tomas Berdych
Tommy Haas
Julien Benneteau
Jo Willy Tsonga

 

[Checkmate]

Beyond The Big 6, I like and try to watch :

Ernests Gulbis
Dustin Brown
Feliciano Lopez
Fognini Fabio
Hyeon Chung
Gael Monfils

 

[SPMoney]

Gael Monfils is the only right answer. He's the greatest athlete ever to play our sport. I'd leave a Federer match to watch Monfils.