How good is Fritz compared to your typical top 5 player?

[lurker2025]

I am not a tennis historian but I am of the opinion that while in the weaker years of the big three era he would definitely make the top 5 in the weaker years of the big three era (no way he is worse than Robredo or Blake), I do not think he would make the top 5 from 2008 to 2016 unless we assume some of the names in the top 5 were not as good as their reputation. For example was 2016 Nishikori better than 2014 Fritz? Overall I have the feeling , even though I am not a tennis historian, that he is a tad below average for a top 5 player, while someone like FAA and especially Shelton and De Minaur (if he makes it) would be well below average for the standards of a top 5 player . FAA I think is on a similar level as Blake or a bit better but I do not think Shelton and De Minaur could make it in another era even though I think Shelton is on a similar level as Berrettini and De Minaur is better than Schwartzman. Who do you rate as the better player for example out of Fritz and Henman?

 

[helterskelter]

Probably best to compare him to historic #5s, rather than to historic top 5 players. Obviously, he is not on a par with most former #1s, #2s, or #3s.

 

[lurker2025]

Probably best to compare him to historic #5s, rather than to historic top 5 players. Obviously, he is not on a par with most former #1s, #2s, or #3s.

I think he is a tad below average for a world number 4 or world number 5 but in some eras he could have been a top 5 player too. Ruud has been world number 2 (would have been world number 4 without the Wimbledon's ranking freeze) and has a lower ceiling than Fritz so I am not sure whether in an other era he would have been a top 5 player though there are a lot of different views about Ruud's tennis abilities.

 

[lurker2025]

Probably best to compare him to historic #5s, rather than to historic top 5 players. Obviously, he is not on a par with most former #1s, #2s, or #3s.

Was Henman better than Fritz as well? What about Ljubicic? Ruud has been world number 2 and has a lower ceiling than Fritz (Fritz has beaten Zverev ten times while Ruud only 2).

 

[soldat]

Was Henman better than Fritz as well? What about Ljubicic? Ruud has been world number 2 and has a lower ceiling than Fritz (Fritz has beaten Zverev ten times while Ruud only 2).

The level in the past is much lower than today’s level

 

[Airspun]

A good 5.0 could beat Fritz today

 

[lurker2025]

A good 5.0 could beat Fritz today

But how good is he compared to a typical world number 4 or 5?

 

[Jonas78]

Id say he is in the lowest 10%. Pre 2008 woudnt help much most years, 2004 Carlos Moya is #5, and 2005 Davy is #5. He is clearly inferior to them.

 

[captainbryce]

What do you mean by “weaker” exactly? One of the reasons I hate questions like this is because of how unqualified they are. Weaker is a subjective term that can be applied to any aspect of the game.

By weaker, do you mean physically weaker (less powerful, less athletic, less endurance, etc). Do you mean mentally weaker (choker, poor 5th set record, poor record in finals, etc). Do you mean less skilled (fewer weapons, poor tactics, little variety, etc). Or do you mean weaker overall results (fewer titles, fewer deep runs in majors, fewer weeks spent in top 5, worse record against top 10 players, etc). So how do you define weaker?

 

[4UTRMoutet]

The level in the past is much lower than today’s level

Maybe so in terms of physicality (although definitely not mentality lol). The Big 3 era will remain as the highest level ever in mentality and competitiveness, from 2009 to 2015 tennis was at its peak. Today's level is pretty godawful. Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, FAA, Medvedev have all experienced 1st round exits in slams in 2026 alone which is inexcusable, all who are top 10 players! The mentality of this current tennis era is rock bottom.

 

[helterskelter]

Was Henman better than Fritz as well? What about Ljubicic? Ruud has been world number 2 and has a lower ceiling than Fritz (Fritz has beaten Zverev ten times while Ruud only 2).

Ljubicic did poorly at slams and had a short career at the top. Henman had a nice all-round game but lacked the killer punch. I don’t really know how you want me to compare them overall. By results or by my assessment of their skills?

 

[Airspun]

Id say he is in the lowest 10%. Pre 2008 woudnt help much most years, 2004 Carlos Moya is #5, and 2005 Davy is #5. He is clearly inferior to them.

Moya won the French Open once right?

 

[Third Serve]

Year-end #5 players the last 30 years have been:

Muster
Kafelnikov
Moya
Kuerten
Ferrero
Coria
Davydenko
Ljubicic
Ferrer
Del Potro
Soderling
Nishikori
Nadal
Thiem
Medvedev
Federer (2020 lol)
Rublev
Djokovic
Auger Aliassime

Of course this is only players who ended the year at #5 and as such would exclude anyone who popped in during the year like Gonzalez, Tsonga, Anderson, etc.

Still I think it's fair to say he's in the lower quartile. There aren't that many players in this list who I wouldn't favor over Fritz for the last 12 months.

 

[lurker2025]

Year-end #5 players the last 30 years have been:

Muster
Kafelnikov
Moya
Kuerten
Ferrero
Coria
Davydenko
Ljubicic
Ferrer
Del Potro
Soderling
Nishikori
Nadal
Thiem
Medvedev
Federer (2020 lol)
Rublev
Djokovic
Auger Aliassime

Of course this is only players who ended the year at #5 and as such would exclude anyone who popped in during the year like Gonzalez, Tsonga, Anderson, etc.

Still I think it's fair to say he's in the lower quartile. There aren't that many players in this list who I wouldn't favor over Fritz for the last 12 months.

I meant to include players who have popped in the top 5 at some point

 

[lurker2025]

Ljubicic did poorly at slams and had a short career at the top. Henman had a nice all-round game but lacked the killer punch. I don’t really know how you want me to compare them overall. By results or by my assessment of their skills?

By results

 

[lurker2025]

Year-end #5 players the last 30 years have been:

Muster
Kafelnikov
Moya
Kuerten
Ferrero
Coria
Davydenko
Ljubicic
Ferrer
Del Potro
Soderling
Nishikori
Nadal
Thiem
Medvedev
Federer (2020 lol)
Rublev
Djokovic
Auger Aliassime

Of course this is only players who ended the year at #5 and as such would exclude anyone who popped in during the year like Gonzalez, Tsonga, Anderson, etc.

Still I think it's fair to say he's in the lower quartile. There aren't that many players in this list who I wouldn't favor over Fritz for the last 12 months.

I would say Fritz is better than a bunch of players who have briefly touched the top 5 in recent years. He is better than De Minaur ( if he makes it), Shelton, Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, better than Draper by results and than Blake and Robredo and Anderson. A much higher ceiling than Ruud though the latter does some things better. Looking at his results I would not say Henmam was better so he definitely is not one of the absolute worst

 

[Jonas78]

I would say Fritz is better than a bunch of players who have briefly touched the top 5 in recent years. He is better than De Minaur ( if he makes it), Shelton, Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, better than Draper by results and than Blake and Robredo and Anderson. A much higher ceiling than Ruud though the latter does some things better. Looking at his results I would not say Henmam was better so he definitely is not one of the absolute worst

Agree with this, as there hasnt been a clear tier 2 recent years, so the difference on #5, #10 and even #15 isnt big, if any.

 

[accidental]

Better than De Minaur, worse than Marin Cilic

 

[lurker2025]

Better than De Minaur, worse than Marin Cilic

Most of the world number 4 and 5 in recent years have been on the weaker side and he is better than most of them. Draper is better skill wise but he is not as accomplished because he has underperformed at slams and has had severe injuries