Most wins on clay (open era)

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Guillermo Vilas 660
Manuel Orantes 501
Thomas Muster 422
José Higueras 378
Eddie Dibbs 370
Ilie Năstase 338
Carlos Moyà 337
Rafael Nadal / Ivan Lendl 329
Andrés Gómez 322

 

[NatF]

One category on clay Nadal will never reach the summit of.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

One category on clay Nadal will never reach the summit of.

He won't even make it to Muster.

 

[NatF]

He won't even make it to Muster.

I'm surprised Moya is so high.

But yeah to reach Muster Nadal needs to play for another 5+ years probably.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

I'm surprised Moya is so high.

But yeah to reach Muster Nadal needs to play for another 5+ years probably.

I was surprised as well about Moya
when looking at it i think Nadal will overtake Nastase and that's it

 

[MichaelNadal]

Daaaaammmn they played a lot on clay. Who has time to watch all that? :lol:

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Daaaaammmn they played a lot on clay. Who has time to watch all that? :lol:

Vilas's record is sure to last forever
as sure as Isner-Mahut 's 11 hours match :lol:

 

[Rock Strongo]

Muster was a beast on clay. Wonder how his career on other surfaces would've turned out if it wasn't for that drunk driver. That would include his record on clay.

 

[veroniquem]

Are you sure about the Orantes stat? I have the same stats but without Orantes. Are you sure his stat is for open era only? (same for Nastase)

 

[Steve0904]

He won't even make it to Muster.

At the rate he's going he'd do well to make it to Moya.

 

[veroniquem]

I have Orantes at 489 ALL TIME and Nastase at 330 ALL TIME.
So those numbers don't make sense for just open era.

ETA: the rest is correct

 

[RF-18]

Vilas and Muster certainly grinded every ATP clay event they could come across

 

[kiki]

I have Orantes at 489 ALL TIME and Nastase at 330 ALL TIME.
So those numbers don't make sense for just open era.

ETA: the rest is correct

that is simply impossible.Orantes at 489? Nastase at 330?

 

[6-3 6-0]

One of those stats which means absolutely nothing lol
Post the amount of losses they had along with the wins and then we will get a list which will make sense

 

[veroniquem]

that is simply impossible.Orantes at 489? Nastase at 330?

Career match wins per court type[edit]

Clay #
1. Argentina Guillermo Vilas 644
2. Spain Manuel Orantes 489
3. Austria Thomas Muster 422
4. Spain José Higueras 376
5. United States Eddie Dibbs 368
6. Spain Carlos Moyá 337
7. Romania Ilie Năstase 330
8. Czechoslovakia/United States Ivan Lendl 329
9. Ecuador Andrés Gómez 322
10. Spain Rafael Nadal 318


That's what I found on Wiki for all time records (the Nadal matches haven't been updated yet but they have in open era records)

 

[octobrina10]

One of those stats which means absolutely nothing lol
Post the amount of losses they had along with the wins and then we will get a list which will make sense

 

[veroniquem]

Thanks octobrina. Much better list!

 

[6-3 6-0]

Godlike figures Nadal has on dirt !!
Having a constant win % of 92%+ on a particular surface (clay in this case) throughout a career might be one of the most underrated achievements in tennis.

 

[Rock Strongo]

Kent Carlsson on that list is surprising seeing as he was forced to retire at 21. That guy was kind of a Nadal prototype.

 

[Steve0904]

Kent Carlsson on that list is surprising seeing as he was forced to retire at 21. That guy was kind of a Nadal prototype.

The number of wins (153), yes, but not necessarily the percentage.

 

[kiki]

I cannot think of any player more boring to watch than Kent Carlsson.

 

[TMF]

Guillermo Vilas 660
Manuel Orantes 501
Thomas Muster 422
José Higueras 378
Eddie Dibbs 370
Ilie Năstase 338
Carlos Moyà 337
Rafael Nadal / Ivan Lendl 329
Andrés Gómez 322

But many of those match wins include at small clay event.

If you count only match wins at the FO, which is at the biggest stage and the hardest to win, Nadal is #1, follow by Federer #2.

1 Rafael Nadal 66
2 Roger Federer 61
3 Guillermo Vilas 56
4 Ivan Lendl 53
5 Andre Agassi 51
6 Bjorn Borg 49
7 Mats Wilander 47
8 Yannick Noah 40
8 Jimmy Connors 40
8 Jim Courier 40

This list is more insightful imo.

 

[cc0509]

But many of those match wins include at small clay event.

If you count only match wins at the FO, which is at the biggest stage and the hardest to win, Nadal is #1, follow by Federer #2.

1 Rafael Nadal 66
2 Roger Federer 61
3 Guillermo Vilas 56
4 Ivan Lendl 53
5 Andre Agassi 51
6 Bjorn Borg 49
7 Mats Wilander 47
8 Yannick Noah 40
8 Jimmy Connors 40
8 Jim Courier 40

This list is more insightful imo.

No it isn't a more insightful list. Are you trying to tell us Federer is a better clay court player than Borg for example because Federer has more match wins at the FO than Borg? What about the small detail that Borg has six FO titles to Federer's one?

I am a big Federer fan but stop trying to overrate Federer on clay. He doesn't even make it to top five best clay court players of all time IMO.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

No it isn't a more insightful list. Are you trying to tell us Federer is a better clay court player than Borg for example because Federer has more match wins at the FO than Borg? What about the small detail that Borg has six FO titles to Federer's one?

I am a big Federer fan but stop trying to overrate Federer on clay. He doesn't even make it to top five best clay court players of all time IMO.

TMF once wrote here "Federer is great on clay, Nadal is not good on hardcourt"
That settles it I guess....

 

[xan]

This list is more insightful imo.

Is it now?

 

[chjtennis]

Under current tour format, you can only play so much on clay. I think 400 will be almost impossible to reach for anyone under current format.

 

[90's Clay]

Wow. Vilas has twice the amount of wins on Clay than Nadal? Thats crazy

 

[JRAJ1988]

Didn't Federer win his 200th match on Clay when he beat his Finnish opponent?

16 full seasons on Tour and he's only won 200 matches on Clay? It doesn't make sense, he was winning the Hamburg Clay masters in 2002, QF's of the French in 2001...he had a pedigree even back then....Rome final in 2003 loss to Mantilla.

Though I guess Federer is a jack of all trades when it comes to surfaces.

 

[swordtennis]

You can not make that 664 up. That is ridiculous. Top 5 greatest clay court player of all time. some of those wins were like majors in importance back then.

 

[The Green Mile]

Didn't Federer win his 200th match on Clay when he beat his Finnish opponent?

16 full seasons on Tour and he's only won 200 matches on Clay? It doesn't make sense, he was winning the Hamburg Clay masters in 2002, QF's of the French in 2001...he had a pedigree even back then....Rome final in 2003 loss to Mantilla.

Though I guess Federer is a jack of all trades when it comes to surfaces.

He did skip a few of them throughout his career. MC 5 times, Madrid twice and Rome once. Factor in early losses every now and then in the Clay Masters (especially in Rome), and it's usually the only Clay tournaments he plays (Masters and RG), it starts to make a bit more sense.

 

[Backspin1183]

Wow how did they get to play so many matches on clay :shock:

Nadal has been playing on clay since 2003-2004 and he's had very few losses yet he's no where near the top in most matches win!!!

 

[The Green Mile]

Wow how did they get to play so many matches on clay :shock:

Nadal has been playing on clay since 2003-2004 and he's had very few losses yet he's no where near the top in most matches win!!!

Just look at Vilas's 1977 season and how many Clay tournaments were available for him, and how many he entered.

14 April 1977 Buenos Aires (5) Clay Poland Wojtek Fibak 6–4, 6–3, 6–0
24 April 1977 Virginia Beach Clay [10] Romania Ilie Năstase 6–2, 4–6, 6–2
5 June 1977 French Open, Paris Clay United States Brian Gottfried 6–0, 6–3, 6–0
17 July 1977 Kitzbühel Clay Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš 5–7, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
24 July 1977 Washington, D.C. (2) Clay United States Brian Gottfried 6–4, 7–5
31 July 1977 Louisville (3) Clay United States Eddie Dibbs 1–6, 6–0, 6–1
7 August 1977 South Orange Clay United States Roscoe Tanner 6–4, 6–2
14 August 1977 Columbus Clay United States Brian Gottfried 6–2, 6–1
11 September 1977 US Open, New York Clay United States Jimmy Connors 2–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4), 6–0
25 September 1977 Paris Clay France Christophe Roger-Vasselin 6–2, 6–1, 7–6(7–1)
9 October 1977 Tehran (2) Clay United States Eddie Dibbs 6–2, 6–4, 1–6, 6–1
13 November 1977 Bogotá Clay Spain José Higueras 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
20 November 1977 Santiago Clay Chile Jaime Fillol 6–0, 2–6, 6–4
27 November 1977 Buenos Aires (6) Clay Jaime Fillol 6–2, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3

28 August 1977 Rye, Westchester Country Club, US Clay Romania Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–0
28–30 October 1977 Caracas, The Super Tennis 77 Tournament, Venezuela Clay Romania Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–2

And he still had a few runner ups on Clay that year as well...

 

[HewittAlwaysDisappoints]

Just look at Vilas's 1977 season and how many Clay tournaments were available for him, and how many he entered.

14 April 1977 Buenos Aires (5) Clay Poland Wojtek Fibak 6–4, 6–3, 6–0
24 April 1977 Virginia Beach Clay [10] Romania Ilie Năstase 6–2, 4–6, 6–2
5 June 1977 French Open, Paris Clay United States Brian Gottfried 6–0, 6–3, 6–0
17 July 1977 Kitzbühel Clay Czechoslovakia Jan Kodeš 5–7, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2
24 July 1977 Washington, D.C. (2) Clay United States Brian Gottfried 6–4, 7–5
31 July 1977 Louisville (3) Clay United States Eddie Dibbs 1–6, 6–0, 6–1
7 August 1977 South Orange Clay United States Roscoe Tanner 6–4, 6–2
14 August 1977 Columbus Clay United States Brian Gottfried 6–2, 6–1
11 September 1977 US Open, New York Clay United States Jimmy Connors 2–6, 6–3, 7–6(7–4), 6–0
25 September 1977 Paris Clay France Christophe Roger-Vasselin 6–2, 6–1, 7–6(7–1)
9 October 1977 Tehran (2) Clay United States Eddie Dibbs 6–2, 6–4, 1–6, 6–1
13 November 1977 Bogotá Clay Spain José Higueras 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
20 November 1977 Santiago Clay Chile Jaime Fillol 6–0, 2–6, 6–4
27 November 1977 Buenos Aires (6) Clay Jaime Fillol 6–2, 7–5, 3–6, 6–3

28 August 1977 Rye, Westchester Country Club, US Clay Romania Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–0
28–30 October 1977 Caracas, The Super Tennis 77 Tournament, Venezuela Clay Romania Ilie Năstase 6–2, 6–2

And he still had a few runner ups on Clay that year as well...

Was clay the main surface back then or what? Or were there just more tournaments?

 

[The Green Mile]

Was clay the main surface back then or what? Or were there just more tournaments?

I wouldn't say main surface, but Clay did have the most tournaments back then. Carpet and Hard had similar numbers back then. Unlike today, where Hard Court tournaments out number the Clay tournaments by a bigger margin than vice versa in 1977.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Was clay the main surface back then or what? Or were there just more tournaments?

Id be bored to tears if the majority of tour was still clay. That's just overkill.

 

[octobrina10]

No it isn't a more insightful list. Are you trying to tell us Federer is a better clay court player than Borg...

He isn't:

 

[TMF]

Guillermo Vilas 660
Manuel Orantes 501
Thomas Muster 422
José Higueras 378
Eddie Dibbs 370
Ilie Năstase 338
Carlos Moyà 337
Rafael Nadal / Ivan Lendl 329
Andrés Gómez 322

But many of those match wins include at small clay event.

If you count only match wins at the FO, which is at the biggest stage and the hardest to win, Nadal is #1, follow by Federer #2.

1 Rafael Nadal 66
2 Roger Federer 61
3 Guillermo Vilas 56
4 Ivan Lendl 53
5 Andre Agassi 51
6 Bjorn Borg 49
7 Mats Wilander 47
8 Yannick Noah 40
8 Jimmy Connors 40
8 Jim Courier 40

This list is more insightful imo.

No it isn't a more insightful list. Are you trying to tell us Federer is a better clay court player than Borg for example because Federer has more match wins at the FO than Borg? What about the small detail that Borg has six FO titles to Federer's one?

I am a big Federer fan but stop trying to overrate Federer on clay. He doesn't even make it to top five best clay court players of all time IMO.

It's better than the OP's list since his list makes Nadal looks bad to be ranked at #8. Nadal is a clay goat, his list boost many of the aforementioned players when in reality they can't compare to Nadal's little pinky. At least my list has Nadal at the top, which reflect his clay goat by consensus.

 

[tennisaddict]

TMF once wrote here "Federer is great on clay, Nadal is not good on hardcourt"
That settles it I guess....

That was the truth till the later part of Rafa's career.

Not just TMF, several past tennis greats like Laver, Hewitt have called Rafa a 'Clay Specialist'.

 

[TMF]

That was the truth till the later part of Rafa's career.

Not just TMF, several past tennis greats like Laver, Hewitt have called Rafa a 'Clay Specialist'.

The OP misquoted my post and it was clearly taken out of context.

 

[Mustard]

Muster won 426 matches on clay. It seems the ATP haven't counted some of his early matches.

 

[Boom-Boom]

I cannot think of any player more boring to watch than Kent Carlsson.

Wilander was pretty boring on clay as well.

 

[Vegito]

Guillermo Vilas 660

If these were the numbers, this should be 661!(injustice spaghetti racquet of Nastase in Aix-en-Provence) But they say there are many victories of Guillermo Vilas that ATP has not counted.

 

[Vegito]

Juan Mónaco 220
Roger Federer 201

 

[jg153040]

You can't use win % when Villas has such a larger sample size. What Villas did is much more impressive.

At least by win %. If Rafa played 400 more matches on clay from now on, his win % would drop way bellow 80%.

People should learn how to analyze stats.

The only reason Rafa is ahead is, because his titles have more value, it has nothing to do with win %.

Also, how about matches won at RG? Or win % at RG?

 

[NaBUru38]

Vilas and Muster certainly grinded every ATP clay event they could come across

Of course that lower ranked tournaments can skew that statistic.

I'd rather compare who did each player beat on clay.

- o -

Nadal has 27 matches lost on clay. That includes 9 losses from October 2004 to March 2014.

Head to head, this is the list:

David Ferrer [ESP] 19-2
Novak Djokovic [SRB] 14-5
Roger Federer [SUI] 13-2
Nicolas Almagro [ESP] 9-1
Fernando Verdasco [ESP] 6-1
Tomas Berdych [CZE] 6-0
Jarkko Nieminen [FIN] 6-0
Juan Monaco [ARG] 6-0
Andy Murray [GBR] 6-0
Gaston Gaudio [ARG] 3-3
Juan Carlos Ferrero [ESP] 5-1
Carlos Moya [ESP] 4-1
Lleyton Hewitt [AUS] 5-0
Stanislas Wawrinka [SUI] 5-0

Guillermo Vilas has:

Bjorn Borg [SWE] 2-11
Jose Luis Clerc [ARG] 9-4
Ivan Lendl [USA] 5-7
John Mcenroe [USA] 5-2
Ilie Nastase [ROU] 3-2
Jimmy Connors [USA] 1-3
Arthur Ashe [USA] 3-0

 

[Vegito]

Guillermo Vilas has:

Bjorn Borg [SWE] 2-11
Jose Luis Clerc [ARG] 9-4
Ivan Lendl [USA] 5-7
John Mcenroe [USA] 5-2
Ilie Nastase [ROU] 3-2
Jimmy Connors [USA] 1-3
Arthur Ashe [USA] 3-0

There is something ATP still have not fixed in their website. Vilas beats Borg 3 times in clay: Buenos Aires 1973, Toronto 1974(it was in Har-Tru, green clay) and Nations Cup 1980.

 

[kiki]

Wilander was pretty boring on clay as well.

Disagree..anyway, coming back to Carlsson, this guy was very similar to Nadal.He was also a clear case of OCD

 

[The_Mental_Giant]

But many of those match wins include at small clay event.

If you count only match wins at the FO, which is at the biggest stage and the hardest to win, Nadal is #1, follow by Federer #2.




1 Rafael Nadal 66
2 Roger Federer 61
3 Guillermo Vilas 56
4 Ivan Lendl 53
5 Andre Agassi 51
6 Bjorn Borg 49
7 Mats Wilander 47
8 Yannick Noah 40
8 Jimmy Connors 40
8 Jim Courier 40

This list is more insightful imo.

Not considering Federer has played what? like 16 FO? Thats like 3,8 wins per tournament
Nadal has 66 wins in 10 years.. 6,6 wins per tournament..


Nadal has 39 wins in wimbledon in 10 tournament which means 3,9 wins per tournament.. better career statics than Federer at FO despite having horrible results in 2012-2014... and Im sure nadal is nowhere near top 3 grasscourt players

 

[robow7]

Little Eddie Dibbs rounds out the top 5? Surprising.

 

[Vegito]

Ferrer one of the masters of clay considerating the active players.