[Chrissie-fan]

Originally Posted by juliehardwick

I agree that I might think one player from one era is better than another, but hopefully I can discuss it without the hopeless ignorance that characterizes too may of these discussions - discussion is hardly the word for it.

One purpose those type of threads might serve is that some of the youngsters who might be fans of the current player learn about the achievements of the older player she is compared to in the poll. But unfortunately there's always a lot of trash talk involved (like in most threads at GM) with many people trying to prove they are fans of one by making nasty comments about the other.

Although it can be interesting to compare sometimes, it's really impossible to do when it involves players from two different eras. The racquets were different, as were the training methods, "medical supplements" and so on. When there would be a "who's the greatest, Henin or Wills" poll for example they would take Wills out of the 1930's and put her into the 21st century. This one sided take on it is already unfair to begin with. To make it an honest comparison they should also ask themselves how Henin would have done in the 1930's using a racquet from the 1930's, doing the same type of training and so on. Absurd? I agree. But it's not any more absurd than putting Wills in the 21st century. It's of course impossible to know for sure how any player - past or present, would have done in a different era, although I think that all those who were or are great would at least be competitive in another era as well.

[Seleção82]

Originally Posted by Chrissie-fan

One purpose those type of threads might serve is that some of the youngsters who might be fans of the current player learn about the achievements of the older player she is compared to in the poll. But unfortunately there's always a lot of trash talk involved (like in most threads at GM) with many people trying to prove they are fans of one by making nasty comments about the other.

Although it can be interesting to compare sometimes, it's really impossible to do when it involves players from two different eras. The racquets were different, as were the training methods, "medical supplements" and so on. When there would be a "who's the greatest, Henin or Wills" poll for example they would take Wills out of the 1930's and put her into the 21st century. This one sided take on it is already unfair to begin with. To make it an honest comparison they should also ask themselves how Henin would have done in the 1930's using a racquet from the 1930's, doing the same type of training and so on. Absurd? I agree. But it's not any more absurd than putting Wills in the 21st century. It's of course impossible to know for sure how any player - past or present, would have done in a different era, although I think that all those who were or are great would at least be competitive in another era as well.

This sums it up perfectly.

I do not like those threads and avoid to post in them. Apart from the fact that one really can not compare e.g. Henin and Wills, such threads usually get more or less out of control with people throwing insults to each other and/or degrading the player they don't like or simply don't know anything about.

[dscho99]

Originally Posted by Seleção82

This sums it up perfectly.

I do not like those threads and avoid to post in them. Apart from the fact that one really can not compare e.g. Henin and Wills, such threads usually get more or less out of control with people throwing insults to each other and/or degrading the player they don't like or simply don't know anything about.

Yes, these Wills fanatics are terrible ...

[irma]

Originally Posted by Seleção82

I agree totally. It doesn't cease to amaze me how many people here take those things way too seriously and sometimes even fanatically. The whole thing about tennis and being a fan should be about fun and nothing else. People who are looking at things too fanatically and thus narrowminded only cheat themselves out of the opportunity to get some pleasure from the sport and their fanship.

But there is one thing that really bugs me. I can't stand it when people call Steffi a cold, emotionless person. People who say this just show that they have no idea what they're talking about and that they have never bothered to try to find out how her personality really is, underneath her sometimes cool exterior.

Steffi was often cold to the (German) media and she didn't scream around on court (except when she was very nervous but that often meant that she would lose the match, see summer 1998 except for wimbledon)
Other then that the whole "emotionless" tag indeed didn't make any sense especially since the (German) media always acted like a miracle happened when Steffi was excited, cried etc.

Of course when Steffi cried after a loss (when she was younger) she was just a bad loser who needed to grow up!

and then they wonder why Steffi didn't like them?

[juliehardwick]

I'm not sure cold is the right word - that's what the endless critics always say/said. I think it's clear she was/is always very guarded with people outside her inner circle, when she was young probably from shyness and later from caution/irritation/strong desire for a private life (probably combination of all those three).

[bia]

Originally Posted by juliehardwick

I'm not sure cold is the right word - that's what the endless critics always say/said. I think it's clear she was/is always very guarded with people outside her inner circle, when she was young probably from shyness and later from caution/irritation/strong desire for a private life (probably combination of all those three).

She is always been a very shy person, I would say almost patologically shy when she was very young. She once said that when she was young she would have liked to play on empty stadiums. She just never wanted to be famous, to be a star. She just wanted to play tennis and was really bothered by the media attention, unlike many other tennisstars and sportstars in general. That's really what I've always liked about her, she's always been a person, a private person and not a superstar.

[juliehardwick]

So is this really the official Graf facebook page or is it a fan pretending to be the official facebook page?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steffi-Graf/24423777094

I can't decide and I notice a couple of people have posted as yet unanswered queries on her website blog comments about this. Sh and Agassi did stop people using their names on even fan websites in the last few months, so it seems likely they would pursue anyone claiming to be "official" who isn't. But hard to tell and the page is very dull (although with over 10,000 fans...)

[djul14]

As I already said, if no mentions or link about this FB page on her official website, to me = fake.
But I might be wrong.

[juliehardwick]

I don't know about that - it looks to her website but not from it. But Agassi's facebook page does the same - and that's definitely coming from his office. They don't seem totally on board with the integration of social media...

[bia]

I read sometime ago that they stopped people using their name on web, but I think it was for those websites who tried to make money with their names.http://www.zimbio.com/Stefanie+Graf/...+over+Internet

[djul14]

Ivanovic hiring Steffi's former coach, Heinz, well hope it works for her. He is definitly a good coach as we all know

[R-K-M]

Originally Posted by djul14

Ivanovic hiring Steffi's former coach, Heinz, well hope it works for her. He is definitly a good coach as we all know

may be we feel heart-touching memories everytime when heinz appears in stands in ivanovic matches.

[juliehardwick]

Facebook page up for the Foundation events (Grand Slam) etc now as well as Agassi's own facebook page - but still no links between them or off his or the foundation website. Bizarre how little grip his office seems to have of all this (a fan actually posted the link):

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grand-...0114947?v=wall

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/And...6934318?ref=ts

[djul14]

Originally Posted by R-K-M

may be we feel heart-touching memories everytime when heinz appears in stands in ivanovic matches. And now do you agree with my list of graf's top-10 records on my blog

I like your list.
You could have add her career win/loss percentage (right now I can't remember the numbers)
I agree with the rest, perhaps the number 5 could be n°10 actually


Where has everybody disappeared ?!

[Jessyka]

I'm here! o/