Challenge: Can anyone find a longer time-span which involves fewer players than this record?

[TimHenmanATG]

In the last 83 years, just three players have separated Bill Lurie (US amateur who debuted in 1935) and Dominic Thiem.

1935 - US Championships - Henry Culley beat Bill Lurie.

1954 - US Championships - Roy Emerson bet Bill Lurie.

1968- US Open - Roy Emerson beat Jeff Borowiak

1984 - Kitzbühel - Thomas Muster beat Jeff Borowiak.

2011 - Vienna - Dominic Thiem beat Thomas Muster.

 

[jukka1970]

First off I love Tim Henman so great Pic. I don't always understand some threads. What is the record entailing?

 

[TimHenmanATG]

First off I love Tim Henman so great Pic. I don't always understand some threads. What is the record entailing?

I'm trying to find the fewest number of players who have indirectly met in official matches over the longest number of years.

So, in this example, Thiem played Muster, Muster played Borowiak, Borowiak played Emerson, Emerson played Lurie.

1935-2018 (83 years) is the time-span between Lurie and Thiem playing, and they are connected by only three players.

 

[Tornes]

In the last 83 years, just three players have separated Bill Lurie (US amateur who debuted in 1935) and Dominic Thiem.

1935 - US Championships - Henry Culley beat Bill Lurie.

1954 - US Championships - Roy Emerson bet Bill Lurie.

1968- US Open - Roy Emerson beat Jeff Borowiak

1984 - Kitzbühel - Thomas Muster beat Jeff Borowiak.

2011 - Vienna - Dominic Thiem beat Thomas Muster.

2016 Wimbledon - Nick Kyrgios beat Radek Štěpánek
1995 Czech Moravian Masters - Jan Kodeš beat Radek Štěpánek
1970 Masters - Ken Rosewall beat Jan Kodeš
1956 Deauville Colonel Kuntz Cup - Ken Rosewall beat Marcel Bernard
1931 Roland Garros - Marcel Bernard beat Ahmed Shukry

3 players between Kyrgios and Bernard, longer span.

 

[Tornes]

2016 Wimbledon - Nick Kyrgios beat Radek Štěpánek
1995 Czech Moravian Masters - Jan Kodeš beat Radek Štěpánek
1970 Masters - Ken Rosewall beat Jan Kodeš
1956 Deauville Colonel Kuntz Cup - Ken Rosewall beat Marcel Bernard
1931 Roland Garros - Marcel Bernard beat Ahmed Shukry

3 players between Kyrgios and Bernard, longer span.

There surely are also other combinations, like:

1923 Wimbledon Norman ***** [GBR] d. Gentien
1949 Roland Garros Gonzales d. Coco Gentien [FRA]
1973 Los Angeles Jimmy Connors [USA] d. Gonzales
1992 Vienna (8)Fabrice Santoro [FRA] d. Connors
2009 Moscow (7)Fabrice Santoro [FRA] d. (WC)Kuznetsov

3 players between ***** and Kuznetsov, 86 years long span.

or even better

1932 USO Parker d. Sadakazu Onda [JPN]
1971 Hampton Jaime Fillol [CHI] d. Parker
1998 Santiago CH (6)Andre Sa [BRA] d. (WC)Fillol
2016 Irving CH (5)Norrie d. Andre Sa [BRA]

Just two players between Parker and Norrie in span of 84 years.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

2016 Wimbledon - Nick Kyrgios beat Radek Štěpánek
1995 Czech Moravian Masters - Jan Kodeš beat Radek Štěpánek
1970 Masters - Ken Rosewall beat Jan Kodeš
1956 Deauville Colonel Kuntz Cup - Ken Rosewall beat Marcel Bernard
1931 Roland Garros - Marcel Bernard beat Ahmed Shukry

3 players between Kyrgios and Bernard, longer span.

Nice one.

This is exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for,

I always think of Štěpánek as more of a 2000s kind of guy. Whereas, I think of Kodeš as being a historic name from the past.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

There surely are also other combinations, like:

1932 USO Parker d. Sadakazu Onda [JPN]
1971 Hampton Jaime Fillol [CHI] d. Parker
1998 Santiago CH (6)Andre Sa [BRA] d. (WC)Fillol
2016 Irving CH (5)Norrie d. Andre Sa [BRA]

Just two players between Parker and Norrie in span of 84 years.

How old must ''Parker'' have been in 1971, if he also played in 1932?

I remember Arvind Parmar (British player turned coach) beating Andre Sa in a 5-set epic at Wimbledon around 2001.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

On ATG level, only three players separate Fedal and Bill Tilden, who played his first matches before WWI.

several pro matches in 1951-52 - Gonzales beat Tilden

1971 LA F - Gonzales beat Connors

1988/89 USO QF - Agassi beat Connors

2005 Montreal F - Nadal beat Agassi

 

[jm1980]

On ATG level, only three players separate Fedal and Bill Tilden, who played his first matches before WWI.

several pro matches in 1951-52 - Gonzales beat Tilden

1971 LA F - Gonzales beat Connors

1988/89 USO QF - Agassi beat Connors

2005 Montreal F - Nadal beat Agassi

Where's Federer in this?

 

[Tornes]

How old must ''Parker'' have been in 1971, if he also played in 1932?

I remember Arvind Parmar (British player turned coach) beating Andre Sa in a 5-set epic at Wimbledon around 2001.

Frank Parker, born on 31 January 1916. First slam match played as 16 years old, last slam match as 52 yo in 68 USO, last official match as 55 yo in Hampton.

 

[Tornes]

Where's Federer in this?

He said Fedal. You can of course change Nadal for Federer and nothing change, so there he is.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Where's Federer in this?

Everyone should know Federer and Agassi played many matches so I shouldn't need to mention them.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

On ATG level, only three players separate Fedal and Bill Tilden, who played his first matches before WWI.

several pro matches in 1951-52 - Gonzales beat Tilden

1971 LA F - Gonzales beat Connors

1988/89 USO QF - Agassi beat Connors

2005 Montreal F - Nadal beat Agassi

How far does the Tilden record go back?

Sir Fred Perry was prolific during the 30s, and Anthony ''GOAT'' Wilding was the doyen of tennis before his untimely demise during the so-called ''Great War''.

 

[Tornes]

On ATG level, only three players separate Fedal and Bill Tilden, who played his first matches before WWI.

several pro matches in 1951-52 - Gonzales beat Tilden

1971 LA F - Gonzales beat Connors

1988/89 USO QF - Agassi beat Connors

2005 Montreal F - Nadal beat Agassi

When played Gonzales with Tilden? Cannot find it.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

When played Gonzales with Tilden? Cannot find it.

They didn't meet in tournament play tbh, think those were one-night stands so this is a bit artificial. I certainly recall reading something about that here, anyway - ask someone like krosero for confirmation if you want to, I guess, I'm just a reader and don't keep notes.

 

[Tornes]

They didn't meet in tournament play tbh, think those were one-night stands so this is a bit artificial. I certainly recall reading something about that here, anyway - ask someone like krosero for confirmation if you want to, I guess, I'm just a reader and don't keep notes.

Found some in Former tennis players section - according https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/pancho-gonzalez-career-stats.563013 they played several matches so you are right.

Ok, so with this knowledge and accepting pro tour we have:

1912 USO Wallace Ford Johnson [USA] d. Tilden Ii
1951 Salt Lake Gonzalez d. Tilden 10-8, 7-5
1973 Los Angeles Jimmy Connors [USA] d. Gonzales
1992 Vienna (8)Santoro d. Jimmy Connors [USA]
2009 Moscow (7)Santoro d. (WC)Andrey Kuznetsov [RUS]

 

[jukka1970]

I'm trying to find the fewest number of players who have indirectly met in official matches over the longest number of years.

So, in this example, Thiem played Muster, Muster played Borowiak, Borowiak played Emerson, Emerson played Lurie.

1935-2018 (83 years) is the time-span between Lurie and Thiem playing, and they are connected by only three players.

thank you for the explanation, now I get it

 

[Poisoned Slice]

This thread is way too intelligent for me. I like it.

Interesting to hear about Frank Parker.