The level of consistency at the top of the men's game is pretty amazing. I think Federer and his consistency raised the bar, Nadal took up and met the challenge, and Djokovic has followed suit and that is what it takes to be #1 in today's game.
Consider a few stats/streaks:
Since Federer's rise to #1 in February of 2004 the ranking has changed 6 times between three men (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic). Murray, obviously, has never been higher than #2.
Sampras became #1 for the first time in April of 1993. From that time until Federer took over, the ranking changed 34 times between 12 people (Sampras, Agassi, Courier, Muster, Rios, Moya, Kafelnikov, Rafter, Safin, Kuerten, Hewitt, Roddick).
But, more importantly are the streaks of deep tournament runs.
Beginning with the '03 Wimbledon, Federer has made 33 of 39 SF's (37 of 39 QF's), including a streak of 23 straight SF's and an active streak of 35 straight QF's.
Starting with his first French title in '05, Nadal has made 19 SF's and 23 QF's in the 28 slams he has played in.
Beginning with his first slam SF at the '07 French, Djokovic has made 18 of 24 SF's and 22 of 24 QF's, including active streaks of 11 and 15.
Murray, who as noted has never been higher than #2, has an active streak of 9 straight QF's, and has made 12 of 18 SF's and 14 of the last 18 QF's.
By contrast, in his career Sampras made 23 slam SF's and 29 slam QF's. Three SF's and 11 QF's in a row were his best streaks. And, that streak of a 11 QF's was the best of any of the guys who held the #1 ranking between Sampras and Federer. The best SF streaks of that era were 4 straight, accomplished by both Agassi and Courier.
Agassi made 26 SF's and 36 QF's in his career.
Marcelo Rios became #1 without winning a major.
Back then you had unseeded Guga winning the French, Ivo winning Wimbledon as a WC, and a few other lower seeded guys winning major slams and many more making the finals.
In today's game, it is a huge upset for anyone outside of the big 4 to make a slam final, much less a guy outside of the top 10 or an unseeded player to do it. And, it is almost inconceivable at this point to imagine someone else actually winning a slam.
I wonder if Federer, followed by Nadal, Djokovic and now Murray to some degree has raised the bar and will force whoever wants to rise to the top level to play with this consistency in the future, or will it return to the way it was prior to Federer's rise.
In either case, what these guys have done over such an extended period, when compared to the past, is nothing short of amazing to me.
Consider a few stats/streaks:
Since Federer's rise to #1 in February of 2004 the ranking has changed 6 times between three men (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic). Murray, obviously, has never been higher than #2.
Sampras became #1 for the first time in April of 1993. From that time until Federer took over, the ranking changed 34 times between 12 people (Sampras, Agassi, Courier, Muster, Rios, Moya, Kafelnikov, Rafter, Safin, Kuerten, Hewitt, Roddick).
But, more importantly are the streaks of deep tournament runs.
Beginning with the '03 Wimbledon, Federer has made 33 of 39 SF's (37 of 39 QF's), including a streak of 23 straight SF's and an active streak of 35 straight QF's.
Starting with his first French title in '05, Nadal has made 19 SF's and 23 QF's in the 28 slams he has played in.
Beginning with his first slam SF at the '07 French, Djokovic has made 18 of 24 SF's and 22 of 24 QF's, including active streaks of 11 and 15.
Murray, who as noted has never been higher than #2, has an active streak of 9 straight QF's, and has made 12 of 18 SF's and 14 of the last 18 QF's.
By contrast, in his career Sampras made 23 slam SF's and 29 slam QF's. Three SF's and 11 QF's in a row were his best streaks. And, that streak of a 11 QF's was the best of any of the guys who held the #1 ranking between Sampras and Federer. The best SF streaks of that era were 4 straight, accomplished by both Agassi and Courier.
Agassi made 26 SF's and 36 QF's in his career.
Marcelo Rios became #1 without winning a major.
Back then you had unseeded Guga winning the French, Ivo winning Wimbledon as a WC, and a few other lower seeded guys winning major slams and many more making the finals.
In today's game, it is a huge upset for anyone outside of the big 4 to make a slam final, much less a guy outside of the top 10 or an unseeded player to do it. And, it is almost inconceivable at this point to imagine someone else actually winning a slam.
I wonder if Federer, followed by Nadal, Djokovic and now Murray to some degree has raised the bar and will force whoever wants to rise to the top level to play with this consistency in the future, or will it return to the way it was prior to Federer's rise.
In either case, what these guys have done over such an extended period, when compared to the past, is nothing short of amazing to me.
