RaulRamirez
Legend
I like the Kuerten one, defeating the four previous RG champions (among three guys).
...
I'm still angry at Borg for destroying me, and only yielding six games.
Hardest ATP draw for any title winner?
- Thread starter SirCraigoryy
- Start date
...
I'm still angry at Borg for destroying me, and only yielding six games.
RaulRamirez
Legend
Well, not the all-time toughest but Delpo (USO09) deserves a mention:
1. Monaco
2. Melzer
3. Kollerer
R of 16: Ferrero (24)
QF: Cilic (16)
SF: Rafa (3)
F: Roger (#1, and 5-time defending champion)
...
Combined, counting the future, Rog, Rafa and Cilic won 10 USOs.
1. Monaco
2. Melzer
3. Kollerer
R of 16: Ferrero (24)
QF: Cilic (16)
SF: Rafa (3)
F: Roger (#1, and 5-time defending champion)
...
Combined, counting the future, Rog, Rafa and Cilic won 10 USOs.
The Aceserver
Professional
As soon as I read the title I spouted off “Nalbandian Madrid Masters.” I see you included it below. There’s nothing more impressive than that run imo.
Berrettini_Fan
Hall of Fame
What about Murray's 2013 Wimbledon run?
1R: B. Becker (Same initials as Boris Becker)
2R: Y-H Lu (Taiwanese GOAT)
3R: Tommy Robredo (Spanish Great)
4R: M. Youzny (Racket Smash GOAT)
QF: F. Verdasco (Spanish Lefty Great)
SF: J. Janowicz (Polish Legend)
F: N. Djokovic (He won a few Wimbledons)
1R: B. Becker (Same initials as Boris Becker)
2R: Y-H Lu (Taiwanese GOAT)
3R: Tommy Robredo (Spanish Great)
4R: M. Youzny (Racket Smash GOAT)
QF: F. Verdasco (Spanish Lefty Great)
SF: J. Janowicz (Polish Legend)
F: N. Djokovic (He won a few Wimbledons)
1971 Champions Classic
13 straight best of 5 sets in a row averaging 4 days apart. Laver winning all these matches below
New York: Rosewall 6-3,6-4,7-5.
Rochester: Newcombe 6-4,6-2,4-6,5-7,6-4.
Boston: Roche 7-5,4-6,3-6,7-5,6-1.
Philadelphia: Emerson, 6-2,6-3,7-5.
New York: Ashe 7-5,6-4,7-5.
Detroit: Okker 5-7,5-7,6-2,6-2,6-2.
New York: Ashe 3-6,6-3,6-3,6-4.
Inglewood: Taylor 6-3,7-5,6-2.
New York:Okker 6-1,6-4,6-3.
New York: Ralston 3-6,6-1,6-4,6-3.
New Haven: Emerson 6-3,5-7,6-3,3-6,6-3.
Semifinals, New York:
Laver-Ralston 6-3,6-4,7-5.
Okker-Emerson 6-4,2-6,4.6,6-3,6-4.
Final, New York:
Laver-Okker 7-5,6-2,6-1.
Look at that list - Rosewall in the first round! Newcombe in the second round!
I don't think that there has been a more challenging field ever.
13 straight best of 5 sets in a row averaging 4 days apart. Laver winning all these matches below
New York: Rosewall 6-3,6-4,7-5.
Rochester: Newcombe 6-4,6-2,4-6,5-7,6-4.
Boston: Roche 7-5,4-6,3-6,7-5,6-1.
Philadelphia: Emerson, 6-2,6-3,7-5.
New York: Ashe 7-5,6-4,7-5.
Detroit: Okker 5-7,5-7,6-2,6-2,6-2.
New York: Ashe 3-6,6-3,6-3,6-4.
Inglewood: Taylor 6-3,7-5,6-2.
New York:Okker 6-1,6-4,6-3.
New York: Ralston 3-6,6-1,6-4,6-3.
New Haven: Emerson 6-3,5-7,6-3,3-6,6-3.
Semifinals, New York:
Laver-Ralston 6-3,6-4,7-5.
Okker-Emerson 6-4,2-6,4.6,6-3,6-4.
Final, New York:
Laver-Okker 7-5,6-2,6-1.
Look at that list - Rosewall in the first round! Newcombe in the second round!
I don't think that there has been a more challenging field ever.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
Well I guess since 3 world #1 players aren't good enough for you there is still Henman (FOUR time Wimbledon SFist) and Pat Rafter, great grass court player and world #1.
Just an incredible effort to come through that draw.
nolefam_2024
Bionic Poster
Lol and his draw had fedal in semis
Winner Sinner
Hall of Fame
The ATP Finals from this point of view are always the most complicated tournament, given that they are the only one that allows you to beat 5 top 8 players every time to reach the goal, or in any case at least 4 players ranked in the top 8.
So just search the competition archives and you will find the answer.
So just search the competition archives and you will find the answer.
gamelovergold
Hall of Fame
Beating novak nadal and fedrer in one tournament is as good as it get. Dont care if it is not slam but for person who acheived this great feat played his top level tennis to beat all 3. I hope it is not repeated and one story to tell to future generation
Im(moral) Winner
G.O.A.T.
Good wins
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
not counting the YEC, this was the first tournament of the Open Era where a player beat the top 3 players in the world in a tournament. I actually find beating these 3 more impressive than Nalby at '07 Madrid(Nadal was crap indoors, while Djokovic hadn't even won a major or an indoor masters yet). While Sampras, Goran, Stich were not clearly all at least top 5 in the world indoors at the time, and they were probably already also among the 20 best indoor players of all time.
Terenigma
Talk Tennis Guru
Tsonga - Canadian open 2014 has always been my go-to answer for this and It seems UTS backs it up too.
It's also pretty interesting that 3 of the top 10 hardest masters runs (4 of 12 too) were at the Canadian open. That event must bring out the best players to compete it seems?
It's also pretty interesting that 3 of the top 10 hardest masters runs (4 of 12 too) were at the Canadian open. That event must bring out the best players to compete it seems?
NatF
Bionic Poster
Would add Hewitt's 2004 Rotterdam win.
Gonzalez, Johansson, Schuettler, Henman and Ferrero. Not a single easy round.
NatF
Bionic Poster
Would add the 2002 Rogers Cup.
Canas beat in order:
- Federer
- Srichaphan
- Kafelnikov
- Safin
- Haas
- Roddick
Canas beat in order:
- Federer
- Srichaphan
- Kafelnikov
- Safin
- Haas
- Roddick
Im(moral) Winner
G.O.A.T.
Murray's first pro-surgery tour year and his worst from 2008-2016, Djokovic on his honeymoon not caring with him losing to GOATredo at Cincy and Nishikori at the USO and Fed getting screwed up by the scheduling
NatF
Bionic Poster
I think most of these runs will look better on paper than when context is applied. Could do this for pretty much any tournament.
vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
another goran run gets overshadowed by W2001, but still deserves to be mentioned: bercy 93!
Medvedev #8 (HR #4)
Edberg #6 (HR #1)
Sampras #1 (HR #1)
Chang #7 (HR #2)
Svensson #32 (HR #10) ... saved MP!
mugr didn't even beat the #2 player...
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
another goran run gets overshadowed by W2001, but still deserves to be mentioned: bercy 93!
Medvedev #8 (HR #4)
Edberg #6 (HR #1)
Sampras #1 (HR #1)
Chang #7 (HR #2)
Svensson #32 (HR #10) ... saved MP!
mugr didn't even beat the #2 player...
Good mentions!
That Canas one is incredible, can't believe I forgot about it. Four world #1s, one world #2 and world #9.
Every player in the draw was top 10 at their peak.
Im(moral) Winner
G.O.A.T.
True but there are some gems in here too
Gazelle
G.O.A.T.
Lol your avatar.
NatF
Bionic Poster
100% there are some great runs filled with high performing opponents.
B
Barton
Guest
Federer Chucky Cheese 2006
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
His final against Gravinboginagis was legendary stuff. He did drop a set to Kokutitas in the SF and went to two tiebreaks against Triandaphyllidis earlier in the tournament but they put up a genuinely good fight. Perfectly respectable showings.
Cabeza del Demonio
Hall of Fame
This might actually be the right answer. That is quite literally as stacked as you can get, especially at the height of the big 4 era.
SirCraigoryy
Semi-Pro
I agree it could be, however it seems like a cop out and hard for me to validate any ATP finals events since it's literally a tournament with the top 8 players every year and guaranteed to be the toughest draw for anyone who wins. For me it just lacks the randomness and uncertainty of any normal tournament draw. Just my two cents.
BauerAlmeida
Legend
Nalbandian went 5-0 against the Big 3 and dropped only one set in those five matches. Aside from that beat del Potro, Berdych, Moya, Ferrer, etc. Crazy run. Worst player he faced was Clement who was a slam finalist. Crazy level.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
That draw was slightly tougher on paper than it was in practice but Nadal played a great match in the final.
Cabeza del Demonio
Hall of Fame
No shame in losing a set to Theodoros Kokutitas. Those matches were always on a razor's edge when Theo's serve was firing - it just comes down to the tiebreak and hoping you can get a racquet on a couple of those 130+ mph bombs.
B
Barton
Guest
Kokutitas remains my greatest contribution to this forum. It took me five seconds to think of that name.
Cabeza del Demonio
Hall of Fame
Kokutitas has transcended the forum. Me and my practice buddies used to joke about the mythical 6'6 Greek Freak in real life too.
objection_
Professional
Davy's 2010 Doha was a 250 no? in terms of context that one was probably harder too, with Fed having won 2 slams the year prior and would go on to win the AO after, while RAFA was the defending AO champ and would go on to have his best slam year.
objection_
Professional
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