tennis gut

  In this abbreviated tennis year due to covid, Novak Djokovic is the clear number one.   It marks his sixth year as number one on the ATP computer, a record he shares with Pete Sampras.   And along with Novak’s many records it prompts the question of whether or not he is the greatest ever.   For many tennis fans, the slam title derby is the de facto Greatest Of All Time determinant.   And Djokovic has only 17 slam titles compared to 20 by both Nadal and Federer.   However the slams are not the only tennis that counts, and many of the greatest players throughout history have made their greatest accomplishments outside of the slams.  On the current tours  the slams are the most important tournaments to win.   But  regardless, Djokovic has some significant accomplishments that could elevate him above Nadal and Federer into GOAT consideration. For example, he has been the dominant player of the last ten years – a length of time that...

  23 Nov 2020 Who’s the Queen Bee?   Not, who’s number one, but who is the alpha? The top dog?   Who is the player to beat?   Who is the de facto #1? For years that space has been occupied by Serena Williams.   Even when she wasn’t officially number one, she was still the best; the player everyone wanted to face, and the player who was favoured to win every match she played.   She was the standard bookies’ pick. Who is the alpha in 2020?   Probably the number one for 2020 is Sophia Kenin, because she accumulated the most points in the calendar year.   However, Ashleigh Barty is the ‘official’ #1 on the WTA computer with the weird covid rankings that count results from most of the last two years.   But I’m not convinced either of them is the alpha, the quote unquote ‘best’ player around.  Last year in 2019, the alpha was probably still Serena.   When Bianca Andreescu won the US Open that year she beat Serena in the final, and...