Howdy, everyone. One of the joys of this job is the email I get, and a great one came in yesterday from long-time Brasilian reader, Fernando Nogueira. He wrote to alert me to a tennis blog, where veteran Brasilian sportswriter Jose Nilton Dalcim (editorial director of Tennis Brasil) decided to rank the best clay-court players of the Open era. Like Fernando, I found the list as solid as it is compelling, so I'm reproducing it here, with my own comments after each entry. Hat tip to Fernando for translating the text:
10 greatest clay-court players of the Open era:
- Bjorn Borg: the best, beyond question. 6 Roland Garros trophies, 4 of them in a row, without dropping a set in 2 of them. He is a phenomena - one of the greatest in the game who also enjoyed amazing popularity. He was also was a 3-time winner in Monte Carlo and 2-timer in Rome.
That about nails it: Did we mention that he also completed a Roland Garros/Wimbledon double three years running (1978-80) and only played the French eight times (his two losses were to the same man, Adriano Panatta; once in the quarters, once in the fourth-round in his first appearance at age 16?
- Ivan Lendl: one of the first pros to gather a work team and focus on fitness, a 3-time winner in France and 2-time in Rome, Hamburg and Monte Carlo.
More on him to come later this week, but the ranking once again underscores how under-appreciated Lendl was in his own time - and even today.
- Gustavo Kuerten: one of the few to win in every important clay court tournament, he has 3 RG and 4 clay Master Series. Very joyful and good-spirited, he proved it to be possible to play aggressively in the slow court, and brought back the drop shot.
You know, I never thought of ranking these guys this way, and doing so puts Kuerten in proper perspective. He went from first-round loser (1996) to winning Roland Garros the very next year.
- Rafael Nadal: even before turning 21, he is already the clay-court superstar, with 2 RG titles and 5 clay Master Series. Longest winning streak ever, symbol of youth and force in modern tennis. Has yet to reach the Number One position.
I'll drink to that!
- Mats Wilander: Borg’s worthy heir. Has 3 RG titles, 1 in Rome and 2 in Monte Carlo. Was the youngest champion in France in its time.
I know it's hard for fans of The Mighty Fed, given the Big Wilanders controversy, but you've got to love Mats. No question about it. Punched above his weight all his career and nobody ever had a cooler - and more operational - head on a tennis court.
- Guillermo Vilas: Has the longest (46) winning streak in one year, as well as the greatest number of titles (16), all in 1977. Has 5 important titles in clay, including a lone victory in France.
I guess some would be surprised by how low Vilas is ranked, but not me. The guy had a huge appetite for work, wrung every drop of talent out of his thick, powerful frame, and doesn't need to apologize to anyone, for anything!
- Thomas Muster: Won once in France and has 6 clay Master Series.
They called him "The Animal", quite accurately, but he lacked that extra bit of explosiveness (which is different from power), speed and imagination to rank higher.
