Most Impressive Performance on a Hardcourt Tournament: Nalbandian or Kuerten?

[Xuxa Kuerten]

Hello, there. I think when it comes to hardcourts, players like Nalbandian and Kuerten are very underrated. I've seen recently some say that the argentinean "isn't mediocre" on those courts, and that Guga didn't play "that bad" on hards. Maybe most fans here tend to appreciate only consistency. That's, for sure, a great quality, and is mostly what makes one player a legend. But I'm also particularly interested in what some may call "peak level", e.g., the highest level one were able to play on a given match or tournament. Obviously those undisputed players like Agassi, Sampras, Nadal, Federer and a few others are able to play on a very, very high level once in a while. I would call those days the "unbeatable mode: on" style of play. But some other players have so much "tennis IQ" (as some would say) that they are able to defeat anyone as well on a given day. For those who have a shorter memory, Soderling's performance on RG this year is a good example, though he couldn't keep his level on some moments during the semifinal and surely vs. Federer.

So let's take a look at Nalbandian's performance during 2007 Madrid Masters:

1st Round: Defeats Clement (5-7, 6-2, 6-4)
2rd Round: Defeats (9) Berdych (4-6, 6-4, 7-6)
3rd Round: Defeats (WC) del Potro (6-2, 6-4)
QF: Defeats (2) Nadal (6-1, 6-2) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSQPTjHPrhE
SF: Defeats (3) Djokovic (6-4, 7-6)
F: Defeats (1) Federer (1-6, 6-3, 6-3) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXUMWKjpUZA

And that's 2000 Masters Cup Kuerten's performance:
Round Robin: Loses to (8 ) Agassi (6-4, 4-6, 3-6) – Kuerten lead 6-4, 4-2 when he injured his lower back.
Round Robin: Defeats (4) Norman (7-5, 6-3)
Round Robin: Defeats (5) Kafelnikov (6-3, 6-4)
SF: Defeats (3) Sampras (6-7, 6-3, 6-4) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lawfGLGkuO4 ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sho_sXYRGNs
F: Defeats (8 ) Agassi (6-4, 6-4, 6-4) – unfortunately I just couldn't find a good video of this match; I guess I'll upload my vhs next time.

That was the first and only time that someone was able to defeat Agassi and Sampras in a row during a SF and a F of a tournament. And both players were playing on a very good level; no one can say they "choke"or didn't try as hard as they could.

I would say that those were two of the most fantastic performances I've ever seen, specialy Nalbandian's matches vs. Nadal and Federer, and Kuerten's matches vs. Sampras and Agassi. On those days, they showed to everyone that they could beat anyone on that surface.So I would like to hear your opinions about those performances, and maybe choose your preferred one if you watched the matches or the highlights.

 

[sanchino]

If Kuerten's skinny little hips hadn't been so overworked on clay, he could have been more of a contender, than NADAL ever will be(on hard fast courts)........having said that, they have something in common, those clay court wins took a huge tole on their bodies, and NADAL will never be as domionant there or feared for that matter as he once was

didn't Kuerten win the equalivent of the US OPEN series thing around 2000?

 

[grafrules]

I picked Kuerten since he had way more at stake and it was more unexpected. A guy thought of as a clay court specialist needing to beat Sampras and Agassi back to back on lightning fast indoor court to be steal the year end #1 from the nutty Safin (who performed mediocrely at the same event) and he came through in flying colors.

Nalbandian played great at Madrid and Paris that year, as well as the YEC in 2005 but there was less at stake and he is expected to play great indoors. Unlike Kuerten that is his turf.

 

[grafrules]

It is dissapointing Kuerten never did much in hard court slams. Never even once past the quarters. The biggest dissapointment of all I thought was the 2001 U.S Open. I really thought he had a great shot of winning that year. Then he gets spanked in the quarters by Yevgeny freaking Kafelnikov of all people. Huge dissapointment.

 

[vbranis]

Kuerten would've won at least one major on hard, had he not gotten injured. At his best, he was virtually unbeatable, clay or hard.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

I think that beating 3,2,1 b2b2b the way Nalbandian did it was more impressive. He demolished Nadal, took out Djokovic who was playing reasonably well, and took down Fed in the final after losing the 1st set, which almost no one comes back from down a set to beat Fed (that I remember).

Guga was impressive and unexpected, but you have to remember Nalby was having a crap season that year and had done squat in the majors. It shows in the fact that he won both MS events and still wasn't top 8, that's how down of a season he was having. And to go on the run that he did, even w/ his history, in that season was very impressive.

And Kuerten had the luxury of losing, which kinda puts it in a different category, IMO.

 

[grafselesfan]

Nalby was having a crap season that year and had done squat in the majors.

So in other words he was having his usual year.

 

[Xuxa Kuerten]

It is dissapointing Kuerten never did much in hard court slams. Never even once past the quarters. The biggest dissapointment of all I thought was the 2001 U.S Open. I really thought he had a great shot of winning that year. Then he gets spanked in the quarters by Yevgeny freaking Kafelnikov of all people. Huge dissapointment.

In fact, that US Open was one of the biggest chances he had. But he was already on a very bad shape. I believe his 3rd round match vs. Mirnyi (6-7, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-2) demanded too much of his body, and was fatal to his performances afterwards. I'm not quite sure, but despite those problems, he played an amazing match. I've read somewhere he had something like 105 winners and only 18 unforced errors during the fisrt four sets.

 

[Xuxa Kuerten]

And Kuerten had the luxury of losing, which kinda puts it in a different category, IMO.

I agree with you that the fact that the masters cup has a round robin makes it a very distinct tournament. A player may lose even two matches and be the champion. However, on Guga's case, there was the number one spot at the year end rankings at stake, what certainly did put an extra pressure on him. I didn't compare his feat with 2005 masters cup won by Nalby (again vs. Federer in the final) because I thought his performance on Madrid was better and also due to the fact that he had a tougher draw on that masters series.

[Sorry, I'm sleep-drunk. Maybe I'm writing like a 5 yo kid]:lol:

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

I agree with you that the fact that the masters cup has a round robin makes it a very distinct tournament. A player may lose even two matches and be the champion. However, on Guga's case, there was the number one spot at the year end rankings at stake, what certainly did put an extra pressure on him. I didn't compare his feat with 2005 masters cup won by Nalby (again vs. Federer in the final) because I thought his performance on Madrid was better and also due to the fact that he had a tougher draw on that masters series.

[Sorry, I'm sleep-drunk. Maybe I'm writing like a 5 yo kid]:lol:

Don't worry, you make more sense than most of the posters when they're at 100%

 

[federerfanatic]

This is a hard choice. Both were excellent. Not really sure what to decide. It is amazing to hear at the end of Kuerten's wins over Sampras how he had more winners than Sampras. You almost never see that on a fast surface. Even Agassi is atleast doubled, sometimes tripled in winners by Sampras on those surfaces.

 

[abmk]

So in other words he was having his usual year.

Nalbandian in slams before 2007

2003 ->AO QF ( schuetler),USO SF(roddick)
2004 -> AO QF(federer),FO SF(gaudio)
2005 -> AO QF(hewitt),Wim QF(johansson),USO QF(federer)
2006 -> AO SF(baghdatis),FO SF(federer)
2007 -> 4R,4R,3R,3R

Clearly 2007 was not a usual year for him going by his previous years . Before 2007, he was underperforming at the smaller events , but was up there in the slams making quarters and semis

 

[abmk]

As for the poll question, its tough, level of play and opposition wise, its nalbandian, but lot more pressure on kuerten as he was playing for YE # 1.

If question had been more ( not most ! ) impressive achievement, I'd go with kuerten, but since question is about performance , I'll go with nalbandian

 

[zagor]

Man,tough to say.Kuerten beating both Agassi and Sampras on carpet to clinch year end #1 is amazing(although I think I vaguely remember Sampras criticizing the court,saying it's too slow for carpet)but Nalbo was unreal in Madrid as well,beating Nadal,Djokovic and Fed in a row was really a great performance.

Since year end #1 was at stake I'll go with Guga but it's damn close.

 

[CountryHillbilly]

Have to say Guga. Nalbandian's performance was awesome, but Djokovic and Nadal were not in good shape then.

Although I confess I don't exactly remember Sampras and Agassi's shape in 2000.

 

[NonP]

I'd say Guga for the sheer pressure. But will need to see how he played against Agassi to compare their respective performances. Sampras definitely didn't play too well in the SF, and frankly I don't remember Guga playing lights-out tennis, either.

 

[Andres]

I think, level wise, Paris 2007 was better than Madrid 2007. He played incredible tennis from start to end, including a straight sets win over Fed and a bagel-including-slaughter against Nadal.

 

[TheMagicianOfPrecision]

Im 100% confident that IF Fat Dave wasnt so fond of fast cars,latina women and argentinian wine then he would be no2 in the world, according to me FD is a much better tennisplayer than Dirtbag,Mooorray and the Kid from the Island.

 

[Lefty78]

Man,tough to say.Kuerten beating both Agassi and Sampras on carpet to clinch year end #1 is amazing.

I'm a huge Andre fan, and I can still remember very clearly the way Guga dusted him in the finals of the Masters Cup. SMOKED him. Not that many people have EVER done that to a focused Agassi from the baseline on hc. Had Kuerten been able to stay healthy (a very big if) he would've won a major on hard courts for sure, imo. I voted Guga.

 

[grafselesfan]

I'm a huge Andre fan, and I can still remember very clearly the way Guga dusted him in the finals of the Masters Cup. SMOKED him. Not that many people have EVER done that to a focused Agassi from the baseline on hc. Had Kuerten been able to stay healthy (a very big if) he would've won a major on hard courts for sure, imo. I voted Guga.

I loved watching Kuerten play on hard courts when he was on. He was really streaky on hard courts though. I would like to see he would have won a hard court slam healthy, but he underperformed on hard court slams even in his prime. Maybe it was just a matter of time though.

 

[drwood]

I loved watching Kuerten play on hard courts when he was on. He was really streaky on hard courts though. I would like to see he would have won a hard court slam healthy, but he underperformed on hard court slams even in his prime. Maybe it was just a matter of time though.

I'd have to say Nalbandian, b/c he did better than Guga ever did in a hardcourt slam (match point in US Open semi vs. Roddick), and OWNED Federer in 2003 (Aus Open and US Open 4th rds) -- a big reason Roddick ended the year at #1.

 

[JeMar]

Had to go with Kuerten.

Beating Agassi and a very game Sampras with the year-end number one on the line was more impressive than Nalbandian's annual two week run on indoor courts.

 

[FedNad316]

Nalby though the more eirratic and unpredictable was the more dominant force on "His" day than Guga IMO.......

 

[JeMar]

Man, i miss Guga. People talk about how stylish Gasquet is, but that guy has nothing on Kuerten.

 

[martinross]

Kuerten

I went out to see Guga at Indy in the early 2000's and he defaulted due to injury aftermaking a game effort. He and in a different way Safin were when "on" a couple of the most brilliant players and they played against Agassi, Sampras, Brugera (clay), Kafelnikov and so may good players I'll forget to mention. Tennis around 2000 was extremely good at the top so I'll take Kuerten's 200 win

 

[JeMar]

Yeah, I definitely miss the variety. My dad took me to the Cincinnati tournament in 1999 when you had Rafter/Sampras/Agassi/Kafelnikov in the semi-finals. The QFs had just about every single gamestyle represented. You had a pure counterpuncher in Chang, a pure serve and volley artist in Rafter and Henman, a power server in Sampras and Krajicek, a couple of aggressive baseliners in Agassi and Kafelnikov, and top spin master Kuerten.