Novak Djokovic's weeks at No. 1 could cause a rankings controversy

[Sport]

Yup. That's how it will be. The final number is all that anyone pays attention to. Especially 10-20 years from now.

You sure? People don't forget the context when Roy Emerson achieved more Slams than Laver and Rosewall due to external factors (Rosewall and Laver were banned from competing in many Slams). If COVID-19 keeps stopping Majors from being held for 1-2 years, the Slam race will be completely irrelevant, and no player would end up as the clear GOAT.

 

[Fiero425]

Roberto Bautista Agut making the Wimbledon semifinals is proof enough on the current state of tennis and its homogenized surfaces. Attacking aggressive tennis is dead even on grass.

But that isn't Djokovic's fault or problem! His style of play was first honed by Lendl decades ago with many going that route over a more glamorous, elegant game of an "Edberg, McEnroe," or "Federer!" It takes more talent and artistic flair to play their game while whacking away from the baseline doesn't take much thought or imagination; more about not missing! Baseline battles can be entertaining when "in the zone" like Nole "down under" last season against Rafa! It wasn't that Nadal was playing poorly, Djokovic was in "Beast-mode" & demolished his opponent w/ very aggressive play from the baseline! He gets up for his matches w/ Rafa like no other it seems to me!

 

[Phoenix1983]

Tennis with Djokovic at the top is spectacular, while slow surfaces are more fun than fast ones.

...are you living in a reverse reality?

Also, are you actually both a doctor and a lawyer?

 

[Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil]

He couldn't win USO until they slowed the surfaces and fattened up the balls so gazelles like him could chase everything down. It's what killed the likes of Del Potro and Berdych while the baseline clowns could have a field day retrieving everything. Good to see tennis appeals to 65+ crowds as they're the only ones with the attention span to watch it.

You can choose to deal with the fact that Djokovic has won everything there is to win over a span of more than ten years, or continue to delude yourself that the main factor that separated him and the likes of Del Potro/Berdych was the speed of the courts. You can also choose to not be like these 65+ crowds, simply stop watching the "boring as sh1t" tennis and get lost. But we know that's not happening. You will continue to watch, desperately hoping someone beats Djokovic on big stages so he can become your fake favorite player.

...are you living in a reverse reality?

Also, are you actually both a doctor and a lawyer?

No and also no.

 

[Mike Sams]

You can choose to deal with the fact that Djokovic has won everything there is to win over a span of more than ten years, or continue to delude yourself that the main factor that separated him and the likes of Del Potro/Berdych was the speed of the courts. You can also choose to not be like these 65+ crowds, simply stop watching the "boring as sh1t" tennis and get lost. But we know that's not happening. You will continue to watch, desperately hoping someone beats Djokovic on big stages so he can become your fake favorite player.

No and also no.

Who's desperate? Didn't make a damn bit of difference to my life when Federer surpassed Sampras. Nor will it when Nadal and Djoker pass Federer. Means f*ck all to me and to about 99.9% of the world.

 

[Mike Sams]

You sure? People don't forget the context when Roy Emerson achieved more Slams than Laver and Rosewall due to external factors (Rosewall and Laver were banned from competing in many Slams). If COVID-19 keeps stopping Majors from being held for 1-2 years, the Slam race will be completely irrelevant, and no player would end up as the clear GOAT.

I don't think anyone under the age of 60 really cares or even knows about it

 

[helterskelter]

I understand your concerns, but Wikipedia must be based on realiable sources, it is part of its internal policy. Without official confirmation from the ATP no Wikipedia page could list Djokovic as having 282 weeks as #1. It has nothing to do with it being fair or unfair, it is just Wikipedia's internal policy of being based on reliable sources. As soon as Djokovic got his 282th week confirmed by the ATP, Wikipedia listed Djokovic as having 282 weeks as #1.

You are right - I should have said that the ATP must confirm his 282nd week - but not, yet, his 283rd.

 

[ADuck]

I'd say make sure he gets all of them. Puts more emphasis on the fact that using weeks @ no.1 as a stat to compare players is completely flawed. It's like using a warped ruler to measure things.

 

[Fiero425]

I'd say make sure he gets all of them. Puts more emphasis on the fact that using weeks @ #1 as a stat to compare players is completely flawed. It's like using a warped ruler to measure things.

It's just one of many ways/stats used to measure the era of tennis at the time! Obviously the standards have improved/increased along the way with physical fitness more key than it was in my day! At one time we lauded Sampras as THE GOAT even without a FO final on his resume! We decided it was enough that he was the YE #1 player 6 years in a row, held the top rank for 286 weeks, along with those 14 Majors! Little did he/we know it wouldn't hold up for even a decade with Fed winning 3 Majors in a season 3 times with 2 more players acquiring them just as quickly behind Fed!

 

[ADuck]

It's just one of many ways/stats used to measure the era of tennis at the time! Obviously the standards have improved/increased along the way with physical fitness more key than it was in my day! At one time we lauded Sampras as THE GOAT even without a FO final on his resume! We decided it was enough that he was the YE #1 player 6 years in a row, held the top rank for 286 weeks, along with those 14 Majors! Little did he/we know it wouldn't hold up for even a decade with Fed winning 3 Majors in a season 3 times with 2 more players acquiring them just as quickly behind Fed!

I think Fed winning 3 majors in a season 3 times is a better stat to use in arguments than weeks @ no.1.