Favorite Open Era Decade

[Villain]

For something different than the never ending Big 3 debate:

I’m sure for most people this is affected by who your favorite player is or when you started watching tennis but what is your favorite decade of the OE and why?

Mine is the 90s: I loved the variety of play styles and the specialization. Also, Pete.

 

[TheAssassin]

Hard question. I loved all of the last three I got to see. But I will go with the 90s for the nostalgia and everything you said yourself. Except the Pete part, stunning AA is the one who got me hooked.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

2000s.
It had everything.

 

[Villain]

2000s.
It had everything.

Username checks out.

 

[Hitman]

90s. No question for me.

 

[TheAssassin]

Hard question. I loved all of the last three I got to see. But I will go with the 90s for the nostalgia and everything you said yourself. Except the Pete part, stunning AA is the one who got me hooked.

Give it another two decades though and I will probably preach about the Djokovic 2010s masterclass to the new generations every chance I get lol...

 

[The Blond Blur]

The Juan with RAFA with his prime/peak speed

 

[NoleFam]

90s for me because you had more players who were great on the clay: Kuerten, Bruguera, Courier (although I didn't really see his matches when he was his best), Agassi, Kafelnikov, Moya, etc. You had your grass court specialists: Sampras, Ivanisevic, Becker, Stich and Krajicek. And then you had Agassi who was good on everything. It's when I started watching tennis and when I fell in love with the game so it will probably always be my favorite decade.

 

[Start da Game]

there is something magical about the 90s........i have the same feeling about 90s cricket as well........

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

1979-95 is da best.
Ergo, 80s.

 

[alexio]

 

[MeatTornado]

[insert decade I grew up in]

 

[BGod]

The only objective answer is the 1980s.

In that 10 year span you had 7 all time greats all winning multiple Slams, 5 of whom fill out everyone's OE Top 10 plus a young Agassi making Slam Semis last 2 years.

A plethora of memorable matches including finals across all surfaces. Great variety in styles.

 

[Britanian]

Have been in the top during the 80's

Agassi
Becker
Borg
Connors
Edberg
Evert
Graf
Lendl
McEnroe
Navratilova
Seles
Wilander

... others ...

So much evolution in the game, the equipement,
Players with so strong personality !

Magic

Edit : @BGod : I wrote without seing your post - so agree

 

[Hitman]

If we can have 10 years regardless of when they start, then 1985 to 1995.

 

[Britanian]

1st : 80's
2nd : 30's
3d : 2005-2015 and 60's

 

[skaj]

The 80s for the ATP(Edberg, McEnroe, Mecir, Noah, Borg etc.), the 2000s for the WTA(Hingis, Henin, Clijsters, Venus, Mauresmo, Myskina...).

 

[PETEhammer]

The 80s for the ATP(Edberg, McEnroe, Mecir, Noah, Borg etc.), the 2000s for the WTA(Hingis, Henin, Clijsters, Venus, Mauresmo, Myskina...).

Good picks

 

[PETEhammer]

90s EASY. Deepest field ever, from top to bottom to middle to everything in between. PETE and 'Dre, Boris, Stefan, fading Lendl and Mac, Courier starting off the middle followed by slam champs like Kafelnikov, Rafter, Brugeura, Guga, and specialists/slam champs rounding off the bottom like Goran, Kracijek, Stitch, Chang, Muster, Henman, etc.

EVERY playing style, EVERY set of conditions, EVERY format. NO poly. NO Baghdatis.
Deepest, MOST versatile, challenging field EVER

 

[Britanian]

The 80s for the ATP(Edberg, McEnroe, Mecir, Noah, Borg etc.), the 2000s for the WTA(Hingis, Henin, Clijsters, Venus, Mauresmo, Myskina...).

Best records in open : Serena / navratilova / graf / Evert / Seles ... no one in the 2000's

Navratilova + Evert =36 / one of the best rivality in this sport

Hingis, Henin, Clijsters, Venus, Mauresmo, Myskina = 26

 

[Villain]

90s EASY. Deepest field ever, from top to bottom to middle to everything in between. PETE and 'Dre, Boris, Stefan, fading Lendl and Mac, Courier starting off the middle followed by slam champs like Kafelnikov, Rafter, Brugeura, Guga, and specialists/slam champs rounding off the bottom like Goran, Kracijek, Stitch, Muster, Henman, etc.

EVERY playing style, EVERY set of conditions, EVERY format. NO poly. NO Baghdatis.
Deepest, MOST versatile, challenging field EVER

Well some poly. But agree.

 

[PETEhammer]

Well some poly. But agree.

Just for the dirballers who couldn't man up. Otherwise, the REAL men played with their GUT

 

[ibbi]

If it has to be a decade specifically then I’d say the 80s. Though I tend to think late 80s into early 90s is the real answer. For me edges out the other goldeny eras of the late 70s early 80s by a little and late 00s early 10s by a lot as peak tennis magic period.

 

[PETEhammer]

If it has to be a decade specifically then I’d say the 80s. Though I tend to think late 80s into early 90s is the real answer. For me edges out the other goldeny eras of the late 70s early 80s by a little and late 00s early 10s by a lot as peak tennis magic period.

what years are you thinking? 87-93 type thing or mid 80s to mid 90s?

 

[NoleIsBoat]

2010s

Big 4 playing prime tennis battling each other for big titles and fighting off the next gen

 

[NoleIsBoat]

90s EASY. Deepest field ever, from top to bottom to middle to everything in between. PETE and 'Dre, Boris, Stefan, fading Lendl and Mac, Courier starting off the middle followed by slam champs like Kafelnikov, Rafter, Brugeura, Guga, and specialists/slam champs rounding off the bottom like Goran, Kracijek, Stitch, Chang, Muster, Henman, etc.

EVERY playing style, EVERY set of conditions, EVERY format. NO poly. NO Baghdatis.
Deepest, MOST versatile, challenging field EVER

Great choice. I’m biased for 10s but 90s had a great variety of styles and specialists.

00s the Bagdhatis era only saved by Nadal from becoming a farce.

 

[Villain]

[insert decade I grew up in]

Doesn’t apply in my case.

 

[PETEhammer]

Great choice. I’m biased for 10s but 90s had a great variety of styles and specialists.

00s the Bagdhatis era only saved by Nadal from becoming a farce.

90s was a unique time we'll probably not see again. But 10s were good, we always got money matches when the big 4 played (well except for Fedal or poor Murray v anyone really lol)
Hopefully the 20s will see an emerging group of great players who can at least give us some entertaining tennis if nothing else.

 

[Tennis_Hands]

The 80ies, but going by times previous I would also rate the 60ies pretty highly.

For sheer romanticism the 20ies must have been also pretty spectacular with France and USA fighting over the Davis Cup and the battles of Big Bill with the Alligator.

 

[MeatTornado]

00s the Bagdhatis era

Yeah who cares about Pete, Andre, Goran, Rafter, Kuerten, Safin, Hewitt, Federer, Roddick, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and del Potro.

All I remember from the 2000s was Marcos.

 

[NoleIsBoat]

Yeah who cares about Pete, Andre, Goran, Rafter, Kuerten, Safin, Hewitt, Federer, Roddick, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and del Potro.

All I remember from the 2000s was Marcos.

Don’t forget Philippousis, Kiefer, Gonzalez.

 

[PETEhammer]

Yeah who cares about Pete, Andre, Goran, Rafter, Kuerten, Safin, Hewitt, Federer, Roddick, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and del Potro.

All I remember from the 2000s was Marcos.

Half those players you listed either had their glory in the 90s or got their well earned dues once Pete's shadow lifted in the first two years of the 00s. Andre was clearly a 90s guy too.

 

[Gizo]

Unquestionably the 80s for the men, with back to back 5 set major finals between Borg and McEnroe near the start, and Becker's god mode Davis Cup final performance against Sweden at the end, and a whole lot of fun in-between.

For the women, it's difficult to say. I enjoyed the 80s, notably with Goolagong's 1980 Wimbledon title, Mandlikova, Evert beating Navratilova in those back to back RG finals eg. But I think that the 00s (especially the early to middle part of the decade) was a golden age.

 

[daphne]

The Weak era definitely, We got to watch mugs almost every day. New faces, incredibly weak tennis but who cares, Fedr kept on winning.

 

[skaj]

Best records in open : Serena / navratilova / graf / Evert / Seles ... no one in the 2000's

Navratilova + Evert =36 / one of the best rivality in this sport

Hingis, Henin, Clijsters, Venus, Mauresmo, Myskina = 26

records in open?

 

[MeatTornado]

Half those players you listed either had their glory in the 90s or got their well earned dues once Pete's shadow lifted in the first two years of the 00s. Andre was clearly a 90s guy too.

Good to know we can call the 2020s the Medvedev era then.

 

[PETEhammer]

Good to know we can call the 2020s the Medvedev era then.

Sure. Nole has 10 years of strong slams prior to it though. Fed has...*crickets*

 

[PETEhammer]

Don’t forget Philippousis, Kiefer, Gonzalez.

Pete set the record for # of Wimbledon titles while himself injured and needing shots between each match. The pain was so bad he couldn't practice between each match and he STILL got it done.
Fed set the record for # of Wimbledon titles with access to greater medicine/nutrition BY FAR than any of the competitors in his field, and by playing against an injured, crying opponent in the final.

Let that sink in.

 

[Backspin1183]

Username checks out.

2000s was more about RF though. 2010s was more successful for Nadal with 13 Slams won. Then best 10 year period for Nadal fans should be 2005-2014 I guess.

 

[Backspin1183]

90s. No question for me.

Traitor!!

 

[NoleIsBoat]

Pete set the record for # of Wimbledon titles while himself injured and needing shots between each match. The pain was so bad he couldn't practice between each match and he STILL got it done.
Fed set the record for # of Wimbledon titles with access to greater medicine/nutrition BY FAR than any of the competitors in his field, and by playing against an injured, crying opponent in the final.

Let that sink in.

Yeah, Pete may have lost a couple of finals to Fed on the slow grass in 00s... but I think he could’ve grabbed one too if he dedicated himself. See their exho when his only practice was pre match

However I think Pete could’ve won 8th title easily if he had the chance to play a crying, blubbering Cilic who was happy to be there I rate 7/8 higher than 6/7 and 7/10.

 

[ibbi]

what years are you thinking? 87-93 type thing or mid 80s to mid 90s?

Tough to pick where it starts because I really love all of the 80s, but I’d definitely pick about 93 or so as a good end point, sure. Before the dark times. Before the empire.

 

[PETEhammer]

Tough to pick where it starts because I really love all of the 80s, but I’d definitely pick about 93 or so as a good end point, sure. Before the dark times. Before the empire.

 

[PETEhammer]

Yeah, Pete may have lost a couple of finals to Fed on the slow grass in 00s... but I think he could’ve grabbed one too if he dedicated himself. See their exho when his only practice was pre match

However I think Pete could’ve won 8th title easily if he had the chance to play a crying, blubbering Cilic who was happy to be there I rate 7/8 higher than 6/7 and 7/10.

Heck, Roddick would have gotten his maiden Wimbledon title if we'd gotten him out of bed early that morning to play Cilic

Pete sticking around would rely on a few variables. First, he'd need to change his racket to something forgiving, and get some Poly while at it. Then he'd have to dedicate himself to a real fitness and nutritional regiment (like what Nole had to do to compete in longer matches post 2010). And then he'd need to focus on specializing for the second half of the year: Wimbledon, the summer hardcourt stretch, the Open, and indoor carpet season even if that meant skipping the first half of the year/playing an extremely light schedule.

IF he did all that starting in '02 after winning the Open, then I think he'd win a Wimby title against Feddy by '05 or '06. Probably be some rough losses in early rounds before that but it'd be worth it.

 

[skaj]

The Juan with RAFA with his prime/peak speed

Not that great gets can't be fun to watch, but if I wanted to watch sprints I would watch track and field.

 

[pj80]

93-2002 and 2007-now

 

[aldeayeah]

Just for the dirballers who couldn't man up. Otherwise, the REAL men played with their GUT

and then Guga passed them left and right

 

[BeatlesFan]

The only objective answer is the 1980s.

In that 10 year span you had 7 all time greats all winning multiple Slams.

No question!

And the most underrated player of the 1980's....

 

[socallefty]

I like the power baseline era of the last ten years best with slow courts and poly strings. Many long points at the highest speeds and spins - amazing footwork on defense. Tennis has never been as much fun to play or watch and I’ve been doing both since the Seventies.

The quality of groundstrokes, passing shots and lack of spins/extreme angles in general makes replay videos of matches that are from the pre-poly era before 2000 almost unwatchable for me even though I enjoyed them immensely when I watched them live. I was a huge fan of Sampras in those days partly because he was from Southern California and a gentleman to boot, but I would much rather watch Federer-Djokovic or even Nadal-Djokovic matches any day of the week over a Sampras match these days.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Not that great gets can't be fun to watch, but if I wanted to watch sprints I would watch track and field.