Past simple/ Past perfect - 2. part

[Dominik92]

Hello all


I am studying past perfect a lot recently so I would really appreciate if you were so kind and help me with another two examples where I am not sure whether I could use both past simple and past perfect.

Here are the sentences:


- Federer may not have won the Us Open for five years but he dominated (had dominated) in NY for five straight years before.

-I might have lost last five finals here at the Us Open but the thing which keeps me motivated is that I won (I had won) here twice before the bad times.

Is it possible to use past perfect in these two sentences? Is it just a matter of emphasise I want to give when it comes to choosing between past simple and past perfect in these two sentences ?

Thanks a lot!

P.S. I sorry for that not much saying title but these two sentences are too long to be given as a thread title.

Dominik

 

[MikeNewYork]

Both tenses work for me.

 

[Dominik92]

- Federer may not have won the Us Open for five years but he dominated (had dominated) in NY for five straight years before.

- I might have lost last five finals here at the Us Open but the thing which keeps me motivated is that I won (I had won) here twice before the bad times.


Are both tenses appropriate without adding any additional context? Again, with a difference in emphasise?

Thanks

 

[Tdol]

Both forms work. I think the past perfect may place an additional emphasis on is domination having been in in the past and before this bad run, but the difference is fairly minimal to me, though I would be more likely to use the past perfect.

 

[Tarheel]

Federer has been in the U.S. Open finals five straight years. I don't know that I would call that a bad run. Most players never even make it to the finals.