Season by Season: To Which Events Did the ATP YE Top 3 All Show Up?

[eldanger25]

As a way of determining when in the Open Era tennis shifted from a barnstorming sport to an organized affair (as well as to see which events included particularly strong draws during any given year), I decided to take a look at how often the three men at the top of any given year-end ATP rankings showed up to the same event during the season. I've so far only looked at sanctioned tourneys, and if anyone knows of invitationals etc. where these trios shared the bill I'd be interested.

I started with the first year of ATP rankings - 1973. I'll try to knock out the 70s and 80s in this post, and add the 90s etc. (and give some thoughts) soon after.

Note: winners of the events are in parenthesis.

1973

ATP Year End Top 3: Ilie Nastase, John Newcombe, Jimmy Connors

Events all 3 appeared at: Roland Garros (Nastase); Rome (Nastase); Queens Club (Nastase); US Open (Newcombe); YEC (Nastase)

Note: Year of the famous Wimbledon boycott.

1974

ATP Year End Top 3: Jimmy Connors, John Newcombe, Bjorn Borg

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Connors); Nottingham (Smith); Wimbledon (Connors); US Open (Connors)

1975

ATP Year End Top 3: Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas, Bjorn Borg

Events all 3 appeared at: Wimbledon (Ashe); US Open (Orantes); Stockholm (Panatta)

1976

ATP Year End Top 3: Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase

Events all 3 appeared at: Philadelphia (Connors); Palm Springs (Connors); Wimbledon (Borg); US Open (Connors)

1977

ATP Year End Top 3: Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas, Bjorn Borg

Events all 3 appeared at: Wimbledon (Borg); US Open (Vilas); YEC (Connors)

1978

ATP Year End Top 3: Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, Guillermo Vilas

Events all 3 appeared at: Wimbledon (Borg); US Open (Connors)

1979

ATP Year End Top 3: Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe

Events all 3 appeared at: Pepsi Grand Slam (Borg); Rancho Mirage (Tanner); New Orleans (McEnroe); Las Vegas (Borg); Dallas WCT (McEnroe); Wimbledon (Borg); US Open (McEnroe); YEC (Borg)

1980

ATP Year End Top 3: Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors

Events all 3 appeared at: Monte Carlo (Borg); Roland Garros (Borg); Wimbledon (Borg); US Open (McEnroe); YEC (Borg)

1981

ATP Year End Top 3: John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors

Events all 3 appeared at: Roland Garros (Borg); Wimbledon (McEnroe); Davis Cup QF (Connors d. Lendl, Lendl d. McEnroe); Montreal (Lendl); US Open (McEnroe); YEC (Lendl)

1982

ATP Year End Top 3: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl

Events all 3 appeared at: Toronto (Gerulaitis); Cincinnati (Lendl); US Open (Connors); YEC (Lendl)

Note: This and 1988 are the only non-boycott seasons I've seen where all 3 failed to appear at Wimbledon (also the year of Lendl's famous "grass is for cows" comment)

1983

ATP Year End Top 3: John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors

Events all 3 appeared at: Roland Garros (Noah); Queens Club (Connors); Wimbledon (McEnroe); Montreal (Lendl); Cincinnati (Wilander); US Open (Connors); YEC (McEnroe)

1984

ATP Year End Top 3: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl

Events all 3 appeared at: Forest Hills (McEnroe); Roland Garros (Lendl); Queens Club (McEnroe); Wimbledon (McEnroe); Toronto (McEnroe); US Open (McEnroe); YEC (McEnroe)

1985

ATP Year End Top 3: Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe, Mats Wilander

Events all 3 appeared at: Dallas WCT (Lendl); Roland Garros (Wilander); Wimbledon (Becker); US Open (Lendl); Australian Open (Edberg); YEC (Lendl)

1986

ATP Year End Top 3: Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, Mats Wilander

Events all 3 appeared at: Lipton (Lendl); Rome (Lendl); Roland Garros (Lendl); Wimbledon (Becker); US Open (Lendl); YEC (Lendl)

1987

ATP Year End Top 3: Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Mats Wilander

Events all 3 appeared at: Lipton (Mecir); Roland Garros (Lendl); Wimbledon (Cash); US Open (Lendl); YEC (Lendl)

1988

ATP Year End Top 3: Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi

Events all 3 appeared at: Rome (Lendl); Roland Garros (Wilander); US Open (Wilander); YEC (Becker)

Note: This and 1982 are the only non-boycott seasons I've seen where all 3 failed to appear at Wimbledon (Agassi being a dress code rebel I suppose)

1989

ATP Year End Top 3: Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Lendl); Roland Garros (Chang); Wimbledon (Becker); US Open (Becker); Stockholm (Lendl); YEC (Edberg)

To be continued....

 

[kiki]

Very good idea.

I didn´t know that the top three of 1975 entered the Stockholm Open...which Panatta ended up winning.

 

[eldanger25]

Very good idea.

I didn´t know that the top three of 1975 entered the Stockholm Open...which Panatta ended up winning.

Yep - Panatta beat Ashe in the QFs and Connors in the finals (after Connors took out local kid Borg in the semis).

 

[eldanger25]

One thought before I turn to the 90s etc. (perhaps tomorrow) - I think this shows just how strong the wildcat genes of the old pro tours were during the first 15 years or so of Open Era tennis. Not that there were always formal mini-circuits (though there were some) - just that I think it wasn't unusual for 2-3 top guys - maybe Nasty and Connors, maybe Borg and Vilas - to draft off one another at a few events/towns in a row before splitting up again for parts unknown - see ya when I'll see ya, etc.

This stuff also makes it clear just how much Wimbledon and the Open meant back in the early days of the Open Era - they really were more like super-majors towering above the rest. RG and the YEC began to appear regularly as well by the end of the 70s/beginning of the 80s.

 

[kiki]

Yep - Panatta beat Ashe in the QFs and Connors in the finals (after Connors took out local kid Borg in the semis).

That is a really great achievement, beating the two best players of the year (Ashe and Connors).Panatta also beat Connors at the 1977 WCT Houston tournment that he also won, if memory serves well.

 

[kiki]

One thought before I turn to the 90s etc. (perhaps tomorrow) - I think this shows just how strong the wildcat genes of the old pro tours were during the first 15 years or so of Open Era tennis. Not that there were always formal mini-circuits (though there were some) - just that I think it wasn't unusual for 2-3 top guys - maybe Nasty and Connors, maybe Borg and Vilas - to draft off one another at a few events/towns in a row before splitting up again for parts unknown - see ya when I'll see ya, etc.

This stuff also makes it clear just how much Wimbledon and the Open meant back in the early days of the Open Era - they really were more like super-majors towering above the rest. RG and the YEC began to appear regularly as well by the end of the 70s/beginning of the 80s.

The WCT Finals were big just from their beginning (1971).I agree the Masters grew up in the second part of the 70´s.

 

[eldanger25]

The WCT Finals were big just from their beginning (1971).I agree the Masters grew up in the second part of the 70´s.

Yeah, that's a really great tournament too of course. I do wish Connors had played it more than once during his 1974-78 peak, and Borg had played it more than twice during his 1977-81 peak, but those are the breaks - seems like the next generation McEnroe and Lendl picked up the slack and kept it a big deal through the mid-1980s.

 

[kiki]

Borg was very loyal to the WCT, for he was a signed player since 1974 to 1976 and the only year he didn´t get the contract was 1977.After 1978, both tours merged.Borg played many WCT events in 78 and 79 but in 80 and 81 he only entered those in Europe (Milan,Montecarlo,Brussels).

I always thought that, instead of retiring in 1982, he should have played the WCT Tour that year; it was very adaptable to his needs.

 

[eldanger25]

Now from 1990 - 2002:

1990

ATP Year End Top 3: Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Lendl); Miami (Agassi); Queens Club (Lendl); Wimbledon (Edberg); US Open (Sampras); Sydney Indoor (Becker); Tokyo Indoor (Lendl); Paris Bercy (Edberg); YEC (Agassi)

1991

ATP Year End Top 3: Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Boris Becker

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Becker); Miami (Courier); Roland Garros (Courier); Wimbledon (Stich); Cincinnati (Forget); US Open (Edberg); Stockholm (Becker); Paris Bercy (Forget)

1992

ATP Year End Top 3: Jim Courier, Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras

Events all 3 appeared at: Miami (Chang); Roland Garros (Courier); Wimbledon (Agassi); Barcelona Olympics (Rosset); Cincinnati (Sampras); US Open (Edberg); Stockholm (Ivanisevic); Paris Bercy (Becker); YEC (Becker)

1993

ATP Year End Top 3: Pete Sampras, Michael Stich, Jim Courier

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Courier); Indian Wells (Courier); Miami (Sampras); Roland Garros (Bruguera); Wimbledon (Sampras); Cincinnati (Chang); US Open (Sampras); Stockholm (Stich); Paris Bercy (Ivanisevic); YEC (Stich)

1994

ATP Year End Top 3: Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Boris Becker

Events all 3 appeared at: Miami (Sampras); Osaka (Sampras); Rome (Sampras); Wimbledon (Sampras); US Open (Agassi); Stockholm (Becker); Paris Bercy (Agassi); YEC (Sampras); Grand Slam Cup (Larsson)

1995

ATP Year End Top 3: Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Thomas Muster

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Agassi); Indian Wells (Sampras); Roland Garros (Muster); US Open (Sampras); Essen (Muster)

1996

ATP Year End Top 3: Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Becker); Roland Garros (Kafelnikov); Wimbledon (Krajicek); Cincinnati (Agassi); Stuttgart (Becker); Paris Bercy (Enqvist); YEC (Sampras)

1997

ATP Year End Top 3: Pete Sampras, Patrick Rafter, Michael Chang

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Sampras); Indian Wells (Chang); Miami (Muster); Rome (Corretja); Roland Garros (Kuerten); Queens Club (Philippoussis); Wimbledon (Sampras); Cincinnati (Sampras); US Open (Rafter); Davis Cup SF (Chang d. Rafter, Sampras d. Rafter); Stuttgart (Korda); Paris Bercy (Sampras); YEC (Sampras)

1998

ATP Year End Top 3: Pete Sampras, Marcelo Rios, Alex Corretja

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Korda); Indian Wells (Rios); Miami (Rios); Rome (Rios); Roland Garros (Moya); Wimbledon (Sampras); Cincinnati (Rafter); US Open (Rafter); Lyon (Corretja); Stuttgart Indoor (Krajicek); Paris Bercy (Rusedski); YEC (Corretja)

1999

ATP Year End Top 3: Andre Agassi, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Pete Sampras,

Events all 3 appeared at: Miami (Krajicek); Rome (Kuerten); Roland Garros (Agassi); Wimbledon (Sampras); Cincinnati (Sampras); Paris Bercy (Agassi); YEC (Sampras)

2000

ATP Year End Top 3: Gustavo Kuerten, Marat Safin, Pete Sampras

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Agassi); Indian Wells (Corretja); Miami (Sampras); Hamburg (Kuerten); Roland Garros (Kuerten); Wimbledon (Sampras); Toronto (Safin); Cincinnati (Enqvist); US Open (Safin); YEC (Kuerten)

2001

ATP Year End Top 3: Lleyton Hewitt, Gustavo Kuerten, Andre Agassi

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Agassi); Indian Wells (Agassi); Miami (Agassi); Rome (Ferrero); Hamburg (Portas); Roland Garros (Kuerten); Montreal (Pavel); Cincinnati (Kuerten); US Open (Hewitt); Stuttgart (Haas); YEC (Hewitt)

2002

ATP Year End Top 3: Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Marat Safin

Events all 3 appeared at: Indian Wells (Hewitt); Miami (Agassi); Rome (Agassi); Roland Garros (Costa); Wimbledon (Hewitt); Cincinnati (Moya); US Open (Sampras); Paris Bercy (Safin); YEC (Hewitt)

 

[eldanger25]

2003

ATP Year End Top 3: Andy Roddick, Roger Federer, Juan Carlos Ferrero

Events all 3 appeared at: Sydney (Lee); Australian Open (Agassi); Indian Wells (Hewitt); Miami (Agassi); Rome (Mantilla); Roland Garros (Ferrero); Wimbledon (Federer); Montreal (Roddick); Cincinnati (Roddick); US Open (Roddick); Madrid (Ferrero); Paris Bercy (Henman); YEC (Federer)

2004

ATP Year End Top 3: Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Federer); Indian Wells (Federer); Miami (Roddick); Rome (Moya); Roland Garros (Gaudio); Wimbledon (Federer); Toronto (Federer); Cincinnati (Agassi); US Open (Federer); YEC (Federer)

2005

ATP Year End Top 3: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Safin); Miami (Federer); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Federer); Cincinnati (Federer); US Open (Federer)

2006

ATP Year End Top 3: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Nikolay Davydenko

Events all 3 appeared at: Dubai (Nadal); Indian Wells (Federer); Miami (Federer); Monte Carlo (Nadal); Rome (Nadal); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Federer); Toronto (Federer); Cincinnati (Roddick); US Open (Federer); Madrid (Federer); YEC (Federer)

2007

ATP Year End Top 3: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Federer); Dubai (Federer); Indian Wells (Nadal); Miami (Djokovic); Monte Carlo (Nadal); Rome (Nadal); Hamburg (Federer); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Federer); Canada (Djokovic); Cincinnati (Federer); US Open (Federer); Madrid (Nalbandian); Paris Bercy (Nalbandian); YEC (Federer)

2008

ATP Year End Top 3: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Djokovic); Dubai (Roddick); Indian Wells (Djokovic); Miami (Davydenko); Monte Carlo (Nadal); Rome (Djokovic); Hamburg (Nadal); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Nadal); Toronto (Nadal); Cincinnati (Murray); Beijing Olympics (Nadal); US Open (Federer); Madrid (Murray); Paris Bercy (Tsonga)

2009

ATP Year End Top 3: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Nadal); Indian Wells (Nadal); Miami (Murray); Monte Carlo (Nadal); Rome (Nadal); Madrid (Federer); Roland Garros (Federer); Montreal (Murray); Cincinnati (Federer); US Open (Del Potro); Paris Bercy (Djokovic); YEC (Davydenko)

2010

ATP Year End Top 3: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Federer); Indian Wells (Ljubicic); Miami (Roddick); Rome (Nadal); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Nadal); Toronto (Murray); Cincinnati (Federer); US Open (Nadal); Shanghai (Murray); YEC (Federer)

2011

ATP Year End Top 3: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Djokovic); Indian Wells (Djokovic); Miami (Djokovic); Madrid (Djokovic); Rome (Djokovic); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Djokovic); Montreal (Djokovic); Cincinnati (Murray); US Open (Djokovic); YEC (Federer)

2012

ATP Year End Top 3: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Djokovic); Dubai (Federer); Indian Wells (Federer); Miami (Djokovic); Rome (Nadal); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Federer); London Olympics (Murray); Cincinnati (Federer); US Open (Murray); Shanghai (Djokovic); YEC (Djokovic)

2013

ATP Year End Top 3: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, David Ferrer

Events all 3 appeared at: Indian Wells (Nadal); Miami (Murray); Madrid (Nadal); Rome (Nadal); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Murray); Montreal (Nadal); Cincinnati (Nadal); US Open (Nadal); Beijing (Djokovic); Shanghai (Djokovic); Paris Bercy (Djokovic); YEC (Djokovic)

2014

ATP Year End Top 3: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal

Events all 3 appeared at: Australian Open (Wawrinka); Indian Wells (Djokovic); Miami (Djokovic); Monte Carlo (Wawrinka); Rome (Djokovic); Roland Garros (Nadal); Wimbledon (Djokovic); Shanghai (Federer)

Thoughts to follow soon.

 

[Moose Malloy]

nice thread, but some these early rankings are a bit problematic.

1975

ATP Year End Top 3: Jimmy Connors, Guillermo Vilas, Bjorn Borg

 

[eldanger25]

nice thread, but some these early rankings are a bit problematic.

Thanks, and yes, I agree - using the ATP rankings was meant as a naturally imperfect starting point, and I'd be fine swapping certain names based on overall consensus as to the top 3 players during a given season and/or tweaking to include Top 5 or events where 2 out of the 3 appeared etc.

Who would you swap out for Ashe in '75, for instance?

 

[eldanger25]

A few extra items for this, if there's any interest:

Particularly "dominant" seasons (i.e., where the top guy won over 50 percent of the above events)

Nastase 1973 (4 out of 5)
Connors 1974 (3 out of 4)
Connors 1976 (3 out of 4)
Borg 1980 (4 out of 5)
McEnroe 1984 (6 out of 7)
Lendl 1986 (5 out of 6)
Lendl 1987 (3 out of 5)
Sampras 1994 (5 out of 9)
Federer 2004 (6 out of 10)
Federer 2005 (4 out of 6)
Federer 2006 (7 out of 12)
Djokovic 2011 (8 out of 11)
Nadal 2013 (7 out of 13)

Potentially Less Dominant YE #1 seasons (where somebody else won more of these events than the top guy)

Connors 1975 (Connors 0; Ashe, Orantes, Panatta 1)
McEnroe 1982 (Mac 0; Lendl, Connors 2)
Edberg 1990 (Edberg 2; Lendl 3)
Edberg 1991 (Edberg 1; Becker, Courier, Forget 2)
Courier 1992 (Courier 1; Becker 2)
Sampras 1996 (Sampras 1; Becker 2)
Sampras 1998 (Sampras 1; Rios 3, Rafter, Corretja 2)
Agassi 1999 (Agassi 2; Sampras 3)
Hewitt 2001 (Hewitt 2; Agassi 3)
Federer 2009 (Federer 3; Nadal 4)

Note: these results may indicate a deep year or a "weak era" (the 90s in particular stand out here one way or another) - I'm interested to hear thoughts, if any.

 

[eldanger25]

One more sub-category: Seasons where the YE #1 won 2/3rds or more of the events where all of the Top 3 appeared:

Nastase 1973 (4 out of 5)
Connors 1974 (3 out of 4)
Connors 1976 (3 out of 4)
Borg 1980 (4 out of 5)
McEnroe 1984 (6 out of 7)
Lendl 1986 (5 out of 6)
Federer 2005 (4 out of 6)
Djokovic 2011 (8 out of 11)

Obviously these seasons have been celebrated elsewhere and often, but this is just one more reason they're held in such high regard - winning all or almost all of the deeper tourneys in terms of top guys.

 

[krosero]

Thanks, and yes, I agree - using the ATP rankings was meant as a naturally imperfect starting point, and I'd be fine swapping certain names based on overall consensus as to the top 3 players during a given season and/or tweaking to include Top 5 or events where 2 out of the 3 appeared etc.

Who would you swap out for Ashe in '75, for instance?

I would say for that year Ashe and Orantes, too, ahead of Connors: or just the 3 of them in whatever order. Ashe and Orantes had remarkably similar records that year: 97-18 and 88-18 (per ATP). Each won 8 titles, a career-high in each case. Just slightly behind Connors with 9 titles. Orantes didn't meet Newk or Borg all year but he was 1-0 vs Connors and 4-0 vs Vilas.

Nice thread by the way, I like systematic projects of this kind.

 

[KG1965]

Manolo n. 2

I would say for that year Ashe and Orantes, too, ahead of Connors: or just the 3 of them in whatever order. Ashe and Orantes had remarkably similar records that year: 97-18 and 88-18 (per ATP). Each won 8 titles, a career-high in each case. Just slightly behind Connors with 9 titles. Orantes didn't meet Newk or Borg all year but he was 1-0 vs Connors and 4-0 vs Vilas.

Nice thread by the way, I like systematic projects of this kind.

I like the list of Krosero for 1975.
Mediocre 1975 season, the worst of the Open Era, Ashe is in the lead after Wimbledon.
Orantes surpasses winning BIG titles in the summer of har tru american and Forest Hills.
Ashe exceeds again Orantes won in Los Angeles and San Francisco two BIG Titles.
1) Ashe
2) Orantes
3) Connors
Too many finals lost by Jimbo in 1975 (Wembley, Stockholm and 3 majors).
The ATP considered too finals lost to Connors and little titles WCT Ashe and zero the Master WCT Dallas

 

[eldanger25]

I would say for that year Ashe and Orantes, too, ahead of Connors: or just the 3 of them in whatever order. Ashe and Orantes had remarkably similar records that year: 97-18 and 88-18 (per ATP). Each won 8 titles, a career-high in each case. Just slightly behind Connors with 9 titles. Orantes didn't meet Newk or Borg all year but he was 1-0 vs Connors and 4-0 vs Vilas.

Yes, I agree, and I took a look and in fact the only sanctioned tournament in 1975 that hosted all 3 of Ashe, Orantes, and Connors was the Open (won of course by Orantes).

Any other years where you see the ATP Top 3 being different from the true Top 3? Maybe 1973 w/r/t Connors?

Nice thread by the way, I like systematic projects of this kind.

Thanks, and I appreciate your response - had been sort of resigned to the thread fading away.

 

[krosero]

I like the list of Krosero for 1975.
Mediocre 1975 season, the worst of the Open Era, Ashe is in the lead after Wimbledon.
Orantes surpasses winning BIG titles in the summer of har tru american and Forest Hills.
Ashe exceeds again Orantes won in Los Angeles and San Francisco two BIG Titles.
1) Ashe
2) Orantes
3) Connors
Too many finals lost by Jimbo in 1975 (Wembley, Stockholm and 3 majors).
The ATP considered too finals lost to Connors and little titles WCT Ashe and zero the Master WCT Dallas

There is still the question whether Connors, without a Slam, can be ranked over Borg who won the French. But Borg won only 5 titles and was 0-2 against Connors in direct meetings (including a very big match at USO), so Connors > Borg.

Yes, I agree, and I took a look and in fact the only sanctioned tournament in 1975 that hosted all 3 of Ashe, Orantes, and Connors was the Open (won of course by Orantes).

Any other years where you see the ATP Top 3 being different from the true Top 3? Maybe 1973 w/r/t Connors?

Not sure about '73, though I wouldn't have a problem with Kodes above Connors. Kodes won only 2 titles per the ATP, but when you go this far back you've got a lot of events missing at the ATP. Kodes has only 9 career titles at the ATP but I think his true total was something like two dozen, going by memory (someone posted the number here).

His Wimbledon was depleted, but he out-performed Connors there. He did so again at USO; both Kodes and Connors lost to Newk but Kodes went to the final and pushed Newk harder.

Connors' 11 titles were on the weaker Riordan tour and are probably all represented at the ATP.

Some other years stand out but they wouldn't make a difference to the Top 3 attendance you're counting at the majors (e.g., Wilander in '83 was certainly in the top 3).

Borg should really be in there in '81 with Mac and Lendl. It wouldn't change anything at the Slams though it would drop the Davis Cup quarterfinal.

And that's actually too bad because I thought it was a great idea to include that, to look for such ties. Pre-Open Era the Davis Cup finals and Challenge Rounds would be all over these lists of best-attended events. When the top 2 or 3 players in the world met in Davis Cup it was generally considered the biggest "major" of the year -- if you go back far enough, anyway.

 

[KG1965]

There is still the question whether Connors, without a Slam, can be ranked over Borg who won the French. But Borg won only 5 titles and was 0-2 against Connors in direct meetings (including a very big match at USO), so Connors > Borg.

Not sure about '73, though I wouldn't have a problem with Kodes above Connors. Kodes won only 2 titles per the ATP, but when you go this far back you've got a lot of events missing at the ATP. Kodes has only 9 career titles at the ATP but I think his true total was something like two dozen, going by memory (someone posted the number here).

His Wimbledon was depleted, but he out-performed Connors there. He did so again at USO; both Kodes and Connors lost to Newk but Kodes went to the final and pushed Newk harder.

Connors' 11 titles were on the weaker Riordan tour and are probably all represented at the ATP.

Some other years stand out but they wouldn't make a difference to the Top 3 attendance you're counting at the majors (e.g., Wilander in '83 was certainly in the top 3).

Borg should really be in there in '81 with Mac and Lendl. It wouldn't change anything at the Slams though it would drop the Davis Cup quarterfinal.

And that's actually too bad because I thought it was a great idea to include that, to look for such ties. Pre-Open Era the Davis Cup finals and Challenge Rounds would be all over these lists of best-attended events. When the top 2 or 3 players in the world met in Davis Cup it was generally considered the biggest "major" of the year -- if you go back far enough, anyway.

I agree, the 1975 Borg was poor apart from the majors.
Connors lost too many finals and not deserving of the number one but I think the number 3.
The principle is: who does not win BIG titles (majors or very important torunaments) can not be number one, but may be the number 3.
If Connors had faced Orantes on grass, hc, carpet, red clay and har tru would definitely won 3-2 ... but Orantes won tournaments also BIG, Jimbo no.


Just a clarification on 11 titles Connors (around Riordan and are probably all represented at ATP):
3 were Master1000-style (no Riordan circuit)
1) Boston, (Arthur Ashe 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2)
2) Los Angeles, (Tom Okker 7-5, 7-6 (11-9))
3) Johannesburg, South Africa (Arthur Ashe 6-4, 7-6, 6-3).

8 were Riordan circuit (IPA) 2 of which were very good (Master500-style)
1) Salisbury, US National Indoor
2) Hampton, US (Năstase 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3)

The others were Master250-style, but one had to feel much less a Master250-style:
Roanoke.

 

[eldanger25]

There is still the question whether Connors, without a Slam, can be ranked over Borg who won the French. But Borg won only 5 titles and was 0-2 against Connors in direct meetings (including a very big match at USO), so Connors > Borg.

Not sure about '73, though I wouldn't have a problem with Kodes above Connors. Kodes won only 2 titles per the ATP, but when you go this far back you've got a lot of events missing at the ATP. Kodes has only 9 career titles at the ATP but I think his true total was something like two dozen, going by memory (someone posted the number here).

His Wimbledon was depleted, but he out-performed Connors there. He did so again at USO; both Kodes and Connors lost to Newk but Kodes went to the final and pushed Newk harder.

Connors' 11 titles were on the weaker Riordan tour and are probably all represented at the ATP.

Some other years stand out but they wouldn't make a difference to the Top 3 attendance you're counting at the majors (e.g., Wilander in '83 was certainly in the top 3).

Borg should really be in there in '81 with Mac and Lendl. It wouldn't change anything at the Slams though it would drop the Davis Cup quarterfinal.

And that's actually too bad because I thought it was a great idea to include that, to look for such ties. Pre-Open Era the Davis Cup finals and Challenge Rounds would be all over these lists of best-attended events. When the top 2 or 3 players in the world met in Davis Cup it was generally considered the biggest "major" of the year -- if you go back far enough, anyway.

Good stuff, thanks. I'll give Kodes '73 a look, as well as Borg '81 (though he played a rather abbreviated schedule that year if I recall, so it might knock out Montreal and the YEC as well as Davis Cup).

I'd be very interested to learn more about those early Davis Cup matchups involving the best of a given season - do you have any favorite editions?

 

[kiki]

There is still the question whether Connors, without a Slam, can be ranked over Borg who won the French. But Borg won only 5 titles and was 0-2 against Connors in direct meetings (including a very big match at USO), so Connors > Borg.

Not sure about '73, though I wouldn't have a problem with Kodes above Connors. Kodes won only 2 titles per the ATP, but when you go this far back you've got a lot of events missing at the ATP. Kodes has only 9 career titles at the ATP but I think his true total was something like two dozen, going by memory (someone posted the number here).

His Wimbledon was depleted, but he out-performed Connors there. He did so again at USO; both Kodes and Connors lost to Newk but Kodes went to the final and pushed Newk harder.

Connors' 11 titles were on the weaker Riordan tour and are probably all represented at the ATP.

Some other years stand out but they wouldn't make a difference to the Top 3 attendance you're counting at the majors (e.g., Wilander in '83 was certainly in the top 3).

Borg should really be in there in '81 with Mac and Lendl. It wouldn't change anything at the Slams though it would drop the Davis Cup quarterfinal.

And that's actually too bad because I thought it was a great idea to include that, to look for such ties. Pre-Open Era the Davis Cup finals and Challenge Rounds would be all over these lists of best-attended events. When the top 2 or 3 players in the world met in Davis Cup it was generally considered the biggest "major" of the year -- if you go back far enough, anyway.

Kodes won more tourneys as there were paralel cc circuits in Europe where most of the top europeans played.They didn´count for the ATP rankings, but they were comparable to the Riordan´s tour, only that shorter.

Kodes main problem was carpet; he never got beyond the semifinals either at the Masters or at Dallas although he could beat many top ranked players on the turf.

 

[KG1965]

1981: 3°Borg, 4° Connors

There is still the question whether Connors, without a Slam, can be ranked over Borg who won the French. But Borg won only 5 titles and was 0-2 against Connors in direct meetings (including a very big match at USO), so Connors > Borg.

Not sure about '73, though I wouldn't have a problem with Kodes above Connors. Kodes won only 2 titles per the ATP, but when you go this far back you've got a lot of events missing at the ATP. Kodes has only 9 career titles at the ATP but I think his true total was something like two dozen, going by memory (someone posted the number here).

His Wimbledon was depleted, but he out-performed Connors there. He did so again at USO; both Kodes and Connors lost to Newk but Kodes went to the final and pushed Newk harder.

Connors' 11 titles were on the weaker Riordan tour and are probably all represented at the ATP.

Some other years stand out but they wouldn't make a difference to the Top 3 attendance you're counting at the majors (e.g., Wilander in '83 was certainly in the top 3).

Borg should really be in there in '81 with Mac and Lendl. It wouldn't change anything at the Slams though it would drop the Davis Cup quarterfinal.

And that's actually too bad because I thought it was a great idea to include that, to look for such ties. Pre-Open Era the Davis Cup finals and Challenge Rounds would be all over these lists of best-attended events. When the top 2 or 3 players in the world met in Davis Cup it was generally considered the biggest "major" of the year -- if you go back far enough, anyway.

The third in 1981 behind Mac and Lendl was Borg .
Connors only 4th .

Borg faced twice , Connors and beat him , but at Wimbledon made ​​a lot of effort ( as well as the Masters of end 1980) , the distance was shortened in 1981 despite Connors played his worst tennis .

Borg was still very competitive but played a few tournaments and then essentially made ​​only a masterpiece at RG .

Connors won a great tournament in La Quinta ( now Indian Wells ) in the final of Lendl , two good Master 500 in Rotterdam and Brussels .
The only really positive was success in 5 sets at Wembley recovering the first two sets to Mac ( youtube whole match !! ) , the number one of 1981 .

 

[krosero]

Just a clarification on 11 titles Connors (around Riordan and are probably all represented at ATP):
3 were Master1000-style (no Riordan circuit)
1) Boston, (Arthur Ashe 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2)
2) Los Angeles, (Tom Okker 7-5, 7-6 (11-9))
3) Johannesburg, South Africa (Arthur Ashe 6-4, 7-6, 6-3).

8 were Riordan circuit (IPA) 2 of which were very good (Master500-style)
1) Salisbury, US National Indoor
2) Hampton, US (Năstase 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3)

The others were Master250-style, but one had to feel much less a Master250-style:
Roanoke.

Good to have this breakdown, thanks. So 3 big wins by Connors in '73.

Good stuff, thanks. I'll give Kodes '73 a look, as well as Borg '81 (though he played a rather abbreviated schedule that year if I recall, so it might knock out Montreal and the YEC as well as Davis Cup).

I'd be very interested to learn more about those early Davis Cup matchups involving the best of a given season - do you have any favorite editions?

Tilden and the Musketeers