What individual dominated their sport more than any other dominated theirs?

[arbboy]

Roddick would have won 5 or 6 majors as well if he hadn't run into Fed at his peak at the same time Arod was at his peak esp at Wimbledon.  He hasn't even been mentioned in the discussions.  He must be the best grass court player to have never won Wimbledon in the modern era.

[DungBeetle]

Maybe - but I always felt Roddick/Hewitt/Ferrero were in that barren period before Fed/Nad and after Agassi/Sampras.  I'm not sure they had the tools to conquer in the periods where we had genuine superstars on the various surfaces even at their peak?

[arbboy]

Maybe - but I always felt Roddick/Hewitt/Ferrero were in that barren period before Fed/Nad and after Agassi/Sampras.  I'm not sure they had the tools to conquer in the periods where we had genuine superstars on the various surfaces even at their peak?

I totally agree it was a shit era but Arod peaked later than the other two for me and run directly into Fedex during his early peak years.  He gave Fed two of his toughest ever matches during years when Fed won the Wimbledon title in the 3 finals they played together.  Obviously he was a one dimensional powerhouse but in any other era he would have won 3 lawns titles.

Imagine backing Arod on any surface other than clay at evens against Wawrinka/Ferrer when they were both at their relative peaks?

[DungBeetle]

I liked Arod but I'm just not sure if I'd fancy him at his peak to beat Wawa on a hard court at his peak.

I remember so many games when the guy at the other end starts to get a read on the Roddick serve and he looks up at the coach as if to say "what now!?"

[Larry David]

Andy Roddick best server never to win Wimbledon.  To call him the best grass courter is far fetched.

Andy Roddick would have won 5 or 6 Majors if Federer wasn't so good? If Federer wasn't in his way Hewitt was around to step in and take one down, bold to say Roddick would have just rattled off 5 slams without Fed in the mix.

[Larry David]

Roddick better than Stan the Man, heard it all now.

Over and out.

[arbboy]

Roddick better than Stan the Man, heard it all now.

Over and out.

Is this the same Stan who reached 2 quarter finals in his first 9 (yes NINE) full seasons on the atp tour as his biggest achievements in grand slam events?  You have got to be pulling my pisser surely.

[DungBeetle]

Well at his peak Roddick ran Federer extremely close on grass a couple of times.  I don't think it's a given that Wawa would beat Roddick when both at their peak (although I would back Wawa at evens in such an encounter if on a hard court).

[Larry David]

Nadal,federer,djokovic,murray.  Four players who have been in the way of every other atp player over the last 5-10 years, you said it yourself Roddick peaked late,Stan has only peaked in the last 2 years.  You really think Roddick was a better player than Stan?

Do you think Roddick makes finals with these four players in his era?

Mark Stan down for this years French Open.

[arbboy]

I can't begin to imagine how much i would pile on Arod at evens to beat wawrinka on grass.  I actually said Arod peaked later than Hewitt and Ferrero not that Arod peaked late on his career which he didn't.  He probably peaked relatively early in his career and was past his best at 27.   Most athletes who rely on power and athletic ability like Arod did peak early and burn out quicker.  Roddick is only 32 now.

[Larry David]

Grass is a myth, no such thing as a grass court expert,some players are more comfortable on the surface. You either play halle or queens, then a week later turn up at Wimbledon and that is the so called grass court season.

Play 10 times on clay stan would win 9/10 at least, hard court stan wins 8/10(You have to give Roddick an extra win for his serve being on right through the entire match).

Grass, lets give the Roddick fans a little hope, 5/10.  We will never get to know but if we are talking about both players bringing the best they have to give it isn't even close.  You don't see many players taking Djokovic apart in every area and that was what Stan did to him last year in Melbourne.  Granted he has massively underachieved so far given the talent he has but Roddick maxed his game really as he had a limited skill set in comparison to Stan and the big 4.

[DungBeetle]

Grass is a myth now.  It wasn't in the 80s and early 90s.   Claycourters didn't even both to show up in those days.  Carlos Moya was always "injured" until the courts were slowed down.

[DungBeetle]

"You don't see many players taking Djokovic apart in every area and that was what Stan did to him last year in Melbourne. "

Players can have golden matches.  Nalbandian took Federer apart at the US Open once when Federer was approaching his peak.  Just returned everything at Federers feet it seemed.  I think it was the year Roddick won it in fact.

I wouldn't use that single game to argue that Nalbandian would take apart Rafter at his peak though.  (Searching for a Roddick equivilant from a different era)

[DungBeetle]

"Grass is a myth, no such thing as a grass court expert,some players are more comfortable on the surface. "

I think there are still a couple of grass court experts lower down the ranks who bank on a decent run at Queens/Wimbledon for a good chunk of their yearly income.   Nicholas Mahut springs to mind. 

[Larry David]

Quite agree but he had also become swiss number1 and carried them to Davis cup victory.  He is a completely different player and could take apart any of the top 4 and I woudn't be surprised. He just has to make sure he doesn't waste his talent.

The spaniards started playing more at Wimbledon when the courts started to have a little more bounce,some say the balls are heavier,the conspiracy theorists have you believe it was all in Nadal's plan to have heavier balls.