The 50 Greatest Female Athletes of the Past 20 Years

[Phillyconn]

HA! Evert was my first favorite, followed by Graf, followed by Serena.
On the men's side, Lendl was my first favorite

I loved Evert, I even rooted for Graf, as long as she wasn't playing against an American. Serena, all time favorite. I liked Tracy Austin also. Seles was an absolute terror. On the Men's side, John McEnroe, all time favorite, followed closely by Andre and Pete. I absolutely hated Lendl, for beating up on Americans, I hated him like I hate Tennessee and Notre Dame. I guess I root for those who dare to be great. That's why I love Uconn basketball so much, I want them to win a title every year.

 

[Phillyconn]

Great to see that Catchings got her due, but Maya Moore and Chamique Holdsclaw should absolutely be on that list. Holdsclaw or Moore could make compelling cases for the greatest college women's basketball player ever, both because of how much they won but the way they played, especially Holdsclaw. She brought attention to the women's game in a big way. Meanwhile Skylar Diggins? Absolutely not.

Hate Tennessee, but you have to admire the greatness of Chamique, who lead a reign of terror against the country when she played. Question, who was more dominant, Chamique or Parker? Do you think that they could have played on the same team?

 

[CCinCT]

Diggins on the list - No Maya or Holdsclaw ? What a friggin joke. Points for pouting ?

And you are right BigFan Rhode should be on that list. Trap and skeet requires tremendous eye hand coordination, and a fair amount of physical stamina and concentration to complete the events.

 

[Phillyconn]

Diggins on the list - No Maya or Holdsclaw ? What a friggin joke. Points for pouting ?

And you are right BigFan Rhode should be on that list. Trap and skeet requires tremendous eye hand coordination, and a fair amount of physical stamina and concentration to complete the events.

Trap and skeet? That may be going a bit too far, what's next, midget tossing.

 

[CCinCT]

Trap and skeet? That may be going a bit too far, what's next, midget tossing.

Golfers are on the list. Lot of stamina and effort involved in walking 18 holes right ?
Try a sport before you pass judgement.

 

[Phillyconn]

Golfers are on the list. Lot of stamina and effort involved in walking 18 holes right ?
Try a sport before you pass judgement.

No walking involved in skeet shooting.....Lol. Just kidding but you have to stop somewhere. Trap and skeet shooting is just not as popular as other sports on this list. By the way, who is BigFan Rhode? What's are his accomplishments?

 

[CCinCT]

No walking involved in skeet shooting.....Lol. Just kidding but you have to stop somewhere. Trap and skeet shooting is just not as popular as other sports on this list. By the way, who is BigFan Rhode? What's are his accomplishments?

Read the post above by BigFan re Kim Rhode. But I'm sure that Natalie Gulbis' accomplishments are MUCH greater.

 

[hussybulldog]

Read the post above by BigFan re Kim Rhode. But I'm sure that Natalie Gulbis' accomplishments are MUCH greater.

not so sure, it is a 50 great athletes list, not a list of playboy centerfolds.

 

[Phillyconn]

Read the post above by BigFan re Kim Rhode. But I'm sure that Natalie Gulbis' accomplishments are MUCH greater.

I apologize, I was wrong. Her accomplishments are truly remarkable and certainly are worthy of consideration. Sorry BigFan... Kim Rhode should be celebrated.

 

[Phillyconn]

not so sure, it is a 50 great athletes list, not a list of playboy centerfolds.

You are hilarious!

 

[Jimdish255]

Natalie Gulbis? Softball gets multiple entries? OK maybe you hate Track and Field but Danica Patrick over this lady?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatyana_McFadden

Or multiple WR holders like Kipligat and Radcliffe? They did a nice job on some of the research but too many omissions and fluff girls in their place.

 

[easttexastrash]

Ok I'm sorry but I was a tennis fan long before I was a UCONN fan. I was actually a huge Monica Seles fan and that comment just made my skin crawl. Monica was the far superior player to Steffi until the incident. With that being said, Graf could not touch Serena, and will be passed by Serena in grandslam wins in the next 2 years. The part that puts her well over Steffi is Serena didn't even need someone to stab her rival to get there!

But Serena has not played another tennis great the way Steffi did. Steffi played Everrt, Navratilopva and Seles, three of the all-time greats. Serena's closest rival has been Sharapova, who is truly no match for Serena.

Don't get me wrong, I love Serena, but I think Graf's speed, slice backhand and the best forehand of all time would have been real trouble for Serena to deal with, especially the slice backhand. Graf would have been a match-up nightmare for Serena, much like Nadal is for Federer and the way Seles was for Graf.

 

[Phillyconn]

But Serena has not played another tennis great the way Steffi did. Steffi played Everrt, Navratilopva and Seles, three of the all-time greats. Serena's closest rival has been Sharapova, who is truly no match for Serena.

Don't get me wrong, I love Serena, but I think Graf's speed, slice backhand and the best forehand of all time would have been real trouble for Serena to deal with, especially the slice backhand. Graf would have been a match-up nightmare for Serena, much like Nadal is for Federer and the way Seles was for Graf.

Ok, if Seles was a nightmare for Graf, what did Seles have that Serena doesn't?
Serena has a tremendous serve, that few players can handle when she's serving well.
You don't hit winners using a backhand slice. Seles, Serena and great players like them could make you pay from either side, they were also able to go from defense to offense in one stroke from either side. I used to watch Graf a lot and she would always be standing closer to her backhand side of the court, looking for that big forehand, opening herself up to a player like Seles, who had powerful ground strokes. The great Chris Evert herself is calling Serena the greatest.

 

[easttexastrash]

Ok, if Seles was a nightmare for Graf, what did Seles have that Serena doesn't?
Serena has a tremendous serve, that few players can handle when she's serving well.
You don't hit winners using a backhand slice. Seles, Serena and great players like them could make you pay from either side, they were also able to go from defense to offense in one stroke from either side. I used to watch Graf a lot and she would always be standing closer to her backhand side of the court, looking for that big forehand, opening herself up to a player like Seles, who had powerful ground strokes. The great Chris Evert herself is calling Serena the greatest.

Just my opinion. I think Steffi had the type of game that Serena hates to play agains, which is one where the ball hugs the court and Serena does not get down to the low balls that well. Serena is not a good volleyer and Graf would draw her to the net and pass her all day long.

 

[hussybulldog]

there should be several lists, generate some controversial discussions, just for the fun of it
1. 50 greatest based upon popularity of the sport. (not the popularity of the athletes! They still have to win.) So softball, golf etc will be excluded. You cannot deny the influence of a sport on the population while trying to glorify some athletes in other obscure events.
2. 50 greatest based upon their winning record. (all those tennis, basketball greats...
3. 5o greatest based upon the longevity of their wining sports lives.
4. 50 greatest world record holder.
5. 50 greatest who can hold against men! Kim Rhode can probably compete with men at Olympic. Serena might be able to, but can she be ranked in top ten on the men's side, probably not. Judit Polgar ranked as high as 8th amongst men, and always represents her country on men's side for chess Olympiad. Chinese Skeet shooter Zhang Shan won in 1992 Olympic but could not defend her title as the event was only open to men in 1996!
.
.
.
10.50 based upon their looks. (I don't think Diggins is a top 50 looker amongst all female athletes ..)

 

[Phillyconn]

Just my opinion. I think Steffi had the type of game that Serena hates to play agains, which is one where the ball hugs the court and Serena does not get down to the low balls that well. Serena is not a good volleyer and Graf would draw her to the net and pass her all day long.

Maybe your right, but who knows. I would love to see it.

 

[CCinCT]

there should be several lists, generate some controversial discussions, just for the fun of it
1. 50 greatest based upon popularity of the sport. (not the popularity of the athletes! They still have to win.) So softball, golf etc will be excluded. You cannot deny the influence of a sport on the population while trying to glorify some athletes in other obscure events.
2. 50 greatest based upon their winning record. (all those tennis, basketball greats...
3. 5o greatest based upon the longevity of their wining sports lives.
4. 50 greatest world record holder.
5. 50 greatest who can hold against men! Kim Rhode can probably compete with men at Olympic. Serena might be able to, but can she be ranked in top ten on the men's side, probably not. Judit Polgar ranked as high as 8th amongst men, and always represents her country on men's side for chess Olympiad. Chinese Skeet shooter Zhang Shan won in 1992 Olympic but could not defend her title as the event was only open to men in 1996!
.
.
.
10.50 based upon their looks. (I don't think Diggins is a top 50 looker amongst all female athletes ..)

You might have to agree, though that Diggins would rate VERY high in the

6. 50 greatest female athletes pouting rankings

 

[Gus Mahler]

there should be several lists, generate some controversial discussions, just for the fun of it
1. 50 greatest based upon popularity of the sport. (not the popularity of the athletes! They still have to win.) So softball, golf etc will be excluded. You cannot deny the influence of a sport on the population while trying to glorify some athletes in other obscure events.
2. 50 greatest based upon their winning record. (all those tennis, basketball greats...
3. 5o greatest based upon the longevity of their wining sports lives.
4. 50 greatest world record holder.
5. 50 greatest who can hold against men! Kim Rhode can probably compete with men at Olympic. Serena might be able to, but can she be ranked in top ten on the men's side, probably not. Judit Polgar ranked as high as 8th amongst men, and always represents her country on men's side for chess Olympiad. Chinese Skeet shooter Zhang Shan won in 1992 Olympic but could not defend her title as the event was only open to men in 1996!
.
.
.
10.50 based upon their looks. (I don't think Diggins is a top 50 looker amongst all female athletes ..)

Her mom's not bad . . .

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Ask Steffi Graf herself, and she'll tell you that Serena Williams is going to surpass her 22 Grand Slam titles. The 33-year-old Williams, who already owns 19 majors, gets her next chance to close in on Graf's Open Era mark at the French Open. While only time will tell if Graf's crystal ball is trusty and true, some of her marks seem safe as can be.

Here's a head-to-head comparison of two of the greatest players ever to pick up a tennis racket.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12831526/steffi-graf-vs-serena-williams

 

[Bestiarius]

..... not a list of playboy centerfolds.

Now that's staple thinking.

 

[easttexastrash]

Ask Steffi Graf herself, and she'll tell you that Serena Williams is going to surpass her 22 Grand Slam titles. The 33-year-old Williams, who already owns 19 majors, gets her next chance to close in on Graf's Open Era mark at the French Open. While only time will tell if Graf's crystal ball is trusty and true, some of her marks seem safe as can be.

Here's a head-to-head comparison of two of the greatest players ever to pick up a tennis racket.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/12831526/steffi-graf-vs-serena-williams

Can you imagine how many major titles (Grand Slams are four majors in a year) Evert or Navratilova would own had they not been playing in the same era. They both have 18 so I am guessing that they would have had 30 if one had been playing without having to compete against the other.

 

[wire chief]

Just so you know...Steffi beat a teen age Lindsay Davenport 4 of 5 matches from '94 to '96.
Then Lindsay won 5 of 8 vs. her in '98 & '99, culminating in the Wimbledon championship.
Make of that as you will.