Author Topic: Tennis, Anyone? (Read 112821 times)

Clondalkin · « **Reply #570 on:** Jul 10, 2013 at 03:01 PM »

Borg vs Nadal at the French Open using wooden racket?

Federer vs Sampras using current equipment and slower courts?

Navratilova vs any of the hot girls right now? Hehehe

How can you compare players of different generations, different equipment and different court conditions? I forgot where I read that data (or did I watch it) showing the unbelievable level of spin generated by a Nadal forehand and a Federer forehand. Basta yung pinaka-maraming grandslam ang greatest because they adapted best to their playing environment. Si Jack Nicklaus bale yon. ahihihi.

Quote from: Verbl Kint on Jul 10, 2013 at 02:32 PM

Federer has a better return-of-serve (equal to Agassi) and a better backhand than Sampras. RF is also more versatile, he would have still won slams even during the time of Borg.

bumblebee · « **Reply #571 on:** Jul 10, 2013 at 03:14 PM »

I'd look at Sampras' and Federer's opponents in their first 14 slams.

Clondalkin · « **Reply #572 on:** Jul 10, 2013 at 03:24 PM »

Fair enough.

I was a huge Agassi fan but would admit that he won many grandslams by facing not so good players in the finals. Sampras practically wiped them all out when he faced them on grandslam finals. Same as Federer until Nadal came. Same as Borg until McEnroe came.

Therefore, Novak or Nadal could possibly be the best in terms of quality of opponents in the finals.

Quote from: bumblebee on Jul 10, 2013 at 03:14 PM

I'd look at Sampras' and Federer's opponents in their first 14 slams.

lithium_deuteride · « **Reply #573 on:** Jul 10, 2013 at 07:19 PM »

Quote from: Clondalkin on Jul 10, 2013 at 03:01 PM

Navratilova vs any of the hot girls right now? Heheh

Among the girls Graf was tops IMO. She rudely ended the Navratilova-Evert hegemony and raised the bar much higher with her unprecedented athleticism. If Navratilova offered Evert a semblance of rivalry (granted it was a bit one sided in Martina's favor), Graf absolutely destroyed Evert and eventually over powered and outsped the muscular Navratilova, previously the epitome of female (or she-male in this case) athleticism in all of sports.

brainwashed · « **Reply #574 on:** Jul 10, 2013 at 07:46 PM »

Quote from: lithium_deuteride on Jul 10, 2013 at 07:19 PM

Among the girls Graf was tops IMO. She rudely ended the Navratilova-Evert hegemony and raised the bar much higher with her unprecedented athleticism. If Navratilova offered Evert a semblance of rivalry (granted it was a bit one sided in Martina's favor), Graf absolutely destroyed Evert and eventually over powered and outsped the muscular Navratilova, previously the epitome of female (or she-male in this case) athleticism in all of sports.

You have to take into consideration that Evert started playing in the early 70's while Navratilova in the late 70's. They were still dominating the women's scene, both winning 18 slams each during the late 80's with Evert winning her last slam in 1986 and Navratilova in 1990. Both ladies were old compared to the young Graf.

Also Graf had her Seles. Seles dominated Graf and had won 3 out of 4 grand slam finals they had played prior to Seles' stabbing in 1993 in Hamburg by a obsessed Graf fan. At that time Graf had already won 11 slams while Seles had 8. Seles had won 3 of the 4 slams the previous 2 years with Graf winning the 2 others both at Wimbledon. At the rate they were going, Seles was going to overtake Graf in the won-slams race. With Seles' stabbing, Graf then dominated the women's scene winning 11 more slams while Seles won just 1 more,never fully recovering her form prior to the stabbing.

What if Seles never got stabbed? Would it have been Seles with the most number of slams and not Graf?

lithium_deuteride · « **Reply #575 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 06:01 AM »

I look at the tools they had at their disposal at their peak. Evert wouldn't be in the same league as the other 3 - Graf, Navratilova and Seles. Graf plays like a bigger, stronger, and faster version of Evert with a better net game. Martina was still at her peak when Steffi came along. Poor Seles' career was certainly affected by the stabbing but I believe Graf would've prevailed in the long term as she had a more complete game. Seles is sort of like a Nadal to Graf's Federer, only closer. At the time Seles was on top, their matches were really close and Seles with her 2 handed strokes on both sides was too slow for grass and was awkward at the net. She only knew how to bludgeon those ground strokes.

raider125jeigh · « **Reply #576 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 06:15 AM »

Dami ko natutunan sa old school tennis...i just started watching tennis on the era of rafa

ABCmotorparts · « **Reply #577 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 06:19 AM »

Quote from: paolorenzo on Jul 09, 2013 at 10:26 PM

I find Federer better than Sampras, due to his dominance on the different surfaces. Si Rafa lang talaga ang kryptonite ni Roger.

Idagdag mo na sir si Novak,
the sad reality is that, nanatili ang style ni Federer, while his opponents leveled up,
kaya idagdag pa natin ang age factor talaga, medyo mahihirapan na syang makabalik
sa Number 1 or even makakuha ng mga Grand Slams,...

Clondalkin · « **Reply #578 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 08:08 AM »

Oh Stefi. I wanted to run to the toilet everytime I watched her live at the Ariake Stadium in Tokyo in the 90s. Tall and shapely!!! And so was Seles in person. She only looked chubby on TV but even the heftier and meatier ladies looked quite nicer (slimmer) in person.

ESPN 30 for 30 - the episode about Evert and Navratilova - very nice one!

Yeah, I agree that the stabbing of Monica had so much physical and pyschological effect on her - such a tragedy considering she was definitely starting to dominate Stefi at that time.

TOP 20 · « **Reply #579 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 08:24 AM »

Graf is my favorite female tennis player of all time. My only gripe is that she never developed a topspin backhand after all those years. Maybe because her slice is so low, she didn't find the need for the latter.

Clondalkin · « **Reply #580 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 08:26 AM »

But she was very effective in positioning herself for forehand. Binawi sa bilis ng footwork.

Quote from: TOP 20 on Jul 11, 2013 at 08:24 AM

Graf is my favorite female tennis player of all time. My only gripe is that she never developed a topspin backhand after all those years. Maybe because her slice is so low, she didn't find the need for the latter.

TOP 20 · « **Reply #581 on:** Jul 11, 2013 at 08:31 AM »

Quote from: Clondalkin on Jul 11, 2013 at 08:26 AM

But she was very effective in positioning herself for forehand. Binawi sa bilis ng footwork.

Yup! She'll overplay her backhand side & recover in no time. That's her advantage over Monica that's why I also believe that she would've solved the Seles puzzle in the long run.

lithium_deuteride · « **Reply #582 on:** Jul 12, 2013 at 03:20 PM »

Quote from: TOP 20 on Jul 11, 2013 at 08:24 AM

Graf is my favorite female tennis player of all time. My only gripe is that she never developed a topspin backhand after all those years. Maybe because her slice is so low, she didn't find the need for the latter.

Steffi had a rarely-used but good one-handed topspin backhand for passing opponents at the net. On rallies, she preferred to use the low slice since it was such a great defensive stroke (you cannot return a good slice with a drive as the ball will just catch the net) but it did invite players like Navratilova to approach the net, whereby Steffi will respond with the topspin backhand or more likely, her signature inside-out forehand. Steffi was of course known for her forehand - it's her main weapon and at the time, it was a bazooka.

My vote for best backhand ever among women - Justine Henin-Hardenne's. Such a beautiful shot that one.

brainwashed · « **Reply #583 on:** Jul 12, 2013 at 07:01 PM »

Quote from: lithium_deuteride on Jul 12, 2013 at 03:20 PM

My vote for best backhand ever among women - Justine Henin-Hardenne's. Such a beautiful shot that one.

I agree with this. It's a pity that health issues forced Henin to retire. Though she tried to make a comeback further injuries made her totally quit. She was at the top when she retired. She was, I believe, the only player to have beaten both Williams sisters en route to a grandslam.

paolorenzo · « **Reply #584 on:** Jul 12, 2013 at 07:11 PM »

Quote from: ABCmotorparts on Jul 11, 2013 at 06:19 AM

Idagdag mo na sir si Novak,
the sad reality is that, nanatili ang style ni Federer, while his opponents leveled up,
kaya idagdag pa natin ang age factor talaga, medyo mahihirapan na syang makabalik
sa Number 1 or even makakuha ng mga Grand Slams,...

I think Roger is on the decline. It's not a fair comparison as Novak is just on the rise. Maybe Rafa had a lot to do with Roger's recent decline. Baka rin sobrang accomplished na si Roger, medyo nawawala na rin yung hunger/drive (although he will not admit to it). He's been doing Wimbeldon for a full decade now.

Moks007 · « **Reply #585 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 07:22 AM »

Nice Australian open semifinal today at 4:30pm. nadal vs federer. Federer is playing good lately, adding some good volleys to his game.

comet · « **Reply #586 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 08:04 AM »

gonna watch this later, been a fan of their court rivalry

pekspert · « **Reply #587 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 08:10 AM »

federer vs wawrinka in the finals! A swiss will win for sure

raider125jeigh · « **Reply #588 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 08:42 AM »

Go rafa...rafa's serve is very slow sue to the blister on his hand... Lets see how it goes...

ABCmotorparts · « **Reply #589 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 09:07 AM »

Quote from: Moks007 on Jan 24, 2014 at 07:22 AM

Nice Australian open semifinal today at 4:30pm. nadal vs federer. Federer is playing good lately, adding some good volleys to his game.

He's going back to basics, that's his original playing style,...
He's trying to shorten the points as much as he can, he cannot fight fire with fire anymore
at his age, the serve and volley game would fit him quite well,...

He's currently playing with a new bigger racquet, from 90sq.in to 98sq.in
and somehow it matches well with his game, his game was analyzed the other day,
last year, he was striking the ball at a height of 36-37", now he is taking the ball much earlier
at 30", that is a huge difference in terms of power.

I sure would love to see him win this one,...

Am also glad to see that the GREATS are back,
most of the great players are back, not as players
but as coaches, Stefan Edberg is with Federer, Boris Becker is with Novak Djokovic,
Michael Chang is coaching Nei Kishikori and Andy Murray is with Ivan Lendl.

The Australian Open also the short return of Patrick Rafter playing doubles with Lleyton hewitt,
too bad they got eliminated early,...

raider125jeigh · « **Reply #590 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 06:11 PM »

Rafa leads 1set... Hopefully makatagal sys sa injury nya sa palad

anchit · « **Reply #591 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 06:33 PM »

pete Sampras is also watching. 3 legends in one roof. kulang na lang si Agassi. The Rod Laver arena is very close to where I live kaso ubos na agad tickets.

dpogs · « **Reply #592 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 07:00 PM »

gusto ko manalo si rafa.. pero gusto ko rin manalo si fed... tsk...

pero mas gusto ko manalo si pete he he he...

raider125jeigh · « **Reply #593 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 07:17 PM »

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/jan/23/roger-federer-rafael-nadal-greatest. Rafa sealed the deal..... Fantastic accuracy and passes. ...could be the greatest at all time...clay master....

pekspert · « **Reply #594 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 11:01 PM »

That sucks. One swiss down, one more to go. I hope swiss no. 2 gets the spaniard.

Federer is not really at par with the top dogs na. His game is old and can easily be read. Puro crosscourt at di man lang mag down-the-line straight. I think his grand slam wins at 17 will be final. Swerte kung it reaches pa ng 18.

ABCmotorparts · « **Reply #595 on:** Jan 24, 2014 at 11:54 PM »

and that's the game,...
Too bad, talagang alam na alam na ni Rafa ang laro ni Federer,...

xbase · « **Reply #596 on:** Jan 25, 2014 at 01:18 AM »

it will be an exciting game between rafa and stan...

deuce · « **Reply #597 on:** Jan 25, 2014 at 05:39 AM »

Actually Federer did well in this tournament. He unveiled a "new" aggressive style, and came to the net more times than he used to. This was in full display in his fourth round match against Tsonga and quarterfinal match against Murray, giving his supporters hope that he had real chances against Nadal.

Pero iba talaga kapag si Nadal na kalaban niya. Federer himself admitted this in his post-match interview: "I don't know how to explain you guys. It's totally different playing Rafa over anybody else. Playing Murray or Rafa is day and night.
It's not because of the level necessarily, but it's just every point is played in a completely different fashion and I have to totally change my game."

Or maybe it's all in his head, who knows...

deuce · « **Reply #598 on:** Jan 25, 2014 at 05:41 AM »

Quote from: brainwashed on Jul 12, 2013 at 07:01 PM

She was, I believe, the only player to have beaten both Williams sisters en route to a grandslam.

An old post, but... Nope, supermom Kim Clijsters did it in the 2009 US Open where she was unseeded, having just come out of a two-year retirement to have a baby.

Moks007 · « **Reply #599 on:** Jan 25, 2014 at 05:58 AM »

Hay I wanted sana 5 sets. Nadal is federer's kryptonite. Women's final today at 4pm.