Who hurts you more?

[Kieran]

In terms of being a rank letdown as a player, competitor, potential-champ-gone-to-seed, which player really bothers you? Which man makes you turn your face from the telly to the wall, with grief and gobsmacked disgust? Which would-be superhero causes cushions to be thrown, dogs to scarper from the missile slipper?

I've a few who spring to mind. We often think of over-achievers like Ferrer, who's the true Gnat of tennis. Who are the bass turds who cost you money and heart-wealth, when you invest in their vain chances? It could me a player who you suspect is coining it in, but has no heart when the big trophies are to be won, or it could be a player who you genuinely believe will win a major, and he stinks the kip out, like a Guinness fart in a small office on Friday morn... :nono

 

[Kieran]

This is the thread where I hope you will vent your grief, not that rogue one, which I posted in error...

 

[El Dude]

Man, I don't know. No one stands out head and shoulders above the rest.

I guess Alexandr Dolgopolov comes to mind. He is capable of such brilliant, uniquely crazy tennis in moments, and then is an absolute disaster the next. I think if he were a bit more stable then he could have been a regular in the top 10 at least, on the other hand some of his brilliance is probably due to his instability.

I don't see how Ferrer could be considered a disappointment. To me he's the example par excellence of maximizing your talents. I imagine Slam-less life for him is rather disappointing, but he wins his share of ATP 250s and 500s and, at the end of the day, collects a nice paycheck.

 

[Riotbeard]

Deleted it for you. Nalbandian annoyed me, because i really liked him. Novak annoys me, haha. The players who annoys me most is Jerzy Janowicz. All the guys in poll don't annoy, because I am not particularly fans of them.

 

[Kieran]

Jerzy is a good choice, if only for the ones who thought he was gonna blow his way through this year. He blew, alright.

Thanks for deleting it, buddy!

 

[El Dude]

Another player that comes to mind is Sam Querrey. He looked pretty good a few years ago when he burst into the top 20 around age 22 but has stagnated since, partially due to injury in 2011.

I I never saw a great player there, but I thought he'd vie with John Isner as the best American player of their generation and even flirt at times with a top 10 ranking. Now he's young enough (26) that he could have a late career surge, but it seems doubtful at this point.

 

[the AntiPusher]

JoWillieTs and Berdych are pretty much exact twins.. both guys have grandslam wins over Fed but Rafa and Djoker have been the biggest huddles for these two players. I know that JoWillieTs has had some minor health challenges off and on over the past few years but Berdych is just a really a head case at times. Well, heck I would say the same for Jo.

 

[Kieran]

It often really pains me watching Tsonga. I get mad. I see a bloke who has a huge game, he schooled Rafa in the Oz semis in 2008, he came back from 2 sets down to defeat Federer - at Wimbledon. He's a big bloke - but you watch him sometimes and he seems happy to lose. I remember watching him one time leave the court gurning and chuffed - after being knocked out of a slam. I expected him to do his irritation pirouette and dance, but he just left.

He's a player who you just don't know what's going to happen. Most irritating match? The FO semi against Ferrer. Seriously. I know, you'll say, but Ferrer has a clay pedigree. Yeah, but that doesn't mean that Tsonga basically Monfils the place out with a fishy stink...

 

[Riotbeard]

I also can't stand watching Monfils not for the mental failure or at least choking, but his baffling shot selection is frustrating. He might be the best pure athlete in tennis, but he wastes it... I avoid watching him. I don't enjoy that kind of "flare".

 

[El Dude]

Don't forget Tsonga pummelling Rafa in the SFs of the 2008 Australian Open - the only time he made a Slam final, losing to Novak in his first win.

One difference between Jo and Tomas is that Jo's pro career got going later due to injuries in his first couple years. He didn't really get going until 2007, the year he turned 22. Tomas, on the other hand, was on tour a 17-18 and won a Masters at the tender age of 20, although then he seemed to stall for a few years before entering the top 10 for good in 2010.

Anyhow, their overall records are remarkably similar. Both made it to one Slam Final which they lost, Jo to Novak and Tomas to Rafa. Both made it to several Slam SFs and a bunch of QFs. Both one a single Masters. Compare:

SLAMS (Win/Final/SF/QF)
Berdych: 0/1/3/6
Tsonga: 0/1/4/5

ATP World Tour Finals: (W/F/RR)
Berdych: 0/0/1/3
Tsonga: 0/1/0/2

Masters (Win/Final/SF/QF)
Berdych: 1/2/12/15
Tsonga: 1/1/4/13

ATP 500 wins:
Berdych: 3
Tsonga: 1

ATP 250 wins:
Berdych: 5
Tsonga: 8

Overall I really couldn't say whose had a better career - they are so similar.

 

[Front242]

I'll go with Gulbis personally but he's still relatively young and is definitely showing positive signs of big improvement. Hopefully the best from him is yet to come whereas with the rest of the guys in the poll I think their best is well behind them at this stage. JJ too has such potential but has been a nobody since the Wimbledon semi in 2013 and of course Nalbandian could've/should've had a much better career than he had.

 

[Kieran]

Yeah, I don't want to blow my own drum here (okay, I do a bit) but I said before Wimbledon that Gulbis would flop out early on, and it's for the same reason: he's mentally unstable.

Not mentally unstable, like a nutjob eyeballing you on O'Connell Street at 3 o'clock in the morning, but just generally unstable in the mind department, incapable of keeping a promise, unable to hold his attention for longer than a match or two...

 

[Front242]

^ Well we still have the US Open and he's had his best slam result to date with a semi final at RG this year so that's why I still think he has much to prove and his best results have only just begun this year, plus he's dedicated himself more to tennis this season and it shows. Still wish he'd done it years ago though which is why I'm a bit annoyed but better late than never.

 

[Moxie]

JoWillieTs and Berdych are pretty much exact twins.. both guys have grandslam wins over Fed but Rafa and Djoker have been the biggest huddles for these two players. I know that JoWillieTs has had some minor health challenges off and on over the past few years but Berdych is just a really a head case at times. Well, heck I would say the same for Jo.

I think Berdych is more like Ferrer…they are at their level. (Ferrer has less game, but more head; Berdy more game by less head, so I think they even out.) The one that frustrates me is Jo-Wil…I think he has a lot more game, and I would would equate him with Nalbandian as a guy that had a Slam in him, but couldn't pull it together, between injuries, and head-issues. And, since you mentioned it, that match he lost at RG to Ferrer broke my heart. Felled by the pressure, and denigrated by his own people. :nono

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

Tsonga for me..he has a higher ceiling than bomas turdych and daveeeeeed ferrer, but either physically or mentally somehow he always finds a way to not win the big tourneys.

 

[nehmeth]

Nalbandian annoyed me, because i really liked him. Novak annoys me, haha.

Fat Dave was #2 on my list.

Novak is #1. For as much as he's already accomplished it may sound like sour grapes, but I have my reasons:

- the inordinate amount of time it took him to finally punch through the Fedal duopoly

- choosing Todd Martin to coach him and the lost year trying to recover some semblance of a serve

- (until recently) his overheads... and approach shots.... and net play. :nono

- he seems to write a novel in a very large percentage of his matches - with enough highs and lows to have coined the term, "Nolecoaster".

If I didn't like him for so much more than just his tennis, I doubt very much I could have remained a fan.

Honorable Mention: Potito Starace who spent a career without ever winning an ATP championship in singles

 

[isabelle]

Richie, Ernie, Jo all can be very irritating and annoying because they waste their talent. I was also mad a Safin when he played poorly (Nalby made me scream sometimes)

 

[Kieran]

French players are making dots all over this thread, like Black Spots on a map: JW, Monfils and Gasquet. Three blokes who you'd lose your house on if you bet big on them, mid-match...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Reasonable folks can disagree, but from day one, I had really high hopes for Almagro. One of the best backhands in the business, always top 5 in every positive service category, much improved forehand, but the guy just could never put it together...mentally, tactically, strategically...Was it the wrong choice of coaches? Something else...? I am not sure, but to me , he is a huge disappointment. I mean, give Magro David's mentality, he would be right up there with the best of them.

 

[nehmeth]

French players are making dots all over this thread, like Black Spots on a map: JW, Monfils and Gasquet. Three blokes who you'd lose your house on if you bet big on them, mid-match...

Jeremy Chardy. He's probably had one of his best years ever this year, and I'm happy for him. Used to be whenever I picked him to win in a draw he would lose. When I'd pick him to lose, he would win. Finally gave up.