Nitto ATP Finals, 2021, Turin, Italy

[Fjaka2.0]

I think Sascha is a serious contender for the AO, behind Novak obviously, but right there with Daniil and Rafa.

Also, 4 big titles this year and 8 for his career. That ties him with Arthur Ashe, Guillermo Vilas and Michael Chang.

Players by Total Big Titles
62 Novak Djokovic
57 Rafael Nadal
54 Roger Federer
33 Ivan Lendl
32 John McEnroe, Pete Sampras
31 Jimmy Connors
27 Andre Agassi
25 Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg
23 Boris Becker
20 Andy Murray
15 Mats Wilander
14 Stefan Edberg
13 Ken Rosewall
12 John Newcombe, Ilie Nastase
9 Jim Courier, Thomas Muster, Gustavo Kuerten
8 Arthur Ashe, Guillermo Vilas, Michael Chang, ALEX ZVEREV

Players with 4+ big titles in a season, by number of seasons:

10 Novak Djokovic
9 Rafael Nadal
7 Roger Federer
5 Ivan Lendl
4 Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe
3 Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras
2 Ken Rosewall
1 Ilie Nastase, Mats Wilander, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, Thomas Muster, Marcelo Rios, Andy Murray, ALEX ZVEREV

By most big titles in a season:

10 Djokovic (2015)
9 McEnroe (1984)
8 Federer (2006), Djokovic (2011)
7 Lendl (1986), Federer (2004), Nadal (2013)
6 Laver (1969, 70), Sampras (1994, 97), Federer (2005, 07), Nadal (2008, 10), Djokovic (2014, 16), Murray (2016)
5 Nastase (1973), Connors (1976), Borg (1979, 80), Lendl (1982, 85, 89), McEnroe (1983), Wilander (1988), Federer (2017), Nadal (2005), Djokovic (2012, 13)
4 Rosewall (1968, 72), Laver (1968), Connors (1974, 78, 83), Borg (1978), McEnroe (1978, 81), Lendl (1987), Becker (1988), Edberg (1990), Agassi (1995), Sampras (1995), Muster (1995), Rios (1998), Federer (2009, 12), Nadal (2007, 09,17, 18, 19), Djokovic (2008, 18, 19, 21), ZVEREV (2021)

Damn Novak is leading every stat-section you posted. Should be copied to the Novak-GOAT thread .

 

[Fjaka2.0]

BTW for Novak’s No 1 spot it’s better Saša won today. The point difference between Novak and Daniil remains greater.

 

[the AntiPusher]

And he wins it with the big serve. Zverev a bit of kryptonite to Novak, this year. Still, surprising.

Is Sasha Novak's Boogeyman??? Or Novak's daddy?

 

[Moxie]

Congrats to Saša, didn’t see this coming. Espacially in straights. But we’ll deserved.
These are the 3 to beat next year on HC. With some distance Nadal and maybe Thiem.
I don’t see Rafa as a serious threat in Melbourne, because of his long break and the surface. He will put everything into the clay season, if he is smart.

You say you didn't see Sasha's win today coming, even though he had like a 50/50 shot, and yet you don't see Rafa being a "serious threat" at the AO. But so much for your foresight, huh?

 

[El Dude]

Yeah, I'm going to disagree on Rafa not being a serious threat. Of course it comes down to how quickly he can shake the rust off, but I remember back in 2013 when he lost to Zeballos (I think) in an early clay court tournament, and people thought it was a red flag, but then he had one of his best seasons.

I'm sure we'll see the same in 2022: Rafa will look rusty in Doha or Brisbane and lose to some guy ranked 40th, and people will say he'll be crushed in the AO. And then he'll go to the AO and lose a set in the 1st or 2nd round and people will say the same. But chances are he shakes off the rust and is right there in the second week, one of the top contenders.

 

[El Dude]

Damn Novak is leading every stat-section you posted. Should be copied to the Novak-GOAT thread .

Yes, and it also speaks to his hard-court dominance, as 9 out of 14 big titles are held on hards.

 

[Fjaka2.0]

You say you didn't see Sasha's win today coming, even though he had like a 50/50 shot, and yet you don't see Rafa being a "serious threat" at the AO. But so much for your foresight, huh?

Yeah, I thought Daniil will win, he owned Saša in their last encounters. But today he proofed me wrong. As a Novak Fan I’m happy about it.
You don’t think seriously Rafa is one of the favourites to win AO? He will be second line if not third.

 

[Fjaka2.0]

Yeah, I'm going to disagree on Rafa not being a serious threat. Of course it comes down to how quickly he can shake the rust off, but I remember back in 2013 when he lost to Zeballos (I think) in an early clay court tournament, and people thought it was a red flag, but then he had one of his best seasons.

I'm sure we'll see the same in 2022: Rafa will look rusty in Doha or Brisbane and lose to some guy ranked 40th, and people will say he'll be crushed in the AO. And then he'll go to the AO and lose a set in the 1st or 2nd round and people will say the same. But chances are he shakes off the rust and is right there in the second week, one of the top contenders.

He is a player that needs time to roll into form, even on clay, he hasn’t that time. And regardless of his shape, I think the other 3 are stronger on the HC in their current form.

 

[Moxie]

Yeah, I thought Daniil will win, he owned Saša in their last encounters. But today he proofed me wrong. As a Novak Fan I’m happy about it.
You don’t think seriously Rafa is one of the favourites to win AO? He will be second line if not third.

If he's 2nd or 3rd in line, that makes him one of the favorites, right? If Rafa enters a Major, by the stats, he wins more often than anyone else, so, yeah, I'd give him a decent shot.

 

[Fjaka2.0]

If he's 2nd or 3rd in line, that makes him one of the favorites, right? If Rafa enters a Major, by the stats, he wins more often than anyone else, so, yeah, I'd give him a decent shot.

Haha that’s not what I meant , and you know that.
2nd line means behind the 3. 3rd line behind the Greek and Thiem, both of them have already managed to made him look old in Melbourne.
But who knows , wonders can happen, didn’t they? I would love to see him throwing out Daniil or Alex and reach the F against Novak.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

If he's 2nd or 3rd in line, that makes him one of the favorites, right? If Rafa enters a Major, by the stats, he wins more often than anyone else, so, yeah, I'd give him a decent shot.

Maybe the officials at the AO can change the surface to 'blue clay' eye roll,people still feel he is a one court specialist on clay.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

i missed the final..i was expecting an evening match..
i checked the info to see when it was on and it had already happened.

bit of a surprise to see zed win easily though.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

i missed the final..i was expecting an evening match..
i checked the info to see when it was on and it had already happened.

bit of a surprise to see zed win easily though.

I also missed the time of the final,forget to set my alarm,woke up in the 2nd set.Sasha played well and deserved his win

 

[El Dude]

He is a player that needs time to roll into form, even on clay, he hasn’t that time. And regardless of his shape, I think the other 3 are stronger on the HC in their current form.

As I said above, I think he can roll into form by the second week - there's just some danger in that first week, especially if he goes out early in Doha/Brisbane.

So I agree with you that he's behind the other three, but disagree that he's not a contender. I'd probably put him as #4 as of this moment - behind Novak, Daniil and Alex, but ahead of everyone else.

At least as of this moment. We'll have to see how things look in a couple months.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

BTW Brisbane tournament for 2022 is still not confirmed as yet,it could again be cancelled.

 

[Moxie]

Haha that’s not what I meant , and you know that.
2nd line means behind the 3. 3rd line behind the Greek and Thiem, both of them have already managed to made him look old in Melbourne.
But who knows , wonders can happen, didn’t they? I would love to see him throwing out Daniil or Alex and reach the F against Novak.

No, I didn't know that's what you meant, but I read it "in line." But behind The Greek and Thiem? BTW, did anyone else hear them say that Stefanos is having elbow surgery? So that will make him doubtful, I should think, for the AO. And Thiem will be coming off of injury and a long break, too. He's younger than Nadal, but less "sturdy," I would argue. Alex has a lot to prove in best of 5 yet, but I expect that will change in 2022, and sure, maybe as early as the AO. He's going to go into the next season feeling very good about himself and his chances. The rankings will make Nadal's road tougher, and, like @El Dude, who posted this in the Rankings thread, I, too, am a bit confused as to the rankings going into the AO. By live (rolling) rankings, Nadal is 6th. By year-end rankings he's 10th. That would make a difference in his draw.

 

[Andy22]

Great win by Zverev joins Hewitt as multiple atp finals champion but Nadal still the Goat.