Djokovic (24) - Nadal (22) - Federer (20)

[Jezza]

UPDATE!

Grand Slam Head to Head Records:

Nadal 10-4 Federer
- 1). French Open 2005 (Semi Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 2). French Open 2006 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 3). Wimbledon 2006 (Final) = Federer (4 sets)
- 4). French Open 2007 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 5). Wimbledon 2007 (Final) = Federer (5 sets)
- 6). French Open 2008 (Final) = Nadal (3 sets)
- 7). Wimbledon 2008 (Final) = Nadal (5 sets)
- 8]. Australian Open 2009 (Final) = Nadal (5 sets)
- 9). French Open 2011 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 10). Australian Open 2012 (Semi Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 11). Australian Open 2014 (Semi Final) = Nadal (3 sets)
- 12). Australian Open 2017 (Final) = Federer (5 sets)
- 13). French Open 2019 (Semi Final) = Nadal (3 sets)
- 14). Wimbledon 2019 (Semi Final) = Federer (4 sets)

AUSTRALIAN OPEN = Nadal 3-1 Federer
FRENCH OPEN = Nadal 6-0 Federer
WIMBLEDON = Nadal 1-3 Federer
US OPEN = Nadal 0-0 Federer

Nadal 11-7 Djokovic
- 1). French Open 2006 (Quarter Final) = Nadal (2 sets up) - Djokovic retired early from injury
- 2). French Open 2007 (Semi Final) = Nadal (3 sets)
- 3). Wimbledon 2007 (Semi Final) = Nadal (2 sets up) - Djokovic retired early from injury
- 4). French Open 2008 (Semi Final) = Nadal (3 sets)
- 5). US Open 2010 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 6). Wimbledon 2011 (Final) = Djokovic (4 sets)
- 7). US Open 2011 (Final) = Djokovic (4 sets)
- 8]. Australian Open 2012 (Final) = Djokovic (5 sets)
- 9). French Open 2012 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 10). French Open 2013 (Semi Final) = Nadal (5 sets)
- 11). US Open 2013 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 12). French Open 2014 (Final) = Nadal (4 sets)
- 13). French Open 2015 (Quarter Final) = Djokovic (3 sets)
- 14). Wimbledon 2018 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (5 sets)
- 15). Australian Open 2019 (Final) = Djokovic (3 sets)
- 16). French Open 2020 (Final) = Nadal (3 sets)
- 17). French Open 2021 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (4 sets)
- 18]. French Open 2022 (Quarter Final) = Nadal (4 sets)

AUSTRALIAN OPEN = Nadal 0-2 Djokovic
FRENCH OPEN = Nadal 8-2 Djokovic
WIMBLEDON = Nadal 1-2 Djokovic
US OPEN = Nadal 2-1 Djokovic

Djokovic 11-6 Federer
- 1). Australian Open 2007 (4th Round) = Federer (3 sets)
- 2). US Open 2007 (Final) = Federer (3 sets)
- 3). Australian Open 2008 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (3 sets)
- 4). US Open 2008 (Semi Final) = Federer (4 sets)
- 5). US Open 2009 (Semi Final) = Federer (3 sets)
- 6). US Open 2010 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (5 sets)
- 7). Australian Open 2011 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (3 sets)
- 8]. French Open 2011 (Semi Final) = Federer (4 sets)
- 9). US Open 2011 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (5 sets)
- 10). French Open 2012 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (3 sets)
- 11). Wimbledon 2012 (Semi Final) = Federer (4 sets)
- 12). Wimbledon 2014 (Final) = Djokovic (5 sets)
- 13). Wimbledon 2015 (Final) = Djokovic (4 sets)
- 14). US Open 2015 (Final) = Djokovic (4 sets)
- 15). Australian Open 2016 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (4 sets)
- 16). Wimbledon 2019 (Final) = Djokovic (5 sets)
- 17). Australian Open 2020 (Semi Final) = Djokovic (3 sets)

AUSTRALIAN OPEN = Djokovic 4-1 Federer
FRENCH OPEN = Djokovic 1-1 Federer
WIMBLEDON = Djokovic 3-1 Federer
US OPEN = Djokovic 3-3 Federer

[PyreneesPie]

Rafa totally amazes me all over again!!

How on earth he managed to stay in that first set against Zverev last night, I don't know. I thought for sure he'd collapse at any moment from dehydration, given the rate at which he was sweating!! He was the epitome of "lathered in sweat". He must have a mind of pure steel.

It was unfortunate the way the game ended, but for Rafa's sake, I'm glad he didn't have to melt through five sets to get into the final. I'd love for him to grab another Grand Slam title, just to make it all the more difficult for Djokovic to ever catch him.

[Jezza]

The GOAT race is now between Nadal and Djokovic for mine.

I think Federer is third best out of the three.

[Jezza]

French Open final:

Nadal vs Ruud.

[Jezza]

Rafa wins in straight sets 6-3 6-3 6-0.

Rafael Nadal (22)

1. French Open 2005
2. French Open 2006
3. French Open 2007
4. French Open 2008
5. Wimbledon 2008
6. Australian Open 2009
7. French Open 2010
8. Wimbledon 2010
9. US Open 2010
10. French Open 2011
11. French Open 2012
12. French Open 2013
13. US Open 2013
14. French Open 2014
15. French Open 2017
16. US Open 2017
17. French Open 2018
18. French Open 2019
19. US Open 2019
20. French Open 2020
21. Australian Open 2022
22. French Open 2022

BREAKDOWN

Australian Open = (2009, 2022)
French Open = (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
Wimbledon = (2008, 2010)
US Open = (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)

[Jezza]

By Slams

Australian Open
- Djokovic (9) = (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021)
- Federer (6) = (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018)
- Nadal (2) = (2009, 2022)

French Open
- Nadal (14) = (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
- Djokovic (2) = (2016, 2021)
- Federer (1) = (2009)

Wimbledon
- Federer [8] = (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017)
- Djokovic (6) = (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021)
- Nadal (2) = (2008, 2010)

US Open
- Federer (5) = (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
- Nadal (4) = (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019)
- Djokovic (3) = (2011, 2015, 2018)

[Jezza]

Career Titles Leaderboard (Singles) - Open Era:

1. Jimmy Connors = 109
2. Roger Federer = 103
3. Ivan Lendl = 94
4. Rafael Nadal = 92
5. Novak Djokovic = 87
6. John McEnroe = 77
7. Rod Laver = 72
8. Bjorn Borg = 64
9. Ilie Nastase = 64
10. Pete Sampras = 64

Total weeks at #1:
1. Novak Djokovic = 373
2. Roger Federer = 310
3. Pete Sampras = 286
4. Ivan Lendl = 270
5. Jimmy Connors = 268
6. Rafael Nadal = 209
7. John McEnroe = 170
8. Bjorn Borg = 109
9. Andre Agassi = 101
10. Lleyton Hewitt = 80

[Jezza]

How did we get here:

2003 = Federer [1], Nadal [0], Djokovic [0]
2004 = Federer [4], Nadal [0], Djokovic [0]
2005 = Federer [6], Nadal [1], Djokovic [0]
2006 = Federer [9], Nadal [2], Djokovic [0]
2007 = Federer [12], Nadal [3], Djokovic [0]
2008 = Federer [13], Nadal [5], Djokovic [1]
2009 = Federer [15], Nadal [6], Djokovic [1]
2010 = Federer [16], Nadal [9], Djokovic [1]
2011 = Federer [16], Nadal [10], Djokovic [4]
2012 = Federer [17], Nadal [11], Djokovic [5]
2013 = Federer [17], Nadal [13], Djokovic [6]
2014 = Federer [17], Nadal [14], Djokovic [7]
2015 = Federer [17], Nadal [14], Djokovic [10]
2016 = Federer [17], Nadal [14], Djokovic [12]
2017 = Federer [19], Nadal [16], Djokovic [12]
2018 = Federer [20], Nadal [17], Djokovic [14]
2019 = Federer [20], Nadal [19], Djokovic [16]
2020 = Federer [20], Nadal [20], Djokovic [17]
2021 = Federer [20], Nadal [20], Djokovic [20]
2022 = Federer [20], Nadal [22], Djokovic [20]

Bold = added to their tally

[K]

Rafa totally amazes me all over again!!

How on earth he managed to stay in that first set against Zverev last night, I don't know. I thought for sure he'd collapse at any moment from dehydration, given the rate at which he was sweating!! He was the epitome of "lathered in sweat". He must have a mind of pure steel.

It was unfortunate the way the game ended, but for Rafa's sake, I'm glad he didn't have to melt through five sets to get into the final. ...

Yep, PPie, amazing that he won a GS on one good foot. With all the injuries, and that comeback to win the AO, he must be the greatest of all players mentally.

The sweating is also a bad sign for him technically, 'cos it means it's very humid. High humidity is the kryptonite to the clay-court game. It reduces the spin the clay-court players can get. This plays into the hands of the power hitters with the flat groundstrokes, like Zverev (Djokovic too).

Possibly the biggest threat to a fit Nadal at RG is not a clay-court specialist (e.g. Ruud) but a hitter with the flat bazooka serve and groundstrokes, in the right conditions. The clay courter will do the same as Rafa but not as well. The hitter might fluke a hot run and hit him off the court.

[K]

J. Feinstein, WaPo:

Rafael Nadal, gracious and brilliant, is the GOAT of tennis

"If you held a final vote for greatest player of all time today, Nadal, who turned 36 on Friday, would have to be No. 1.

Statistics are overused nowadays, but a handful of Nadal’s numbers go beyond breathtaking. He is 112-3 at Roland Garros (what?), but he has also won eight majors off the red clay: two Australian Opens; two Wimbledons and four US Opens. That’s as many majors as icons Connors, Andre Agassi and Lendl each won total, and one more than McEnroe.

What’s most fascinating about all this is that last year the title of greatest player ever had been more or less ceded to Djokovic. He had beaten Nadal on his way to winning in Paris in June and had gone on to win at Wimbledon in July, putting him in a three-way tie with Nadal and Federer with 20 major victories.

Federer turned 40 in August and had lost in the Wimbledon quarterfinals to Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets, including 6-0 in the third. He then announced that he needed knee surgery, again, and hoped to play again in 2022. He still hasn’t played and, as McEnroe noted on Sunday, there’s a good chance we will never see him again in a major championship.
...

At one point, late in Sunday’s match, as Nadal went through his meticulous pre-point routine ..., NBC’s Dan Hicks commented on the consistency of that intricate routine.

Commentator Mary Carillo said: “Once the point starts though, what he does is very simple.”

Indeed it is: Hit the ball, then hit it again and again and again until the point is won. We’ve seen it now for 17 years and, even though his matches sometimes seem to go on forever, it never gets old.

What’s more, in a sport that has often lacked grace in its champions, Nadal is never anything but gracious in victory and defeat.
...

Nadal has now heard his anthem played on a French Open Sunday 14 times. The emotion on his face made it clear that he still revels in every victory.

As should we all."

[K]

G. Baum, before the RG final (June 5):

‘Maybe I like fighting more than winning’: Is Nadal the last man standing?

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis/ ... 5aqz3.html

"It always seemed that Nadal would grind himself out of the running. Federer made the game look effortless. He did not miss a major for 17 years and to this day has never retired from a tour-level match. After early waywardness and rough edges, Djokovic machined his game until it appeared indestructible. He has missed one major because of injury in 17 years.

Nadal emerged at a younger age than the other two, winning his first major when he was barely 19. But his style was and is strenuous. He was forever picking up injuries: knee, foot, wrist, hip, abdomen, ribs. It was as if his game kept shaking his body apart.

He has retired from at least nine tour-level matches and withdrawn altogether from nine majors. ...

As recently as last month, Nadal said he could not remember playing without pain. As long ago as 2008, when he was just 22, people wondered about the strain. “He started to win so early that maybe he will retire at 26 like Borg,” said prominent French player Sebastian Grosjean. ...

“Many of us who followed the sport closely were convinced that he would not be able to thrive on tour past his 20s,” wrote New York Times tennis-writing doyen Christopher Clarey. “We were all wrong.”
...

... As long as there was any tennis match, Nadal was up for it. In his book on Federer..., Clarey explores this a little, for a book about Federer must necessarily contain lots of Nadal. Clarey writes that it dawned on him after Nadal had beaten Federer to win his first Australian Open title in 2009 what made the Spaniard tick.

“He was much more about the thrill of the hunt than the satisfaction of the kill,” Clarey writes. “To revel in surpassing Federer was not the point. The meaning was in playing each point.”

Nadal affirmed it. “I love the competition, not only in tennis,” he said. “I love the competition in all aspects of life. When I compete, I love to be there and fight for the win.

“Maybe I like fighting more than winning.”"

[Jezza]

Nadal withdraws.

Djokovic a chance to win 21 if he can overcome Norrie and Kyrgios.

[Donny]

Djokovic v. Norrie scheduled for 11.45 tonight.

[Donny]

Norrie won the first set, 6-2.

[Jezza]

Djokovic won in 4 sets.

Djokovic v. Kyrgios.