Big 3 top 3 toughest slam wins

[mike danny]

All the Big 3 have won well over 12 slams, but among all their slam wins, what would you say were their 3 toughest wins?What are the 3 toughest slam wins the big 3 have ever won? The order of that top 3 matters, from strongest to 3rd strongest.

My top 3 choices, from strongest to 3rd strongest, are the following:

Federer:

1. AO 2017
2. Wimb 2009
3. FO 2009

Nadal:

1. AO 2009
2. FO 2013
3. Wimb 2008

Djokovic:

1. AO 2012
2. USO 2011
3. Wimb 2018

For Nadal, the order of 2 and 3 was a bit trickier because, while he beat a prime Fed on his best surface at 2008 Wimb vs beating Novak on clay, at the 2013 FO his draw was actually pretty tough filled with several players who could play well on clay from the 4th round onwards. At 2008 Wimb, his draw to the final was really weak.

So what are your choices?

 

[NatF]

All the Big 3 have won well over 12 slams, but among all their slam wins, what would you say were their 3 toughest wins?What are the 3 toughest slam wins the big 3 have ever won? The order of that top 3 matters, from strongest to 3rd strongest.

My top 3 choices, from strongest to 3rd strongest, are the following:

Federer:

1. AO 2017
2. Wimb 2009
3. FO 2009

Nadal:

1. AO 2009
2. FO 2013
3. Wimb 2008

Djokovic:

1. AO 2012
2. USO 2011
3. Wimb 2018

For Nadal, the order of 2 and 3 was a bit trickier because, while he beat a prime Fed on his best surface at 2008 Wimb vs beating Novak on clay, at the 2013 FO his draw was actually pretty tough filled with several players who could play well on clay from the 4th round onwards. At 2008 Wimb, his draw to the final was really weak.

So what are your choices?

For Djokovic Wimbledon 2014 would be my #3,

For Federer I'd pick Wimbledon 2004 over 2009.

Nadal's is probably right - despite the Wimbledon 2008 F being clearly >> the FO 2013 SF

 

[Phoenix1983]

Federer, the GOAT:

1. 2017 AO
2. 2009 FO
3. 2004 AO

Nadal:

1. 2009 AO
2. 2008 W
3. 2013 FO

Novak Djokovic:

1. 2012 AO
2. 2018 W
3. 2016 FO

This exercise is easy for Nadal, since the above are the only three difficult paths he had to win slams (all other FO victories were fairly straightforward, all his USO runs have been comparatively easy, as was his 2010 W win)

 

[Sport]

Nadal
Wimbledon 2008
US Open 2013
Australian Open 2009

Federer
Wimbledon 2012
Wimbledon 2007
Australian Open 2017

Djokovic
US Open 2011
Wimbledon 2018
Wimbledon 2014

 

[NatF]

US Open 2013

 

[Phoenix1983]

1R Harrison in 3 sets
2R Dutra da Silva in 3 sets
3R Dodig in 3 sets
4R Kohlschreiber in 4 sets
QF Robredo in 3 sets
SF Gasquet in 3 sets
F Novak Djokovic in 4 sets

 

[mike danny]

He is going to tell you how he beat peak 26 year old Djokovic

 

[mike danny]

Nadal
Wimbledon 2008
US Open 2013
Australian Open 2009

Federer
Wimbledon 2012
Wimbledon 2007
Australian Open 2017

Djokovic
US Open 2011
Wimbledon 2018
Wimbledon 2014

No way is AO 2009 the 3rd strongest behind the other 2 an no way is AO 2017 behind those other 2.

 

[NatF]

He is going to tell you how he beat peak 26 year old Djokovic

Yup. Going to copy and paste one of his stock replies.

Not his fault though, guy wasn't even following tennis in 2015 let alone in 2013 - probably never seen the 2013 final.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

beating Novak on clay, at the 2013 FO his draw was actually pretty tough filled with several players who could play well on clay from the 4th round onwards.

Let's be objective. Nishikori was still a baby mug, Stan was tired after the epic with Gasquet (of course it's lol worthy to have one with Richard) and Ferrer is basically a bye especially in a final.

 

[mike danny]

Let's be objective. Nishikori was still a baby mug, Stan was tired after the epic with Gasquet (of course it's lol worthy to have one with Richard) and Ferrer is basically a bye especially in a final.

Yes, but it's still a tougher draw than his 2008 Wimb one to the final. His last 4 opponents could all play on clay.

 

[BrokenGears]

Djokovic
AO 2012
USO 2011
AO 2011/AO 2013/Wimby 2014

Clearly obvious who has had the toughest draws. Djokovic has played the Fedr-Nadl combo so many times and has played two of the big 4 in one tournament even more times.

 

[mike danny]

For Djokovic Wimbledon 2014 would be my #3,

For Federer I'd pick Wimbledon 2004 over 2009.

Nadal's is probably right - despite the Wimbledon 2008 F being clearly >> the FO 2013 SF

I guess my decision was influenced by the 2009 Wimb final which ended at 16-14 in the 5th set. It is an even bigger deal now given the new format

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Yes, but it's still a tougher draw than his 2008 Wimb one to the final. His last 4 opponents could all play on clay.

Schuttler reached his peak in the strong era

 

[mike danny]

Djokovic
AO 2012
USO 2011
AO 2011/AO 2013/Wimby 2014

The bolded wasn't tough. He really should have won that tournament in straights.

I picked Wimb 2018 due to the extraordinary circumstances of that match: Djokovic having won no titles in the past 52 weeks, having no big wins and having no momentum vs Nadal having everything on his side. I'm actually impressed Novak pulled it off really.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Novak Djokovic:
2. 2018 W
3. 2016 FO

I consider these as some of his weakest wins.

 

[NatF]

I guess my decision was influenced by the 2009 Wimb final which ended at 16-14 in the 5th set. It is an even bigger deal now given the new format

Road to the final was tougher in 2004, also while Arod in 2009 may have been playing at a consistently high level I do think Arod in 2004 was arguably better.

 

[BrokenGears]

The bolded wasn't tough. He really should have won that tournament in straights.

I picked Wimb 2018 due to the extraordinary circumstances of that match: Djokovic having won no titles in the past 52 weeks, having no big wins and having no momentum vs Nadal having everything on his side. I'm actually impressed Novak pulled it off really.

On paper it should have been tough, Novak just shredded.

Wimby 2018 win was def legitimized by Nadal. Great tournament and tough draw for Novak 2018, but playing two of big 4 is very good

 

[mike danny]

Road to the final was tougher in 2004, also while Arod in 2009 may have been playing at a consistently high level I do think Arod in 2004 was arguably better.

Good point

I guess Fed doesn't necessarily have to play a 5 setter for a win to be considered tough.

 

[NatF]

Good point

I guess Fed doesn't necessarily have to play a 5 setter for a win to be considered tough.

Federer's return game on grass in 2004 was scary good, by comparison I think 2009 Fed would find breaking 2004 Roddick very hard. Having said that Federer didn't play his best in 2004 in the final - tougher conditions though with the rain etc...

 

[Phoenix1983]

I consider these as some of his weakest wins.

It’s about the context of them rather than the players faced, i.e. completing the career slam and winning his comeback slam.

 

[Pheasant]

For Fed, I've got:

1. 2009 FO: He beat Peak Delpo and a zoning Soderling. Given the pressure of winning the calendar slam, along with clawing his way back to #1 puts this #1 to me. To be fair, this wasn't the best version of Fed. But it was enough.
2. 2012 Wimby. He beat Peak Djoker and Peak Murray to raise the trophy.
3. 2004 Wimby. He beat a young bomb-serving Karlovic, Peak Hewitt, and Peak Roddick. This was the best version of Fed and the best version of Roddick that I've seen. .
4. 2017 AO. Fed is 9-0 vs Berdych since switching rackets. So this win was no big deal, even though Berdych was a top-10 player here. Peak Nishi gave Fed the occasional challenges. So Fed gets some points here. Fed owns Peak Stan away from clay 19-0. Fed really showed his rust in this match. So I don't give Fed many points here since Fed's wins over Stan away from clay are practically automatic. But Fed slayed his demons with Nadal here. Nadal is 90% of the reason why this event makes Fed's list. This version of Fed would have been blown off of the court by Peak Roddick, or potentially outgrinded by Peak Hewitt. People forget that guys like Hewitt and Nalbandian owned Fed badly until Fed hit his 2004 stride. Any dip in level by Fed allowed Nalbandian to take him down(see late 2007 when Fed was exhausted and no longer destroying people like he did from late 2003-early 2007).

 

[Enceladus]

Fedex:
1. French Open 2009 - Two difficult matches against Haas and del Potro, this victory decided, that Fed owns Career Grand Slam.
2. Australian Open 2017 - Return on the courts after a half-year break, three five-sets matches (Nishikori, Wawrinka, Nadal), victory over its Nemesis in the final.
3. Wimbledon 2009 - Victory in the final, whose fifth set finished 16:14 (against Roddick), Fedex surpassed Sampras record.

Rafa:
1. Wimbledon 2008 - Due to the famous final thriller against Fed, which Rafa won 9:7 in the decisive set.
2. Australian Open 2009 - Two heavy matches in the semifinal (Verdasco) and final (Federer).
3. French Open 2013 - Victory over Djoker in a five-sets match in the semifinal.

Djoker:
1. Wimbledon 2014 - Difficult matches with Cilic and Federer, the final win over Fed allowed Novak to repair weakened psychic power.
2. Australian Open 2012 - Two heavy matches in the semifinal (Murray) and final. The final against Nadal became the longest GS final (5 hours 53 minutes) and the longest match of AO history.
3. US Open 2011 / Wimbledon 2018 - At the US Open 2011, Djoker won over both Fedal duo members, Djoker defeated Fedex from 0-2 to sets and turned away two MPs. Wimbledon 2018 returned Djoker back to the winning wave, victory over Rafa in a five-sets match in the semifinal.

 

[Incognito]

For Djokovic Wimbledon 2014 would be my #3,

For Federer I'd pick Wimbledon 2004 over 2009.

Nadal's is probably right - despite the Wimbledon 2008 F being clearly >> the FO 2013 SF

Yeah, Rafa was at the top of his powers in 2008 wim, but in 2013 RG he was far from his best IMO. So in a way they presented different types of difficulties.