Nadal, Djokovic And Murray In The Same Category?

First topic message reminder :

Recently I have noticed that the game styles of Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have been grouped together. I do not see the similarity. Federer is the unique one and Nadal, Djokovic and Murray are in the same category? Rubbish! IMO yet another way to down play Nadal's achievements and talk up Federer's. Pfft! I would put both Federer and Nadal in a class of their own. Not only in terms of achievement but because they both play a unique game in terms of style that no one else can emulate.

How should these four players be categorized? What are the similarities and differences between the game styles of these four players?

OK . Carriage . never mind.. it was mind boggling stuff anyroad.

However imo all the top four are shot makers... (true Djoko started life as a bit of a ball basher) and though he isn´t my fav No one can say he cannot produce some fantastic shots.. we are lucky to have those at the top they produce some very entertaining tennis between them.

It Must Be Love wrote:It's banned in UK Haddie

Well it might be IMBL but Im talking tennis here

Haddie-nuff wrote:

It Must Be Love wrote:It's banned in UK Haddie

Well it might be IMBL but Im talking tennis here

Don't worry, there are plenty of Poker Stars adverts around London with Nadal in it Shame he doesn't play tennis in those ads.

I like Novak as a person and he is a great professional. He is great with the media and goes out of his way to make himself fan friendly. Of course he is a great player and I'm sure he will continue to achieve great things. But his style of play is nothing exceptional it's just that what he does he does so well.

Shame he isnt playing tennis full stop at the moment IMBL.. how I am hoping that his first outing is a good one .. for his sake. :

hawkeye wrote:I like Novak as a person and he is a great professional. He is great with the media and goes out of his way to make himself fan friendly. Of course he is a great player and I'm sure he will continue to achieve great things. But his style of play is nothing exceptional it's just that what he does he does so well.

I wouldn´t argue with that HE .. albeit he is not my favourite person or player. He has earned his time at the top and has turned his game around over the last year.. He hardly takes my breath away but he certainly gets the job done.

Haddie-nuff wrote:

hawkeye wrote:I like Novak as a person and he is a great professional. He is great with the media and goes out of his way to make himself fan friendly. Of course he is a great player and I'm sure he will continue to achieve great things. But his style of play is nothing exceptional it's just that what he does he does so well.

I wouldn´t argue with that HE .. albeit he is not my favourite person or player. He has earned his time at the top and has turned his game around over the last year.. He hardly takes my breath away but he certainly gets the job done.

More or less the same sentiments among all tennis fans including me, while Nole is doing everything he can on and off the court he cannot match Nadal's popularity, what people love in Nadal [outside his physique] is his confidence to take challanges and win them on most occasions, he is not a born champ but a champ of hard work.

People love to relate more with Nadal and Fed than with Nole, for some reason Murray is starting to get more popularity than Nole, may be Nole should start to be himself rather than trying to impress the crowd with those shirt ripping scenes off.

The shirt ripping gimmick should be one of the worst in the history of the game, he neither has the body nor the charisma to do the gimmick yet he continues to pursue it , God Bless him.

invisiblecoolers wrote: what people love in Nadal [outside his physique] is his confidence to take challanges and win them on most occasions, he is not a born champ but a champ of hard work.

What are these challenges he has taken on that other tennis players haven't?

invisiblecoolers wrote:The shirt ripping gimmick should be one of the worst in the history of the game, he neither has the body nor the charisma to do the gimmick yet he continues to pursue it , God Bless him.

The shirt ripping happened once, a year ago.

I think Novak IS exceptional. And I thing he's good to watch too. He is consistently offensive, which I think only Federer in the top 4 can also claim.

He hits some unbelievable shots, and he does it consistently. I can only guess that his consistency is what drives people to label him 'methodical' but I don't think he gets anywhere near enough credit for his ability.

Add me to one who appreciates Novak Djokovic and what he adds to the sport. He does take defeat and victory well and you can guarantee he never leaves anything out on the court. He has all the shots and you will have a long look to find weaknesses anywhere in his game.

+1
(is that what the youngsters say?)

He hits some unbelievable shots, and he does it consistently. I can only guess that his consistency is what drives people to label him 'methodical' but I don't think he gets anywhere near enough credit for his ability.

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I cant agree with that comment Danny. I do not believe there is a poster on this forum that has denied Novak´s ability. Where people differ is if you like his game/him as a person. All the top players have ability and talent this has to be recognised .. but you dont have to like them.

I'm partly in agreement with both CC and Danny on this. Nobody could seriously doubt that Novak is anything other than quite exceptional and for that reason alone he can be good to watch, and is invariably "good value for money" as it were.

He certainly hits some shots that leave you stunned (although for me these are more often in the retrieval category rather than outright winners).

He is ruthlessly efficient - and, as Danny points out, he is consistent. VERY consistent.

And yet ....and yet ..... for many tennis fans, there is still something lacking as regards a Wow factor, and I felt that monty junior summed this up very well in an earlier post with this observation :

" Nole is one dimensional imo and not remotely exciting but his consistency like Nadal at his peak is astounding but doesn't really pull off the "miracle" shots in particular Federer and Murray can. But i suppose miracle shots are in the eye of the beholder. "

I find some of Wilander's musings a bit odd at times, but was interested to hear him say this morning that he felt that Novak's performance against Harrison (I caught only very brief highlights myself) was the most flawless he had ever seen from him.

Novak will take some stopping in Melbourne, he looks near-invincible, and his measly Title odds of 10/11 seem just about right.

Danny_1982 wrote:He hits some unbelievable shots, and he does it consistently. I can only guess that his consistency is what drives people to label him 'methodical' but I don't think he gets anywhere near enough credit for his ability.

My feelings exactly. I think sometimes "consistent" is taken as a synonym for "adequate". It's the kind of comment you make about players who don't really have stand out skills (Ferrer often gets described as 'consistent'!).

But if someone is consistently excellent... then they're excellent!

The irony is, if Novak had a weaker game, I think he would get more credit for things like his backhand, return of serve etc. But because he has a very balanced game, the comments are that he is consistent or methodical.

Haddie-nuff wrote:He hits some unbelievable shots, and he does it consistently. I can only guess that his consistency is what drives people to label him 'methodical' but I don't think he gets anywhere near enough credit for his ability.

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I cant agree with that comment Danny. I do not believe there is a poster on this forum that has denied Novak´s ability. Where people differ is if you like his game/him as a person. All the top players have ability and talent this has to be recognised .. but you dont have to like them.

Not liking him is fine, each to their own. it's things like 'methodical' and 'nothing special' that I disagree with.

They are in the same category in the sense that they will never equal Lord Federer's record of Grand Slam wins.