OT: Australian Open Final Weekend

[NielsisGood]

Point being, you jump to the conclusion that someone doesn't know what they're talking about because they disagree with you.

Never count out previous champions, even if they're long in the tooth. They know how to win. That's why they're previous champions.

Oh wow, thanks! Because my previous post wasn't talking about in the moment as Federer was down 0-2 and hitting balls into the net as Nadal was cracking shots right past Fed...

Again, point being is that there was a match that was already happening before you woke up and caught the last 10 minutes. It's okay to just take the loss on this one bud, no hard feelings, you've already thoroughly proven that you hadn't been watching the entire match.

 

[Drew]

Congrats to Roger- without a doubt the GOAT

 

[tzznandrew]

Congrats to Roger- without a doubt the GOAT

Being a half-decade older than Nadal (so that Nadal was in his prime longer during the rivalry) and Nadal being absolutely transcendent on clay (while merely being great on other surfaces), are two factors that we always need to factor into the head-to-head difference.

Just look at the times they've been in the Finals or Semi-Finals of Grand Slams:

Federer
Australian: 5-1 in Finals, 7 other semis
Roland Garros: 1-4 in Finals, 2 other semis
Wimbledon: 7-3 in Finals, 1 other semi
US Open: 5-2 in Finals, 2 other semis

Rafa
Australian: 1-3 in Finals, 1 other semi
Roland Garros: 9-0 in Finals, no other semis
Wimbledon: 2-3 in Finals, no other semis
US Open: 2-1 in Finals, 2 other semis

You obviously can't take clay away from a player, but:

Australian: 4-o in Finals, 2 other semis
Wimbledon: 1-1 in Finals, 3 other semis
US Open: 2-3 in Finals, 4 other semis

In Grand Slams, he looks like Andre Agassi off clay, and like no one else who has ever played on clay. And the first part isn't a slight, to be clear: Agassi was freaking great.

That makes him probably the second best player ever, but the ability of Federer to be fantastic on all surfaces, against all competition, makes him the GOAT in my mind.

Djokovic may pass Nadal (though if he's healthy he'll get another win or two at Roland Garros at least), though I think it will be hard for him to catch Fed: at least six more to tie? Federer is probably the 3rd or 4th best player still if he's healthy, and there may be other tournaments this year or next where Murray and Djokovic are eliminated without playing him. Not unreasonable to imagine Fed might get another.