If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
My full question was if Evert and Navratilova of the 80s were somehow transported via a time machine to todays date how far would they go in a Grand Slam?
Its interesting to note that Evert had transformed herself from a wooden racket to a graphite one and was hitting significantly harder showing a lot of adaptability to the new developing game.
As this video shows she had adapted to the new breed of power hitters started by Graf, though her age and patience levels had gone so she didn't post any late career wins over graf but took her out when she was younger.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
The final is Serena versus the one who wasn't on Serena's side of the draw.
__________________
They should take the reporters from the National Enquirer, the Star, and USWeekly and make them hunt down the terrorists. They would find the terrorists. All of them.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
At the French, Chrissie and Martina make the final against each other.
__________________
They should take the reporters from the National Enquirer, the Star, and USWeekly and make them hunt down the terrorists. They would find the terrorists. All of them.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Helen Lawson
The final is Serena versus the one who wasn't on Serena's side of the draw.
I think your right lol..... Martina would be decimating Wozniacki in the first round. Chrissy the true queen of the baseline take out Azarenka and Martina send Shrieking Povas shots back with a few volley winners
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
No.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by PoliCappuccino
The sun may have already set for our dear Sunshine Queen... This is just sad. But, I hope she can find comfort in the mere twinkles of the stars in the night sky. May you find your true light again, my fallen queen.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Interesting question. With modern racquets and strings, Evert and Navratilova are actually hitting the ball harder in their 50s than they ever did in their 20s and 30s. If they were both in their physical prime today, I have to believe that they would be no worse than #3 and #4 in the rankings.
__________________ "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." -- Proverbs 18:22
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." -- Herb Brooks
"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life." -- Muhammad Ali
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by darrinbaker00
Interesting question. With modern racquets and strings, Evert and Navratilova are actually hitting the ball harder in their 50s than they ever did in their 20s and 30s. If they were both in their physical prime today, I have to believe that they would be no worse than #3 and #4 in the rankings.
Have you seen Navratilova serve lately, last time I did in some legends type match it was a light arm roll over, her shoulder must be severely f***d, but her groundstrokes she may be hitting harder these days. Look forward to seeing her play Hingis in the Adelaide exhibition in the next few days.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
I think if you transported prime or near-prime versions of them to this time period you also have to take into consideration how they would respond to the power of OTHER players. They would both benefit from the technological improvements, but how would they react when getting belted with 120+ mph serves and players hitting groundstrokes harder than the the first serves they had to handle? If you rephrase the question to say, if you give them a year to get used to the conditions, I'd actually say Chrissie would be in better shape to do damage. Her game just looks like it fits more, whereas there has been some debate over how Martina's S&V game would do. I mean I can't count how many times mediocre passes are made simply because of the technology at modern players' disposal. Chrissie compared her game to Wozniacki(which I strongly disagree with ) but if Wozniacki can hold the YE#1 spot for back to back years with her all out defense, there's no reason Chrissie couldn't do far more than that as someone who defended and anticipated well in addition to turning defense to offense light years better with some spectacular passes and pin point precision(and could also handle herself at net.)
In this scenario Evert would find that the clay field is wide open, so she could definitely go back to cleaning up several titles a year there including RG. Martina on the other hand would be very disappointed to find that carpet is gone, a player can only usually play 1 grass tournament other than Wimbledon, and at Wimbledon she would have to deal with Serena whose serve is the biggest weapon in WTA history on that surface. And as for the rest of the tour, it's mainly on slow-ish HCs which would not be the best surface for her game. I mean, she could still do well a la Mauresmo, but I definitely expect Chrissie to be the one who would adjust easier. Of course Martina was intensely competitive and driven so she'd probably find a way to do whatever it takes to get at the top, but Chris is the safer bet.
__________________
Queen LordRena Williams XV
Lady Venus / Princess Vika / Lady Aga
Rise of Madison Keys / Rebirth of GOATra Kvitova (Anyone playing Sharapova)
Quote:
Originally Posted by L'Enfant Sauvage
If Princess Vika or Lady Aga win the AO, I will start off every post with the header 'Thank you Vika "or "Thank you Aga " until the start of RG
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by darrinbaker00
Interesting question. With modern racquets and strings, Evert and Navratilova are actually hitting the ball harder in their 50s than they ever did in their 20s and 30s. If they were both in their physical prime today, I have to believe that they would be no worse than #3 and #4 in the rankings.
It goes both ways.
They will be facing harder hitting opponents than they ever have in their careers.
How will Navratilova volley against these bullet passing shots? Can Chris maintain her consistency when she's been forced into errors?
You can't just say they will be more powerful and leave it at that.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam L
It goes both ways.
They will be facing harder hitting opponents than they ever have in their careers.
How will Navratilova volley against these bullet passing shots? Can Chris maintain her consistency when she's been forced into errors?
You can't just say they will be more powerful and leave it at that.
Well Seles in the early 90s was, I believe, hitting the ball as hard as a lot of women are now and Martina was able to adapt and kept it very close with Seles. Chrissy was also to keep up with STeffi who also hit with tremendous power.
I don't buy this current lot are hitting with way more power. Don't forget back then they hit a lot flatter and today's topsin also makes it look like they are hitting a lot harder whereas they are hitting hard with a lot of topspin. A hard hit flat shot is a lot harder to handle than a hard hit topspin.
Also look at the calibre of first round, second round and third round opponents in today's grand slams. Chrissy and Martina would eat them for breakfast so they at least would be getting to quarter finals. One thing that always stays constant in the generations is a champions mindset. A champions mindset will always win against the journeywoman, thats just the way it is.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam L
It goes both ways.
They will be facing harder hitting opponents than they ever have in their careers.
How will Navratilova volley against these bullet passing shots? Can Chris maintain her consistency when she's been forced into errors?
You can't just say they will be more powerful and leave it at that.
I can, and I did. If a 49-year-old Navratilova was hitting 105 MPH serves, it's reasonable to assume that a 29-year-old Navratilova would top 120 herself. It is also reasonable to assume that she would alter her game to fit this era and not come in behind her serve as often as she did during her time. Lastly, champions are champions, period. Evert and Navratilova would have been at the top of the game in any era, just like Serena Williams and Suzanne Lenglen would have.
__________________ "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." -- Proverbs 18:22
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." -- Herb Brooks
"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life." -- Muhammad Ali
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by renstar
Well Seles in the early 90s was, I believe, hitting the ball as hard as a lot of women are now and Martina was able to adapt and kept it very close with Seles. Chrissy was also to keep up with STeffi who also hit with tremendous power.
I don't buy this current lot are hitting with way more power. Don't forget back then they hit a lot flatter and today's topsin also makes it look like they are hitting a lot harder whereas they are hitting hard with a lot of topspin. A hard hit flat shot is a lot harder to handle than a hard hit topspin.
Also look at the calibre of first round, second round and third round opponents in today's grand slams. Chrissy and Martina would eat them for breakfast so they at least would be getting to quarter finals. One thing that always stays constant in the generations is a champions mindset. A champions mindset will always win against the journeywoman, thats just the way it is.
You beat me to it.
__________________ "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." -- Proverbs 18:22
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." -- Herb Brooks
"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life." -- Muhammad Ali
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Quote:
Originally Posted by renstar
Well Seles in the early 90s was, I believe, hitting the ball as hard as a lot of women are now and Martina was able to adapt and kept it very close with Seles. Chrissy was also to keep up with STeffi who also hit with tremendous power.
I don't buy this current lot are hitting with way more power. Don't forget back then they hit a lot flatter and today's topsin also makes it look like they are hitting a lot harder whereas they are hitting hard with a lot of topspin. A hard hit flat shot is a lot harder to handle than a hard hit topspin.
Also look at the calibre of first round, second round and third round opponents in today's grand slams. Chrissy and Martina would eat them for breakfast so they at least would be getting to quarter finals. One thing that always stays constant in the generations is a champions mindset. A champions mindset will always win against the journeywoman, thats just the way it is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by darrinbaker00
I can, and I did. If a 49-year-old Navratilova was hitting 105 MPH serves, it's reasonable to assume that a 29-year-old Navratilova would top 120 herself. It is also reasonable to assume that she would alter her game to fit this era and not come in behind her serve as often as she did during her time. Lastly, champions are champions, period. Evert and Navratilova would have been at the top of the game in any era, just like Serena Williams and Suzanne Lenglen would have.
It's fine if you think that mentally they will be up there. That I agree with. But that is saying if born today Suzanne Lenglen will still be a champion because she has the heart and will of a champion. But that's not what you said. What you said initially was that they will be hitting harder and therefore will be top players. That's not the same.
Neither player will play the style of game we were used to seeing them play. It's not as simple as just picking up graphite racquets and hitting it harder.
Also, if Serena Williams wasn't around in the last few years, how many slams will Kvitova have? Azarenka have? Sharapova have? It's so easy to write off a generation but not seeing how good one player is.
I still say at her best Serena Williams beats everyone else 99% of the time.
Re: If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
Also, you all talk as if changing your game is such an easy thing. Do you really think it would be easy for a natural volleyer like Navratilova to try and stay back more?
For me, this is all pure fantasy. I could just say Charlotte Dod if given all the right equipment and born 20 years ago will be beating Serena Williams right now.
What we do know in tennis is that it is a physical sport and there are certain players who are considered transformational players in the way they approached fitness and/or the game like Navratilova, Seles and Williams sisters.
Because of them I find that it will be hard for previous generations to compete against the next.
I think Wills playing like the way she did could've been a great challenger to say Connolly. But to Serena Williams? Not sure.
If late 80s Evert and Navratilova appeared her by a time machine-how far in GS?
) but if Wozniacki can hold the YE#1 spot for back to back years with her all out defense, there's no reason Chrissie couldn't do far more than that as someone who defended and anticipated well in addition to turning defense to offense light years better with some spectacular passes and pin point precision(and could also handle herself at net.) 
"or "Thank you Aga 
