The Big Three Slam Race In Age

[Hitman]

Below are the ages that the big 3 won each of their respective slams. For simplification, I only add in months if two players year is the same, otherwise I only show the year.

1 - Nadal (19), Djokovic (20), Federer (21) - Nadal leads the way, and continues to lead for the first 10 slams.
2 - Nadal (20), Federer (22), Djokovic (23) - Nadal and Federer start to share 1st and 2nd place, as Djokovic doesn't win a slam for three years
3 - Nadal (21), Federer (22), Djokovic (24)
4 - Nadal (22), Federer (23), Djokovic (24)
5 - Nadal (22), Federer (23), Djokovic (24)
6 - Nadal (22), Federer (24), Djokovic (25)
7 - Nadal (24), Federer (24 & 5 months), (Djokovic 27) - Federer starts to catch Nadal up to within a few months
8 - Nadal (24 & 1 month), Federer (24 & 11 months), Djokovic (27)
9 - Nadal (24 & 4 month), Federer (25), Djokovic (28)
10 - Nadal (25), Federer (25 & 5 months), Djokovic (28)

11 - Federer (25 & 11 months), Nadal (26) (Djokovic (28) - The rise of Djokovic stopping Nadal in slams, allows Federer to become the youngest to hit 11 slams. Federer leads for next 7 slams
12 - Federer (26), Nadal (27), Djokovic (29)
13 - Federer (27), Nadal (27 & 5 months), Djokovic (31)
14 - Federer (27 & 10 months), Nadal (28), Djokovic (31)
15 - Federer (27 & 11 months), Nadal (31), Djokovic (31 & 8 months)
16 - Federer (28), Nadal (31), Djokovic (32)
17 - Federer (30), Nadal (32), Djokovic (32 & 8 months) - At Federer's final year ahead, all three become very close to within 9 months, as Federer gets 17 one month before turning 32

18 - Nadal (33), Djokovic (33 & 8 months), Federer (35) - Nadal takes back over the lead and Federer for first time falls into third place, mainly due to Djokovic stopping him
19 - Nadal (33), Djokovic (34), Federer (35 & 5 months)

20 - Djokovic (34), Nadal (34 & 6 months), Federer (36) - Djokovic takes over and becomes the youngest of the three to hit the 20 slams mark, the final slam where all three hit the mark
21 - Djokovic (35), Nadal (35 & 7 months)
22 - Djokovic (35), Nadal (36) - Djokovic is the first to hit 22 slams
23 - Djokovic (36) - Djokovic stands alone as only player to hit 23
24 - Djokovic (36)

 

[Razer]

Summary - Nole had less sucess until his late 20s than Fedal but more success in his 30s than Fedal.

 

[PilotPete]

Classic weak era vulturing for Djokovic. The only explanation for why a player would win more in 30s than 20s.

 

[Gastino]

6 - Nadal (22), Federer (24), Djokovic (25)

Carlos clears them at the age of 22. Only Nadal is close but he doesnt win #7 until the age of 24.

 

[BauerAlmeida]

All won their 17th slam at a similar age.


I thought Borg had won his 11th and final slam younger than Federer won his 11th.

 

[NoleFam]

Nadal was the most consistent and was winning Slams at every age from 19 to 36 except when he was 23, 29 and 30. The whole injured person who plays tennis narrative is so exaggerated when you look at this.

Djokovic was next and from 19 until 36 he won Slams at every age except at 19, 21, 22, 26, and 30. He was the most streaky and why a lot of us underestimated where he would end up. Dominant streaks happened at 23-24, 27-29, and 34-36 and pushed him above the other 2.

Federer is third here and from 19 until 36 he won Slams at every age except 19, 20, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 34. After 28, there a big drop off and this is a prime example why you see this argument floating around on this site about Slams before 28 counting more. He won more Slams at 35 & 36 than he did from 28-34 and no better proof how he ended up 3rd.


Mutli Slam winning ages
Federer - 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 35
Nadal - 22, 24, 27, 31, 33
Djokovic - 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36

You can see why weeks at #1 is Djokovic > Federer > Nadal when you see this.

 

[Mustard]

Nadal was the most consistent and was winning Slams at every age from 19 to 36 except when he was 23, 29 and 30. The whole injured person who plays tennis narrative is so exaggerated when you look at this.

How is it? Nadal was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss syndrome in his foot in November 2005, at age 19. That's a condition mostly diagnosed in females aged 40-60, not in teenage males.

For a few weeks after this diagnosis, Nadal panicked. He actually thought that his tennis career might be over, and was considering professional golf as an alternative. Nike made some specially made shoes for him, and the doctors looked after his foot as best they could.

Nadal won 11 titles in 2005 (and his year was cut short). Nadal never won 11 titles in any other year, his next best being 10 in 2013. Nadal won 79 matches in 2005, second only to 2008 when he won 82 matches.

In 2005, Nadal didn't just dominate on clay (50-2 win-loss record) but was winning tournaments later like the Canadian Open, Beijing and Madrid Indoor, the latter two he didn't exactly repeat often.

 

[gamelovergold]

Novak winning 12 slam after age 30 will give great hope to Sinner.
If he can hung there for long enough he will catch alcaraz in long run.

 

[Mustard]

I thought Borg had won his 11th and final slam younger than Federer won his 11th.

Borg won his 11th major at the 1981 French Open, just after his 25th birthday.

Federer won his 11th major at 2007 Wimbledon, when he was 25 years and 11 months.

 

[NoleFam]

How is it? Nadal was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss syndrome in his foot in November 2005, at age 19. That's a condition mostly diagnosed in females aged 40-60, not in teenage males.

For a few weeks after this diagnosis, Nadal panicked. He actually thought that his tennis career might be over, and was considering professional golf as an alternative. Nike made some specially made shoes for him, and the doctors looked after his foot as best they could.

Nadal won 11 titles in 2005 (and his year was cut short). Nadal never won 11 titles in any other year, his next best being 10 in 2013. Nadal won 79 matches in 2005, second only to 2008 when he won 82 matches.

In 2005, Nadal didn't just dominate on clay (50-2 win-loss record) but was winning tournaments later like the Canadian Open, Beijing and Madrid Indoor, the latter two he didn't exactly repeat often.

This is all true and fine and dandy, but if out of 18 years of your professional career, you only miss winning a Slam in 3 of those years, you being an injured person who plays tennis is probably being blown way out of proportion.

 

[darthrafa]

credits to the longevity of djoker but shxt era helps him and rafa and when they enter 30s they did not have any Other opponents at the level of fed

In the case of fed pity he has rafa and djoker when he went into 30s

Records matter but context is the key

 

[BauerAlmeida]

Borg won his 11th major at the 1981 French Open, just after his 25th birthday.

Federer won his 11th major at 2007 Wimbledon, when he was 25 years and 11 months.

Ah, yes. I guess it meant youngest among the Big 3.

 

[junkieballer]

credits to the longevity of djoker but shxt era helps him and rafa and when they enter 30s they did not have any Other opponents at the level of fed

In the case of fed pity he has rafa and djoker when he went into 30s

Records matter but context is the key

Context is Federer is the only ATG in the Open Era who had no ATG opponent of similar age (0-4 years older of 0-4 years younger), which led to the easy competition he had in the first part of his career.

 

[NachoGPT]

Borg won his 11th major at the 1981 French Open, just after his 25th birthday.

Federer won his 11th major at 2007 Wimbledon, when he was 25 years and 11 months.

And Federer was considered a late bloomer? lol

 

[DSH]

Summary - Nole had less sucess until his late 20s than Fedal but more success in his 30s than Fedal.

What does that tell you?

 

[Giocoswitch]

Djokovic reached 20, 21 and 22 slams at the youngest ages.

 

[junkieballer]

What does that tell you?

Birth year of ATGs:

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981 Federer
1982
1983
1984
1985

Federer was born in a huge void of ATGs which led to the 2000-07 easy competition.

 

[Mustard]

And Federer was considered a late bloomer? lol

Aye, he was. Federer won his first major at 2003 Wimbledon, at age 21 years and 11 months.

Hewitt had won both of his majors by 21 years and 5 months, and was some way ahead mentally as a youngster compared to Federer. Safin was volatile as a youngster, but tended to deliver more often than a young Federer.

 

[Gastino]

This is all true and fine and dandy, but if out of 18 years of your professional career, you only miss winning a Slam in 3 of those years, you being an injured person who plays tennis is probably being blown way out of proportion.

Him being successful doesn't prove that injuries didn't hinder his career. After 2013...Nadal was a shadow of his formerself on grass. Not as good on HC. We 100% sure know that nadal would have been more successful without the injury history he's had.

 

[Mustard]

Him being successful doesn't prove that injuries didn't hinder his career after 2013...Nadal was a shadow of his formerself on grass. Not as on HC. We 100% sure know that nadal would have been more successful without the injury history that he had.

In the 2006-2010 period, hardcourt was seen as Nadal's weakest surface. Perhaps even up to 2012.

 

[Gastino]

In the 2006-2010 period, hardcourt was seen as Nadal's weakest surface.

I dunno about 09-10

 

[NoleFam]

Him being successful doesn't prove that injuries didn't hinder his career. After 2013...Nadal was a shadow of his formerself on grass. Not as good on HC. We 100% sure know that nadal would have been more successful without the injury history he's had.

Him struggling on grass from 2012-2017 had little to do with injuries except 2016 when he had to withdraw. He was never some dominant force on grass anyways since he was struggling to put away guys he should have been beating in his sleep in the early rounds in 2006, 2007 and 2010. He lost quite a bit of speed after 2013 but still won half of his hardcourt Slams after that.

 

[Razer]

What does that tell you?

It tells us that Djokovic is not a GOAT tier player by peak level of play but he literally barged into the tier of GOAT level players by not declining a lot in his 30s and aided by some mug competition he accumulated enough numbers to force his entry

Basically we are looking at something like this

27th birthday

Nadal - 12
Federer - 11
Borg - 11
Sampras - 11
.
.
.
Alcaraz - 7 (before turning 23) ..
.
.
Djokovic - 6 on 27th birthday


but when the dust settled

Djokovic - 24
Nadal - 22
Federer - 20

This courtesy of him accelerating things post turning 27, thats when his Guru Boom Boom Becker came into picture at 26.

 

[Gastino]

Him struggling on grass from 2012-2017 had little to do with injuries except 2016 when he had to withdraw. He was never some dominant force on grass anyways since he was struggling to put away guys he should have been beating in his sleep in the early rounds in 2006, 2007 and 2010. He lost quite a bit of speed after 2013 but still won half of his hardcourt Slams after that.

It was nadal himself who said that after the operations on his knees, grass was tough for him , I'll take nadal's word over yours sorry. I also actually happend to believe that knee issues are serious.

 

[NoleFam]

It was nadal himself who said that after the operations on his knees, grass was tough for him , I'll take nadal's word over yours sorry. I also actually happend to believe that knee issues are serious.

What operations on his knees are you talking about?

 

[Gastino]

What operations on his knees are you talking about?

- I don't feel like digging, the man himself says it here.

 

[Mustard]

I dunno about 09-10

The US Open was clearly seen as Nadal's weakest major by some way before the 2010 US Open, except before 2006 Wimbledon.

 

[NachoGPT]

Him struggling on grass from 2012-2017 had little to do with injuries except 2016 when he had to withdraw. He was never some dominant force on grass anyways since he was struggling to put away guys he should have been beating in his sleep in the early rounds in 2006, 2007 and 2010. He lost quite a bit of speed after 2013 but still won half of his hardcourt Slams after that.

Nadal barely squeaked by when he won Wimbledon in 2010. Was forced to 5 sets by both Haase and Petzschner. Was down 2 sets to 1 against both.

 

[NoleFam]

- I don't feel like digging, the man himself says it here.

You should have put the timestamp since I'm not about to watch a 1 hour and 7 minutes video. I never hear about Nadal ever having any invasive knee surgery.

 

[Razer]

So the math is like this @DSH @Mustard

Slams won after 27th Birthday

Djoko - 18
Nadal - 10
Federer - 9
Agassi - 5
Lendl - 4
Connors - 3
Sampras - 3
Wawrinka - 3
Becker - 1

Do you see any pattern in this ?

We just cannot compare anyone and gauge anything with these numbers, most of the numbers scored after 27 depends on quality of players younger to you.

 

[NoleFam]

Nadal barely squeaked by when he won Wimbledon in 2010. Was forced to 5 sets by both Haase and Petzschner. Was down 2 sets to 1 against both.

Yea, this and exactly my point. Squeaked by Kendrick in 2006 as well who was ranked in the #200's. Had two 5 setters in 2007 as well iirc.

 

[NachoGPT]

So the math is like this @DSH @Mustard

Slams won after 27th Birthday

Djoko - 18
Nadal - 10
Federer - 9
Agassi - 5
Lendl - 4
Sampras - 3
Wawrinka - 3
Becker - 1

Do you see any pattern in this ?

We just cannot compare anyone and gauge anything with these numbers, most of the numbers scored after 27 depends on quality of players younger to you.

Federer should have won more in 2010-2015. No excuses. He showed he still had the level to win slams in 2017.

 

[Giocoswitch]

I dunno about 09-10

True but even in that period you had matches like the USO09 semi, whereas Nadal had only lost one match on grass from 08-10. Before that 2012-17 period you certainly couldn't say his hardcourt consistency or even peak was clearly better than what he had shown on grass

 

[Razer]

Federer should have won more in 2010-2015. No excuses. He showed he still had the level to win slams in 2017.

Federer faced peak Djokodal at that period, he could not have won more I guess... but yeah maybe should have converted something there, I think he got a bit complacent too, Pete's mark was crossed, the number was considered to be safe. At that time Nadal and Djokovic were seen as next gens, today well things are much differently viewed.

 

[NoleFam]

Federer should have won more in 2010-2015. No excuses. He showed he still had the level to win slams in 2017.

Federer's Slam winning was dryer than the Sahara from 28-34. This is why he trolls so hard spamming the forum with this stuff everyday like tennis stops once you turn 27. Haha.

 

[NachoGPT]

Federer's Slam winning was dryer than the Sahara from 28-34. This is why he trolls so hard spamming the forum with this stuff everyday like tennis stops once you turn 27. Haha.

They say Federer was an old man who could barely walk…but he was also way better than Djokovic at the same age? Schrödinger's Federer.

 

[Gastino]

You should have put the timestamp since I'm not about to watch a 1 hour and 7 minutes video. I never hear about Nadal ever having any invasive knee surgery.

No invasive surgery but procedures. Also Nadal cleary states that he wasn't the same so I trust the man .

 

[NoleFam]

They say Federer was an old man who could barely walk…but he was also way better than Djokovic at the same age? Schrödinger's Federer.

It's an oxymoron and make no sense when they say this. If he's way past it by the time he was 28, then how could he have been better than them in their 30s?

 

[SonnyT]

Classic weak era vulturing for Djokovic. The only explanation for why a player would win more in 30s than 20s.

No vulture era for Djokovic at all! Federer would've dominated at the latter stages, were it not for Djokovic. Djokovic totally and completely dominated Federer post-'11. Federer was a slam runner-up after 2014.

credits to the longevity of djoker but shxt era helps him and rafa and when they enter 30s they did not have any Other opponents at the level of fed

In the case of fed pity he has rafa and djoker when he went into 30s

Records matter but context is the key

As if Federer didn't enjoy his own shxt era during '04-07. Nadal played along with Djokovic during this era, but Djokovic shut him out of AO & WB.

 

[Gastino]

True but even in that period you had matches like the USO09 semi, whereas Nadal had only lost one match on grass from 08-10. Before that 2012-17 period you certainly couldn't say his hardcourt consistency or even peak was clearly better than what he had shown on grass

That's why I mentined grass and HC apart Nadal himself said grass was his second best surface after clay before the injuries prevented him to run on graass.

 

[NoleFam]

No invasive surgery but procedures. Also Nadal cleary states that he wasn't the same so I trust the man .

Ok, procedures is a better term. So you think the fact that his last Wimbledon title happening when he had just turned 24 is because of injury? Well I don't agree.

 

[GoatNo1]

the only thing tha realy matter talking about slams is

20 - fed
22 - rafa
24 - Djokovic

and

1 - fed
2 - rafa
3 - no1e

 

[CoolCoolCool]

All won their 17th slam at a similar age.


I thought Borg had won his 11th and final slam younger than Federer won his 11th.

And they all did it at their pet slam.

 

[gamelovergold]

Federer's Slam winning was dryer than the Sahara from 28-34. This is why he trolls so hard spamming the forum with this stuff everyday like tennis stops once you turn 27. Haha.

Thousand and one fairy tales will be not enough to save FEDERER.
Federer was stopped by Nadal and novak after 2012.
For 5 years federer was #3 and was reaching finals only to loose against novak.

 

[NoleFam]

Thousand and one fairy tales will be not enough to save FEDERER.
Federer was stopped by Nadal and novak after 2012.
For 5 years federer was #3 and was reaching finals only to loose against novak.

Yep but he was really stopped by both them in Slams starting in 2010 and then was being stopped by other players in Slams that Djokovic and Nadal didn't even win.

 

[SonnyT]

Nadal beat Federer 10-4 in slams; Djokovic had Federer 11-6. But their 4 & 6 losses to Federer were far from the most. Below I list players with 4 or more slam losses to Federer, and their Federer records.

Roddick 8-0
Hewitt 8-0
Berdych 8-2
Wawrinka 7-1
Djokovic 6-11
Gasquet 5-0
Murray 5-1
Cilic 5-2
Tsonga 5-2
Nalbandian 4-2
Nadal 4-10

Djokovic's 6 losses put him 5th, Nadal's 4 losses 10th. Needless to say, their 10-11 wins put them 1-2.

 

[DSH]

So the math is like this @DSH @Mustard

Slams won after 27th Birthday

Djoko - 18
Nadal - 10
Federer - 9
Agassi - 5
Lendl - 4
Connors - 3
Sampras - 3
Wawrinka - 3
Becker - 1

Do you see any pattern in this ?

We just cannot compare anyone and gauge anything with these numbers, most of the numbers scored after 27 depends on quality of players younger to you.

 

[Jonas78]

If Raz averages 2 a year, he has the slam record at 30y...

 

[Rosstour]

Novak winning 12 slam after age 30 will give great hope to Sinner.
If he can hung there for long enough he will catch alcaraz in long run.

Will Alcaraz retire at 28?

 

[TMF]

Summary - Nole had less sucess until his late 20s than Fedal but more success in his 30s than Fedal.

At their best years(in their 20s), Fedal reach higher ceiling