FedEx Performance Zone: Grass-Court Greats
FedEx Performance Zone: Grass-Court Greats
ATPWorldTour.com takes a look at grass-court greats using the FedEx ATP Performance Zone
Roger Federer feels at home as one of the sport’s greatest players to step onto a grass court.
The Swiss, who is returning to tour-level play this week at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, has won 15 tour-level titles on the surface, including seven at Wimbledon and eight in Halle. He’s also finished as a runner-up six times on grass.
The 34 year old’s double-digit haul puts him at the top of the career grass-court FedEx ATP Win-Loss Index for the Open Era (since May 1968). Federer, who won his first grass-court title at 2003 Halle, boasts a 142-20 record on the surface (as of 8 June 2016), giving him a staggering winning percentage of 88.
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The World No. 3 has dealt with injuries this year, including torn cartilage in his left knee that required surgery and an ailing back that forced him to miss Roland Garros for the first time since 1998. But playing in Stuttgart for the first time this week, Federer remains hopeful he can get on another grass-court run.
“A good week is if I get on the match court and I play a match. A great week is if I get to the semis, and a dream one would be to win the tournament,” Federer said. “Crazier things have happened. I think everything’s possible this week. At the moment, I step on a grass court and I’m feeling somewhat fine. I will have my chances and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
GREAT ON GRASS – Roger Federer leads the FedEx ATP Win-Loss Index with the best winning percentage in grass-court matches. From 2003 to 2008, he won 65 straight grass-court matches and he lifted 15 titles from 21 grass-court finals. Take a look at his season-by-season tally.
|
Year
|
Grass W-L Record
|
Grass Titles-Finals
|
|
1999
|
0-2
|
–
|
|
2000
|
2-3
|
–
|
|
2001
|
9-3
|
–
|
|
2002
|
5-3
|
–
|
|
2003
|
12-0
|
2-0
|
|
2004
|
12-0
|
2-0
|
|
2005
|
12-0
|
2-0
|
|
2006
|
12-0
|
2-0
|
|
2007
|
6-0
|
1-0
|
|
2008
|
11-1
|
1-1
|
|
2009
|
7-0
|
1-0
|
|
2010
|
8-2
|
0-1
|
|
2011
|
6-1
|
–
|
|
2012
|
15-2
|
1-2
|
|
2013
|
5-1
|
1-0
|
|
2014
|
9-1
|
1-1
|
|
2015
|
11-1
|
1-1
|
|
Total
|
142-20
|
15-6
|
Right behind Federer in the grass-court FedEx ATP Win-Loss Index is another great, John McEnroe. The New Yorker posted a 121-20 career record on the turf, equalling a winning percentage of 86. He, like Federer, also has his share of Wimbledon and other grass tour-level titles. The left-hander won three grass-court titles in south-west London and five others elsewhere. He was also a finalist on the surface five times.
Bjorn Borg, well-known for his clay-court prowess, comes in third on the all-time list with a 61-11 record, a winning percentage of 85. The Swede, who won six Roland Garros titles, also captured five Wimbledon crowns and one other grass-court title.
The remainder of today’s “Big Four” are close behind the aforementioned three. Andy Murray is nearly even with Borg. The Brit possesses a 90-17 record on grass, translating to a winning percentage of 84. The World No. 2 also has won six titles, including 2013 Wimbledon, when he became the first British man to win the championship since Fred Perry in 1936.
Novak Djokovic, a three-time Wimbledon champion, carries a 67-15 career grass-court record and a winning percentage of 82 into this season’s grass stretch. Next month, Djokovic will try to win his third consecutive Wimbledon title.
Rafael Nadal has won four grass-court titles and is 58-17 on the surface for his career, a winning percentage of 77. Last year, the Spaniard added the inaugural Mercedes Cup on grass to his two Wimbledon titles and one title at The Queen’s Club.