Golden era is almost over. Enjoy while you can.

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Λεωνίδας

New User
Hello everybody ! I have been following tw forum for quite some time, but just recently i have decided to actually register.

I think tw community is decent with a lot of posters with really good tennis knowledge!
I can see you guys are arguing 24/7 about who is the better player and what-if-then-when something happens etc.

My thought about this endless debate is does it really matter? Some of us seem to not realize we are living in golden era of tennis. We have 3 ATG-s with double digit slam wins playing in more or less same era right? We have guys like Andy with only 2 slams. Andy would crush any other era. Maybe not crush but he would definitely have at least 4-6 slams by now, if only he was not unlucky to play in era with RF, Nadal and now ND ?

My oppinion is :

1. RF - the most talented player to ever pick up a tennis racquet. It is impossible difficult to achieve what he achieved and constantly improve even tho you are already the best ever, and he did just that. He set the golden standard.
2. Nadal - Incredible mental strength and will. This dude is like a mountain. I remember watching him dismantle his opponents witch such ease it was incredible. Players would basically surrender before match would even begin.
3. Novak - arguably the least talented of them all (does not mean he is not talented but comparing his raw tennis talent to RF and Nadal he is the least talented in my opinion). He worked so hard. He reached his full (or close to it) potential.

One thing they all have in common is they are all great champions. All of them sincerely believe they are the best or they can be the best and they never surrender. Imagine how hard was for ND having the greatest player ever playing against him and he would go out and give his all and eventually he overcame his demons and came as a victor (2011).

Sad thing is golden era is almost over and very soon we will have them all retiring one by one. You can tell by the look in other players eyes and body language they do not even try to better them. They do not believe in themselves enough or at all.

We should just appreciate their effort and what they did for the sport we love. They set the bar so high it is impossible to imagine a higher lever of tennis at this moment, and the beauty is they all reached extreme heights each in his own way and style of play.

People are blinded bi hate they do not realize how brilliant these guys are. Did you see Novak recently? I watched him live. It is insane. 5x more sensational watching him play live than watching him on tv. Do you remember RF? Nadal? Beauty and style.
 
The women play tennis too, ya know.

If the men's is the golden era, what's the current women's.... bronze?
 
Pretty decent post and youre correct. It is a golden era that we should all savour while it lasts. To have followed tennis over the last 15-20 years has been a delight. It will be sad when RF and RN pack it in, and they will probably go before Novak. The battles these guys have gave us has been unreal, beyond words. They don't have these battles really anymore as Novak is dominating everyone, but the memories are always there. Possibly never see this talent again in one era.
 
I agree OP. It is very head scratching that people are happy Rafa is on the decline, while others try desperately to claim Novak is dominating a weak era, etc. etc.
We've been spoiled for a long, long time, and it's coming to an end sooner than we'd like to believe.
Change is hard, always, but it'd be easier to swallow if anyone under the age of 25 looked remotely interesting.
 
You Know I Used To think Djokovic was the Least talented however I am slowly changing my mind. His past limitations were mostly due to mental strength and health issues. He is changing that as well as improving his game tactics and entire game.
 
swordtennis said:
You Know I Used To think Djokovic was the Least talented however I am slowly changing my mind. His past limitations were mostly due to mental strength and health issues. He is changing that as well as improving his game tactics and entire game.
Click to expand...

That depends on how you define talent. I like improvisation and touch so Federer is my man in this regard. But Djokovic is an incredible ball striker off both wings, with a complete serve and return package. Different strokes for different folks.
 
@NatF Federer is prob the more naturally free flowing talented if that is what one calls it. Single handed bh always seemed more based on talent and skill as well. The statement that Djokovic is the least talented is however technically incorrect.
 
swordtennis said:
@NatF Federer is prob the more naturally free flowing talented if that is what one calls it. Single handed bh always seemed more based on talent and skill as well. The statement that Djokovic is the least talented is however technically incorrect.
Click to expand...

I don't think you can definitely say who is or isn't more talented at a certain point. Djokovic may end up with the best set of talents for the current era. That's all that can be said.
 
My point is Roger was a complete package. Novak had to change his game and work to achieve what he did and it took him like 5 years, while for RF it was natural he played his game and dominated. Now having said this i respect Novak even more, and he deserves it. My point is they are all great champions. It would be impossible to compare them if they have not played against each other. Even now it is still debatable who`s peak level is higher and it really depends from surface to surface. Peak RF would need to bring his all and play 100% against peak Novak 2011 and 2015, 95% would probably not be enough because these guys are that close in skill. Its mind boggling
 
I would say Federer is the most talented but least hard working. Nadal is the least talented but most hard working. Djokovic is in the middle in both.
Golden era is not dead yet. Fed still good at 34, worst ever Rafa still better than all new generation players and Djokovic... well, you know. We will still enjoy it for some time.
 
Good objective post OP.

I think when everyone retires, they will be viewed in a much positive light and realise the accomplishments that Federer/Nadal/Djokovic have made. It's not over yet but looking at it right now you've got:

> Federer with the highest stats of any player such as #17 slams which propells him to having the most GS titles all time and not just the Open Era, #302 weeks at #1, various multiple 3x Slam seasons to show a certain dominance etc
> Nadal with #14 GS which makes him 3rd in the all time and Open Era list, 9 RGs which makes him the Clay GOAT and I don't think anyone will surpass such a number in 1 slam + various other achivements like CGS
> Novak with #10 GS and he has his own achievements and domination such as having 2x 3-slam seasons, having the most AO titles in the Open Era with #5, most ranking points ever achieved, he's definitely getting higher and as he adds more, this will make his legacy even bigger.

Looking at those three, 3 of them are in the top 5 of having the most GS titles in the Open Era. I gotta say that is pretty damn impressive and it shows how much they've done for the sport. Murray has just been unlucky to face these 3 constantly in slams but full credit to him for achieving what he has achieved, not going to take anything away from him.

I feel like Novak will be the last "guardian" of the era until the new gen pop up and hopefully he goes out with a bang

thumbsup.gif
​
 
swordtennis said:
You Know I Used To think Djokovic was the Least talented however I am slowly changing my mind. His past limitations were mostly due to mental strength and health issues. He is changing that as well as improving his game tactics and entire game.
Click to expand...
Same. Just because his game doesnt stand out doesnt make him less talented.
You have to have a ridiculous amount of talent to consistently play at the level that he does, no matter how hard you work
 
I suspect Novak might just set his own records and stake a claim for hardcourt king by winning 7 or 8 AOs before he retires.

What a wonderful thing that would be. We will have actually been privileged to watch the kings of grass, clay and hardcourts play at their peak!
 
Last edited:
Λεωνίδας said:
Hello everybody ! I have been following tw forum for quite some time, but just recently i have decided to actually register.

I think tw community is decent with a lot of posters with really good tennis knowledge!
I can see you guys are arguing 24/7 about who is the better player and what-if-then-when something happens etc.

My thought about this endless debate is does it really matter? Some of us seem to not realize we are living in golden era of tennis. We have 3 ATG-s with double digit slam wins playing in more or less same era right? We have guys like Andy with only 2 slams. Andy would crush any other era. Maybe not crush but he would definitely have at least 4-6 slams by now, if only he was not unlucky to play in era with RF, Nadal and now ND ?

My oppinion is :

1. RF - the most talented player to ever pick up a tennis racquet. It is impossible difficult to achieve what he achieved and constantly improve even tho you are already the best ever, and he did just that. He set the golden standard.
2. Nadal - Incredible mental strength and will. This dude is like a mountain. I remember watching him dismantle his opponents witch such ease it was incredible. Players would basically surrender before match would even begin.
3. Novak - arguably the least talented of them all (does not mean he is not talented but comparing his raw tennis talent to RF and Nadal he is the least talented in my opinion). He worked so hard. He reached his full (or close to it) potential.

One thing they all have in common is they are all great champions. All of them sincerely believe they are the best or they can be the best and they never surrender. Imagine how hard was for ND having the greatest player ever playing against him and he would go out and give his all and eventually he overcame his demons and came as a victor (2011).

Sad thing is golden era is almost over and very soon we will have them all retiring one by one. You can tell by the look in other players eyes and body language they do not even try to better them. They do not believe in themselves enough or at all.

We should just appreciate their effort and what they did for the sport we love. They set the bar so high it is impossible to imagine a higher lever of tennis at this moment, and the beauty is they all reached extreme heights each in his own way and style of play.

People are blinded bi hate they do not realize how brilliant these guys are. Did you see Novak recently? I watched him live. It is insane. 5x more sensational watching him play live than watching him on tv. Do you remember RF? Nadal? Beauty and style.
Click to expand...

GOAT first post my friend, welcome. Excellent honest post with ridiculous fanboyism....stay golden Ponyboy!
 
I can't wait. I'm at the point where I'm ready to see a season with no cluster of dominant players.
 
Doflamingo said:
Good objective post OP.

I think when everyone retires, they will be viewed in a much positive light and realise the accomplishments that Federer/Nadal/Djokovic have made. It's not over yet but looking at it right now you've got:

> Federer with the highest stats of any player such as #17 slams which propells him to having the most GS titles all time and not just the Open Era, #302 weeks at #1, various multiple 3x Slam seasons to show a certain dominance etc
> Nadal with #14 GS which makes him 3rd in the all time and Open Era list, 9 RGs which makes him the Clay GOAT and I don't think anyone will surpass such a number in 1 slam + various other achivements like CGS
> Novak with #10 GS and he has his own achievements and domination such as having 2x 3-slam seasons, having the most AO titles in the Open Era with #5, most ranking points ever achieved, he's definitely getting higher and as he adds more, this will make his legacy even bigger.

Looking at those three, 3 of them are in the top 5 of having the most GS titles in the Open Era. I gotta say that is pretty damn impressive and it shows how much they've done for the sport. Murray has just been unlucky to face these 3 constantly in slams but full credit to him for achieving what he has achieved, not going to take anything away from him.

I feel like Novak will be the last "guardian" of the era until the new gen pop up and hopefully he goes out with a bang

thumbsup.gif
​
Click to expand...

I have always said that this era will officially end when Novak is dethroned for good from the top spot. It started way back when Federer first became number 1 in 2004, it will end when Novak finally brings the curtain down on what will go down as one of the most iconic periods in any sport. Ever.
 
Fedalovic is not done yet. The game is slow, ranking and tournament system are protective of top players. The players career length is longer now.
 
I fear your treasured golden era of tennis is over, and Novak is just reading the last rites.

Now it is just one man mercilessly dominating round after round of talentless cannon fodder. Soon he too will be gone and tennis will enter the dark ages, where hordes of equally untalented minions fight and scrap to fluke a GS each before disappearing into the depths of tennis obscurity.

Looking forward to the unpredictability of it! Tennis dominated by 3 players for a decade to the extent it has been is unnatural.
 
People always hating on djok, he is like ultron, he is going to make tennis a better place. His style has mastered the surface speed we find in every atp event (except cincinnati), his dominace will force tournaments to make the courts faster. Like i said he will make tennis better.
 
Λεωνίδας said:
Hello everybody ! I have been following tw forum for quite some time, but just recently i have decided to actually register.

I think tw community is decent with a lot of posters with really good tennis knowledge!
I can see you guys are arguing 24/7 about who is the better player and what-if-then-when something happens etc.

My thought about this endless debate is does it really matter? Some of us seem to not realize we are living in golden era of tennis. We have 3 ATG-s with double digit slam wins playing in more or less same era right? We have guys like Andy with only 2 slams. Andy would crush any other era. Maybe not crush but he would definitely have at least 4-6 slams by now, if only he was not unlucky to play in era with RF, Nadal and now ND ?

My oppinion is :

1. RF - the most talented player to ever pick up a tennis racquet. It is impossible difficult to achieve what he achieved and constantly improve even tho you are already the best ever, and he did just that. He set the golden standard.
2. Nadal - Incredible mental strength and will. This dude is like a mountain. I remember watching him dismantle his opponents witch such ease it was incredible. Players would basically surrender before match would even begin.
3. Novak - arguably the least talented of them all (does not mean he is not talented but comparing his raw tennis talent to RF and Nadal he is the least talented in my opinion). He worked so hard. He reached his full (or close to it) potential.

One thing they all have in common is they are all great champions. All of them sincerely believe they are the best or they can be the best and they never surrender. Imagine how hard was for ND having the greatest player ever playing against him and he would go out and give his all and eventually he overcame his demons and came as a victor (2011).

Sad thing is golden era is almost over and very soon we will have them all retiring one by one. You can tell by the look in other players eyes and body language they do not even try to better them. They do not believe in themselves enough or at all.

We should just appreciate their effort and what they did for the sport we love. They set the bar so high it is impossible to imagine a higher lever of tennis at this moment, and the beauty is they all reached extreme heights each in his own way and style of play.

People are blinded bi hate they do not realize how brilliant these guys are. Did you see Novak recently? I watched him live. It is insane. 5x more sensational watching him play live than watching him on tv. Do you remember RF? Nadal? Beauty and style.
Click to expand...
I totally agree. His movement live is even more astonishing to watch
 
It's easy to pick Federer as the most talented because he plays the most offensive game of the 3. Anyway there's no way around it for me, he's the most talented player to have hold a racquet, no doubt about that. I'm not too sure who I would put as 2nd between Nadal and Djokovic in terms of talent. Nadal is probably the best fighter of all time, but from a tennis skill perspective, I think I would put Djokovic as 2nd based on how "complete" he is compared to Nadal. As great as Nadal's movement and court coverage is, Djokovic has been just as great in the last 4 years. Nadal probably had the better forehand of the 2, but Djokovic has a better backhand, return and serve. At the end of the day, I'm not saying Djokovic is a better player than Nadal or vice-versa as the H2H is so close, but from a skill perspective, I'd put Djokovic 2nd and Nadal 3rd.
 
Hitman said:
I have always said that this era will officially end when Novak is dethroned for good from the top spot. It started way back when Federer first became number 1 in 2004, it will end when Novak finally brings the curtain down on what will go down as one of the most iconic periods in any sport. Ever.
Click to expand...
Here's hoping that curtain doesn't come down for some time to come! :)
 
How do you know who works the hardest? Just because it looks like they work harder on court does not mean they've worked harder off-court in training sessions too.

Maybe Federer has worked harder than anyone to look smooth on court? How can you tell unless you've seen all three of them practice or have inside information on how many hours they put in...You also have to consider that some people put in less hours but those hours are more effective than someone practicing for longer hours. Too many variables...

It looks like someone who makes it look easy is more talented and someone who has to run a lot and work harder to win is less talented according to most people here. This is not true IMO.
 
Hitman said:
I have always said that this era will officially end when Novak is dethroned for good from the top spot. It started way back when Federer first became number 1 in 2004, it will end when Novak finally brings the curtain down on what will go down as one of the most iconic periods in any sport. Ever.
Click to expand...

This era was good 2007-2009, other than that it has been pretty mundane. And in the last 5 years or so it's mostly been downright weak and boring. The next generation has failed to deliver (still no masters at all lol) and the generation after next hasn't accomplished anything either.

In 15 years time we will still be talking about the golden years in the 80s and early 90s. That's still the peak of tennis so far.
 
I think once Fedalovic retire, there will be some interesting talents waiting in the wings who might surprise them even before the Top Three go into the twilight. Just who those new champions might be remains to be seen but there are already some really good juniors knocking on the door. It will take time for their games to mature, certainly, but they are here for sure.

On the other hand... I was watching a couple of WTA events on TV and it suddenly dawned on me how utterly boring most of it was without the Williams, Sharapova, Azarenka, Radwanska and Bartoli.

To be fair, I made it a point to watch at least 3 rounds of each event and I found that it made no difference at all. They were all playing the same way (trying very hard not to make unforced errors, to put it kindly) and grunting (as opposed to shrieking) equally loudly.

For the sake of women's tennis, I hope a few girls with braver and more interesting games break through before all the players I mentioned retire. Otherwise I doubt that I could ever be bothered to watch another WTA match again even though I have always taken a keen interest in women's games.
 
Once they (Fed, Nole, Rafa) are all gone there will be a huge void. Yes, some new kids will show up but it will take time to accomplish what these three legends managed to do. I assume there will be some sort of a transitional period where you'll see many different guys winning majors.

There are many tennis fans who actually want to see that scenario.
 
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