Looks like more men have won majors at 30 than 28. Fed confirmed underachiever.

Pretty sure I read on line that Murray thinks Nadal is the GOAT. Too lazy to find article.

I do think if Fed can hang on at a reasonable level for another 2-3 years, he can probably sneak out another 1-2 majors -- I don't think he has what it takes to get through BOTH Djoko & Nadal in the same tournament when they are both in peak form, but I really question the ability of BOTH to sustain this level of play for much longer. Djoko has already had a shoulder issue, & Nadal has some kind of injury that prevents him from playing his best tennis over half the time already. Djoko has also been a headcase in the past & has been running like God this year as evidenced by that return he hit on MP a couple days ago... ...Nobody can keep running that good, although it is fun to whatch Djoko go for it like that w/o feer.

NOVAK

goatjovic

LOL @ the idea of Chokael Bitchdal ever being the GOAT. This US Open has definitively proven that Federer is the GOAT AINEC.

Fed fanboi calling someone else a choker. Classic.

funny thing is if fed doesnt choke he makes the finals and gets crushed by nadal

Dont know about crush. Probably gets to a match point then double faults and goes off the rails.

Kind of like Nadal in all those SLAMS he exited in the 4R and Quarters whilst Fed RANGGGGGGED?

yes, when Nadal was 20 that's what happened

I think part of the difficulty in comparing them (especially on grass) is that the surface has changed also. They've apparently slowed down the Wimbledon grass courts so they are slower now than they were during the Sampras peak. I think peak Sampras on the faster grass courts beats peak Nadal and is a coin flip with peak Fed. However on the other surfaces, I think they both beat him easily (especially on clay, obv).

Fed and Nadal's careers are both pretty much done. The only people blocking Djoko's way to 5 straight grand slam years are Del Potro, Dolgopolov and Raonic. Delpo is the only even remote threat to Djoko's #1 ranking.

I know Nadal is only 1 year older than Djoko but he plays such a hard game that he can only sustain this peak for a few more years. And next year is probably Federer's last.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Djoko win 3/4 in 2012, 2013, with grand slams in 2014 and 2015. Plus 2-3 more majors in the following 3-4 years. This would make him the GOAT. I'm calling it now.

Shouldn't Fed get a handicap for being the GOAT candidate that is least likely to have ever doped?

Quick summary of the talking points:
1. He's just as skinny as he's ever been.
2. He doesn't take scheduled breaks for "knee injuries" lasting a few weeks, which would correspond to steroid cycling.
3. He doesn't travel with a magical sports doctor.
4. He has been slowly declining since his peak. Like normal.
5. There are absolutely zero rumors about him. Try googling the others.

Not throwing any accusations. I just think backing Fed as GOAT gives you a better chance of being on the right side of history 10 years from now, all things considered.

Del Potro will take over Murray and Fed next year and claim either the Australian/US. Dude is a beast and finally regaining form since he has been back. Bold claims but he has the game and more heart than Murray could dream of.

Just saw this in a swedish newspaper:

Winning percentages:

1) Novak Djokovic, Serbia 96,97 % (64-2, 2011)
2) John McEnroe, USA 96,47 % (82-3, 1984)
3) Jimmy Connors, USA 95,88 % (93-4, 1974)
4) Roger Federer, Switzerland 95,29 % (81-4, 2005)
5) Roger Federer, Switzerland 94,85 % (92-5, 2006)
6) Björn Borg, Sweden 93,33 % (84-6, 1979)

Will Djokovic hold on to the #1 spot?. Federer 2005-2006 combined is 173-9, so sick.

Whoa hold your horses buddy. You can't cross out Nadal and Fed just yet, if Fed only took a deep breath and hit out an ace in one of those 3 match points you'd never be talking like this. And Nadal with an improved serve and closer to the baseline shot making would tip the difference in Nadal's favour again vs Djoko.

I watched Del Po live at this years US Open and he's still clearly lacking the physical fitness to compete with the top 4 right now. Raonic has been injured all summer and he has a LOT of points to defend in the winter, so let's save this conversation for later. And Dolgopolov has been losing his fair share of matches this year, there's nothing to suggest that this guy can up his game to top 10 material.

now consider who Djoker's contemporaries are: a nearly peak Federer and a peak Nadal. Fed's strongest competitors were a 20 YO Nadal and...Andy Roddick?

best year ever just happened

not this again
the same argument was made about nadal just cruising to grand slam titles as well and now people are writing him off completely again?
before that people we talking about Federer O/U on 23 grand slam titles as well

substaining such high quality over years without off time is pretty much impossible, thats what makes federer´s records(the straight gs semi run for example) so scary

Cashy,

There is no point trying to discuss this sort of thing with your typical modern day sports fan. Pretty sure they are easily identifiable itt.

Nadal just made 3 Grandslam finals in a row, winning one of them. Of course he is done.

A GOAT discussion w/o Pete Sampras but WITH Novak Djoko is pretty LOL.

Is he 4/5 through the best year ever? No question...but GOAT is wildly pre-mature.

As Kevin and Cash said, Nadal is far from done.

I hope both can stay healthy (Nadal breaks down every year so this really isn't likely). It could be a sick sick rivalry for 3 + more years.

lol @ nadal being done, seriously.

lol at thinking Federer is still nearly peak, he's a shell of what he was in 05/06

just happens that he's still the 3rd best player on the planet

And 21. And 22. Get your (revisionist) history right.

he's not as good as he used to be. how much can be debated. I'm certain saying he is "a shell" is certainly wrong

in 2007 he took 3 GS and was 63-7, this year he was 42-11. but again an all time elite Djoker and Nadal did not exist in 2007. losses this year that I quickly counted

Djoker Aus Open
Djoker Paribas
Djoker US Open
Nadal Sony Erickson
Melzer Monte Carlo
Gasquet Rome
Nadal (close match at French)
Tsonga Wimbledon
Tsonga world team
Berdych West/South

I guess I missed a couple. but at least 5 of his losses came against 2 elite players in his prime, which he never had to face when he was in his prime years. he was still very dominant against everyone else, and put up arguably his best ever clay match vs Rafa at the French

so yeah obv a 30 YO Federer is not peak anymore, but it's debatable how much he has fallen, just b/c the composition of his opposition has changed so much.

wtf with this title change? Novak isn't even close to this discussion yet.