Truth & Rumors > Tennis

Depth showcased on men's tour

Views
2322
Comments
6

Perhaps not since the days of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, among others, has there been so much talent clustered at the top of men's tennis. "This is as deep as the men's game has been since the early '80s," said Larry Stefanki, a coach and pro for 30 years. "This is as good as I've seen it. You have 10 guys every week challenging for titles." The men's tour ended up here by natural evolution, as speed and power became more important, marginalizing the marginal athlete, even one with superior technical skills. Stefanki said tennis now looked more like its table tennis cousin, with balls flying rapidly across the net, snapping the necks of spectators back and forth. Stefan Edberg watches the current pros, and he said in a telephone interview that they exhibited a physicality that was not evident during his career. In particular, Edberg points to [Rafael] Nadal, all the grunts and the way he lunges at the ball, viciously attacking it, as evidence of the way the modern game has changed. Combine that power with the speed and athleticism on the tour, and [Roger] Federer said it was no longer enough for professionals to win with technical precision, or superior strokes. "Talent is not enough anymore," Federer said. "I'm talking about talent, let's say, in your hands. Like about touch and feel and spin. I'm not saying that it used to be. But it used to bring you a long way before and not anymore."

New York Times

Andy Murray, Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Andy Murray, Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
August 17, 2009  02:37 PM ET

Yes, the game is a lot more physical and today's players are probably more well-rounded athletes than their 1980's counterparts. But the statement that there's more parity atop the men's game than even the 1980's would be a lot more believable and credible if it weren't just Federer and Nadal winning all the Slams.

Like it or not, the Slams are where it really counts in the record books. Other than the minor blip of Djokovic in the 2008 Australian (and right now, Djokovic is NOT playing like one of the top guys, at least not for the last 3 months) and Safin in the 2005 Australian (and he's basically a supremely talented head case, who wasted all that talent, and is retiring at year's end), who's been winning the Slams for the past 5 years now??

In the 1980's, you regularly saw the top guys trading places at No. 1, and each of them winning multiple Slams (McEnroe, Connors, Lendl, Wilander, Edberg, Becker, all of them #1's and multiple Slam winners during the era of early/mid-80's to early 90's).

Where is that kind of parity now? Doesn't exist (...yet, of course).

August 17, 2009  02:42 PM ET

Where's the boobs?

August 17, 2009  08:54 PM ET

Here's another link about the quality of men's tennis right now:
http://jonwbecker.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/why-mens-pro-tennis-is-better-t han-womens-right-now/

August 18, 2009  07:44 AM ET

Could it just be that the newer technology enables pros to hit the ball with lots of pace, giving everyone a punchers chance? Not so much equal talent as technology covering up the "lack" of talent?

August 19, 2009  02:33 AM ET
QUOTE(#1):

Yes, the game is a lot more physical and today's players are probably more well-rounded athletes than their 1980's counterparts. But the statement that there's more parity atop the men's game than even the 1980's would be a lot more believable and credible if it weren't just Federer and Nadal winning all the Slams.Like it or not, the Slams are where it really counts in the record books. Other than the minor blip of Djokovic in the 2008 Australian (and right now, Djokovic is NOT playing like one of the top guys, at least not for the last 3 months) and Safin in the 2005 Australian (and he's basically a supremely talented head case, who wasted all that talent, and is retiring at year's end), who's been winning the Slams for the past 5 years now??In the 1980's, you regularly saw the top guys trading places at No. 1, and each of them winning multiple Slams (McEnroe, Connors, Lendl, Wilander, Edberg, Becker, all of them #1's and multiple Slam winners during the era of early/mid-80's to early 90's).Where is that kind of parity now? Doesn't exist (...yet, of course).

Zzzzz....

Babbling fool.

 
August 31, 2009  03:26 PM ET

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


The Si.com Cover Hub Go to the Cover Hub

Stub Hub

The 2009 schedule has been released. Search for tickets!

Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    Bills owner wanted Gruden
    Views
    50375
    Comments
    381
  2. 2
    Raiders players happy with new QB
    Views
    9476
    Comments
    85
  3. 3
    Why Knicks passed on Iverson
    Views
    21567
    Comments
    84
  4. 4
    Yankees keeping eye on Halladay
    Views
    41999
    Comments
    81
  5. 5
    Seahawks interested in Holmgren?
    Views
    8632
    Comments
    54

Message Boards

  1. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    Are college football coaches…
    Views
    362
    Replies
    52
  2. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    CFB Game Day 11/21/2009
    Views
    275
    Replies
    141
  3. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    2009's most disappointing team
    Views
    270
    Replies
    20

Blogs

SI.com

Swimsuit

SI Photos