If Novak wins RG, Is He The Only Player To Rank In Your (Open Era) Top 3 On Grass, Clay, and Hard?

[Lozo1016]

On hard court, he's #1 in Slams, Masters, and Big Titles overall.

On grass, he's tied for 2nd in the Open Era with 7 Wimbledons along with Sampras. Only Federer has more.

On clay, he would have 3 slams which would tie him with Wilander, Lendl, and Kuerten. He's already 2nd in clay Masters and Big Titles, behind only Nadal. When you consider that he had to deal with the undisputed greatest clay player of all time for his entire career, I'd have to put him 3rd behind only Nadal and Borg. I think he's already in the argument for top 3 on clay, but I know we would struggle to put him ahead of all 3 guys who have 3 RG titles when Novak only has 2. But what if he wins another one?

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

I can't really put him above those guys on clay even if he wins RG. . Or Borg or Muster. They were all better clay court Players than Djokovic as much as I love him

 

[StrongRule]

Djokovic winning 3 slams on clay is a joke, even if the last two are Djokovic Opens. He surely isn't 3 times better on clay than Federer. Hell, even last year he lost to a very old Nadal who skipped almost the entire clay season due to injury.

 

[dking68]

He’s behind Lendl and Kuerten on clay

 

[RaulRamirez]

IF he wins a third RG, Obviously, he's be WAYYY behind Rafa, and Borg would have an edge as well. I don't thinkl anyone would disagree to that point.

If we're only talking about RG, he'd be in the conversation with Lendl, Wilander and Kuerten, and while guys like Vilas and Muster were more known as clay specialists (or more known for their play specifically on the dirt), I think he'd be ahead of both if not already ahead. I'd have to look at more numbers, but he'd certainly have a case for being at the head of the three-RG titles group, given how he was blocked by Rafa.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Djokovic will need 4 RG to be top 3 on clay I think. With 3 RG, he will be alongside Wilander Lendl. He might have some claim to be ahead but not that much. While on HC is he number 1 and grass number 2/3 now.

 

[pj80]

Djokovic winning 3 slams on clay is a joke, even if the last two are Djokovic Opens. He surely isn't 3 times better on clay than Federer. Hell, even last year he lost to a very old Nadal who skipped almost the entire clay season due to injury.

He beat Rafa x2 on Chatrier....if anyone deserves 3 RG's it would be him

 

[Kralingen]

Ken Rosewall is already there in the top 3 of each.

 

[abmk]

No, Kuerten, Lendl and Wilander would still be better. Djokovic is not top 3 on grass either. That's Fed, Sampras and Borg.

 

[BorgTheGOAT]

I can't really put him above those guys on clay even if he wins RG. . Or Borg or Muster. They were all better clay court Players than Djokovic as much as I love him

Borg would of course still be ahead but definitely not Muster. 3 RG vs 1, way better additional results at RG, and even ahead in clay masters.

 

[tennis_error]

He is... He lost so many times against Nadal, king of clay, can you imagine how many he could have? Same stands for Federer thought, but Novak did beat Nadal 2 times. He has 13 consecutive QF there (Nadal 6), second most masters...

In short, Novak is universally great player... Greatest overall...

 

[socallefty]

Voted yes. But will Carlos and his generational buddies (Rune, Sinner, Musetti, Lehecka, FAA) or even the older guys (Ruud, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Zverev, Rublev, Fritz) allow Djokovic to sniff another FO title even if his buddy Nadal is kaput?

 

[Cortana]

Without Nadal both Federer and Djokovic would be considered the best clay court players of all time. Both would have 6+ RG titles.

Would any of the past clay ATG stand a chance against Nadal? No.

 

[DSH]

It's a futile wish since Joker will be swept in the quarterfinals or semifinals of the French Open at best.

 

[DSH]

Ken Rosewall is already there in the top 3 of each.

Henri Cochet is the third best player in the history of Roland Garros (since 1925).
The French musketeer is the third player with the most titles there with 4 trophies.

 

[DSH]

Without Nadal both Federer and Djokovic would be considered the best clay court players of all time. Both would have 6+ RG titles.

Would any of the past clay ATG stand a chance against Nadal? No.

And Nadal without 'Fedovic' would have 7 Wimbledon titles, like Sampras.
Does that matter?

 

[Hitman]

If Djokovic wins RG, then he is top three on all three surfaces in the open era.

He is already clearly number one on HC, he is at worst three on grass with some having him even at second place, and a third RG will mean he is third on clay also.


If he wins RG, many including myself will put him above Lendl, Wilander and Kuerten.

He is already the all surface GOAT, another RG and he puts the debate to rest.

 

[StrongRule]

He beat Rafa x2 on Chatrier....if anyone deserves 3 RG's it would be him

Yeah, keep acting like wins over 2015 Nadal have any meaning. Berdych, Brown and Fognini are probably also potential GOATs, as they beat 2015 Nadal in the other slams. Beating this Nadal means absolutely nothing. The only player who beat anything close to prime Nadal in RG is Soderling.

 

[DSH]

Yeah, keep acting like wins over 2015 Nadal have any meaning. Berdych, Brown and Fognini are probably also potential GOATs, as they beat 2015 Nadal in the other slams. Beating this Nadal means absolutely nothing. The only player who beat anything close to prime Nadal in RG is Soderling.

From 1 to 10, Nadal's level was 3 points in that edition of RG 2015.
In 2021, at most, Nadal's level was 5 points.

 

[pj80]

Yeah, keep acting like wins over 2015 Nadal have any meaning. Berdych, Brown and Fognini are probably also potential GOATs, as they beat 2015 Nadal in the other slams. Beating this Nadal means absolutely nothing. The only player who beat anything close to prime Nadal in RG is Soderling.

RG Rafa is not like "other slams"...he destroyed all his opponents in previous rounds.

 

[StrongRule]

RG Rafa is not like "other slams"...he destroyed all his opponents in previous rounds.

Losing a set to Sock is called destroying his opponents? Some Djokovic fans are really something else, can NEVER admit he beat a weak opponent. The fact that you don't have anything better than hyping a win over Nadal who hit 3 forehand winners (which is total nonsense by his RG standards) says it all, and only proves my point that Djokovic winning 3 clay slams is a joke. If he actually had some real impressive wins there, you wouldn't feel the need to hype a win where he basically just had to show up.

 

[pj80]

Losing a set to Sock is called destroying his opponents? Some Djokovic fans are really something else, can NEVER admit he beat a weak opponent. The fact that you don't have anything better than hyping a win over Nadal who hit 3 forehand winners (which is total nonsense by his RG standards) says it all, and only proves my point that Djokovic winning 3 clay slams is a joke. If he actually had some real impressive wins there, you wouldn't feel the need to hype a win where he basically just had to show up.

he won the other sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 lost 3rd set 5-7 because he got bored beating up on Sock...you can never give Djo credit. If not for him Rafa would very likely have won that RG.

 

[StrongRule]

he won the other sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 lost 3rd set 5-7 because he got bored beating up on Sock...you can never give Djo credit. If not for him Rafa would very likely have won that RG.

What a total joke. And then they ask why so many users say Djokovic fans are clearly the worst fanbase.

 

[Tennfan123]

He’s not winning it.

 

[pj80]

What a total joke you are. Thanks for reminding why nobody takes you seriously.

Rafa at RG is a total different beast...

 

[nolefam_2024]

Rafans came to spoil this party boys. Perhaps you all should take rest like Rafa.

 

[nolefam_2024]

At the end of the day only strong rules.

 

[Lauren_Girl']

Meh. For me he is already 3rd on clay behind Nadal and Borg.
In any other era without Nadal, he would have won RG in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2020 and maybe even 2007 and 2022.
And he's definitely 3rd if not already 2nd on grass. Will be co-goat on grass with 1 more Wimbledon.