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I know it's early days but if Djokovic was to win at Roland Garros who thinks he has a chance to then go on and win a calendar Grand Slam?
His dream is to be World No.1 and Wimbledon champion, maybe he just might make both dreams become reality this year!
CAN he? Yes.
WILL he? Probably not. I can see him winning the French, I think he's the favorite. I also see him taking the US Open this year too, if he keeps up his form. But for some reason I just can't see him breaking through at Wimbledon. He's always played well there, of course, but... it's like he always runs into a wall on the grass in later stages.
We'll see.
-Arvis
Less than 1% chance. I just can't see Nadal missing out on a major when he's 100% healthy.
Nadal's been 100% healthy (whatever that means) at the US Open many many times and only just won it last year. Of course, his game HAS improved every year, so I suppose "100% Healthy" counts for more this year than it did in, say, 2008.
-Arvis
I have a feeling that Djokovic will do well this year at Wimbledon, don't know why, call it a hunch, his ball striking is superior to anybody right now, even Rafa.
I know where Aiur is coming from, it is hard to see how Rafa would miss out on 1 GS title if he stays healthy, 100% meaning no injury niggles or concerns or sickness slowing him down.
I have just looked into my crystal ball and it said that Rafa will win the French, Djokovic will win Wimbledon and the US Open, my crystal ball has a margin for error of 50%.....haha!
I'd honestly be more surprised if Federer goes a whole calendar year without a Slam. Of course, the older he gets, the more likely that eventuality becomes. This might just be the year.
Honestly, I really think we're going to start seeing more and more of Djokovic and Andy Murray and less and less of Federer and Nadal. Sounds crazy, I know, but every tennis dynasty comes to an end eventually, and the Federer/Nadal dynasty has lasted a very long time indeed.
-Arvis
I'd honestly be more surprised if Federer goes a whole calendar year without a Slam. Of course, the older he gets, the more likely that eventuality becomes. This might just be the year.
Honestly, I really think we're going to start seeing more and more of Djokovic and Andy Murray and less and less of Federer and Nadal. Sounds crazy, I know, but every tennis dynasty comes to an end eventually, and the Federer/Nadal dynasty has lasted a very long time indeed.
-Arvis
Fed is done in terms of competing for 'Slams IMO, but definitely not Nadal. Rafa has only lost to two guys not named Djokovic this year. The Aussie Open tuneup against Davydenko (when Davydenko was riding high) and Ferrer at the Aussie Open (when Nadal was injured). He's looked as dominant on clay as ever, losing only three sets in four tournaments to those not named Djokovic. I think Nadal has until at least sometime in 2014 before he starts to decline, barring injuries.
We'll see. If Rafa fails to win the French (which I think is pretty likely) then I'd consider it highly unlikely that he'll win Wimby or the USO.
-Arvis
Pretty likely he won't win the French? Who else looks like they can beat him aside from Djokovic?
Basically I just mean Djokovic, but who knows? I wouldn't have predicted Soderling would beat him here two years ago. I see Ferrer and Murray as legitimate threats, considering the how well they both played against Novak.
But of course, that means nothing when going against Nadal. Completely different beast in every respect.
-Arvis
Fed answered this question rather emphatically and, in so doing, disproved Aiur's claim that Fed is done competing for majors. He is still capable of playing tennis that will win any major -- except of course for Roland Garros against Rafa.
Don't be quite so quick to bury Nadal and Federer, guys. They're two of the top three right now. Of course, Djokovic may win another major this year. I personally doubt it, but if it does, it will be the US Open, not Wimbledon.
Nadal is FAR from being anything but number 1 right now...he's 25 and fit, with 10 Slams under his belt. He'll win Wimbledon again this year, and (with a great deal of luck) perhaps the US Open again. Just you wait. Rafa ain't done yet xD
Based on current form I would say Wimbledon is still Federer's for the taking. If he let's Rafa sneak in and take another Wimbledon off him then I will forever cease calling Federer the Greatest of all Time. He will not deserve that title.
-Arvis
I agree that Federer's form at Roland Garros makes him the early favorite at Wimbledon. However, if he meets Rafa he has his work cut out for him. It's a bad match up for Roger, as you must surely know by now. So don't be surprised if Rafa beats him yet again.
So let's assume a Federer loss to Rafa at Wimbledon. Who will you then call the greatest of all time, Arvis?
Maybe Pete Sampras -- who never won Roland Garros, never even played in a final there, only made the semis there once, and lost in the first or second round 9 of the 13 times he played there? I don't think so. Especially since he played in a time when there were not anywhere near as many good players as there are now.
You obviously hate it that Rafa has Roger's number, but that fact in no way diminishes Roger's accomplishments, which dwarf those of any other player in history. So I, for one, am going to continue to call Roger Federer the "greatest tennis player of all time" until someone has a better career. Personally, I hope that someone is Rafa, but time will tell.
It's certainly going to take years for anyone to even begin to challenge Roger's body of work -- if anyone ever does.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jun. 6, 2011 3:05pm)
There will BE no GOAT unless Rafa can eclipse Roger's accomplishments. "Greatest" is a superlative term, so it's impossible for there to be two of them.
However, I have to say it's pretty amazing that we get to be around to watch "The Two Best Tennis Players Of All Time" play. However, it's kinda funny, using a phrase like that, because you might say "But didn't ONE of those two beat the other one a bajillion times? Doesn't that make HIM the best?"
But I guess tennis doesn't quite work that way, as Nadal might end his career with a losing record to Delpo or whoever. What do you think?
-Arvis
Well, since you asked, I think Nadal will eclipse most of Federer's records -- including total Grand Slam titles -- if he stays healthy. I think he would feel that to do less would diminish the rivalry, actually.
Why? Because there will never be a player who comes even VAGUELY close to Roger's record for consecutive Grand Slam semifinals. It's ridiculous: more than twice as many as the second longest streak. Federer also is both 1st and 2nd all time in consecutive Grand Slam finals! Try that one on for size. Those accomplishments are not going to be matched by anyone, ever. Which means Roger Federer will always be the greatest all-court player who ever lived, in terms of longevity at the very top. No one will ever come close.
So naturally Rafa, who is quite humble and appreciative of Roger's greatness, wants to appear as close to his rival's equal as he can. Dominating Roger head to head is just the essential beginning of that task, no more. Or so I think.
Geez Don, you are making far too much sense, I seem to be agreeing with you more and more lately...this has to stop.....lol!
I too believe that Federer still deserves the right to be called the greatest of all time and, if or when Nadal manages to knock his record off only then will I revisit my decision.
One thing I'm not convinced about though is whether Nadal will eclipse Roger's GS record, right now it makes sense to say he will because he has just won his 10th so he is looking ominous, but if Fed happen's to win 1 or 2 more then it will obviously make it tougher for Rafa to reach that record.
I still have a feeling that Novak is starting to reach his peak and will begin to make it even more difficult for Rafa to accomplish, its gonna be very enjoyable watching how it all play's out though 
Agree with you that Rafa's superior head to head record against Fed is only one factor not the determining one!
What's going to happen after Federer and Nadal retire?? 
Are we going to g back to the days of Pat Rafters and Juan Carlos Ferreros being #1s and ending their careers with one or two slams?
I would be very surprised if Djokovic, Delpo, or Murray end their careers with more then 5 slams each.
-Arvis
Have to disagree with you there Arvis, I think Djokovic will win more than 5 GS titles before he is finished, Andy Murray no and Del Po....hmmmm, jury is out on that one, but the Djoker I can definitely see winning more than 5, between 7 and 10 is my prediction.
MAYBE Djokovic could get more than 5.
But I can't see anyone else from the current crop doing it.
-Arvis
When I try to look down the road that far, my crystal ball gets fuzz in it. Too many things can happen.
Who's going to get hurt? How bad? It makes all the difference. Right after Delpo won the US Open, everybody absolutely KNEW he had several slams in him. Then came the wrist injury. Now, who knows? Not I.
When Delpo looked like a cinch to win several, Nole did not. He had breathing problems, maybe allergies, that seemed to be preventing him from getting in good enough shape to really compete for the big ones. He changed his diet, greatly improved his fitness, and now he's a lock to win several in most people's eyes. But will he?
Will Rafa find the answer to Nole or not?
Who's the next phenom? Will he have Nole's number? Rafa's?
For all we know, Monfils will settle down, grow up, start playing smart, and challenge for the top. Like many things that probably won't happen, it might. See what I mean? Way too many imponderables.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jun. 7, 2011 6:03pm)
Yeah true Don but it's fun to put yr gonad's on the line and make predictions sometimes too
All of what you say above is why men's tennis is so damn exciting right now huh Don!
Who really know's, will Roger win another Slam? ( I hope so) Will Del Po return to his best? (Maybe)
Will Rafa break Roger's record? Will Nole win a career GS? Will Andy Murray ever win a Slam? Who will be the next BIG thing....The list goes on and on.... but it's what makes us so keen on the game
Right now in terms of laying it on the line, I'm willing to predict that:
1) Nole will not win a career GS; and
2 Fed has not won his last slam.
I'd like to predict that Murray will retire as the best player never to win a slam, but I wouldn't want to risk anything of value on it -- much less the family jewels! I'm not really all that sure about that one, my man. Murray SHOULD win a slam, for sure, but I doubt he'll make the same sort of sacrifices that Nole and Rafa will. Eventually, I think what does Murray in will be that his main competitors just want it so much more than he does.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jun. 12, 2011 11:05am)
Good to see you lay it on the line Don...but not your Gonads please.....haha, I wanna be able to watch Wimbledon next week
I concur with you on No.2 that Fed has not won his last slam (I sure hope he hasn't anyway)
However if Nole can win a Wimbledon crown I think he will go on and win a career Grand Slam, he will certainly win a US Open at some stage I think and after his clay court prowess this year I think he can win at Roland Garros eventually also.
I sure hope Murray wins a Slam before he is done otherwise he will be labelled another Henman and he deserve's better than that, have to concur though that he may well finish as the best player to never win one, c'mon Andy prove us both wrong!
Murray's more than capable on all surfaces. I'm not sure which of the slams he's most likely to win, if he does win one -- but it would it would certainly not be Roland Garros, even though his clay court play was greatly improved this year. Maybe the Australian Open is his best shot. I think the surface definitely favors his game.
It's just that, for each surface, there are other players whom the surface seems to me to favor a bit more.
And then there's this: Andy is 8-6 against Roger, but in slams, Fed won both their matches in straight sets. He is 4-11 overall and 2-4 in slams against Rafa. He's 3-6 against Nole and did not win a set in their only slam encounter, the Aussie final earlier this year. That's 2-7 against the big 3 in slams so far. Andy's best tennis is usually not played at the slams, unlike some of his competitors.
I agree that Nole is a lock to win the US Open sometime if he stays healthy. It remains to be seen whether anyone not named Nadal will win RG anytime soon. It's one thing to beat Rafa on the faster clay of Rome or Madrid, but at Monte Carlo and RG, whose courts are the closest to being identical of any, Rafa has lost exactly one match in his life. That's 13 championships in 14 tournaments, friends. I can see Rafa winning another 5 at RG. We'll see whether Nole's stepped up game translates well to grass very soon.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jun. 13, 2011 9:03am)
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