Change one slam to make your favorite better

[TripleATeam]

Ok, so imagine you had control of every point being played in a match for any one slam in history. You cannot change seedings or the draw. How can you make your favorite player even better? You should also assume that nothing else that follows in your favorite's career changes.

For Djokovic, I think I would have picked 2011 RG. That year (and 2012) was as close as you could get to all of the big 3 playing their best. I would make it so that Nadal would be winning his matches 6-0, 6-1, and 6-2. Nobody could even touch him. For Djokovic, I would want him to play Fognini, win in 3, then play Federer and win in 4 tight sets. Then in the final, I would want a close 5-setter where Djokovic wins. CYGS at the end of 2011, unbroken streak of 59 wins, beat prime Nadal at RG.

 

[Standaa]

this is a good post on the subject that I remember

Federer: Probably RG07 final. The win gives him a CYGS as well as 6 slams in a row. And it's beating Rafa at RG. I'd pick 07 over 06 as Nadal was more established in 07 so the victory would be more impressive. No talk of 'baby Rafa'. I think Fed would pick Wimbledon 08

Nadal: AO17 final probably. Gives him double career slam, another 3 slam year plus takes away Federer's all important win there. I think he might pick AO12

Djokovic: I would say RG12 final. I do think CYGS is more impressive than NCYGS, but a NCYGS beating peak Rafa at RG, and indeed beating him at 4 slams in a row, would be utterly insane. I think he might pick RG13 SF but not sure.

Murray: AO16 final. It gives him a win there over peak Novak and also makes 2016 a multislam year for him. I think he would pick Wimbledon 2012

 

[TripleATeam]

this is a good post on the subject that I remember

Yeah, definitely not bad, but I think Murray might have wanted to win RG 08 - he was in Nadal's section that year so he could have gone through Nadal, Djokovic, and then Federer. If he did that, it might be remembered as one of the greatest slam wins of all time.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

Nadal. AO 12 final. Graf RG 92 final.

 

[Aabye5]

Federer - 2015 USO
Nadal - 2014 AO
Djokovic - 2016 USO
S. Williams - 2015 USO

 

[Hamnavoe]

For Murray, the one I'm changing is the 2016 US Open.

Firstly and most obviously I'm giving Andy the title, negotiating Nishikori, Wawrinka and Djokovic consecutively.

Secondly, I'm going to have Nadal losing to Istomin in the first round. All other results stay as they were.

This means Murray earns an extra 1640 points, meaning he can cut tournaments from his end of 2016 schedule (Vienna/Beijing) and still enter 2017 as number one, with less physical and mental fatigue on his body to boot.

Then we come to the 2017 Australian Open. Murray is top seed, and, fresher than he was, cruises into the quarters. Waiting for him there is now the winner of section 2, featuring seeds 5, 10 and 17 - who, as a result of changes to the USO results, are now Wawrinka, Nadal and Federer respectively.

While Istomin takes out Djokovic for a second Big 3 upset in as many slams, Fedal and Wawrinka are busy killing each other, making for easy pickings for a well rested Murray in the quarter finals. #4 seed Nishikori awaits in the semis but retires early, suffering from a paper cut attained while signing autographs after a five set quarter final win over Tsonga in which he broke both of his wrists twice.

The victor of a bruising semi between a zoning Dimitrov and botting Raonic awaits Andy in the final, and are eventually brushed aside as Murray secures slam #5 and world dominance.

I've just realised I've ignored the "assume that nothing else follows" part but I like my narrative too much.

 

[Hamnavoe]

If I'm assuming no other changes I guess I'll have Murray triple bagelling Djokovic and Nadal back to back at AO 2012 for the lols.

 

[ollinger]

2009 FO: Soderling takes out Rafa but then Federer loses to Gulbis in the final

 

[SinneGOAT]

Any Nadal Australian Open final. That’s the one he could have gotten more of.

 

[Hamnavoe]

Andrew Castle builds on his epic Queens run and wins Wimbledon 1986 without dropping a set.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Andy Murray wins Australian Open 2013.

 

[Kralingen]

Nishikori winning USO 2014 would have been epic. First (male) Asian Grand Slam winner in history and I really think he deserved it. I’m happy for Cilic as well but Nishikori would have been a much better story.

 

[Hamnavoe]

Bogdanovic wins Wimbledon 2004.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Bogdanovic wins Wimbledon 2004.

Rob Page wins strictly come dancing 2018.

 

[The Blond Blur]

RAFA: 2012 AO
Chang: 1996 USO
Hewitt: 2005 AO
Rawduck: 2009 Wimby