re: Is tennis the most unforgiving sport if you're 3rd or 4th best?

If you go back to '03, it is naturally stacked with Fed, Nadal, and Djokovic. If you got back to '83 on all of the majors there is alot more variance. You just had 3 guys so dominant.

I also think the surface plays a huge part. Wimbledon plays like a hard court now and clay used to be just for specialists. Now, everyone is a baseliner. I really wish Wimbledon would go back to the fast courts where serve and volleying could be employed more effectively.

I have a friend whose son in on the tour in doubles. Made it as high as about 50. Makes absolutely nothing, and can barely afford to travel.