anyone else catch this column from fox sports?
http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/9757...st-ever,-but-...
I agree that Serena really could have chased records if she had more of a Steffi Graf mindset towards tennis, but she has been injured a lot and she did have to deal with the emotional impact of Yetunde's death. All in all, though, I'm pretty happy with how her and Venus's careers have turned out.
Full Version: Serena could be the best ever, but ...
Perhaps. In my subjective evaluation (obviously '88 Graf and '84 Martina N. had better results), I don't think any woman has ever played better than Serena did in 2002-03. But to chase down Margaret Court's 24 majors, she'd have to maintain that level for eight years, which is an awfully tall order. Complain about her conditioning if you want, but she's been healthier the last couple of years than the uber-fit young Serena ever was. She hasn't missed a slam in three years now.
I've always thought that it was an enormous thing to ask somebody to be completely single-minded and obsessed with chasing records because they have great talent. How many of us can say that we pursue our careers to the exclusion of all else? It's a huge expectation and a difficult one to maintain over a period of years, especially when such dedication has to begin at such a young age. I would say Justine did put her whole heart and soul into playing tennis and maximized her potential--but unlike Serena, she isn't out there playing any more. After a few years of that, she'd had enough.
I've always thought that it was an enormous thing to ask somebody to be completely single-minded and obsessed with chasing records because they have great talent. How many of us can say that we pursue our careers to the exclusion of all else? It's a huge expectation and a difficult one to maintain over a period of years, especially when such dedication has to begin at such a young age. I would say Justine did put her whole heart and soul into playing tennis and maximized her potential--but unlike Serena, she isn't out there playing any more. After a few years of that, she'd had enough.
I'm tellin you...had Serena and Venus put all of their focus into tennis their bodies would be done by now and they would've burned out. Not everyone has the mindset to be able to do the week in week out Hingis, Jankovic, Clijsters type of tennis. They have outlasted their critics and doubters and I'll take them not playing as much but still winning big tournaments rather than have been retired by now. Serena for me doesn't have to break Graf or Court's records for me to consider her one of the greatest all time. The greatest? Certainly not. But her legacy is just fine.
People are wired differently. Some players like Graf or Sampras can pour themselves into the game for well over a decade with amazing single-mindedness. Michael Stich once said in an interview that he just couldn't imagine living and breathing tennis all the time, all year round, like Pete did. I guess that's the difference between Stich's one Slam and Pete's fourteen, since Stich was arguably as talented as Sampras.
The true test for a player is upon retirement if they can look back on their career with no regrets, or if they'll be plagued with thoughts of "if only ... ". I've never met Serena, do not know her, and likely never will, but my gut tells me that at the end of it all, she will be very satisfied with her career. And like Ricky Nelson used to say (sing), "ya can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself."
I'm just glad that Serena is happy and healthy again and hope that she is right, both physically and mentally, so that she can continue to play for years to come. You thought Henin left a void when she retired? Just wait until Serena stops playing, yikes!!
The true test for a player is upon retirement if they can look back on their career with no regrets, or if they'll be plagued with thoughts of "if only ... ". I've never met Serena, do not know her, and likely never will, but my gut tells me that at the end of it all, she will be very satisfied with her career. And like Ricky Nelson used to say (sing), "ya can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself."
I'm just glad that Serena is happy and healthy again and hope that she is right, both physically and mentally, so that she can continue to play for years to come. You thought Henin left a void when she retired? Just wait until Serena stops playing, yikes!!
QUOTE(BoSoxRudy @ Jul 10 2009, 11:39 PM) 
People are wired differently. Some players like Graf or Sampras can pour themselves into the game for well over a decade with amazing single-mindedness. Michael Stich once said in an interview that he just couldn't imagine living and breathing tennis all the time, all year round, like Pete did. I guess that's the difference between Stich's one Slam and Pete's fourteen, since Stich was arguably as talented as Sampras.
The true test for a player is upon retirement if they can look back on their career with no regrets, or if they'll be plagued with thoughts of "if only ... ". I've never met Serena, do not know her, and likely never will, but my gut tells me that at the end of it all, she will be very satisfied with her career. And like Ricky Nelson used to say (sing), "ya can't please everyone, so you got to please yourself."
I'm just glad that Serena is happy and healthy again and hope that she is right, both physically and mentally, so that she can continue to play for years to come. You thought Henin left a void when she retired? Just wait until Serena stops playing, yikes!!
I'm going to be very sad when the sisters decide to hang it up. And I'm pretty sure when one goes, the other won't be too far behind.
As much as I admire and always root for Serena the athlete and the tennis player (and detest Serena the sportsman, or should I say poor sportsman), I don't think she'll even come close to Graf's 22 slams, nor Court's 24. I highly doubt she'll even get to Navratilova or Evert's 18.
Like the multiple courses of crow I had to eat with Andy Roddick's return, I'll be just as happy if Serena proves me wrong on this one, too, I just don't think there's enough time left in her career to reach these lofty numbers.
I'd actually like to see Venus get an AO or an FO before her career is over, and add a few more USO and Big W's, too. I've always appreciated how Venus was a more gracious loser than Serena (like that takes any doing) while always being loyal to Serena, and to the tour. The times she's defended the women's game and stood up for players like Safina and others who get the spotlight and criticism heaped unfairly on them, makes me appreciate her even more.
There's no questioning the history these two have already carved out, let alone what still may be coming in the next few years.
Like the multiple courses of crow I had to eat with Andy Roddick's return, I'll be just as happy if Serena proves me wrong on this one, too, I just don't think there's enough time left in her career to reach these lofty numbers.
I'd actually like to see Venus get an AO or an FO before her career is over, and add a few more USO and Big W's, too. I've always appreciated how Venus was a more gracious loser than Serena (like that takes any doing) while always being loyal to Serena, and to the tour. The times she's defended the women's game and stood up for players like Safina and others who get the spotlight and criticism heaped unfairly on them, makes me appreciate her even more.
There's no questioning the history these two have already carved out, let alone what still may be coming in the next few years.
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