The perfect Tennis player? Murray & Djokovic build their perfect player in an insta chat

[MenInG]

With no tennis for the foreseeable future, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are at a bit of a loose end.

The two met on Instagram Live to discuss their careers, the mental and physical effects of tennis and the debate about the GOAT of tennis.

They also built their perfect tennis player from those playing now...

Serve - Nick Kyrgios & John Isner
Nick Kyrgios and John Isner
Australian Nick Kyrgios and American John Isner are yet to win a Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic: Nick, for his height, has the best serve I've seen.

Andy Murray: I'd say exactly the same. If you gave Kyrgios Isner's height... I've seen Nick warming up...

ND: He warms up?!

AM: Yeah, he's done absolutely nothing on his shoulder and yet he's sending down ridiculous serves.


Return - Andy Murray & Novak Djokovic
Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic
Andy Murray beat Novak Djokovic to win his first Wimbledon in 2013 - he won again in 2016 and also claimed the 2012 US Open title

ND: I'd go with you. Playing against you on any surface was always a challenge but out of the three biggest rivalries I had, I found it the hardest to serve against you because everything was coming back.

AM: And I'd say you. You rarely missed a return.


Forehand - Juan Martin del Potro & Rafael Nadal
Juan Martin Del Potro and Rafael Nadal
Both Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal have won the US Open

ND: The Thor from Tandil - Del Potro. I love the forehand of Fernando Gonzales, but let's go Delpo.

AM: I'm going Rafa. There may be a small period in his career where it let him down in a couple of matches, but very rarely would that have been the shot that contributed to him losing matches.


Backhand - Andy Murray & Novak Djokovic
Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic has won 17 Grand Slam singes titles and is the world number one, while Andy Murray is ranked outside the top 100 following his injury problems

AM: Backhand, I'm taking you...

ND: I would take you. Consistency, the fact that you don't miss much, you make the life of your opponent very difficult. I just couldn't penetrate through that side when I played against you...

AM: I think you penetrated me pretty well a few times.


Volley - Roger Federer
Roger Federer hitting a volley at Wimbledon
Roger Federer is a 20-time Grand Slam champion with eight Wimbledon titles

ND: Roger is one of the most complete players ever to play the game. We all know how great he is.

What I think is probably a bit underrated is his ability to come up with serve and volleys at the most challenging times in a match against us that are great returners. He takes away your time.

AM: I'd agree with that. There might be guys that hit certain volleys better but all-round, Federer. He has the touch and feel and he's one of the few guys that has come up with that shot under pressure.


Strongest mentally - Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal has won a record 12 French Open titles

ND: It's obvious he has champions mentality, what he's managed to produce over the years on all surfaces, the way he was bouncing back from numerous injuries.

I think he was the most injured out of us four. Every second season, he has got something for several months and he managed to come back and build his game.

The resilience, the intensity he brings - when you see him jumping around before you walk onto court, it already intimidates you. A mental giant and a physical giant.

AM: I would say that, consistently, Rafa has been mentally the strongest. There's times where you would have been ahead of him but over an entire career, even from when he was very young, he's always been unbelievably strong mentally.

Even when he was 18, 19 years old, which is so rare for the guys coming through. That's normally the part that takes the longest.


Physical - David Ferrer & Novak Djokovic
David Ferrer and Novak Djokovic
David Ferrer turned professional in 2000, while Novak Djokovic followed suit three years later

ND: I love Ferrer's fighting spirit. He has always been a warrior on the court.

I would say Ferrer or Dominic Thiem, but give Ferrer an edge because he's been on the tour longer. Dominic is going to last for hopefully many more years.

AM: If it were physical potential, I'd say Gael Monfils. What he can do physically is a joke. It's unreal, the stuff I've seen him doing.

But physically, I would take you. Although that's not a big bicep that you're showing off!

And finally, the two debated how you judge the tennis GOAT.

ND: It's a good question. It's a combination of Slams, the weeks at number one and the Masters events...

AM: What about head-to-head?

ND: Absolutely, yeah. I think Grand Slams would probably stand out but it's really hard to say. I've had this opinion since forever - I don't go into the conversation of comparing generations.

AM: I completely agree with that but, in reality, all three of the best players are playing in the same generation.

Nobody competes with Rafa on clay, Roger's record at Wimbledon is the best, your record on hard court is the best.

When people ask me what my toughest match is, who are the hardest guys to play against, I feel like I'm competing against the best hard court player ever, the best clay court player and the best grass court player.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/52333379

 

[The Viper]

Its tough to separate Djokovic, Federer and Nadal as the best.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Its tough to separate Djokovic, Federer and Nadal as the best.

ND: It's a good question. It's a combination of Slams, the weeks at number one and the Masters events...

Certainly making a case for himself. Majority verdict is Federer but if Djokovic completes a double career slam he definitely edges ahead and if he equals or surpasses Fed slams, it's unanimous. Is he second for year end no1, won all masters series(none over five sets, I believe), superior h2h versis greatest rivals. Djokovic was on course to reach 20 slams by next year... And he was a favourite for Tokyo gold too.

 

[Firebat]

A crime not to put Federer for the return - even Roddick one of the best servers in the game complained Federer was a nightmare to serve to.

 

[The Viper]

'Big Three' discussing ways to help lower-level players, says Djokovic

Novak Djokovic has been in touch with fellow ATP Player Council members Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal to discuss ways to assist lower-ranked players facing financial struggles amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, the world number one said on Saturday.

Answering a fan’s question during his Instagram live chat with Stan Wawrinka, Player Council chief Djokovic said steps would be taken to ensure that only those players who are most deserving will benefit from any relief plans.

“I spoke to Roger and Rafa a few days ago and we had a conversation about the near future of tennis. How we can contribute to help lower ranked guys who are obviously struggling the most, Djokovic said.

“A majority of players ranked between 250 to 700 or 1,000 don’t have federation support or sponsors and are independent and left alone.”

The tennis season was suspended in early March due to the pandemic, leaving players in the lower tiers who depend solely on tournament winnings without the chance to earn a living.

The plight of players ranked outside the top 100 in singles has prompted the game’s stakeholders — the ATP, WTA, ITF and the organisers of the four Grand Slams — to devise plans to provide some assistance.

“Players hopefully will (also) contribute collectively to the relief fund that the ATP (and others) will distribute using models and criteria,” Djokovic added.

“You want to avoid giving money to player who fits into this category (low ranking) but does not need the money compared to someone else... hopefully between $3-4.5 million will be distributed to lower-ranked players.”

Djokovic, a 17-times Grand Slam champion, said other short-term solutions could include diverting bonus money meant for top players from season-ending events like the ATP Finals into the relief fund.

“If we don’t have any events (in 2020), maybe next year’s Australian Open prize money can be contributed to the fund,” the Serb added.

“I’m glad the tennis eco-system is coming together. Everyone realises the base of tennis. These guys ranked 250 onwards are the ones making the future of tennis.

“We have to show them they’re not forgotten. We also have to send a message to young players that they can live out of tennis when there’s a financial crisis.”

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...wer-level-players-says-djokovic-idUSKBN2200RO

 

[MenInG]

(Reuters) - Novak Djokovic believes he will win the most Grand Slam titles and become the longest-reigning world number one by the time he retires, the 32-year-old Serb said in an interview.

“I’m always very confident in myself,” he said in an interview on In Depth with Graham Bensinger. “I believe I can win the most slams and break the record for longest number one. Those are definitely my clear goals.”

Djokovic was in imperious form before the novel coronavirus pandemic brought the circuit to a halt in early March.

He lifted the ATP Cup with Serbia, won an eighth Australian Open title and then completed a fifth triumph at the Dubai Tennis Championships, extending his unbeaten run to 21.

Swiss great Federer also owns the record for total number of weeks at number one, with 310, and consecutive weeks at the top position, with 237, compared with Djokovic’s 282 and 122.

Federer turns 39 in August and Djokovic said he could envision himself still playing at 40.

“I don’t believe in limits. I think limits are only illusions of your ego or your mind,” he said.

It wasn’t too long ago that Djokovic had an entirely different outlook on the game.

After falling in straight sets to unseeded Benoit Paire at the Miami Open in 2018, his wife, Jelena, said he was ready to hang up the racquet.

“He said to me that he’s quitting and that’s the truth,” she said in the interview. “He lost in Miami. It was a terrible loss. And then he just, you know, gathered all of us and said, ‘You know guys, I’m done.’”

“And I was like, ‘What?’ And he goes like, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Edoardo [Artaldi], you can speak with my sponsors. I want to be clear with them. I don’t know if I’m stopping for six months, a year or forever.’”

Djokovic did not go through with his retirement plans and bounced back to triumph at Wimbledon that July.

In the wide-ranging interview, Djokovic also discussed past struggles with his health, his marriage and surviving the bombings in his native Serbia in 1999.

The full interview will air in the U.S. this weekend on local affiliates, and on international and regional sports networks next week.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-t...he-will-claim-grand-slam-record-idUKKBN22R04R

 

[Firebat]

As a massive Nadal fan, I have to admit I think Novak has a very good chance of beating Federer's grand slam count.