It’s not close. Ivanisevic by a mile. Djokovic winning was far from a miracle.Two of the greatest and most inspirational stories told in professional tennis, both with a script to rival anything in Hollywood, involving two of the most beloved tennis icons of the sport.
Goran Ivanisevic - Wimbledon 2001
This journey truly had the most magical ending, he had lost three Wimbledon finals before, the third one in 98 had him breaking down in tears and being inconsolable for a very long time, as he felt he lost his final chance. 2001 comes along, and the charismatic player wasn't even in the top 100, but was given a wildcard in an attempt to bring in more audiences to outside courts for the earlier rounds. Goran went onto to change the script, in what has been considered the single greatest grand slam tournament ever played as a whole, he went through one of the most brutal draws possible for him and ended up winning back to back five set thrillers in the semis and finals....to win the title on the first ever Wimbledon final on Monday. A journey that that began a decade earlier finally ended in the most triumphant way possible.....he went from being the greatest player to never win a slam to Wimbledon champion and forever immortalized in sporting history.
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Novak Djokovic - Olympics 2024
Just like his former coach, Goran, Novak's journey has been nothing short of one the most heroic sagas ever seen in the sport, and across all sports. He left the court in tears back in 2008, unable to make it to the gold medal match, but he kept going for it, more tears and heartbreak followed as for the next three Olympics, he was still unable to fight for the gold medal he so badly wanted. He never hid his feelings and the importance of what winning the Olympics meant for him, making himself vulnerable to the naysayers who were already using it to put a stain on his legacy. 2024, and Djokovic had not win a single title, not a single top ten win, he gets injured in June, throwing his participation into doubt, and then take a massive loss in the W final. Despite all the odds stacked against him, at 37, on his worst surface, he defeats his toughest challenge, makes his first gold medal match and become the first man to not only win the gold without dropping a set, but the first player, male or female to win every big title possible and complete tennis. The ultimate example of the unyielding will of the human spirit, Djokovic ascended to heights never before seen in this sport.
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Maybe berdych or tsonga in the sense of serving power.. more tsonga. All the other gents had weakish serves but better groundies. Lets not forget goran being no2 twice and beating sampras 6 times. He definitely was always a contender but i think losing bob brett was a big long term problem to his stickability in terms of staying at the top. Also injuries were a problem.On Djokovic's side is the greater span of time, but on Goran's side is how many times he came so close, while Novak never even played the Gold Medal match. Plus, of course, Novak's many other victories are more than scant consolation.
Poor Goran was basically the Mecir or the Nalbandian or the Berdych, Tsonga, Ferrer, Zverev, etc. of his generation. And then, somehow, with his career basically over - out of the top 100, no title in 3 years, about 1 top 10 win in the past 2... He goes and wins Wimbledon.
Are you trying to say that there were only so many potential winners at wimbledon? Maybe but after the r16 there were 6 legitimate contenders which made it quite exciting. The fact goran was able to play well after so long was pretty amazing.Of these two, Ivanisevic.
However, it's not the the most inspirational fairy tale sporting achievement. It's not even the most fairy tale-like achievement in Tennis.
Not comparing his game, just in terms of him being a top guy who was a contender at the top level for a long while without winning the big one. He's pretty unique too in terms of the manner of his losses. the two five-setters to Pete and Andre, and then that other one with the two breakers. Berdych and Tsonga never had that kind of success because there were 4 whole guys in front of them.Maybe berdych or tsonga in the sense of serving power.. more tsonga. All the other gents had weakish serves but better groundies. Lets not forget goran being no2 twice and beating sampras 6 times. He definitely was always a contender but i think losing bob brett was a big long term problem to his stickability in terms of staying at the top. Also injuries were a problem.
4th time lucky.I will take Goran’s Wimby. Super thrilled for Novak realizing his lifelong goal but I don’t think OG carries much merit in the list of tennis must haves…and most certainly not in front of a Wimbledon third time lucky pursuit for Goran.
For Djokovic the OG was an extremely important accomplishment in his career, To finally win at RG, age 37 and beating the guy who destroyed him at Wimbledon was an incredible achievement for him. Having said that, I voted for Goran as it was his last chance to win his only slam after suffering several tough defeats at Wimbledon. I was more of a Rafter fan, but at least Pat had one or two USO titles, so I was happy for Goran.You either have to be a Djokovic fan over a tennis fan, put way too much stock into the Olympics, or not have been watching tennis in 2001 to even entertain Djokovic in this discussion.
Well you bring it up, and compare how you like but i felt like reflecting on these players and comparing their attributes.Not comparing his game, just in terms of him being a top guy who was a contender at the top level for a long while without winning the big one. He's pretty unique too in terms of the manner of his losses. the two five-setters to Pete and Andre, and then that other one with the two breakers. Berdych and Tsonga never had that kind of success because there were 4 whole guys in front of them.
let's not forget the O2 pyramids and the water purified by thoughts... a true SF blockbuster.noles whole life. with nato bombing, training in the empty pool. discovered by the legend. parents who borrow from money sharks to afford him to play. always in shadows to 2 establishments darlings. always play in front of hostage audience. coming close to fulfilled his dreams but was ready to offer his whole career for principals. imprisoned, deported, banned and actually win it all and become the golden GOAT with some margin. taking the last peace after 16 years chase on his last shot.
Djokovic OG: the most inspiring and most touching story. How much and how big it meant for him. He's been waiting for so long to get it. It's a very inspiring story. It inspires people to never give up if you want to achieve something no matter how long it will take to get it.
Ivanisevic: felt like lottery. Of course it's like a fairy tale but also felt like luck, because he never win other Slam title and he only got Wimbledon because of wild card instead of playing qualifying rounds.
Lets look at novaks draw at olympics.. nothing too special apart from carlos. The london olympics was harder with murray and delpotro and he left with no medal. So yes the draw was a luckier one.
No best of 5 sets final. No real pressure on the knee.
Ill remind you of gorans 2 bronze medals on clay. He wasnt some fluke no2 in the world or fluke top tenner.. why? Because the prior sentence has oxymorons. You make it sound like wimbledon had quite a few random champions because they only won once. Next we can only have 3 atgs and borg and sampras were average.
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The ivanisevic wildcard decision respected that goran had made 3 finals and was still working hard. He even trained with some young kid from serbia called novak.. not a bad plan?
The committee may have heard how he failed in ao qualifying and they knew he would potentially do better if he just had a good opening match. So why rail against a sensible decision?
I do think alcaraz almost peaked too soon against novak both on clay (madrid >> rg) last year and again this year at wimbledon>> olympics. As in he was so convincing he couldnt help but think he would be alright and then the urgency was gone. Or maybe not.For Djokovic the OG was an extremely important accomplishment in his career, To finally win at RG, age 37 and beating the guy who destroyed him at Wimbledon was an incredible achievement for him. Having said that, I voted for Goran as it was his last chance to win his only slam after suffering several tough defeats at Wimbledon. I was more of a Rafter fan, but at least Pat had one or two USO titles, so I was happy for Goran.
It was also a lottery they trained together and one coached the other for years.Weak draw, strong draw, weak era, strong era, they are all just EXCUSES. You play who's in front of you.
Wild card is like a lottery card.
I mean, Leo BORG as wildcard... That's just ridiculous.It was also a lottery they trained together and one coached the other for years.
My point is that novak should have beaten back to back heavyweights in other years and finally the luck changed. So no excuse for him being unlucky before, or denial he was lucky this time. I dont go on about eras but he only impressed me in the gold medal match and even then alcaraz was very much pushing him.
Pat cash did well with a wild card.
Jelena dokic did well once at another slam.
Mark phillopousis won a few matches too.
You dont want talented players in the draw but no name qualifiers? Ill pass your thoughts to the itf in time for the off season.
Thats what the swedes do for tennis 'royalty'. Osaka not getting a wildcard was frustrating this season too.I mean, Leo BORG as wildcard... That's just ridiculous.
Name themOf these two, Ivanisevic.
However, it's not the the most inspirational fairy tale sporting achievement. It's not even the most fairy tale-like achievement in Tennis.
Sorry but this is actually ridiculous.
Hitman has gotten more fanboyish in recent yearsStill hard to believe this thread is serious
I mean it’s a respectable achievement but cmon, Goran’s win was something you’d see in a movie.
How do you know alcaraz likes clay more than hardcourt or grass? I would say its too soon to tell. Currently novak has many semis finals and 3 actual rg titles. He had all the experience to draw on plus of course not playing more than 4 matches at rg 24 this year helped with him being fresh.Ivan's Wimby title was great, even more so when he became the Goat's coach, but......
37 year old goat beating a peak 21 year old next gen goat in two epic sets of the highest tennis level ever in Olympic match
getting the final big goat record to complete tennis since its beginning and for the future
playing with only one knee to win the Gold
ceremonially finally ending the goat debate (for the last 3 people on earth still thinking it was a debate... fed, rafa and uncle tony... all of them knew it was all over after the Olympic final this year)
winning gold on his least favorite surface against the RG champ
Only one legend bigger than him in any sport or all of life:
It will always be debatable how severe noles injury was. Goran definitely needed pain killers on court and probably wouldnt have suffered in that final were it so much his biggest match. Nole is too boy who cried wolf as well but i respect his 2024 form was worse for more reasons than growing some extra grey hairs like father srdjan.Not minimizing Novak winning his elusive title at age 37, playing through an injury to produce great, clutch tennis against a more-than-worthy finalist, Goran by a healthy margin.
Superb effort from Djokovic but Goran takes this.
It’s always a shame when a better player loses in a random match and then we get deprived of better matchups. Same thing happened in W11, Federer Djokovic semi would’ve been epic that year.Zverev facing either alcaraz or nole would have made for a better event altogether... and it supports my theory that losing early at rg means more chance of a gold.
(Also cf swiatek in 2024)
Actually he lost to fed in milan in the qfsGoran by a mile.
Can't remember if I've already posted in this thread, but I was at Queen's that year and watched Ivanisevic lose in straights to Caratti in the first round. Not sure he'd even made a QF all year until Wimbledon. Eternally grateful to Fed for taking down Pete.
Well you got it the next year and federer losing to tsonga showed he was definitely never going to dominate again like before. Also stakhovsky was random.. tsonga could beat anyone on his day.It’s always a shame when a better player loses in a random match and then we get deprived of better matchups. Same thing happened in W11, Federer Djokovic semi would’ve been epic that year.
Let's also get something clear. The apparant goat pre federer .. sampras didnt care about the olympics. Our pal goran did. He got a bronze in singles and doubles at the same event. 2 medals in one event is commendable. Novak when he had a chance for gold in tokoyo turned down his mixed doubles partner.Wimbledon happens every year, but the Olympics is every four years. So, there was a last chance aspect to Djokovic’s efforts to win a gold at his age that made his victory sentimental even for tennis fans who are not particularly fans of him. Also the fact that there has been pictures of him crying after every Olympic loss in the past made it more poignant when he won.
Ivanisevic’s win was a solid journeyman player realizing his 1-Slam lifelong goal. Djokovic‘s gold was the GOAT of tennis realizing the one goal that eluded him and completing a perfect career track record.
Do you know what a journeyman player is? It's not a player who has been world number 2 in different years like Goran Ivanisevic, who has beaten Pete Sampras over best of 5 sets on grass and also beaten Thomas Muster over best of 5 sets on clay.Ivanisevic’s win was a solid journeyman player realizing his 1-Slam lifelong goal.
Spot on. Im still grumbling over rising cafe prices. Too late to undo my decision earlier today. Noles fans can always make me reconsider my stance on the legend..maybe.Do you know what a journeyman player is? It's not a player who has been world number 2 in different years like Goran Ivanisevic, who has beaten Pete Sampras over best of 5 sets on grass and also beaten Thomas Muster over best of 5 sets on clay.
I'd class a journeyman as a player who has never been in the top 100 or top 50, or top 30 at most.
Wimbledon (2004) has some interesting undertones that do echo ivanisevic's story. Even the main character's overgrip is the same colour.Ivanisevic. I’m honestly surprised that this is even a question.
Firstly, Djokovic has such a packed résumé, there is barely anything to dream about. So yes, he got one more big title that he didn’t have, but that’s hardly a fairytale.
Secondly, saying “nobody cares much about the Olympics in Tennis”, is an overstatement, but not by that much. Winning Wimbledon, or any grand slam title, for that matter, is a much bigger deal.
Let me put it this way: I can imagine Hollywood making a movie based on Ivanisevic’s story. While I can easily imagine a movie about Novak, it won’t be about him winning the Olympics.
@Hitman are you getting bored? You’re normally a very balanced poster, but it seems Djokovic’s impending retirement has caused you to go over the top sentimental.