CAMELOT FANTASIES

Quote from: masterclass on February 19, 2014, 08:52:23 am

Looks like Rafa will keep the career clay winning percentage for a long time.  93%, if that's not domination over his competition, nothing is.  Borg is next just under 86%, and Lendl drops down to just over 81%. 

I don't think there is much doubt that Rafa will pass Vilas in the Career Clay Title count.  He trails him by 4, 46-42.  It's only a question of when.  It could possibly happen this year.   But Vilas has one Clay record that I think is safe, 634 career clay match wins.  Nadal has about 293 or so.

Roger is just over 87% on grass, also very high and leads in titles won, but will not catch the great Jimmy Connors in matches won on the turf. McEnroe next at a little under 86%.  There are a group of 4 stalwarts in the 83rd percentile headed by Murray, Borg, Sampras, and Connors.  Heady company indeed.

The interesting one for me though is hard court winning percentage for the career.

There are 5 players with 82 and a fraction percent all separated by less the 3 tenths of a percent.
82.61 Connors
82.60 Lendl
82.50 Laver
82.35 Djokovic
82.34 Federer

I would expect Federer's percentage to dip somewhat as he ages.  Of course the same would apply to any active player that continues to play after their prime years.  But he probably still has a good couple of years before his percentage will get much worse. 

But just to show how close it is, if current 5th place Federer were to win Dubai and Indian Wells back to back, as he did year before last, that would be 11-0 and he would be 575-121 and at 82.615 %, which would put him just ahead of current 1st place Connors who is at 82.609 %.  By the same token, he has played so many matches it is difficult for him to move the percentage a lot.  Even if he finished his career at a 75% clip for a 100 matches or so, equivalent to averaging losing in the 4th round of every tournament, he would still end up higher than McEnroe who is in 6th place.

Respectfully,
masterclass

Great stuff, General (ha ha ha),

If I was a tennis player I don't think I would pay any attention to the numbers and percentages, unless I was checking them to find some improvement. But, as far as highest, most, best, etc. I would ignore that part. Less pressure. I would still want to enjoy my tennis, and I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I was constantly keeping score.

Lady TT,  I completely agree with you, when one is a younger or less accomplished player.   Then one would think about winning their first tournament, or first masters, or slam, or dreaming of being in the top 10 or #1.    But everyone is different and one can't predict how they'll react to success.   But I think every player that has longevity and many accomplishments,  that has a sense of history does indeed look at those records.  For many, it helps their motivation, once they have already achieved much.  For others, it might give themselves a sense of where they belong and might end up in history.

Of course, while playing in a match, one probably does not think of those things unless they are about to set or tie a record.  I can guarantee you that Federer was thinking about majors #14 and #15, especially once he reached the final.  And don't think that Nadal wasn't thinking of getting #14 to tie him with Pete at the last AO.  Pressure, sure, but there are many that thrive on pressure.  Not everyone succumbs.  But as they play each match?  Probably not, unless they know that match could mean a record.  They are trying to focus on each match.  But before a tournament, or before the final, certainly.  Or when assessing their goals for a season...   I would, but that's me.  But I like to have pressure on myself.  Wanting to win any match brings a nice kind of pressure.  But after a while, just winning can become commonplace, and one tends not to care as much unless something important is on the line.  Some players have a huge dream of winning Wimbledon.  Or any slam.  Once they've achieved that, some feel so fulfilled, they never win another.  They just can't get motivated enough to want to do more.  Others see it as just the beginning and want to achieve even more.  I suppose it depends on one's personality and ambition.

Federer knows the records that are out there.  Ask General Hercules about the video where Federer talked about getting 100 titles and other records.  How else do players that have done so much keep themselves motivated?  They look at the record books, they set short term and long term goals.  Does Rafa think about getting 2 of each major for his career?  I would think he does.  Does he care about getting the most titles on clay to surpass Vilas? Probably to a degree in terms of lifetime goals.  But he probably won't focus on it until reminded of it when he is ready to tie or break the record.  Does Roger think about getting an all time record 8th Wimbledon title before he retires?  You bet.  Or breaking the 3 way tie between himself,  Connors and Sampras for most US Opens?  Does he think about having the highest match winning percentage on a surface?  Probably not that much, but it's probably something he recognizes.  Some of these stats are more for tennis aficionados.   Others become targets.  Vague awareness when further away, or more obvious and real when closing in on a significant record. 

Wayne Gretzky, nicknamed "The Great One", and truly one of the greatest hockey players in history, who set almost every offensive record in the game, and a very modest man, said about the time when he had a record tying 7 assists in one game, "When I was close to getting my 7th assist,  I and my teammates all knew what was on the line and we were happy when I fortunately got it.  But believe me when I say, when I went into the locker room after the game, I was very disappointed I didn't get 8."    When he was trying hard to beat the all time National Hockey League record of getting 50 goals in 50 games, he was playing in only his 39th game and had 45 goals already.  He said, "I was so worried that I might not get 50 in 50,  I bore down hard in that 39th game, I was fortunate to score 5 goals that game and break the record.  But you have to have great teammates, be without injuries, and be a little fortunate to do these things.  Of all my records, it's the one record I think will be the hardest to break", with a trace of a proud smile on his face.

Respectfully,
masterclass