There's only one confirmed GOAT

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NadalAgassi

Guest
The early January 78 Masters you refer to was still considered part of the 77 season. I think 1978 was easily Borg. There was no debate about it at the time. He won 2 majors to only 1 for Connors and dominated Connors most of the year when they met. He also was playing with a bad hand injury when Connors beat him in the U.S Open final, although Connors was obviously still a worthy winner that day.
 

Mustard

Bionic Poster
There was plenty of debate about 1978 at the time, after the US Open final. Go and have a look at Connors' record that year.
 
N

NadalAgassi

Guest
There was plenty of debate about 1978 at the time, after the US Open final. Go and have a look at Connors' record that year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World-number-one_male_tennis-player_rankings

Tennis Magazine (France); ITF (International Tennis Federation); ATP Awards; Borg def. Connors at Wimbledon; Borg def. Vilas at the French Open; Connors def. Borg at the US Open; Vilas won a depleted Australian Open; John McEnroe def. Ashe in the Masters; Gerulaitis won the WCT Finals; Connors won the U.S. Pro Indoor; Orantes beat Solomon in U.S. Pro; the ITF awarded Borg as World Champion; the ATP itself awarded Borg "Player of The Year" contradicting its computer ranking; Tennis Magazine (France) ranked Borg #1 and Connors #2.

It seems pretty unaminous to me.


Also while I had thought Connors was either #1 or #2 in 1975 it seems Connors wasnt rated as highly by people that year as I had thought.

1975 Arthur Ashe P. (USA)

Björn Borg P. (Swe.) - Jimmy Connors P. (USA) - Manuel Orantes P. (Spain) probably all equal

Bud Collins; Judith Elian; Barry Lorge; Lance Tingay; World Tennis; Steve Flink; ATP Awards; Ashe, who won 9 tournaments, def. Connors in Wimbledon; Orantes def. Connors in the US Open; Ashe def. Borg in the WCT Finals; Năstase def. Borg in the Masters; Borg beat Vilas at both the French Open and the U.S. Pro; Collins, Elian and Lorge all ranked Ashe #1 and Borg #2; Tingay ranked Ashe #1, Orantes #2, Connors #3, Borg #4; World Tennis ranked Ashe #1, Connors #2, Borg #3, Orantes #4; Steve Flink ranked Ashe #1, Orantes #2, Borg #3, Connors #4 (very different from the ATP ranking) and the ATP itself awarded Ashe "Player of The Year" contradicting its computer ranking.
 

ttbrowne

Hall of Fame
and that's "Nadal on clay". Nobody has ever dominated a surface like him.

There's no "GOAT on grass". Federer/Sampras and Borg are contenders.

Same for hardcourts and the overall GOAT. Though he leads in every respect, his record against Nadal is bad mark.

So only confirmed GOAT as of now is Nadal on clay

With all the Spaniards LAYING DOWN every time they play him, it's really surprising he doesn't have a better record.
 
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