Vote for Best ATP Player to Never win a Major

[jimlosaltos]

Here's a question that might be worth revisiting given recent retirements of a couple of the candidates.

Best ATP Player Never to Win a Slam?

I've never seen a poll on TPN, but let's see if this works. By the way, let's make the "rules", there are no wrong answers <g>. You can nominate anyone I didn't think to include, and set the deadline to respond for one week/ July 25th.

No wrong answers ! My post, my rule

[dimbleby69]

Er, Jim....Thiem?

I mean, I know that final was painful to watch as both struggled hard not to win, but Zverev eventually succeeded and so Thiem's name is on the trophy.

regards
Rob

[jimlosaltos]

Er, Jim....Thiem?

I mean, I know that final was painful to watch as both struggled hard not to win, but Zverev eventually succeeded and so Thiem's name is on the trophy.

regards
Rob

Aaaarrggggh. I forgot. Thank you.

Thiem's not taking Roland Garros, which I mentally associate him with, blocks the USO

Done. Anyone I should add?

[dimbleby69]

Of the other nominations Nalbandian stands out, though I have the feeling that Tsonga actually made more of an impact at the Slams (nothing to back that up stats-wise).

Dimitrov?

[dimbleby69]

I will definitely nominate one of my all-time favourite players, who had to retire at 26 (though not before Lendl had found him out in two grand slam finals); Miloslav M?cir

[jimlosaltos]

I will definitely nominate one of my all-time favourite players, who had to retire at 26 (though not before Lendl had found him out in two grand slam finals); Miloslav M?cir

Done. And Done. Thanks.


Now you can vote

[stotty]

1. Mecir

2. Rios

[jimlosaltos]

1. Mecir

2. Rios

Added Rios, of the great touch and prickly personality

[jimlosaltos]

Come on, guys, vote !

[arturohernandez]

Of the other nominations Nalbandian stands out, though I have the feeling that Tsonga actually made more of an impact at the Slams (nothing to back that up stats-wise).

Dimitrov?

I have a theory that success in a final really early in a career somehow translates into many more GS wins. Think Sampras, Fed, Rafa. Agassi stumbled and it cost him although he almost caught up.

For Djokovic vs. Tsonga, I think had Tsonga won that match, he would easily have won 5 majors. I know he had injury problems but with his athleticism and game, the confidence of a GS win would have been a dopamine rush. Then he would have gone looking for more.

Djokovic won it and that led to many more GS's for him relative to Tsonga. We could say it was the quality of the tennis in the end but I also think there is something to the confidence that winning gives players.

It's just speculation that is impossible to test. But I have always wondered that.

[jimlosaltos]

I have a theory that success in a final really early in a career somehow translates into many more GS wins. Think Sampras, Fed, Rafa. Agassi stumbled and it cost him although he almost caught up.

For Djokovic vs. Tsonga, I think had Tsonga won that match, he would easily have won 5 majors. I know he had injury problems but with his athleticism and game, the confidence of a GS win would have been a dopamine rush. Then he would have gone looking for more.

Djokovic won it and that led to many more GS's for him relative to Tsonga. We could say it was the quality of the tennis in the end but I also think there is something to the confidence that winning gives players.

It's just speculation that is impossible to test. But I have always wondered that.

I believe you.

At times I hear announcers talk about "confidence" and think it is the verbal equivalent of a "bail out shot".

Other times, I see one player be aggressive on a clutch point while his opponent lets up, fearing a miss and I think "How often is that the difference/".
Margins are so slender at the top of the ATP.

[stroke]

I am going with Fabio. To me, tennis skills wise, he is 2nd only to Federer(probably Nick too, but Nick and his issues is stand alone situation).

[jimlosaltos]

I am going with Fabio. To me, tennis skills wise, he is 2nd only to Federer(probably Nick too, but Nick and his issues is stand alone situation).

Bold Choice ! I will add Fogs to the list <g>.

[stotty]

I might have to stick Brian Gottfried in there. He was a workhorse and without Borg around he might well have picked up a slam.

There are a lot of nearly men blocked by all time great players. Tom Okker was such a player. Versdaco you feel was blocked by the big 3.; Nalbandian another.

My query with Verdasco and Fognini, as with Nick, is do they have the substance to win a slam.

[jimlosaltos]

I might have to stick Brian Gottfried in there. He was a workhorse and without Borg around he might well have picked up a slam.

There are a lot of nearly men blocked by all time great players. Tom Okker was such a player. Versdaco you feel was blocked by the big 3.; Nalbandian another.

My query with Verdasco and Fognini, as with Nick, is do they have the substance to win a slam.

There are a lot of players in the "could have" category.

But a few stand out IMHO. Two examples that show players that had the ability to "run the table" not just upset a big player

1) Nalbandian: Only player to beat all of the Big 3 consecutively. Did it at Paris/ Bercy. Had 5 wins vs Fed until Fed turned it around.
.
2) Davydenko: Blitzed through Rafa, Fed and Delpo to take ATP Tour Final. The match with Rafa stands out. Davy was playing "ping pog" {Delpo's description) with Rafa's topspin forehand. When Davydenko started taking Rafa's forehand out of the air midcoast, Rafa looked shellshocked. H2H 6-5 Davydeno with the Russian taking their last 6 meetings on hard courts.