Roger Federer

[Shaggy]

Ponting is so far ahead as a batsman it's untrue

You reckon??

He's obviously a class batsman but he's not the best in the world and NO WAY can he even be mentioned in a thread about "who is the greatest sportsman in the world today".

[Milan_Milan]

He's a cut above anyone else with Lara struggling for form and Tendulkar coming back from injury. Sehwag on his day can be nearly as destructive, but thats about it.

As I said, with a team sport its difficult to make assertions as to anyone being one of the greatest sportsmen in the world, but if you look at his recent record, its well in excess of anyone elses, in the same manner as Federers and Woods' are. Overall I'd go for Fed though as the best.

[ningnangnong]

If you mention Ponting, you have to mention Warne.

Regardless of his off-field crap, he's a ****in legendary bowler.

[Shaggy]

If you mention Ponting, you have to mention Warne.

Regardless of his off-field crap, he's a ****in legendary bowler.

The greatest bowler of all time no less.

[lfc4ever]

Anyone think Muri should be allowed to be a "bowler"?

Or, like that unconventional SA Adams, anything goes as long as it isn't baseball style chucking?

[G_Man]

I'll allow the Warne nomination but Ponting? ? ?

He is not even the best batsman in the world, Lara is streets ahead in terms of runs and technique and Tendulkhar is also better but is suffering from chronic injuries.

I wouldn't say Ponting is the best batsman in the world, let alone the best cricketer, let alone best sportsman in the world. Are you his brother or something Milan?

[Red_Al_77]

Yousuf is up with Ponting this year and over his career Tendulkar and Lara have been better. Federer is the best player during his career, as is Tiger Woods, Schumacher, and Phil Tyalor amongst others. To pick out one sportsman over others and say he is the best is not possible. If you want to say whether one person is more dominant in his sport compared to others in theirs then I'd say Woods. Until Federer wins the French he cannot be classed as totally dominant. Woods has won all 4 majors on the trot, won 12 majors, will probably eclipse Nicklaus...and then some. Federer has 8 and with Nadal getting better I think he'll struggle to beat Sampras' record. Words will probably beat Sam Snead's record but Federer hasn't a hope in hell of overtaking Connors (even Sampras got nowhere near). The bottom line is Woods will probably go on to break every important record in Golf and Federer will probably not (looking at the stats etc). Ponting is a great batsman but he isn't a patch on Bradman.

Oh and Warne is the greatest bowler ever but the records show otherwise.

[disco]

Yousuf is up with Ponting this year and over his career Tendulkar and Lara have been better. Federer is the best player during his career, as is Tiger Woods, Schumacher, and Phil Tyalor amongst others. To pick out one sportsman over others and say he is the best is not possible. If you want to say whether one person is more dominant in his sport compared to others in theirs then I'd say Woods. Until Federer wins the French he cannot be classed as totally dominant. Woods has won all 4 majors on the trot, won 12 majors, will probably eclipse Nicklaus...and then some. Federer has 8 and with Nadal getting better I think he'll struggle to beat Sampras' record. Words will probably beat Sam Snead's record but Federer hasn't a hope in hell of overtaking Connors (even Sampras got nowhere near). The bottom line is Woods will probably go on to break every important record in Golf and Federer will probably not (looking at the stats etc). Ponting is a great batsman but he isn't a patch on Bradman.

Oh and Warne is the greatest bowler ever but the records show otherwise.

Sampras has the grand slam recor (is it 14?). He'll probably get that.

Connors has the most singles titles (109), while Federer is on 40. Can he match it depends how long he decides to play for

[Red_Al_77]

There is no seeding in Golf. Woods is better.End of

[Milan_Milan]

Over the last 20 Test Matches (4/5 series, 2ish years) they've played:

Ponting : 2135 runs @ 68.87, 10*100, 8*50
Yousuf: 2060 runs @ 58.85, 8*100, 4*50
Lara: 1675 runs @ 44.07, 6*100, 3*50
Tendulkar: 1010 runs @ 37.40, 2*100, 4*50

Yousuf has done better than I thought I must admit. But Lara and Tendulkar, brilliant in their pomp though they were, and still capable of outstanding innings, can't match him for consistency and sheer weight of runs. Yousuf also scored over a thousand of those runs in his last 8 games, which whilst an incredible achievement suggests that the previous 12 werent that hot, and puts a doubt over his long term consistency.

Yousufs previous 12 games: 937 runs @ 39.04, 3*100, 2*50

Some others I thought might be worth mentioning:

Inzamam: 1623 runs @ 54.10, 6*100, 8*50
Kallis: 1825 runs @ 60.83, 7*100, 8*50
Dravid: 1846 runs @ 65.92, 6*100, 7*50
Jayawardene: 1617 runs @ 50.53, 5*100, 8*50

None of these scored as many runs, and their averages were helped by not outs, also none of them have topped 10 hundreds in their last 20 games.

Perhaps as I said before he cant be mentioned among the most dominant sportsmen in the world, but to my mind he's certainly the worlds premier batsman.

[disco]

There is no seeding in Golf. Woods is better.End of

If I had to put my life on Federer to beat anyone at Wimbledon vs Tiger Woods to win a round of golf against anyone..... well it's Federer every time.

[ningnangnong]

If I had to put my life on Federer to beat anyone at Wimbledon vs Tiger Woods to win a round of golf against anyone..... well it's Federer every time.

Sums it up perfectly.

[Red_Al_77]

If I had to put my life on Federer to beat anyone at Wimbledon vs Tiger Woods to win a round of golf against anyone..... well it's Federer every time.

At Wimbledon probably. At Roland Garos...no. Therein lies the difference. Put Woods on any course in the world and against any player over 18holes he'd more often than not be better. Until Federer wins the French he's not the top man everywhere.

Federer has lost 6 times to Henman and once to Kevin the Scotsman. Hardly convincing

[disco]

At Wimbledon probably. At Roland Garos...no. Therein lies the difference. Put Woods on any course in the world and against any player over 18holes he'd more often than not be better. Until Federer wins the French he's not the top man everywhere.

Federer has lost 6 times to Henman and once to Kevin the Scotsman. Hardly convincing

I'm sure we could find courses around the world that aren't suited to Tiger's game

Federer's lost 14 games out of the last 220-ish*, he's amazing to watch and a true gentleman

That's just ridiculous.




* and a few of those were down to injury

[Jayesh87]

I'm sure we could find courses around the world that aren't suited to Tiger's game

Federer's lost 14 games out of the last 220-ish*, he's amazing to watch and a true gentleman

That's just ridiculous.




* and a few of those were down to injury

loved his showboat against Tiger Tim