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Which one do you rate higher?

Which one do you rate higher, (CY)GS with Olympic Gold or YEC?

2K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  Sam L 
#1 · (Edited)
I was just thinking about this as Graf's 1988 season had one blemish, she didn't win the YEC.

In my books, a perfect season has the YEC title besides CYGS. To win CYGS, you once needed to win on four different surfaces; grass, clay, and two different surfaces. Well nowadays they play more or less the same. But anyway, one court type is missing, it's indoors. As indoors lack a slam, YEC is the closest to it, and that's why a perfect season is CYGS with YEC.

But there are the Olympics once in four years. Olympics is pbviously very important for the players. But being only once in four years, it just doesn't suit among other tennis achievements. CYGS with Olympic Gold can't be any more perfect than CYGS in a non-Olympic year. So, I really rate (CY)GS with YEC at least on level with (GY)GS with Olympic Gold. I'd otherwise rate (GY)GS with YEC ahead of (CY)GS with Olympic Gold but I rate them on level because of the importance of OG to players.
 
#3 ·
Calendar year grand slam is the ultimate achievement in tennis (or various Serena or Martina slams), YEC or OG on top of that is just a cherry, it's not that important.

Though IMO Olympics is the bigger deal, winning for your country must be a unique experience even for a tennis player.
 
#4 ·
Olympics. Not only does it only happened once every four years so a player having one of their best years (if not their best ever) during an Olympic year a rarity but the prestige of the Olympics extends beyond just tennis but to all sports.
 
#6 · (Edited)
As I explained in the OP, being once in four years actually makes Olympic Gold less important. Big tournaments are annual in tennis, OG doesn't suit that pattern. It suits to track & field athletics' pattern, they have only one major ch'ships every year, OG in Olympic year. But tennis has four annual majors plus annual YEC, OG doens't suit that pattern, especially as long as it's not the most important what it will never be.

For sure, OG being only every 4th year makes it special to win, especially as OG is such a big thing. Still, lack of YEC title is a bigger fault than lack of Olympic Gold. And I say (CY)GS plus YEC plus doubles or mixed doubles Olympic Gold would beat (CY)Golden Slam, the player has won the biggest indoor event plus an Olympic Gold medal.
 
#5 ·
The importance of the YEC has waned over the years and the Olympics has waxed, so as usual cross-era comparisons are meaningless.

TBH, the year Steffi won the Olympics is was probably less of a big deal than it is now. But it's not like they just gave her a medal for showing up, so it's still an amazing feat.
 
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