The Goat Debate

[ti-amie]

The only woman who could've dethroned Steffi - in her time - was Monica Seles and we know what happened there.

Chrissie/Martina I tend to go with Martina.

For the modern age, it's hands down Serena.

Margaret Court? Who played club players for most of her "GS wins" in Australia? Nope. Not in the conversation.

[ponchi101]

For the modern age, there is no hands down. There are three players with incredible resumes. That is where the numbers need to be crunched. For example: you simply cannot disregard Martina's 167 total tournaments. That is double what Serena has, and some change.
It is not so easy.

[Cuckoo4Coco]

I guess when tennis fans talk about these things they weigh the Slams as huge in the conversations because they are well high profile events and everyone can view them pretty much. Those are the stats it seems like people look at first. I really think that is why people lean towards Serena over the other two (not counting Margaret Court) because that was a different era. The same can be said for the men and Rafa. He has the most Slams under his belt so that is what most people look at first it seems.

[ponchi101]

My position on the men has changed twice already since this topic was started. I initially set up Roger, as he and Rafa were tied, and Novak was still a bit behind (18 I think). Then, when Novak tied them, I flipped to him: equal number of slams, winning record against both, has won all MS1000. The little extra things made me put him on the lead, I felt.
Now with Rafa two slams clear of both, I moved him on top again. More slams, has won all slams at least twice (as Novak), has a bunch of other records. At the very least, the debate is not over.
These debates are fun to me, but I also say that in some cases they can be figured out. There is a commentator here in S. America, whom I particularly detest, that likes to claim "there will never be anybody bigger than Roger". Really? So, even if Nadal reaches 24 slams, or Novak reaches 26, Roger will still be the GOAT? Just because you like him? I find that childish. For example, as much as I like Roger, my favorite player of all time is Pete. But there is no way I could honestly say that Pete is, in any way, better than Roger, not even on grass. The numbers are simply not there.
And I guess it is really time to open that WOMEN's GOAT topic. Just after W.

[Cuckoo4Coco]

I think Roger's career is on the downside now and with players like Rafa and Novak still playing at the level they both are I don't see him winning much with both of them and even these other younger players like Medvedev and Zverev and others in tournaments. I still see Novak at the top of his game but with all of this vaccine stuff and the possibility of him being held out of some major tournaments and definitely the Australian Open and the US Open. That leaves Rafa fighting off all of these younger top players for tournament wins and I see him capable of doing it especially on the clay courts. In the end I think Rafa will go down as the GOAT of men's tennis.

[mick1303]

Here is some small trivia which came to my mind while I was populating doubles results. In the earlier years of Open Era the doubles were more "mainstream" so to say. There were no such sharp division between singles and doubles specialists. It can be observed at the top by the multiple Grand Slam titles in doubles of the leaders in singles of the 60s and 70s. The question of my trivia is - who was the last "old school" male player, who had multiple slams both in singles and in doubles. Can you tell without looking it up ))

[ponchi101]

Without looking up, I would say Edberg. I am certain of the singles (6, after all) but I can't tell the doubles.
But I remember clearly his pairing with Jarryd. A superb team.

[skatingfan]

I would say John McEnroe.

[skatingfan]

I was wrong.

[skatingfan]

Without looking up, I would say Edberg. I am certain of the singles (6, after all) but I can't tell the doubles.
But I remember clearly his pairing with Jarryd. A superb team.

No it wasn't Edberg, and it wasn't McEnroe either.

[Deuce]

I would have guessed Edberg or McEnroe, as well...
My next guess was Rafter... but it seems he had only 1 doubles Major.

[ponchi101]

Then, if not Edberg or Mac (and I say it would be Mac, he has the hardware), I say John Newcombe.
A man that has been forgotten by many, despite being a monster on court. And he paired with Tony Roche for many years, which was a superb team.

[Deuce]

Well, Edberg and McEnroe meet the criteria of having won more than one Major in both singles and doubles - but the question asked was who is the most RECENT player to accomplish this.
So, if McEnroe and Edberg did it, then the answer can't be Newcombe or anyone from that generation, as they played before McEnroe and Edberg. It would have to be someone who played after Edberg.

After Rafter, I thought maybe Becker got a couple of doubles majors with his buddy Slobodan Zivojinovic... but, no, that didn't happen.
This is a good trivia question...

[atlpam]

Serena

[ashkor87]

But the question was MALE player..so I would say McEnroe is the right answer...not sure Murray has too many doubles titles,