One of the most epic matches in the history of tennis, the 2008 Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal witnessed tennis of the highest quality. "I'm . So, who is the better player? Sampras, understanding Nadals superiority from the back of the court, would slide his first serves wide to Rafas two-handed backhand in the deuce court; come in behind first and second balls; and chip-and-charge on Nadals second serve whenever possible. Maybe towards the end when he had the records and wasn't nearly as motivated but during his heyday in the 90's. Wondering what the Tournament of Champions is, and how we got here? As Nadal and Djokovic look to light up Paris once again, let's have a look at head-to-head numbers -. Semifinal: (2) Rafael Nadal vs. (3) Pete Sampras. At 6'4" with a huge flat serve down the T, he gave Pete a very rough time. Nadal is without a doubt the greatest clay court player ever. His backhand and groundstrokes looked beautiful to me in every way. Only 5 uso have been won by one man. Rafa is at 6th with 209 weeks at Number 1. If he was ever to retire, he might be the greatest player of all time. A rivalry is also accompanied by opposing perspectives and often, there is no love lost between the protagonists. .atp-nav-list>.atp-nav-item>a { Other than when he fell off the map, Agassi was always a huge threat everywhere. If, we're being hypothetical here, I'd say Us open. * Ever since Surface and Ba. He has an outstanding backhand that is as close to perfect as any tennis backhand I have ever seen. Agassi and Rafter are #1 and #2 comfortably. When Djokovic was asked, after winning his third AO title in 2012, what is the most important trophy he's ever won, he said that the AO is a tournament that has a special place in his hearth, because it was his first Major win, but he always dreamed about winning Wimbledon and holding the Wimb trophy, even as a child. At age 27, Shiffrin has six years on Matija Pecoti! Nadal was injured in his second round match in Australia and has not played since January. padding-left: 0px; Magnus Larsson beat Sampras 4 times, that must be in the top 10. Denis Shapovalov 36 (1986.06.03) Age 23 (1999.04.15) . When discussing the greatest tennis player of all time, Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal invariably find themselves in the conversation. I agree that 9 is still > 7 though. Yes, it is close, but you can't count the slight edge in Masters and Grand Slam titles as important factors but then discount Djokovic's slight edge in head-to-head. Is considered a pigeon because Pete got the best of him at the biggest moments but he was truthfully anything but. Sampras retired from professional tennis in 2002, while Nadal did not break onto the scene until a few years later. Wimbledon. 'Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic went over the edge,' says Patrick Mouratoglou, Novak Djokovic: Probably no Serbia Open in 2024, Ion Tiriac wants his licence back, ATP Acapulco: Taro Daniel scores first top-10 win despite beating Novak Djokovic, ATP Dubai: Lorenzo Sonego keeps Rafael Nadal in top-10, Andy Murray responds to Novak Djokovic, Iga Swiatek praise: Lot of respect for them, Rafael Nadal will lose the Top-10 after almost 18 years. Sampras dominated the tennis world in the 1990s, winning 14 Grand Slam singles titles. Their meetings were fascinating above all because of the contrast of styles," added the 13-time champion of Paris. Since 2001, Nadal has reigned supreme on clay, reaching the French Open semifinals twice, losing to Novak Djokovic in 2012 and 2016, and winning the US Open. Is Head Radical head heavy? That's in addition to the 167,000 pay cheque he earned . In the 1997 ATP Masters clash in Miami, Bruguera finally sealed his positive head-to-head record against Sampras as he defeated him on Hard Courts for the first time. Becker: "Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafae Nadal are icons! "I don't like to play on clay during the night, because the humidity is higher, the ball is slower, and there can be very heavy conditions especially when it's cold," said Nadal. Federer, from Switzerland, has spent over three hundred weeks of . Overall, Djokovic leads Nadal 30-28 since their first career meeting at the 2006 French Open. College Tennis. Roger Federer Lleyton Hewitt 18-9. position: relative; Jennifer Coolidge: breaking the mould and the internet, US man dies from brain-eating amoeba after rinsing his nose, Novak Djokovic is now surely unrivalled in tennis history, This is probably the biggest victory of my life, Where: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, 2023 womens singles champion:Aryna Sabalenka, 2023 mens singles champion: Novak Djokovic, Where: Stade Roland-Garros, Paris, France, 2022 womens singles champion: Iga witek, 2022 mens singles champion: Rafael Nadal, Where: All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, London, England, 2022 womens singles champion:Elena Rybakina, 2022 mens singles champion: Novak Djokovic, Where: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, US, 2022 womens singles champion:Iga witek, 2022 mens singles champion:Carlos Alcaraz, Olympic singles gold medals: 1 (Beijing 2008), Roger Federer: 8 (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017), Pete Sampras: 7(1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000), Novak Djokovic: 7 (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), Bjorn Borg: 5 (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980), Wins at grand slams: Nadal 11, Djokovic 7, 2018 semi-final: Djokovic won 6-4, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 10-8, 2011 final: Djokovic won 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 2007 semi-final: Nadal won 3-6, 6-1, 4-1 (Djokovic retired), 2011 final: Djokovic won 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1, 2012 final: Djokovic won 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5, Wins at Roland Garros: Nadal8, Djokovic 2, 2022 quarter-final: Nadal won6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4), 2021 semi-final: Djokovic won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2, 2015 quarter-final: Djokovic won 7-5, 6-3, 6-1, 2013 semi-final: Nadal won 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7, 2008 semi-final: Nadal won 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(3), 2006 quarter-final: Nadal won 6-4, 6-4 (Djokovic retired). Despite the fact that Nadal won the fifth set in a five-set match, he still came up short. During his career, Novak Djokovic has already broken several records, but Sampras predicts that he has many more to break. Federer has beaten Nadal 24 times, including in the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open. Sampras vs Agassi Head to Head Stats. entered the top 10 of the world ranking for the first time on April 25, 2005. . Novak Djokovic celebrates his tenth Australian Open title, Rafael Nadal won his 14th French Open title in 2022. } } Players like Andy Murray, Sloane Stephens and Taylor Fritz have all used the Radical over the years. That's true, but his problem was different. Andre Agassi. width: 32px; That's why apart from his last tournament at the 2002 US Open he didn't win a hardcourt Slam (and obviously no RG either) after age 25. The Spaniard has had the upper hand in Grand Slam matches, winning 10 matches to Federers four and also leads the head-to-head in Grand Slam finals, winning six to Federers three. The shamed three-time Wimbledon champion, 55, was released from jail in Britain and deported to Germany in December after serving seven-and-a-half months behind bars for hiding his assets after declaring bankruptcy, and has now been accused by his ex-spouse Sharlely Kerssenberg, who is known as Lilly, of not giving her a . Why? .atp-nav-list>.atp-nav-item>a { I'm sceptical, about their being more glory compared to the rest. Expect nuanced match reports, previews,reviews, technical analysis based on statistics, the latest social media trends, expert opinions on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey,motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics and much more. The Montana women's tennis team received a 5-2 loss to Sacramento State, in California.Montana now prepares for one of its biggest matchups of the season when the Montana State Bobcats visit . Pete Sampras was World Number 1 for 286 weeks . Alexander Zverev felt 'confident' he could beat Rafael Nadal before horror injury. . Lilly Becker slammed her husband for his poor treatment of their 13-year-old son, Amadeus. Like Roger Federer, Sampras would struggle to counter those shots with his one-hander. background: none; He won the 2016 Monte Carlo Masters title, his most recent ATP 1000 title, as well. Despite the fact that it is a close race, Sampras must win to advance in the rankings. I think that Pete was vexed by the British/Canadian Rusedski, a player who seemed to annoy him. } His arm was the size of a minor cannon at his peak during his career. Enter any two player's names in the search boxes at the top of this page for H2H tennis stats. Nadal, on the other hand, had not won a Grand Slam since the 2014 French Open and had not made a Grand Slam quarter-final since the 2015 French Open. Copyright 1994 - 2020 ATP Tour, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He indeed wouldn't likely lose twice in a row against a certain player, but outside of Wimbledon he could possibly lose to anyone ONCE, even at a Slam. Head to head records for players in men's professional tennis. 1. He missed last years event Down Under after being deported because of his Covid-19 vaccination status and also had to deal with a hamstring injury and a row involving his father. Federer, though, has overshadowed Nadal at Wimbledon, leading 3-1. } This is probably the biggest victory of my life, considering those circumstances.. Enter a WILSON Tennis Racket Pete Sampras Comp 26 model PWS Graphite. Gerulaitis: 6-2. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi played each other a total of 34 times with the first Sampras vs Agassi match being in Rome in 1989. Novak Djokovic passes Rafael Nadal, matches Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova on how to build strong brand: Be smart with people you align with, Flavia Pennetta: "Novak Djokovic is always number 1! The only modern player who is better than Sampras is Fed, every other player are trying to catch him. I take issue with putting Ivanisevic as high as #2. But it is not as prestigious as the Championships e.g. Gradually, after a fairytale nish to his career when he won the 2002 U.S. Open, Sampras was float: left; When they played against each other, it was truly an unmissable opportunity. Nadal and Djokovic have played one match each after dark. Is Pete Sampras the greatest tennis player of all time? Nadal also had other points of reference at a young age: "I was influenced by my current coach Carlos Moya, who has always provided me with useful advice. Diego Schwartzman French Open 2020 Semi finalist also uses the Head Radical. If you could only win one slam, which would it be? With the addition of Sabalenka, the player field now showcases five of the world . Pete Sampras is unquestionably one of the best athletes of all time, and he went on to win the title after upsetting Nadal in the 2008 semifinals of the French Open. When looking at their head-to-head matchups, Nadal holds a slight edge with a record of 21-15. .atp-nav-list>.atp-nav-item { Following his retirement in September 2022, Federerfinished his career with 20 majors. However, Sampras has won both of their meetings in Grand Slam finals. Nadal played in four Davis Cup-winning teams during his career: 2004-08, 2009-2011, and 2011-12. Andre Agassi, his fierce rival, appeared in numerous Nike advertisements, earning millions of dollars. Watch, Will contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats with our alliances in 2024: Akhilesh, Indian table tennis talent waits for system to blossom, Wisconsin gurdwara attack: Sikh motorcyclists start ride against hate crimes, PSG's Achraf Hakimi given preliminary charges on rape allegation, Another temple vandalised by pro-Khalistan supporters in Australia, Pick a topic of your interest and subscribe. } Though their individual playing styles are vastly different, both have had tremendous success in the sport. Sampras, understanding Nadal's superiority from the back of the court, would slide his first serves wide to Rafa's two-handed backhand in the deuce court; come in behind first and second balls . Regarded as one of the best Australian Open tournaments in history, the 2009 final fittingly threw up another classic Federer vs Nadal clash. Six years and one fewer job! I think is only in hindsight as well. Elliston Place Soda Shop will . Andre won their first match 6-2, 6-1 but by the end of their tennis careers, Pete led their H2H 20 wins to 14 ( 20-14 ). When the 2nd half of the season hit, he had no equals as he prevailed more times than not on the big stage in the big matches. Of his 20 majors, 12 are French Open titles. Still, Djokovic needs French and Olympic for the coveted gold slam. .summary-tbody td[data-type*='Rating'] { Competition ? Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited - Steve Flink 2020-09 Pete Sampras is a central gure in the history of tennis, the dominant force in the game during the 1990's, and the greatest American male player of all time. Lopez and Nadal have played against each other 14 times. Pete Sampras 41 (1981.08.08) Age (1971.08.12) Switzerland Birthplace United States 6'1" (185 cm) Height 6'1" (185 cm) 187 lbs (85 kg) Weight 170 lbs (77 kg) . If you are already a Tennis.com user click the LOGIN button, otherwise create an account and start playing. Their last match against each other was in the final of . A 17-year-old Nadal set the tone for the rivalry with a 6-3, 6-3 win over the then two-time Grand Slam champion and world No. Andy Roddick vs Rafael Nadal all matches, with stats on their H2H rivalry. He has a lot of years ahead of him in terms of his future. Overview. . Published January 19, 2023. Failing on clay don't make Sampras incomplete, there are 6 surface fast hardcourt, slow hardcourt, indoor, carpet, grass and clay andhe is better than Rafa on 5 surface. Pete Sampras. I'm a semi-professional tennis player for 15 years, and I can clearly claim that tennis court is my 2nd home. Nadal is the only Spanish player, male or female, to win all four majors twice, to rank world No. Nadal has a 19-8 edge on clay and has won seven of the pair's nine meetings in Paris. England and Wales company registration number 2008885, Subscribe to TheWeek. Actually, most real tennis fans could care less about clay. He followed in the footsteps of Bjorn Borg to combine an icy demeanor on court with an equally brutal game to dominate tennis for nearly two decades. float: left; However, he equalled the record by winning the French Open and broke it by winning Wimbledon later in the year. Throughout his long career, Pete Sampras used only one grip and one racket model to master all of his strokes. For example, a racket with a large head will have a larger sweet spot, making it more forgiving on off-center hits. It lasted for a marathon four hours and 48 minutes. borg too and laver depending on whether you count him. Rafael Nadal (1970.04.29) Age 36 (1986.06.03) United States Birthplace Spain 5'11" (180 cm) Height 6'1" (185 cm) 177 lbs (80 kg) . Visit our corporate site www.futureplc.com Future Publishing Limited, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. At HT Sports Desk, passionate reporters work round the clock to provide detailed updates from the world of sports. 1. Icons such as Bjrn Borg, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors get a special mention in the GOAT discussion, but for many people its a choice of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer. (2 Australian Open & 4 US Open titles), tied with Andre Agassi for fourth-most behind Pete Sampras (7), Federer (11) and Novak Djokovic (13) in the Open Era. Pete Sampras - Pete Sampras 2010-05-20 Pete Sampras is arguably the greatest player tennis has ever seen. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 30 wins to 28. You must log in or register to reply here. Expect nuanced match reports, previews,reviews, technical analysis based on statistics, the latest social media trends, expert opinions on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey,motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics and much more. ATP Player : Please enter the names (or part of the name) of the both ATP Players, you want to compare Head to Head. This was the third-consecutive time that Federer and Nadal were contesting the Wimbledon final, with Federer winning the preceding two.