My top 5(Open Era)
- Thread starter smoledman
- Start date
These kinds of lists are highly problematic. It's very difficult to have an informed opinion on someone who was before your time. I wasn't born when Laver was playing, making it difficult to place him.
darrinbaker00
Professional
You literally have the world at your fingertips. Just type Mr. Laver's name in the search engine of your choice and prepare to be amazed.
Lord Anomander
Professional
Nevertheless, tennis evolved over the years and the more factors you take into consideration the harder it will become to make any kind of list. Needless to say I think any of these lists (open era only, overall, etc.) are pointless.
I know who he is and his record (roughly), but that doesn't mean I can place him in context. I don't know the competition, either in "talent" or work ethic. Was Laver an athlete with a professional approach to training in an era where others pursued less rigorous training regimes. He won two calendar year grand slams. Allowing for technological advance and advances in training techniques, would he have made a champion of that calibre in today's game? Placing a player off data is difficult to do. I don't feel I can compare him easily to (say) Nadal.
MatsPhilander
Legend
1. Tanner
2. Chang
3. Courier
4. Mottram
5. Teacher
2. Chang
3. Courier
4. Mottram
5. Teacher
Mazz Retic
Hall of Fame
What would Murray need to do to enter your tier 4 list?
killerboi2
Hall of Fame
Sampras
Nadal
Federer
Borg
Djokovic
Nadal
Federer
Borg
Djokovic
Jackuar
Hall of Fame
I see your point. Fair enough.
wangs78
Legend
I agree with this, except I would definitely emphasize that Fed and Sampras are at the top of their respective tiers. And I would leave Wilander out.
TennisATP
Professional
I guess right now I'd put him
Tier 5: Murray, Courier
I mean it's not like the tiers are so far away from each others, arguments can be made to move a player from one tier to another... An argument can easily be made to move Murray up to Tier 4 especially since he was unlucky to deal with 3 GOATs therefore hurting his record in slam finals...
TennisATP
Professional
With 7 slams, it's hard to ignore Wilander.
Antonio Puente
Hall of Fame
Considering the fact Fed and Nadal are both still active and winning, I think that's how you have to start looking at it - start splitting tier 1 into two. Who knows how many slams they will end up with. Fed might have another in two days and if Rafa wins RG next year, he'll have as many FOs as Borg has slams.
wangs78
Legend
That's fair. I was a big fan of Edberg growing up (and therefore also watched Becker a lot). Wilander was a little before my time so I have always had a tendency to discount him, which is probably a mistake.
D
Deleted member 733170
Guest
Federer
Nadal
Djokovic
Sampras
Borg
And a distant sixth Laver and that's just to keep the Laver fan boys off my back. Lendl is arguably more worthy.
Nadal
Djokovic
Sampras
Borg
And a distant sixth Laver and that's just to keep the Laver fan boys off my back. Lendl is arguably more worthy.
