AnOctorokForDinner
Talk Tennis Guru
Open era slam winners only (second-rate 1970-82 AOs excluded), max streaks.
Of course, 1970s players are disadvantaged in this comparison due to fewer TB opportunities, whereas modern players are somewhat advantaged due to service holds being higher than ever, hence more reason and opportunity to practice TB skills. Still this tells us something. Bots are up, clay golems are down. Early Noel was a tiebreak wizard, PETE was equally efficient at clutchbotting both at peak and late career bot phrase, Stan jumped to an excellent slam TB ratio in his belated prime, etc. Kuerten was the only multiple slam champ (excluding early 70s guys) with negative career TB percentage in slams, neato.
The original incentive was to show that Thiem winning the titlebreaker was basically supposed to happen given his lovely streak. He's in great company, could even realistically get to 2nd place in this list though odds are low I reckon. An important indicator of his mental improvement - would love to see this continue as a Wawrinka-like jump in tiebreakery.
| Players | Streak length | Streak span |
|---|---|---|
Djokovic | 19 | 2005 WB 1R - 2007 WB 2R |
Sampras | 13 | 1993 WB 1R - 1994 WB F; 2000 WB F - 2001 AO 4R |
Lendl | 13 | 1981 RG 1R - 1983 RG 4R |
Wawrinka | 13 | 2015 RG SF - 2016 RG 4R |
Federer | 11 | 2007 AO 3R - WB F |
Nadal | 11 | 2011 RG 2R - USO F |
Roddick | 11 | 2003 USO SF - 2004 WB QF |
Cilic | 11 | 2014 WB 3R - 2015 WB 3R |
Wilander | 10 | 1990 AO 1R - 1994 AO 4R |
Orantes | 10 | 1974 RG 3R - 1979 WB 1R |
Thiem | 10 (ongoing) | 2020 AO QF - USO F |
Becker | 9 | 1990 WB 4R - 1991 AO QF |
Edberg | 9 | 1992 USO SF - 1993 WB 1R; 1994 RG 1R - 1995 AO 4R |
Smith | 9 | 1970 USO 1R - 1972 WB 2R |
McEnroe | 8 | 1980 WB 2R - USO F |
Murray | 8 | 2012 WB QF - USO F; 2016 RG 3R - 2017 AO 1R |
del Potro | 8 | 2012 RG 2R - USO 3R; 2018 RG QF - USO 3R |
Chang | 8 | 1994 WB 3R - 1995 RG SF |
Gomez | 8 | 1984 RG 3R - WB QF |
Rosewall | 7 | 1970 USO 4R - 1972 USO 1R |
Agassi | 7 | 2005 AO 4R - USO 3R |
Courier | 7 | 1991 USO QF - 1992 USO 4R |
Safin | 7 | 1998 RG 2R - 1999 RG 3R; 2000 USO 3R - 2001 AO 2R |
Hewitt | 7 | 2004 AO 3R - USO 2R |
Stich | 7 | 1991 WB QF - USO 4R |
Krajicek | 7 had a losing streak of 6 | 1998 RG 1R - USO 3R (1994 USO 1R - 1995 WB 1R) |
T Johansson | 7 | 2000 WB 3R - USO 3R |
Connors | 6 | 1979 WB 2R - 1980 RG SF |
Newcombe | 6 | 1975 AO F - 1976 AO F |
Vilas | 6 | 1976 USO QF - 1977 USO F |
Ashe | 6 | 1972 USO 1R - 1973 RG 3R |
Rafter | 6 | 2001 WB 1R - USO 4R |
Ivanisevic | 6 has a losing streak of 9  | 1994 WB 2R - WB SF; 1998 WB 3R - QF (1997 AO 3R - 1998 RG 1R) |
Panatta | 6 | 1979 WB 3R - QF |
Noah | 6 | 1983 RG 3R - USO 4R |
Borg | 5 | 1980 USO F - 1981 WB QF |
Ferrero | 5 | 2004 AO QF - USO 1R |
Korda | 5 had a losing streak of 7 | 1997 WB 4R - USO 2R (1993 RG 2R - 1994 AO 1R) |
Nastase | 4 | 1973 RG QF - 1974 RG 4R |
Kodes | 4 | 1971 USO 1R - SF; 1974 USO 3R - 1976 RG 1R |
Bruguera | 4 | 1994 RG 1R - WB 3R |
Muster | 4 | 1990 RG 3R - USO 4R; 1996 USO 1R - 1997 AO 4R |
Kafelnikov | 4 had a losing streak of 7 | 1999 USO 4R-QF (lol Krajicek) (2000 WB 2R - 2001 AO QF) |
Cash | 4 | 1987 WB 3R - 1988 AO F; 1991 RG 1R - 1992 AO 1R; '92 AO 2R - WB 2R |
Moya | 4 | 1998 USO 2R - 1999 AO 1R; 2000 WB 1R - USO 4R; '03 RG 1R - USO 2R |
A Costa | 4 | 1998 AO 1R - 1999 RG 1R; 2001 RG 1R - USO 3R; 2002 AO 3R - RG 3R |
Gaudio | 4 | 2004 RG SF - 2005 AO 2R |
Kuerten | 3 | 2001 RG 3R - QF, USO 3R - 4R |
(Gimeno) | (1) | (retired soon after winning RG at 34, barely played slam TB: 1-2 record) |
(Laver) | (1) | (played few majors after 1970, not telling much besides struggling) |
Of course, 1970s players are disadvantaged in this comparison due to fewer TB opportunities, whereas modern players are somewhat advantaged due to service holds being higher than ever, hence more reason and opportunity to practice TB skills. Still this tells us something. Bots are up, clay golems are down. Early Noel was a tiebreak wizard, PETE was equally efficient at clutchbotting both at peak and late career bot phrase, Stan jumped to an excellent slam TB ratio in his belated prime, etc. Kuerten was the only multiple slam champ (excluding early 70s guys) with negative career TB percentage in slams, neato.
The original incentive was to show that Thiem winning the titlebreaker was basically supposed to happen given his lovely streak. He's in great company, could even realistically get to 2nd place in this list though odds are low I reckon. An important indicator of his mental improvement - would love to see this continue as a Wawrinka-like jump in tiebreakery.
