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Who Wold Win??

  • Martina

    Votes: 104 43.2%
  • Serena

    Votes: 137 56.8%

Martina Navratilova VS Serena Williams

36K views 214 replies 116 participants last post by  MrTrick 
#1 · (Edited)



Martina:

"I Would be inspired if I could play Serena Williams on that US Open stadium court.
The atmosphere with both of us in our primes would be electric.
The key for me would be to neutralize her power and get into the points on her serve, to make her hit more balls than she is used to hitting in most of her matches.
I would need to keep the balls as low as possible, and I would tr to hit short to bring her forward, and then come in deep going the other way.
Now she is going backwards as I come in to the net.

On my serve I would not be able to serve-and-volley all of the time, but I would do it a lot.
I would serve into her body, mix it up a lot.
I served-and-volleyed a lot against Monica Seles and she had the best return in the game then, and it was effective. I believe I could deal with Serena's pace.
The harder the ball comes to me the faster it tends to come back.
And I would try to give her a lot of off-paced balls.
Getting into the rally would be another key for me.
I could see Serena and me having a very close match, something like 6-4 in the third set, with maybe a few tie-breaks before that.
There would be very few service breaks and I could imagine a set without any breaks at all.
It would be exciting because we are two of the best athletes tennis has ever seen and the crowd would respond positively to that."





Mark Preston
American journalist, USTA Magazine

"There has never been a player I've admired more than Martina Navratilova, both for her talent and her remarkable competitive ability. Born in Czechoslovakia, but most assuredly made in America, Navratilova did nothing less than change the face of women's tennis with her aggressive game, unparalleled commitment to fitness and unquenchable desire to be the best. The only other woman on par with Navratilova in terms of mental toughness and sheer fighting spirit is Serena Williams, the greatest pure competitor of this era of women's tennis. For that reason alone, it would be a joy to see these two go head-to-head on the game's biggest stage; Navratilova's precise serve-and-volley game against Williams' punishing power. The exchanges would be staggering in their brilliance; two fighters engaged in the sort of heavyweight slugfest that usually has ropes around it. Without a doubt, this one goes the distance, as neither woman gives an inch. In three, it's Navratilova."
 
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#47 · (Edited)
Peak Martina was using a wooden racquet. With that equipment, she would have beaten Serena easily. With modern racquets I've no doubt Serena would win. They were both very much players of their own eras.

As for the idea that Serena could beat any of the current ATP players - a preposterous notion. Take a look at Djokovic play. The guys on the ATP tour may not be able to beat him but they can at least compete with him. Serena, or any other female player for that matter, would struggle to win a point against Djokovic, let alone a game.
 
#55 ·
As for the idea that Serena could beat any of the current ATP players - a preposterous notion. Take a look at Djokovic play. The guys on the ATP tour may not be able to beat him but they can at least compete with him. Serena, or any other female player for that matter, would struggle to win a point against Djokovic, let alone a game.
:haha: Have you ever watched mixed doubles??
 
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#48 ·
I think peak Martina could beat peak Serena, and vice versa. Remember playing a serve-volley game in this day and age and with 2002-2003's physical capabilities with 2008-2011 mental capabilities of Serena completing the player at a hypothetical peak, Serena could cut all or most of Martina's time once she got a handle on the serve. Martina was good at making incredible volleys, but many players of this generation (Serena included) would love the target at net, even if Martina was doing at least 50/50 (which at her peak with the aid of technology advances and fitness advances, would probably do better).

On a grass court, no doubt Martina. Clay would also probably favor Martina, but her groundstrokes aren't very powerful and Serena could eat a lot of those up because clay could afford her more time to set up and the slice would bounce up a bit more. On a slower hard court, it would probably be Serena, and on a faster hard court, it would be 50/50.
 
#54 ·
I agree with all of this. Well except that on grass I dont think it would be as easy for Martina as you seem to. The Serena serve is hardest of all to return on grass, and her return is deadly so you are under constant pressure to serve well too (especialy if you serve and volley).
 
#59 ·
Navratilova would win the FIRST match. Regardless of equipment.
Serena would win 13 of the 20. With modern equipment.


Thing is, when all was said and done, Serena is bigger and stronger. Faster? Not so sure. But being at net against the sheer velocity of Serena's passing shots? Navratilova is the best net player in history, but ....

In the long haul, sheer, unadulterated power rules. Superior firepower ALWAYS win in a fire fight.

Nav takes #1 cause she's so fucking god, and so fucking unusual, by today's standards. But long-haul ...... Serena IS that good.
 
#60 ·
And don't forget her serve. Martina can't think she can return and volley on Serena's first serves. Also Serena would be able attack Martina's serve way more
 
#68 ·
Serena's serve may be better than Nadal's at times, but the men are faster and stronger than her opponents and can handle that kind of serve farrrrrrr better

Her serve is an anomaly for the women's game, not the men's I see her holding serve once/set if she plays a guy
 
#69 ·
Martina speaks in her book of hitting with her coach Mike Estep who at his best was a marginal top 100 male pro, but was injured and basically retired so a shadow of his old self by coaching her. Martina said that she would lose some sets by competitive scores, but always lose, but she could tell he wasnt going all out either, and that some shots she thought were certain winners he would get back for winners. This was in 1983 and 1984 when Martina was playing some of the best tennis ever by a women. So that might give some perspective into the best a women could do vs a male pro.

I do think even if she isnt the best that Serena at her best might be the most likely female to compete with some male players though. Simply since her serve and power (along with being one of the fastest and best defensive players when fit as well) are what is probably most needed to hang with a man.
 
#75 ·
peak to peak: Navratilova will not touch Serena's serve even for one moment. Come on guys, Martina is amazing, better technique, more shots in arsenal, but when Serena plays her best it's like winner after winner no matter how fast you are cause this shots are just too fast. Her game would be much more simple than Navralitolova's but you can't do much if you can't catch the ball. Serena to win sth like 6:3, 6:3.
 
#78 ·
Definitely would have love to see that match up. The closes style wise may have been the Mauresmo/Serena rivalry. Even though the h2h is in extreme favor of Serena, they played 6 3-set matches and and produce 7 tiebreaks in 12 matches. The 2004 Wimbledon and YEC are worthy of multiple viewings.
 
#80 ·
Both are truly 2 of the 3 greatest athletes the game has ever seen (Graf, Navratilova, Serena)...however dealing with Serena's power is easier said than done, I mean power on all wings BH, FH, ROS, SERVE ...sure Martina can neutralize some of it as she was such a witty player, but Serena is Serena. The edge sightly to Serena.
 
#84 ·
Which match did Martina spent the entire match talking about how a theoretical-match-up with Serena would go? :crying2:

She is so pressed by Serena. :lol:
 
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#86 ·
Sports Illustrated's Jon Wortheim:


Serena has the most fearsome serve -- i.e. the most important stroke -- in women's tennis history, and it would be the case even if everyone used the same technology. (She uses natural gut strings by the way.) She is the best athlete in women's tennis history, likely the fastest and the strongest. And she competes as well as any athlete -- not tennis player; athlete -- you'll ever come across.

But here's where I really feel strongly: Head-to-head, on a neutral surface (i.e. hard courts), everyone at their best, I can't help feeling that she crushes the other legends. Sacrilege, I know. But spark up of video of other players, watch where their balls land in the court or how hard they serve or how they move and then consider Serena's game. She would blow through Evert. She wouldn't allow Navratilova (who looks like a pixie next to Serena) a chance to attack. She would tee off on Graf's slice. Again, this isn't to disrespect the others; it's progress. But I think it counts for a lot that no one has ever played tennis at a higher level than Serena has.
 
#103 ·
Martina's Serve was in the 70s. Do you not see what Serena does to

serves under 90mph. and some over 100mph.

The Tennis channel showed a classic moonball match between Evert and

Martina at the USO. Martina did the chip and charge thing and Evert

played the baseline. After the first set they show a stat that said

Nav came in 41 times. She won 20 points. Evert won 21 and the set.

If she could only win half the points vs Chrissie, what the hell would

she do verses Serena who hits 40mph faster. I saw Errani chip and charge

Maria at the FO. She didn't do it long. When she served she hadn't

taken 2 steps towards the net before the ball was back hitting the baseline

beside her. Serena hits harder than Maria.
 
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