Winning Grand Slams as #1 Seed

[McEnroeisanartist]

I thought it would be interesting to compare the percentage of grand slams won by great players when they were the #1 seed. Great player defined as having won more 7 than grand slams in the open era.

Federer - 17 Grand Slams, 11 won as the #1 seed 64.71%
Sampras - 14 Grand Slams, 9 won as the #1 seed 64.29%
Borg - 11 Grand Slams, 8 won as the #1 seed 72.73%
Nadal - 11 Grand Slams, 3 won as the #1 seed 27.27%
Agassi - 8 Grand Slams, 1 won as the #1 seed 12.50%
Connors - 8 Grand Slams, 2 won as the #1 seed 25%
Lendl - 8 Grand Slams, 5 won as the #1 seed 62.50%
McEnroe - 7 Grand Slams, 3 won as the #1 seed 42.86%
Wilander - 7 Grand Slams, 0 won as the #1 seed 0%

What does all this mean?

Given that Federer is tied with Sampras for the most #1 seeds at Grand Slams, I think it could be said that Federer has dealt with the pressure of being great better than anyone in history, except Borg, but we all know how Borg's career turned out.

I think it also highlights Nadal's underdog reputation.

 

[McEnroeisanartist]

It is worth adding that in the open era, Novak Djokovic (2011 U.S. Open, 2012Australian Open), joined Laver, Borg, McEnroe, Sampras, and Federer as the only players to win two consecutive Grand Slams as the #1 seed.

 

[Zildite]

So is that a record for Wilander, winning the most slams without ever being the number one seed?

 

[ollinger]

The stats presented seem to me to have almost nothing to do with how one handles pressure, but rather whether one won slams early or late in a particularly productive phase of one's career (which would determine seeding). Players on tour will often say that fifth set wins are the real tell of how one handles pressure; in this regard, Nadal has the best fifth set win percentage ever, and Wilander has a very strong fifth set record (28-12) yet neither of them figures highly in slam wins as #1 seed, which tells me it's not a very useful indicator of anything at all.

 

[cork_screw]

Can we now talk about guys outside the top 10? Can I throw in the Gaston Gaudio? That guy is the reason Coria has recurring dreams that never materialize when he wakes up.

BTW, anyone else thinks Coria looks like the kid from Third Rock from the Sun?

 

[forzamilan90]

^^^yeah I can see a resemblance somewhat. BTW Joseph Gordon-Levitt looks like Heath Ledger

 

[McEnroeisanartist]

The stats presented seem to me to have almost nothing to do with how one handles pressure, but rather whether one won slams early or late in a particularly productive phase of one's career (which would determine seeding). Players on tour will often say that fifth set wins are the real tell of how one handles pressure; in this regard, Nadal has the best fifth set win percentage ever, and Wilander has a very strong fifth set record (28-12) yet neither of them figures highly in slam wins as #1 seed, which tells me it's not a very useful indicator of anything at all.

The pressure of being the number one seed. Nadal often downplays his chances at a grand slam, which puts less pressure on him, which allows him to play looser, freer tennis. Federer hasn't had that luxury being the #1 seed so many times. And when he has been number one seed, he has much better at living up to his seed than Nadal.

 

[Gonzo_style]

Nadal won 4 GS as the #1 seed

 

[McEnroeisanartist]

Nadal won 4 GS as the #1 seed

3 - 2009 Australian Open, 2010 U.S. Open, and 2011 French Open.

 

[single_handed_champion]

You might want to include the no. of times they were actually the #1 seed at a Slam. Otherwise, such a ridiculous stat, you could just add it to the no. of weeks at no. 1 thread.

Reminds me of the genius threads about beating a no. 1 player and some players hardly ever doing it because they were no. 1 :lol:

 

[akv89]

I thought it would be interesting to compare the percentage of grand slams won by great players when they were the #1 seed. Great player defined as having won more 7 than grand slams in the open era.

Federer - 17 Grand Slams, 11 won as the #1 seed 64.71%
Sampras - 14 Grand Slams, 9 won as the #1 seed 64.29%
Borg - 11 Grand Slams, 8 won as the #1 seed 72.73%
Nadal - 11 Grand Slams, 3 won as the #1 seed 27.27%
Agassi - 8 Grand Slams, 1 won as the #1 seed 12.50%
Connors - 8 Grand Slams, 2 won as the #1 seed 25%
Lendl - 8 Grand Slams, 5 won as the #1 seed 62.50%
McEnroe - 7 Grand Slams, 3 won as the #1 seed 42.86%
Wilander - 7 Grand Slams, 0 won as the #1 seed 0%

What does all this mean?

Given that Federer is tied with Sampras for the most #1 seeds at Grand Slams, I think it could be said that Federer has dealt with the pressure of being great better than anyone in history, except Borg, but we all know how Borg's career turned out.

I think it also highlights Nadal's underdog reputation.

If you want to see how well a player dealt with the pressure of being #1, the more appropriate thing to do would be to look at the percentage of total majors they won while being the #1 seed, instead of the other way around (percentage of times they were the #1 seed when they won a major). Still, that ignores some issues like inappropriate seedings, like when Nadal was seeded #2 at the French Open in 06, 07, and 08 despite the fact that he was the favorite for the title each time.

 

[Goosehead]

Can we now talk about guys outside the top 10? Can I throw in the Gaston Gaudio? That guy is the reason Coria has recurring dreams that never materialize when he wakes up.

BTW, anyone else thinks Coria looks like the kid from Third Rock from the Sun?

oh look at that a pic of coria celebrating winning the 2004 french open final..

i knew he could never blow 2 championship points.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

oh look at that a pic of coria celebrating winning the 2004 french open final..

i knew he could never blow 2 championship points.

Never say never in tennis.

 

[Jezza94]

Djokovic - 24 Grand Slams, 15 won as the #1 seed 62.50%
Nadal - 22 Grand Slams, 6 won as the #1 seed 27.27%
Federer - 20 Grand Slams, 11 won as the #1 seed 55.00%
Sampras - 14 Grand Slams, 9 won as the #1 seed 64.29%
Borg - 11 Grand Slams, 8 won as the #1 seed 72.73%
Agassi - 8 Grand Slams, 1 won as the #1 seed 12.50%
Connors - 8 Grand Slams, 2 won as the #1 seed 25.00%
Lendl - 8 Grand Slams, 5 won as the #1 seed 62.50%
McEnroe - 7 Grand Slams, 3 won as the #1 seed 42.86%
Wilander - 7 Grand Slams, 0 won as the #1 seed 0.00%