Build a Mental Giant.

[djarvik]

If you had to construct the best mental player from the following parts (current players only):

- Best match starter
- Best front runner
- Best Set Closer (serving)
- Best at "Staying Alive"
- Best tie break player
- Best Match closer
- Best Comeback

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- Best match starter - Nadal
- Best front runner - Federer
- Best Set Closer (serving) - Roddick
- Best at "Staying Alive" - Djokovic, Murray
- Best tie break player - Isner
- Best Match closer - Djokovic
- Best Comeback - Djokovic

With 3 categories to his name, Novak to me is the Mental Giant. He may not be the best starter or front runner, but he is near impossible to put away and is one of the best players (ever?) to be able to turn things around and comeback. A complete opposite of how his career started, when he used to play his bets tennis early on and early middle of the match and was completely unraveling mid to end matches, with some noteworthy retirements.

[Corbon]

Monster Defense + Smell of Blood

[SlicerITST]

Im not sure about Isner as the best tiebreak player mentally. His serve gives him a few free points in the tiebreaks which makes it easier for him to win a tiebreak. There is nothing extra there mentally speaking to me.

One could argue that to get the big serves in a tiebreak you need a mental edge. But i would say it is not different then any other stroke that finishes the point.

[Corbon]

- Best match starter - Nadal
- Best front runner - Nadal
- Best Set Closer (serving) - Federer
- Best at "Staying Alive" - Murray
- Best tie break player - Federer
- Best Match closer - Djokovic
- Best Comeback - Djokovic, Federer

By Best at "Staying Alive" do you mean losing anyway in the end? Because otherwise it would be a comeback. As for the best tie break player, I'd just compare statistics.

About Set Closer, Federer used to up his serve under pressure (Focus Service) and on big points but he seems to have lost this ability in recent years.

I always compare tie breaks with penalty shootouts. Great defense, strong nerves and a killer instinct are more important than power, stamina or skills. Some teams are still better at it, like some players are better tie break players.

[djarvik]

True, but you still need to "make" these big serves. He does have the advantage of that serve (once made) being bigger then most guys, but when you look at other big servers - they don't do as well as he does. Isner really does have a knock of coming up big in big points on tie break. Just from watching him, he has a very good clutch factor to him.

[Corbon]

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Reliability ... -List.aspx

Federer has the overall edge over Isner actually.

[safe_as_milk_]

Match starter: Federer, Nadal
Front runner: Federer
Set closer: Djokovic
Staying alive: Djokovic
Tie break: Federer
Match closer: Djokovic
Best Comeback: Djokovic

Feels harsh on nadal, murray, the big servers and maybe even ferrer, but that's my pick. Federer for match starter simply because of how quickly he can rifle through that first set... it's got to be a such a blow to the opponent to practically be a set down before they've even settled in.

I always compare tie breaks with penalty shootouts. Great defense, strong nerves and a killer instinct are more important than power, stamina or skills. Some teams are still better at it, like some players are better tie break players.

Agreed about nerves etc,, but tiebreaks are nowhere near as much of a lottery as penalty shootouts... the tactics are intensified in tiebreaks.

[L Sanchez MD]

[djarvik]

By Best at "Staying Alive" do you mean losing anyway in the end? Because otherwise it would be a comeback. As for the best tie break player, I'd just compare statistics.

Pretty much. Murray is a good example, he will often get down in the set 5-2, then dig himself out and have a chance to win. He is in this situation very often.

Comeback is more the overall, winning a match while being down and out.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Reliability-Zone/Reliability-Tie-Breakers-Career-List.aspx

Federer has the overall edge over Isner actually.

True. But we have to take into account the competition. Winning a tie break against Gulbis for example - is not a great feat

[Corbon]

Well it turned out to be an insurmountable barrier for Berdych recently

Agreed about nerves etc,, but tiebreaks are nowhere near as much of a lottery as penalty shootouts... the tactics are intensified in tiebreaks.

Penalties are never really a lottery imo. If someone has the skill to put the ball into the triangle at a medium or hard pace, he would score 100% of the time. On the other hand, a goalkeeper's ability to read the shooter is also underestimated and likewise, some are just better at isaving a penalty altogether.

[Coolhand Texas]

great topic Al, mental strength is really what separates top 100 from top 20 and top 10.

Best match starter: Rafael Nadal
Best front runner: Roger Federer
Best set closer: John Isner/ Roger Federer
Best at "Staying Alive": David Ferrer/ Lleyton Hewitt
Best tie break player: John Isner/ Milos Raonic
Best match closer: Novak Djokovic /Lukas rosol for that 5th set serving
Best comeback: Novak Djokovic

Best drunk on court: Ernests Gulbis

[VillaJ100]

Murray gives away so many dopey breaks that's why. His return skills are so good though he can pull it back. My list

Federer
Federer / Nadal depending on surface
Roddick/Federer 7
Djokovic, saving 2 match point USO 2010, 2 USO 2011, 4 F.O 2012 BUT a couple of years ago would have been Simon, guy was a nightmare to kill off
Federer
St. Rosol or nadal
And comeback I would say this is a 2 sets down and a break to come back and won guy, but and for his past accomplishments this would be Leyton Hewitt

Best waste of talent GULBIS

[Corbon]

Best waste of talent GULBIS


Monfils and Almagro for me...

[JohnCurveo]

- Best match starter - Nadal
- Best front runner - Federer
- Best Set Closer (serving) - Roddick and Milos Raonic
- Best at "Staying Alive" - Djokovic / Tsonga
- Best tie break player - Kevin Anderson and Milos Raonic
- Best Match closer - Isner
- Best Comeback - Djokovic and Nadal

[Mike Rotchtickles]

I wonder who would win in the following categories,

-Most 'fatigued' player on tour?
-Most career injury time-out's?
-Most time code violations?
-Most likeliest player to receive illegal coaching during a match?
-Most likely to moan about the tennis schedule/calendar/ranking points?
-Most likely to skip the Olympics due to the more stringent anti-doping testing?






Back on topic,


- Best match starter - Federer
- Best front runner - Federer/Nadal
- Best Set Closer (serving) - Federer
- Best at "Staying Alive" - Djokovic/Murray
- Best tie break player - Raonic
- Best Match closer - Djokovic/Nadal
- Best Comeback - Djokovic