Greatest between Edberg/Becker/Wilander/Djokovic?

[powerangle]

If Djokovic were to end his career today, how does he match up with Edberg/Becker/Wilander? Based on career achievements, competition, and other intangibles perhaps? Edberg has the more balanced slam resume and reached all 4 slam finals, Becker has the most Wimbledons, WTFs, and overall titles but never reached FO final, Wilander has the most slams but never reached Wimbledon final, Djokovic has the most weeks at number 1 (and counting) and has to face Fedal, reached all 4 slam finals, but has a very lopsided slam distribution, etc...


Stefan Edberg
Slams: 6 (2AO, 2W, 2USO)
Slam Finals: 11 (5-1-3-2)
Titles: 42
Weeks@#1: 72
YE #1: 2
WTF: 1
Record: 806-270 (74.9%)

Boris Becker
Slams: 6 (2AO, 3W, 1USO)
Slam Finals: 10 (2-0-7-1)
Titles: 49
Weeks@#1: 12
YE #1: 0
WTF: 3
Record: 713-214 (76.91%)

Mats Wilander
Slams: 7 (3AO, 3FO, 1USO)
Slam Finals: 11 (4-5-0-2)
Titles: 33
Weeks@#1: 20
YE #1: 1
WTF: 0
Record: 571-222 (72%)

Novak Djokovic
Slams: 6 (4AO, 1W, 1USO)
Slam Finals: 10 (4-1-1-4)
Titles: 37
Weeks@#1: 86+
YE #1: 2
WTF: 2
Record: 502-128 (79.68%)

I'd rank them:
1) Djokovic (by a hair over Edberg)
2) Edberg
3) Becker
4) Wilander

 

[90's Clay]

1. Wilander (by a hair)
2. Djoker
3. Edberg
4. Becker


Personally, I would take all 3 over Nole if we consider the conditions played. Becker, Edberg and Wilander played under polarized conditions while Nole get to play on his strengths all season. Slow surfaces. He doesn't have to deal with faster surfaces which would bring his results and numbers down quite a bit

 

[Bobby Jr]

Wilander, by a hair.

If majors matter most then 7 > 6. He also won 3 majors in 1988, something which wasn't repeated by anyone until Federer came along. 3 Davis Cup titles is also a good look for him as is having won a doubles major at Wimbledon in 86.

After that I'd tend to pick Edberg based on his much longer time at #1 and the fact he won two doubles majors and attained the #1 rank in doubles also. Additionally, in 1987 he achieved the extremely rare singles/doubles title combo at the Aussie Open. He won the Davis Cup 3 times. Edberg also won every major he won twice.

Becker should get some extra kudos for winning Wimbledon at such a young age and then defending it. Two Davis Cup titles.

Djokovic should get some kudos for his weeks at #1 but then 2/3 of his majors were earned at the historically lowest regarded major, the Aussie Open.

Hard call but I give to Wilander, then Edberg, then Becker, then Djokovic.

If you factor in esoteric things like legendary matches then each had their day in the sun for sure. I think Edberg's 1991 US Open title was possibly the most legendary display of tennis in a grand slam final in that era. There are other examples but that one stands out as a jaw-dropper. Djokovic may have had some epic finals but nothing like the sort of complete dominance Edberg showed vs Courier.

I give no weighting to the career win-loss percentages because Djokovic is still in his prime. Those numbers invariably soften in the later part of a career so are misleading as direct comparisons as of now.

 

[rafafan20]

edberg
wilander
no1e
becker

 

[Towser83]

At the moment

Wilander
Edberg
Becker
Djokovic

Djokovic is very close to overtaking becker and edberg though. Wilander though has a lot going for him. at least 2 slams on each surface, won at his first attempt at RG at the age of 17, won the AO on 2 surfaces. Plus Djokovic's main drawback is there'sonly one slam he has won more than once.

 

[corners]

Djokovic
Becker
Edberg
Wilander

Because their records are so close, I rank them by level of play. I feel that Djokovic's 2012 level, which was sufficient to beat Rafa, the claycourt GOAT, on his home surface several times, as well as defeat the GOAT another couple times, was higher than any of the other players on the list. In other words, in my opinion, neither Becker, nor Edberg, nor Wilander could have beaten Rafa even once on clay in their careers, and could never have beaten Federer more than once in a season, on any surface. And before anyone accuses me of knowing nothing, the late 80s to early 90s was the period when I watched the most tennis in my life. I am very familiar with B., E. and W. Of course, this is all just opinion. I could be wrong!

From there, I feel that Becker had the highest peak level, evidenced by his dominance of Wilander (7-3 HTH) and Edberg (25-10 HTH), as well as his fantastic career record versus top-10 opponents. Edberg, however, did beat peak Becker on his favorite surfaces in several huge finals, including the '88 Wimbledon final. Wins like that convince me that his peak level was higher than Wilander's. That might be harsh on Wilander, but I think that the attacking styles of Edberg and Becker would have beaten more players throughout history than Wilander's defensive and tactical excellence. As Tilden said, tennis is about weapons, and Wilander didn't really have many.

 

[Bobby Jr]

From there, I feel that Becker had the highest peak level, evidenced by his dominance of Wilander (7-3 HTH) and Edberg (25-10 HTH)

However, it was 3-1 to Edberg in majors. He had it over Becker when it mattered on the biggest stage.

I also believe Edberg's peak level at the 1991 USO was the highest peak level (quality of tennis I mean) of probably from the mid-late 80s until Sampras got his roll on in the mid 90s. Becker had some outstanding matches in his career but not like Edbergs 91 USO imo.

After 92 Edberg's tennis tapered off pretty steadily whereas Becker's didn't - that is the big ticket in Becker's favour.

 

[Bender]

Djokovic
Becker
Edberg
Wilander

Because their records are so close, I rank them by level of play. I feel that Djokovic's 2012 level, which was sufficient to beat Rafa, the claycourt GOAT, on his home surface several times, as well as defeat the GOAT another couple times, was higher than any of the other players on the list. In other words, in my opinion, neither Becker, nor Edberg, nor Wilander could have beaten Rafa even once on clay in their careers, and could never have beaten Federer more than once in a season, on any surface. And before anyone accuses me of knowing nothing, the late 80s to early 90s was the period when I watched the most tennis in my life. I am very familiar with B., E. and W. Of course, this is all just opinion. I could be wrong!

From there, I feel that Becker had the highest peak level, evidenced by his dominance of Wilander (7-3 HTH) and Edberg (25-10 HTH), as well as his fantastic career record versus top-10 opponents. Edberg, however, did beat peak Becker on his favorite surfaces in several huge finals, including the '88 Wimbledon final. Wins like that convince me that his peak level was higher than Wilander's. That might be harsh on Wilander, but I think that the attacking styles of Edberg and Becker would have beaten more players throughout history than Wilander's defensive and tactical excellence. As Tilden said, tennis is about weapons, and Wilander didn't really have many.

You mean 2011?

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

It isn't even guaranteed that Djokovic's career win loss will soften by the time he hangs up the racket. He could spend the next 4 years of his career scoring higher than his current average before seeing his % dip to bring it down to roughly what it already is about now anyway.



Djokovic - this is a future projection. Why be a sissy wimp and depend on the wonderful luxury of hindsight. Nole is the greatest and it's going to be blindingly obvious by the time he's done.
Edberg
Becker
Wilander

 

[corners]

You mean 2011?

Yep, yep, 11.

 

[Polaris]

Greatest ? No idea. They're all about the same at this point in time. One could rank differently based on different criteria, but I'd just lump them all together.

My favorites:

1. Becker, Edberg (about the same. Really like them both.)
2. Wilander, Djokovic (about the same. Don't much care for either of them.)

 

[corners]

However, it was 3-1 to Edberg in majors. He had it over Becker when it mattered on the biggest stage.

25-10 trumps, 3-1 in my opinion.

I also believe Edberg's peak level at the 1991 USO was the highest peak level (quality of tennis I mean) of probably from the mid-late 80s until Sampras got his roll on in the mid 90s. Becker had some outstanding matches in his career but not like Edbergs 91 USO imo.

Interesting. I had never thought that. But maybe. So what was the highest peak level prior to Edberg's 91 USO?