i remember the times when a number of tennis specialists and just fans considered that Vaidisova was future tennis star and multiple Slam winner..... Epic fail
Kournikova had a beautiful all court game, she could volley, slice, play on the baseline, it was a joy to watch her, along with the beauty Too bad her serve let her down.
Vaidisova. In her 2007 Australian Open semifinal loss to Serena she was outhitting Serena, she had many more winners, just lost since she had way too many errors. This the same Serena who made silly putty out of Maria the next day. Anna would never be capable of that level of power tennis. Nicole's best tennis also took her 2 slam semis in less than one year, and the only reason she wasnt the 2006 French Open finalist is she choked badly when serving for a straight sets win over Kuznetsova in the semis. Kournikova never had a chance to make a slam final and never got to a second slam semi. Not to mention peak Anna was so weak she couldnt even win a freaking tournament.
It has got to be Vaidisova. Have we even seen another 17-18 year old make a GS SF or even QF since her? I still wish she was playing she would hopefully be at the top of the game now and with the likes of Sharapova, Azarenka, and Radwanska making slam Finals I think she definitely could have been a great champion.
With that said she beats Anna K for sure. This was a interesting comparison for sure though
Kournikova also had Janet Lee as a partner, Lindsay Davenport, Daniela Hantuchova, Natasha Zvereva, Barbara Schett, Elena Dementieva and guess what - she was still getting great results. Duh.
Kournikova never showed her "boobs" (as you call them), at last not for money. Ger over it.
Kournikova would beat Vaidisova holding her racket in left hand.
Overpower? Kournikova? She was hitting the ball pretty strong herself, she definitely wasn't a big hitter, but you obviously didn't watch Kournikova during her best years. It wasn't that easy to overpower her - that's why she was comfortable playing Capriati (she basically owned her), that's why she had wins over Davenport, Seles, that's why she took Venus to three sets few times and Serena in their only meeting (although we can agree that both Serena and Venus are completely another league). Kournikova had troubles with all around players, with good footwork and passing shots, also with players that played with top spin. Vaidisova would be just like Capriati. Anna would take her out in two straight sets.
Your Capriati reference is laughable considering this is a peak thread. Kournikova never played or beat a beat Capriati. Their last ever match was 2000. Capriati of 2001-2003 probably would have owned Anna's ass, even had Anna mantained form, but we will never know for certain. The last sighting of peak Anna though was playing a great match and still losing 6-4, 6-2 to an out of sorts Davenport at the Australian Open, the same Davenport who would go on to lose to Capriati in similar easy straight sets the very next round. Capriati from her comeback start of 1996 to the end of 2000 was mired in her career slump, never held a top 10 ranking, and wasnt any good, or even as good as "peak" Vaidisova. Anyway while peak Capriati whom Anna never once played is obviously a better player than peak Vaidisova, Vaidisova no doubt whatsoever hit the ball harder than even peak Capriati, so even in that sense a poor reference to how Nicole would be a good matchup for Anna.
Your Williams reference is even more laughable. She never beat either once ever, yet they are an example of her handling power since she occasionaly won a set. What a joke. Atleast Nicole has actually beaten Venus in a slam, not peak Venus, but most of Anna's peak wasnt facing peak Williams either.
Seles owned Kournikova as well, only losing to her once. This post stabbing, very fat, and non champion level Seles.
The only power player Anna did respectably against in their primes was Davenport but when they played when it mattered Davenport won easily even when Anna played her very best tennis (eg- their 2 Australian Open matches where Anna played great and still got spanked). All the indicators I see is Anna did not like to play huge power players, which Nicole despite not being at the level of these players overall definitely is in the power stakes. Pierce owned her as well.
Not that I think Nicole is some amazing player but this insane overrating of a clown who couldnt even win a tournament is so funny. What the heck was peak Kournikova, the one who lost to Smashanova in a couple of the tournament finals she made (reminder again Anna = ZERO tournament titles), and made only TWO slam quarterfinals. Obviously alot of men on this forum drooling over Anna's "beauty".
Kournikova every day of the week on every surface. Better athlete by a mile, had volley skills which Nicole could only dream of and although would be outgunned on power Kournikova had power of her own as well as lots of variety.