Kevin Anderson: "My best game is just as good as Federer's or Nadal's"

[mental midget]

i'm not quite sure how even to evaluate statements like this. 'best game,' meaning what, exactly, and over what duration? a match, a point, a single shot? pure aesthetics? the only discrete quantity you can judge at the end of the day is a win, or a loss.

Imagine a redlining anderson beats federer. do we say his 'best game' is now better than roger's? wouldn't roger simply say he wasn't playing his 'best game'? the irreconcilable swirl this type of language creates should be obvious.

 

[clayqueen]

This is precisely why Roger is in fact the best. He doesn't need to go for every shot and still wins.

Except when he doesn't.

1144-250
W-L

 

[Tennisanity]

Except when he doesn't.

1144-250
W-L

Wow, amazing numbers. He's the GOAT. Thank you.

 

[clayqueen]

Wow, amazing numbers. He's the GOAT. Thank you.

You gave the impression that he's won every single game/match in his entire career which is far from the truth.

 

[Tennisanity]

You gave the impression that he's won every single game/match in his entire career which is far from the truth.

No I didn't

 

[Shaolin]

This

https://twitter.com/Ubitennis/status/971541271046057984

Delusional? Or just healthy self-confidence?

Anderson playing peak level vs Fed playing peak level would result in a quick 6-2, 6-1 beatdown by the goat.

Anderson peak vs Nadal he'd be destroyed also. On clay he'd be hard pressed to just get games.

 

[Pheasant]

Kevin Anderson’s sentence was perhaps cut off. It would make more sense if it read “my best game is just as good as Federer’s or Nadal’s was in 2002.”

 

[Mr Feeny]

No I didn't

Don't worry. She gets easily confused.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Anderson won exactly ten games from Rafa at the USO last year. He was completely owned and was utterly exposed as a nervous player with zero strategy. He was facing a player standing literally 30 feet behind the baseline but was too inept to pull him wide and come to the net to end the point. It was an embarrassingly poor performance.

Now he claims he's as good as either Fed or Rafa? Maybe his handlers need to teach him to tape his mouth shut when talking to the press.

 

[NothingButNet]

 

[clayqueen]

Wow, amazing numbers. He's the GOAT. Thank you.

The % of matches won in their career is 82% for Fed and 83% for Rafa. If there is going to be a GOAT, which I don't believe in, but if you insist, then Rafa is the GOAT.

 

[Tennisanity]

The % of matches won in their career is 82% for Fed and 83% for Rafa. If there is going to be a GOAT, which I don't believe in, but if you insist, then Rafa is the GOAT.

No, Nadal is 5 years younger, his % will go down. Fed is GOAT, Nadal is not. Simples. Of course you don't believe in it, LOLLLLLLLL. You turds are hilarious.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

 

[TMF]

The % of matches won in their career is 82% for Fed and 83% for Rafa. If there is going to be a GOAT, which I don't believe in, but if you insist, then Rafa is the GOAT.

No he's not. The hierarchy is still in this order.

1.Federer
(gap)
2.Nadal
(gap)
3.Nole

 

[clayqueen]

No, Nadal is 5 years younger, his % will go down. Fed is GOAT, Nadal is not. Simples. Of course you don't believe in it, LOLLLLLLLL. You turds are hilarious.

Fed has had more time to improve on his numbers.

 

[FHtennisman]

The % of matches won in their career is 82% for Fed and 83% for Rafa. If there is going to be a GOAT, which I don't believe in, but if you insist, then Rafa is the GOAT.

Rafa's winning percentage is 82.50%, just saying, if his % dips below that mark this season - will you agree that Rafa is no longer GOAT?

 

[Tennisanity]

Fed has had more time to improve on his numbers.

No, Nadal will go down.

 

[Zeref]

Fed has had more time to improve on his numbers.

Excellent Logic.

 

[Sum Buddy Ells]

The % of matches won in their career is 82% for Fed and 83% for Rafa. If there is going to be a GOAT, which I don't believe in, but if you insist, then Rafa is the GOAT.

If you don't believe in the GOAT, why bother overanalyzing posts that claim Roger's the GOAT or the best? You obviously don't do that to Rafa fans.

 

[clayqueen]

Del

 

[a10best]

He did almost beat Djokovic at Wimbledona couple years back.... 2 points or 1 game from victory If I recall correctly.

 

[merwy]

Nah I disagree, I think he's a poor man's Berdych and I like the guy. As others have said, it's not bad that he thinks like this but it's just obviously untrue. Nadal demolished him in the USO final but if Kevin can make himself believe that that was just him playing bad and Nadal playing good, then so be it.

 

[Zodd]

great response by Fedexpress #20 to Andersson's tweet - classic fedal moment

 

[tennis_pro]

Fed has had more time to improve on his numbers.

So you're saying that Nadal's winning % will go up in the next 5 years?

If he only plays Barcelona and Monte Carlo you could be right.

 

[smalahove]

Nadal debunked him in the USO '17 final.

And his return game is sloppy, with a huge takeback on the BH side, WTA-style, and that by his own admission.

 

[smoledman]

The delusion is strong with this one Master Yoda.

 

[smoledman]

Didn't Federer dismantle this guy 6-1 6-1 @2015 Cincy, also being the first 'victim' of SABR?

 

[smoledman]

Yeah it's like saying Manute Bol had more potential than Michael Jordan or Clyde Drexler.

 

[ChaelAZ]

Lots of players best games are as good as Fed and Nadal. But their average game is well below and the probability of them having their best game in the few chances to play either are slim to none for most.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Look forward to seeing his best game some time.

 

[JMR]

i'm not quite sure how even to evaluate statements like this. 'best game,' meaning what, exactly, and over what duration? a match, a point, a single shot? pure aesthetics? the only discrete quantity you can judge at the end of the day is a win, or a loss.

Exactly. E.g., any giant galoot can occasionally blast a 140 mph first serve that no one on the planet can touch. Is that representative of his "best game"?

It's kind of a cop-out merely to blame a lack of consistency for the difference in results between an ATG and an above-average journeyman. There has to be a minimum level of constantly good play before we even get to the question of consistency regarding great play. A player who blasts a winner every third point, but hits wild unforced errors on the other two points, is NOT a high-quality but very inconsistent player. Rather, he's just a poor player who generates random strokes and hopes for the best.

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Yeah it's like saying Manute Bol had more potential than Michael Jordan or Clyde Drexler.

Kevin Andersen = Tennis' Lavar Ball

 

[Deleted member 733170]

Next he’ll be saying that he’s got a great serve for someone who is under 6ft.

 

[Deleted member 716271]

Maybe on wood

 

[Deleted member 733170]

Anderson won exactly ten games from Rafa at the USO last year. He was completely owned and was utterly exposed as a nervous player with zero strategy. He was facing a player standing literally 30 feet behind the baseline but was too inept to pull him wide and come to the net to end the point. It was an embarrassingly poor performance.

Now he claims he's as good as either Fed or Rafa? Maybe his handlers need to teach him to tape his mouth shut when talking to the press.

A bit harsh as he a decent fellow, but hard to argue otherwise.

 

[Thundergod]

Giving who said it, I dont think it's close to as bad as people are making it out to be. Since he somehow stumbled into the top 10 again, he probably wants to make the most of his opportunity before his deadline (USO).

Looking at all his fist pumping, what he said probably helps him mentally.

 

[Chanwan]

The % of matches won in their career is 82% for Fed and 83% for Rafa. If there is going to be a GOAT, which I don't believe in, but if you insist, then Rafa is the GOAT.

82,7 for Novak, 82,5 for Rafa and 82,1 for Roger, so Novak wins this one ;-). Borg was up there too iirc. Lendl and Connors not too far below either.

Fed being at the bottom of the Big 3 is largely a result of him not being a prodigy/early bloomer. EDIT: Fed's winning percentage from 2003 onwards:

86,31%.

Can you find a 10 year period, where Rafa can match that?

He's 5 best seasons are miles above Rafa's and at least a level above Novak's 5 best seasons in terms of winning percentage.

I don't see Rafa on this list for instance:
Match record Year % W–L
John McEnroe 1984 96.5 82–3
Jimmy Connors 1974 95.9 93–4
Roger Federer 2005 95.3 81–4
Roger Federer 2006 94.8 92–5
Björn Borg 1979 93.3 84–6
Novak Djokovic 2015 93.2 82–6
Ivan Lendl 1986 92.5 74–6
Roger Federer 2004 92.5 74–6
Ivan Lendl 1985 92.3 84–7
Ivan Lendl 1982 92.2 106–9
minimum 70 wins

And I would think the same holds true for their respective 10 best seasons.
@falstaff78 - do you have the numbers?

That said, it really doesn't matter much, when the difference is 0,6 % between the worst and the best.

 

[Nadalgaenger]

Lol this guy must be trolling.

Maybe Peak Anderson beats Peak Berdych. But I doubt it.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

82,7 for Novak, 82,5 for Rafa and 82,1 for Roger, so Novak wins this one ;-). Borg was up there too iirc. Lendl and Connors not too far below either.

Fed being at the bottom of the Big 3 is largely a result of him not being a prodigy/early bloomer. He's 5 best seasons are miles above Rafa's and at least a level above Novak's 5 best seasons in terms of winning percentage. I don't see Rafa on this list for instance:
Match record Year % W–L
John McEnroe 1984 96.5 82–3
Jimmy Connors 1974 95.9 93–4
Roger Federer 2005 95.3 81–4
Roger Federer 2006 94.8 92–5
Björn Borg 1979 93.3 84–6
Novak Djokovic 2015 93.2 82–6
Ivan Lendl 1986 92.5 74–6
Roger Federer 2004 92.5 74–6
Ivan Lendl 1985 92.3 84–7
Ivan Lendl 1982 92.2 106–9
minimum 70 wins

And I would think the same holds true for their respective 10 best seasons.
@falstaff78 - do you have the numbers?

That said, it really doesn't matter much, when the difference is 0,6 % between the worst and the best.

From 2001-2018 Fed's win rate is 84,66%.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Lol this guy must be trolling.

Maybe Peak Anderson beats Peak Berdych. But I doubt it.

Berdych is 12-0 against KAndy.

 

[Nadalgaenger]

From 2001-2018 Fed's win rate is 84,66%.

Great stat.

People on here always used to say that Fed’s percentage would go down with time but I’ve always said it would go up. People forget that the reason Fed’s overall percentage was significantly lower than Borg, Nadal, etc. Was due to him not being a tennis prodigy like them. Fed was highly inconsistent before 2003 breakthrough and racked up some crappy losses.

In other words, if Fed pre 2003 were a #NextGen player now, he’d be getting trashed on TTW like all the others for not having “the heart of a champion” or whatever.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Great stat.

People on here always used to say that Fed’s percentage would go down with time but I’ve always said it would go up. People forget that the reason Fed’s overall percentage was significantly lower than Borg, Nadal, etc. Was due to him not being a tennis prodigy like them. Fed was highly inconsistent before 2003 breakthrough and racked up some crappy losses.

In other words, if Fed pre 2003 were a #NextGen player now, he’d be getting trashed on TTW like all the others for not having “the heart of a champion” or whatever.

Yeah but at least had won a master in 2002 and made the top 8/YEC and also had a big scalp against PETE at Wimbly.

 

[RVAtennisaddict]

Shame he is saving his best game for when those guy retire.

I want to like the guy, seems nice and hard worker. But I find watching him boring and then this. Wow.

 

[jimjam]

What he doesn't realise that Fed/Nadal also have days where they are playing their best... and their best is better than his best ;-)

But yeah, his best is as good as their average day. Which is what he means I think.

 

[Chanwan]

From 2001-2018 Fed's win rate is 84,66%.

And from 2003 onwards?

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

And from 2003 onwards?

86,31%.

 

[Chanwan]

86,31%.

What's Rafa's from 2005 to now and Novak's from 2008 to now? Thanks

 

[MajesticMoose]

That goblin-faced freak of nature isn't in the same league as Nadal or Federer.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

What's Rafa's from 2005 to now and Novak's from 2008 to now? Thanks

RAFA 83,57%
Novak 84,27%

Pretty easy to calculate. Basic average calculation. Though I'm taking a basic statistics course atm.

 

[Chanwan]

RAFA 83,57%
Novak 84,27%

Pretty easy to calculate. Basic average calculation. Though I'm taking a basic statistics course atm.

I can calculate winning percentages alright - just don't have the numbers readily, which then means going through 10+ years of playing activity for each at the ATP site, adding it all up and then doing the division. I suppose you do it at TA? I never got quite used to their system.

@clayqueen - since 2003, 2005 and 2008 (their first major winning year) respectively:
EDITED numbers (see post 102 for why):
Fed: 86,95%.
Novak: 85,48 %
Rafa: 84,13 %. Rafa only third GOAT now . You're welcome