TENNIS PLAYERS (Off-Court Shenanigans)

[Fastbackss]

I didn't know the Mardy Fish story, but I did know how good a golfer he is - winning the celebrity tournament and I believe (nearly) qualifying for some pro tournaments

[ponchi101]

Easily basketball. Though I judge by US basketball standards. If I had to look outside of the US, I very well might choose a different sport.

But then we are in agreement. Here I only said that we produce some of the best overall athletes in all of sports. But my original opinion was that the NBA/WNBA and ATP/WTA produce the best such athletes. I can easily imagine Steph or Chris Paul taking up tennis at an early age and being highly ranked now. Imagine Jordan playing tennis. Sure, a bit too tall but, with his speed and lateral movements he would be a nightmarish serve and volley player (to play against).

[Suliso]

NBA is top class as far as athleticism is concerned, but on the other hand pure height plays a huge role as well.

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

NBA is top class as far as athleticism is concerned, but on the other hand pure height plays a huge role as well.

Sure. Remember the axion: "You CAN'T teach height". You will always have the Embids and O'Neal, players that don't impress me in the same sense of Curry, Jordan, Lebron or, in the past, Allen Iverson or Dr J. But the combination of all the athletic skills PLUS the hand/eye coordination is what impresses me of both sports. Curry's hand/eye skills would make him, I believe, a deadly server and a fantastic volleyer. How could you pass Jordan or Magic Johnson? Allen Iverson's speed and quickness would rival, at a minimum, Chang's or Hewitt's or now Deminaur's.
I have said this before: a team of selected NBA athletes will be more competitive against any team of selected athletes FROM ANOTHER sport, at that sport, than that same team will be in basketball.

[ti-amie]

NBA is top class as far as athleticism is concerned, but on the other hand pure height plays a huge role as well.

Sure. Remember the axion: "You CAN'T teach height". You will always have the Embids and O'Neal, players that don't impress me in the same sense of Curry, Jordan, Lebron or, in the past, Allen Iverson or Dr J. But the combination of all the athletic skills PLUS the hand/eye coordination is what impresses me of both sports. Curry's hand/eye skills would make him, I believe, a deadly server and a fantastic volleyer. How could you pass Jordan or Magic Johnson? Allen Iverson's speed and quickness would rival, at a minimum, Chang's or Hewitt's or now Deminaur's.
I have said this before: a team of selected NBA athletes will be more competitive against any team of selected athletes FROM ANOTHER sport, at that sport, than that same team will be in basketball.

I don't disagree, and I don't think height is the only thing that makes NBA/WNBA players good at other sports. It's like you say, hand eye coordination, thinking on the fly, adjusting to changing situations and overall athletic ability. Curry doesn't get enough credit for being the point guard that he is.

There is a dispute about Jordan's height. He's listed now as 6'6" but was 6'4" for the Olympics.

[Suliso]

I'd like to see NBA players try ice hockey. NHL players might actually win that one

I think we probably all agree that NBA is most versatile and athletic of big leagues in US and possibly worldwide. I'd be a lot more hesitant to claim the same for women, WNBA not really a big deal globally.

[ponchi101]

Had not thought about hockey. You are probably right there.

[Suliso]

Some sports are just too specific. There probably are only handful of NBA players who would survive a pro level downhill run on the mountain, but of course that's not an argument that skiers are better athletes. They aren't except maybe for the courage factor.

[ti-amie]

I was floored when I went to Quèbec and saw how there are pick up hockey games just like pick up basketball games there. We stayed with family so we were in a residential neighborhood. As for skiing, you have to be nuts to throw yourself down the side of a mountain on two wooden (are they wood anymore) slats. As has been said, I admire their courage.

[ponchi101]

No, they are not wooden slats anymore . It is not a coincidence that a lot of companies that make rackets also make skis: head, rosignol, volkl, fisher, quite a few. All skis are super technological sandwiches of space age materials.
And you always have your bunny slopes.
Having said that, I started skiing at an advanced age: I was almost 50. By now I can go down black diamond slopes with ease and the sole limitation are my physical condition (I am not 25 so moguls and other bumps are too hard on the knees) and when the slope is too steep and the chicken in me reminds me that I do not carry life insurance. But, as a combination of skills and physical abilities, no contest: tennis is way tougher to master than skiing.

[ti-amie]

[Deuce]

Sloane's commitment to tennis has been absent for quite a while now - for about 18 months (long before she lost people she was close with to COVID-19).
It has just seemed that she wasn't enjoying tennis, that she didn't want to be on the court.
She just turned 28 a few days ago - so, physically, she still has several years remaining where she can play at a high level. She simply has to decide if she wants to or not.

One must wonder how she lost her motivation for the game. Was it that she found it too difficult to repeat her earlier success? Was it too much fame following the earlier success which helped her to lose her focus on tennis? Or maybe it was something completely unrelated to tennis.
Surely the virus situation and losing close family members to the virus haven't helped - but, as I mentioned, this lack of motivation began before the virus hit the world.

[patrick]

Stephens motivation has always been a question throughout her career.

[ponchi101]

I always felt she was a good 2-3 slams winner. Maybe even a career similar to Lindsey's. Too bad, as I always liked her.