Well I was right about 2013. Wrong about everything else lol. I’m always way too conservative in my predictions.
F*ck it, Zverev for 15 slams. Book it.
How many grand slams will Djokovic win in his carrier?
- Thread starter 5555
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F*ck it, Zverev for 15 slams. Book it.
NaomiKonjuhPotapova
G.O.A.T.
I hope it's 22.
viginty for Rafa is going to be really tough.
Thiem and Djokovic are getting very close.
Realistic Djokovic fan here.
If Djokovic somehow wins RG this year, then I think he ends up 20/21. If he doesn't win RG this year then it's 19. Djokovic's ground game is a shadow of what it once was and he's only decent on serve. That's not enough to keep the young guys out for much longer. I think USO this year is the turning of the tides. The young guys are still too crap to do anything against Nadal on clay and they're too crap on return to do anything at Wimbledon. But USO gives them a strong chance. Once one breaks through, the rest will too.
If Djokovic somehow wins RG this year, then I think he ends up 20/21. If he doesn't win RG this year then it's 19. Djokovic's ground game is a shadow of what it once was and he's only decent on serve. That's not enough to keep the young guys out for much longer. I think USO this year is the turning of the tides. The young guys are still too crap to do anything against Nadal on clay and they're too crap on return to do anything at Wimbledon. But USO gives them a strong chance. Once one breaks through, the rest will too.
TearTheRoofOff
G.O.A.T.
Ha.
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
Did you know the Slam gap between Nadal and Djokovic was 2 all the way back to 2016 which was 4 years ago. And the gap is still 2 today? And with the French coming up, Nadal is most likely going to bag #20. So it will be 3 Slams difference again. Which means all the pressure will be back on Djokovic to win Wimbledon. And if he slips up there, it could be tough. US Open is the most neutral tournament where many players including the NextGen and LostGen could spring upsets.
yeah, but I think Djokovic and Thiem is very close. They probably can not beat Rafa consistently on clay. They can beat rafa sometimes. Rafa is not a god, he does have off days on clay.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Fairly certain, he'll win more than 5. Perhaps as many as 9. You heard it here first.
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
I believe Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Thiem and Zverev will be fully capable Slam threats this year and become real rivals to Djokovic everywhere. It was good to see Zverev fix his game and make a great run in Melbourne. Medvedev lost to the 2014AO champion Stanimal in 5 sets so there's no real shame in that. Tsitsipas needs to fix some parts of his game including his ROS and then he'll be on his way. Djokovic doesn't have all the time in the world to surpass 20. There's going to be more resistance going forward. His serve is bailing him out of a lot of tight spots. His ground game isn't at peak level. Not the same player he was 4-5 years ago. The decline has begun.
stringertom
Bionic Poster
I must underline the typo in the thread title. OP would go ballistic if I didn’t point that out.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
It was no easy task for Djoko to prevail over Thiem at the AO. I suspect that it would be much, much more difficult for him to do that at RG. And we cant count out Nadal either. If not injured and he decides to play, RF can go deep at RG as well.
roysid
Hall of Fame
The next generation doesn't have that determination and excellence to beat them in slams.
And that's why Djokovic and Nadal will wins slams till they're super fit which is another 4-5 years.
I give Nadal another 5-7 slams as he is a threat at all 4 slams, particularly French and US Open.
Djokovic i give another 7-9 slams as again he is threat at all with strong at Australian and Wimbledon.
Sadly for Roger it's 0-1 slams. The body breaking up at both US open and Australia tells slam win days are over except for Wimbledon
And that's why Djokovic and Nadal will wins slams till they're super fit which is another 4-5 years.
I give Nadal another 5-7 slams as he is a threat at all 4 slams, particularly French and US Open.
Djokovic i give another 7-9 slams as again he is threat at all with strong at Australian and Wimbledon.
Sadly for Roger it's 0-1 slams. The body breaking up at both US open and Australia tells slam win days are over except for Wimbledon
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
No typo. I found an image of Novak's private carrier where he has won many of his grand slam titles:
If Novak loves tennis as much as Federer does, he will hang around even if he is not #1 or 2 and end up 25+.
Of course, he could stay #1 or 2 and reach 25 too but....
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roysid
Hall of Fame
Nope . The target iswow, 30 will be the new target ?
Nadal : 24-26
Djokovic : 24-26
Federer : 20-21
Certainly not 30
Depends on who get Thiem in the semi finals. It will be hard to beat Thiem and Nadal, but likewise it will be hard to beat Joker/Nadal or Thiem/Joker. Whoever is matched with Thiem in the Semis including Thiem is at a disadvantage.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
It will be interesting to see if he can last as long as Roger (or Andre, Serena, Jimmy Connors, Martina N). His body may betray him again. His style of play in a bit harder on his body than Roger's style (but not quite as demanding or damaging as Rafa's style of play).
He has already had 1 extended dry spell after RG 2016. Did not fully regain form until mid-2018 (Wimbledon). Injury, lack of focus and diminished drive may have all been in play there. IIRC, he went under the knife early in 2018.
Injury and focus (or motivation) could very well become issues again as he ages. Even tho he won W 2019, he was outplayed by old man Roger for a good part of that match. He looked quite vulnerable again (for 2+ sets) in the AO final vs Thiem. DT may be harder to overcome in the next RG and AO. The younger guns might finally step up, start to go deeper and win some of the big ones as well.
Yeah but it's mainly about desire to play, IMHO.
I feel like I've been hearing "Nadal's playing style won't last long" type of comments for like last 10 - 15 years.
People still saying same shiiiit even right at this moment now, after all these friggging years.
For career as top 10 or better and winning slams, Nadal seems to have almost same career length as Federer's (or he could last longer in the future, no ??)
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
I wonder if he would've beaten Medvedev and Thiem back to back in the SF and Finals. I could imagine Med keeping Djokovic out there for a good 4 hours with a ton of long rallies. Djokovic played sh*tty servebot clown Raonic and Dead Fed. He came in fresh fully for the final.
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
No, the comments about the effects of Rafa's playing style on his body are not BS at all. They are on the mark as evidenced by the number of slams, masters events and other tournaments he has missed.
Sure, Roger has been taking some time off since his mid 30s to recover. But if you consider events missed up to the age of 30 or so, Rafa has been injured and missed matches quite a bit more than Roger (even tho Roger has been plagued with back problems and a bit of mono since his teens).
Rafa started playing a full schedule late in 2004 and won his first RG in 2005. Since 2006, Rafa has completely missed (not entered) the slams a total of 6 times. Since 2005, he has skipped Masters tournaments some 24 times. Rafa has missed or skipped lesser events quite a bit as well.
Rafa has been injured and missed major events in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016. He also had a significant lull in his career from late 2014 thru the end of 2016. Since AO 2017, Rafa has made a resurgence. It will be interesting to see if he can remain relatively injury-free in 2020.
In his mid/late 20s or so, Rafa (along with Uncle T, Carlos Moya and his other coaches) have come to fully realize that Rafa's playing style was taking its toll on his body and adjustments needed to be taken. He and his team have made adjustments in his training and taken a number of counter-measures to minimize the effects of his playing style on his body.
Along with changes in his workouts, Rafa undoubtedly engages in a fair amount of physical therapy, massages and other measures to aid in his recovery and minimize injuries and other effects of his playing style. It is well known that Novak has used a specialized Hyperbaric Egg for his training and to aid in his recovery. I suspect that Rafa has also spent quite a bit of money & time for his own training and recovery. Without these extra measures, Rafa might have very well retired in 2015 or 2016 as many had predicted or expected.
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D
Deleted member 766172
Guest
Just voted “more than 10”
How about 12 frigging French Open's ?
The most physically grueling slam.
The longest clay career ever and never there will be anyone close !!
Can anyone with brain say his playing style is not durable ???
You can not be serious here.
We should talk about how he could last longest
and stop talking Nadal's style won't last long. He lasted long enough now, oh gawd.
Main issue is his knees.
As long as conditions are knee friendly, his playing styles are fine.
As Safin said, Rafa fooled everybody for last 15 years.
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Well why not.
In pre-Open era, Ken Rosewall won 24 majors ( slams + pro slams).
You couldn't play slams and pro slams at the same time and there were only 3 pro slams per year.
I don't know how long Rosewall played( like until 40?)
If there were 4 pro slams he could have won close to 30 majors.
Similar to Laver. He won something like 19 majors (11 slams and 8 pro slams??)
but could have won maybe ~24 if 4 pro slams ?
In pre-Open era, 3 slams were on grass and 1 on clay.
Now, all 4 slams are more or less slow surfaces (homogeneous surface era).
So why not 30 ?
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SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
I think I can get you a prescription for a chill pill. Relax... you'll live longer. And maybe you will also have a greater understanding of what I was actually saying. You response appears to reflect that you really did not. Or maybe you are just in denial.
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ArcspacE
G.O.A.T.
Up to ten per decade
D
Deleted member 629564
Guest
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PrinceMoron
Legend
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
Rafa, himself, has indicated that he suffers from Hoffa’s Syndrome. This condition is not genetic. It is an impingement & inflammation caused by impact / overuse.
Over the years, quite a few articles from respectable sources have discussed the significant stress that Nadal puts on his body with his playing style. Here are some of those:
Nadal’s Knee
Rafael Nadal’s style of play and his two-handed backhand put a lot of stress on his injured left knee.
archive.nytimes.com
Rafael Nadal's physical style takes heavy toll on his knees - USATODAY.com
Rafael Nadal's physical style and recurrent knee injuries have made him, at 23, a poster child for the worries of wear and tear on young bodies. In tennis, he is hardly an anomaly. According to several experts, advances in racket and string...
usatoday30.usatoday.com
Ripped. (Or Torn Up?) (Published 2009)
Rafael Nadal has muscled his way to the top of pro tennis. But will his strength and ferocity ultimately defeat him?
SystemicAnomaly
Bionic Poster
" ... Nadal’s body has seemed to be on the verge of declaring bankruptcy numerous times. Knees, foot, wrist, adductor, abdominals, elbow: Rafa has injured them all. As he has pointed out, he’s missed more time and more majors over the years than Federer or Djokovic. Earlier this season at Indian Wells, when a flare-up of his knee tendinitis forced him to withdraw from a highly anticipated semifinal against Federer, Nadal sounded as if he might not want to continue playing, if he had to keep dealing with these types of setbacks... "
www.tennis.com
It wasn’t Rafael Nadal's body that we underestimated—it was his mind | Tennis.com
Years after many of us thought he would be retired, Rafa is the oldest year-end No. 1 in ATP history for a second time.
Bukmeikara
Legend
5555 now seems like a casual fan compared to Lew
Enceladus
Legend
Calendar Year Grand Slam (abbreviation CYGS) or Calendar Grand Slam. The profit of all 4 major titles in one year is still highly regarded. The term 'Grand Slam' has gained a new meaning over time, namely as the name for the category of the most prestigious tennis tournaments. The term 'Grand Slam winner' today refers to anyone who has managed to win at least 1 title at Grand Slam tournaments.
Beacon Hill
Hall of Fame
I actually think Calendar Year Grand Slam differentiates between winning four majors in a calendar year vs a player who wins four majors in a row, but not in the same year. Some were beginning to refer to the latter as Grand Slams as well. I know it is common usage now to refer to winning any major as winning a Grand Slam, or a Slam. For now, I think that is still incorrect. But language changes, so once something becomes enshrined in common usage long enough, it becomes increasingly difficult to argue it's incorrect. But that takes time.
Enceladus
Legend
For the series of 4 majors in a row, which is not in one year, there is also the term - Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam (NCYGS). It also happens that NCYGS is named after the player who achieved it, so we have Djoker Slam or Serena Slam.
TearTheRoofOff
G.O.A.T.
****ing idiots.
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
The Slam race is interesting. Djokovic being the favourite for AO and Wimbledon. Nadal being the favourite for RG and USO.
After this pandemic, hopefully Medvedev, Zverev, Tsitsipas and Thiem finally rise and start taking these guys down in the Slams consistently. The sport needs some real rivalries. I'd imagine by the time tennis resumes full scale, Nadal will be closer to 35 and Djokovic 34. The young guys will or should be hitting peak form by then and ready to take over the Slams.
After this pandemic, hopefully Medvedev, Zverev, Tsitsipas and Thiem finally rise and start taking these guys down in the Slams consistently. The sport needs some real rivalries. I'd imagine by the time tennis resumes full scale, Nadal will be closer to 35 and Djokovic 34. The young guys will or should be hitting peak form by then and ready to take over the Slams.
These young gen are somewhat unlucky gen.
Career span of top players are now ~20 years.
The next next gen who are debuting now at around the age of 16-17,
are the ones who might accumulate 20+ again, I think.
(assuming court conditions/tour systems remain same as now, more or less, of course.)
yeah, I really did not expect him to continue evolve after he reached #1 (in 2011?)
His game continued to evolve.
Nadal also keeps experimenting with his game and evolve.
But Novak seems to be the one who evolved the most after they reached #1.
Last time I watched this kind of evolving game was Sampras, who of course in different era,
went thru different type of evolution.
He spanned whole spectrum from baseliner to all court game to more of serve and volleyers toward the end.
Red Rick
Bionic Poster
They're lucky as hell considering they wouldn't make top 10 10 years ago and their date of birth is their biggest talent
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Hindsight is 20/20. That's all.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Only 15!? He's the greatest talent and best player in the history of the game (and he'll be the first person to tell you that). 35 slams, minimum!
Zebrev
Hall of Fame
Theim and Zverev and Felix will soon lock out Djoker and Nadal from winning more slams. The young push out the old, and Sascha Dominic are reaching peak years, whereas Rafa and Novak are soon to leave their peak years behind. Just think Rafa is nearly the same age as Roger was in AO 2017, absurd when you think about it. They can't win anymore in less than five sets for a slam final, they no longer swipe opponents aside, that's the first sign that the youth are catching up.
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
I disagree. I still put Djokovic and Nadal as the top 2 favourites for at least the next 2-3 years at grand slams.
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
I can see another 2 years but again, both of them have been through seasons where they were in deep slumps or suffering from bad injuries. Plus both of them are looking more and more beatable and are managing to squeak by through attrition and experience.
Nadal was in absolutely amazing form this year and ended up losing 3 tiebreakers to Thiem in Melbourne who hasn't even hit his peak on hardcourts yet.
Djokovic barely got by a fatigued Thiem in 5 sets and barely got through grandpa Federer in Wimbledon, saving MPs. And he got crushed by Stan in USO.
I can see Thiem, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Monfils, Stan, Dimitrov and others..at their freshest making real inroads on the big 3 going forward and pushing them to their limits and taking them out of the Slams. I don't see Federer having much of a chance at winning anymore Slams at 39. The young guys like Thiem, Tsitipas, Zverev will take him out of the Slams. Probably Federer might not make it out of the first week.
DSH
Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal will continue to be younger than Federer of AO 2017 when the US Open 2021 begins.
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
I agree. Good post!
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