ESPN: "Novak Djokovic is the greatest tennis player in history"

[JSummers]

Article: http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/14119101/why-novak-djokovic-greatest-tennis-player-history
So according to this writer: Simon Barnes, "Djokovic is the greatest tennis player in history".

IMO, it's way too premature to declare so.
Besides, he used anedotical personal opinions such as Djokovic will double bagle say Nastase, Smith, etc. Therefore he's the greatest, there's lack of any substantated meaningful statistics to support his point. Comments?

 

[Krish872007]

ESPN with the usual headline-grabbing article.

 

[RSH]

This'll be fun.

 

[xFedal]

Article: http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/14119101/why-novak-djokovic-greatest-tennis-player-history
So according to this writer: Simon Barnes, "Djokovic is the greatest tennis player in history".

IMO, it's way too premature to declare so.
Besides, he used anedotical personal opinions such as Djokovic will double bagle say Nastase, Smith, etc. Therefore he's the greatest, there's lack of any substantated meaningful statistics to support his point. Comments?

Not yet, but he will be one day, am convinced he will be, and boy oh boy will I rejoice that dAY.

 

[Adv. Edberg]

Yeah sure... ESPN is also getting confused by the weak era.

 

[Flint]

As things stand it looks likely he will surpass Nadals tally of Grand Slams and masters, whether or not he reachers Federer is harder to predict.

It certainly is too early to say though, this kind of statement should wait until they are retired.

He does have the potential to become the greatest depending on:
- How long he can maintain this level before decline hits.
- Whether or not the younger players step up to stop him (which looks nigh on impossible).
- Whether Nadal can reach his former levels.
- Murray finds a way to beat him relatively consistently again.

 

[vanioMan]

 

[heninfan99]

Simon Barnes??? sureshs knows more about tennis

 

[Adv. Edberg]

Not yet, but he will be one day, am convinced he will be, and boy oh boy will I rejoice that dAY.

On paper I'm sure he'll be too. But luckily there are more things to take into account than number of slams/masters.

 

[xFedal]

On paper I'm sure he'll be too. But luckily there are more things to take into account than number of slams/masters.

Aye, what is your prediction for the match tonight? I have Fed winning.

 

[Inanimate_object]

 

[StannisTheMannis]

Yeah sure... ESPN is also getting confused by the weak era.

more and more fed fans calling this a weak era. I sense fear.

 

[xFedal]

more and more fed fans calling this a weak era. I sense fear.

Wait till he wins more majors, finally people are beginning to appreciate Ultron.

 

[Nachiket Nolefam]

He is not today and its clear to all. But to think he will never be is idiotic. He can be.

http://www.oddschecker.com/tennis/season/novak-djokovic/to-win-more-slams-than-federer

 

[ABCD]

Anyone who has eyes and understand tennis can see that Djokovic is GOAT. In next few years he will get numbers that will make this obvious even to those who don't know tennis well.

 

[Fed881981]

 

[xFedal]

Anyone who has eyes and understand tennis can see that Djokovic is GOAT. In next few years he will get numbers that will make this obvious even to those who don't know tennis well.

Merci.

 

[xFedal]

Hey you, nice gif.

 

[Fed881981]

Hey you, nice gif.

 

[weakera]

Don't think I've ever seen a bolder headline with less substance in the article itself.

"He has advanced the game, as great players do." - uhhh, how?

 

[mistik]

Anyone who has eyes and understand tennis can see that Djokovic is GOAT. In next few years he will get numbers that will make this obvious even to those who don't know tennis well.

In a few years no one is going to fallow this sport then. It is going be national sport of Serbia. ı guess 3 world war indeed coming.

 

[Tennisanity]

It's kinda a funny, because if you read carefully he actually contradicts himself by implying that Wawarinka is actually the best player, not Djokovic.

 

[uscwang]

All Novak's fault.
Portrait rendering credit: Francisco Goya

 

[ABCD]

Brace yourselves for much more articles like this one. Probably the easiest way out for you will be becoming Djokovic's fan. I can see it already happening on many forums and blogs.

 

[OhYes]

Old gif as Fed himself.

 

[tennis_pro]

7 Slams behind Federer and he's being called the greatest? What is this blasphemy? What about Borg, Nadal, Sampras, Laver, Gonzales? Is Djokovic better than them too?

 

[ABCD]

7 Slams behind Federer and he's being called the greatest? What is this blasphemy? What about Borg, Nadal, Sampras, Laver, Gonzales? Is Djokovic better than them too?

Not just better, but on different planet. What Djokovic can do they didn't think it was theoretically possible. Go and watch their matches.

 

[mbm0912]

True story, Bro.

 

[beltsman]

ESPN is a joke, nothing new.

 

[BeatlesFan]

7 Slams behind Federer and he's being called the greatest? What is this blasphemy? What about Borg, Nadal, Sampras, Laver, Gonzales? Is Djokovic better than them too?

Exactly.

And note to the OP: one random (and clueless) dude on ESPN doesn't equate with the entire network making the claim Nole is GOAT.

 

[NBP]

lol.

 

[OhYes]

7 Slams behind Federer and he's being called the greatest? What is this blasphemy? What about Borg, Nadal, Sampras, Laver, Gonzales? Is Djokovic better than them too?

 

[GabeT]

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Djoko will become the greatest in time!

 

[heninfan99]

I'm not yet convinced he's better than Agassi or Lendl...wtf?

 

[GabeT]

7 Slams behind Federer and he's being called the greatest? What is this blasphemy? What about Borg, Nadal, Sampras, Laver, Gonzales? Is Djokovic better than them too?

irrelevant since that's not the author's point. Did you read the article? He said he based it not on slams won but on his opinion that if "the players from former eras were to take him on with the weapons they possessed at their peak, they would all lose."

 

[Nachiket Nolefam]

irrelevant since that's not the author's point. Did you read the article? He said he based it not on slams won but on his opinion that if "the players from former eras were to take him on with the weapons they possessed at their peak, they would all lose."

That's true for almost any no1 unless someone thinks very high of their players. Don't make greatest in history.

 

[tacou]

ESPN means nothing, least of all in the world of tennis

 

[tennis_pro]

irrelevant since that's not the author's point. Did you read the article? He said he based it not on slams won but on his opinion that if "the players from former eras were to take him on with the weapons they possessed at their peak, they would all lose."

Peak Federer disagrees.

 

[SpinToWin]

I don't subscribe to the idea of greatest of all time to begin with, but the argumentation here truly is one of the more laughable I have seen to date. Hype-job much ESPN?

 

[donquijote]

GS titles:
RF 17
RN 14
PS 14
BB 11
ND 10

 

[cknobman]

 

[Alien]

Well, he is the best player ever although not the greatest (Federer).

 

[ThirdEye]

...and yet he gets spanked in straight sets by an oldie.

 

[beltsman]

Perfect timing. Djoko fans in ruins.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

Peak Federer disagrees.

Or even older Fed.

 

[tennis_pro]

Perfect timing. Djoko fans in ruins.

Haha, yeah. 3 losses in a season to a 34-year old player in perspective of losing 3 more matches to 3 different player in the very same season.

Also, Djokovic being called the HC GOAT - he's 2-3 vs a 34-year old Federer on HC in his most dominant season and a top 3 greatest season ever. Peak Federer would make mincemeat out of Djokovic.

 

[smoledman]

Yes but no losses in slams to 34yo player.

 

[cknobman]

Greatest my _ss says grandpa Fed.

 

[tennis_pro]

Yes but no losses in slams to 34yo player.

That's because these are the tournaments that the age factor really comes into play. If Fed could keep up for more than 3 hours the h2h wouldn't be 4-3 for Djokovic this season, it would've been 5-2 for Federer.