Who is the least liked No. 1 in the Open Era?

[BlueClay]

Djokovic. He is better now but his method of celebrating is not fun to watch. Sometimes I'm wondering if I'm watching the MMA when he is celebrating. Nadal is also annoying in that department but, ah, there is annoying and more annoying.

 

[ForumMember]

What about all the other times Federer has shown tremendous mental strength against Djoker? Saving 7 SP in the US 07 final, RG 2011, etc... Two examples of where Federer didn't show mental confidence, doesn't make it set in stone. Anyway, his peak years was when he had the most mental strength.

is that so? I always thought his peak years were when he didn't have to play Nadal, Djoko, Murray but had to play Hewitt, Roddick, Safin and Bagdatis.

 

[ForumMember]

Djokovic. He is better now but his method of celebrating is not fun to watch. Sometimes I'm wondering if I'm watching the MMA when he is celebrating. Nadal is also annoying in that department but, ah, there is annoying and more annoying.

I used to dislike Djoko for playing spoilsport when Nadal was all set to capture the world having obliterated all hurdles in his way. But a particular Djoko speech after one of those marathon matches with wawrinka turned things around. I have started respecting as a champion stuff that point onward. I believe he deserves more recognition than he is given. Winning those three GS against peak Nadal in 2011 and AO2012 should be counted as 6 wins.

No doubt his game can be used as lullabies for adults to put them to sleep but yet he is champion material.

 

[Mainad]

Whatever I've heard of Lendl is awful. The locker room incident where he abused some one and stomped on his shoes. No way Djokovic or any recent player #1 would do such a thing.

That was Pat Cash. He recounts the incident in his memoirs. He detested Lendl and said it spurred him on to play some of his best tennis against him when he beat him in straights in the 1987 Wimbledon final. He accused Lendl of being racist as well towards black players.

 

[Novak And The Net.]

Who would be the least liked #2? Murray is certainly up there, that's for sure.

 

[DerekNoleFam1]

Connors imo, he was vile and obnoxious and completely disrespected his peers.

 

[SystemicAnomaly]

This poll reminds me little bit of American practice to call their national champions "Champions of the world"...

And ET is pissed that the Miss Universe contest does not include any entrants from outside of our own solar system.

 

[HewittAlwaysDisappoints]

I'd say Rios too. Loved his game, but such a poor attitude. Disliked by players, press, tournament officials and public alike. Agree that Kafelnikov & Hewitt were very unpopular as well. Kafelnikov had a poor attitude with regular tanking and badmouthing. Hewitt was very unpopular around 2001-2003. When he threatened to quit tennis for Aussie rules most people were willing him to leave.

Who's the girl in your dp?

 

[THE FIGHTER]

Who would be the least liked #2? Murray is certainly up there, that's for sure.

He's way up there. In the stratosphere.

 

[HewittAlwaysDisappoints]

Interesting - one vote for Sampras, no prizes for guessing who that is

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic don't deserve to be on this poll. And the fact that Novak has 17 votes shows A) the stupidity of certain fanatics and B) how he's actually underrated in terms of popularity.

Underrated in terms of popularity? Maybe... People just don't like him.

 

[Deanjam]

Who's the girl in your dp?

Alize Lim.

 

[Mainad]

Who would be the least liked #2? Murray is certainly up there, that's for sure.

Why is that then?

 

[PeteD]

OK I did think of a reason to like Novak . . .

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

I think Becker has to be included as well. Don't know about the rest of the world, but in Europe he was widely adored.

Again: Maybe this reflects the attitude towards Lendl in the US, but in continental Europe he was respected and acclaimed.

M.O., I don't doubt the Euro-love for him. . Ivan Lendl originally came across as "Ivan Drago" (Rocky IV), a cold, robotic stiff. As usually is the case, neither party really knew (or trusted) each other: Lendl who came from a very different culture in Czechoslovakia vis-a-vis the free-wheeling American crowds who saw him as reclusive and non-accessible. This was much like Martina Navratilova who was eventually "adopted" by the U.S. audience and reduced to tears after receiving an overwhelming ovation and showering of love during the awards ceremony after losing a US Open final to Tracy Austin. As for Ivan, he showed himself to be a humane "good dude" by among other things, opening up a tennis academy for parapaligics (Hartford, CT) in 1986,

He became a U.S. citizen and the thaw continued. Wojtek Fibak (former top #5 from Poland who emigrated to the U.S. settling in the Greenwich, Ct. area) took him under his wing. He opened Grand Slam Tennis Club in Banksville (a local hamlet between Grennwich and Armonk, NY) and today is happy as a clam and is well liked and respected here nowadays as well. All's well that ends well.

But just like Connors, in the beginning not so much love : )​

 

[dondropshot]

Djokovic hands down. Fake, abusive, childish, attention seeking, obnoxious etc.

You left out "disingenuous". But, other than that laundry list, he coo' yo. ;9)B