[River]

Roddick. At first I wanted to say Goran, but my memory begins to think that if both were in their best zone, I don't think Goran would have been able to take the kind of ball that Roddick's old FH would have delivered. I honestly think that, to this day, Roddick woul have won so many more majors had he kept such a weapon during the development of his other groundstrokes and overall game.

When it reached the tail end of Roddick's career, it's wierd to say but, his killer FH was the last missing piece of the puzzle for his maxed-out potential. He had that piece in his career early but dropped it somehow along the way :\

[Honestly]

Originally Posted by kidbourbon

Talent-wise this isn't even a close call. It's Ivanisevic.

/thread

[BackhandDTL]

Some people are always so quick to buy into media-generated narratives of different players.

The whole "Andy The Blue Collar Player" image didn't even exist until Roddick ditched one of the best weapons on tour and his aggressive game in a misguided attempt at completion. When he was on the rise in '02-'03, pundits were saying just the opposite - that Roddick was a promisingly talented player who was too caught up in a hollywood lifestyle. The stories only changed when Roddick's game did, same with the appraisal. In Wimbledon '04 Mcenroe raved about Roddick's ability to "hit the ball as hard as anybody", and in the very match with Ivanisevic, J-Mac, one of the GOAT volleyers, praised Andy for "beautiful technique" at net. But when Andy got lost in reinvinting himself, outlooks differed.

Ivanisevic, on the other hand, has this reputation as a talented headcase, and that seems to have created some mythical, latent Croat who once sailed the seas with Odysseus and slayed dragons with Beowulf. The fact is, though, the guy did show up in the 90s, especially at Wimbledon, but he routinely got beat by a superior rival, just like Roddick. There's nothing to suppose.

Ivanisevic went several years hitting more than 1k aces and still struggled to win tennis matches, which people attribute to his head by default. Roddick ditched what was then one of the best weapons of his generation and still found success. You tell me who's more talented.

[nolesfan2011]

Goran by far.. Roddick was a 2 shot pony who was good on 2 surfaces and never developed his game further as his career went on, he was moody, but not a "headcase" per say, he just wasn't good enough to beat the Federer types.

Roddick was all serve, forehand and chip and charge, rubbish at everything else and even his volley stuff wasn't that spectacular.

Originally Posted by samanosuke

Roddick obviously achieved more and had better consistency but Goran was more talented player, just enormous headcase. Don't agree with your fact #8 . Goran was more than useful player on clay. Won multiple titles, reached Masters 1000 final, few times was in semis, beat Muster on clay and other great clay courters

[Caesar1844]

Talent-wise, Ivanisevic is one of the most overrated players in history.

[heya]

Originally Posted by nolesfan2011

Goran by far.. Roddick was a 2 shot pony who was good on 2 surfaces and never developed his game further as his career went on, he was moody, but not a "headcase" per say, he just wasn't good enough to beat the Federer types.

Roddick was all serve, forehand and chip and charge, rubbish at everything else and even his volley stuff wasn't that spectacular.

Agreed, but Roddick was weaker every year and didn't want to work because he wasn't very good on fast courts either. He said he stopped obsessing about Federina, then he contradicted himself by saying Federina was so friendly & unmatched in the talent department. Roddick pathetically strayed out of the normal mentality for a good athlete. He knew he was too overweight & injury-prone to last many years against better players (many). The only times he felt happy about playing were when he begged for charity money for his foundation & during the easier Davis Cup ties on medium slow hardcourt. Other times, he was verbally abusive and had to be taught a lesson about respecting the superior players who weren't Federer.

Jimmy Connors admitted that Rodd was uncoachable and lost passion for tennis in 2008.

Ivanisevic was not about money greed like Roddick was. He obviously wasn't looking for a rich celebrity teen girl to get to marry him. He still had the guts to hit winners & serve & volley efficiently. He wasn't choking so bad in many matches, unlike Roddick. Goran retired with no anger and no greedy bitter family members who regretted that he verbally abused anyone. No Goran parents/siblings nagged him for money or hid away from the cameras in shame, unlike the Roddicks.

[samanosuke]

Originally Posted by River

Roddick. At first I wanted to say Goran, but my memory begins to think that if both were in their best zone, I don't think Goran would have been able to take the kind of ball that Roddick's old FH would have delivered. I honestly think that, to this day, Roddick woul have won so many more majors had he kept such a weapon during the development of his other groundstrokes and overall game.

When it reached the tail end of Roddick's career, it's wierd to say but, his killer FH was the last missing piece of the puzzle for his maxed-out potential. He had that piece in his career early but dropped it somehow along the way :\

you obviously hasn't seen much of Goran's tennis. When he was in the zone he was as good as everybody . Literally unplayable.

Comparing these two at their peaks. Roddick would have edge just on FH side and not by much. Lets say they would be equal on the serve and everything else Goran edges more than comfortably

[Boris Franz Ecker]

although roddick played ten years later, won more titles, had better rankings, he made only a little bit more in price money than ivanisevic.
That's because ivanisevic made his money indoors on fast surfaces where he was very strong.
who was more talented? surely Ivanisevic.

[petar_pan]

Goran tennis-wise, Roddick by results. Goran had very good results in every single surface but he was such a headcase, that took him off few majors. However, everbody should be happy and proud how much Wimby's finals he played. Four finals, how much players can say they played 4 finals of biggiest tournament, tennis holy Grail?

Pitty 80% of tournaments didn't play on fast grass like today are on slow hard (and 20% of others was fast like that grass), Goran would become multi-slam winner (actually it would be enough that AO was held on grass 10 more years).
Today's "complete" players are so bad on the net. Yeah, they are complete, just 5 meters behind back line and running left and right.

Tennis is 90's was real tennis: every surface was natural fast7slow.

[born_on_clay]

Goran was more talented