Top 5 Seasons for Djokovic/Nadal/Murray?

[BGod]

In terms of both play and achievement.

Djokovic
1: 2011
2: 2015*
3: 2012
4: 2013
5: 2014

Nadal
1: 2010
2: 2008
3: 2013
4: 2011
5: 2007

Murray
1: 2012
2: 2011
3: 2013
4: 2015*
5: 2010

I find it interesting for me to put Djokovic's best 5 seasons as his last 5. Nadal is sporadic as expected while Murray had that snag last year.

 

[NatF]

^^ 2009 was a much better season for Murray than 2010. His 2013 should be higher than 2011 and his 2015 so far is better than the same stage in 2011.

 

[vanioMan]

Nadal:

Level of play:
1. 2008
2. 2010
3. 2013
4. 2012 (albeit not full, up to Wimbledon he played better than in 2011)
5. 2011

Achievements:
1. 2008
2. 2010
3. 2013
4. 2005/2007/2009/2011/2012. Not much difference.

 

[BGod]

Nadal:
Achievements:
1. 2008
2. 2010
3. 2013
4. 2005/2007/2009/2011/2012. Not much difference.

I feel 2008 is overrated in this sense, with respect to 2010:

2010
3 Slams
No Olympics
3 Masters
WTF Championship Match

2008
2 Slams
Olympic Gold
3 Masters
No WTF

I mean, basically you're valuing Gold Medal above a Slam against a year in which there was no Olympics (a tad unfair) and you don't care about the WTF. By the books his 2010 was better.

I also like looking at 2013. A combined 49-4 on the main tour and reaching the WTF Championship match too. But 2008 was much more consistent.

 

[vanioMan]

I feel 2008 is overrated in this sense, with respect to 2010:

2010
3 Slams
No Olympics
3 Masters
WTF Championship Match

2008
2 Slams
Olympic Gold
3 Masters
No WTF

I mean, basically you're valuing Gold Medal above a Slam against a year in which there was no Olympics (a tad unfair) and you don't care about the WTF. By the books his 2010 was better.

I also like looking at 2013. A combined 49-4 on the main tour and reaching the WTF Championship match too. But 2008 was much more consistent.

True. I admit I'm a bit biased towards 2008. It was more impressive to my eyes considering the competition

 

[GabeT]

Nadal:

Level of play:
1. 2008
2. 2010
3. 2013
4. 2012 (albeit not full, up to Wimbledon he played better than in 2011)
5. 2011

Achievements:
1. 2008
2. 2010
3. 2013
4. 2005/2007/2009/2011/2012. Not much difference.

Nadal's level of play in 2011 was excellent, among his best ever. His problem wasn't his level of play, it was Nole. Absent Djokovik Nadal would have won three slams and five masters, his best season ever, better than 2010 or 2013. In 2011 he was reaching finals in all the surfaces. Almost no one could stop him. Except Djokovik. Let's not forget that by the time Nadal met Nole in the 2011 Wimby final, leading to the first of three Slam final losses to Djokovik, Nadal had reached 12 Slam finals and lost only two, both to Federer at Wimbledon.

If not for Nole chances are Nadal could have held all four Slams at the same time, and won five in a row.

 

[Indio]

If you believe--as many on this forum do--that the tennis season comprises only the two months over which the majors are played, then Murray's 2009 wasn't special. In other ways, however, it was a very good year for him. At 66-11, he had the best winning percentage on the tour that year. It was also his career best. He won 6 titles, including two Masters. He also had his best year against Top 10 opposition, going 14-6. In only two other seasons did he reach double figures in Top 10 victims (12-8 in 2008 and 12-9 in 2012).
I don't know where 2009 fits on his list, but it has to be somewhere in the top 5.

 

[vanioMan]

Nadal's level of play in 2011 was excellent, among his best ever. His problem wasn't his level of play, it was Nole. Absent Djokovik Nadal would have won three slams and five masters, his best season ever, better than 2010 or 2013. In 2011 was reaching finals in all the surfaces. Almost no one could stop him. Except Djokovik.

If not for Nole chances are Nadal could have held all four Slams at the same time, and won five in a row.

Hopefully you will get my point

2011 was good, but there is absolutely no way you can ever claim that his level of play was better than in 2008, 2010, first half of 2012 or 2013. Maybe close to 2010, but that's about it. Close. Not better.

 

[GabeT]

Hopefully you will get my point

And no, there is absolutely no way you can ever claim that his level of play was better than in 2008, 2010, first half of 2012 or 2013. Maybe close to 2010, but that's about it. Close.

My point is that Nadal had a great year in 2011, and in terms of playing one of his best ever. He was reaching more finals at the top tournaments than any other year before. In 2008 Nadal reached two Slam finals and four M1000 finals. In 2010 that was 3 and 3. But in 2011 it was 3 and 5. Best ever for him.

So Nadal's problem wasn't that he was playing bad, or even worse than before. He was reaching more finals than ever. His problem was that Nole chose to peak that year.

 

[vanioMan]

My point is that Nadal had a great year in 2011, and in terms of playing one of his best ever. He was reaching more finals at the top tournaments than any other year before. In 2008 Nadal reached two Slam finals and four M1000 finals. In 2010 that was 3 and 3. But in 2011 it was 3 and 5. Best ever for him.

So Nadal's problem wasn't that he was playing bad, or even worse than before. He was reaching more finals than ever. His problem was that Nole chose to peak that year.

Tennis is played by two, mate. Not by one. I don't know why most people don't get this. The result of a match always depends on both players. It's not just one playing better, or one playing worse. They levels are connected in a way. So yes, Nole was at his peak, but Nadal was a bit worse than 2010 (backhand, returns and overall court positioning - proof for you).

And yes, 2011 was a great year for Nadal regarding reaching finals, but not regarding winning them, which is more important and impressive

 

[GabeT]

Tennis is played by two, mate. Not by one. I don't know why most people don't get this. The result of a match always depends on both players. It's not just one playing better, or one playing worse. They levels are connected in a way. So yes, Nole was at his peak, but Nadal was a bit worse than 2010 (backhand, returns and overall court positioning - proof for you).

And yes, 2011 was a great year for Nadal regarding reaching finals, but not regarding winning them, which is more important and impressive

I guess here is where we agree to disagree (agree? ). It is not clear to me, at all, that Nadal played worse in 2011 than he did in 2010. He reached more finals in 2011. I don't see any evidence that his problem was that he was playing worse. His problem was Nole.

 

[The_18th_Slam]

I guess here is where we agree to disagree (agree? ). It is not clear to me, at all, that Nadal played worse in 2011 than he did in 2010.

Of course it isn't. You're a Djokovic fan.

 

[vanioMan]

I guess here is where we agree to disagree (agree? ). It is not clear to me, at all, that Nadal played worse in 2011 than he did in 2010. He reached more finals in 2011. I don't see any evidence that his problem was that he was playing worse. His problem was Nole.

I look at his game, not his results See the way he hits his backhand, ROS, and court position in 2010 and compare it to 2011.

But yeah, let's disagree to agree.

Wat.

 

[Indio]

I'll inject some facts into this Nadal 2010-2011 debate. In 2010, he finished 5-3 versus Top 5 opposition, including 2-0 against Djokovic. In 2011, it was 8-8, including 0-6 against Djokovic. Take out ND and it's 3-3 (2010) versus 8-2 (2011). Draw your own conclusions, but there's only one that I can see.

 

[Steve0904]

True. I admit I'm a bit biased towards 2008. It was more impressive to my eyes considering the competition

I agree with this. Beating Federer at Wimbledon in 2008 was better than any win Nadal had in 2010 IMO. He also beat a better (than 2010) Djokovic at the Olympics. I also felt by the eye test that Nadal's level was higher in 2008 overall. His RG win was more dominant in games term in 2008 I think. Also who was he beating for his slams in 2010? Soderling, Berdych, and a Djokovic that was serving more DF's than aces and hadn't beaten a top 10 player until the USO SF (the match before he lost to Nadal).

Federer's decline was started and Murray wasn't yet a slam winner. He wasn't in 2008 either to be fair, but Nadal was still the favourite against him in 2010 for the most part.

It's a lot like Federer's 2005 and 2006 seasons. His 06 season was better statistically, but a lot of the guys that challenged him in 2005 were basically gone in 2006. Hewitt's last good season was 2005 and Safin never replicated his AO form at any tournament. Ditto for Nalbandian at the YEC's. Even Agassi retired at the 2006 USO. Of all his seasons I like 2004 the best though because he turned around a previously bad H2H with Hewitt and got a slam win over Nalbandian. He also beat a very good Roddick at Wimbledon.

 

[Steve0904]

I think one of Djokovic's best seasons could be 2008. It doesn't necessarily have to be his last 5. His 2008 season is at least comparable to any of '12, '13, or '14 IMO.

 

[Backspin1183]

Nadal himself considers 2008-2009 AO to be his highest level as he was able to play his 'game' to the best of his ability. In 2010 Nadal played more aggressive big serve game. He played similar game in 2011 but with a worse serve than 2010. In 2013, he played more attacking game again with a very good serve.
2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 were all very good but it wasn't Nadal's 'natural' game. In 2008 and 2009 AO, Nadal played great defense counter punch game. Most of his jaw dropping shots were from pre 2010 Nadal IMO as a lot of those were hit from very vulnerable positions. Back then it didn't matter if he was dictating the point with the forehand or forced to defend. He could hit winners out of nowhere.

I loved his 2013 game but it was his pre 2010 game that made me a fan.

 

[mike danny]

I will do a ranking for each of the Big 4.

Federer:
5)2009
4)2007
3)2006
2)2005
1)2004

2004 tops it for me. His competition was better in 2004 than in 2006 and he didn't lose a single match to a top 10 opponent in 2004. He was an impressive 18-0 vs top 10 in 2004.

Nadal:
5)2007
4)2011
3)2010
2)2008
1)2013

I put his 2008 over his 2010 because in 2010 he only had 11 top 10 wins. So he didn't have to face the best players as often as in 2008. I don't think anybody else beat so few top 10 players in a 3 slam season. 2013 hands down his best season for me, despite his 1st round Wimb loss.

Djokovic:
5)2014
4)2013
3)2012
2)2015
1)2011

Djokovic still has a chance to make his 2015 better. Untill then, 2011 remains no.1. Djokovic in 2007 and 2008 was also very good. I put his 2007 over his 2010 hands down. Djokovic of 2007 >>>Djokovic of 2010. Also so far his 2007 American HC season remains his 3rd best of his career. If he wins the USO this year, things could change.

Murray:
5)2010
4)2008
3)2015
2)2013
1)2012

2012 hands down his best season. His Olympic Gold medal and USO title make this his best season.

 

[Djokovic2011]

How amazing is it that 2014 could be regarded as only Djokovic's 5th best season, even though he won Wimbledon, was RU at the French, won the WTF and also 4 Masters 1000s?! Just goes to show how great he's been since 2011.

 

[NatF]

For those rating Murray's 2010 over 2009 e.g. @mike danny and @BGod ...

In 2009 he had 14 top 10 wins compared to just 7 in 2010. In 2009 he made 7 finals winning 6 titles, in 2010 he made 4 finals winning 2. He had two masters in each season. His win/loss record in 2010 was 72%, in 2009 it was 86% which is his highest ever. The only thing 2010 has going for it is that AO run but that shouldn't make up for the big slump in the middle of 2010 IMO.

 

[swordtennis]

Still LOL my azz off over 2011 and Nadal fanatics. LOL 2011 at the bottom of the list yet prob his best results and hardest draws that year. Ole Nad fans and them losses just can not handle losses. never have never will.

 

[Anaconda]

Those people who say Nadal's 2011 was horrible are surely trolling, he would have had the greatest year ever if not for a certain player zoning (and an AO title in 2012 too).

 

[Tennisanity]

Nadal- level of play:
1. 2011
2. 2008
3. 2013
4. 2010
5. 2012