GQ's 50 Greatest Living Athletes

[marc45]

just released...

https://www.gq.com/story/fifty-greatest-living-athlete (full list/pictures)

5 tennis players...Fed/Nadal/Borg/Navratilova/Serena

The 50 Greatest Living Athletes

THE EDITORS OF GQ

Let the arguments begin! It’s much harder to pick just 50 than it looks. (Or 49, plus LeBron.) Fifty-one to 100 are all legends, too. So what’s the formula? A blend of physical perfection and split-second creativity—talent so limitless it’s enough to re-invent an entire sport.

The entire point of making a list like this is to argue, so to begin, a plea to give us some credit: no, we did not simply forget about Larry Bird, or Dan Marino, or Joe Montana (or Kohei Uchimura, the best male gymnast in the world, or Sachin Tendulkar, the world’s greatest living cricketer). Inside the walls of GQ, we did what you’re about to: we argued, and argued, and argued. Heck, before we argued about names, we argued about definitions: what does "greatest athlete" even mean? Titles and honors and stats, yes, but also a pure physical dynamism—the creativity to reinvent your sport. Larry Bird couldn’t jump. Dan Marino couldn’t move. Out of the three quarterbacks who have led the San Francisco 49ers franchise to the Super Bowl, Joe Montana is the third-best athlete. Derek Jeter won five World Series, but he was often not even the best athlete on his own team.

When you’re narrowing the list down to just 50, the names you’re tossing overboard are staggering. If you want to yell at us anyway, join GQ’s executive editor Devin Gordon on Facebook Live at 2 p.m. on Thursday as he attempts to defend leaving off Larry Legend. Or just do what everyone else on the internet does and flame us on Twitter. We are eager for your outrage!

But even within the preposterous realm of sports arguments, some just aren’t worth the time. Which is why this list (wussie alert!) is not ranked. Aside from number one, which belongs to the King, LeBron James, the other 49 are a numberless blob. Sorry. Because while there are fun debates to be had about who’s in the top 50 and who isn’t, trying to decide who the 37th best athlete alive should be—Simone Biles? JJ Watt?—is a pointless apples-to-freight trains comparison. Which sport is more athletic? Who knows. They all seem really hard......

 

[marc45]

Serena Williams

Here is a thought experiment: Picture any kind of demanding, competitive, even threatening situation. Put Serena Williams at the center of it. And then try to imagine her failing. It is impossible.

Start with 2001, just as she was establishing herself as a top-ten player: Racist fans at Indian Wells boo her during a final; in response, she buries Kim Clijsters, then boycotts the tournament for 14 years. Throughout her time in tennis, her only serious rival has been her own flesh and blood; she looks across the net and sees an older version of herself in Venus Williams, and she wins seven of the nine Grand Slam finals they've played so far. She has made her way to the most Grand Slam wins, 23, in the Open era—the most for anyone, male or female, human or Federer—despite the murder of her half sister Yetunde in 2003; despite watching rivals like Maria Sharapova (against whom Serena is 19–2) collect more endorsement money; despite being eight weeks pregnant as she won her most recent Grand Slam, the Australian Open, in January.

She did the Crip Walk at Wimbledon. She danced next to Beyoncé in a music video and was not outclassed. Whenever she chooses to return to the sport, she'll be one major title away from Margaret Court's all-time record. Imagine her not getting it. —Zach Baron

 

[marc45]

Roger Federer

Already, Roger Federer is fading into the gauzy haze of sports immortality—tennis fans have been waiting to tell their kids about watching him play more or less since the day he began playing. So while the memory remains, let's instead talk for a moment about failure.

Wimbledon, 2008, he loses what is widely considered the greatest match of all time, to Rafael Nadal, a player five years his junior. But the torch doesn't pass. Federer returns the next year, wins the longest (in games) men's final in history on the same court.

Okay. Now, 2011: Semifinals of the U.S. Open, Federer is up two sets to love against Novak Djokovic, a player six years his junior, then loses two set points and the match. But the torch doesn't pass. Federer wins Wimbledon again the next year.

It's 2017 now, and Federer is old: recently 36, with an ailing knee and back. Somehow he wins two more majors, his game as beautifully unstressed as it ever was. So let's not forget how many times, in the past 20 years, this could've—maybe even should've—ended. It isn't over yet. — Z.B.

 

[marc45]

Martina Navratilova

Why her: Dominant, machine-like consistency—six straight Wimbledon titles (18 Grand Slam singles titles overall), 156 straight weeks at No. 1—that only Steffi Graf has matched.

But also: Off-the-court social impact only Serena has matched.

 

[marc45]

Rafael Nadal

Why him: Simply put, he's the most powerful player ever to step on the court—and the most mentally tough, too.

His superpower: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever quitting on a single point, until his opponents quit just to end their misery.

His athletic peak: Easy. His epic Wimbledon win over Roger Federer in 2008. Afterward, John McEnroe wept real tears.

 

[marc45]

Björn Borg

Why him: The early master of modern tennis's baseline-oriented game was also one of the coolest, most graceful athletes in any sport—still the model for how to look and move, on a tennis court or in a nightclub.

 

[r2473]

Magazines do love making lists

Looks like Americans are the greatest athletes again by number. Something like 40 Americans; 10 from the rest of the world.

 

[fedtennisphan]

Magazines do love making lists

Looks like Americans are the greatest athletes again by number. Something like 40 Americans; 10 from the rest of the world.

GQ is a US magazine. So Americans are going to be prominent on the list. A European magazine can put out a list which excludes Americans.

 

[Shank Volley]

I cringed a little when they brought up Serena doing the crip walk at Wimbledon.

 

[Tennisanity]

Federer appears way before Nadal.

 

[Jackuar]

I haven't heard about half the names there! Is this a serious list?!

 

[Druss]

If you ask me it's too pro-American. How can you have NFL players (how many countries actually play Gridiron?) ranked ahead of soccer (The World Game) players? Baseball is not exactly a very popular international sport either but features quite a few athelets. I can understand many a basketball player featuring in the top 50, though it is a tad over-hyped.

 

[aman92]

Federer appears way before Nadal.

I don't think they have ranked them in any order

 

[Mainad]

Magazines do love making lists

Looks like Americans are the greatest athletes again by number. Something like 40 Americans; 10 from the rest of the world.

The rest of the world might take a different view about some of those 40 Americans!

 

[axlrose]

Garbage list LOL.

I dont even give a fk.

 

[TMF]

The rest of the world might take a different view about some of those 40 Americans!

Andy Murray should have made the list.

 

[Mainad]

Andy Murray should have made the list.

If he'd been American he probably would.

 

[metsman]

If you ask me it's too pro-American. How can you have NFL players (how many countries actually play Gridiron?) ranked ahead of soccer (The World Game) players? Baseball is not exactly a very popular international sport either but features quite a few athelets. I can understand many a basketball player featuring in the top 50, though it is a tad over-hyped.

Baseball leagues not counting the MLB generate almost 2 billion in revenue. It's a pretty popular international sport, really big in asia and central and parts of south america and the Caribbean, almost 30% of the mlb is not American.

 

[Zeref]

Baseball leagues not counting the MLB generate almost 2 billion in revenue. It's a pretty popular international sport, really big in asia and central and parts of south america and the Caribbean, almost 30% of the mlb is not American.

Japan and Korea u mean?

 

[Druss]

Baseball leagues not counting the MLB generate almost 2 billion in revenue. It's a pretty popular international sport, really big in asia and central and parts of south america and the Caribbean, almost 30% of the mlb is not American.

I wouldn’t say Asia, as only Japan and Taiwan actually have a large following. Caribbean I think it’s just Cuba and Puerto Rico, not sure about Central America, and in South America it’s almost non-existent. I grew up in Europe and I can tell you that with the exception of one or two countries there, it’s not one bit popular. Cricket is more international than baseball. How many cricketers are on that list? MLB generates all that money because it’s so huge in the USA (& Japan).

 

[Jon Snow]

#stylin'onyoass

 

[Druss]

I haven't heard about half the names there! Is this a serious list?!

No it’s not....just propaganda for American athletes.

 

[TheAssassin]

No Maradona, Zizou and Djoker, GTFO.

 

[Jackuar]

No it’s not....just propaganda for American athletes.

This is one of the most pointless exercises one can think of. If we take even just one GOAT player from each sport, that itself will make a list of about 100 athletes easily.

 

[ARFED]

Who the f*ck made this list? A redneck from a trailer park in Nebraska? Football who is by far the most competitive sport in the world, only gets 3 mentions (dont even count the US women footballers, that is beyond a joke)

 

[JMR]

Who the f*ck made this list? A redneck from a trailer park in Nebraska? Football who is by far the most competitive sport in the world, only gets 3 mentions (dont even count the US women footballers, that is beyond a joke)

Who cares? Everyone here is complaining about the wrong thing. Is the list biased toward U.S. athletes? Of course. Does the list favor sports that are popular in the U.S.? Inevitably. It's an American-based magazine! This stuff always happens. What you should be asking is, "How is the TENNIS coverage in this list?" This is a tennis forum, right? In this case, I'd say that the coverage is surprisingly good. Ten percent of the total for tennis (5/50) is great. And the players are well-chosen too, combining superlative career achievements with distinctive and remarkable athletic gifts. Sure, there are some arguable omissions (Graf, Sampras, Djokovic), but on the whole, this was about the best we could have hoped for.

 

[-NN-]

No Maradona, Zizou and Djoker, GTFO.

Djokovic and Zizou are definitive top-50 living athletes? Lot of sports out there with a lot of living legends.

 

[ARFED]

Who cares? Everyone here is complaining about the wrong thing. Is the list biased toward U.S. athletes? Of course. Does the list favor sports that are popular in the U.S.? Inevitably. It's an American-based magazine! This stuff always happens. What you should be asking is, "How is the TENNIS coverage in this list?" This is a tennis forum, right? In this case, I'd say that the coverage is surprisingly good. Ten percent of the total for tennis (5/50) is great. And the players are well-chosen too, combining superlative career achievements with distinctive and remarkable athletic gifts. Sure, there are some arguable omissions (Graf, Sampras, Djokovic), but on the whole, this was about the best we could have hoped for.

I can understand a biased list. We all tend to be a little bit nationalistic at one point or another. But this is beyond ridiculous. Maradona is not even on this list FFS, when he should, at the bare minimum, be in the top 5. But hey...Murica!

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

Magazines do love making lists

Looks like Americans are the greatest athletes again by number. Something like 40 Americans; 10 from the rest of the world.

And it looks like they (GQ) were trying to go easy on the "rest of the world" (lol--luv the freakout fallout) by not even including the Iowa Hawkeyes.

I mean, like Andy Murray could carry Andre Tippett's jock? ​

 

[fedtennisphan]

I looked at the list and it’s great. The one’s who “claim” they haven’t heard of half of these athletes need to get out more. The athletes that are on this list American or not, transcend their sport both on and off.

 

[TheAssassin]

Djokovic and Zizou are definitive top-50 living athletes? Lot of sports out there with a lot of living legends.

Well I rank some sports higher. And both of them are top 5-6 in theirs if you ask me.

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

Maradona is not even on this list FFS, when he should,

at the bare minimum, be in the top 5. But hey...Murica!

He is..........just depends on who you ask... . : )​

 

[ARFED]

He is..........just depends on who you ask... . : )​

He was the best, while not taking care of himself. Just goes to show you the amazing athlete that he was

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

No it’s not....just propaganda for American athletes.

Propaganda?

Did you say "propaganda?" . Are you smoking ganga?​

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

Magazines do love making lists...

And it's like shooting fish-in-a-barrel "troll bait" for them esp. when it's posted on a sport-related message board such as TW-TT given the "my favorite male tennis idol" partisanship/fanboy hysteria (not to mention nationalistic-indignation-meets-the-[perceived]-Yankee-jingoism of GQ magazine).

Gents, it's "Gentlemen's Quarterly" magazine......not the end of the world. . . chill ​

 

[fedtennisphan]

And it's like shooting fish-in-a-barrel "troll bait" for them esp. when it's posted on a sport-related message board such as TW-TT given the "my favorite male tennis idol" partisanship/fanboy hysteria (not to mention nationalistic-indignation-meets-the-[perceived]-Yankee-jingoism of GQ magazine).

Gents, it's "Gentlemen's Quarterly" magazine......not the end of the world. . . chill ​

Do you have a problem with any of the tennis players that appear on their list.

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

Do you have a problem with any of the tennis players that appear on their list.

I'm going to be honest with you. I was hoping to see a concise "list" and not a drawn-out picture...paragraph....expose' on each.......

...and I checked out after "Carl Lewis"....

Like @r2473 said earlier, magazines like to make "lists." ....and get people talking....and on a site such as Talk Tennis that invariably is going to end up with pissed-off fanboys or ticked off "what about MY country?...what about MY sport of choice heros?!!" etc....etc...etc.......which has turned out to be the case. . In short, no need to make an issue over a tissue.

As for your question, I don't have a problem with any tennis player, . or football soccer

player, . or whomever appears on that list because here's my "level-of-interest" take on this:

Handbags have been a good accessory in completing a women's outfit. There are a wide variety of handbags that come in different styles, designs, materials, colors and sizes. These accessories have great significance because of their versatility features. Both men and women carry bags, however, it is just well-known that women use them more than men. Furthermore, handbags are also use to create a fashion statement. Different designs and styles are born each year. Celebrities and popular TV icons are often the first to try trendy handbags to complete their looks. Different variety of handbags were basically designed for different purposes. And to make it widely available to everyone, such fashion accessories are now available in different variety of designs, styles and colors to incorporate with different wardrobes. This is the reason why almost all women have 3-5 different types of handbags in their closet.

Out.

 

[TheMaestro1990]

Lol Mia Hamm... I can tell it’s an American list

 

[fedtennisphan]

I'm going to be honest with you. I was hoping to see a concise "list" and not a drawn-out picture...paragraph....expose' on each.......

...and I checked out after "Carl Lewis"....

Like @r2473 said earlier, magazines like to make "lists." ....and get people talking....and on a site such as Talk Tennis that invariably is going to end up with pissed-off fanboys or ticked off "what about MY country?...what about MY sport of choice heros?!!" etc....etc...etc.......which has turned out to be the case. . In short, no need to make an issue over a tissue.

As for your question, I don't have a problem with any tennis player, . or football soccer

player, . or whomever appears on that list because here's my "level-of-interest" take on this:

Handbags have been a good accessory in completing women's outfit. There are a wide variety of handbags that come in different styles, designs, materials, colors and sizes. These accessories have great significance because of their versatility features. Both men and women carry bags, however, it is just well-known that women use them more than men. Furthermore, handbags are also use to create a fashion statement. Different designs and styles are born each year. Celebrities and popular TV icons are often the first to try trendy handbags to complete their looks. Different variety of handbags were basically designed for different purposes. And to make it widely available to everyone, such fashion accessories are now available in different variety of designs, styles and colors to incorporate with different wardrobes. This is the reason why almost all women have 3-5 different types of handbags in their closet.

Out.

So you have an issue with this list being in a Gentleman's style magazine and not say a sports magazine?

 

[TennisLBC]

Borg is both GQ's Coolest and Greatest...Awesome and True!

But too many American Football players. I would trade out Aaron Rodgers for Steffi Graf.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

I looked at the list and it’s great. The one’s who “claim” they haven’t heard of half of these athletes need to get out more. The athletes that are on this list American or not, transcend their sport both on and off.

I'm a big sports fan, and having gone through the list, I can honestly say that I have never heard of 24 of them.

I've never heard of any of the baseball or American Football players, female football players, or a lot of the basketball players.

Famous American Footballers and baseballers may ''transcend the sport'' in North America, but they just simply aren't known outside there.

 

[pat200]

most american football players do not transcend outside of the US and Canada. The rest of the world is way bigger than that. some huge omissions in that list.

 

[marc45]

not one, "Where's Sureshs"?

 

[GaryRoy2017]

If he'd been American he probably would.

That made me spit my beer out laughing!

 

[Steve0904]

Obviously the list blows. Lists like this always do, but I always like reading them as a bit of a guilty pleasure to see who's actually on the list and what's said about them. And realizing how many great athletes are still living is pretty awesome. Every person on that list deserves to be on it in their own way.

That said, there are obvious omissions. Djoker should be on it easily, and another guy that should be on it (forgive my Canadian bias) is Sidney Crosby. And not as a fringe guy either. A lot of people (even some hockey fans) don't appreciate exactly what Crosby does in this era of tight checking and defensive systems. An era where he actually gets hit and has had multiple concussions (unlike say Gretzky who you couldn't hit because Semenko was coming after your head). I still think Gretzky is the best ever, but his and Lemieux's scoring totals are inflated due to playing in the "river hockey" era of the 80's.

It's much harder to dominate a hockey game (especially a playoff series) these days by scoring a ton of goals and getting a ton of points so because Crosby occasionally gets shut down or has lower totals due to the era he's playing in it's harder for fans to appreciate him.

I think that's why it's easier to see how a basketball player dominates a game and it helps in lists like this. They are athletic freaks anyway, don't get me wrong, but they constantly get appreciation from fans for making an ankle breaking crossover or shooting the 3 pointer like Steph Curry. And basically if they get touched they go to the FT line so they're constantly scoring and they dominate games.

It's the same for tennis in some ways. I love that 5 tennis players made this list, but again I feel tennis is at an advantage because it's a singular sport. Dominant forces in tennis are common. Laver, Lendl, Borg, Sampras, and obviously Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic to name a few.

My overall point here being that Gretzky and Lemieux got on this list mostly for being point scoring machines in a time where that was common, but Crosby not being on the list leads me to believe me that he's being undervalued by the author because it's harder to see exactly what Crosby does so well in an era where scoring is at an all time low.

P.S. Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy should be on it too.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

Djoker should be on it easily, and another guy that should be on it (forgive my Canadian bias) is Sidney Crosby. And not as a fringe guy either.

Yeah, ''Sidney Crosby (Who?)'' should never be near a list of ''50 greatest sportspeople''. It's as simple as that.

These named ''athletes'' are unheard of outside of the US and Canada.

Whereas the likes of Diego Maradona, Sachin Tendulkar, and Zinedine Zidane are apparently not on the list...

 

[BlueClayGOAT]

What about Muhammad Ali? Oh yeah, hang on.......*goes off to cry in a corner*

 

[BlueClayGOAT]

Sachin Tendulkar probably deserves to be on that list.
Maradona definitely does.
Zidane, maybe, yes.

Graf, definitely.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

Sachin Tendulkar probably deserves to be on that list.
Maradona definitely does.
Zidane, maybe, yes.

Graf, definitely.

The problem is that we've got some random Americans getting upset at the fact that their sportsmen are unheard of in the rest of the world.

 

[papertank]

Kind of a strange article, picking people from random sports and random generations with no across-the-board criteria. I don't think anyone will give a serious thought to this list.

Though even if a true, accurate list of the "50 Greatest Living Sportsmen" were compiled, I think Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic would all rank on it.