Greatest upsets in the history of tennis thread

[Denis]

We have been discussing upsets a lot recently in various threads at that made me think perhaps we need a dedicated thread on it.

Of course we have to start with a definition of what constitutes a 'great upset' before naming matches. I will offer my own, but feel free to give your own two cents. I see a great upset as generally a very high level match where the overwhelming favorite goes down in a dramatic way. There is a certain element of 'match of a lifetime' for a journeyman to it, but I don't think it's necessary to meet the criterion of 'great upset'. I do think that if the overwhelming favorite plays poorly, it doesn't really qualify.

So here goes an initial list of mine:

1. 2009 FO Nadal - Soderling
2. 2011 FO Djokovic - Federer
3. 2012 Wim Nadal - Rosol
4. 1996 Wim Krajicek - Sampras
5. 2014 AO Djokovic - Wawrinka
6. 2015 FO Djokovic - Wawrinka
7. 2009 USO Federer - Del Potro

Who have you got and do you agree with the list above?

 

[Federberg]

We have been discussing upsets a lot recently in various threads at that made me think perhaps we need a dedicated thread on it.

Of course we have to start with a definition of what constitutes a 'great upset' before naming matches. I will offer my own, but feel free to give your own two cents. I see a great upset as generally a very high level match where the overwhelming favorite goes down in a dramatic way. There is a certain element of 'match of a lifetime' for a journeyman to it, but I don't think it's necessary to meet the criterion of 'great upset'. I do think that if the overwhelming favorite plays poorly, it doesn't really qualify.

So here goes an initial list of mine:

1. 2009 FO Nadal - Soderling
2. 2011 FO Djokovic - Federer
3. 2012 Wim Nadal - Rosol
4. 1996 Wim Krajicek - Sampras
5. 2014 AO Djokovic - Wawrinka
6. 2015 FO Djokovic - Wawrinka
7. 2009 USO Federer - Del Potro

Who have you got and do you agree with the list above?

Lol! Bias much?

(2) was not a great upset mate. Sorry! Not sure what Roger's ranking was 3 or 4? A multi-slam winner beating a guy on a streak? Come on.. get real! This is just too funny

As for the Djokovic - Wawrinka matches, I'm not sure how much of an upset either of those were mate. The fact that Stan had previously been such a tough out for Novak in the biggest matches refutes that. I'm not sure what you mean by upset. Novak was favoured in those matches given who he was, but the fact that we knew it was going to be a titanic struggle means it can't have been an upset. If we had expected Stan to straight set him, or at least win comfortably then the word upset can be used.

Federer - Anderson could certainly be called an upset. So could Djokovic - Chung

 

[Denis]

Lol! Bias much?

(2) was not a great upset mate. Sorry! Not sure what Roger's ranking was 3 or 4? A multi-slam winner beating a guy on a streak? Come on.. get real! This is just too funny

As for the Djokovic - Wawrinka matches, I'm not sure how much of an upset either of those were mate. The fact that Stan had previously been such a tough out for Novak in the biggest matches refutes that. I'm not sure what you mean by upset. Novak was favoured in those matches given who he was, but the fact that we knew it was going to be a titanic struggle means it can't have been an upset. If we had expected Stan to straight set him, or at least win comfortably then the word upset can be used.

Federer - Anderson could certainly be called an upset. So could Djokovic - Chung

I am getting a bit tired of these bias accusations. I picked upsets that involve all of the big 3 in accordance with my definition. You are disappointing me Federberg. Offer your own definition. Why is Novak Fed 2011 not an upset? I didnt list the USO SF for instance, and generally this is a pretty even matchup. But at the French Novak was red hot, unbeatable all year. Everybody expected Novak to win that match. He was the overwhelming favorite going in, it was a high level match, and it was certainly dramatic. So it meets my definition, now please offer yours instead of insulting people.

Anyways, Federer - Anderson and Djokovic Chung are obviously upsets, just like Fog Nadal at the USO. But I don't think they qualify as greatest upsets of all time. They weren't even that great, simply because the person getting upset didn't play very well and/or because the match wasn't all that thrilling. The Chung match was over in three sets, for instance. Rafa played like crap against Fog. You want to make an argument that Fed played well against Anderson, be my guest.

 

[Federberg]

I am getting a bit tired of these bias accusations. I picked upsets that involve all of the big 3 in accordance with my definition. You are disappointing me Federberg. Offer your own definition. Why is Novak Fed 2011 not an upset? I didnt list the USO SF for instance, and generally this is a pretty even matchup. But at the French Novak was red hot, unbeatable all year. Everybody expected Novak to win that match. He was the overwhelming favorite going in, it was a high level match, and it was certainly dramatic. So it meets my definition, now please offer yours instead of insulting people.

Anyways, Federer - Anderson and Djokovic Chung are obviously upsets, just like Fog Nadal at the USO. But I don't think they qualify as greatest upsets of all time. They weren't even that great, simply because the person getting upset didn't play very well and/or because the match wasn't all that thrilling. The Chung match was over in three sets, for instance. Rafa played like crap against Fog. You want to make an argument that Fed played well against Anderson, be my guest.

Then you're being quite sensitive Denis. Read my response again. You'll see quite clearly that I define what an upset is. Mate you can't seriously classify that match as one of the greatest upsets of all time. It's hyperbolic and completely inappropriate given who Novak was playing. Same thing against Stan...

 

[monfed]

soderking
rosololololol
istomin AO 17
Karlovic Wim 03

will add more if I remember later

 

[DarthFed]

I get where Denis is going with this, it's more of a "greatest matches that ended with a big upset" thread. I don't think you can have Fed-Djokovic there though. It was certainly an upset but we are not talking the same universe as others listed there like Sod-Nadal or Rosol-Nadal or this recent debacle that I'm trying to forget (Anderson-Fed). I still think of a great upset as just simply an overwhelming favorite suffering a shocking defeat. It doesn't have to be pretty. No one says Tyson had his best performance vs Buster but it's one that will always get talked about. I'd say the same for Nadal-Soderling.

 

[Federberg]

I get where Denis is going with this, it's more of a "greatest matches that ended with a big upset" thread. I don't think you can have Fed-Djokovic there though. It was certainly an upset but we are not talking the same universe as others listed there like Sod-Nadal or Rosol-Nadal or this recent debacle that I'm trying to forget (Anderson-Fed). I still think of a great upset as just simply an overwhelming favorite suffering a shocking defeat. It doesn't have to be pretty. No one says Tyson had his best performance vs Buster but it's one that will always get talked about. I'd say the same for Nadal-Soderling.

So the title is click bait then?

 

[lob]

1987 - Peter Doohan - Becker
2000 - Safin - Sampras
2001 - Hewitt - Sampras
2001 - Federer - Sampras
2014 - Wawrinka - Nadal
2013 - Stakovshki - Federer
2013 - Darcis - Nadal
1990 - Sampras - Lendl
1984 - Lendl - McEnroe
1991 - Stich - Becker
1987 - Cash - Lendl

and my personal favorite:
2017 Federer - Nadal - AO!

Of course some of these are genuine upsets and some debatable.

Sent from my 6045O using Tapatalk

 

[Denis]

1987 - Peter Doohan - Becker
2000 - Safin - Sampras
2001 - Hewitt - Sampras
2001 - Federer - Sampras
2014 - Wawrinka - Nadal
2013 - Stakovshki - Federer
2013 - Darcis - Nadal
1990 - Sampras - Lendl
1984 - Lendl - McEnroe
1991 - Stich - Becker
1987 - Cash - Lendl

and my personal favorite:
2017 Federer - Nadal - AO!

Of course some of these are genuine upsets and some debatable.

Sent from my 6045O using Tapatalk

Cheers lob, I like your list. Why do you put Darcis Nadal and not Rosol Nadal? Stich Becker is a great one!

 

[Denis]

I get where Denis is going with this, it's more of a "greatest matches that ended with a big upset" thread. I don't think you can have Fed-Djokovic there though. It was certainly an upset but we are not talking the same universe as others listed there like Sod-Nadal or Rosol-Nadal or this recent debacle that I'm trying to forget (Anderson-Fed). I still think of a great upset as just simply an overwhelming favorite suffering a shocking defeat. It doesn't have to be pretty. No one says Tyson had his best performance vs Buster but it's one that will always get talked about. I'd say the same for Nadal-Soderling.

That's fair enough DF, to each is own. So which matches would you list?

 

[DarthFed]

That's fair enough DF, to each is own. So which matches would you list?

Nadal-Sod
Nadal-Rosol
Fed-Anderson
Djokovic-Stan at RG. I get why FB thinks this doesn't qualify but given the stakes and how Djokovic had played that tournament and year I consider that one a big upset.

I will try to think of more later.

 

[Federberg]

Tsonga Federer
Chang Lendl
Gonzalez Nadal
Stich Edberg

 

[isabelle]

when Stanimal beat Nole in this RG's final, it was really a shock, even more than Sod who beat Manacor's bull

 

[Ricardo]

We have been discussing upsets a lot recently in various threads at that made me think perhaps we need a dedicated thread on it.

Of course we have to start with a definition of what constitutes a 'great upset' before naming matches. I will offer my own, but feel free to give your own two cents. I see a great upset as generally a very high level match where the overwhelming favorite goes down in a dramatic way. There is a certain element of 'match of a lifetime' for a journeyman to it, but I don't think it's necessary to meet the criterion of 'great upset'. I do think that if the overwhelming favorite plays poorly, it doesn't really qualify.

So here goes an initial list of mine:

1. 2009 FO Nadal - Soderling
2. 2011 FO Djokovic - Federer
3. 2012 Wim Nadal - Rosol
4. 1996 Wim Krajicek - Sampras
5. 2014 AO Djokovic - Wawrinka
6. 2015 FO Djokovic - Wawrinka
7. 2009 USO Federer - Del Potro

Who have you got and do you agree with the list above?

In case you don’t remember, Fed and Novak were the best players in RG 2011 by far. Fed didn’t drop a set going into the semi, his level was similarly high like Novak’s. your impression was based more or less on the fact Novak had that amazing run, forgetting that Federer himself played just as good in that event. It wasn’t like Fed played like crap getting to the semis, then played out of his mind for just one match. His form was very very good throughout.

 

[Denis]

Tsonga Federer
Chang Lendl
Gonzalez Nadal
Stich Edberg

Chang Lendl is a good one and nice list. I only know the Chang one from the highlights tho.

 

[Ricardo]

when Stanimal beat Nole in this RG's final, it was really a shock, even more than Sod who beat Manacor's bull

Really? Stan almost always played Novak tough in slams, he could have actually beaten Novak more in some of the other matches. Sure he played Novak like super man in that match, like in many other matches. Wasn’t a one off.

 

[Federberg]

Chang Lendl is a good one and nice list. I only know the Chang one from the highlights tho.

Stich Edberg was a bigger shock than Stich Becker. In that tournament not only had Stefan not lost a set, I don't think he was ever broken. Even Stich wasn't able to manage it. On the other hand Stich survived multiple break point chances and stole 3 tie breaks. And I mean stole. Two of them hinged on balls just trickling over the net. Edberg was a very strong favourite for that Wimbledon, and it had been expected that he would play the final against Boris, where everyone expected him to win

 

[Denis]

Stich Edberg was a bigger shock than Stich Becker. In that tournament not only had Stefan not lost a set, I don't think he was ever broken. Even Stich wasn't able to manage it. On the other hand Stich survived multiple break point chances and stole 3 tie breaks. And I mean stole. Two of them hinged on balls just trickling over the net. Edberg was a very strong favourite for that Wimbledon, and it had been expected that he would play the final against Boris, where everyone expected him to win

I just remember Boris moaning "Immer ich" when he was losing against Stich , it's a bit before my time of closely following tennis.

 

[monfed]

when Stanimal beat Nole in this RG's final, it was really a shock, even more than Sod who beat Manacor's bull

LOL. Drop the crack pipe. Nothing beats Soderking.

 

[Andy22]

I think federer- anderson might be one of the biggest upsets I have seen.