Revisiting what ESPN got wrong in the best ATP players ranking
By Lee Vowell
A lot of favoritism and sentimentality go into ranking the best ATP players of all time. This is fine from a fan's point of view. There is inherent bias in any ranking and maybe some Boris Becker fan in the world will simply not hear that the German is not the best player ever. Arguments could be made (and disputed) for the same.
If a website like Lob and Smash or ESPN is creating a ranking of the best players, however, then a more observant point of view must be maintained. This is why ESPN should have ranked the best men's players of the 21st century better. That starts at the top of their list.
No offense to Roger Federer, but he is not the best men's player of the 21st century. The statistics don't back that up and one could even argue he is not number two. Is the Swiss player seemingly one of the nicest players ever to pick up a racket and a great ambassador for the sport? Yes, but that is not what ESPN was ranking.
Revisiting what ESPN got wrong in the best ATP players ranking
Novak, Djokovic, who ESPN ranks second but should be first, has four more Grand Slam titles and spent more than 100 weeks longer at No. 1 on the ATP tour than any other person ever. He also leads the head-to-head battle over Federer and the player who is number three, Rafael Nadal. There is no question that Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal are the best three men's players of the 21st century.
The problem with men's tennis this century has always been that after the Big 3, there is a precipitous fall to number four. Number four, by the way, is Andy Murray. In nearly any other era, maybe the Brit wins north of 10 Grand Slam titles. He was very good but not an all-time great. He pales in comparison to the Big 3.
Next. ESPN ranks Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer where exactly?. ESPN ranks Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer where exactly?. dark
But then after number four there is an even bigger fall. ESPN ranks Andre Agassi at number five. Fair enough as the American did win three Grand Slams this century. But Carlos Alcaraz, even though he is only 21 years old, has accomplished more. The Spaniard has won four majors and spent some time as ATP No. 1. Alcaraz should be number five and well on his way toward the top three.
Stan Wawrinka comes in at number nine while Lleyton Hewitt is number 10. Those two could be flip-flopped because while Wawrinka won more majors, the Australian won a lot more titles (30 to 14).
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