thomasferrett
Hall of Fame
The non-Big-4 Slam winners of recent times.
Rank their peak level...
Rank their peak level...
Rank their peak level: Cilic, Del-Potro, Wawrinka
- Thread starter thomasferrett
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Inanimate_object
Hall of Fame
Mere days after Wawrinka won a slam, what do you expect the answer will be? Had you asked the question after Cilic's victory, things would have been a lot different. Everyone's a little excited I feel like after watching Wawrinka, but lets not get crazy.
For me, Del Potro still takes the cake.
For me, Del Potro still takes the cake.
RacquetAbuse101
Semi-Pro
BringBackSV
Hall of Fame
Hard to say for me between Stan and Delpo. Id put Cilic third though.
D
Deleted member 307496
Guest
Cilic = Gaudio.
Del Potro = Wawrinka.
Del Potro = Wawrinka.
tipsa...don'tlikehim!
Talk Tennis Guru
I thought Cilic was unbeatable at the US open but now he is last on this list? 
D
Deleted member 716271
Guest
Peak Johansson was clearly the GOAT
The Green Mile
Bionic Poster
I was more taken aback and in awe of a Peaking Del Potro, than either of Wawa or Cilic. Obviously, there's no right or wrong answer. But for me, it's Delpo > Wawa > Cilic.
BlackSilver
Semi-Pro
If I was rich I would pay $1000 for never more have to listen this peak crap again.
Wynter
Legend
All three have their own weapons which make them fairly equal.
Wawrinka's RoS isn't the best, which goating Cilic/DelPo can exploit, DelPo when on serves out of his mind as well as dominates from the back. Meanwhile, I would say Wawrinka is the best from the ground whilst Cilic is a balance between both with a massive serve and good movement which helps him stay in rallies.
They all have Positives and Negatives and all could very well cancel each other out.
Wawrinka's RoS isn't the best, which goating Cilic/DelPo can exploit, DelPo when on serves out of his mind as well as dominates from the back. Meanwhile, I would say Wawrinka is the best from the ground whilst Cilic is a balance between both with a massive serve and good movement which helps him stay in rallies.
They all have Positives and Negatives and all could very well cancel each other out.
tipsa...don'tlikehim!
Talk Tennis Guru
I also agree because you have to give the edge to Wawrinka movement which is better than Del Potro
I am not even sure Del Potro serves better than Wawrinka (maybe slightly better but Wawinka serve is underrated IMO)
I also give the edge to Wawrinka in the net game department
what can work against a zoning Del Potro is slice your backhand on the argentinan backhand (and that's why i still don't get why Federer lost that US open final)
Against Wawrinka not too sure, you just have to make sure he doesn't get into position to hit the ball hard :lol:
Slick Tennis
Rookie
Hard to understand how Cilic won such a big event....in terms of ranking ...on what would be a combined ranking of day in day out results +overall talent potential, and career assessment ....no1 delpo, then stan, then cilic.....if we stick to these 3.
HipRotation
Hall of Fame
To me Wawrinka's "peak" still showed weakness. His victories weren't the most straight forward and sometimes looked on a fragile balance that could tip at any time. Throughout the final with Djokovic it still looked like it could go either way but Wawrinka played the huge points brilliantly when they counted at sets 5-4 or 4-4. But this was no different from what Murray did the match previous to go 5 sets especially when he broke at the end of the 3rd.
Cilic was one of the most steadiest, composed performances in tennis history. He looked so in control from the QF to the end he just looked impossible to stop.
Cilic was one of the most steadiest, composed performances in tennis history. He looked so in control from the QF to the end he just looked impossible to stop.
Inanimate_object
Hall of Fame
It's not a ranking of their career accomplishments but of their highest level of possible play.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
I know and I ranked them on that basis.
Inanimate_object
Hall of Fame
You think Del Potro can't have a higher level of play than Wawrinka because Wawrinka has one more slam and one more masters title than Delpo? Sounds like ranking based on titles to me.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
The OP asked us to rank their peak level of play and IMO Wawrinka > Del Potro > Cilic.
It is close between Wawrinka and Del Potro but IMO Del Potro has always been slightly overrated and never lived up to the hype despite his wrist injury issues.
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AnotherTennisProdigy
Professional
Agree with the above, Wawrinka>Delpo>Cilic
Don't get me wrong, Del Potro is literally my second favorite player on tour next to Fed, but I don't think he reached as high a level as Wawrinka. If you watched that 2009 Us final again Fed wasn't even serving all that well, yet it still took Delpo five sets to win.
Peak Wawrinka vs Peak Del Potro would by hype, although at this point I would be happy if Delpo manages to come back before his career ends.
Don't get me wrong, Del Potro is literally my second favorite player on tour next to Fed, but I don't think he reached as high a level as Wawrinka. If you watched that 2009 Us final again Fed wasn't even serving all that well, yet it still took Delpo five sets to win.
Peak Wawrinka vs Peak Del Potro would by hype, although at this point I would be happy if Delpo manages to come back before his career ends.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
By the way, I didn't think Wawrinka would win another slam after that AO 2014 win and I have said so on this forum a few times. He certainly surprised me with his decisive win over Novak. It was a brilliant performance and I underestimated him.
Maybe it depends on where they're playing. For example, Stan is better at the first two majors. Delpo and Cilic better at the last two. It's harder to say with Cilic, because we've really only seen it from him one time and only once in a major against a Big 4.
Delpo and Stan have both proven on numerous occasions that their best is good enough to challenge anyone. Regarding those two, I'd say it depends where they meet.
Delpo and Stan have both proven on numerous occasions that their best is good enough to challenge anyone. Regarding those two, I'd say it depends where they meet.
BlackSilver
Semi-Pro
Comparing peak level of players playing against different opponents, on different stages of their opponent's carrier, on different surfaces. No wonder General Pro Player Discussion is such a failure. As if this wasn't enough then I had to read some poster saying that Del Potro is a massive server and far better than Wawrinka and better than Cilic.
God, what I did to deserve that?
God, what I did to deserve that?
On clay and slow hard court, there is no contest. Wawr has shown higher peak as evidenced by his success in AO and RG.
On grass Del potro= Cilic > Wawr so far but this can change in few days if Wimbledon allows that tablecloth shorts.
On Decoturf, they are almost even with slight edge of Cilic for that monstrous performance last year.
On grass Del potro= Cilic > Wawr so far but this can change in few days if Wimbledon allows that tablecloth shorts.
On Decoturf, they are almost even with slight edge of Cilic for that monstrous performance last year.
Russeljones
Talk Tennis Guru
Peak Wawrinka beat peak Djokovic on clay with devastating tennis. Peak Delpo needed a helping hand to beat an off-key Federer (whereas peak Tsonga beat a very good Federer at Wimbledon in 2011). Cilic? He was very good, probably the equal of Delpo's peak.
N
Nathaniel_Near
Guest
Peak Wawrinka also plays peak Djokovic virtually equal at the AO. Obviously, Djokovic has sustained a very high standard at the AO, which is impressive. Hopefully Stan gives us more glorious examples of peak form yet.
Flash O'Groove
Hall of Fame
I thought Cilic was unbeatable at the US open but now he is last on this list?
It's already 9 month old. Don't worry, Wawrinka's peak level won't be a topic of discussion anymore as soon as the Wimbledon winner will be known, assuming he doesn't win it. The highest peak is always the last winner, except when it's an all time great playing against Murray.
jelle v
Hall of Fame
Against the field or against each other?
I feel against the field Wawrinka's top level ranks highest.
If you put them against each other, I think maybe Del Potro has a slight edge over Wawrinka. I see Del Porto hitting through Wawrinka's game when Del Potro is on top of his game. Especially with Wawrinka's passive return.
Sysyphus
Talk Tennis Guru
I think this is a perceptive point, and I tend to agree.
Wawrinka's peak is certainly brutal in a way, especially seeing a man barely 6 foot bash a ball like that. But he has also seemed slightly more fragile during his peak runs—comparatively.
Cilic looked like he would waver for no man. Not an inch.
HipRotation
Hall of Fame
Legend of Borg
G.O.A.T.
the one and only
Delpo
god bless
Delpo
god bless
President
Legend
I think Cilic played weaker opponents though. Berdych, Nishikori, and Federer were all noticeably below par in their matches against Cilic IMO, for one reason or another.
HipRotation
Hall of Fame
Same can be said of Wawrinka's runs.
Federer not much different at all and maybe even worse considering how hard a time Wawrinka was having timing his backhand in the wind.
Tsonga absolutely blowing it in the 3rd set when Wawrinka was serving well under 40% 1st serves.
Djokovic crumbling under pressure at the crunch points playing passive crosscourts (very similar to how he crumbled against Federer in Dubai) giving Wawrinka all the time in the world to hit DTL winners and gifting points with ill conceived drop shots when out of ideas.
Don't mean to suggest Wawrinka isn't worthy, he very much is a true champion
Sysyphus
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes. Fed and Berd were subpar for the same reason: Cilic. He made them bite the dust as I saw it. I'll agree Nishikori was a bit flat, probably in part due to the occasion and partly due to his prior matches taking a toll.
I'm pretty sure Cilic would have steamrolled Novak in that tournament as well, or a 2014 AO like Nadal.
Feather
Legend
tonywoo
Banned
Just peak level, not consistency, career success, nothing else:
Slow hard courts: Wawrinka >>>> Del Potro > Cilic. No contest at all.
Clay: Wawrinka > Del Potro >>>> Cilic.
Del Potro form the 09 FO is close to the best of Wawrinka.
Grass: Del Potro > Cilic >= Wawrinka (so far, I think Stan can get better here)
Fast hard courts: Del Potro = Cilic > Wawrinka (again so far, think Stan can get better here)
Indoors: Del Potro = Wawrinka >>> Cilic
Slow hard courts: Wawrinka >>>> Del Potro > Cilic. No contest at all.
Clay: Wawrinka > Del Potro >>>> Cilic.
Del Potro form the 09 FO is close to the best of Wawrinka.
Grass: Del Potro > Cilic >= Wawrinka (so far, I think Stan can get better here)
Fast hard courts: Del Potro = Cilic > Wawrinka (again so far, think Stan can get better here)
Indoors: Del Potro = Wawrinka >>> Cilic
tonywoo
Banned
Wawrinka has a massive forehand and very deadly in its own right. I don't like his stiff elbow on it though, and it can lead to a lot of errors if his timing is even slightly off. It is very strange looking.
tonywoo
Banned
Del Potro even at his peak had a horrible record vs Djokovic, and never proved he could beat him in a big match. IMO Djokovic would have even won had they met at the 09 U.S Open and that was Del Potro's ultimate peak and a slumping Djokovic, even for pre prime version (he was way better in 07 and 08 than 09 and 2010). DP actually matched up better vs Federer and Nadal (although all we know thus far is the crappy 2nd half 09 Nadal) than Djokovic. Granted Wawrinka's actual W-L vs Djokovic is horrible, but he beat him 2 monstrous matches, and lost some other incredible 5 setters. Del Potro had that 1 5 setter vs Djokovic at Wimbledon, but even there he was doubled in clean winners by the supposably defensive Djokovic, which never happens with in form Wawrinka.
So I don't think criticizing Wawrinka for being on the edge in his victories vs Djokovic is anything you can remark on compared to Del Potro.
