Anyone else paying attention to this one? Djokovic just took the 3rd set in a tiebreak to go up 2 sets to 1. This may be one of the best tennis matches in the history of the sport....insanely high quality of play from both players. Nadal is 105-2 at this event and Novak has a chance to pull it out (he is one of the 2 to beat Nadal at Roland Garros...Robin Soderling the other). Winner gets Tsitsipas in the final.
OT: Nadal/Djokovic — Roland Garros
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Thanks for the reminder. Been watching the Euro match and golf. Just turned it on.
Novak wins it 6-2 in the 4th...6 straight games against Nadal is insane. This one was historic.
This also adds some fun info the “who is the best ever” discussion. Have to assume Novak will be the HUGE favorite to win on Sunday, which will give him 19 majors. Federer & Nadal both have 20. Djokovic the only guy to beat Nadal twice at Roland Garros. Regardless, how lucky we tennis fans are to have lived through 3 of the best ever to play all at the same time.
This also adds some fun info the “who is the best ever” discussion. Have to assume Novak will be the HUGE favorite to win on Sunday, which will give him 19 majors. Federer & Nadal both have 20. Djokovic the only guy to beat Nadal twice at Roland Garros. Regardless, how lucky we tennis fans are to have lived through 3 of the best ever to play all at the same time.
Why the hell was this a semi? Awful job by the FO officials.
FYI - Federer is the all-around GOAT.
You know it’s an instant classic when the French Govt cancelled the curfew mid-match so crowd could stay.
fantastic match
fantastic match
Yes absolutely awful seeding. Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer were all in the same half of the draw, while Medvedev somehow got the 2 seed and couldn’t even get past Zverev and Tsitsipas. Inexcusable!
And I tend to agree about Fed. Without his dominance, the other two wouldn’t have had to push as hard to up their games. But it is a debate where reasonable people can disagree.
Lost in the luster is there was really no good American . That limits the interest .
I would have to say Federer at the top of his game was the best of the 3 . But djokovic has the longevity.
Bumping this thread up. Djokovic and Tsitsipas just started the 5th set which will decide the championship. Good match with Tsitsipas taking the first two sets and Novak fighting back....gotta figure Novak’s experience will be the x factor. Tsitsipas has looked unsteady in the 3rd & 4th....nerves kicking in being so close to his first grand slam...plus Novak upped his game.
On serve 1-1 to start the 5th.
On serve 1-1 to start the 5th.
Federer = GOAT
Djokovic has a lot of work to do (winning the calendar year GS would definitely help).
Will be interesting how history views the 2nd best player of all time (Fed or Nadal).
Right now I think Federer and Djokovic are the GOAT’s. Djokovic has plenty left in the tank so I think he takes it in time. I get why people may not like Djokovic but that’s not a reason to take away from his greatness.
Fed will likely always be known as the GOAT. His smarts, his domination, his ability to adapt and play differently as needed. This what sets him apart. Nadal is just a banger. I would take Borg and Sampras over him (and they played with much better competition that the past 5 years).
These "old" players keep winning not because they are so good, just that younger players blow. Tennis has been in a long talent drought.
First double GS in Open Era definitely brings Djokovic further along in the GOAT discussion and he has a bit more time to rise to the top of that mantle, including potentially the most major titles all time, assuming he remains fit. Federer could easily end up 3rd on all-time GS singles list if Nadal and Djokovic remain healthy enough and extend their careers as long as Fed has been able to.
Fed has faced Joker or Rafa 31 times in majors and has won just 10 times.
You can take out Nadal at the French if you want. 25 times with 10 wins.
Joker beat the King of Clay on his court down a set.
He has two career grand slams.
He might get an actual one this year. GOAT.
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Federer has beaten Nadal 7 of the last 8 times. Minus clay (which is a surface nobody cares about), Fed is way up. Fed is 23-27 vs Joker and 5 years older. What if they were the same age and played most matches when Fed was at his peak? No doubt, Fed would be up again.
Fed = GOAT
Nadal = Clay GOAT (for what it is worth)
Joker = Top 5 and perhaps #2 when it is all done
Ha. Maybe we can have them play when Joker has a fever or Rafael hasn't eaten in a few days.
Head to head sport. Wins matter.
I loved Borg but he never won a US Open. Djokovic has now won the career GS twice. I know times are different but Borg didn't have the longevity. 11 career Grand Slams is still impressive. As of now, Federer is #1 to me, but I believe Djokovic will eventually be the #1.
Well its certainly a great argument. I'd love to see a round robin Borg, Connors and MacEnroe vs the current three. A Borg Nadal match might never end! They don't play with T-2000's any more. And the training is much better now.
You cant discount joker recent wins while Fed has aged, IF you don't discount feds first 5 years against joker.
Fed had five years experience and was in his prime as joker was coming of age.
On any given night, each of these guys has been able to destroy the other two. Joker will end up with the grand slam record and probably by a wide margin. 25, even 30 isn't out of the question. He'll go down as the GOAT, in the end.
Been a treat to watch this, its gone on for far longer than anyone expected. Where is the next generation? Did we lose them to video games and the internet?
Been a treat to watch this, its gone on for far longer than anyone expected. Where is the next generation? Did we lose them to video games and the internet?
Can we get an American champ? Or at least in the conversation? Would be nice.
It’s been pathetic that the best American chance for YEARS now has been John Isner. Nothing against the guy, but his ceiling is pretty much the quarters of Wimbledon or the US Open.
I just don’t think top American athletes even consider taking up tennis. It’s a shame.
I was born in 79 and have played/watched tennis since I was maybe 7 or 8. Caught the end of McEnroe & Connors (that Connors US Open run to the semis in 91 ensured I would be forever hooked). Then we got Chang (seriously, can you imagine an American male winning the French today?), Sampras, Courier, Agassi...there was always a couple who could threaten to win any major. Once Sampras & Agassi retired, I thought Andy Roddick could win multiple grand slams, but that’s when Federer just took the entire sport over.
I hope we get another golden age of American men’s tennis at some point soon, but I don’t think I’d bet on it, unfortunately.
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Don't know why, but no Americans even seem close (current players or those in the pipeline). Nothing.....
Agassi was that "hey this guy won the career slam" trivia answer/argument. As in he was awesome but underrated. His career looked great on paper until Fed and the other two showed up.
