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So, I thought it would be interesting to go back and see which players over the last 20-25 years have had the best records vs. top ten players when it matters most: At the Grand Slams. I was able to find pretty accurate records at the ATP's site back to about 1985 or else I would have gone back further. The US Open doesn't have updated rankings for each player until 1988. Those few years I was able to figure easily enough. So who has built their successes against the best of the best? And who has done it on the backs of weaker players?
Here's the W-L and winning percentage of the greats of the game since 1985 vs. top 10 players at the time of the tournament (* denotes player is still active):
*R. Federer - 30-9 (76.9%)
P. Sampras - 30-11 (73.1%)
*G. Kuerten - 8-3 (72.7%)
B. Becker - 22-15 (59.4%)
*M. Safin - 11-8 (57.8%)
M. Wilander - 11-9 (55.0%)
*R. Nadal - 6-5 (54.5%)
I. Lendl - 18-16 (52.9%)
S. Edberg - 20-18 (52.6%)
A. Agassi - 25-25 (50.0%)
J. Courier - 16-16 (50.0%)
S. Bruguera - 7-8 (46.6%)
J. McEnroe - 7-9 (43.7%)
*JC Ferrero - 8-11 (42.1%)
*C. Moya - 6-9 (40.0%)
P. Rafter - 6-11 (35.2%)
G. Ivanisevic - 7-14 (33.3%)
M. Chang - 8-17 (32.0%)
*L. Hewitt - 7-15 (31.8%)
T. Muster - 5-11 (31.2%)
Y. Kafelnikov - 4-12 (25.0%)
*A. Roddick - 3-9 (25.0%)
M. Rios - 2-7 (22.2%)
Here's the W-L and winning percentage of the greats of the game since 1985 vs. top 10 players at the time of the tournament (* denotes player is still active):
*R. Federer - 30-9 (76.9%)
P. Sampras - 30-11 (73.1%)
*G. Kuerten - 8-3 (72.7%)
B. Becker - 22-15 (59.4%)
*M. Safin - 11-8 (57.8%)
M. Wilander - 11-9 (55.0%)
*R. Nadal - 6-5 (54.5%)
I. Lendl - 18-16 (52.9%)
S. Edberg - 20-18 (52.6%)
A. Agassi - 25-25 (50.0%)
J. Courier - 16-16 (50.0%)
S. Bruguera - 7-8 (46.6%)
J. McEnroe - 7-9 (43.7%)
*JC Ferrero - 8-11 (42.1%)
*C. Moya - 6-9 (40.0%)
P. Rafter - 6-11 (35.2%)
G. Ivanisevic - 7-14 (33.3%)
M. Chang - 8-17 (32.0%)
*L. Hewitt - 7-15 (31.8%)
T. Muster - 5-11 (31.2%)
Y. Kafelnikov - 4-12 (25.0%)
*A. Roddick - 3-9 (25.0%)
M. Rios - 2-7 (22.2%)