Felix about to Accidentally Win Madrid: What are other "blessed" runs?

ekucheraw

Rookie
Not saying that he's not playing well and deserving some wins, but winning a first round, then a walkover, then a 3rd round, followed by back to back walkovers plopping him firmly in the finals, this run has been blessed by the stars above when you make the finals with more TKOs than wins.

Have there been any other "walk it in" runs in the past that rival this one so far?
 

Hitman

Bionic Poster
The only thing I can think of, though it didn't end with the title, and quite honestly, thankfully so, as it would have been daylight robbery was Djokovic's run to the USO 2016 final.

He seriously had no business being that close to winning the title.
 

Pheasant

Legend
Go Felix! Yes, he's been incredibly lucky. But I hope that he bags this title anyway.

2024= the year the stars are built out of clay and crumble like dried-out clay when playing tennis on clay.
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
Strongly rooting for Felix, but it's likely Rublev takes the title. He's the better player and especially the superior clay court player.
 

Spin Diesel

Hall of Fame
I don‘t wish anything bad for Rublev but still in a way it would be the most satisfying result for this tournament, if he had to retire before the final.
 

ND-13

Hall of Fame
The one i vividly remember was the USO final run which included combination of 4 byes and retirements and almost was winning it until Stan drank some coffee.
 

bluetrain4

G.O.A.T.
A small example, but Fils' 2023 Lyon win - his first and only title so far.

Second round he benefits from Ymer freaking out and getting defaulted in the first set. Quarterfinals, FAA (of all people) gives him a w/o. That said, he still beat Nakashima in a third set tiebreak in the semis and then beat Cerundolo in the final. And he had to win a first round match as well. It's not a huge example, but he was blessed a little bit on the way to a title - and while the title is only a 250, it's "big" since it's his first.
 
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Felix is a nice enough guy. I wouldnt begrudge him some luck. Novaks 2016 us open annoyed me and stan the man dealing with him despite average tennis was a sweet occassion.
 

nolefam_2024

Talk Tennis Guru
The only thing I can think of, though it didn't end with the title, and quite honestly, thankfully so, as it would have been daylight robbery was Djokovic's run to the USO 2016 final.

He seriously had no business being that close to winning the title.
You mean to say these players were better than Nole 2016?

Ruud - Beat Berrettini Khachanov and LL Moutet from R16 up
Medvedev - Beat Dan Evans, FAA and QF Bottic Van De Zandaschulp from R16 up.
Zverev - Beat PCB Coric and ADF from R16 up
Anderson - Beat Lorenzi Querry and PCB from R16 up

You mean to say our GOAT Novak, despite not being 100% was worse than THESE runs?
Djokovic beat Monfils , Tsonga (retired) and Edmund from R16 up.

What I see is you are trying to be TOO UNBIASED while completely losing the plot. Using EYE TESTS to conclude Djokovic was not eligible to win.

It doesn't matter if he had 2 withdrawls. He is and WAS the world number 1, who just had won Rogers cup without losing a set.

ASIDE from Wawrinka no one was beating Nole.
 

nolefam_2024

Talk Tennis Guru
@Hitman I think you are TOO harsh on Nole 2016 USopen. He just won Rogers cup easily and he beat 2 seeded players.
Usopen is when many players are not fully healthy. Including our Novak. So it was survival test. He made to final and lost in close 4 sets at 3 hr 55 mins.
Even with Wawrinka Djokovic was having high DR.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
The only thing I can think of, though it didn't end with the title, and quite honestly, thankfully so, as it would have been daylight robbery was Djokovic's run to the USO 2016 final.

He seriously had no business being that close to winning the title.

In all fairnesss though, it was hardly his fault that his opponents kept bailing on him. Ditto Felix.
 

nolefam_2024

Talk Tennis Guru
In all fairnesss though, it was hardly his fault that his opponents kept bailing on him. Ditto Felix.
1 difference.

Nole is having 9 more US Open finals. He is the GOAT afterall.
Felix never made past QF at any big clay tournament EVER
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
1 difference.

Nole is having 9 more US Open finals. He is the GOAT afterall.
Felix never made past QF at any big clay tournament EVER

True but the principle of progressing because of walkovers is still the same for both or anybody else in that position.
 

BGod

G.O.A.T.
I'd definitely like for someone to dig up some AO runs that bad multiple walkovers.

Novak's 2016 USO has already been mentioned and frankly at a Slam level to have 3 of 6 matches be WO/R is damn rare. But I guess the Tsonga match was mostly completed and zero chance of changing the reality.

Masters has seen a bunch of lucky runs because of scheduling but I'm not looking them up now, apparently I thought Canada had some but guys like Pavel and Levy just played well.

1990 AO just because of the Final for Lendl, but honestly most retirements/walkovers appear redundant as they would have changed nothing.

Novak being banned from an AO and DQ at a USO though.
 

ekucheraw

Rookie
In all fairnesss though, it was hardly his fault that his opponents kept bailing on him. Ditto Felix.
Not blaming or intentionally trying to take away from any player, it's mostly about seeing who's had paths to the finals or championships by having to play the least amount of tennis. Felix is a great guy and good player, Novak likely one of the stronger players at that US Open anyway, neither their fault but fact remains they were just handed some Ws along the path.
 

Fabresque

Legend
Djokovic 16 US Open.

He was miles off top form. Had some injury problems and his downfall in the 2nd half of 2016 had already begun. He had no right making it that far, he had like 3 walkovers/retirements and his big bad SF opponent was his pigeon Monfils who he has a 19-0 record against. It would’ve been the most undeserved slam win in his career.
 

RF-18

Talk Tennis Guru
The thing is, walkover or not, nothing that suggests he wouldn't win the matches his opponent retired. So we can't really say he doesn't deserve the final spot. It's really none of his business what the opponent does.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
I think Rublev should win, but you can never count him out from getting himself disqualified if he is behind on the scoreboard. That would be an appropriate ending to FAA winning the title after 2 retirements and a walkover win.
 

vive le beau jeu !

Talk Tennis Guru
albert costa, hamburg 1998?
good opponents overall, but the final two rounds... ouch!
(ivanisevic also retired in the QF against mantilla... i'm not sure, but i think i've read it might have been the same thing that forced all those players to retire) :unsure:

F 26 9 Costa d. (4)Alex Corretja [ESP] 6-2 6-0 1-0 RET
SF 26 10 Costa d. (6)Karol Kucera [SVK] 3-0 RET
QF 26 29 Costa d. Fabrice Santoro [FRA] 6-3 6-4
R16 26 32 Costa d. Wayne Ferreira [RSA] 6-3 6-3
R32 26 103 Costa d. (WC)Oliver Gross [GER] 6-2 6-2
R64 26 30 Costa d. Andrei Medvedev [UKR] 6-3 1-6 7-6(3)
 
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