The Best In the Best of 5

[ClayDeath]

who are the toughest in best of 5?

Borg: 26-6 (.813)

Johan Kriek: 17-4 (.810)

Dan Goldie: 8-2 (.800)

laver: 18-5 (.783)

wayne arthurs: 10-3 (.769)

Nicolas escude: 10-3 (.769)

Daniel vacek: 10-3 (.769)



what about roger, nole, murray, and nadal? where do they stand in the best of 5?



and why did Connors have such a low winning percentage in the best of 5 considering he was a top 20 player for nearly 2 decades. he was 26-16 (.619).


berdy has a superb record in best of 5. blake does not as he started out 0-9 in the best of 5 sets department.

dr karlovic 0-8 if I am not mistaken.



did you know that Sampras only once had to go the distance in the final of his 14 majors?

borg bagged 11 majors and had to go the distance in 6 finals.




so who is the toughest of the toughest in history in best of 5?


where do nadal, roger, murray, and nole stand?

 

[Fiero425]

BORG without a doubt! With the level of competition he had to deal with, playing with a wood racket and strings tight as a pane of glass, it was a wonder he never was upset early; esp. at Wimbledon where all the top players were knocked off at one time or another before the semi's and final! He was a baseliner that actually won 5 straight, playing in 6 straight Wimbledon finals! It was unheard of back then in the 70's! He also beat his major rival each time; Connors in 2 semi's and 2 finals! That's common place now with the grass so manicured and even, you still rarely have upsets of even other baseliners like Nadal and Djokovic; esp. with the extended seedings of 32 players! You have to inhance his greatness because he only skipped the French Open once, winning the FO and Wimbledon back to back 3 times in a row! No one will do that again in our lifetime! If I remember correctly, he also took the OLD World Triple of the Italian, FO, & Wimbledon in '78! All this with a wood racket, no fancy and helpful strings, with everyone gunning for him!

 

[shawnbm]

Well, I would say Borg is who first popped into my mind, but I remember Kriek and his tenacity in a match. He just could not be placed on the same level with Bjorn. Of the current crop, Novak and Rafa seem to have the best records (although I don't profess to know them) in big events. Rafa lost in five sets to Nole in the AO in 2012, but beat him in five at this year's French semi. Federer beat Nadal in five sets at Wimbledon in 2007 and Miami in 2005, but Rafa returned the favor at Wimbledon in 2008, the AO in 2009 and once in Rome in 2006. Murray's record I am not as sure of, but he is at least 1-1 with Nole and beat Federer in five at the either New York or Melbourne in the past year (can't recall which). Nole is 1-1 with Rafa but has twice beaten Fed at the US Open in 2011 and 2012 in five sets. That is my recollection but do not doubt I have forgotten some matches.

All in all, the single most formidable player I can think of over five sets was Borg. He was a freak of nature and icy cool "in the moment". Nole seems to relish the fifth set and Nadal has shown himself as capable. I still give the nod to Borg.

 

[Kieran]

Borg's not a bad choice. Over five, Nadal too. I think he has the best record today. Roger's five set record is horrendous. Pete was tough at the final stages of events, he didn't often brook an argument in a final, though Agassi got his best win against him over five in the semis in Oz, and I think Pat Rafter beat him over five in a US Open semi, 1998.

Borg has a great five set record and his matches are the stuff of myth, especially the you-know-what match, and also the semi-final against Connors in 1981...

 

[Fiero425]

Borg's not a bad choice. Over five, Nadal too. I think he has the best record today. Roger's five set record is horrendous. Pete was tough at the final stages of events, he didn't often brook an argument in a final, though Agassi got his best win against him over five in the semis in Oz, and I think Pat Rafter beat him over five in a US Open semi, 1998.

Borg has a great five set record and his matches are the stuff of myth, especially the you-know-what match, and also the semi-final against Connors in 1981...

If I remember correctly an amazing "you know what" for Borg was announced by Bud Collins! In his 1977, 5 set Wimbledon final against Connors, Borg returned all but 2 of Jimmy's serves and had only 5 unforced errors on his forehand! That was with a wood racket and bad bounces! That's truly amazing back then when you see more UFE's than winners today! lol! :clap

 

[ClayDeath]

next thread that will be similar to this one will about who is the toughest at a big dance?

we will fire that one up in a day or 2. it will about players who have the best winning percentages in the finals.


help us out with that one if you can sports fans. please feel free to fire up that thread.






that being said, this one remains about the best of the best in the best of 5.

---

how about Jonas bjorkman? he took home nearly 70% of the matches that went the distance. .690 to be exact.

he is actually ahead of the following players:

1. lendl
2. nasty
3. vilas
4. Sampras
5. wilander
6. Agassi
7. edbeg
8. borg

 

[britbox]

Has to be Borg. Those stats are insane.

 

[tented]

Has to be Borg. Those stats are insane.

I agree. He's clearly the GOAT of 5-setters.

Here's a link to the ATP's list of best-of-5 set win/loss data:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Reliability-Zone/Reliability-5th-Set-Record-Career-List.aspx

Borg's 26-4/80% win/loss is stunning.

For active players, Rafa's 16-5/76% is impressive, but you can see Robredo has technically overtaken him by .003 after those 3 five-set wins at RG this year.

 

[kskate2]

Too funny. TommyRob leading active players in a positive category. I like that for the old guy.

 

[shawnbm]

next thread that will be similar to this one will about who is the toughest at a big dance?

we will fire that one up in a day or 2. it will about players who have the best winning percentages in the finals.


help us out with that one if you can sports fans. please feel free to fire up that thread.






that being said, this one remains about the best of the best in the best of 5.

---

how about Jonas bjorkman? he took home nearly 70% of the matches that went the distance. .690 to be exact.

he is actually ahead of the following players:

1. lendl
2. nasty
3. vilas
4. Sampras
5. wilander
6. Agassi
7. edbeg
8. borg

---

In terms of winning percentage in finals, Davydenko is first of active players, followed by Simon, Nadal, Del Potro and Federer in that order. They are all between 83-76% of finals they make coming out as the winner. Federer's record in finals has nosedived in the last five years; before that it was almost unbelievable.

 

[ClayDeath]

in terms of the batting average in the finals:


sample size is too small for davydenko.

we might as well use stakhovsky who is probably 3 for 3 in the finals.

 

[Fiero425]

next thread that will be similar to this one will about who is the toughest at a big dance?

We will fire that one up in a day or 2. it will about players who have the best winning percentages in the finals.

help us out with that one if you can sports fans. please feel free to fire up that thread.


That being said, this one remains about the best of the best in the best of 5.

---

how about Jonas bjorkman? he took home nearly 70% of the matches that went the distance. .690 to be exact.

He is actually ahead of the following players:

1. Lendl
2. Nasty
3. Vilas
4. Sampras
5. Wilander
6. Agassi
7. Edberg
8. Borg

---

In terms of winning percentage in finals, Davydenko is first of active players, followed by Simon, Nadal, Del Potro and Federer in that order. They are all between 83-76% of finals they make coming out as the winner. Federer's record in finals has nosedived in the last five years; before that it was almost unbelievable.

---

Sooner or later someone will have to add Isner! Seems like he goes out of his way to go down a couple sets in a major against someone before kicking it in to win in 5!

 

[ClayDeath]

isner has major testicular fortitude.

he has at least 7 titles already. he wins a vast majority of his tiebreakers.

 

[Tennis Miller]

I think the post is mistitled. It should say who is the best in matches that go 5 sets, because all GS matches are "best of 5", and Masters series finals also used to be the same.

By the record books, I think Federer and Pete are the leaders in matches that are best of five, because a lot of their "best of five" matches didn't go five...

A nitpick to some, possibly, but a relevant distinction in my mine when you're talking about who's toughest at the slams.

Cheers

TM

 

[Fiero425]

I think the post is mistitled. It should say who is the best in matches that go 5 sets, because all GS matches are "best of 5", and Masters series finals also used to be the same.

By the record books, I think Federer and Pete are the leaders in matches that are best of five, because a lot of their "best of five" matches didn't go five...

A nitpick to some, possibly, but a relevant distinction in my mine when you're talking about who's toughest at the slams.

Cheers

TM

Don't forget Davis Cup! Sampras known for a 5 set thriller where he collapsed after match point in Russia on clay!

 

[Fiero425]

Borg's not a bad choice. Over five, Nadal too. I think he has the best record today. Roger's five set record is horrendous. Pete was tough at the final stages of events, he didn't often brook an argument in a final, though Agassi got his best win against him over five in the semis in Oz, and I think Pat Rafter beat him over five in a US Open semi, 1998.

Borg has a great five set record and his matches are the stuff of myth, especially the you-know-what match, and also the semi-final against Connors in 1981...

IIRC Agassi had two bad 5 set losses to Rafter at Wimbledon in semis! Up breaks in the 5th as well!

 

[britbox]

I always assumed Edberg would have had a good 5 set record as I remember some great five setters with him - the three consecutive ones at the USO where he came from break down in all three final sets to win, the Wimbledon final and various others.

Turns out his record was only 26-19, so I guess I've got a selective memory (being an Edberg fan)!

 

[Fiero425]

I always assumed Edberg would have had a good 5 set record as I remember some great five setters with him - the three consecutive ones at the USO where he came from break down in all three final sets to win, the Wimbledon final and various others.

Turns out his record was only 26-19, so I guess I've got a selective memory (being an Edberg fan)!

Been there, done that! lol! :laydownlaughing - He's a great guy and played classic tennis!

 

[brokenshoelace]

I'm assuming you mean five set matches (meaning matches that go the distance), rather best of five, which is any match that takes place in a Grand Slam, even if it ends in three.

I recall Djokovic having a very good record in five-setters, even better than Nadal's if I'm not mistaken. Meanwhile, Roger's record isn't that good by his lofty standards, and surprisingly, it used to be worse when he was in his prime, oddly enough.

 

[DarthFed]

I'm assuming you mean five set matches (meaning matches that go the distance), rather best of five, which is any match that takes place in a Grand Slam, even if it ends in three.

I recall Djokovic having a very good record in five-setters, even better than Nadal's if I'm not mistaken. Meanwhile, Roger's record isn't that good by his lofty standards, and surprisingly, it used to be worse when he was in his prime, oddly enough.

It's not that surprising that his record has improved. In his prime he could only be taken to 5 by good/great players. As he has aged he has needed to go 5 with a lot of players now and usually he is beating the lesser players. Roger's problem has been the 5th set against great players. His record is hideous in that regard.