Which Top ATP rivalries have the most and least edge?

[nikdom]

By edge I mean a certain dislike that is manifested in the way they play each other... (example Serena-Sharapova or Connors-Anybody)

On the other end of the scale which rivalries do you think have too much respect or a lack of competitive edge.?

 

[King No1e]

Federer and Djokovic is the most high-profile one like that. Of course now they have developed so much respect for each other but in the early days Djokovic and his family often dissed Federer, who struck back by mocking Djokovic's retirements. By the extremely high standards of today's sportsmanship that seemed crude, but it's nothing compared to tennis in previous decades

 

[nikdom]

I think they still have an edge to their rivalry, Fed and Djokovic.

Djoko will go for a body shot for example when Roger approaches the net frequently. Their handshake after AO 2016 was respectful but not very warm.

Murray-Nadal and Stan-Federer have to be the least edge I think.

 

[King No1e]

I think they still have an edge to their rivalry, Fed and Djokovic.

Djoko will go for a body shot for example when Roger approaches the net frequently. Their handshake after AO 2016 was respectful but not very warm.

Murray-Nadal and Stan-Federer have to be the least edge I think.

Has to be Fedal and Fed-Wawrinka. Hewitt and Federer we're also good friends

 

[heninfan99]

Currently
Most Edge: Monfils vs Yannick Noah

Least Edge: A. Zverev vs. Thiem

 

[Waspsting]

Any combination of Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl

I suppose Serena and Venus would have to be bottom of the barrel... but I loved the Hingis-Williams (both) rivalries, more for the contrast in styles than any personal edginess but that was abundantly present too... you could see feel it's absence when Lindsey Davenport replaced either party

 

[Moose Malloy]

Hewitt vs Argentina
Vilas vs Clerc
Becker vs Stich
Tarango vs everyone
Ivanisevic vs Woodforde
McEnroe vs Scanlon
Gilbert vs Wheaton
Lendl vs Connors
Muster vs Agassi(and many others)
Rosol vs most players

 

[George Turner]

Edgy rivalries;

Nadal vs Soderling
Murray vs Del Potro
Gilbert vs many others
Wawrinka vs Kyrgios
Lendl vs McEnroe
Sampras vs Rafter
Becker vs Agassi
Lendl vs Cash

 

[Cecilia]

Gilbert vs McEnroe
Hewitt vs Blake
Tarango vs Agassi
McEnroe vs Umpires
Troicki vs worst Umpire in the world
Agassi vs Sampras
Serena vs Henin

 

[ibbi]

it's not really a rivalry, but Kyrgios-Stan Shame we never got a really big match up between the two after all that crap. Similarly there's obviously something there now for Sharapova and so many of the WTA's resident losers. We saw it with Bouchard this year, but I feel like the issue will rear its head against the likes of Wozniacki and other assorted losers.

 

[captainbryce]

Has to be Fedal and Fed-Wawrinka. Hewitt and Federer we're also good friends

Yeah, but was that really a “rivalry”? I mean once Federer hit his prime, he completely dominated Hewitt head to head. From 2004-2010 Federer went 15-0 against Hewitt.

 

[Skylar]

I think they still have an edge to their rivalry, Fed and Djokovic.

Djoko will go for a body shot for example when Roger approaches the net frequently. Their handshake after AO 2016 was respectful but not very warm.

Murray-Nadal and Stan-Federer have to be the least edge I think.

What? Federer and wawrinka almost had a fight at WTF a few years back and security had to step in!

 

[Skylar]

Nowadays it is Federer v Djokovic. Yet to see either genuinely praise the other.

Least edge nowadays probably Nadal v Djokovic.

In the past most bitter rivalry was McEnroe v Connors which persists to this day.

 

[King No1e]

Yeah, but was that really a “rivalry”? I mean once Federer hit his prime, he completely dominated Hewitt head to head. From 2004-2010 Federer went 15-0 against Hewitt.

Hewitt was Federer whipping boy during his prime, just like Roddick and basically everyone else. It's one-sided, but it's still a rivalry. Just like Federer and Wawrinka

 

[King No1e]

What? Federer and wawrinka almost had a fight at WTF a few years back and security had to step in!

It did happen, but that pales in comparison to the great friendship they have, case in point Wawrinka jokingly calling Federer an @$$hole during the Indian Wells trophy ceremony. They are very good friends off the court, and the two best to watch on the court.

 

[boredone3456]

Federer doesn't have a lot of edge in any of his rivalries, because Fed has always been a stand up guy and respectful towards all of his opponents. He hasn't been really massively disrespectful to anybody (not in comparison to the things that have come out of certain players mouths, or their relatives), and most of the tour seems to return the favor. He's like the elder-statesman of the tour and its really hard not to like him unless you just like to have a problem with him for the sake of it. There have been heated moments, but its not like when Serena and Maria take the court where you know Serena wants to flatten her and Maria wants to prove she isn't going to be flattened.

Kyrgios is the opposite, there always seems to end up being some kind of tension around him, although he actually generates most of it himself.

 

[The Green Mile]

Gulbis and RBA had bad blood going on, Gulbis defeated him comfortably back in 2013 and was also shuffling around on RBA's own serve, which was pissing RBA off. After the match he had this to say about him. Not sure about their other meetings.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Hewitt vs Argentina
Vilas vs Clerc
Becker vs Stich
Tarango vs everyone
Ivanisevic vs Woodforde
McEnroe vs Scanlon
Gilbert vs Wheaton
Lendl vs Connors
Muster vs Agassi(and many others)
Rosol vs most players

I'm really curious why.

 

[Rubens]

Djokovic brings out the catty biatch in Federer.

 

[The Green Mile]

I'm really curious why.

Woodforde used to talk trash about Goran, calling him just a serve and that he wouldn't pay to watch him. Goran responded with some trash talk of his own. After Goran had defeated him at the USO.

Gilbert and Wheaton had a big thing in 1990 IIRC, almost came to blows at the net.

 

[Phoenix1983]

The edgiest rivalries have been:

Connors vs McEnroe (Connors' finger wag)
Lendl vs McEnroe (Lendl hitting the ball into Mac's chest)
Rafter vs Sampras (Sampras: "the difference between us is about 10 slams")
Federer vs Djokovic (Federer's finger wag, massive disrespect from Djokovic and family towards the GOAT)
Hewitt vs Nalbandian
Serena vs Henin (FO semi-final 2003)
Serena vs Sharapova (GOAT vs publicity GOAT, both envious of the other in a certain way)

Rivalries with some edge:

Sampras vs Agassi (continued bitterness from Agassi i.e. calling Pete a bad tipper)
Connors vs Lendl
Becker vs Lendl
Serena vs Capriati
Sharapova vs Azarenka
Nadal vs Djokovic
Hingis vs both Williams sisters

Love-ins:

Evert vs Navratilova
Borg vs McEnroe
Federer vs Nadal

 

[Fabresque]

Djokovic-Federer, although things have simmered down and they have developed good respect for each other.
Agassi-Sampras, I think Agassi just can't get over the fact that Pete will always be the better player.
Rosol-Everybody and everything basically

Hewitt vs the entire Argentina Davis Cup team is a pretty edgy rivalry.

 

[clout]

Bouchard vs Sharapova

 

[Prabhanjan]

The edgiest rivalries have been:

Rafter vs Sampras (Sampras: "the difference between us is about 10 slams")

IIRC, Sampras did not go out of his way and said that. It was the media which repeatedly asked him that when Rafter had same style as him, what was the difference between them that Sampras said something to this effect. Also, Rafter out of that 2 USO run and Wimbledon 1999-2001, had almost zero success at slams, a complete non-factor at slams. Why would Pete even bother about Rafter?

 

[Sudacafan]

Not much about dislike, but about contrast, Borg-McEnroe is the sharpest opposite display.
Federer - Nadal is nowadays remake but does not come close.

 

[cc0509]

I think Djokovic-Federer has the most edge out of the Big Four match-ups. A newer match-up that seems to have a lot of edge is Federer-Kyrgios. I don't think they dislike each other but their matches have been suspenseful and super competitive and their styles are both so great to watch (when Kyrgios is trying.)

 

[The Green Mile]

I think Djokovic-Federer has the most edge out of the Big Four match-ups. A newer match-up that seems to have a lot of edge is Federer-Kyrgios. I don't think they dislike each other but their matches have been suspenseful and super competitive and their styles are both so great to watch (when Kyrgios is trying.)

Kyrgios and big three matches are seemingly always fulled with suspense, obvious that Nick really wants to compete and give it 100% when he comes up against them. I think he loves the "bragging rights" it may or may not bring when talking about potential, peak performance, etc... Just loves the big stage against the big names.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

Has to be Fedal and Fed-Wawrinka. Hewitt and Federer we're also good friends

Hewitt and Federer weren't great friends when they were younger. Federer didn't really like Lleyton until he figured out his mental tactics were only about tennis - weren't some personal vendetta. And that's when Federer evolved as a player. He learned not to take notice of that stuff.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

You will also notice Hewitt got a lot quieter and less fired up when he played Federer after that Davis Cup match that had Federer cursing and swearing at himself.

That's because Federer figured it out. That stuff wouldn't work anymore.

 

[PMChambers]

I'm really curious why.

Wheaton V Gilbert was nasty, Gilbert intimidated line judges and umpires and got a lot of dodgy calls his way. Wheaton was not aggressive enough to counter intimidation of officials. Against Top 10 wouldn't work but Wheaton was a bit reliant on 1st serve so bad calls hurt.

 

[PMChambers]

There's nothing egdy about today's game only between the one eyed true believers.

 

[King No1e]

Hewitt and Federer weren't great friends when they were younger. Federer didn't really like Lleyton until he figured out his mental tactics were only about tennis - weren't some personal vendetta. And that's when Federer evolved as a player. He learned not to take notice of that stuff.

Becoming elder statesmen of the tour has made them good friends.