Who Are Your Two Favorite Players?

The "Who Is Your Favorite Player" Poll has been done a few times. But perhaps most of us here on 606v2 have a more general interest in tennis and are not purely fans of one player. Of course you may have a favorite player but what other player comes a close 2nd. I have noticed that many Federer fans don't really enjoy watching Nadal and vice versa and that quite a few Murray fans also like Djokovic. Who are your two favorite players. Do they have any similarities? Is it easier to have a 2nd best player who is less threatening to your favorite player or do you really enjoy close matches between the two. I have restricted the poll to combinations of the top 4 + "any other" so please say if you like some other combination.

This poll was really easy for me as my two favorite players by far are Federer and Nadal. Of course I enjoy watching lots of players but these two bring out the best in each other and play some great matches.

I'm a Murray fan first and foremost, but I do appreciate most players play except the big servers. I can't claim to have an outright "2nd favourite" although when Tsonga is on form I like watching him. You never really know what to expect. Soderling's forehand is also great to watch when it works right, hope to see him back soon.

Djokovic and Gasquet. If I had to pick another top 4 player along with Djoko to root for it would be either Nadal or Murray on the given day. Roger is a tennis machine and also great can't go wrong with watching any of them. But to root for out of the top consistently Djoko and then murray probably edges out Nadal.

Voted some other. Pancho and Laver for me.

laverfan

I meant current players. Favorite players of all time might be worth another poll.

Djokovic is my favourite but my second favourite is less clear cut.

Fed in full flow is one of the great sights in sports and and I also enjoy the combination of power and madness in Tsonga's game.

But if I had to choose a second favourite, it would probably be Del Potro. He seems like a nice guy and when that forehand is firing... wow. Just wow. I even like the sound it makes!

hawkeye wrote:laverfan

I meant current players. Favorite players of all time might be worth another poll.

Argh... Do I have to choose from the 'current' set?

laverfan wrote:

hawkeye wrote:laverfan

I meant current players. Favorite players of all time might be worth another poll.

Argh... Do I have to choose from the 'current' set?

Well you don't have to choose from the top four if that's what you mean but just from current players. You must have some favorite current players?

If it isn't men only then I'll go for Serena. She knows the game and how to play it. I love the way she has a knack of dismantling the "top" women tennis players with ease, such as Squealarenka and Screechapova.

HE... I guess your poll does not allow changing votes.

laverfan

I am just an ordinary 606v2 member and I don't have the power to change votes once they are cast... But don't worry you could just tell us who your two favorite current players are and everyone can mentally adjust the poll.

Murray is first for me, by a mile.

I don't have a second favourite really. But if I had to choose one I'd probably go for Novak. I like his style of play, sense of humour and just think that he's become a very gracious, classy champion over the last 18 months.

Del Potro followed by Fed, becoming a fan of Murray since his Wimbledon's loss. Do like Rafa n Djoko thou.

hawkeye wrote:
I am just an ordinary 606v2 member and I don't have the power to change votes once they are cast... But don't worry you could just tell us who your two favorite current players are and everyone can mentally adjust the poll.

When you set up a poll, there is a 'radio button' called 'Vote Cancelling is Allowed'.

I would say Fedal closely followed by Murray and then Ferrer, Nalbandian, Haas, Dolgopolov, Baghdatis,...

This by no means implies that I dislike others.

laverfan.

I will check that out next time.

Also welcome to the "Fedal" club. Your posts are always so well balanced that I never noticed that you were also a member. According to the poll it's now you, me and one other person who are able to fully appreciate both of these very special players.

I don't know why as great as Roger and Rafa are I have never been able to root for them much. They are maybe the two greatest players ever and they have produced epic matches, incredible shots, and pumped up interest in the sport. But when it comes to wanting to watch them play or cheering for them I can't even rate them in my top 5. For me it goes as follows

1. Djoko
2. Gasquet
3. Baggy
4. Youzhny
5. Harrison

socal1976

Do you like to watch Federer and Nadal when they play Djokovic?

Novak is my third favourite player and I love watching him play Roger and Rafa... even if it's really scary...

Yes of course those are my two favorite guys for Novak to play. First Roger then Rafa. And of course it is nerve racking to watch them play. I really like watching Roger, Roger in 2005 really started to get me back in terms of following the men's game I can obviously see why many love to watch his game as it is most certainly a very watchable brand of tennis. But I just got real sick real fast of how much Roger was winning and wanted to see him challenged. That is why I guess when Novak came along I really got behind, although Rafa raised up first Rafa's game and personality didn't attract me as much.

Still for me at times they make it look too easy if it is possible. Kind of like watching a barcelona match in the last couple of years, it gets too predictable and tiring watching the same guys lift the trophy all the time.

Aside from personality, I like watching Novak for the narrative of his career, Roger for his style of tennis but I just can't get behind Rafa. Great player, nice guy but just does nothing for me on a tennis court.

I'm warming to Murray recently too. If he stopped celebrating opponents' unforced errors, I'd warm to him even more.

BTW, nice thread Hawkeye. Very interesting.

Good post Murdoch, I to like the way that Novak brings his fans along for the ride. He cheers good shots by opponents, he gets upset when he plays bad, pumped up when does something spectacular. He just takes you along for the ride and you can tell that he really is enjoying himself and that he really cares about what he is doing at the same time. It is kind of infectious his kind of energy for the game and for success.

socal1976 wrote:Good post Murdoch, I to like the way that Novak brings his fans along for the ride. He cheers good shots by opponents, he gets upset when he plays bad, pumped up when does something spectacular. He just takes you along for the ride and you can tell that he really is enjoying himself and that he really cares about what he is doing at the same time. It is kind of infectious his kind of energy for the game and for success.

Absolutely Socal. And combining that "everyman" quality with the drama of the last 18 months (unbeaten runs, match points saved, extremes of endurance tested, slams won, legends unsettled), well, it's a heady mix!

HM Murdoch wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Good post Murdoch, I to like the way that Novak brings his fans along for the ride. He cheers good shots by opponents, he gets upset when he plays bad, pumped up when does something spectacular. He just takes you along for the ride and you can tell that he really is enjoying himself and that he really cares about what he is doing at the same time. It is kind of infectious his kind of energy for the game and for success.

Absolutely Socal. And combining that "everyman" quality with the drama of the last 18 months (unbeaten runs, match points saved, extremes of endurance tested, slams won, legends unsettled), well, it's a heady mix!

Yes exactly while the guy is more talented and driven than the vast majority of us he does have as you say an everyman quality that neither fed or Nadal have. He is always ready to have a good laugh and seems like he would be a good guy to have a beer with. And as you say we have been treated to quite a ride the last 18 months. The good thing is murdoch I don't think the crazy ride is anywhere near complete, to me Novak is still the top 4 guy with the brightest future.

I like Murray and that is the partisan in me. Everytime he is on court I want him to win. I enjoy watching Federer right down to a Hewitt or Clement.

Sometimes what ruins it for me is disingenious tennis fans who's logic based on dislike taints matches for me.

legendkillarV2 wrote:I like Murray and that is the partisan in me. Everytime he is on court I want him to win. I enjoy watching Federer right down to a Hewitt or Clement.

Sometimes what ruins it for me is disingenious tennis fans who's logic based on dislike taints matches for me.

You let fans taint tennis matches? You take those fans too seriously!

JuliusHMarx wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:I like Murray and that is the partisan in me. Everytime he is on court I want him to win. I enjoy watching Federer right down to a Hewitt or Clement.

Sometimes what ruins it for me is disingenious tennis fans who's logic based on dislike taints matches for me.

You let fans taint tennis matches? You take those fans too seriously!

Well taint my enjoyment of them.

The fans take dislike and hatred to levels I have never seen in other sports

I've ticked Federer and Murray but it is not totally clear cut for me either. Always been a Fed fan, and when he is really on I still think he is the most fantastic sight on a court so I could never root against him. Having said that, was delighted to see Murray 'come good' last week and I'm really hoping that this is the beginning of great things for him. He was so exciting to watch playing with such intent and aggression - I tend to find him tedious when he is content to play a waiting game, but he generally has my support as a Brit.

Really I enjoy all the top players at their best on different surfaces, but in terms of pure aesthetic enjoyment, then I would have to root for Federer and Gasquet.