How many years do you think Murray was top 5 clay player?

[nolefam_2024]

Andy Murray obviously peaked in 2016 when he became number 1 and also won a ton of matches on clay. He was in semis of Monte Carlo, final of Madrid, won Rome and was in the final of RG. This alone would give him 3280 ranking pts, good enough to be a top 8 player to play at yec. So his peak clay form was very good.

But due to nadal's existence Murray was never much more than an afterthought on this surface. Nadal dominated Federer and Djokovic on clay but absolutely thrashed Murray including both RG meetings between the two.

On how things stand each year, Murray was possibly 2nd or 3rd most favorite to win RG in 2015/2016. The oddsmakers made him 3rd favorite for both years.

But how many years was he a sureshot top 5 on the red stuff?
I would assume 2015/16 is a given but what other years.

Was Murray more years a top 5 clay player than Thiem?

 

[SpinWizard]

2011 Clayray was pretty good too. I remember he had great battle against Rafa in Monte Carlo and then played amazing tennis against Novak in Rome. And obviously reached RG SF so pretty good achievement as well.

 

[nolefam_2024]

2011 Clayray was pretty good too. I remember he had great battle against Rafa in Monte Carlo and then played amazing tennis against Novak in Rome. And obviously reached RG SF so pretty good achievement as well.

I was thinking of 2011 as well. That's 1500+ pts from the clay swing. Murray is surely top 5 player that year on clay.

 

[nolefam_2024]

I see Thiem also as sure shot top 5 for 3 years. 2017/2018/2019.

Was he that good in 2016 ? I don't remember but Djokovic Murray Nadal and Wawrinka possibly are ahead of Thiem.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Just eyeballing stuff and I can safely say Nadal was top 5 from 2005 till 2022 so he was there for a total of 18 years.

Djokovic is there from 2008 till 2023 (debatable about 2018 and 2024) so 13 years already.

Federer was there from 2002 and 2004 till 2013 ( debatable about 2014, 2015 and 2019) so 11 years.

Wawrinka was for sure in 2014 to 2017 but barely in 2016. So 4 years.

Ferrer for what ? 2010? 2011? 2012, 2013, 2014 and maybe 2015. So probably 5/6 years.

Nadal 18, Djokovic 13, Federer 11, Ferrer 6? , Wawrinka 4, Thiem 4 and Murray maybe 3 or 4.
Zverev maybe 2017, but 2018, 2021, 2022 for sure so 4 years.

 

[NatF]

Murray has 2011, 2015-2016. Perhaps in 2017 as well based off reaching the SF at the French not sure apart from the other semifinalists would top him. Don't think this applies to 2014 though despite again reaching the SF - Nadal, Djokovic, Wawrinka, Federer and Ferrer were all better.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Murray has 2011, 2015-2016. Perhaps in 2017 as well based off reaching the SF at the French not sure apart from the other semifinalists would top him. Don't think this applies to 2014 though despite again reaching the SF - Nadal, Djokovic, Wawrinka, Federer and Ferrer were all better.

2017 Murray vs Thiem? Murray played very good vs Wawrinka but Thiem and Wawrinka were both bageled and Thiem chokes even more than Andy Murray.

 

[NatF]

2017 Murray vs Thiem? Murray played very good vs Wawrinka but Thiem and Wawrinka were both bageled and Thiem chokes even more than Andy Murray.

Murray probably beats him, I think Thiem was still a bit green then and the kind of dogged defence Murray was pulling off in SF would eventually grind Thiem down imo.

I only said perhaps because I can't remember if Murray did anything else on clay that year.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Murray probably beats him, I think Thiem was still a bit green then and the kind of dogged defence Murray was pulling off in SF would eventually grind Thiem down imo.

I only said perhaps because I can't remember if Murray did anything else on clay that year.

He didn't.