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Brian Swartz · 04-22-2015, 05:05 PM

Tour History

The game world I'm involved in is now in the final stages of Year 47. It actually began in Year 0, not Year 1. Generally truly modern tennis is dated from 1990, you can pick other dates but improvements in the rankings, standardization of various procedures, etc. demonstrate IMO that to be the best date. I like to think of this game world as having Year 0 = 1990, so that we are now at the end of the year 2037.

Top Players

There are really four players who, in this nearly half a decade of history, have truly distinguished themselves. All have won double-digit Slams, nobody else has won more than 7. As a quick-and-dirty comparison, that works well to identify the best.

4. Oliver Haresign(USA). Haresign flourished from 2022-2029, winning 11 Slams(4th) and two tour finals(T-5th). He is not nearly as accomplished as the three above him on this list, but far better than anyone not on it. In 2026 he won the first three Slams and lost in the final at the USO, nearly sweeping the season. Countryman Jason Coxetter, himself a fine player and ranking third at the time, stopped him in straight sets. Haresign has 23 Masters titles(also 4th all-time) though he did not do much at smaller events.

3. Nicholas Sullivan(IRE). This is the one controversial spot on the list. Sullivan's 17 Slams place him second all-time, prompting some to think he should be up a spot. There are good reasons to place him here though as shall be seen. No question he was a great, great player though. Sullivan was making appearances in the second week of Slams from 2016-2026, an impressive period of longevity. He came even closer than Haresign to the CYGS but did not quite make it in 2019. After dropping the Australian final in four sets, to Carl Hamilton, the longtime #2 during his reign and also from Ireland, Sullivan swept the remaining three Slams and the tour finals, taking the last four Masters titles for good measure. He is second in all-time Masters with 32, but like Haresign did not do much at the smaller events.

2. Martin Prieto(ESP). In the early years of the tour, there was Prieto and then there was everyone else. He also was a force for an 11-year period, 1995-2005. For decades it looked as if nobody would touch him. Twice he had three Slams, the tour finals, and a semifinal Slam loss as the only blemish on the big events. Overall he took home 16 Slams, one fewer than Sullivan. 30 Masters also ranks him third, just behind the Irishman, but Martin's 36 titles in 500 events put him over the top in my estimation, along with his 5 tour finals which is also second-best. No other player has won more than half that many. You can make an argument either way, but I place Prieto here.

1. Eric Gorritepe(ESP). Gorritepe knows no rival, contemporary or historic. He combines the durability and competitiveness of a Davydenko or Nadal with the skill of a Federer, the best of all possible combinations. His reign of terror only recently abated: currently ranked #6 in the world, it was only this last year that he ceased being a major threat at every event. This has allowed us to finally put his career in it's proper perspective. 2027-2037 looks like his era spread, with the last great ride being a final at the Australian just this past season. While nobody before him actually achieved the CYGS, he did it four times('29, '30, '32, and '33) and came one match short at the '31 Wimbledon. American Johnny Napier beat him in a five-set classic, coming from down 2-1 to provide the only major blemish in a five-year run the likes of which tennis has never seen before and will likely never see again. On both sides of that loss, Gorritepe won 10 straight Slams and won all five tour finals in those years as well. The final numbers for his unmatched career:

Slams: 23(1st, six more than Sullivan)
Tour Finals: 6(1st, one more than Prieto)
Masters: 52(1st, 20!! more than Sullivan)
500: 18(2nd, though only half of Prieto's number)

Present-Day Top Ten

1. Gabriel Alastra(ARG, 28) -- 10,060 pts.
It remains to be seen where Alastra will end up. He won three of his five slams last year, usurping Gorritepe at that time who was still his top challenger at age 31. This year he only won one, but did enough to stay just ahead of the competition.

2. David Almagro(ESP, 27) -- 9,960
Almagro won both of his Slam titles this year, emerging as a genuine threat to the #1 ranking.

3. David Prieto(ESP, 27) -- 9,580
His initial Slam win came at this year's Australian. Prieto is the third of a trio of players who can legitimately go into any tournament with the expectation of winning, providing a lot of drama and jockeying for position at the top of the rankings right now.

4. Oliver Challenger(USA, 28) -- 7,670
Challenger is good, just not quite as good as the Big Three.

5. Mick Elder(USA, 26) -- 7,580
Still improving, Elder has designs on challening the Big Three in '38.

6. Eric Gorritepe(ESP, 32) -- 5,750
The man who needs no introduction.

7. Spasoje Kucerovic(SRB, 27) -- 5,295

8. Perry Hogue(USA, 23) -- 4,925
The best of the next generation. The wise champion will watch out for him the next couple of years. His time is coming soon.

9. Bjorn Benda(DEU, 23) -- 4,450
A clay-court specialist who should have a lot more longevity than Hogue.

10. Jens Oberg(SWE, 23) -- 4,160

As can be seen in the bottom three here, the next wave of the youth movement is about to be served. Two years from now, Hogue/Benda/Oberg might well be forming their own 'Big Three'. Three more young names to watch are Antonin Iglar, Andrea Pirlo, and John Condon. All are in the Top 50 and have not yet reached their 22nd birthday.

04-22-2015, 05:05 PM	#2
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	Tour History The game world I'm involved in is now in the final stages of Year 47. It actually began in Year 0, not Year 1. Generally truly modern tennis is dated from 1990, you can pick other dates but improvements in the rankings, standardization of various procedures, etc. demonstrate IMO that to be the best date. I like to think of this game world as having Year 0 = 1990, so that we are now at the end of the year 2037. Top Players There are really four players who, in this nearly half a decade of history, have truly distinguished themselves. All have won double-digit Slams, nobody else has won more than 7. As a quick-and-dirty comparison, that works well to identify the best. 4. Oliver Haresign(USA). Haresign flourished from 2022-2029, winning 11 Slams(4th) and two tour finals(T-5th). He is not nearly as accomplished as the three above him on this list, but far better than anyone not on it. In 2026 he won the first three Slams and lost in the final at the USO, nearly sweeping the season. Countryman Jason Coxetter, himself a fine player and ranking third at the time, stopped him in straight sets. Haresign has 23 Masters titles(also 4th all-time) though he did not do much at smaller events. 3. Nicholas Sullivan(IRE). This is the one controversial spot on the list. Sullivan's 17 Slams place him second all-time, prompting some to think he should be up a spot. There are good reasons to place him here though as shall be seen. No question he was a great, great player though. Sullivan was making appearances in the second week of Slams from 2016-2026, an impressive period of longevity. He came even closer than Haresign to the CYGS but did not quite make it in 2019. After dropping the Australian final in four sets, to Carl Hamilton, the longtime #2 during his reign and also from Ireland, Sullivan swept the remaining three Slams and the tour finals, taking the last four Masters titles for good measure. He is second in all-time Masters with 32, but like Haresign did not do much at the smaller events. 2. Martin Prieto(ESP). In the early years of the tour, there was Prieto and then there was everyone else. He also was a force for an 11-year period, 1995-2005. For decades it looked as if nobody would touch him. Twice he had three Slams, the tour finals, and a semifinal Slam loss as the only blemish on the big events. Overall he took home 16 Slams, one fewer than Sullivan. 30 Masters also ranks him third, just behind the Irishman, but Martin's 36 titles in 500 events put him over the top in my estimation, along with his 5 tour finals which is also second-best. No other player has won more than half that many. You can make an argument either way, but I place Prieto here. 1. Eric Gorritepe(ESP). Gorritepe knows no rival, contemporary or historic. He combines the durability and competitiveness of a Davydenko or Nadal with the skill of a Federer, the best of all possible combinations. His reign of terror only recently abated: currently ranked #6 in the world, it was only this last year that he ceased being a major threat at every event. This has allowed us to finally put his career in it's proper perspective. 2027-2037 looks like his era spread, with the last great ride being a final at the Australian just this past season. While nobody before him actually achieved the CYGS, he did it four times('29, '30, '32, and '33) and came one match short at the '31 Wimbledon. American Johnny Napier beat him in a five-set classic, coming from down 2-1 to provide the only major blemish in a five-year run the likes of which tennis has never seen before and will likely never see again. On both sides of that loss, Gorritepe won 10 straight Slams and won all five tour finals in those years as well. The final numbers for his unmatched career: Slams: 23(1st, six more than Sullivan) Tour Finals: 6(1st, one more than Prieto) Masters: 52(1st, 20!! more than Sullivan) 500: 18(2nd, though only half of Prieto's number) Present-Day Top Ten 1. Gabriel Alastra(ARG, 28) -- 10,060 pts. It remains to be seen where Alastra will end up. He won three of his five slams last year, usurping Gorritepe at that time who was still his top challenger at age 31. This year he only won one, but did enough to stay just ahead of the competition. 2. David Almagro(ESP, 27) -- 9,960 Almagro won both of his Slam titles this year, emerging as a genuine threat to the #1 ranking. 3. David Prieto(ESP, 27) -- 9,580 His initial Slam win came at this year's Australian. Prieto is the third of a trio of players who can legitimately go into any tournament with the expectation of winning, providing a lot of drama and jockeying for position at the top of the rankings right now. 4. Oliver Challenger(USA, 28) -- 7,670 Challenger is good, just not quite as good as the Big Three. 5. Mick Elder(USA, 26) -- 7,580 Still improving, Elder has designs on challening the Big Three in '38. 6. Eric Gorritepe(ESP, 32) -- 5,750 The man who needs no introduction. 7. Spasoje Kucerovic(SRB, 27) -- 5,295 8. Perry Hogue(USA, 23) -- 4,925 The best of the next generation. The wise champion will watch out for him the next couple of years. His time is coming soon. 9. Bjorn Benda(DEU, 23) -- 4,450 A clay-court specialist who should have a lot more longevity than Hogue. 10. Jens Oberg(SWE, 23) -- 4,160 As can be seen in the bottom three here, the next wave of the youth movement is about to be served. Two years from now, Hogue/Benda/Oberg might well be forming their own 'Big Three'. Three more young names to watch are Antonin Iglar, Andrea Pirlo, and John Condon. All are in the Top 50 and have not yet reached their 22nd birthday.