You've got to be kidding. I'e run 40+ marathons in my life and that's 26.2 miles and I am no elite athlete. Yeah, it can be gruelling depending upon the hills or the weather, but it's doable and hundreds of thousands of ordinary people complete marathons ever year under 4 hours. Anyone can run 5K barefoot if they're remotely fit, that's a nothing distance.
Five sets of tennis at an elite level is so much more difficult than a piddly 5K it's absurd to compare. How can you possibly think running 3 miles is in any, way, shape or form the same as Nadal/Djokovic playing 5 hours in heat at the AO?
Because Nadal and Djokovic are not super fit athletes. They are certainly above average in terms fo stamina an endurance, but still, compared to marathonists, they are rather pathetic. I mean, did you even watch that AO final back in 2012? Because I did. I was there. And honestly, it did not look as exhausting as some tennis fanatics make it out to be. Of course, in terms of
technique and skill, it did look extremely difficult, yes, because they are literally the best of the best professional tennis players, but not necessarily the best athletes. In terms of endurance and stamina, it didn't look too hard. Above average for sure, but not "phenomenal" or "supernatural". I mean, come on, you get plenty of water breaks in between - in fact, every two games. Not to mention all that repetitive ball bouncing from both players delaying the points. I would rather play seven of those 5-set matches than do an exhausting 5 km cross country.
Seriously, I get it that you guys are all big fans of tennis, but honestly, Djokovic and Nadal may perhaps be the most overrated athletes of all time. And I say this as a Nole fan.
They are absolutely incredible tennis players, but as athletes, they are above average at best.