12:03 Exactly, if any random 20 year old had done what Alcaraz did post Wimbledon we would be saying that this guy is crazy talented. He took Djokovic to 3 sets at Cinci, made the USO semi-final and won the group at the ATP finals at age 20 by defeating Medvedev in straight sets. But because Alcaraz has been so incredibly good people forget that this is still impressive for a 20 year old.
Alcaraz is held to a crazy standard and it’s hilarious how people don’t understand this. When Alcaraz went 47-4, winning Burnie Aires, IW, Barcelona, Madrid, Queens, and Wimbledon, but then had a slight “slump” that included a USO SF, Beijing SF, Cincinnati F (had match point on Djokovic), and SF at the ATP Finals, he’s “washed and overrated.” But all Sinner had to do to receive ridiculous amounts of hype was win 2 500s and the Davis Cup. Don’t get me wrong, Sinner’s end of the season was awesome, but Alcaraz had a far, far better season overall.
@@SJ-di5zu Even though Sinner is my favourite player I have to agree that people are getting ahead of themselves when hyping him up. It's amazing that he beat Djokovic twice and ended the season playing as the 2nd best player, but it was on indoor hardcourt and he needs to show he can do this at majors until he's put on the same level as Carlos let alone Djokovic.
The recency bias in declaring Sinner to be the better of Carlos Alcaraz and every other top 10 player is completely insane. Sinner's late season hot streak did not in anyway compare to the excellence of Carlos' 2023 season. Carlos' season record was 64-12, 84% W/L record (1-250, 2-500, 2-1000 + a slam (Wimbledon)... the second slam in his tender 20 years. He's the only player to win 2 ATP titles without losing a set (Indian Wells and Barcelona). Sinner going one ahead 4-3 over Alcaraz was when he was not physically at his best in Beijing. Carlos deserves so much more credit than the end of year Sinner noise. All season long players raised their level when playing Carlos which made it even more impressive. Needless to say he had a huge target on his back. Even Cahill remarked that Carlos was tired going into the US Open but yet made it to the semis where Meddy played his best level against him (to quote Meddy 11 out of 11). I think a healthy Carlos may surprise in AO and I definitely see another slam in 2024. Carlos is a generational talent which cannot be denied.
@@brendajohnson5525 Exactly the recency bias of tennis fans is crazy, Alcaraz had an all time great season, he even has a better win percentage than Nadal had at age 20 as Carlos won 84% while Nadal won 83% (Federer and Djokovic were both around 77% just like Sinner this year), and the matchup between him and Sinner is still 50/50 like it has been their whole careers. But in my opinion Sinner did show this year that he now has an advantage over the players that aren't Alcaraz and Djokovic, because he beat the other top players due to real tangible changes in his game. I would guess Sinner will be the third best player over the whole of 2024, but I wouldn't be surprised if he finished a bit lower or higher.
His 2023 was head and shoulders above his 2022, there just happened to be a GOAT flexing on the tour this year. Considering that he has no points to defend at the AO, barring injury he should have no problem solidifying his place as the world #2. Is he ready to have a peak year to put him head and shoulders above his peers? Probably not, but the fact that he'll play 5 or 6 more tournaments than Novak this year will give him a good shot at challenging for #1 unless Novak can put together another dominant season.
We love Gruskin. Gill, you will never say about anyone, "His shorts are not that short by length; his shorts are that short because you can't get around those quads, they're magnificent."
That would normally be the case, but Novak already has the most slams so he doesn't really need more. Having said that I think he would take 3 slams over olympic gold, but he might sacrifice one of them.
@@tijgertjekonijnwordopgegetenhe kind of does if he wants to cement himself as the greatest GOAT, he would want 3 x more slams as the others if he can. I can understand him sacrificing 1 slam for gold at most but not 2 or more
Djokovic will probably sacrifice proper preparation for the US Open to win the gold medal. But the first 3 slams of the year he’ll continue to peak for as he normally would.
2011 Djokovic was filled with energy and grit. Still much to learn, but he was filled with vigour. 2015 Djokovic was a perfect balance of fitness, strategy and ability. He still had some nerves but less than 2011 by that point. 2021 Djokovic is great, but also I think had an easier filed than today's or his prior opponents. He was in a sort of transition phase between his modern self and his prior athleticism. 2023 Djokovic is a master of adjusting his game. He is still in amazing shape, but nothing compared to his younger self in that aspect. He has made up for his age with adjusting his game to be more aggressive and using his experience to really understand how to play against and defeat every single opponent he faces. Any of these Djokovics could defeat any other on the right day in the right conditions, but I think 2015 is the strongest overall with the right mixture of all the aspects of tennis.
2011 is his best version and one of the highest peaks in Tennis He dominated Rafa at his prime when he was really athletic and before injuries broke his body. Djokovic's confidence and aura was something else in 2011 when he went on that streak beating Rafa in 2 Slam finals and 3-4 Master's Finals. 2023 Djokovic loses half of those matches to 2011 Rafa for sure.
@@alburaq3290 I still have a tough time saying which is better: 2011 or 2015. But yes, both of those are better than his current self overall, but he has made so many adjustments to make up for the areas he's declined in that I do think he'd hold his own against those versions of himself. 2011/2015 would have winning records, but I bet he'd win a couple, especially on the faster courts.
Alex should try to not interrupt all the time. He should let Gill talk and then make his point. Its fun to have his perspective, I just think he can get better at that
Yeah I think surface matters a lot: 2015 Djokovic definitely wins on clay and slow hard imo, 2023 Djokovic would definitely win on a Turin-like fast court. I think Wimbledon and moderately fast hard like USO is where it gets interesting; I’d probably give the slight edge to 2015 Djokovic because he has a lot more endurance for if the match goes long. I think similarly 2011 Djokovic would fare the same as 2015 Djokovic; big upper hand on clay and slow courts, loses on very fast courts, but yeah you have to throw in that “big match” wrinkle too.
I can't see Djokovic winning more than two grand slams this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if he won "just" one. He already said he will prioritize the Olympics over all else. The Olympics will be in Paris on clay so that will definitely make things messy for his training.
Maybe this is a facile comment, but I think 2023 Djokovic beats 2015 because he knows his weaknesses and can pick them apart. Presumably it doesn't work as well the other way round, due to the nature of time.
With the Alcaraz-Giannis comparison though, the difference is Alcaraz has a ton of skill in his all-court game at a younger age than even the big 3. Djokovic, Federer, and even Nadal were not as skilled with a racket as Alcaraz at age 20. Giannis didn’t really hit his prime until like 24/25 too.
Giannis is not even that good lol . Let's be honest he lucked out in the most injury riddled post season in the past 25 years and was still one inch away from losing .
I would take 3 GS in 2024 over an Olympic Gold ALL DAY ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. 27 GS means 1000x more to me than 1 Olympic Gold. End of discussion. One Olympic gold doesn't hinder his GOAT status in the slightest bit.
@Milosmurdenovic It's not a cope, it's a fact. Olympics are objectively no more important than a master 1000 because both are in bo3 format. Winning 7 straight bo5 matches is by far the most difficult thing to do in tennis and the pinnacle of the sport.
I agree more with Gruskin than Gill on Zverev. I see what Gill means with Zverev being stagnant, but unfortunately he has shown that at his best, he can basically beat anyone including Alcaraz, Djokovic, Medvedev. Look at 2021-22. He beat Djokovic at the Olympics and ATP Finals, beat Medvedev at ATP Finals, and then beat Alcaraz at RG. He can win big matches against anyone and I think his physicality improved as well. His mentality will always be the huge question mark though. I think he will get an opportunity at a slam, but we’ll see if he can actually take it or if he shrinks up in the clutch. I hope as much as anyone that he retires slamless, but let’s be honest, if he didn’t win a slam he’d probably be the best player ever to not win a slam.
15 Djokovic beats current one in 3/4 at all 4 slams. (maybe in 3 in Wimby, was his highest level there in 2015). 2011 Djokovic would beat 2023 one in straights on clay/HC and in 3/4 on grass. Only way current Novak can make it somewhat close is if he locks down on serve.
Knowing djokovic he would never sacrifice a slam. As good as alcaraz n sinner n Medvedev are, they still have to go through the ultimate djokovic test. If they pass the test, they r deserving winners. But if anyone starts thinking novak will go easy on the slams next year, it’s not gonna happen. That’s not his mentality. He plays even a dead rubber or a meaningless 250 with same passion even now. He is not gonna give an inch even if it’s the first round of a 250. If that costs him his olympics so be it. But as a fan I know he would never disappoint me as a professional player. Even when he loses, I always know he has given his bloody best. That’s why I m ready to walk hundred miles to see his match
The best of three set olympic gold pales in comparison to any Grand slam title. He should focus on Winning Wimbledon and RG more than the olympics. If he wins the olympics too, more power to him.
Good convo guys, really liked Alex's takes. I think Gil is downplaying Sinner's success and propping up Alcaraz a bit too much. In the Sinner vs Alcaraz discussions, you always bring up Alcaraz's two slams as an argument for why you still favor him over Sinner, but I feel that's a bit misplaced. Some context is in order here. A lot of Sinner's recent GS losses were nail-bitter 5 setters against guys who either won the tournament or played in the Finals. On the other hand, Alcaraz barely beat Sinner in the 2022 USO, and played Tiafoe and Ruud in the semis/finals - hardly a statement slam. In his Wimbledon run, he beat Rune+Medvedev, who haven't had any notable Wimbledon success previously and won that teeter-totter 5-setter windy Finals against Djokovic, which could have obviously gone either way. Also, Sinner leads the h2h and had a match point in the only slam loss against Alcaraz. He's also in his top form and has drastically improved in the last few months. So yes, I too think that Sinner is a bigger threat to Djokovic at the AO. I think that Sinner is much stronger mentally than Alcaraz, who has shown some instabilities in the past. I think this version of Sinner beats any version of Alcaraz in at least 2 matchups if they were to meet in all four Majors next year.
As a Djokovic fan, you can take that gold medal and throw it in the trash if it comes at the cost of 3 slams. 3 slams all day. Hell, Id rather he win 1 slam than an Olympic gold.
Novak will prioritize the majors above the Olympics. His first four priorities in 2024 are the four majors. He wants to win all four majors to complete the calendar slam, and he wants to win each individually for records purposes. He is especially keen on marching Roger’s 8 Wimbledon titles. His fifth priority is the Olympics gold.
While I would agree that a slam, let alone 3 or 4 trumps the Olympics every day of the week, the Olympics has a special sentimental value to Novak and is the only big title that eludes him. Again, winning a slam is light years better for a legacy, but the OG is no doubt Novaks top priority next year.
@@jacobschmidt2709 I don't know. Each major in 2024 will hold special significance to Novak. The Australian Open would take his total to 25, one more than Margaret Court, the French Open would match Steffi Graf's 4 career grand slam, Wimbledon and the US Open would match Federer's records. I know that Novak cares about the OG, but I think compared to those four accomplishments, it takes the back seat. Of course, we don't know that, and you could well be right, but that is my gut sentiment.
De Minaur had a new elite mindset this year and it showed. He will do everything humanly possible to go higher in the rankings. Top 5 will be a stretch but he could get close.
I'd have to say the exact opposite. He managed to succeed beyond his abilities here: look at every other player in the top 10 (or even the top 20) and you can point to either multiple big-time weapons or else a single weapon that is head and shoulders above peers. Demon, on the other hand, has only one weapon: speed. His serve is limited, his groundstrokes and net play are nothing special, and he tends to put his rally balls in the middle of the court. The "make them hit one more ball" strategy as he employs it is good enough to keep him in the conversation, but in reality belongs in that 15-25 rank range and I'm certain we'll see some backslide this year (and let's not forget that his rise in the rankings was helped this year by no Nadal or Nick, as well as substantial ranking drops for many of the players who were above him at the beginning of the year including RBA, PCB, Berrettini, and Musetti) with him probably ending 2024 outside the top 15.
Love your content Gil, thanks a lot. I do however feel that Ruud is your blind spot. You fail to rate him or even explain how he reached three GS Finals thus far. The amount of time you spend talking about Sinner dwarfs the laconic remarks on Ruud, besides his having a lucky draw on one occasion. Three GS Finals can't be only luck though, can it? Not a Ruud fan by the way.
I think Ruud is suffering by comparison to the "wacky year" of 2022. Considering that when he was "ranked" as #2, he had 5,850 points... which doesn't give you a sniff off the top 3 in any normal year, and was helped by a lot of lucky draws (no top 10 wins in RG or USO, and only 2 top 10 wins - Zverev and FAA - in the entire year prior to the ATP finals), as well as nobody else getting points in a Wimbledon where he was knocked out in the second round. He's always a threat on clay, but not a legitimate top 5 player and a marginal top 10 overall. Unfortunately for Casper, he WAS in the top 3, and less knowledgeable fans expect him to be there again.
@@HeavyTopspinIt’s misleading to act like 2022 was a weak year due to low point totals, when in reality Wimbledon and Shanghai weren’t played, leaving 3000 points on the table that no one could have. Of course, this doesn’t really help Ruud’s argument individually but it explains why point totals were lower in 2022 than other years.
@@DaveOwen-vn6ieHe came across a peaking Federer. These things happen. You can't win every match. 2011 Djokovic dominated 2011 Rafa everywhere, even on Clay, that's clearly his highest peak.
@alburaq3290 And yet the original post references Djokovic beating everyone on every surface in 2011 - clearly an exaggeration and one I wanted to point out in fact Djokovic didn't win every match in 2011 but clearly was very dominant and won nearly everywhere he played
@@DaveOwen-vn6ie It is not an exaggeration,it is the greatest peak achieved by any player int he history of tennis. So yes,he beats everyone on every surface
In that scenario when do we start talking about Weak era? If a 37 year old wins a Golden calendar grand slam then this current group of ATP players is incredibly weak
Comment on Sinner beating Joker in Davis Cup: Isn't it possible that Joker wasn't 100% invested in the match? I think he was 100% invested once the match started, but I'm not sure he approaches all matches with the same level of mental, physical, and strategic preparation, and I think he eased off just a bit, once he won the ATP Finals.
Interesting theory but I think Djokovic was fully invested! Firstly, because that’s what he’s like, but also any match against Sinner is really important as a test of where they are each at respectively, psychologically each win or loss against the player who will likely be 1 of his most important rivals for the rest of his career matters, *and* he knows the hysterical tennis world declares a “passing of the torch” & Djoko’s decline every time a top young player beats him. Also: Djoko really really cares about representing Serbia. So Davis Cup matters to him to a degree that confounds some tennis fans.
Novak really wants to win the Gold badly, but not at the expense of winning a major. Given the choice between winning a major or the Gold, he will choose the major any day. For 2024, if he is given the choice between winning two majors or 1 major and the Gold, Novak would choose to win two majors. Give the choice between winning 3 majors or 2 majors and the Gold, Novak would choose the 3 majors. And given the choice between winning all four majors or three majors and the Gold, Novak would choose all four majors. Bottom line, the Olympic gold does not trump a major, no matter the circumstances.
@@alexgruskin6181Nah don’t sell yourself short man, you’re definitely entertaining and provide some fun insight that complements Gill’s well. Plus it’s fun to see little debates when you guys have different opinions on a player. Most of us like to see you on for MMA
@@alexgruskin6181 I'm always glad to see you on the show! I enjoy the personality you bring, I enjoy the back and forth between you and Gill, including the friendly ribbing etc.
First take already a bad one. I’ll take a slam over Olympics gold any day, much more if 3. And pls stop comparing Djokovic to LeBron. Djokovic is the GOAT with 24 GS while LeBron is a 250 lb statpadder with 3 rings and a mickey mouse title. I enjoy every Gill’s content including The Three, not this one, not this guest.
the thing is Novak comes from serbia, a basketball country, winning gold in basketball (olympics) is the biggest thing you can win, so he naturally projects that into his own life/sport. + he is friends with atheltes across different sports where winning the gold is the biggest goal, so it becomes kinda intertwined. it doesn't help that his rivals Nadal and Federer took great pride in competing for the olympics as well.
bron and janis??woooow ... it's always easiest to skip both Jokers ... but in vain, they always come back when underestimated, hehe !! besides that, they need to drink more milk and play two careers to surpass MJ or Magic who were not chasing anyone's records...people have become zombies they only think what they see, that's the law you turn into what you see, just in line with the current pagan times (luckily, it won't be long, the end is near) they focus on bodies and muscles athleticism instead of talent and mind.. Nadal is one of the real proof what happens when the body breaks...cheers Gill and Alex !!
@@colethomas903 You from billion tennis fans, don't know if you are dumb or just come intentionally to bother and provoke on my comments on all accounts I had
If Djokovic had already gotten an Olympic gold, and Nadal hadn’t, there would ZERO discourse saying “slams are more important than a gold” You guys are so unbelievably biased towards Djokovic and it shows. The only reason an Olympic gold “isn’t that important” or “not something Novak needs” is because he HASNT GOTTEN IT I’ve noticed a lot of Novak fans who vehemently defend him don’t really use a whole lot of logic
I think that slams are more important than a gold and I don’t think Gill or Alex are really biased towards Novak, however regarding comments I definitely agree with you. Novak fans have been super insecure and obnoxious, and they can’t hear the word “Olympics” without whining about how it’s not important. Djokovic himself reiterates how there’s nothing he wants more than a Gold medal at the Olympics; that says enough about its importance. Imo it’s a step below the slams, but a step above the Masters. Call it a 1500 or 1750.
OG is no doubt important and counts as a big title, but you'd have to be insane to put it over winning a slam. Both OG and a masters are bo3, whereas a slam is bo5. Winning 7 straight bo5 matches is the most difficult thing to do in the sport of tennis.
15 Djokovic was a beast. 23 Djokovic is a mathematician.
In some ways, but in other ways, Novak in 2023 is a beast too. His forehand and serve are bigger and more powerful in 2023.
"He has perfected this sport". Exactly. No matter who you like, or don't like, you must admit this as true
Which is why Novak is going for the Golden Slam!
He's got the right substances...
@@virgilsebaa3660cry some more 😂😂😂
Perfection was still Federer
@@rublo1 so why Fed never beat Rafa in FO?
12:03 Exactly, if any random 20 year old had done what Alcaraz did post Wimbledon we would be saying that this guy is crazy talented.
He took Djokovic to 3 sets at Cinci, made the USO semi-final and won the group at the ATP finals at age 20 by defeating Medvedev in straight sets.
But because Alcaraz has been so incredibly good people forget that this is still impressive for a 20 year old.
Alcaraz is held to a crazy standard and it’s hilarious how people don’t understand this. When Alcaraz went 47-4, winning Burnie Aires, IW, Barcelona, Madrid, Queens, and Wimbledon, but then had a slight “slump” that included a USO SF, Beijing SF, Cincinnati F (had match point on Djokovic), and SF at the ATP Finals, he’s “washed and overrated.”
But all Sinner had to do to receive ridiculous amounts of hype was win 2 500s and the Davis Cup. Don’t get me wrong, Sinner’s end of the season was awesome, but Alcaraz had a far, far better season overall.
@@SJ-di5zu Even though Sinner is my favourite player I have to agree that people are getting ahead of themselves when hyping him up.
It's amazing that he beat Djokovic twice and ended the season playing as the 2nd best player, but it was on indoor hardcourt and he needs to show he can do this at majors until he's put on the same level as Carlos let alone Djokovic.
The recency bias in declaring Sinner to be the better of Carlos Alcaraz and every other top 10 player is completely insane. Sinner's late season hot streak did not in anyway compare to the excellence of Carlos' 2023 season. Carlos' season record was 64-12, 84% W/L record (1-250, 2-500, 2-1000 + a slam (Wimbledon)... the second slam in his tender 20 years. He's the only player to win 2 ATP titles without losing a set (Indian Wells and Barcelona). Sinner going one ahead 4-3 over Alcaraz was when he was not physically at his best in Beijing. Carlos deserves so much more credit than the end of year Sinner noise. All season long players raised their level when playing Carlos which made it even more impressive. Needless to say he had a huge target on his back. Even Cahill remarked that Carlos was tired going into the US Open but yet made it to the semis where Meddy played his best level against him (to quote Meddy 11 out of 11). I think a healthy Carlos may surprise in AO and I definitely see another slam in 2024. Carlos is a generational talent which cannot be denied.
@@brendajohnson5525 Exactly the recency bias of tennis fans is crazy, Alcaraz had an all time great season, he even has a better win percentage than Nadal had at age 20 as Carlos won 84% while Nadal won 83% (Federer and Djokovic were both around 77% just like Sinner this year), and the matchup between him and Sinner is still 50/50 like it has been their whole careers.
But in my opinion Sinner did show this year that he now has an advantage over the players that aren't Alcaraz and Djokovic, because he beat the other top players due to real tangible changes in his game.
I would guess Sinner will be the third best player over the whole of 2024, but I wouldn't be surprised if he finished a bit lower or higher.
His 2023 was head and shoulders above his 2022, there just happened to be a GOAT flexing on the tour this year. Considering that he has no points to defend at the AO, barring injury he should have no problem solidifying his place as the world #2. Is he ready to have a peak year to put him head and shoulders above his peers? Probably not, but the fact that he'll play 5 or 6 more tournaments than Novak this year will give him a good shot at challenging for #1 unless Novak can put together another dominant season.
Hello Gill, love you two guys get together, awesome twosome ❤🎉😂
Thanks for the tremendous output of quality content! I always look forward to your analysis and commentary!
I was hoping for a Gruskin-Gross combo during the off season!!
We love Gruskin. Gill, you will never say about anyone, "His shorts are not that short by length; his shorts are that short because you can't get around those quads, they're magnificent."
Gil's quick "alright" when Alex said that cracked me up
3 slams vs Olympic gold , even 1 slam is much more valuable than olympic medal
That’s what I thought. Would nole really sacrifice a slam for an Olympic gold let alone 3? I hiiighly doubt it
That would normally be the case, but Novak already has the most slams so he doesn't really need more.
Having said that I think he would take 3 slams over olympic gold, but he might sacrifice one of them.
@@tijgertjekonijnwordopgegetenhe kind of does if he wants to cement himself as the greatest GOAT, he would want 3 x more slams as the others if he can. I can understand him sacrificing 1 slam for gold at most but not 2 or more
Djokovic will probably sacrifice proper preparation for the US Open to win the gold medal. But the first 3 slams of the year he’ll continue to peak for as he normally would.
@@tusharsingh4543Agreed
Three out of four slams is phenomenal! 💪
18:31 Actually, it's 6-3. Sinner has beaten Meddy back-to-back for 3 straight matches in around 2 months. Let that sink in.
2011 Djokovic was filled with energy and grit. Still much to learn, but he was filled with vigour.
2015 Djokovic was a perfect balance of fitness, strategy and ability. He still had some nerves but less than 2011 by that point.
2021 Djokovic is great, but also I think had an easier filed than today's or his prior opponents. He was in a sort of transition phase between his modern self and his prior athleticism.
2023 Djokovic is a master of adjusting his game. He is still in amazing shape, but nothing compared to his younger self in that aspect. He has made up for his age with adjusting his game to be more aggressive and using his experience to really understand how to play against and defeat every single opponent he faces.
Any of these Djokovics could defeat any other on the right day in the right conditions, but I think 2015 is the strongest overall with the right mixture of all the aspects of tennis.
2011 is his best version and one of the highest peaks in Tennis
He dominated Rafa at his prime when he was really athletic and before injuries broke his body. Djokovic's confidence and aura was something else in 2011 when he went on that streak beating Rafa in 2 Slam finals and 3-4 Master's Finals.
2023 Djokovic loses half of those matches to 2011 Rafa for sure.
@@alburaq3290 I still have a tough time saying which is better: 2011 or 2015. But yes, both of those are better than his current self overall, but he has made so many adjustments to make up for the areas he's declined in that I do think he'd hold his own against those versions of himself. 2011/2015 would have winning records, but I bet he'd win a couple, especially on the faster courts.
Good comment, but 2021 Djokovic beat stronger competition in slams compared to the current year.
What a question! I would take one slam over the Olympics, let alone 3!
But a slam happens 4x each year, and the Olympics happen once every 4 year. An Olympic gold is 16x as rare as a slam title
I would take OGames and sucrifice RG and Wimbledon to peak for OGames. He can push AO and rest well, than attack US Open if he is fresh
Alex should try to not interrupt all the time. He should let Gill talk and then make his point. Its fun to have his perspective, I just think he can get better at that
I find Gruskin annoying personally, prefer calmer analysts!
Yeah I think surface matters a lot: 2015 Djokovic definitely wins on clay and slow hard imo, 2023 Djokovic would definitely win on a Turin-like fast court. I think Wimbledon and moderately fast hard like USO is where it gets interesting; I’d probably give the slight edge to 2015 Djokovic because he has a lot more endurance for if the match goes long. I think similarly 2011 Djokovic would fare the same as 2015 Djokovic; big upper hand on clay and slow courts, loses on very fast courts, but yeah you have to throw in that “big match” wrinkle too.
I'm looking forward u talk about Mannarino. Best year of his career at age 35.
This is gold!
As a Djokovic fan, a slam is worth more than Olympic gold. Tennis should not be in the Olympics anyway.
And yet Djokovic is so desperate to win Olympic Gold
@@DaveOwen-vn6ieIt's a matter of giving your country something, not having a personally valuable achivement.
I can't see Djokovic winning more than two grand slams this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if he won "just" one. He already said he will prioritize the Olympics over all else. The Olympics will be in Paris on clay so that will definitely make things messy for his training.
Maybe this is a facile comment, but I think 2023 Djokovic beats 2015 because he knows his weaknesses and can pick them apart. Presumably it doesn't work as well the other way round, due to the nature of time.
With the Alcaraz-Giannis comparison though, the difference is Alcaraz has a ton of skill in his all-court game at a younger age than even the big 3. Djokovic, Federer, and even Nadal were not as skilled with a racket as Alcaraz at age 20. Giannis didn’t really hit his prime until like 24/25 too.
Giannis is not even that good lol . Let's be honest he lucked out in the most injury riddled post season in the past 25 years and was still one inch away from losing .
@@FraudkovicI think he’s the 2nd or 3rd best player in the NBA right now regardless. But yeah that 2021 playoffs was very weird
@@SJ-di5zu more accurate comparison to alcaraz would be luka . Both are great players at very young and both play very good when it matters most .
@@FraudkovicI can agree with that. Luka’s mostly just held back by a bad team. Alcaraz luckily doesn’t have that issue
I would take 3 GS in 2024 over an Olympic Gold ALL DAY ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. 27 GS means 1000x more to me than 1 Olympic Gold. End of discussion. One Olympic gold doesn't hinder his GOAT status in the slightest bit.
that’s a cope statement sweetie
@Milosmurdenovic It's not a cope, it's a fact. Olympics are objectively no more important than a master 1000 because both are in bo3 format. Winning 7 straight bo5 matches is by far the most difficult thing to do in tennis and the pinnacle of the sport.
I agree more with Gruskin than Gill on Zverev. I see what Gill means with Zverev being stagnant, but unfortunately he has shown that at his best, he can basically beat anyone including Alcaraz, Djokovic, Medvedev. Look at 2021-22. He beat Djokovic at the Olympics and ATP Finals, beat Medvedev at ATP Finals, and then beat Alcaraz at RG. He can win big matches against anyone and I think his physicality improved as well.
His mentality will always be the huge question mark though. I think he will get an opportunity at a slam, but we’ll see if he can actually take it or if he shrinks up in the clutch.
I hope as much as anyone that he retires slamless, but let’s be honest, if he didn’t win a slam he’d probably be the best player ever to not win a slam.
15 Djokovic beats current one in 3/4 at all 4 slams. (maybe in 3 in Wimby, was his highest level there in 2015). 2011 Djokovic would beat 2023 one in straights on clay/HC and in 3/4 on grass. Only way current Novak can make it somewhat close is if he locks down on serve.
2023 Novak beats 2011 Novak in Wimbledon in straights! On hard 2011 and clay...
I can't wait for your predictions for 2024.. top 10 ranking and grand slam winners.
3 Slams are worth more than Olympic Gold
Olympic Gold is worth more than 1 Slam so I'd say 2 Slams are the equivalent.
Knowing djokovic he would never sacrifice a slam. As good as alcaraz n sinner n Medvedev are, they still have to go through the ultimate djokovic test. If they pass the test, they r deserving winners. But if anyone starts thinking novak will go easy on the slams next year, it’s not gonna happen. That’s not his mentality. He plays even a dead rubber or a meaningless 250 with same passion even now. He is not gonna give an inch even if it’s the first round of a 250. If that costs him his olympics so be it. But as a fan I know he would never disappoint me as a professional player. Even when he loses, I always know he has given his bloody best. That’s why I m ready to walk hundred miles to see his match
Alcaraz went through the "ultimate Djokovic test" at Wimbledon...
That’s what I said. When you win against djokovic, you earn it. He is never going to give it on a platter.
Agreed, although I was disappointed when he tanked that match against Sonego a few years back. Of course, it’s a rare occurrence, but still.
@S so Djokovic in 2020 in Vienna gave 100%
@SJ-di5zu yup
The best of three set olympic gold pales in comparison to any Grand slam title. He should focus on Winning Wimbledon and RG more than the olympics. If he wins the olympics too, more power to him.
Good convo guys, really liked Alex's takes.
I think Gil is downplaying Sinner's success and propping up Alcaraz a bit too much. In the Sinner vs Alcaraz discussions, you always bring up Alcaraz's two slams as an argument for why you still favor him over Sinner, but I feel that's a bit misplaced. Some context is in order here.
A lot of Sinner's recent GS losses were nail-bitter 5 setters against guys who either won the tournament or played in the Finals.
On the other hand, Alcaraz barely beat Sinner in the 2022 USO, and played Tiafoe and Ruud in the semis/finals - hardly a statement slam. In his Wimbledon run, he beat Rune+Medvedev, who haven't had any notable Wimbledon success previously and won that teeter-totter 5-setter windy Finals against Djokovic, which could have obviously gone either way.
Also, Sinner leads the h2h and had a match point in the only slam loss against Alcaraz. He's also in his top form and has drastically improved in the last few months.
So yes, I too think that Sinner is a bigger threat to Djokovic at the AO.
I think that Sinner is much stronger mentally than Alcaraz, who has shown some instabilities in the past.
I think this version of Sinner beats any version of Alcaraz in at least 2 matchups if they were to meet in all four Majors next year.
As a Djokovic fan, you can take that gold medal and throw it in the trash if it comes at the cost of 3 slams. 3 slams all day. Hell, Id rather he win 1 slam than an Olympic gold.
Gill you should get the Tennis Plus guy on to do these with you, he is really good.
Novak will prioritize the majors above the Olympics. His first four priorities in 2024 are the four majors. He wants to win all four majors to complete the calendar slam, and he wants to win each individually for records purposes. He is especially keen on marching Roger’s 8 Wimbledon titles. His fifth priority is the Olympics gold.
While I would agree that a slam, let alone 3 or 4 trumps the Olympics every day of the week, the Olympics has a special sentimental value to Novak and is the only big title that eludes him. Again, winning a slam is light years better for a legacy, but the OG is no doubt Novaks top priority next year.
@@jacobschmidt2709 I don't know. Each major in 2024 will hold special significance to Novak. The Australian Open would take his total to 25, one more than Margaret Court, the French Open would match Steffi Graf's 4 career grand slam, Wimbledon and the US Open would match Federer's records. I know that Novak cares about the OG, but I think compared to those four accomplishments, it takes the back seat. Of course, we don't know that, and you could well be right, but that is my gut sentiment.
De Minaur had a new elite mindset this year and it showed. He will do everything humanly possible to go higher in the rankings. Top 5 will be a stretch but he could get close.
I'd have to say the exact opposite. He managed to succeed beyond his abilities here: look at every other player in the top 10 (or even the top 20) and you can point to either multiple big-time weapons or else a single weapon that is head and shoulders above peers. Demon, on the other hand, has only one weapon: speed. His serve is limited, his groundstrokes and net play are nothing special, and he tends to put his rally balls in the middle of the court. The "make them hit one more ball" strategy as he employs it is good enough to keep him in the conversation, but in reality belongs in that 15-25 rank range and I'm certain we'll see some backslide this year (and let's not forget that his rise in the rankings was helped this year by no Nadal or Nick, as well as substantial ranking drops for many of the players who were above him at the beginning of the year including RBA, PCB, Berrettini, and Musetti) with him probably ending 2024 outside the top 15.
Top 10 is still quite far for De Minaur.
Sinner Meddy is 6-3
Love your content Gil, thanks a lot.
I do however feel that Ruud is your blind spot. You fail to rate him or even explain how he reached three GS Finals thus far. The amount of time you spend talking about Sinner dwarfs the laconic remarks on Ruud, besides his having a lucky draw on one occasion.
Three GS Finals can't be only luck though, can it?
Not a Ruud fan by the way.
Not to mention making it to the finals of the YEC.
Couldn't believe Gill didn't watch GOT 😮
I think Ruud is suffering by comparison to the "wacky year" of 2022. Considering that when he was "ranked" as #2, he had 5,850 points... which doesn't give you a sniff off the top 3 in any normal year, and was helped by a lot of lucky draws (no top 10 wins in RG or USO, and only 2 top 10 wins - Zverev and FAA - in the entire year prior to the ATP finals), as well as nobody else getting points in a Wimbledon where he was knocked out in the second round. He's always a threat on clay, but not a legitimate top 5 player and a marginal top 10 overall. Unfortunately for Casper, he WAS in the top 3, and less knowledgeable fans expect him to be there again.
@heavytopspin Nadal finish 2022 #2
@@colethomas903 Yes, but Ruud was #2 at the end of the USO.
@heavytopspin gotcha
@@HeavyTopspinIt’s misleading to act like 2022 was a weak year due to low point totals, when in reality Wimbledon and Shanghai weren’t played, leaving 3000 points on the table that no one could have. Of course, this doesn’t really help Ruud’s argument individually but it explains why point totals were lower in 2022 than other years.
@@SJ-di5zu That, and the 500-lb Serbian gorilla in the room who wasn't allowed to compete for over 6,000 potential points.
23 Djokovic wins on fast Hc and 15 wins on others. 2011 beats everyone on everything
Obviously not the post USO 2011 Djokovic,but the one before that
Except 2011 Djokovic didn't win Roland Garros
@@DaveOwen-vn6ieHe came across a peaking Federer. These things happen. You can't win every match.
2011 Djokovic dominated 2011 Rafa everywhere, even on Clay, that's clearly his highest peak.
@alburaq3290
And yet the original post references Djokovic beating everyone on every surface in 2011 - clearly an exaggeration and one I wanted to point out in fact Djokovic didn't win every match in 2011 but clearly was very dominant and won nearly everywhere he played
@@DaveOwen-vn6ie It is not an exaggeration,it is the greatest peak achieved by any player int he history of tennis. So yes,he beats everyone on every surface
Alex interrupts Gill way too much
If Novak wins 4 slams and olympics in 24 I’m selling both my cars!
What are you going to do with the money you get for your cars?
@move3scapes246 I think you be fine !
In that scenario when do we start talking about Weak era? If a 37 year old wins a Golden calendar grand slam then this current group of ATP players is incredibly weak
No male player can win 4 GS and Gold Medal in one year.
@DaveOwen-vn6ie it wouldn’t get talk about if it was Nole because they scream strong era but if it was Carlos it scream weak era
Comment on Sinner beating Joker in Davis Cup: Isn't it possible that Joker wasn't 100% invested in the match? I think he was 100% invested once the match started, but I'm not sure he approaches all matches with the same level of mental, physical, and strategic preparation, and I think he eased off just a bit, once he won the ATP Finals.
Interesting theory but I think Djokovic was fully invested! Firstly, because that’s what he’s like, but also any match against Sinner is really important as a test of where they are each at respectively, psychologically each win or loss against the player who will likely be 1 of his most important rivals for the rest of his career matters, *and* he knows the hysterical tennis world declares a “passing of the torch” & Djoko’s decline every time a top young player beats him.
Also: Djoko really really cares about representing Serbia. So Davis Cup matters to him to a degree that confounds some tennis fans.
3 Slams, durr.
Novak really wants to win the Gold badly, but not at the expense of winning a major. Given the choice between winning a major or the Gold, he will choose the major any day. For 2024, if he is given the choice between winning two majors or 1 major and the Gold, Novak would choose to win two majors. Give the choice between winning 3 majors or 2 majors and the Gold, Novak would choose the 3 majors. And given the choice between winning all four majors or three majors and the Gold, Novak would choose all four majors. Bottom line, the Olympic gold does not trump a major, no matter the circumstances.
Go Talon Griekspoor next year!
Being honest, I think Gil's solo podcasts are more insightful and have a higher content to word ratio.
Definitely. I guess Gruskin is a friend?
Is it just me but I only want to hear about Rafa right now 😮
Me but literally always. Alcaraz is great and all but Rafa is still my guy and I hope he can be competitive for another year
Only you 😂
@@TopEveryThing-yi3pyStick to pubg bud tennis isn’t for you
I watch all of your content and really appreciate your perspective on the game. But.. every time you have Alex on, I stop watching after 10 minutes
That’s 9 minutes and 57 seconds more than I deserve
Appreciate you tuning in, even if only for a moment
Why this hate comment? I don't get it!
@@alexgruskin6181Nah don’t sell yourself short man, you’re definitely entertaining and provide some fun insight that complements Gill’s well. Plus it’s fun to see little debates when you guys have different opinions on a player. Most of us like to see you on for MMA
@@alexgruskin6181 I'm always glad to see you on the show! I enjoy the personality you bring, I enjoy the back and forth between you and Gill, including the friendly ribbing etc.
@@p.r.866bc Alex has a very subtle irritating voice. you don't notice it at first, but it slowly builds until you can't stand hearing him speak
Novak wants that Olympic Gold 100%. But I suspect he will choke once again. Which sucks
First take already a bad one. I’ll take a slam over Olympics gold any day, much more if 3. And pls stop comparing Djokovic to LeBron. Djokovic is the GOAT with 24 GS while LeBron is a 250 lb statpadder with 3 rings and a mickey mouse title. I enjoy every Gill’s content including The Three, not this one, not this guest.
@tenniscommenter you clearly don’t even understand what he meant but u do you
the thing is Novak comes from serbia, a basketball country, winning gold in basketball (olympics) is the biggest thing you can win, so he naturally projects that into his own life/sport. + he is friends with atheltes across different sports where winning the gold is the biggest goal, so it becomes kinda intertwined. it doesn't help that his rivals Nadal and Federer took great pride in competing for the olympics as well.
bron and janis??woooow ... it's always easiest to skip both Jokers ... but in vain, they always come back when underestimated, hehe !! besides that, they need to drink more milk and play two careers to surpass MJ or Magic who were not chasing anyone's records...people have become zombies they only think what they see, that's the law you turn into what you see, just in line with the current pagan times (luckily, it won't be long, the end is near) they focus on bodies and muscles athleticism instead of talent and mind.. Nadal is one of the real proof what happens when the body breaks...cheers Gill and Alex !!
No mention of Nadal? guess analysts are again making the mistake of underestimating him...maybe its time for another comeback slam 😂
Part 2 has Nadal. This was #1-13 in the rankings.
@@GillGrosshaha okay bro, was just kidding.. love your analysis and work!! always looking out for your new videos
Nadal will win RG. Alcaraz has trouble with lefties, and Djokovic will save his peak for OGames.
@Z if Carlos has problems with lefty show some stats that prove this
@@colethomas903 You from billion tennis fans, don't know if you are dumb or just come intentionally to bother and provoke on my comments on all accounts I had
If Djokovic had already gotten an Olympic gold, and Nadal hadn’t, there would ZERO discourse saying “slams are more important than a gold”
You guys are so unbelievably biased towards Djokovic and it shows. The only reason an Olympic gold “isn’t that important” or “not something Novak needs” is because he HASNT GOTTEN IT
I’ve noticed a lot of Novak fans who vehemently defend him don’t really use a whole lot of logic
I think that slams are more important than a gold and I don’t think Gill or Alex are really biased towards Novak, however regarding comments I definitely agree with you. Novak fans have been super insecure and obnoxious, and they can’t hear the word “Olympics” without whining about how it’s not important. Djokovic himself reiterates how there’s nothing he wants more than a Gold medal at the Olympics; that says enough about its importance. Imo it’s a step below the slams, but a step above the Masters. Call it a 1500 or 1750.
I think people get 2 things mixed up:
1) the importance of an olympic gold
2) the importance of an olympic gold to Djokovic
2>>>1
@@stef_v2>>1
IF you’re a Djokovic fan, on their own they’re both incredible achievements
OG is no doubt important and counts as a big title, but you'd have to be insane to put it over winning a slam. Both OG and a masters are bo3, whereas a slam is bo5. Winning 7 straight bo5 matches is the most difficult thing to do in the sport of tennis.