In the fifth tier we have about 17 players (asterisk means approximate rating based upon limited statistical information from the 1970s and early 1980s):
Stan Smith (5.10*), Manuel Orantes (4.88*), Jan Kodes (4.84*), Yannick Noah (4.33*)
Lleyton Hewitt (4.98), Miroslav Mecir (4.83), Michael Stich (4.78), Gustavo Kuerten (4.72), Yevgeny Kafelnikov (4.67), Michael Chang (4.58), Thomas Muster (4.52), Patrick Rafter (4.49), Marat Safin (4.43), Goran Ivanisevic (4.40), Juan Carlos Ferrero (4.30)
Honorable Mention: David Ferrer (4.37), David Nalbandian (4.32)
Only two of these players won three Grand Slam titles: Kuerten and Kodes. The rest achieved one or two majors except Mecir, Nalbandian, and Ferrer (pictured above). Miroslav Mecir is probably the best tennis player to never win a Grand Slam, though one could make arguments for Nalbandian and Ferrer. David Nalbandian is a solid 8-11 lifetime against Roger Federer, while David Ferrer has an abysmal record versus Federer with zero wins in 16 attempts. Ferrer's consistency over the last three years should not be underestimated, however. He has improved greatly since the beginning of 2012, once reaching 10 consecutive quarterfinals in Grand Slams. Djokovic and Nadal have ended his championship dreams in six of those ten GS tournaments, including the 2013 French Open final. If not for their complete domination of the sport, Ferrer might have one or two GS trophies in his home today.
Kafelnikov and Safin, the two best Russians ever to play tennis in singles, both won two GS titles, which were each spread apart by many years ('96 French & '99 Australian for Yevgeny, '00 United States & '05 Australian for Marat). They also split their four head-to-head meetings, including one in their native land (Saint Petersburg). Both deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Newport, Rhode Island. Kafelnikov is especially qualified because he was also a great doubles player (4 GS), being the last to win in singles and doubles at the same GS tournament (French Open, 1996). Adding his Olympic Gold medal in 2000 singles competition into the conversation, I am left to suspect his current exclusion from the Hall of Fame is more political than anything else (Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin are originally from the former Soviet Union). Michael Chang, Patrick Rafter, and Gustavo Kuerten, who retired only four years before he was selected, all have similar resumes as recently elected Hall of Fame members.
Gustavo Kuerten ("Guga") outlasted his opponents with his boundless energy, and this was especially effective on clay. Before Rafael Nadal, it was he who stole the spotlight at Roland Garros, particularly in 1997 when he knocked off defending champion Kafelnikov and two-time winner Sergi Bruguera ('93, '94). At that time he was unseeded with a world rank of #66. Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon as a qualifier who was seeded 125th in the world! Considering the circumstances surrounding both players, Gustavo and Goran were equally impressive in winning their first GS championships. Michael Stich was another underrated tennis player, beating Courier, Edberg, and Becker (all ranked in higher tiers) en route to his first and only Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1991. Surprisingly, he has won more in his career than he has lost against the likes of Sampras (5-4), Edberg (10-6), and Courier (7-5). Definitely overshadowed by the American stars of the 1990s and his compatriot Boris Becker, Stich belongs in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt continued the Australian tradition of producing excellent theatrics on a tennis court since the days of Laver, Rosewall, and Newcombe. There are no prominent Australians playing the game today, unless you count Hewitt who remains active despite not advancing past the 4th round in any Grand Slam since 2010. At their peaks, Hewitt and Rafter were formidable pests that gave Federer and Sampras some problems, but usually not in Grand Slams. Lleyton Hewitt suffered from the same syndrome as Andy Roddick, with losses in all eight head-to-head meetings with Roger in Grand Slams. Patrick Rafter had a more respectable 1-2 record against Sampras in GS tournaments, but only went 4-12 against him overall. Hewitt did manage to deny David Nalbandian a GS title with a straight set win in the 2002 Wimbledon final. He also beat Sampras for his other major championship, with a convincing 7-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory in the 2001 US Open final. Rafter's finest performances were also at the US Open, where he won both of his GS titles in '97 and '98. His comeback from a two sets to one advantage for Sampras in the 1998 semifinal, coupled with his subjugation of fellow countryman Mark Philippoussis in the subsequent final, must have been Patrick Rafter's greatest achievement. Ironically, neither Hewitt nor Rafter could win the Australian Open even though they were both very good on hard courts.
Many of these players won their lone Grand Slam at Roland Garros: Yannick Noah (1983), Thomas Muster (1995), Michael Chang (1989), and Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003). The French Open had been the most unpredictable major until Nadal came along and virtually owned it for a decade. Muster overcame Chang in '95 to prevent Michael from becoming the second American after Jim Courier to win the French Open multiple times in the Open Era. Noah, the only Frenchman to win at Roland Garros since 1968, combined his enthusiasm and talent to arrive at an improbable victory over Mats Wilander in 1983. Juan Carlos Ferrero arguably had the easiest road to his first Grand Slam than any other player in this class. But Ferrero rates slightly higher than other Spaniards with similar numbers on clay - Sergi Bruguera and Carlos Moya - because of his comparatively better performance in the Masters 1000 tournaments at Madrid, Rome, and Monte Carlo, each of which he won at least once.
Manuel Orantes is the consensus choice as the second best Spaniard to ever play (behind Rafael Nadal). He defeated all-time great Jimmy Connors in straight sets at the 1975 US Open when it was played on clay. Like many Spanish players, he had his best moments on that surface and even took a two set lead over the legendary Bjorn Borg at the 1974 French Open before succumbing to Borg's indomitable will. Stan Smith and Jan Kodes competed in the same era, each winning a Wimbledon title in 1972 and 1973, respectively. Both were accomplished players on grass, with memorable matches between the two at the '71 and '73 US Open when it still had grass courts. Kodes won in five sets over Smith in the 1973 US Open semifinal, but lost to Smith in the 1971 US Open final. As Czechs, Jan Kodes and Miroslav Mecir did not get many headlines, so many tennis fans are not familiar with them. But Kodes is enshrined in the Tennis Hall of Fame for his tenacious effort and pride that he exuded on the court, especially clay where he won two straight Grand Slams at Roland Garros, including his 1971 conquest of an up-and-coming Ilie Nastase.
Here are some Sixth Tier examples but the total number in this class would be much greater (at least 20-25 players, and probably quite a few more):
Richard Krajicek (4.10), Pat Cash (4.03), Sergi Bruguera (4.00), Johan Kriek (3.94), Carlos Moya (3.87), Alex Corretja (3.73), Petr Korda (3.53), Andres Gomez (3.50)
That ends my series on placing the greatest tennis players of the Open Era into tiers.
Stan Smith (5.10*), Manuel Orantes (4.88*), Jan Kodes (4.84*), Yannick Noah (4.33*)
Only two of these players won three Grand Slam titles: Kuerten and Kodes. The rest achieved one or two majors except Mecir, Nalbandian, and Ferrer (pictured above). Miroslav Mecir is probably the best tennis player to never win a Grand Slam, though one could make arguments for Nalbandian and Ferrer. David Nalbandian is a solid 8-11 lifetime against Roger Federer, while David Ferrer has an abysmal record versus Federer with zero wins in 16 attempts. Ferrer's consistency over the last three years should not be underestimated, however. He has improved greatly since the beginning of 2012, once reaching 10 consecutive quarterfinals in Grand Slams. Djokovic and Nadal have ended his championship dreams in six of those ten GS tournaments, including the 2013 French Open final. If not for their complete domination of the sport, Ferrer might have one or two GS trophies in his home today.
Kafelnikov and Safin, the two best Russians ever to play tennis in singles, both won two GS titles, which were each spread apart by many years ('96 French & '99 Australian for Yevgeny, '00 United States & '05 Australian for Marat). They also split their four head-to-head meetings, including one in their native land (Saint Petersburg). Both deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at Newport, Rhode Island. Kafelnikov is especially qualified because he was also a great doubles player (4 GS), being the last to win in singles and doubles at the same GS tournament (French Open, 1996). Adding his Olympic Gold medal in 2000 singles competition into the conversation, I am left to suspect his current exclusion from the Hall of Fame is more political than anything else (Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin are originally from the former Soviet Union). Michael Chang, Patrick Rafter, and Gustavo Kuerten, who retired only four years before he was selected, all have similar resumes as recently elected Hall of Fame members.
Gustavo Kuerten ("Guga") outlasted his opponents with his boundless energy, and this was especially effective on clay. Before Rafael Nadal, it was he who stole the spotlight at Roland Garros, particularly in 1997 when he knocked off defending champion Kafelnikov and two-time winner Sergi Bruguera ('93, '94). At that time he was unseeded with a world rank of #66. Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon as a qualifier who was seeded 125th in the world! Considering the circumstances surrounding both players, Gustavo and Goran were equally impressive in winning their first GS championships. Michael Stich was another underrated tennis player, beating Courier, Edberg, and Becker (all ranked in higher tiers) en route to his first and only Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 1991. Surprisingly, he has won more in his career than he has lost against the likes of Sampras (5-4), Edberg (10-6), and Courier (7-5). Definitely overshadowed by the American stars of the 1990s and his compatriot Boris Becker, Stich belongs in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt continued the Australian tradition of producing excellent theatrics on a tennis court since the days of Laver, Rosewall, and Newcombe. There are no prominent Australians playing the game today, unless you count Hewitt who remains active despite not advancing past the 4th round in any Grand Slam since 2010. At their peaks, Hewitt and Rafter were formidable pests that gave Federer and Sampras some problems, but usually not in Grand Slams. Lleyton Hewitt suffered from the same syndrome as Andy Roddick, with losses in all eight head-to-head meetings with Roger in Grand Slams. Patrick Rafter had a more respectable 1-2 record against Sampras in GS tournaments, but only went 4-12 against him overall. Hewitt did manage to deny David Nalbandian a GS title with a straight set win in the 2002 Wimbledon final. He also beat Sampras for his other major championship, with a convincing 7-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory in the 2001 US Open final. Rafter's finest performances were also at the US Open, where he won both of his GS titles in '97 and '98. His comeback from a two sets to one advantage for Sampras in the 1998 semifinal, coupled with his subjugation of fellow countryman Mark Philippoussis in the subsequent final, must have been Patrick Rafter's greatest achievement. Ironically, neither Hewitt nor Rafter could win the Australian Open even though they were both very good on hard courts.
Many of these players won their lone Grand Slam at Roland Garros: Yannick Noah (1983), Thomas Muster (1995), Michael Chang (1989), and Juan Carlos Ferrero (2003). The French Open had been the most unpredictable major until Nadal came along and virtually owned it for a decade. Muster overcame Chang in '95 to prevent Michael from becoming the second American after Jim Courier to win the French Open multiple times in the Open Era. Noah, the only Frenchman to win at Roland Garros since 1968, combined his enthusiasm and talent to arrive at an improbable victory over Mats Wilander in 1983. Juan Carlos Ferrero arguably had the easiest road to his first Grand Slam than any other player in this class. But Ferrero rates slightly higher than other Spaniards with similar numbers on clay - Sergi Bruguera and Carlos Moya - because of his comparatively better performance in the Masters 1000 tournaments at Madrid, Rome, and Monte Carlo, each of which he won at least once.
Manuel Orantes is the consensus choice as the second best Spaniard to ever play (behind Rafael Nadal). He defeated all-time great Jimmy Connors in straight sets at the 1975 US Open when it was played on clay. Like many Spanish players, he had his best moments on that surface and even took a two set lead over the legendary Bjorn Borg at the 1974 French Open before succumbing to Borg's indomitable will. Stan Smith and Jan Kodes competed in the same era, each winning a Wimbledon title in 1972 and 1973, respectively. Both were accomplished players on grass, with memorable matches between the two at the '71 and '73 US Open when it still had grass courts. Kodes won in five sets over Smith in the 1973 US Open semifinal, but lost to Smith in the 1971 US Open final. As Czechs, Jan Kodes and Miroslav Mecir did not get many headlines, so many tennis fans are not familiar with them. But Kodes is enshrined in the Tennis Hall of Fame for his tenacious effort and pride that he exuded on the court, especially clay where he won two straight Grand Slams at Roland Garros, including his 1971 conquest of an up-and-coming Ilie Nastase.
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| Yannick Noah, 1983 Champion at Roland Garros |
Here are some Sixth Tier examples but the total number in this class would be much greater (at least 20-25 players, and probably quite a few more):
Richard Krajicek (4.10), Pat Cash (4.03), Sergi Bruguera (4.00), Johan Kriek (3.94), Carlos Moya (3.87), Alex Corretja (3.73), Petr Korda (3.53), Andres Gomez (3.50)
That ends my series on placing the greatest tennis players of the Open Era into tiers.
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