Who is the true goat in Tennis ?

[PonsfordMagpie]

I’m in awe. It’s insane what we’re witnessing.

What happens next? Rafa wins another French Open and #22 or does Djokovic fight back?

 

[Dipper]

I’m in awe. It’s insane what we’re witnessing.

What happens next? Rafa wins another French Open and #22 or does Djokovic fight back?

Unless he gets vaccinated it seems like Wimbledon will be his only opportunity.

Sent from my SM-A326B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[FreoRicci]

Nadal, with those knees, wasn’t close to getting 15. Got lean, loss weight and came back a different man. Incredible

 

[juss]

I’m beyond astonished now.

Tennis will never be the same without these 3.

We'll never see another era where the 3 GOATs contended at once.

Blessed.

 

[onthehill24]

Rafa is the GOAT

 

[mcgarnacle]

I’m in awe. It’s insane what we’re witnessing.

What happens next? Rafa wins another French Open and #22 or does Djokovic fight back?

Beauty of sport and life. We don't know!! But it will be great to see it unfold

 

[PhatBoy]

I think he'll be here.

Regardless why is Rafa the automatic favourite at RG over the defending champion (who also beat him)?

Novak would've been red hot favourite if he'd been allowed to play this year and would likely be playing tomorrow night. It's not like he's missed 6 months, he's missed one Slam, he's still defending champion at 2 and made the final at the last one he played.

We shall see but I predict he'll at least win one more this year.

Yeah seems bizarre that a player with 13 titles would start a slight favourite to add another there

 

[boncer34]

Yeah seems bizarre that a player with 13 titles would start a slight favourite to add another there

Look forward to Fed being favourite at Wimbledon this year.

But my point is simply that Rafa isn't the walk up winner at RG. A pissed off Novak isn't someone I'd bet against.

 

[PhatBoy]

Look forward to Fed being favourite at Wimbledon this year.

But my point is simply that Rafa isn't the walk up winner at RG. A pissed off Novak isn't someone I'd bet against.

No he’s not a walk up winner but the idea that it’s ‘odd’ that he would be favourite (the Federer comparison is utterly stupid as Federer hasn’t won a grand slam in nearly half a decade, Nadal last won one 11 hours ago) is fairly silly.

 

[Hamingja]

The French will be hot this year. Nadal, Djokovic (if they let him in), Tsitsipas (very close to FO win) and Alcaraz (coming right through).

 

[boncer34]

No he’s not a walk up winner but the idea that it’s ‘odd’ that he would be favourite (the Federer comparison is utterly stupid as Federer hasn’t won a grand slam in nearly half a decade, Nadal last won one 11 hours ago) is fairly silly.

What's utterly stupid is you getting bent out of shape over something I never said or implied.

Rafa may very well be favourite, but the defending champion might be too. Nobody's saying it's odd that Rafa ends up favourite or that he won't be.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

GOAT is between Nadal and Djokovic now.

Think Federer is out of the race and will be seen as the 3rd best behind these two.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

The French will be hot this year. Nadal, Djokovic (if they let him in), Tsitsipas (very close to FO win) and Alcaraz (coming right through).

Yep, it will be an intriguing one. At this stage, this is how I see it in terms of RG favourites:

1. Nadal
2. Djokovic
3. Tsitsipas
4. Thiem
5. Zverev
6. Ruud
7. Alcaraz
8. Berrettini
9. Medvedev

 

[boncer34]

GOAT is between Nadal and Djokovic now.

Think Federer is out of the race and will be seen as the 3rd best behind these two.

It's disappointing we wont get a chance to farewell Fed.

 

[FreoRicci]

Look forward to Fed being favourite at Wimbledon this year.

But my point is simply that Rafa isn't the walk up winner at RG. A pissed off Novak isn't someone I'd bet against.

Favourite? Come on man. You’re dreaming. Runs into Novak or Rafa, even Tsitipas, will be hard to defeat them. He’s 40. He can’t keep holding his body and go into Wimbledon. Last night, even with the great message on social media, you would think he’s even more heartbroken then Novak is. He won’t be equal GOAT anymore

 

[boncer34]

Favourite? Come on man. You’re dreaming. Runs into Novak or Rafa, even Tsitipas, will be hard to defeat them. He’s 40. He can’t keep holding his body and go into Wimbledon. Last night, even with the great message on social media, you would think he’s even more heartbroken then Novak is. He won’t be equal GOAT anymore

I was being sarcastic.

 

[BigVic]

What a final we saw. Rafa for me. A true Warrior. Missed Wimbledon and US Open last year, the 2nd half of the ATP calendar due to injury, battled COVID last December and won a 5 hour epic against a man 11 years younger than him.

 

[Redline]

GOAT is between Nadal and Djokovic now.

Think Federer is out of the race and will be seen as the 3rd best behind these two.

It seems that way, which is hard to get your head around given how great a player Federer was.

 

[PhatBoy]

It seems that way, which is hard to get your head around given how great a player Federer was.

I often think ‘the best tennis I’ve ever seen from anyone is Federer at his peak’ and then I have to remind myself that at his peak Nadal came along and started beating him. I tend to agree now that Federer is the ‘worst’ of the 3 if there is such a thing. As someone said earlier I think if there were more big tournaments/slams on clay, there wouldn’t even be an argument. The fact that Nadal has surpassed the number of the other two, with only one slam on a slow surface, is mind boggling

 

[bato]

GOAT is between Nadal and Djokovic now.

Think Federer is out of the race and will be seen as the 3rd best behind these two.

Absolutely. Federer just hasn’t won as much when it mattered most. Which makes it insane because he’s been an absolute freak for so long.

 

[mcgarnacle]

It seems that way, which is hard to get your head around given how great a player Federer was.

Look, Nadal has to win the French now. He lost last year to Djokovic, and if he loses this year claims will be made that the only reason Nadal won #21 is because Djokovic wasn't around.

Djokovic should very well be on 22 if it wasn't for the ball hitting the linesperson's throat, and this vaccination/deportation saga.

What needs to happen for Djokovic to be under threat in a GS is what happened in Flushing last year - he gets taken to 5 long sets in the semi, and his opponent does it in an easy 3. Djokovic was done after that semi. Berrettini made it hard work for 4 sets in the QF too - played two top 8 seeds on route to the final. Medvedev had an easier path. On equal footing, Djokovic is still better than any one IMO.

But geez, if Medvedev's defence improves any more than what it is now, and he gets some help for the chip on his shoulder, then look out!

 

[boncer34]

Look, Nadal has to win the French now. He lost last year to Djokovic, and if he loses this year claims will be made that the only reason Nadal won #21 is because Djokovic wasn't around.

Djokovic should very well be on 22 if it wasn't for the ball hitting the linesperson's throat, and this vaccination/deportation saga.

What needs to happen for Djokovic to be under threat in a GS is what happened in Flushing last year - he gets taken to 5 long sets in the semi, and his opponent does it in an easy 3. Djokovic was done after that semi. Berrettini made it hard work for him in the QF too - played two top 8 seeds on route to the final. Medvedev had an easier path. On equal footing, Djokovic is still better than any one IMO

Does the reverse apply when Novak won Slams without Rafa around?

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Look, Nadal has to win the French now. He lost last year to Djokovic, and if he loses this year claims will be made that the only reason Nadal won #21 is because Djokovic wasn't around.

Djokovic should very well be on 22 if it wasn't for the ball hitting the linesperson's throat, and this vaccination/deportation saga.

What needs to happen for Djokovic to be under threat in a GS is what happened in Flushing last year - he gets taken to 5 long sets in the semi, and his opponent does it in an easy 3. Djokovic was done after that semi. Berrettini made it hard work for 4 sets in the QF too - played two top 8 seeds on route to the final. Medvedev had an easier path. On equal footing, Djokovic is still better than any one IMO.

But geez, if Medvedev's defence improves any more than what it is now, and he gets some help for the chip on his shoulder, then look out!

You could argue also that Djokovic was denied by the cancellation of Wimbledon 2020 as well.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Does the reverse apply when Novak won Slams without Rafa around?

He's won a bit more while he has been around. In contrast, Nadal has racked up plenty of french opens.

and he'll have to add 2022 to it for #22, otherwise the debate will rage.

 

[boncer34]

He's won a bit more while he has been around. In contrast, Nadal has racked up plenty of french opens.

and he'll have to add 2022 to it for #22, otherwise the debate will rage.

And Nadal has won plenty when Novak is around.

Rafa won 2018 and 2020 US Opens but pulled out hurt when Novak won in 2019. Do we put the star next to that?

Novaks absence was a benefit to Rafa this year no doubt but it's happened on the flip side too.