The big 4 on grass

[BrushedBigJJ]

How would you rank the big 4 on grass against each other? To me grass equalizes the competion against each other more than any other surface. Any of the four have a real chance to beat any of the other 3 without needing to play absolutely perfect to have a chance to win, unlike some other surfaces.

It's razor thin between then:

1. Murray
Pros: best mover on grass, good first serve, very good returner
Cons: weakest forehand, weakest second serve

2. Federer
Pros: Serve, good net game, can take the forehand earliest, strongest surface for his backhand
Cons: slowest mover, weakest defender, high backhands(which happen on today's grass)

3. Djokivic/Nadal (I couldn't decide so they tie for third

Nadal
Pros: can turn rallies into clay court rallies, great forehand for today's grass
Cons: weakest return mostly blocks the ball back, not good at taking any ball early unless its a weaker rally ball

Djokivic
Pros: can take the ball early and up the line on backhand, solid serve, great return
Cons: footing can become unsure on grass, slice and net game.

[Moralspain]

Federer
Rafa
Murray
Djokovic

[Florian]

In 2013 :
Fed
Murray
Djoko
Rafa

Fed in 1st especially if the roof is on (where his serve is the best) and because there he can defend better with his bh. Vision of the game and net play also make him my 1st choice.
Murray very close to Fed with his big 1st serve, huge passing shot abilities, great movement and tactics.
Djokovic would be 3rd because he seems to lose a bit of patience on grass, where strong isolated skills are more important than overall skill and mental composure.
Rafa 4th because he won't play a single match on grass before Wimby apparently, and his movement is more important than anything else for him on that surf.

I actually think it s such a pity Fed lost to God mode Tsonga in 2011 because we could have seen another epic SF vs Nole and I still think he would have won the title that year, considering his great level.

[Davey CaRnAgE]

How would you rank the big 4 on grass against each other? To me grass equalizes the competion against each other more than any other surface. Any of the four have a real chance to beat any of the other 3 without needing to play absolutely perfect to have a chance to win, unlike some other surfaces.

It's razor thin between then:

1. Murray
Pros: best mover on grass, good first serve, very good returner
Cons: weakest forehand, weakest second serve

2. Federer
Pros: Serve, good net game, can take the forehand earliest, strongest surface for his backhand
Cons: slowest mover, weakest defender, high backhands(which happen on today's grass)

3. Djokivic/Nadal (I couldn't decide so they tie for third

Nadal
Pros: can turn rallies into clay court rallies, great forehand for today's grass
Cons: weakest return mostly blocks the ball back, not good at taking any ball early unless its a weaker rally ball

Djokivic
Pros: can take the ball early and up the line on backhand, solid serve, great return
Cons: footing can become unsure on grass, slice and net game.

I agree mostly, however I wouldn't call Nole's slice or net game cons, expecially if you're not giving Rafa the same con for net game. Also, Rafa's return is probably about on par with Fed's - not on the forehand side, but much better on the backhand side.

I'd also say that Fed is least likely to win out of all 4, just my personal opinion though.

[BrushedBigJJ]

Also, Rafa's return is probably about on par with Fed's - not on the forehand side, but much better on the backhand side.

Well this is true...when rafa starts with his backhand grip. One reason on clay rafa starts so far back is it gives him time to start with either his backhand or forehand grip and switch to the other grip if he wants. On first serves on grass he can't afford to stay that far back thus he is forced to stay with whatever grip he started with. Now when he starts with the right grip he's a good returner, but when he starts with the backhand grip he just blocks the ball on his forehand side, and with the forehand grip he's forced to slice on the backhand side.

So when you see those good backhand returns(on first serves) its because he started with his backhand grip.

[Davey CaRnAgE]

Also, Rafa's return is probably about on par with Fed's - not on the forehand side, but much better on the backhand side.

Well this is true...when rafa starts with his backhand grip. One reason on clay rafa starts so far back is it gives him time to start with either his backhand or forehand grip and switch to the other grip if he wants. On first serves on grass he can't afford to stay that far back thus he is forced to stay with whatever grip he started with. Now when he starts with the right grip he's a good returner, but when he starts with the backhand grip he just blocks the ball on his forehand side, and with the forehand grip he's forced to slice on the backhand side.

So when you see those good backhand returns(on first serves) its because he started with his backhand grip.

Ahhh I did not know this!

[JohnCurveo]

I don't understand something, people says New grass fits Nadal game? As far as i know, Federer win all Wimbledon titles with new grass. There are few players on tour that played with old grass, i don't understand why people complains.

Nadal is a hell of a beast in grass, that Wimbledon 2008 final proves that. Better than Djoko and Marray so far.

My best: Nadal-Federer and way behind them Murray and Djoko

[BrushedBigJJ]

I don't understand something, people says New grass fits Nadal game?

On old grass his topspin would mean nothing after the bounce, it would be right in peoples strike zones. And he couldn't play way behind the baseline.

Nadal is a hell of a beast in grass, that Wimbledon 2008 final proves that. Better than Djoko and Marray so far.

My best: Nadal-Federer and way behind them Murray and Djoko

He has more titles and appearances than them but is he really that much better than them in 2013 on grass? And Murray was miles ahead of rafa in accomplishments on grass last year. And Nole beat rafa in the final in 2011. As I said before its razor thin between them.

[Moralspain]

s New grass fits Nadal game? As far as i know, Federer win all Wimbledon titles with new grass

Fed lovers tend to ignore that

Nadal's results on grass are undeniable, i think he's better on grass than on clay (bit too much??? )

(2006-2012) 56 matches played on grass, 47 wins with 5 Wimby finals played (3 against GOAT btw) and 2 titles, not bad for the best player on clay of all times eh??

[Murderface84]

1.Federer
2.Nadal
3.Joker
4.Murray

[Davey CaRnAgE]

1.Federer
2.Nadal
3.Joker
4.Murray

Lol!

[Rob ITST]

I know the topic is "on grass", but Wimbledon is the only grass that matters. The stats don't lie.

Titles (Finals):

Federer - 7 (8)
Nadal - 2 (5)
Djokovic - 1 (2)
Murray - 0 (1)

Head-to-Head Records:

Federer vs Nadal: 2-1
Federer vs Djokovic: 1-0
Federer vs Murray: 1-0
Nadal vs Djokovic: 1-1
Nadal vs Murray: 3-0
Djokovic vs Murray: Never played at Wimbledon

So, Fed is 4-1, Nadal is 5-3, Djokovic is 1-2, and Murray is 0-4. No matter how you look at it - titles, finals, head-to-head - Federer is clearly first, and Murray is clearly last.

[Murderface84]

1.Federer
2.Nadal
3.Joker
4.Murray

Lol!

Lmao!

[Murderface84]

What's that??? Rob, and the facts/stats agree with me???

Wow it's almost like I totally know what I'm talking about, weird!

[BrushedBigJJ]

I know the topic is "on grass", but Wimbledon is the only grass that matters. The stats don't lie.

Titles (Finals):

Federer - 7 (8)
Nadal - 2 (5)
Djokovic - 1 (2)
Murray - 0 (1)

Yes in a normal year wimbeldon is the only grass that matters, but 2012 had the Olympics on grass so there were two grass court tournements that mattered. And if you go by titles and finals of wimbeldon we should all agree on the order. But the question was how do you rank them for the 2013 wimbeldon. Also last 4 big tournements on grass:

2010 Wimbeldon -Nadal
2011 Wimbeldon -Djokivic
2012 Wimbeldon -Federer
2012 London -Murray

No one is dominating lately