Murray vs. Djokovic

Niall · Pro player

Murray vs. Djokovic

Drew · Dec 12, 2005

Excellent details Niall.....interesting how much more steadier Murray has risen....rather than in highs and lows...maybe thats how it will be with him....who knows !

Hope you are around in a year when you can do it again in ! Wonder were they will be ?

Josh · Challenger level

I think that shows what amzing progress Andy has made compared to another rising star.

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

Great graph Niall. It really highlights Andy`s progress this year when he`s compared to a player of the same age.

Sheddie · administrator

Thanks for the great graphs Niall, interesting to see that Andy's career took off much earlier than Djokovic's and it was only the back injury which enabled Novak to overtake him.

Lexie · Newbie

Did Djokovic remain injury free during this period?

If so, this just highlights how remarkable Andy's progress has been.

Sheddie · administrator

Welcome to the message board Lexie

I'll email you a guide to this message board to inform you about all the different sections

Novak did remain injury free throughout this period. It does should how remarkably well Andy has done as at the start of this year Novak was reaching the latter stages of challengers and was regarded as one of the next big things on the ATP tour. Now Andy has completely usurped him and claimed all the attention. If you look at the graphs the pattern is that each player had a big surge and then a period of consistent progress and then another big surge etc. The big defining factor is that Andy's 2nd big surge took him from 350 to 120, out of the futures circuit and onto the ATP tour - a transistion which proves too much for most players even over a decade and Andy achieved it in 3 months. This has been supremely impressive. In contrast the challenger circuit took Novak time to get used to and to move through that level.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

I have only seen Novak Djokovic play once and that was a match he lost at the US Open against Verdasco. He looked pretty impressive, constructing his points well and in many ways seemed more developed than Andy. He has a good serve and solid groundstrokes on both wings.

As for the graph, I think a lot of it can be explained by wildcards. Novak didn't get any this year so spent much of his time trying to qualify for ATP events. He suceeded 3 times out of 9 for your standard tour events/Masters but managed to qualify for all 3 Grand Slams before getting direct entry into the US Open. Now that his ranking is improved he will get into the main draw for most events, though the first couple of clay court Masters may be touch and go.

It would be surprising if Djokovic is not a top 25 player by the end of 2006.

Drew · Dec 18, 2005

quote : As for the graph, I think a lot of it can be explained by wildcards.

Another gem of a point made by our very own 'Gandolf' !!!!

Niall · Pro player

I have udated the graph as unfortunately Djokovic has slipped ahead ahead of Murray again. Both players have struggled to improve their ranking this season but a strong performance at Roland Garos has lifted Djokovic to a career of 40. Andy remains at 45.

Andymonium · Satellite level

i wouldnt go as far as calling novak murray's nemisis after all arnt the good friends...? and i wouldnt be calling a possible futur brit a nemisis...atleast i hope hes a future brit

Niall · Pro player

It is Monday 17th of July and Andy is back on top.

I have called Novak Djokovic Andy's nemisis because they were born a week apart and they are the only two players from 1987 who have made an impression on the tour. They may be friends but that doesn't mean they can't have a bit of rivalry. Hopefully they will have over a decade of fierce competition at the top of the sport.

-- Edited by Niall at 15:47, 2006-07-24

RobC · All-time great

Well Novak's taken the next step up the rankings - into the top 30, with his win in Amersfoort. Hopefully Andy will follow him sooner rather than later.

I'd be interested to see Kristof Vliegen onthe same graph, as well as Dmitri Tursunov, and possibly Gael Monfils.

Vliegen seems to be rising at the same rate as Murray and Djokovic. Tursunov and Monfils seem to have climbed earlier, and then stalled slightly.

(We should probably have Rafa on there as well, but that would just be embarrassing for the rest of them)

Niall · Pro player

Well it was fun while it last but on Sunday the 23rd of July Novak Djokovic won his maiden ATP title and as a result he again forged ahead of Andy in the world rankings .

-- Edited by Niall at 11:03, 2006-08-14

Niall · Pro player

RobC, I have chosen to compare Murray and Djokovic bacause they were born just one week appart so it is about as close as you can get to a fair comparison.

I have data for Nadal, Gasquet, and Monfils as they were all born in 1986 which fits with the profile of bright young players. If people are interested I could post a graph of those. I am toying with the idea of making a time shifted graph whch would allow a comparison of the best players from 85, 86, 87, and 88.

Vliegen and Tursanov were both born in 82 so they should be established by now. I know Tursanov had injury problems which might have delayed his career a bit. I don't know what Vliegen's excuse is. The bottom line is that there are hundreds of players that you could follow, I have chosen to follow the brightest young players to make a comparison with the progress of Andy Murray.