The Tennis Thread

[Fevuh]

I just want the numbers.  She's the greatest, but I don't want the trolls to be able to point to Margaret's numbers and say, "well, she still had more majors".  As I've heard Chrissy and Martina say - when they came along, players didn't play every slam, and so many people did not go to the Australian Open.  That made it much easier for Margaret to rack up the wins.

Edited October 15, 2020 by Fevuh

[DramatistDreamer]

The trolls don't matter to me. There will always be those who seek to diminish her accomplishments and will find ways to do so regardless of whether Serena hits some media-generated milestone. JMO.

[I Am A Swede]

I don't see the point in using just the number of majors someone has won as the proof of their greatness. It's not the same nowadays as it was in the past. The status of the Australian Open was nowhere near what it is now back in the days for instance, and there was even a time as late as the 1970s when a lot of the major players didn't enter the French Open for a number of years because they played WTT, a rival professional tennis league.

 

 

[Fevuh]

My Issue is this - we've been having the numbers discussion for several years now over the Men.  Who is the GOAT.  And it's numbers, numbers, numbers.  It's what people know from casual Tennis watching.  The discussion is Federer, Nadal, and the Joker.  So you might say you don't want to use just the number to judge someone, but it will happen. You're a Tennis fan and get it.  The general public is not and Margaret is nasty.  I want Serena to have the number.  Call me nuts, but it's the truth.  Everything is Stats and Numbers and TV now.  Doesn't matter that it came from 1958.  Maureen Connelly probably would be one of the greats, but she ended her career at 19 and 9 Slams.  No one knows that.  They'll remember Margaret Court.  And if Serena doesn't tie, it will be an asterisk.  

[I Am A Swede]

 

Yes, when you put I like that I can absolutely see your point. If Serena does get that elusive #24 then Margaret Court, and her offensive views, can finally fade into obscurity.

[DramatistDreamer]

Personally, I think that the preoccupation with this numbers quest has had a deleterious effect on Serena's psyche, which has taken root and manifested itself in her performance in finals. She hears it from her fans, some of whom are extremely negative to the point of utter toxicity. I also think the GOAT discussion among the men is borderline useless, tbh. It is a preoccupation with some hardcore fans, sure but it feels of too much "Inside Baseball" to me. As a once hardcore tennis fan who has followed the sport since childhood in the late 80s I can honestly that I am more more interested in what a Federer or a Nadal does with their foundation work than how many trophies they collect. Arthur Ashe will never be considered a GOAT according to the stats but he is probably the finest man to come out of the sport of tennis and his impact still looms large. Steffi Graf, who still holds the Golden Slam, hardly even remembers where her trophies are. Andre once told a funny story about watching Jeopardy and asking Steffi if she knew the question to one of the answers in a trivia category, (suspecting that it was her). Steffi said she didn't know. When it was revealed that she was, in fact, the question (you may all know that responses are given in the form of a question), a slightly exasperated Andre said "Babe, it was you!" to which Steffi simply shrugged. She didn't care. Decades later, it no longer mattered to her.

 

Edited October 15, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/atp-sam-querrey-family-russia-test-positive-covid-19-private-jet-213624535.html

[DramatistDreamer]

[DramatistDreamer]

I was listening to a news.report from a Japanese broadcaster and I swear the reporter sounded just like Naomi Osaka.  Made me wonder for a moment whether she might have been moonlighting as a journalist.

[Soapsuds]

OMG...Lolololololol

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[Soapsuds]

 

[Faulkner]

Just dropping this here cuz it’s amazing.

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

Is Paris Masters still happening??!

[Faulkner]

This is

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[Soapsuds]

Yes....Novak isn't playing it but Rafa is. Novak is playing in Vienna next week and I don't think he wants to play 3 tournaments in a row.