Introducting Player Skyscrapers! - A new visual for comparing players

[El Dude]

When I do new charts grouped by Slam range I think I'll have to max the number of columns so they all stay the same visual scale as that one really looked smaller than the one before. Anyhow, here's another...

This is the last (or first) generation that played almost entirely during the Open Era and one I've found rather interesting in that it--along with Ashe's weak 39-43 group--forms the transition between the older greats of Rosewall, Laver, Emerson and Hoad, and the true Open Era players like Jimmy, Vilas, etc.

This chart points out how I think Ilie Nastase is historically underrated, probably because he only won two Slams. But he is undoubtedly the greatest two-Slam player of the Open Era. Ashe also is closer to the six Slam guys than other three-Slam players; he just didn't have that one truly great year.

Finally, this group also exemplifies why Slam count really doesn't define overall accomplishments. Three Slam winner Jan Kodes clearly had a lesser career than one-Slam winner Tony Roche and Tom Okker, who is on the short list for greatest player never to win a Slam.

 

[El Dude]

OK, here's the 1934-38 generation.

According to this skyscrapers approach, Rod Laver's status as the singular GOAT is basically confirmed. He was simply the most dominant tennis player in history. This chart nicely illustrates the difference between him and Rosewall - a criminally underrated player who deserves to be considered in the top 5 of any list, but tends to get pushed down, largely because most historians ignore Pro Slams, for some reason. Tennis Channel's 100 Greatest Of All Time ranks him #13 among men, which almost invalidates the list, in my opinion.

Anyhow, this generation has it all - two GOAT candidates in Laver and Rosewall. The great amateur Roy Emerson, who is both overrated and underrated, in my view. And then the immensely talented Lew Hoad, plus a great secondary cast of players in Santana, Cooper (I'm reminded of Dubai, for some reason), Gimeno--known for winning his only Slam at 34 years old in 1972--and Stolle, along with the lesser Anderson, Olmedo, and ill-fated Osuna, who died in a plane crash in 1969 at 30 years old.

 

[mrzz]

When you see players you really don´t know much about you see how good this approach is, El Dude. It takes the split of a second for you to have an idea where the guy stands. Very good tool indeed.

 

[El Dude]

More generations. Going back before Laver-Rosewall, I'm going to offer big names from 10-year spans, rather than five-year generations. Here's the earlier ten years, born 1924-33.

 

[El Dude]

I think that image accurately portrays that Pancho was one of the inner circle greats. Here's the 1914-23 group:

 

[El Dude]

One thing you start seeing with players like Budge, Segura, and Riggs, is much longer careers, but with late careers - often in their 40s or sometimes 50s - where they hang around and still play a tournament or two. Imagine Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi still playing the US Open or some minor American tournaments...that's kind of what it was like, and also shows how different the tour is.

Here's a group of older players:

Lacoste, Cochet, and Borotra were three of the French "Four Musketeers." French men's tennis really hasn't been the same in 70ish years, since these guys retired.

Bill Tilden was truly a great player. His name is rather sullied by his sexual proclivities, but he was almost the Babe Ruth of tennis.

Tony Wilding is very underrated, in my opinion. His peak isn't far from the other GOAT candidates and if he hadn't died in World War I at age 31--when he was still the best--he might be mentioned in the same breath as the GOATs.