OT- Is Serena Williams the UCONN of women's tennis?

[The Don]

It looks like no one can challenge her if she is on her A game! And is she bad for women's tennis because she wins so much, like UCONN?

 

[triaddukefan]

oh boy

 

[DaddyChoc]

and Sharapova is Duke?

 

[lanieer]

Don't see much comparisons between the two besides UConn won ten NC since 1995 and are really good in recruiting and the best coach. Serena Williams is probably going to go down in history as the winner of the most Grand Slams and if it continues the best of all time. Serena has won 21 Grand Slams. I'm going to enjoy UConns run as long as we can keep Geno.
Willing to bet that when Serena plays at the U.S. open you will see as many people that root for a triple crown rooting for Serena. In college basketball its localized and if your in Indiana and Tennessee and New Jersey and North Carolina and Texas, etc your not rooting for UConn. Serena will be making history and is getting more support now than she ever did.

 

[VAMike23]

and Sharapova is Duke?

Lol

 

[Phillyconn]

Don't see much comparisons between the two besides UConn won ten NC since 1995 and are really good in recruiting and the best coach. Serena Williams is probably going to go down in history as the winner of the most Grand Slams and if it continues the best of all time. Serena has won 21 Grand Slams. I'm going to enjoy UConns run as long as we can keep Geno.
Willing to bet that when Serena plays at the U.S. open you will see as many people that root for a triple crown rooting for Serena. In college basketball its localized and if your in Indiana and Tennessee and New Jersey and North Carolina and Texas, etc your not rooting for UConn. Serena will be making history and is getting more support now than she ever did.

I root for UConn and I live in Philadelphia. I love everything UConn, especially the BBall teams!

 

[alexrgct]

I'd say there is one parallel here:

uconn's rare and impressive three-peat from 2002-04 was similar to Serena's "Slam" from the 2002 French to the 2003 Aussie. And whereas Uconn matched its own three-peat from 2013-15, Serena has just completed another "Slam".

Meanwhile, Serena will be favored to win a calendar-year Slam, while Uconn is favored to four-peat. It would be unprecedented, I believe, for a tennis player to win a calendar-year Slam at age 33...and no team in WCBB has won four national championships in a row.

So no, Serena and UConn are not dissimilar. That's auspicious for both.

 

[Fishy]

At this point, I don't think Serena Williams is the anything of anything.

She's in her own orbit - not only should she be in any conversation about the best American athletes ever, she really should come up very early in that conversation.

 

[triaddukefan]

and Sharapova is Duke?

 

[easttexastrash]

Serena is beating the best players the rest of the world has to offer. UCONN is beating US college teams that can't recruit as well. I can't compare the individual accomplishments of world class athlete to those of a college team that only faces other college teams that have less talented collections of talent.

 

[The Don]

Serena is beating the best players the rest of the world has to offer. UCONN is beating US college teams that can't recruit as well. I can't compare the individual accomplishments of world class athlete to those of a college team that only faces other college teams that have less talented collections of talent.

So it is all about recruiting when it comes to UCONN huh? Remember how many titles Baylor won with Brittney Griner, Odysey Simms & Co

 

[Fishy]

Serena is beating the best players the rest of the world has to offer. UCONN is beating US college teams that can't recruit as well. I can't compare the individual accomplishments of world class athlete to those of a college team that only faces other college teams that have less talented collections of talent.

Every time UConn plays, they play a team of lesser ability. Every time Serena plays, she plays a person of lesser ability.

That's kinda how dominance works - not sure you quite made the point you were trying to make.

 

[Kibitzer]

It seems to me that it is more logical to compare Serena with Steffi or even Roger Federer - each an iconic tennis player, like Serena.

As for UConn, best comparisons are probably with UNC soccer, PSU volleyball or Iowa wrestling - all superb college teams with sustained domination in their sport.

And somehow either Secretariat or the Harlem Globetrotters often creep into discussions like this. Or Edwin Moses.

 

[temery]

No. In the past 15 years UConn has won more championships than they've lost. Serena has lost more championships than she's won.

I like Serena, but the comparison doesn't hold up.

 

[Willie E.Gold]

I am confused about the 15 years/lost more championships comments .How does this fit in?What is Norte Dame record vs UConn in the last 5 years?I thought the analogy was about the Dominance and Championships shared by both.Great comparison.

 

[Phillyconn]

No. In the past 15 years UConn has won more championships than they've lost. Serena has lost more championships than she's won.

I like Serena, but the comparison doesn't hold up.

I think the biggest difference is that as a team, one or even two players can have a bad day. With UConn, you have teammates who are all Americans, that can pick you up and carry you to victory. Serena has no such luxury. One bad day and it's better luck next year at that tournament. She is the greatest in her sport. UConn as we all know is simply the best ever!

 

[temery]

I think the biggest difference is that as a team, one or even two players can have a bad day. With UConn, you have teammates who are all Americans, that can pick you up and carry you to victory. Serena has no such luxury. One bad day and it's better luck next year at that tournament. She is the greatest in her sport. UConn as we all know is simply the best ever!

In tennis, you can have a bad set or two, and still have a chance of winning. Every new set starts at 0-0. In basketball, a team has to make up a first half deficit, AND win the second half in order to win the game.

Regardless ... Comparing an individual sport to a team sport is silly. Having a bad day in tennis = losing. That's true in all sports.

 

[CocoHusky]

At this point, I don't think Serena Williams is the anything of anything.

She's in her own orbit - not only should she be in any conversation about the best American athletes ever, she really should come up very early in that conversation.

Outstanding point.
The ESPN top 100 rankings of top N. American athletes is listed here-Before Serena was in consideration. Top female is Babe at 10. Next Woman is Jackie Joyner-Kersee at 23. Where would you put Serena on this list?
https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html

 

[Phillyconn]

In tennis, you can have a bad set or two, and still have a chance of winning. Every new set starts at 0-0. In basketball, a team has to make up a first half deficit, AND win the second half in order to win the game.

Regardless ... Comparing an individual sport to a team sport is silly. Having a bad day in tennis = losing. That's true in all sports.

In women's tennis, two bad sets = losing. I said a bad day, not set. In team sports, individuals can have a bad day and still win, with the help of teammates. Bria Hartley comes to mind.

 

[temery]

In women's tennis, two bad sets = losing. I said a bad day, not set. In team sports, individuals can have a bad day and still win, with the help of teammates. Bria Hartley comes to mind.

Men play 3 out of 5 sets. Regardless, it's a silly comparison.

 

[malevocalist#]

Serena is beating the best players the rest of the world has to offer. UCONN is beating US college teams that can't recruit as well. I can't compare the individual accomplishments of world class athlete to those of a college team that only faces other college teams that have less talented collections of talent.

Huh? Really? So Uconn gets the top 5 players every year? And other schools can't recruit? Really? And where does coaching comes in all this meaningless jabbering?

 

[Phillyconn]

Huh? Really? So Uconn gets the top 5 players every year? And other schools can't recruit? Really? And where does coaching comes in all this meaningless jabbering?

We do have the best players, but then again so does Kentucky.

 

[Phillyconn]

Outstanding point.
The ESPN top 100 rankings of top N. American athletes is listed here-Before Serena was in consideration. Top female is Babe at 10. Next Woman is Jackie Joyner-Kersee at 23. Where would you put Serena on this list?
https://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html

Right now, she's top ten. If she wins the U.S. Open, she's top five. If she passes Steffi, she's no. 1 in my opinion.

 

[Phillyconn]

Men play 3 out of 5 sets. Regardless, it's a silly comparison.

The comparison was about women. It's the offseason, what's wrong with a little bit of silliness?

 

[temery]

The comparison was about women. It's the offseason, what's wrong with a little bit of silliness?

Nothing. But it's apples to oranges.

FWIW - I've met the Williams sisters, and their father several times. I like Serena.