Our favorite players: Beyond the Big 4

[librarysteg]

I'm curious to see everyone's favorites beyond the usual suspects that get so much attention here. Based on today's ATP rankings on their site please pick a favorite from each group. (Please don't choose Federer for the first group...for the purposes of this discussion let's pretend his ranking is still in the Top 4). I'm curious to see a broader spectrum of fan favorites, if there are similarities between your lower ranked favorites, surprising picks, etc. I guess I really like the French. I found the 60-69 section the hardest to pick a clear favorite because of lack of opinion.

5-10: Gasquet (backhand!)
11-19: Simon (consistency)
20-29: Gulbis (antics)
30-39: Dologopolov
40-49: Monfils (showmanship)
50-59: Matosevic (up close time in Cincinnati)
60-69: Mahut
70-79: Sock (home team favorite)
80-89: Vesely (seems to have a promising future)
90-100: Kudla

 

[hawk eye]

I m too lazy to get into the rankings but players that come to mind are Stepanek, Llodra, Youzhny, Haas and Istomin. Can also agree about Mahut en Monfils.

 

[librarysteg]

I m too lazy to get into the rankings but players that come to mind are Stepanek, Llodra, Youzhny, Haas and Istomin. Can also agree about Mahut en Monfils.

I almost chose Llodra too which makes sense for me since I can't get enough of the French guys. He's a lot of fun to watch.

 

[Fintft]

Wawrinka, Gulbis, Dolgopolov, Haas, even Gasquet.

 

[librarysteg]

Wawrinka, Gulbis, Dolgopolov, Haas, even Gasquet.

Why "even" Gasquet? He's a clear favorite for me. I'm hoping he's going to peak relatively late and really make a go of it over the next couple of years.

 

[tennis_pro]

5-10: Del Potro - attacking game, very respectful and cool guy
11-19: Haas - fantastic 1-handed backhand, proving that you can be a top player in your mid 30's, also Janowicz cause he's crazy
20-29: Gulbis - the reincarnation of Safin
30-39: Dologopolov - unorthodox funky game
40-49: Monfils - crazy dude
50-59: Hewitt - for his good spirit and fight
60-69: Mahut - one of the last s-v
70 and lower: no preference

 

[FedererWinsWimbledon2014]

5-10: del Potro- my 2nd favourite player
11-19: Janowicz, i think he will be my favourite when Fed retires
20-29: Dimitrov- baby fed. Honourable mention for gulbis
30-39: Verdasco
40-49: Rosol honourable mention for monfis
50-59: Tomic, I want him to fire his dad and succeed
60-69: Mahut
70-79: Goffin
80-89: Karlovic
90-100: Falla def not Stakhovsky

 

[tennisenthusiast]

Why "even" Gasquet? He's a clear favorite for me. I'm hoping he's going to peak relatively late and really make a go of it over the next couple of years.

nope, not possible.

 

[librarysteg]

nope, not possible.

Why? I know it's a long shot, but it was hard not to be inspired by his performance at the USO. If he has a good fall it could hopefully carry over to next year.

 

[Crose]

Wawrinka, Delpo, Dolgopolov, Monfils, Tsonga, Simon, Gulbis, Gasquet. So pretty much most of the guys with ridiculous amounts of talent who have underachieved their entire careers.

 

[librarysteg]

Wawrinka, Delpo, Dolgopolov, Monfils, Tsonga, Simon, Gulbis, Gasquet. So pretty much most of the guys with ridiculous amounts of talent who have underachieved their entire careers.

It's interesting to see a lot of the same players getting mentioned over and over. I'm a little surprised to see Dologopolov has been mentioned so much. I thought I might be more on my own with that choice. I keep hoping that somehow the Big Four will fall off just enough over the next year or two while the rest of these guys are still contenders and give them all a chance to steal a little of the glory. A pipe dream, I'm sure.

 

[Defensive Tennis]

5-10: Stan Wawrinka - Great BH. Nice attitude.
11-19: Gilles Simon - Favorite on tour for numerous reasons.
20-29: Mikhail Youzhny - Good all around player.
30-39: Marcel Granollers - Like his game and doubles play.
40-49: Gael Monfils - Great defense and showman.
50-59: Lleyton Hewitt - Great champion, defense, huge heart.
60-69: Adrian Mannarino - Nice talent.
70-79: David Goffin - Same as Mannarino.
80-89: Paolo Lorenzi - Fun clay court player.
90-99: Denis Kudla - Good athlete. Future potential.

 

[glazkovss]

Del Potro, ofcourse

 

[Russeljones]

Dimitrov, Delpo, Tsonga, sometimes Wawrinka.

 

[tennisjedi]

Nishikori and Del Potro.

 

[rdis10093]

hewitt, nalbandian, and xavier

 

[Defensive Tennis]

hewitt, nalbandian, and xavier

Ahh Nalbandian! I should have included him even though he isn't in the rankings list. I hope his recovery is going well.

 

[merwy]

It changes but at the moment from most favorite to least: Wawrinka, Del Potro, Nishikori, Gulbis, Dimitrov, Verdasco, Kohlschreiber.

 

[swizzy]

delpo and monfils are my two picks.. delpo should have won something significant by now..and monfils may never..but I want him in every quarter final possible.

 

[rdis10093]

nalbandian has such a tragic story. if only his brother got better he would have outclassed federer.

 

[Migelowsky]

Del Potro
Verdasco in a good day
Haas
Stepanek is fun to watch
Nishikori
Nalbandian, although is now rare to see him
I used to love watching Soderling, I hope he can comeback
Almagro
Tsonga
Monfils..

I think the one I enjoy the least is John Isner, I like him
in interviews off the court, but his body languaje just
makes me sleepy.
Fognini is a mess, like he doesn't care.

 

[helterskelter]

1-4: Djokovic
5-10: Del Potro or Tsonga
11-20: Haas, followed by Youzhny
21-30: Kohlschreiber or Lopez
31-40: Verdasco
41-50: Monfils
51-60: Hewitt (10 years ago, I never thought I'd say that!)
61-70: Mahut
71-80: Goffin
81-90: Rufin
91-100: Falla or Devvarman

 

[helterskelter]

1-4: Djokovic
5-10: Del Potro or Tsonga
11-20: Haas, followed by Youzhny
21-30: Kohlschreiber or Lopez
31-40: Verdasco
41-50: Monfils
51-60: Hewitt (10 years ago, I never thought I'd say that!)
61-70: Mahut
71-80: Goffin
81-90: Rufin
91-100: Falla or Devvarman

Most of my favorite players are in the 5-10 range. I like all of Del Potro, Tsonga, Wawrinka, and Gasquet a lot.

I tend not to cheer for Nadal or Federer, because I don't like the favorites to win very often. These days, I have mellowed towards Feddy, as he's pretty harmless at this point.

 

[Terenigma]

5-10: Tsonga (Had to pick someone, dont paticularly like any of the others)
11-19: Raonic (Enjoy his tennis and he's clearly improving)
20-29: Gulbis (Entertaining when he loses it)
30-39: Cilic (Underated returner and nice guy, sad to see him get banned)
40-49: Nieminen (Watched a few of his matches this year, like his tennis)
50+: Hewitt (Just awesome how he's still going, admire him alot)

 

[Crisstti]

Thinking just of their games: Berdych, Gulbis, del Potro, Haas, Wawrinka, Hewitt, Dimitrov, Nalbandián, Gasquet, Tomic, Janowicz, (Florian) Mayer, Kohlschreiber, others too probably.

What happened to Nalbandián's brother?.

 

[objectivity]

I like overachievers i.e. those who were "unfortunate" to have had poorer allotment of pure talent by mother nature, but who still rose to the top with gumption and grit. so players like nadal, nishikori, ferrer, hewitt, and roddick are my favorites.

 

[tennis_hack]

Almagro has utterly ridiculous potential.

 

[helterskelter]

I like overachievers i.e. those who were "unfortunate" to have had poorer allotment of pure talent by mother nature, but who still rose to the top with gumption and grit. so players like nadal, nishikori, ferrer, hewitt, and roddick are my favorites.

Huh. De gustibus non est disputandum. I very much dislike overachievers, and much prefer underachievers such as Safin, Gulbis, Gasquet, Philippoussis, and even Ferrero. Or flair players, such as Pioline, Boetsch, Wawrinka, Mecir, or Gasquet. Not too many of the latter group around these days though.

 

[firepanda]

Simon's my main man. Then Gasquet and Ferrer.

 

[pound cat]

5-10: Tsonga (Had to pick someone, dont paticularly like any of the others)
11-19: Raonic (Enjoy his tennis and he's clearly improving)
20-29: Gulbis (Entertaining when he loses it)
30-39: Cilic (Underated returner and nice guy, sad to see him get banned)
40-49: Nieminen (Watched a few of his matches this year, like his tennis)
50+: Hewitt (Just awesome how he's still going, admire him alot)

Gulbis and Raonic for me as well and I always like players who are improving their game and are willing to discuss how they are doing it.

 

[librarysteg]

5-10: Tsonga (Had to pick someone, dont paticularly like any of the others)
11-19: Raonic (Enjoy his tennis and he's clearly improving)
20-29: Gulbis (Entertaining when he loses it)
30-39: Cilic (Underated returner and nice guy, sad to see him get banned)
40-49: Nieminen (Watched a few of his matches this year, like his tennis)
50+: Hewitt (Just awesome how he's still going, admire him alot)

Isn't it weird seeing Cilic down in the 30's. I knew all about his ban and everything, but I did a double-take when I saw his ranking had already fallen so low.

 

[BHBeguile]

5-10: Wawrinka/Gasquet
11-20: Youzhny
21-30: Kohlschreiber
31-40: Verdasco
41-50: Monfils
51-60: Brands
The Rest: Sock

 

[NEW_BORN]

5-10: Tsonga - Doesn't resort to gamesmanship / exciting style of play
11-20: Janowicz / Almagro - Interesting character / style of play
21-30: Gulbis / Dimitrov - Entertaining style of play
31-40: Dolgopolov - Funky style of play
41-50: Tomic - The Future
51-60: Hewitt - The Past

 

[tennisaddict]

Thinking just of their games: Berdych, Gulbis, del Potro, Haas, Wawrinka, Hewitt, Dimitrov, Nalbandián, Gasquet, Tomic, Janowicz, (Florian) Mayer, Kohlschreiber, others too probably.

What happened to Nalbandián's brother?.

Thats a ggod list. I would add Tsonga and Monfils.

 

[bullfan]

I've been thrilled to see Gulbis get as serious as he can on the courts! Love him or hate him, he's been a breath of fresh air this season!

I'm also thrilled to see Wawrinka get out of Rogers shadow, and post some of the memorable matches for the year.

Pospisil is another one, who has been a nice surprise.

I have to give props to Raonic, who, I'm not particularly a fan of, given that I think he's a servebot. He made a coaching change, and went further afterwards than I'd have thought.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Well I think Roger is ranked #8 ? So he is my favorite outside the big four

 

[jiddy-p]

5-10: Berdych - Beautiful service technique, and he sort of looks like an alien.
11-20: Janowicz - regretable temper / Fognini - reminds me of a cocky rooster.
21-30: Gulbis / Kohlschreiber - Entertainment and backhand respectively.
31-40: Dolgopolov - Unorthodox style, and perhaps the most graceful mover on court, my fav player outside the top 10.
41-50: Monfils - Entertainer, fighter.
51-60: Hewitt - I really used to dislike this guy in the early 2000's but he's such a fighter and a good guy.

Honourable mentions: Nishikori, Tomic - needs to sort his life out, Gasquet - mesmerizing backhand/talent, mental fortitude as soft as custard, Tommy Haas - obviously, Raonic, Stepanek - sympathy vote because he's the ugliest man alive, Delbonis - just kidding.

 

[firepanda]

Stepanek - sympathy vote because he's the ugliest man alive

Andrew Lloyd Webber disagrees...

 

[Terenigma]

Isn't it weird seeing Cilic down in the 30's. I knew all about his ban and everything, but I did a double-take when I saw his ranking had already fallen so low.

I agree, i hope he comes back strong. He's a better player than his overall popularity and current ranking suggests, he played well at queens and i believe his story about being unaware of taking a banned substance too so i hope he climbs back into the top 20 asap.

 

[TheTruth]

5 Berdych-Beautiful strokes, bad-boy style, and good-looking.
13 Haas-Smooth classic style, gorgeous, 14 Simon-Awesome tactician
25 F Lopez-Silky smooth, handsome, Paire-smooth, Monaco just love his game
38 Chardy-like his game, Dolgopolov-seems like a lot of fun.
4aghdatis-flashy game.
57 Hewitt-gritty competitor
61-Garcia-Lopez-nice competitor
73-Becker-just filling out someone in this range.
80s-None
95 Falla-good competitor

 

[Fintft]

Why "even" Gasquet? He's a clear favorite for me. I'm hoping he's going to peak relatively late and really make a go of it over the next couple of years.

While I like his smarts and love his BH, not sure that:

a) He's got the physical conditioning
b) A second weapon (like Wawrinka who's FH put more fear in Djokovic then his BH. And that all arms serve?)
c) That I like him physically (sorry I'm subjective).

I'm more attracted to the young Nalbandian, Monfils and Tsonga (a little while back), to add to the list.