OT: French Open

[DaddyChoc]

they all would be good if Serena wasn't still playing

 

[lanieer]

they all would be good if Serena wasn't still playing

When you refer to "they all" are you referring to Stephens, Townsend and Keys or the older retired players such as Henin.

 

[EricLA]

Murray's putting up a better fight than Nadal did. Down 2 sets to 0, Murray won the 3rd set. I'm just glad the ass-picker is gone. With all his $$, you'd think he could find panties that actually fit...

 

[PhillyCoach]

As far as generating personal interest, right now it is mostly Serena while awaiting up and comers like Taylor Townsend, Madison Keys, and Sloane Stephens. I love what Mary Cirillo calls " Big Babe Tennis"; Tennis with power and more power. the kind of tennis exemplified by Serena Williams, who by virtue of the greatest serve the game has ever seen, awesome power with which to execute incredible shots, and an ability to hit great shots under pressure, is, far and away the best woman to ever play the game. It would be impossible to imagine the prior era soft hitters beating her head to head.
After Justine Henin got away with the hand up/wait and did not own up to it, I always looked forward to the Williams?henin matches. The same as for Williams/Capriati after the latter benefitted from three blatantly bad calls and the double fault no call in the 2004 US Open.
When Serena is on her game, no one beats her. She is that good; That much better than the very talented field.

VAU - Totally agree that the Williams sisters completely changed the game. Mr. Williams envisioned "big babe" tennis and both sisters exemplify that game. As a tennis player and coach, I respect Serena and her "best ever" serve. She has awesome power and hits winners off balance, off her back foot, and out of position. Kudos to all that. However, like a basketball game with mostly dunks, there is more to tennis than--serve--point, 2 hits--point, serve-point, 3 hits--point, 2 hits-point. That's one reason I like clay over the old grass. (Today's grass is slower and no one serves and volleys anyway.) Basketball is movement, passing, inside, outside, pretty moves, awesome fakes, cross-over dribbles, blocks--I could go on and on. If a team was the most powerful and could dunk the majority of time they would be World Champs, but I wouldn't enjoy the game of basketball. Serena's game is like that. I like variety of shots, change of spins, Wrawrinka's one-handed backhand up the line, Henin's classic one-handed backhand (short career--still a winner), Radwanska's off beat game, and of course, the Swiss Miss teenager who almost won the golden slam while beating Venus.
Anyway, to each his own. That's what makes the world go round. I enjoy and savor the subtleties and beauty of the game. Power has it place, but there is a point of diminishing returns ---for me. Federer, Murray, and JOker probably are the closest to the "total package" of variety, beauty and power.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Kind of talking more of when Chris was pregnant and not when she retired. Martina was huge during that time.

Again, not to sound rude or disrespectful...and I do not want you to think I am attacking you...

BUT...like your post about "Martina against no one" after Evert retired and "until Steffi," this is not factually correct.

Evert never had maternity leave while on tour and was never out for pregnancy. Jimmy Connors stated (in 2013) that she was pregnant and had an abortion when they were together (in 1974). But she had her children with then-husband Andy Mills after she retired. And Martina was not "huge" in 1974.