Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[skatingfan]

^ That's nothing - I've heard that there have been a few courts made that have not only earth, but they even allow grass to grow from it!
On a tennis court!

Who came up with that crazy idea?

You mean, like this:

[Deuce]

A few years ago, there was actually a court around here in worse condition than that ^ - it was part of an apartment complex. Obviously the court had not been kept up - there was vegetation growing from the many cracks.
I said to a tennis friend of mine as we passed by it "I've always wanted to play on a grass court. Now I'll finally get the chance!"

[JazzNU]

Per "Spiceboy" there will be 2 tournaments in Charleston in consecutive weeks. The original WTA 500 and this WTA 250 the week after replacing both the Chinese WTA and the Fed Cup finals.
I miss the Amelia Island tournament.

Spiceboy???

I always liked the Amelia Island tournament.

[ti-amie]

He's the one person on another site that is usually spot on re what is going on re WTA tournaments.

[ti-amie]

[Deuce]

Before Roger, Rafa, and Novak came along, the record for male Major singles titles was 14 (Sampras). 14 is certainly impressive - and it broke the long-standing record of 12 (Roy Emerson)...

But when you think that Roger, Rafa, and Novak have attained, or are closely approaching, 20 Major singles titles EACH, and that they have accomplished this while having to compete directly against each other, it truly puts this amazing accomplishment into proper perspective.

We are very fortunate to have witnessed this, for we will likely never see anything like it again.

[ponchi101]

I wrote about that in TAT1.0. Think it this way:
The big three: 58 slams, the equivalent to 14 1/2 years NON STOP of slams.
To get to 58 you need: Sampras (14), Emerson (12), Borg (11), Laver (11), Connors (8) and you would still need a 2 slam winner to match them.
Whenever one of them gets to 21, he will be three Newcombe's, McEnroe's or Wilander's.
As you say, this has been amazing. And we will never see this again. This is the Golden Era of Golden Eras.

[Suliso]

Perhaps we won't, but how many years is never?

[ponchi101]

I also wrote about that, using Usain Bolt as an example. Do you see somebody breaking that 9.58 record? Maybe. But eventually, and even if that happens, then who breaks that 9.57? A 9.56? Eventually, we will get a record that will not be broken.
The same will happen to tennis. To begin with, we don't know if tennis will be played forever and the synergy of having three guys playing at this level simultaneously will be hard to repeat.
Never? Tough to bet on that. But it won't be this generations, as they are already late at the gate. The next generations would need to start winning and winning early. So I don't think I will see it, and that would mean some 30 years.
I actually don't think we will see another guy pass Sampras, in a long time.

[Suliso]

I don't think Usain Bolt analogy holds here. The current record is very difficult to beat, but hardly impossible (Serena has 23). All it would take is someone else coming up the same quality and drive as one of these three AND another consistent challenger not arising. Age 22-34 (13 seasons) with 2 Slam per year average you're at 26 Slams already. Sure it's not likely, but I don't find it absolutely impossible either.

[ponchi101]

We got mixed up. You are talking about ONE guy/girl coming up and winning 26. I was talking about having three more like this, at the same time. Remember that, for example, Steffi and Serena have been accused, at times, of having played in a weak era. Roger, Rafa and Novak escape that criticism because they played against each other.
My point is that eventually some records will remain forever. And this record of having three guys at 20+ slams seems pretty hard to beat to me.

[Suliso]

Ah, sorry I misunderstood then. I did indeed mean one future player beating the 20 Slam mark. Much easier if no one else during that time beats 8-10 mark.

[Liamvalid]

We got mixed up. You are talking about ONE guy/girl coming up and winning 26. I was talking about having three more like this, at the same time. Remember that, for example, Steffi and Serena have been accused, at times, of having played in a weak era. Roger, Rafa and Novak escape that criticism because they played against each other.
My point is that eventually some records will remain forever. And this record of having three guys at 20+ slams seems pretty hard to beat to me.

Who says Serena played in a weak era? She had to compete against multiple slam winners for most of her teens and 20s, and still came out on top against them a lot of the time

[Suliso]

Only in relative terms. She didn't truly overlap with another 10+ Slam winner.

[ponchi101]

...

Who says Serena played in a weak era? She had to compete against multiple slam winners for most of her teens and 20s, and still came out on top against them a lot of the time

I have heard that on several occasions. Steffi in particular gets accused of that, even more frequently than Serena. I don't agree with that assessment, as it is circular. if you dominate an era, you are accused of playing in a weak one. If there is no 10+/multiple slams champion, the era is also labeled as weak. No win scenario.