Overated tennis players

[Liub]

I'm talking about those players that people always say they have the potential to do this and that but always fail to deliver.

My vote goes to Richard Gasquet. Since his debut on the ATP tour he was touted as 'Baby Federer'. His backhand is very good but massively overated. His forehand is solid at best. He also does not have the mental strength to ever win a grandslam. Uses the excuse of 'too much pressure' year after year at the French Open where other young French players have done better than him eg. Monfils, Simon, Mathieu etc.

 

[crowsarethebest]

I'm talking about those players that people always say they have the potential to do this and that but always fail to deliver.

My vote goes to Richard Gasquet. Since his debut on the ATP tour he was touted as 'Baby Federer'. His backhand is very good but massively overated. His forehand is solid at best. He also does not have the mental strength to ever win a grandslam. Uses the excuse of 'too much pressure' year after year at the French Open where other young French players have done better than him eg. Monfils, Simon, Mathieu etc.

Yeah.. he's overrated. He has flair and is good to watch (as in style) however he just doesn't produce the results and is mentally fragile.

 

[Kaan]

Davydenko.

 

[scooterb]

Davydenko.

I think the only thing that rates him is his ranking.

Everyone knows that he can't handle the heat.

I know he's almost finished, but my vote goes to David Nalbandian. Before every single Grand Slam people talk up his chances of causing an upset and going all the way. He usually does well but he has never reached the potential everyone has bestowed upon him (save Wimbledon 2002).

 

[matt_897]

Davydenko.

I knew someone would say that. How in the hell is the guy over-rated? The guy's barely mentioned when going into a slam or big tournament and that's even when he was ranked at no.3. He was probably underrated if anything, conistantly made the quarter/semis of slam a few years back and lost a lot of those matche against Federer. As said above, the main thing is he can't really handle the big match situation, always had his chances against Fed, a match at the US Open semi stands out for me where he a million bp's where he should at least won a set. Considering he was never really rated as a grand slam contender in first place, defiantely not over-rated. I think must be one of the few people who is actually a fan of his game.

The other mentions would be it, Gasquet, one of the biggest mental midget out there, forehand isn't a great shot. Nalbandian as well, look at some of his chances wasted in past times, 2 sets to love lead and mp against Roddick at 03 US Open, Baghdatis at AO in '06. Least he won a Mastesr Cup. They are the big 2.

 

[Karbo]

Davydenko.

Probably the most underrated player of the past decade. Not sure about Gasquet either... has anyone ever seriously rated the guy since his junior days? He's only made it past the fourth round of a major once, and with a flawed forehand/brain/heart he was never going to make it. Also suffers the unfortunate handicap of being French... poor guy was destined to fail. Orgasmic backhand though...

 

[matt_897]

Not sure about Gasquet either... has anyone ever seriously rated the guy since his junior days? He's only made it past the fourth round of a major once, and with a flawed forehand/brain/heart he was never going to make it. Also suffers the unfortunate handicap of being French... poor guy was destined to fail. Orgasmic backhand though...

He was rated as one of the possible guys to win a major a few years ago to come out and possibly win a major. I guess Berdych would fall under this category too.

 

[Bomber4ever]

Is it a bit unfair to label Ernests Gulbis overatted at such a young age. He was ranked about 60th two years ago and I just looked at the rankings then and he's slid out to 98th.

 

[tubbis]

Lleyton Hewitt. Has the heart but Aussie media pump him up too much. 01-02 was just a weird transitional phase between old stars and the upcoming new talent and he shone during that time.

 

[matt_897]

Lleyton Hewitt. Has the heart but Aussie media pump him up too much. 01-02 was just a weird transitional phase between old stars and the upcoming new talent and he shone during that time.

Watching Lleyton losing to Santoro at the moment? Only reason can justify even mentioning him in this thread.

 

[andrepetz]

Watching Lleyton losing to Santoro at the moment? Only reason can justify even mentioning him in this thread.

He pulled through in the end .

People say he was a transitional champion, but 75 consecutive weeks at number 1 isn't to be sneezed at, especially when you look at someone like Safin, who grew up in the same era as Hewitt and is widely regarded as a better, more talented player, yet was only number 1 for 9 weeks total. Only Federer and Nadal have better records than Hewitt of active players.

 

[Liub]

Probably the most underrated player of the past decade. Not sure about Gasquet either... has anyone ever seriously rated the guy since his junior days? He's only made it past the fourth round of a major once, and with a flawed forehand/brain/heart he was never going to make it. Also suffers the unfortunate handicap of being French... poor guy was destined to fail. Orgasmic backhand though...

Agree with Davydenko. He is kind of like the Adam Simpson of tennis. Super consistent but does not have the tool to be an outright superstar. I remember a match against Federer at the AO, he should of won that match but blew so many break points and other crucial points. He's not good for tennis tho. Only in it for the money and does not have heart.

Nalbandian is an interesting one. I don't even know if he's overated or underated. He's somewhat in limbo. Has all the talent in the world but does not handle the big matches well (excluding the masters final against Federer). Does not have the extra mental edge to be a champion like a Federer, Nadal, Hewitt. But he is up there with Hewitt as one of the greatest davis cup players of this decade. Rarely fails when playing for his country.

Don't agree with Gasquet being underated tho. He is ridiculously hyped up by the media and commentators purely based on his powerful backhand. Mental strength > Ball hitting ability when it comes to crunch matches. Also, I think his backhand is massively overated. When on song, it is an artform but he can spray it alot as well. He will not win a singles grandslam in his life.

 

[BLPC08]

Donald Young - Speak to the Americans, he is supposed to be the next great hope for them. Ranked around the 200 mark

James Blake - never got past the QF of a Grand Slam

Marcos Baghdatis - Around the 90-100 mark, one slam wonder.

 

[Kaan]

Thomas Johansson

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Murray. I am sorry, just don't believe he has "it" so to speak. Nothing in his game screams to me "world number 1". Perfect example of a guy near the top as there is a MASSIVE gap between Federer, Nadal AND the rest.

 

[adii_7]

Monfils. end thread.

 

[dUkezz]

4-6, 6-4, 0-2......... hmmm defeated hewitt winning the last set virtually 6-0

 

[Drummond]

4-6, 6-4, 0-2......... hmmm defeated hewitt winning the last set virtually 6-0

And that makes him not overrated how exactly...

Monfils is massively overrated. Ohhh his amazing athleticsm, too bad it causes him to retire every second game, that and his pea sized heart.

Add Tsonga to the list also. One Slam wonder (not a win but finalist) and has reached the Quarters to this years AO but otherwise not a single QF appearance. Terrible record at the MS events too other than his one fluke win in Paris when all his main competitors had to retire injured.