Players peak years - how old were they?

[timnz]

What do people think players peak years were in terms of their ability? Now I don't mean there best results years - that could be influenced by how strong the competition was in that year. I mean the year when they reached their absolute peak. How old were they?

My thoughts.

Laver, 1967 - 29 years old

Rosewall, 1962-1963 - 27/28 years old

Pancho Gonazales, 1956 - 28 years old

Jimmy Connors (this was really hard - he best results year was 1974 but I don't know if that was his peak - I am going to say 1982 - 29/30 years old

Federer - 2005-2006 - 24/25 years old

Nadal - may not have hit his best yet - but we saw his highest level so far at the 2008 French Open and the 2010 Monte Carlo tournament........ so can't pick that yet.

Newcombe - impossible to tell - 1970, 1971, 1974? - lets guess around the middle of that 1972 - so he was 28 then.

Nastase - 1973 - 27 years old

Agassi - (was it 2005 or was it Mid-1999 to Mid-2000)? Either 25 or 29/30


Sampras - very hard to pick - but I'll say 1997 (actually there were moments in 1999 that he was amazing, if only he hadn't hurt his back - he could have been number 1 that year also) - 26 years old

Seeing a trend of players peaking in their late 20's.

 

[urban]

In older times, players reached their best or peak form later. Tilden was already 27, when he became Nr. 1, and 28-29 in his (statistically) peak year 1921. Kramer also was 27, when he reached the Nr. 1 position. Some say, serve and volleyers need more time to evolve, see Martina N. vs. Chrissie Evert.
I think, it has to more do with the structure of the game. Before the professionalisation of the game, young players played the junior circuit, but had breaks from the game, due to school exams or military service or that kind of "distraction". They started later on the senior circuit, and maybe had deep respect for older players who guided them (as in the Aussie squads). The 70s, 80s saw the new "rebellion" of the young generation in more than one way. And indeed, players like Borg, Wilander, Becker or Chang won majors at a very young, teen age. They left school early and went professional at a very young age. If it hurt them psychologically in the long run, is another question.
Today the age structure seems to be more balanced, with champs reaching their peak at around 25-26.

 

[Carsomyr]

I think we've seen Nadal peak at the 2010 U.S. Open - he had a pretty easy draw, but I'm not sure he'll ever serve like that or play that well off the ground again.

I agree on Sampras - 1997 was some of the finest tennis I've seen him play. He faced some pretty weak opponents in the Slams, but I don't think it would have mattered much.

 

[Limpinhitter]

I think we've seen Nadal peak at the 2010 U.S. Open - he had a pretty easy draw, but I'm not sure he'll ever serve like that or play that well off the ground again.

I agree on Sampras - 1997 was some of the finest tennis I've seen him play. He faced some pretty weak opponents in the Slams, but I don't think it would have mattered much.

Yep! If winning 3 of the 4 majors in decisive fashion isn't peaking, I don't know what is.

 

[Limpinhitter]

Most players eak around 26, as with most sports. But this can varry by as much as 6 yeras either side I'de imagin

I think a player can "eak" at any time, young, old, and anywhere in between.

 

[pc1]

What do people think players peak years were in terms of their ability? Now I don't mean there best results years - that could be influenced by how strong the competition was in that year. I mean the year when they reached their absolute peak. How old were they?

My thoughts.

Laver, 1967 - 29 years old

Rosewall, 1962-1963 - 27/28 years old

Pancho Gonazales, 1956 - 28 years old

Jimmy Connors (this was really hard - he best results year was 1974 but I don't know if that was his peak - I am going to say 1982 - 29/30 years old

Federer - 2005-2006 - 24/25 years old

Nadal - may not have hit his best yet - but we saw his highest level so far at the 2008 French Open and the 2010 Monte Carlo tournament........ so can't pick that yet.

Newcombe - impossible to tell - 1970, 1971, 1974? - lets guess around the middle of that 1972 - so he was 28 then.

Nastase - 1973 - 27 years old

Agassi - (was it 2005 or was it Mid-1999 to Mid-2000)? Either 25 or 29/30


Sampras - very hard to pick - but I'll say 1997 (actually there were moments in 1999 that he was amazing, if only he hadn't hurt his back - he could have been number 1 that year also) - 26 years old

Seeing a trend of players peaking in their late 20's.

Nice choices. I would guess for physical peak for Agassi would be the same as his best year in my opinion-1995. I think Agassi was 25.

For Connors I may guess 1978 in which he had a fantastic year but was overshadowed by Borg. I think he won over 90% of his matches and won the US Open over Borg. Considering that a couple of his losses were to Borg he was pretty much unbeatable that year with a non Borg 83-5 record, 84-7 with Borg. Connors was 26 that year.

 

[robow7]

By turning pro younger, you almost always retire at an earlier age and therefore will peak at a younger age.

 

[benmarks1984]

For me Agassi's peak was late 1994/all of 1995. The fact that he still managed such success at the late stages of his career just shows how much he wasted his talent in the 90s.

Players peak years are difficult to judge, cause take Lleyton Hewitt for example. People may say his peak years were between 2001-2002 when he won 2 slams and was number 1 for 75 weeks. But he was playing some great tennis in 04/05 were the competition was a lot stronger even though he was only number 2 and didnt win a major.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

For me Agassi's peak was late 1994/all of 1995. The fact that he still managed such success at the late stages of his career just shows how much he wasted his talent in the 90s.

Players peak years are difficult to judge, cause take Lleyton Hewitt for example. People may say his peak years were between 2001-2002 when he won 2 slams and was number 1 for 75 weeks. But he was playing some great tennis in 04/05 were the competition was a lot stronger even though he was only number 2 and didnt win a major.

connors, hewitt and agassi are good examples of multi-peak players, i think !

 

[dominikk1985]

Usually male athletes peak in their mid to late 20s if they are injury free. most baseball players have their best season about at age 28.

however tennis is a sport that is very bad for the joints and ligaments, so many players are already done in their late 20s.

however I think there is a trend of players peaking later. we hardly have any teenage players in the top100 anymore, most players today start to reach their prime with about 22-24 or so.