Big Title Winners By Birth Year

El Dude

Grand Slam Champion
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Check this out. Masters (or Grand Prix) or World Tour Finals winners only in regular type; 1-4 Slam winners in bold, 5+ Slam winners in bold capitals. The list goes back to Rod Laver, born in 1938. Given that the Grand Prix Super Series didn't begin until 1970, it didn't seem worth going back further as it is unclear what the equivalent tournaments were.

But that huge gap between 1988 and 1997 birth years is striking. Now certainly some of it will fill in eventually, with candidates being Nishikori in 1989, Raonic and Goffin in 1990, Dimitrov or Carreno Busta in 1991, Thiem in 1993, Pouille in 1994, Kyrgios and Edmund in 1995, Coric, Khachanov, Chung and Medvedev in 1996. But for now, it is a rather massive gap, and makes Zverev's title all the more impressive.

What is perhaps most striking is that there isn't a gap of more than one year from players born 1941 to 1988 - and only four gaps of one year each. As for Slam winners, there's only one three-year gap, 1961-63.

Anyhow, I'm definitely curious to see how this list looks in a few more years.

1997: Zverev
1996:
1995:
1994:
1993:
1992:
1991:
1990:
1989:
1988: Cilic, Del Potro
1987: DJOKOVIC, Murray
1986: NADAL
1985: Wawrinka, Tsonga, Berdych
1984: Soderling
1983:
1982: Roddick, Nalbandian, Ferrer, Coria, Robredo
1981: FEDERER, Hewitt, Davydenko,
1980: Safin, Ferrero
1979: Ljubicic
1978: Gaudio, Haas, Grosjean
1977: Canas
1976: Kuerten, Moya, Philippoussis, Norman
1975: Johansson, Costa, Rios, Carretero
1974: Kafelnikov, Corretja, Enqvist, Medvedev, Henman, Pavel, Mantilla
1973: Rusedski
1972: Chang, Rafter
1971: SAMPRAS, Ivanisevic, Bruguera, Krajicek, Ferreira
1970: AGASSI, Courier
1969: Pioline, Mancini
1968: Stich, Korda, Carlsson
1967: BECKER, Muster
1966: EDBERG, Chesnekov
1965: Cash, Forget, Novacek, Sanchez
1964: WILANDER, Arias, Mecir, Sundstrom
1963: Leconte, Nystrom
1962:
1961: GIlbert, Aguilera
1960: LENDL, Noah, Gomez
1959: MCENROE
1958: Kriek, Clerc
1957: Van Patten
1956: BORG, Mayer
1955: McNamara
1954: Gerulaitis, Teacher, Edmondson
1953: Ramirez, Higueras
1952: CONNORS, Vilas, Solomon, Gottfried
1951: Tanner, Stockton, Dibbs
1950: Panatta, Dent
1949: Orantes, Pattison
1948:
1947: Lutz, Franulovic
1946: Nastase, Smith, Kodes, Richey, Gorman
1945: Roche
1944: NEWCOMBE, Okker
1943: Ashe, Bowrey
1942:
1941: McKinley, Riessen
1940:
1939:
1938: LAVER, Santana, Stolle, Osuna
 

Busted

Major Winner
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1984: Soderling
1983:
1982: Roddick, Nalbandian, Ferrer, Coria, Robredo
1981: FEDERER, Hewitt, Davydenko,
1980: Safin, Ferrero
1979: Ljubicic
1978: Gaudio, Haas, Grosjean


Of the guys born within 1-3 years of Federer? Only Ferrer, Robredo and Haas are still playing. Of course Haas has missed about 6 years with injuries but, still - why is he still playing? Oh wait, now I remember - his wife's daddy is rich so he can afford to continue pursuing his passion for tennis.

This also reminds me of claims that Federer dominated in an era of weak competition. Look at all the guys who came up around the same time as he did. And then look at the barrenness of winners born from 1989-1996 and think about who had tougher competition - Djokovic, Nadal and Murray - or Federer. And don't forget - when Roger was coming up Samrpas, Agassi, Courier, Kuerten, Krajicek, Moya, Chang, Rafter, Kafelnikov, Ivanisevic, Bruguera, Corretja, Henman, Costa, Johannson, Rios, Canas and Cash were all still slogging away at it.