#SmashTalk: the real top five?

We love a hypothetical at Tennismash.

So today in #SmashTalk, we’re looking at the composition of the ATP and WTA top five if every player in the game was fit and firing at the same time.

Our panel of writers agree on some players and wildly differ in their opinion of others – which is all part of the fun!

What do you think? Have your say on Facebook and Twitter using #SmashTalk.

Paul Moore

In a weird way, that’s a tougher question to answer for the men than it is for the women. So in the spirit of doing it easy, obviously Serena would sit at the top, followed by Muguruza (who is still a little way off being the complete package). Svitolina would be next – and I think she’ll catapult her way to the top in the next 18 months – followed by Pliskova, who is as brilliant as she is frustrating. After that? I’m going to go with Caroline Wozniacki. She’s so consistently good that you shouldn’t let the lack of a Slam overshadow the fact that she is the one player nobody wants to see in their quarter (apart from Serena).

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As for the men, there’s no better player on the planet than a fit and firing Novak Djokovic. The man is a machine, and has shown time and time again that he has the edge – physically and psychologically – over the rest of the field. Rafa would be next, followed by Roger. Yes, Roger has won all of their meets this year, but I still think Rafa can take him when they’re both ‘on’. Murray would follow and I’d give Zverev the nod over Wawrinka. On his day Stan is the best player in the world, but those days are few and far between. On the other hand, if you ignore the Slams Zverev has been the model of cool, calm German efficiency.

Vivienne Christie

Heart is possibly ruling the head in my ATP dream team of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev, Juan Martin del Potro and Nick Kyrgios. In their glorious revivals of 2017, Roger and Rafa have underlined the talent that can still take them to the top when physicality allows. Zverev, Kyrgios and del Potro all boast a rare blend of natural ability and overall x-factor – even if diluted at times.

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Serena still tops my WTA list, even as a new mother at age 36. I’d also include Venus, given she featured in the second week of every major in 2017. Garbine Muguruza, Caroline Wozniacki and Madison Keys round out my top five, although if both can return fully healthy and able to contest a full season, Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka would have a say in that upper echelon group.

Matt Trollope

The top three men are almost interchangeable – but I gave the nod to Novak simply because he’s the most well-rounded, weakness-free player across all surfaces. Roger obviously favours faster courts and Rafa slow, but Novak has the ability to neutralise both on any surface. Rafa goes above Roger purely because when at his best, his game matches up better against Roger’s than vice-versa. Del Potro was included instead of Wawrinka simply because, when healthy, he’s a more consistent performer than the Swiss with a better record against the Big Four.

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On the women’s side, Serena is the clear No.1, and I think Petra’s peak level elevates her above all others into second spot. Azarenka above Sharapova is a toss-up (especially given Vika owns less major titles) but I think she’s a more complete player than Maria. Muguruza could easily leap-frog Sharapova too, although there’s a reason Sharapova has a career Grand Slam – when performing at her highest level, she’s devastating. Muguruza is proving similar, but hasn’t been around long enough to build the same reputation. Yet.

As for the rest of women – Halep, Pliskova, Svitolina, Wozniacki – currently in the top five? They’re Nos. 6-10 (at best) when you pit them against these multiple major champions performing at their peak.

Leigh Rogers

I’m going to be a spoil-sport and say I’m happy with the current top five line-ups (with the exception of Andy Murray, who is set to lose 3000 ranking points in coming weeks to fall outside the top 10 anyway). Sure, if Murray, Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka were healthy, they’d deserve to be there. But if they were, would Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have dominated like they have this season? There’s too many ifs in play to answer that, and it is not fair to Rafa and Roger’s remarkable revivals either.

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Same goes for the women. There’s no doubt Serena would belong there if she’d played more this season. But at the same time, it feels disrespectful to discredit the players who have earned their top-five rankings this season.

The new-look top five line-ups actually creates extra excitement leading into the 2018 season. The Australian Open draw, which will feature the likes of Djokovic, Murray and Serena all seeded low, is going to make the earlier rounds more interesting than ever – and I can’t wait to see how that unfolds!

Bede Briscomb

Men: The top four is obvious and Zverev sneaks in because he’s the most reliable from the rest of the field.

Women: Serena is Serena, Ostapenko is (IMO) the best player in the world right now, Wozniacki is reliable and Muguruza and Halep are very good most of the time.