Just what got you into tennis?

ok...we've known each other for a while around here but sometimes its good to reaffirm what we like about the sport and what got us into it.
So 3 simple (hopefully) Q's:
1. What do you like about tennis? (more than other sports)
2. What got you into the game? (to begin with)
3. Standout matches for you - pick 2? (Open Era - or before if you can remember!)

------------------------------------------------------------ I'll go first ----------------------------------------------------

1. Unique scoring system...no matter how well the opponent can start they can be caught up...makes for edge of seat matches like no other sport. And the combatorial style of play...2 guys in a massive arena with crowds baying for blood (well baying for another drink perhaps)
2. IceMan Borg. As a young kid the guy came across as so cool, so calm in such stressful moments. The original Clint Eastwood of tennis. I'm sure they share the same DNA.
3. For awesomeness: 1995 Vienna Trophy - Agassi v Woodforde. Score 6-0 6-0 - indoors! Never seen returns before or after! Woodforde was just shaking his head in the 2nd set and he had a tricky lefty serve too but was left floundering at the net each point.
For spectacle: Gotta be 2008 Wimb final...both guys wearing mining helmets towards the end...amazing tennis shots - that BH from Federer on MP in 4th - just wow....rain delays...Nadal breaking through on grass....and I missed Antiques Roadshow! (phew)

i think one word can answer all those questions.

Federer
first time i saw him play i was like wooowww and i really wasn't that into tennis 10 years ago or so as a kid but boy did i take notice!

Well my dad played and dragged me to the court until I started to like playing. I also started to watch tennis in the early 80s where tennis was a really big time sport at the time. And the match that I really remember that turned me on to tennis was the 83 USO final between Connors and Mac. It went the distance and Connors was the underdog in the match but somehow he messed with Mac's mind and won the match at the same time. I mean both guys were just fist pumping and sneering after every point you would think they were gladiators with the new york crowd going crazy for one guy first and then for the other guy.

I like the fact that tennis is both physical and strategic, that it is one on one competition and so mentally taxing on the players. And the more you play the more you understand the game and the more enjoyable it becomes once you learn more about the game technically as well.

1. Hot girls in tennis skirts

2. 1982 Wimbledon final Mac vs Borg on a flickery black and white TV set. Apparently I was completely transfixed!

3. tooo many to choose from.

Lots of Fed moments but finally winning RG has to be up there from a historical perspective. The weird stalker guy. The tension, the nerves all the way through the tournament. The Del Potro semi where he almost came unstuck and found a way. Parisians wishing him luck on the streets.

Becker vs Edberg 88 Wimby - amazing match! Becker getting more and more frustrated. Rain delays. The match ended up being played over two days!

Indeed LuvSports...I remember seeing Federer play when he was 18, think it was Basel Indoors (maybe vs Agassi...) and you could tell then what a precocious talent he was. The commentator (Bill Threlfall perhaps) said here's a future #1 in waiting...he wasnt far wrong! And neither was Federer given thats what he said he wanted to be as a kid.

Nice points socal...and didnt Connors say tennis was 95% in the mind even though its so physical (esp. now)? And to think of what Mac did to Connors 12 months later....

Got me into tennis the belief that people passionate about tennis is in average not as stupid and ineducated as some hooligans following others more popular sports. Athough I am fully aware there are some notable exceptions to that rule

1. can play indoor , outdoor.

2. as a child had the ball on the strong attached to a pole (forget what it was called) plus the old-fashioned wall when you wanted to hit and there was no opponent.

3. often gets overlooked nowadays but Borg vs. Gerulaitis Wimbledon SF 1977 (if my memory is correct) was an incredible match with Borg being pushed the whole way.

Lydian, absolutely it is the psychological man against man competition that can make tennis very absorbing. And that was thing about connors he was a fighter and didn't mind wearing the villain's hat. That USO was strange because it was two bad boy Americans playing each other at or near their peak. The fact that it was at new york also added to the significance as the fans were torn between who to cheer and who to heckle. And both guys were at their bad sportsmanship best. It really was the first tennis match that i still have some clear memories about after nearly 30 years.

Yep reckoner...lol at #1...sounds like you had that famous tennis poster on the back of your bedroom door
Agree, I thought JMDP had Federer there...and what about Haas too that year!!!

reckoner wrote:1. Hot girls in tennis skirts

2. 1982 Wimbledon final Mac vs Borg on a flickery black and white TV set. Apparently I was completely transfixed!

3. tooo many to choose from.

Lots of Fed moments but finally winning RG has to be up there from a historical perspective. The weird stalker guy. The tension, the nerves all the way through the tournament. The Del Potro semi where he almost came unstuck and found a way. Parisians wishing him luck on the streets.

Becker vs Edberg 88 Wimby - amazing match! Becker getting more and more frustrated. Rain delays. The match ended up being played over two days!

umm soz to break it to ya but the last match borg and mcenroe played at wimbledon was 1981, are you referring to their epic in 1980?

lydian wrote:Indeed LuvSports...I remember seeing Federer play when he was 18, think it was Basel Indoors (maybe vs Agassi...) and you could tell then what a precocious talent he was. The commentator (Bill Threlfall perhaps) said here's a future #1 in waiting...he wasnt far wrong! And neither was Federer given thats what he said he wanted to be as a kid.

I can remember the first time i went to wimbledon in 2003, my dad had got us tickets through ford for centre court!
I was just so awestruck by the whole place, still stays with me that you just cant beat it!
Also being picked up early from junior school on monday at lunchtime was an extra bonus
But i just remember seeing him for the first time on tv vs roddick in the semi's and he was just fantastic to watch, i got into tennis quite late i had just turned 11, ahh those were the days not a trouble in the world

You cant beat the feeling of Wimbledon and its history/prestige. I first went in the early 90s (think my first match was seeing Graf vs Someone) and the clamour and buzz of Centre Court was amazing. Best of all was watching the guys play at the nearby O. park...I then saw first hand the amazing power and control they had vs. us decent club players. The guy who always impressed me most in practice was Kafelnikov...his shots were absolute precision...inspired me enough to buy 2 of his racquets the following day! (expensive trip that turned out to be).

Good memories social, that was real gamesmenship back then! And Becker wasnt bad at it too! Do Connors and Mac get along now?

lydian it was the very fact that that mac and Jimmy didn't get on that made tennis in the early 80s so memorable especially as Jimmy did appreciate the brat from New York taking all his titles.

Tennis today just doesn't have such personalities and more's the pity.

Agree there newballs, and its similar across sport in some respects.
Modern training methods, sports science and psychology, diet, etc...all drums thee players to become more calm, to not let the other guys wind them up or waste time doing so. I'm sure the characters are there inside but we just dont get to see them anymore...infact who would people say are the biggest characters out there now? Tipsy? Djokovic? ...?

lydian it was the fact that both McEnroe and Connors seemed to thrive off the emotional high of getting wound up that was so intriguing.

Borg, on the other hand, seemed to have the ability to remain nice cool whatever was going on around him. Even McEnroe admitted it was very hard to get wound up when he was playing Borg and I can't even remember Connors annoying Bjorn either.

lydian wrote:You cant beat the feeling of Wimbledon and its history/prestige. I first went in the early 90s (think my first match was seeing Graf vs Someone) and the clamour and buzz of Centre Court was amazing. Best of all was watching the guys play at the nearby O. park...I then saw first hand the amazing power and control they had vs. us decent club players. The guy who always impressed me most in practice was Kafelnikov...his shots were absolute precision...inspired me enough to buy 2 of his racquets the following day! (expensive trip that turned out to be).

Good memories social, that was real gamesmenship back then! And Becker wasnt bad at it too! Do Connors and Mac get along now?

I don't know if they get along, Connors is not a guy that it is easy to get along with. Mac despite his fearsome on court behavior was actually a very caring and engaging guy off the court. Connors not so much. I am big Jimmy fan, but I think even his objective fans know that connors wasn't just a villain on TV he was a bit of pr#ck in general. My favorite connors quote was about playing Agassi in a tournament when Andre was making waves as the next big American star in the early 90s or late 80s. Basically, he was asked about Agassi and connors said something like this (paraphrase): "People say he plays a lot like me, and he is from vegas, I have been do vegas a lot who knows he could be my son?" I mean when asked to say something about a young prospect connors some how turns it into a schoolyard mother shagging quote. And the funny thing is that Andre's dad knew connors and always strung jimmy's racquets when he would come to vegas. But Jimmy acted like he never heard of the kid and that he might have had relations with Andre's mother. You definetly don't see gamesmanship like that in our corporatized tennis tour of today.

Borg was one of ultimate competitors no doubt...an amazing ability to stay calm...one of the reasons he was so good on clay too where you need to be a mental fortress to stay focused across long ralleys (as well as fit).

I think you've pinpointed that there are some players who need that emotional high to elevate their games (Connors, Mac, Agassi to an extent), and others who needed calmness to focus, or avoid losing focus...Borg, Sampras, Federer...not quite sure where to place Nadal, he's a bit of both.

Of course (for those of us old enough to remember) we can't leave out Nastase. What he lacked in major titles he certainly made up with both tantrums and talent.

That's MR. Nastase to you and me of course - if you've never seen that clip then just video Nastase . You won't be disappointed!

The one that made me a Tennis nut was watching Pasarell v Gonzalez at W 1969 across two days. I still play those fantastic serves and the big man, Pancho, on the net like a flash.

The 17 year younger opponent withstood the tide very well and had MPs.

That little shade of grey in his hair, Pancho ran lobs down like a gazelle. I was smitten. Have yet to recover from that match, probably never will.

We talk about a 30 yo Federer (yes it is much more physical, per Mr. Laver), how about a 41 yo Pancho, playing 5+ hours?

There was no inkling that Laver would win the Gran slam yet again.

Thanks Lydian for this trip down memory lane.

Nadal just broke the 7-years-in-a-row Pancho record to make it 8-MCs-in-a-row. Amazing feats by both.

lydian wrote:So 3 simple (hopefully) Q's:
1. What do you like about tennis? (more than other sports)
2. What got you into the game? (to begin with)
3. Standout matches for you - pick 2? (Open Era - or before if you can remember!)

1) They don't allow the riff-raff in.
2) Prawn sandwiches and glasses of Pims.
3) Mr Federer v Mr Nadal: The Wimbledon Championships - Gentlemens Singles Final 2008.

Oh my lord where do I start .. Im older than any of you and I actually taught myself the rules of tennis.. when tv was black and white and the only televised match was Wimbledon.. but I was hooked .. line and sinker.. when the Australians dominated the tennis world as the Spaniards do now. LF I saw the Charlie Passerl and Gonzalez match too... what a marathon in the days when there were no chairs to sit on at change overs, no towels on court and poured their own drinks Robinsons Lemon Barley water from a dispenser at the back of the umpire´s chair. Laver, Roach, Emmerson, Newcombe Rosewall .
Connors and McEnroe what a pair.. Connors first started the grunting in tennis and mostly because it irritated McEnroe.. Ile Nastase, Henri Laconte the comedians of the centre court. Iceborg (was I a fan girl wow) I cried when he retired.. I saw Becker win his first Wimbledon from being a 17 yr old quallifier
Andre Agassi.. the rebel .. what a player.. Gerrulitis another pin-up boy. Arthur Ash.. I could go on and on. How many times did I have a sicky from work when Bjorn played ( ) And then Im sorry to say I went into a tennis wilderness Sampras killed my love of the game he bored me to tears and I ceased to watch much tennis at all... not even Federer could rekindle my love of the sport.. the domination of those two whose style of play has never been to my liking.... and then came Rafa.. the matador.Probably because he is so much like Bjorn Borg in his style of play and who was my hero. Also living in Spain I have a loyalty to all the Spanish Armada
However that is not to say there are so many others I admire and love to watch. I just love the sport and will miss Rafa when he retires... but Im sure there will be others...if Im still around

Anyway Ive showed my age but I have been lucky enough to see these players in action and not just read the history books. To me a tennis player is the ultimate two men in an arena like gladiators.. relying on nothing but their own talent and skill without help from any team mates.. alone until the match is finished. But I am so grateful that I have lived long enough to see those we have in this enormously strong era ..

1. What do you like about tennis? (more than other sports)
I like all of it. The battles between the current top 4 are a delight for my taste, and though some may be a bit bored of it nothing excistes me more than those 4 in the semis of a big tournament. I don't think we realise how lucky we are watching this era.

2. What got you into the game? (to begin with)
Wimbledon. As a kid I remember getting a bit excited about Jeremy Bates reaching the quarters (I think). Then the match that really sold me on it was Agsassi v Goran. The contrast of styles, the Rocky style American hero v evil european crazy guy. Then the incredible drama of the Henman Wimbledon years. Those second week Henman matches should have come with a health warning. Ultimately frustrating (for a Brit), but unbelievable entertainment.

3. Standout matches for you - pick 2? (Open Era - or before if you can remember!)
The Federer Nadal Wibledon final. Unbelievable level of play by two elite athletes at the top of their game. The third set tie break was sport at its absolute best. The other one I'll go for is Henman v Federer at Wimbledon, was it 4th round or quarters? The Brit knocking out the guy who had slayed Federer with a great display. There was nobody left who Tim couldn't beat. Finally it was Henman's year... And then the rain came!

My first memory of tennis was Becker destroying edberg in final of Wimbledon, I think 1988?? I remember him winning opening set 6-0 and thought this guy is a monster. How could a guy so young annihilate a ball like that. I remember McEnroe saying as much in his book, he couldn't get over beckers physique for a teenager. Hard to believe year he finished at Wimbledon in his 30s he knocked out Hewitt! What a player. The tennis of today tops it all though, such strength in depth

Danny_1982 wrote:1. What do you like about tennis? (more than other sports)
I like all of it. The battles between the current top 4 are a delight for my taste, and though some may be a bit bored of it nothing excistes me more than those 4 in the semis of a big tournament. I don't think we realise how lucky we are watching this era.

2. What got you into the game? (to begin with)
Wimbledon. As a kid I remember getting a bit excited about Jeremy Bates reaching the quarters (I think). Then the match that really sold me on it was Agsassi v Goran. The contrast of styles, the Rocky style American hero v evil european crazy guy. Then the incredible drama of the Henman Wimbledon years. Those second week Henman matches should have come with a health warning. Ultimately frustrating (for a Brit), but unbelievable entertainment.

3. Standout matches for you - pick 2? (Open Era - or before if you can remember!)
The Federer Nadal Wibledon final. Unbelievable level of play by two elite athletes at the top of their game. The third set tie break was sport at its absolute best. The other one I'll go for is Henman v Federer at Wimbledon, was it 4th round or quarters? The Brit knocking out the guy who had slayed Federer with a great display. There was nobody left who Tim couldn't beat. Finally it was Henman's year... And then the rain came!

sorry but do you mean the 4th set tiebreak cos that was the amazing one where both pulled off amazing passing shots?
Also do you mean 'knocking out the guy who had slayed sampras?'

Yes, I meant the 4th set tie-break.

And yes, I meant the guy who had slayed Samprass.

Brain to keyboard malfunction!

The first match I can remember watching was the womens Wimbledon final in 1971. This is really giving my age away but I was very young at the time) Evonne Goolagong beat Margaret Court. I was hooked.

Still love the romance of Goolagongs life story. She was interviewed at Wimbledon recently and described how as a girl she had read about Wimbledon in a comic and the surprise at realising it was a real place. When people here talk about "natural talent" (Ha ha...) she really was the ultimate. I still don't think anyone comes close to her natural grace and beauty on the court. Maybe on a very good day Federer comes closest?

That inspired me to pick up a raquet and it's such a nice feeling hitting a ball. The social side of tennis can also be fun.

I know I am giving my age away, but who could forget the emotional scenes when Ernest Renshaw finally won the Gentlemans Singles at Wimbledon in 1888, beating Herbert Lawford 6–3, 7–5, 6–0.

O' our stiff upper lips were all a quiver with the emotion.

NS and Hawkeye

Thats made me feel better shall I meet you both for coffee after we have collected our pensions

Yeah what a match player Becker was slasher. Always remember him losing that MC final against Muster in1995 I think when Muster had been in hospital on a drip the previous night...Becker went 2 sets up and you felt he would finally break his clay duck but somehow Muster came back and broke Becker's heart.

LF and Haddie, great stories about the older players, sometimes we forget where the modern game came from and that there were guys back in the day who could play just a little and no doubt had sublime ball skills around the net with those old wooden frames and cat gut. Didn't they say Tilden could serve around 130 mph with those old racquet set ups as well?

NS...haha...made me laugh into my breakfast cereal that one! Tally-ho boys and all that stuff...lol. Glad you're still with us Nore....

HE...I remember watching Goolagong (and then Crawley?) play Evert I think....can't remember what year but agree she always carried herself with great poise. Also remember watching Wade vs Stove in the 77 women's final....I don't mean to be rude to Betty but I wouldn't have fancied getting in a fight with her! That was also back when Navratilova looked almost normal....ie didn't have arms I would be proud of. Good days though...and then bang Borg arrived...made me buy a racquet...a steel one too like Connors, and start hacking on the local municipal courts. I used to blow on my fingers like Borg did...not that I ever faced any big points until many years later in the club scene. Who do you think makes people pick the racquet most now....? Federer/Nadal equally? Does Nole have that effect, or Murray...I don't hear from coaches much but think Rafa is the biggest draw for kids and sales of Babolat racquets are booming...like Boris's serve!

Nore Staat wrote:I know I am giving my age away, but who could forget the emotional scenes when Ernest Renshaw finally won the Gentlemans Singles at Wimbledon in 1888, beating Herbert Lawford 6–3, 7–5, 6–0.

O' our stiff upper lips were all a quiver with the emotion.

Top hole, what!

Good questions Lydian!

1. What do you like about tennis? (more than other sports)
Its unpredictable (most of the time) You never know where they're going to hit their shots, when played well, its spectacular. Its also very fair, always conducted in a good manner, with few scandals, which is what I like to see in the world today!

2. What got you into the game? (to begin with)
Ivanisevic's emotional win in Wimbledon 2001, hands down. Also my Dad shouting 'C'mon Tim' randomly at the tv.

3. Standout matches for you - pick 2? (Open Era - or before if you can remember!)
hard one! So many. But one that keeps coming back to me is Federer Murray WTF 2010, just because it was the first time I saw Federer live. Yes, Murray didn't play his best but still...

1. What do you like about tennis? (more than other sports)
Entertainment level and sportsmanship.

2. What got you into the game? (to begin with)
I watched Becker/Edberg/Stich finals but what really got me into tennis was the tremendous match where Henman saved 2 MPs against Kafelnikov and won in round 1 in 1996. He got aces on both MPs and Henmania was born. Also watching other Brits like the match where Ivanisevic was match point down against a British player, and on to the second serve, and got a let, then fired an ace and won.

3. Standout matches for you - pick 2? (Open Era - or before if you can remember!)
Federer - Nadal Wimbledon 2008
Federer- Nadal Australian Open 2009
Federer- Agassi US Open final 2005(?)
Sampras - Agassi Wimbledon 1999

Q.1

- The fact that you need just one other person to play with (no need to gather a
whole team)
- that you can find a court to use pretty much anywhere in the world
- the uniquely-absorbing system of scoring, coupled with potential for dramatic
swings one way and the other as a 'vital' pro match unfolds. A match is always alive (even if sometimes only technically) until the very last point

Q.2

- in two words : Bjorn Borg
Even before him I did like the top Aussie players, notably Newcombe. But, no doubt at all ..... Borg was the man !
- on a personal level I liked the idea that some very fanciable girls from my mixed school would happily accept invitations to spend summer evenings with me + mates at the local park, under the pretext of playing tennis. Which of course we did (in part). Tennis was a useful hook, given that looks-wise I wasn't often mistaken for Brad Pitt in my youth. (well .... never actually...).

Q.3

1. Borg coming back in ice-cool, tremendous style, to win from two sets down and what was looking like an annihilation by Connors at Wimbledon. Must have been 1981 because it was the SF, and Borg then lost the Final to Mac ie first defeat after his 5-in-a-row run.
2. Federer / Nadal 2008 Wimby. No better definition of a nailbiter in the gathering gloom, surely.

Have stuck to the two as per OP request but would like to give honourable mentions to :
-Borg losing in 5 in QF to Roger Taylor - his first Wimby I think, but even in glorious defeat a crystal-clear sign at the time that a star was soon to be born
- Mac and Borg in the infamous tie-break clash, Wimby yet again of course

I can't remember what got me into tennis to begin with - mid-70s Wimbledon I guess.
I've always enjoyed playing, since I was about 9 or 10 years old and playing is still far more enjoyable than watching any matches on TV (except today maybe - injured my hip playing yesterday and can hardly walk today).

Stand-out matches? I once won three consecutive matches (singles, doubles, mixed) from match point down in each one. That'll stay with me longer even than any of Henman's matches!

The time I remember most with Bjorn when he took to the centre court on the first day of Wimbledon as the defending champion (cant remember the year however) I worked part time then and came in half way through the afternoon .. Bjorn was playing with the same unreadable look on his face.. he was playing Veejay Armitrage then I saw the score Veejay was 2 sets up against Bjorn and had match point.... I stood rooted to the spot I could not believe what I was seeing.... but yes Borg being Borg turned that match round and won in five. (This is where I draw the similarities with Rafa.. nothing is over until the fat lady sings)

H-n : really like your recollection of Borg/Amritraj

That was precisely the essence of Borg. From watching him midway through a match (ie. without listening to commentary or checking scoreboard) you would have absolutely NO idea if he was up or down.

People who weren't able to see him in his pomp might understandably wonder if the 'ice-cool' label was some sort of manufactured myth or exaggeration. But never has there been a more accurate description in the modern history of tennis - and maybe in any sport ...?!!

I can definitely relate to your comparison between Bjorn and Rafa as regards fightback qualities. But, in terms of overall demeanour and that utter inscrutability on court, I would say that the nearest peer in today's game must be Federer. And even Fed allows himself the odd scowl or self-congratulatory gesture. With Borg there was absolutely nothing, in good times and bad, until the very last point had been played out.

In that Connors SF I mentioned in previous post, I can still remember him looking totally perplexed and wounded at the end : Jimbo - the ultimate bully boy, the flashy (and hugely successful) street-fighter had been clinically and calmly undone by the mercurial Borg. The defeat must have felt all the worse for the actual manner of its delivery. It was all there on on Jimbo's face ......

True lags.. will utterly agree with that... Borg never allowed himself to show any emotion whatsoever (but I trust you realise that there indeed was a furnace burning deep within) he nearly got slung out of his tennis school because of his uncontrolable tantrums on court.. so around 13yrs plus he was told shut up or get out.
JMc never misbehaved himself on court whilst playing Bjorn.. he had (and still does) have the greatest respect for the Ice Man as I believe all those who are a lover of the sport do and to think he was a little over the age Rafa is now when he retired...... what a crime

"For you Golden Oldies"

Ever thought how the likes of Borg & John Mac would get on playing with the current top guys?

H-n : sure, it was all kept under very close control once he joined the pro tour.

Re Johnny Mac..... these reflections from his highly-readable autobiog 'Serious' :

"Borg's leaving tennis was a huge blow for the sport, and for me personally. It was unbelievable ...............It took the wind out of my sails. I had a very tough time motivating myself and getting back on track. It took me a couple of years to start improving again."

Respect indeed.

SL... Are you seeding another GOAT debate?

H-n.. There was once the Amritraj (Vijay)/Borg/Connors (ABC) talk. Playing doubles with his brother Anand, the precursor to Bryans, it was fascinating. A gentler era.
I am glad to see the Pasarell-Gonzales match is recollected.

lags72 wrote:H-n : sure, it was all kept under very close control once he joined the pro tour.

Re Johnny Mac..... these reflections from his highly-readable autobiog 'Serious' :

"Borg's leaving tennis was a huge blow for the sport, and for me personally. It was unbelievable ...............It took the wind out of my sails. I had a very tough time motivating myself and getting back on track. It took me a couple of years to start improving again."

Respect indeed.

I wonder how Federer retiring will affect Nadal? Both always say that playing each other is special.

sportslover wrote:"For you Golden Oldies" :laugh:

Ever thought how the likes of Borg & John Mac would get on playing with the current top guys?

SL I saw an interview with Bjorn the other day (as you probably know he was at MC all week) He had a group hug with Nastase and Lendl.. He was asked that very question and he said in short he would not be able to compete with the top players of today... firstly there are more players than ever in the game and the strength and depth is beyond what he would have been able to compete with. He said he has enormous respect for the very top players and what they have achieved.. in particular he mentioned Rafa´s record on Clay which he feels will not be matched in the foreseeable future. Apart from the fact that the rackets are different, balls, the surfaces is such a pressure on the top guys. So Im of the belief that we should not even try to compare.. leave the past where it is and remember that those (and many many more I could mention) were incredible FOR THEIR DAY.. the ones we have now are equally so but different. Ive been lucky Ive seen the creme de la creme of those eras.. which has made me the tennis lover I am.

laverfan wrote:SL... Are you seeding another GOAT debate? :laugh:

H-n.. There was once the Amritraj (Vijay)/Borg/Connors (ABC) talk. Playing doubles with his brother Anand, the precursor to Bryans, it was fascinating. A gentler era.
I am glad to see the Pasarell-Gonzales match is recollected. :8)

LF Yes you are so right it was a gentle era.. you know I recently read somewhere that one of the Armitraj bros son is playing now not sure how old he is though ) Yes LF Never to be forgotten that match incredible.

I wonder how Federer retiring will affect Nadal? Both always say that playing each other is special..


I think it doubtless will Hawkeye... they will both remember each other for the rest of their lives no doubt about that. Rafa I believe would not have been so good had he not had his idol to chase all these years...He is now of course very much his own person but he has enormous respect for the maestro

H-n : ref that interview you mention with Borg .... I would have been amazed if he had said anything much different. He understands more than any of us just how much the game has changed,and what it takes to win today, given the strength and depth of the field.

I'm with you as regards leaving the past where it is and not trying to compare players of very distinct eras. (There is just a part of me however that can't help wonder what a magician like Borg might have done with today's equipment + improved medical science etc etc).

Borg's legacy is totally secure and will remain so for ever.

Must go before I break down in tears ......

LuvSports! wrote:i think one word can answer all those questions.

Federer
first time i saw him play i was like wooowww and i really wasn't that into tennis 10 years ago or so as a kid but boy did i take notice!

Tats what I felt when I saw Jim Courier, sadly Jim never realized his true potential. When I saw Federer beat Sampras in Wimbledon [then the defending champion] , i saw wow , what am I seeing, I have seen many player trump Sampras in GS, but none created the feeling like Feddy did. I guess many who saw the match realized the next generation hero is born.

What got me into this game?

Frankly speaking I dont know, my cousins use to watch this game, I saw it with them and started to fall in love with it, since Federer came into scenario I started to love the tennis even more.

Great Matches I have seen in no particular order

Wimbledon 2001 - Federer vs Sampras
Wimbledon 2007 - Federer vs. Nadal
Wimbledon 2008 - Federer vs. Nadal
USO 2011 - Federer vs . Nole
USO 2009 - Federer vs. Del Potro
USO 2009 - Del Potro vs. Nadal
FO 2009 - Del Potro vs. Federer
AO 2007 - Federer vs. Gonzalez
Wimbledon 2005 - Federer vs. Roddick
Wimbledon 2001 - Ivanisevic vs. Pat Rafter

I think the Federer-Nadal Wimbledon Final of 2007 was just as exciting as the 2008 final - but the 2008 final seemed to have its own external meaning to it - the young Nadal finally overcoming the Master on his own ground (they had both made the two earlier finals - with the Master coming out on top). It was a true sense of the "striving will" finally imposing itself.

In terms of the Federer-Nadal rivalry I think the Australian Open 2009 final was the most telling (Nadal won in five sets), as that truly marked the "end" of Federer as "the" dominant force in mens tennis.

NS : There's no doubt that the 2009 AO was a big, big match in every sense.

Have just checked the points stats. Out of 347 played, Federer actually won 174 of them, one more than Rafa's 173.

But that's the way it goes in tennis - a win is a win, however close.

Nore Staat

Yes I agree about both the Wimbledon 2007 final and the AO 2009 final.

Wimbledon 2007 was a real tussle. Federer asking for Hawkeye to be turned off as Nadal started to run away with the match. Nadal having to take a MTO for his knees giving Federer a chance to re-group. Nadal having all those break points in the 5th. Federer putting on his trousers back to front at the end. And Nadal left crying in defeat.

AO 2009 had probably some of the best tennis of all their meetings. Nadal coming through that epic 2nd semi against Verdasco and everyone writing him off. Lots of momentum changes so it was difficult to tell who was finally going to get the win. Nadal winning his first hard court slam when all the "experts" said this would never happen. Then that dramatic trophy ceremony with Federer crying in defeat.

Raonic, Tomic and whoever have just a little to live upto.

1. It's an individual sport, you stand or fall on your own. And hot girls at the club in good kit with time to chat.
2. A spare day with nothing else to do combined with instant success because of staggering talent.
3. Mac v Borg 1980, Any Fed game when he brings his A game throughout because it is poetic.