If you were aware of which three historical players have the best records in best of five matches, you know more than me and presumably Dan.
The all time five set king is Bjorn Borg at 27-6 for an .818 percentage. Just about tied is Johan Kriek at 18-4 (also .818).
Kei Nishikori’s five set triumph over Banoit Paire this week places him just behind Borg and Kriek. The Japanese warrior now has a 23-6 record in best of fives.
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Harold · June 5, 2019 at 12:47 pm
That stat would probably make Nishikori the poster boy in Ben Rothenberg Twitter crusade to have the men go to 2 out of 3. You’d think he’d have a Major with that excellent 5 set record
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2019 at 1:19 pm
Is he still pushing for that reduction to best of 3 in majors? Nishikori is an underrated marvel. Along with this record, Kei also has a 10-4 head to head record vs Ferrer including 7 win in their last 8 matches. Kei also beat Ferrer in their first ever meeting in five sets at 2008 US Open. People give a lot of respect for Ferrer as a future Hall of Famer and being a great champion and example for tennis but maybe Nishikori deserves just as much if not more respect.
Hartt · June 5, 2019 at 1:21 pm
But so often Kei plays long, tough matches in the first week of a Slam, and then has nothing left, like when he had such a dismal match vs Rafa at this RG.
Harold · June 5, 2019 at 1:24 pm
Its not the Hall of Very Good..Nishikori is winning too many of those 5 setters early in Majors. Nothing left in the tank towards the finish line..
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2019 at 2:19 pm
The hall of fame is for exceptional extraordinary feats in tennis. If Ferrer gets in so should Kei. If Federer says he would vote yes for Rios, does that qualify Rios? Who will argue with Roger Federer? Besides Dan. 🙂
Dan Markowitz · June 7, 2019 at 5:33 am
I agree with Harold. Rios doesn’t get in, neither does Kei (unless he pulls off a slam win which seems less and less a possibility…who would’ve thought 10 years ago that Kei, Raonic and Dimitrov would never win a slam and only as a group reach two slam finals?!) or Ferrer or Haas.
Scoop Malinowski · June 7, 2019 at 9:47 am
If Ferrer gets in, so do Kei and Rios. By the sounds of things, I feel there is an impulse to vote Ferrer in. If that happens, many other players deserve to be in too. Federer himself said he would vote yes for Rios and Rios said that means more to him than actually being inducted into the hall of fame.
Harold · June 7, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Yikes!!! Just start a petition for Rios, get Fed to sign at the top,…
If youre letting in runner-ups..Pioline, Phillipousis, have more of those
The two time winners like Brugera have to get in before you start letting people in for being top 5 for X amount of years, and no Slams
Scoop Malinowski · June 7, 2019 at 9:05 pm
Harold, Rios was no. 1 in the world for six weeks. Harder to be no. 1 than win a major.
Harold · June 8, 2019 at 7:02 am
Maybe they can have a special wing for Rios, and Safina..both got to #1 for an hour..
Greatness in tennis, is protecting your points. 98 was a great year..3 Masters, major final ( beat no one special to get to final,lost to KORDA)..injuries derailed him after..
Not a HOF career
Scoop Malinowski · June 8, 2019 at 7:09 am
Thiem playing superb, his level seems to be annoying Djokovic who is manufacturing other issues to complain about like the umpire’s cadence but Thiem’s a warrior and I think it’s his toughness and excellence on big points which is bother Djokovic. So weird to see Djokovic, the best baseliner in history arguably, giving up on his strength and forcing the issue to go forward where he is losing about half the points at net. Tank? Or does Thiem’s baseline excellence have him psyched out?