Well, I would think being number one would be the goal no? At the very least, it is considered a big deal, or it used to be.
Thank you . That's basic fan's response.
Yes. But his top level is right there with anyone. He took the best version of Jannik past 3 hrs in Cincinnati.
we all know what happens when you put that much pressure on Zverev though…If Zverev wins tomorrow, Zverev will slide into the number 2 ranking, and therefore putting Carlos the Shepherd into third.
Does this mean he is not a top 2 player in the world? Or does it mean he just did not have a top 2 season this year?
How often does the guy who wins the channel slam end up in 3rd at the end of the year?
He does have the ATP finals, but it seems fast indoor HC might be a problem for him.
100% higher ceiling for the most epic moments.
Novak's losses in the 2008 season
Especially after he's hitched his wagon to Alcaraz as part of his anti-Sinner propaganda, yet Sinner leaves 2024 as the top ranked player.
What do you mean that with the victory at Wimbledon he only defended the points from the previous year?
Oh is it ?
Good point. Says more about Carlos the Shepherd than Zverev.
I assume you meant hasn't. Anyway, if so agreed you compare to 2021 where he beat three top 10ers in dominant fashion at both his masters wins and compare that to Rome this year where he's scraping by Tabilo. Losing three straight matches including two slam matches to taylor freaking fritz. Most of his losses in BO3 this year have been ugly it really has not been that strong of a year. Even with his strong AO/RG runs he needed 3 final set tiebreakers in the first week against bums to make the runs he did. Then he choked his ass off despite having the best level at the tourney in the AO and I have some sympathy for him at the FO because that call in the 5th really hosed him and he did play very well but man this type of year does not make sense for a world number 2. Zverev in 2021 had 2 quality masters wins hard fought slam losses at 3/4 slams and the crown jewel of a really strong WTF performance and ended number 3 with probably less points then he'll end up with this year.
They should not be adjusted. A slam should be worth 8,000 points a piece?
Good
It's a more extreme version of Murray topping Federer in 2015, Murray was consistent all year but didn't really impress with his level of play - Federer had several standout performances but had a few bad results which left him behind in points, despite being better player that year.
Yeah, I corrected it
I hope so. Got tired of people chanting 3-0 when it's Alcaraz's fault too that he failed to reach Sinner in all of his tournaments won this year while Sinner failed to reach Alcaraz only at Wimbledon.
Right but that year Murray actually had elite consistency making deep runs at every master and slam but one. Zverev has had flops all over the calendar. Murray over Fed made some sense Zverev over Carlos feels insane.
Like I said, it's a more extreme version - perhaps I should say waaay more extreme. Alcaraz actually won 2 slams and Murray was way better than Zverev despite being a bit toothless IMO.
Exactly.
Tournaments where X player won while Y player played, but couldn't reach X, should also count as an offficial stat. However, we just have H2H.
It also feels like the other top 10 staples are regressing and faltering a bit. Medvedev was worse than last year his serve seems in perpetual slow decline though his baselining still feels as good as ever which is weird considering usually the opposite happens as you age. Rublev/Ruud/Stef have all clearly regressed. Rune has somehow gotten worse than he was as a teenager. Djokovic is probably cooked. Even Alcaraz has probably been less consistent. We could be in for some serious chaos next year. Prayer's up for the Grigolo dream run at Wimbledon.Yeah, I corrected it
Yes 2021 was obviously better from him than this year, you know I don't really rate 2021 but without a strong Djokovic gatekeeping we're going to be getting all sorts of results unless Sinner and Alcaraz can show Big 3 levels of consistency.
The world rankings at any given time are based on players' tennis results from the previous 52 weeks. So Alcaraz, by winning 2024 Wimbledon, had the same number of ranking points as he did before the tournament started, because he won 2023 Wimbledon. After 2024 Wimbledon ended, Alcaraz's 2,000 ranking points from 2023 Wimbledon came off and his 2,000 ranking points from 2024 Wimbledon went on.
There's another set of rankings, called "the race" which only count players' results from the calendar year (i.e. since 1 January). The ATP made a big deal out of the race rankings in the year 2000, I remember, as part of some gimmick. At the end of the tennis calendar year, the race rankings and the world rankings will be exactly the same.
I know this very well, it's the ABC that any tennis fan should know.
Right but Zverev has been more toothless than Murray and he's been inconsistent. He has neither plus. Even Zverev's crown jewel of the year the FO was probably worse than Murray's. Zverev number 2 just feels absolutely bonkers to me it just makes absolutely no sense. Even "toothless" Murray beat Novak in a masters final and took him 5 at a slam. Murray posted over 60% GW on clay had 4 top 10 wins only loss was to Djokovic in a 5 setter and that's his worst surface. Zverev lost to Garin, Cerundolo, and Tsitsipas all in straights had 1 top 10 win and it's his best surface. Murray showed way more tooth than Zverev on his worst surface.
whose rune?
you should title your post the ABZ essay.
Yes
I think it's natural for there to be a bit of regression once you hit your late'ish 20's, but you may disagree with me there. I think after a while the tour starts to understand what patterns of play work against you and what your weaknesses are - along with a bit of a decline in physicality. These guys will need to find dimensions to add to their games otherwise they're going to be on a slow downward trend (or not so slow as far as Tsits is concerned). I think Med's woes are mostly linked to his serve which has lost potency, I can't really comment on his ground game declining and I was never that impressed with it anyway
True, but what has Zverev won this year? I think only big title was Rome or Madrid and he lost the FO final to Alcaraz. It would be very strange and surprising if Carlos ended the year at #3. Better that though that not winning any slams.
I agree with this. I think by and large this has been a pretty bad year, Djokovic has fallen off a cliff for the most part (aside from the Olympics) and while Sinner stepping up has been good the rest of the top 10 feels weaker. maybe much weaker, than it did a year ago.
Yes but atleast he made it pretty far in most masters and slams, thats where the numbers really start racking up.
Fair enough you could argue Zverev this year over Sinner last year that's the only one that's close though all the other seasons are clearly better. Even Sinner is easy to make the case for he had more titles he won the Davis cup in impressive fashion. His master's resume is better. In the fall he displayed a higher level beating tons of top competition than any run of form Zverev has had this year. And then of course he had a very strong WTF as well. Zverev was better at the slams but their AO losses are very similar. They both have two garbage losses though Zverev's are slightly less garbage. And then Sinner lost to Novak at W in an extremely competitive straight setter that actually had a closer DR than Alcaraz-Zverev FO. Though I will admit Zverev has the better performance there. You can easily make the case Sinner's season last year was better than Zverev's this year.
After the first set against Medvedev Alcaraz didn't really look back at Wimbledon, aside from a couple of moments I thought the SF/F from him were the best he's played in the final rounds of a major. But sure leading up to it he wasn't spectacular and it's not like Medvedev and 2024 Djokovic were good opponents either.
