Greatest Players of All Time - according to Tennis Abstract

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Greatest Players of All Time - according to Tennis Abstract

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

https://www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/12/the-tennis-128-no-68-manolo-santana/

Hi Jon

No very good at these things but this is the link above. He is called Manolo here and not Manuel.

Next entry is Friday 15th July.

-- Edited by GAMEOVER on Tuesday 12th of July 2022 09:15:10 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Thank you Gameover, that worked !

I found this interesting - like Nadal missing Paris now

In 1966, he skipped the French to give himself five weeks of proper Wimbledon prep. He needed every minute of it. It took a lucky break and two narrow escapes, but Santana ultimately proved that the grass wasnt just for cows. It was prime grazing land for Spanish dirtballers, too.

I dont have my list with me and cant remember where I rated him but think this place from Jeff feels about right!

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

We have player no. 67 and it is Mary Pierce. She could be brilliant on her day and was the last French woman to win the French championships in 2000. She was on my list.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/15/the-tennis-128-no-67-mary-pierce/

So Mary was never near my list at all! I always thought her game was a bit too flaky for me and all the life drama sort of put me off, despite that being her mad dad Jim!

But as a person when I heard her on radio five commentaries a few years back, she came across as nice and intelligent. But never near my top 50 list.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

We have player no.66 and it is Vic Seixas the 1953 Wimbledon mens champion. He's also the oldest living Wimbledon Champion.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Again, Vic Seixas wasnt in my top 50 and I am not sure where I would have ranked him overall

www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/19/the-tennis-128-no-66-vic-seixas/

What stands out is his 34 year career, which is sort of wow!!

ETA - I think the 1940-74 line must be an error, his peak was 53-54 and it doesnt look like he played much beyond the 50's in reality

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Tuesday 19th of July 2022 09:50:35 AM

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

JonH comes home wrote:
Again, Vic Seixas wasnt in my top 50 and I am not sure where I would have ranked him overall

www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/19/the-tennis-128-no-66-vic-seixas/

What stands out is his 34 year career, which is sort of wow!!

ETA - I think the 1940-74 line must be an error, his peak was 53-54 and it doesnt look like he played much beyond the 50's in reality

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Tuesday 19th of July 2022 09:50:35 AM

Not on my list either.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

We have player no.65 and it is Rene Lacoste . He is on my list. We are also halfway through the entries.Split was 33 men and 31 women.

-- Edited by GAMEOVER on Friday 22nd of July 2022 07:57:59 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/22/the-tennis-128-no-65-rene-lacoste/

So Lacoste was definitely on my list, indeed I had him in 40th place overall

You just to see what he did in a few short years, 7 slams out of 17 played and near 90% win loss record, winning record over Bill Tilden etc etc and you see he was a great player.

So of my top 50 players of all time, 4 of them (3 men and 1 woman) have appeared outside the top half of this list. Hopefully the other 46 will all appear in the top half and I will get a pretty close match overall!

indiana · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/22/the-tennis-128-no-65-rene-lacoste/

So Lacoste was definitely on my list, indeed I had him in 40th place overall

You just to see what he did in a few short years, 7 slams out of 17 played and near 90% win loss record, winning record over Bill Tilden etc etc and you see he was a great player.

So of my top 50 players of all time, 4 of them (3 men and 1 woman) have appeared outside the top half of this list. Hopefully the other 46 will all appear in the top half and I will get a pretty close match overall!

Yes, Laconte was really good.

Overall, if you ( or anyone ) were to get 46 out of the top 50 I'd be really shocked and ruddy impressed!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/22/the-tennis-128-no-65-rene-lacoste/

So Lacoste was definitely on my list, indeed I had him in 40th place overall

You just to see what he did in a few short years, 7 slams out of 17 played and near 90% win loss record, winning record over Bill Tilden etc etc and you see he was a great player.

So of my top 50 players of all time, 4 of them (3 men and 1 woman) have appeared outside the top half of this list. Hopefully the other 46 will all appear in the top half and I will get a pretty close match overall!
Yes, Laconte was really good.
Overall, if you ( or anyone ) were to get 46 out of the top 50 I'd be really shocked and ruddy impressed!

I would be blooming amazed!! If I can get 2/3rds to tally I will be happy, over 40/50, I would be delighted, 45 or more, I will retire and take the winnings!

PS Lacoste not to be confused with the enigmatic, brilliant (mercurial is the word we associate with French players, isn't it, CD?) Henri Leconte - sadly, he would never get near this list but probably should have got closer if he had made the most of his talent!

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

We have player no.64 and it is Bobby Riggs . He was on my list. Famous for his match against Billie Jean King.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/07/26/the-tennis-128-no-64-bobby-riggs/

Riggs is a player whos got one massive public event that overshadows his career - I find it hard to place him in the pantheon of greats tbh, he was certainly outside my top 50 but not sure where Id have placed him relative to the top 100 as I didnt try! But suspect he would have been outside it.

Interesting character though, a sort of marmite player.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I see Jeff is having a week gap to the next one now.