Who is the player with the greatest stamina in the history of tennis?

Who is the player with the greatest stamina in the history of tennis?

  • Connors

    Votes: 3 3.7%
  • Vilas

    Votes: 4 4.9%
  • Borg

    Votes: 10 12.2%
  • Wilander

    Votes: 2 2.4%
  • Chang

    Votes: 3 3.7%
  • Federer

    Votes: 2 2.4%
  • Nadal

    Votes: 30 36.6%
  • Djokovic

    Votes: 25 30.5%
  • Alcaraz

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Others

    Votes: 3 3.7%

  • Total voters
    82

Sport

G.O.A.T.
Nadal at the AO 2009 and Nadal and Djokovic at the AO 2012 showed exceptional stamina. It's probably between these 2,

Now, Nadal at W 2018 is being overlooked here. He was 32 years old, no longer at his purest physical prime, and still played a 5 sets, 4 hours and 47 minutes QF with Del Potro, and then a 5 hours and 15 minutes SF with Novak (second longest ever W SF) back to back. That is to say, Nadal played at age 32 10 hours back to back in Slam matches and still lost due to Novak's clutch passing shot in the break point of the 5th, rather than due to him being tired.

So I'm personally voting for Nadal, but can see an argument either way.
 

Dropshot777

Rookie
Nadal at the AO 2009 and Nadal and Djokovic at the AO 2012 showed exceptional stamina.

Now, Nadal at W 2018 is being overlooked here. He was 32 years old, no longer at his purest physical prime, and still played a 5 sets, 4 hours and 47 minutes QF with Del Potro, and then a 5 hours and 15 minutes SF with Novak (second longest ever W SF) back to back. That is to say, Nadal played at age 32 10 hours back to back in Slam matches and still lost due to Novak's passing shot in the break point of the 5th, rather than due to him being tired.
Nadal gets overlooked because his intense game and movements are so exhausting and take a toll on his body even with his incredible stamina.
 

Sputnik Bulgorov

Professional
The ability to avoid injuries is not a synonym with having stamina.

I can play a friendly football/soccer match and end up uninjured, despite ended up tired of running after 10 minutes.

Stamina is defined as having the physical ability of, while uninjured, being able to play long matches without getting tired.
fair point, which is why I asked for how one would define stamina. I’d say that remaining uninjured can be looked at as a prerequisite before stamina even comes into the picture.

Independent of injuries, the point still stands. Both Nadal and Alcaraz are prone to exhaustion and burnout before the end of the season and generally do not end strong. They lack stamina over the course of the season even if they exhibit it over a string of matches or tournaments.
 

AndrewUtz

Semi-Pro
fair point, which is why I asked for how one would define stamina. I’d say that remaining uninjured can be looked at as a prerequisite before stamina even comes into the picture.

Independent of injuries, the point still stands. Both Nadal and Alcaraz are prone to exhaustion and burnout before the end of the season and generally do not end strong. They lack stamina over the course of the season even if they exhibit it over a string of matches or tournaments.
stamina over a match vs stamina over a season definitely would provide different results. and i almost think you could define stamina over a season more as consistency rather than stamina. I’m not an alcaraz or nadal fan btw.
 

Mark-Touch

Legend
How do you define stamina? Nadal and Alcaraz seem to be popular answers, but that’s only over the course of a single match or tournament. Over the course of an entire season, they can barely make it through uninjured. Alcaraz has never reached 80 matches in a season.

From 1980-1982, Ivan Lendl played an average of 121 matches per season during a time when bo5 finals were common outside of slams. Nobody in the modern game has even played 100 matches in a season. How’s that for stamina?
True, but compare Lendl's average romping around the court to Alcaraz's.
Alcaraz would run circles around the 'fit as a fiddle' Lendl.
 

tennis3

Hall of Fame
No mention of Agassi 2.0? All he did in the second half of his career to his opponents was to take their legs, take their will and then easily take the match
 

Sputnik Bulgorov

Professional
True, but compare Lendl's average romping around the court to Alcaraz's.
Alcaraz would run circles around the 'fit as a fiddle' Lendl.
Lendl was the precursor to the modern power baseliner. Yes, the game was slower, but this wasn’t the 1960’s. Lendl would do just fine with modern training and equipment.
 

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
I mean, guys like Chang, Ferrer, or now De Minuar never make the cut because they aren't top brand names, but they were/are stahlwarts of consistent and constant drive and stamina.
 

Dunlop300g

Rookie
First thought was Djokovic and having seen Connors play since 1972 or so and never take a third-set "bathroom break" etc. etc. or mid match massage. I had to go with Jimmy. He was out there "bustin' his butt" as he told that umpire at 40 years old. So yeah. Nod to Jimbo! That dude was a tough as they come.
 
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tennis24x7

Hall of Fame
And in this type of discussion, Federer is always underestimated.
The reality is that his boundless class and dazzling elegance have made him underestimated when it comes to athletic means.
Federer was a five-star athlete of the highest caliber, gifted in turn with great stamina.
After all, you don't reach 23 consecutive semifinals in slams by relying solely on your class, nor can you manage to maintain the top of the rankings uninterruptedly for an entire four-year period.
Has he ever won 3 five setters before winning a GS just curious. I figure all the accolades(deserving) is because he spent the least amount of time on the courts.
 

babar

Professional
I would argue for Steffi Graf.
Having to run around your BH and hit FHs as often as she did over the course of her career for every match she played, woud have to be exhausting.
I don't ever remember her looking tired at the end of a match and she played at a very fast pace for all her matches.
 

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
Didn't you all see what Murray did at the AO 2023 first two rounds with a metal freaking hip at nearly 36 years of age?
Andy Murray does deserve a mention at least when people are confusingly giving even Federer a mention.

Stamina is one thing grinders like Murray need in abundance. He had it in his prime. Remember 2015/16 Roland Garros runs where he played many 4 hour matches in BO5 and was always great.

But yeah the title belongs to the goat. He has cooked the tour and many players have eaten bagel in fifth when they have nothing left in the tank and goat is still just as good.
 

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
4 bagels and 6 bread sticks given by the goat in the fifth set. Totally ridiculing the opponent.

Nadal has given just 2 breadsticks.

Federer has given just 1 bagel 3 breadsticks.

The opponents get cooked and cooked vs the goat and when they have nothing left , they get bakery products. Stan wawrinka saw it in AO 2015.
 

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
Bjorn Borg has given 6 breadsticks in the fifth set as well and he played lesser matches than the goat.

Another nod to Ivan Lendl who won 2 bagels and 6 breadsticks vs opponents.
 

Rafa4GOAT

Professional
Probably not number one but I think Nishikori also deserves a mention. Even at however old he is now he’s still outlasting guys in fifth sets from 0-2 down
 

Devilito

Legend
***** wins with his use of legal epo, aka hyperbaric chambers and other blood doping shenanigans.
Edit: Lol Novak's name was xxxx'd out.
 

nolefam_2024

Bionic Poster
Probably not number one but I think Nishikori also deserves a mention. Even at however old he is now he’s still outlasting guys in fifth sets from 0-2 down
Nishikori is fast playing player. He has played 10 matches over 4 hours. I think winning 8. Not bad at all.

Federer played 16 and lost 10. He gets tired as matches go long.
Nadal played 32 and won 22.
Djokovic played 29 and won 21. Greatest stamina. Nadal is quite close.
 

The Blond Blur

G.O.A.T.
RAFA:
q5dnj8xgdr031.gif

The way he plays tennis is just so physical, punishing, and exhausting. Yet he played at the highest intensity year after year after year.
 

Neptune

Hall of Fame
Timed​
>2 hours​
>2.5 hours​
>3 hours
>3.5 hours​
>4 hours​
>4.5 hours​
>5 hours​
Nole​
1240 (1035-205) 83.47%​
496 (386-110) 77.82%​
251 (194-57) 77.29%​
135 (104-31) 77.04%
61 (45-16) 73.77%​
29 (21-8) 72.41%​
14 (10-4) 71.43%​
3 (3-0) 100.00%​
Fed​
1424 (1163-261) 81.67%​
364 (239-125) 65.66%​
154 (100-54) 64.94%​
69 (40-29) 57.97%
36 (17-19) 47.22%​
14 (6-8) 42.86%​
5 (1-4) 20.00%​
1 (0-1) 0.00%​
Rafa​
1239 (1026-213) 82.81%​
520 (411-109) 79.04%​
259 (197-62) 76.06%​
110 (82-28) 74.55%
62 (46-16) 74.19%​
32 (23-9) 71.88%​
15 (11-4) 73.33%​
6 (4-2) 66.67%​
Murray​
932 (681-251) 73.07%​
387 (261-126) 67.44%​
215 (136-79) 63.26%​
101 (60-41) 59.41%
49 (31-18) 63.27%​
17 (9-8) 52.94%​
10 (5-5) 50.00%​
2 (1-1) 50.00%​
Pete​
734 (582-152) 79.29%​
184 (130-54) 70.65%​
73 (54-19) 73.97%​
28 (19-9) 67.86%
12 (7-5) 58.33%​
1 (1-0) 100.00%​
Agassi​
803 (612-191) 76.21%​
166 (112-54) 67.47%​
65 (40-25) 61.54%​
22 (13-9) 59.09%
6 (3-3) 50.00%​
Lendl​
235 (158-77) 67.23%​
87 (56-31) 64.37%​
34 (20-14) 58.82%​
15 (11-4) 73.33%
8 (6-2) 75.00%​
5 (3-2) 60.00%​
1 (1-0) 100.00%​
1 (1-0) 100.00%​
Sinner​
309 (233-76) 75.40%​
134 (95-39) 70.90%​
67 (48-19) 71.64%​
30 (20-10) 66.67%
17 (9-8) 52.94%​
3 (0-3) 0.00%​
3 (0-3) 0.00%​
2 (0-2) 0.00%​
Alcaraz​
227 (178-49) 78.41%​
99 (72-27) 72.73%​
51 (35-16) 68.63%​
34 (21-13) 61.76%
16 (13-3) 81.25%​
7 (6-1) 85.71%​
2 (2-0) 100.00%​
1 (1-0) 100.00%​
Medvedev​
502 (359-143) 71.51%​
165 (107-58) 64.85%​
74 (44-30) 59.46%​
32 (17-15) 53.13%
12 (6-6) 50.00%​
6 (3-3) 50.00%​
3 (1-2) 33.33%​
1 (0-1) 0.00%​
Roddick​
773 (576-197) 74.51%​
190 (115-75) 60.53%​
78 (43-35) 55.13%​
29 (14-15) 48.28%
12 (5-7) 41.67%​
3 (1-2) 33.33%​
2 (1-1) 50.00%​
 
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