Wimbledon

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Nadal would not have won against Sampras on grass, let alone win comfortably.
Nadal's gonna win it having won only one point on the net because Federer has not got the bottle to serve and volley against him. Sampras would have made Nadal pass him on the net to win every point on his serve instead of letting Nadal batter him from baseline.
You can't rely on serve and volley anymore, especially since they've made the grass slower. Granted Sampras had better serves and volleys but Nadal would've still managed to break him. Obviously we'll never know..
 

VP

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The same journos on the documentary are probably the ones who are saying he's past it now.
 

crappycraperson

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You can't rely on serve and volley anymore, especially since they've made the grass slower. Granted Sampras had better serves and volleys but Nadal would've still managed to break him. Obviously we'll never know..
The grass getting slower part is overplayed. Given there are not grass court tournaments you have no pure Serve and Volley players left. Henman, Sampras, that dutch fella, Goran, Becker would all have used serve and volley game on this grass surface as well.

Nadal would give Sampras a stiff test, but the best Serve and Volley player would never lose to the best baseliner on grass.
 

Cornell

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At least this doco is endorsed by the man and family. Can't stand those horse shit films commentated on by magazine editors and mtv presenters.
 

Kevin

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You can't rely on serve and volley anymore, especially since they've made the grass slower. Granted Sampras had better serves and volleys but Nadal would've still managed to break him. Obviously we'll never know..
What Sampras COULD do with his better serve and volleying, is mix it far more than Federer with still a high percentage won points at the net and from his serve... he's no chump on the baseline either (he fecked Agassi, Courier, Kafelnikov, etc etc on hardcourts from the baseline quite often) and this variation and the ability to move between plan a and b is what Federer needs to pull off, but can't...

Frustrating to watch, let alone how it would feel like to be him right now.
 

manufanatic

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The grass getting slower part is overplayed. Given there are not grass court tournaments you have no pure Serve and Volley players left. Henman, Sampras, that dutch fella, Goran, Becker would all have used serve and volley game on this grass surface as well.

Nadal would give Sampras a stiff test, but the best Serve and Volley player would never lose to the best baseliner on grass.

well i would have to disagree mate. mac was by far the best serve and volleyer of his time and lost to borg at wimbledon. certainly he came back and beat him but then he lost again to another returner in connors a few years later.
 

crappycraperson

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The same journos on the documentary are probably the ones who are saying he's past it now.
No surprise, it always happens. People wanking off Federer was one of the reason I stopped watching Tennis all together and actually started to rrot against him when earlier I generally was for him.
Every one was a bit too quick in wanting to claim as the best player ever. He is yet a long way to go. He needs to overcome Nadal and Djokovic, otherwise despite the records he would be known as the player who dominated a weak filed and bottled in face of his toughest competition.
 

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What Sampras COULD do with his better serve and volleying, is mix it far more than Federer with still a high percentage won points at the net and from his serve... he's no chump on the baseline either (he fecked Agassi, Courier, Kafelnikov, etc etc on hardcourts from the baseline quite often) and this variation and the ability to move between plan a and b is what Federer needs to pull off, but can't...

Frustrating to watch, let alone how it would feel like to be him right now.
Another thing Sampras could do is be down Love-40 and then come up with five aces and win the point,
 

crappycraperson

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well i would have to disagree mate. mac was by far the best serve and volleyer of his time and lost to borg at wimbledon. certainly he came back and beat him but then he lost again to another returner in connors a few years later.
That's why Bjorg is deservedly hailed as the best player to play the game. Only player to do the tennis 'double' three times in a row. And Bjorg was a complete player. He was a baseliner by nature but even against Mcenroe and Connors he used serve and volley quite often from his first serve(That's what I have read anyway).
 

Kevin

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Say, this grass court plays like a medium paced or slower hardcourt... Sampras' serve was still as effective as ever on those surfaces, and he'd eat up those mostly weak returns at the net... it's a huge boost to have a serve like Sampras', your service games are a cakewalk most of the time... Federer just stays back even if it's a feeble return from Nadal on his first service -> nadal chases the ball and turns the rally to his advantage -> federer bottles it and hits another error/Nadal hits brilliant winner. He should be at the net finishing what his first serve has started... Sampras would and could have done that, slow grass or no slow grass.

But enough about Sampras already, even I AM starting to get sick of myself :D
 

Kevin

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Another thing Sampras could do is be down Love-40 and then come up with five aces and win the point,
He actually nearly did it in that wimbledon final against Agassi. 4 aces and one unreturnable. Second service game of the first set. He never looked back and destroyed him from the baseline as well as at the net.
 

manufanatic

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That's why Bjorg is deservedly hailed as the best player to play the game. Only player to do the tennis 'double' three times in a row. And Bjorg was a complete player. He was a baseliner by nature but even against Mcenroe and Connors he used serve and volley quite often from his first serve(That's what I have read anyway).

I love borg and i saw him play numerous times and your right he was talented enough to change his game to fit the player or the event. the point i was trying to make was another poster claimed the best serve and volley player will always beat the best baseline/return of serve player and that simply isnt true.

I would love to have seen borg connors mac all play with the modern equipment in their prime then we would know who was really the all time best in the modern era (70s on)
 

McLovin

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I'm watching a television series about the best Manchester United goals in the FA cup.

Lovely way to pass time :D
 

VP

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The grass getting slower part is overplayed. Given there are not grass court tournaments you have no pure Serve and Volley players left. Henman, Sampras, that dutch fella, Goran, Becker would all have used serve and volley game on this grass surface as well.

Nadal would give Sampras a stiff test, but the best Serve and Volley player would never lose to the best baseliner on grass.
I don't know. No one serves and volleys anymore apart from Ancic and even then it's not regular. The grass getting slower has a part to play with it i reckon.

What Sampras COULD do with his better serve and volleying, is mix it far more than Federer with still a high percentage won points at the net and from his serve... he's no chump on the baseline either (he fecked Agassi, Courier, Kafelnikov, etc etc on hardcourts from the baseline quite often) and this variation and the ability to move between plan a and b is what Federer needs to pull off, but can't...

Frustrating to watch, let alone how it would feel like to be him right now.
Agree with that. And coming to think of it. Sampras would definitely wouldn't have let 11 break points slip
 

manufanatic

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I don't know. No one serves and volleys anymore apart from Ancic and even then it's not regular. The grass getting slower has a part to play with it i reckon.


Agree with that. And coming to think of it. Sampras would definitely wouldn't have let 11 break points slip
pete was quality but that hair:lol:
 

crappycraperson

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I love borg and i saw him play numerous times and your right he was talented enough to change his game to fit the player or the event. the point i was trying to make was another poster claimed the best serve and volley player will always beat the best baseline/return of serve player and that simply isnt true.

I would love to have seen borg connors mac all play with the modern equipment in their prime then we would know who was really the all time best in the modern era (70s on)
It was me. And it is true, generally the best serve and volley player would beat the best baseliner on grass. Obviously there is an assumption that both are playing at their best, otherwise it does not work.
 

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Fecking hell.

I have to split to catch a train to catch a plane, so I won`t be watching Wimbledon anymore.

Hopefully Federer turns up and gets a set atleast. Don`t see how he can win it now.

See everyone in a couple of weeks.
 

manufanatic

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It was me. And it is true, generally the best serve and volley player would beat the best baseliner on grass. Obviously there is an assumption that both are playing at their best, otherwise it does not work.

generally is different then always. I dont totally disagree but i think Johnny Mac was at his best against borg in thier most famous match and he lost then the next year i think borg was at his best (at that time of his career) and lost. Then Mac was all conquering and lost to a resurgent JImmy connors who hit every line imaginable on his returns.

Grass does favour the server no question but class trumps a big serve or goran or roscoe tanner would have won several wimbledons.

I have seen the last 30 plus wimbledons and I stand by my assessment.

The nets are back up so play should be resuming shortly!!
 

VidaRed

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they are showing the final between borg & mcenroe

classic that.