Did you see these matches?

1960 Views 40 Replies 11 Participants Last post by bandabou, Sep 25, 2003

Joana

Discussion Starter · Sep 13, 2003

These are all matches from the early nineties that I missed to see. Can anyone tell me something about them?

AO '91 QF Jana Novotna def. Steffi Graf 5-7 6-4 8-6 (did Steffi actually choke against Jana???

)

AO'91 SF Monica Seles def. Mary Joe Fernandez 6-3 0-6 9-7 (what the hell happened there?)

Olympics '92 F Jennifer Capriati def. Steffi Graf 3-6 6-3 6-4

Zurich '92 F Steffi Graf def. Martina Navratilova 2-6 7-5 7-5

USO '93 F Steffi Graf def. Helena Sukova 6-3 6-3

Thanks!

1 - 20 of 41 Posts

Rollo

· #2 · Sep 13, 2003

Joana-my memory of Graf-Capraiti is years old, but at the time I thought Jennifer held it together well, unlike a lot of close matches she let slip.

Jana had a great event at OZ in 1991. Her quality of play is indicated IMO by her taking a set off Seles in the final.

I'm dead sure I've got the 93 US open on tape. Steffi had recovered her form by then and was hitting ripping topspin backhands whenever Helena came to net. When Steffi was doing that it was time to watch out!

AjdeNate!

· #3 · Sep 13, 2003

AO'91 SF Monica Seles def. Mary Joe Fernandez 6-3 0-6 9-7 (what the hell happened there?)

Only 1 break in the 1st set and Moni got it early. MJF raised her level in set 2 and Moni dropped her level. It seemed almost at 4-0 that Monica was just playing for a 3rd set (sorta). MJF had matchpoints in set 3 at 7-6 I believe and Monica hit a backhand down the line that clipped the net and just stayed inside the line. From that point I don't think Monica lost another point.

Great effort from MJF, but honestly not Monica at her best day. Fun match though.

irma

· #4 · Sep 13, 2003

Joana said:
These are all matches from the early nineties that I missed to see. Can anyone tell me something about them?

AO '91 QF Jana Novotna def. Steffi Graf 5-7 6-4 8-6 (did Steffi actually choke against Jana??? )

AO'91 SF Monica Seles def. Mary Joe Fernandez 6-3 0-6 9-7 (what the hell happened there?)

Olympics '92 F Jennifer Capriati def. Steffi Graf 3-6 6-3 6-4

Zurich '92 F Steffi Graf def. Martina Navratilova 2-6 7-5 7-5

USO '93 F Steffi Graf def. Helena Sukova 6-3 6-3

Thanks!

1 no because our tv did weird that night, that match was the start of a myth that certain players (well mostly novotna and sabatini, not monica btw) had passed steffi for good. so sad that about year later a 18:1 with the one a retirement and the 0:10 or so by the other player :haha: (yeah I keep talking about that since it's so incredible funny from a steffi fan view of point, the press was so mean in spring 91)
2 no but I saw matchpoint that mary joe was unlucky to lose, monica the mentally toughest player by far took over then
3 yes, steffi was already warned during fed cup that she was overdoing herself and she had no power anymore after the first set
4 yes a real bad choke from nav, that's all I remember
5 yes don't remember much from it so it must have been a boring match despite steffi winning

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Mark43

· #5 · Sep 13, 2003

Yeah the 1993 US final was a real stinker except for Steffi's lovely new form fitting black and white DRESS! She looked wonderful and her backhand was on fire. Sukova never did anything for me...what a rock lobster!

The 1991 match with Jana at the Aussie stands out because I distinctly remember Hana Mandlikova, one of my all time faves, acting like a buffon in the stands yelling Ai Jana! every five seconds in a really high pitched voice. It was hilarious and disturbing. Even my mother asked what the hell that freaky sound was. Overall the match was very exciting. jana played excellent ball and Steffi always had a problem with when a rare net rusher was playing well (Navrat, McNeill).

Unfortunately we never saw the 1992 Barcelona olympic tennis in the good ole US of A. I was seriously pissed as I considered it a dream final, much more so than that skank 'dream team' faux basketball team that year. I would love to see that match. Afterwards, I really beleived jennifer would get back on course and it would be a three way race for number one with Steffi and Monica in the years to come. So strange.

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Reactions: 1

Rollo

· #6 · Sep 14, 2003

Your posts always inform AND entertain Mark.

I'll have to dig up that match just to see Steffi's outfit.
[email protected] and the 91 Aussie.

And "rock lobster" Sukova. OMG

Always saw her as the Scarecrow's wife from the Wizard of Oz.

irma

· #7 · Sep 14, 2003

the 91 australia open outfit was the most tennis identity crisis outfit I ever saw from a tennisplayer especially since she said pink sucked 6 months before

Gandalf

· #8 · Sep 14, 2003

I just saw the Olympics final-Capriati didn't take her chances in the first set and Steffi won it, but held herself together in the third. Not a great match from Steffi, but a very good one from Jennifer.

Mark43

· #9 · Sep 14, 2003

Hey Rollo! :wavey:

:wavey:

Should we start a Helena Sukova thread!

I heard there was a recent Wiz revival on Broadway, but I think Helena was too busy winning the Petr Korda look-a-like contest in the burbs of Prague!

louloubelle

· #10 · Sep 16, 2003

Joana said:
These are all matches from the early nineties that I missed to see. Can anyone tell me something about them?

AO '91 QF Jana Novotna def. Steffi Graf 5-7 6-4 8-6 (did Steffi actually choke against Jana??? )

AO'91 SF Monica Seles def. Mary Joe Fernandez 6-3 0-6 9-7 (what the hell happened there?)

Olympics '92 F Jennifer Capriati def. Steffi Graf 3-6 6-3 6-4

Zurich '92 F Steffi Graf def. Martina Navratilova 2-6 7-5 7-5

USO '93 F Steffi Graf def. Helena Sukova 6-3 6-3

Thanks!

Graf didn't play well at all. However Jana picked on her backhand and Graf refused to push forward and take the net from Jana. Credit to Jana she was extrememly composed. Jana's net attack was brilliant. Graf didn't choke, but was extrememly stubborn and refused to change her game.

Seles vs. Mary Jo - A HOT day and Seles was patchy and seemed to be wilting in the heat. Mary Jo just didn't push her obvious fitness advantage.

Graf vs. Sukova - Sukova got upset with some early calls and she let Graf take early leads in both sets. Graf just didn't seem to look like she could lose - particularly with taking Sukova's first serve with her topspin backhand!

irma

· #11 · Sep 16, 2003

louloubelle said:
Graf didn't play well at all. However Jana picked on her backhand and Graf refused to push forward and take the net from Jana. Credit to Jana she was extrememly composed. Jana's net attack was brilliant. Graf didn't choke, but was extrememly stubborn and refused to change her game.

Seles vs. Mary Jo - A HOT day and Seles was patchy and seemed to be wilting in the heat. Mary Jo just didn't push her obvious fitness advantage.

Graf vs. Sukova - Sukova got upset with some early calls and she let Graf take early leads in both sets. Graf just didn't seem to look like she could lose - particularly with taking Sukova's first serve with her topspin backhand!

but the fact that steffi didn't do that had a lot to do with her mental instability that time and there is no denying in that

as said 18:1 after chigago 92 says enough even more when you know according to the wta world rules the 1 match does not count

MLF

· #12 · Sep 16, 2003

Of course if we all listen to Irma, then Steffi never lost a match because the other player was better

Sorry Irma!

The Graf - Capriati match in Barcelona was just a gritty Capriati performance where Jenny wore Steffi down on the clay by getting everything back and having the power to hit the winner whenever the chance arose. Jenny had a lot of close losses to Steffi so was overdue a win so thankfully she finally got it that day.

Jana played the kind of game in the Australian Open that Steffi hated to face throughout her career. She played solid rallies coming in midway and forcing the passing shot. It's why players like Novotna, Sabatini ( in the early '90s ), McNeil, DeSwardt & Garrison gave Steffi so many problems. They were happy to rally and sneak in as well as serve and volley. Even Kournikova used these tactics to get her win over Steffi at Eastbourne.

The Seles - Fernandez match was a nailbiter. Seles was off her game that whole Australian Open I felt. She wasn't hitting the ball as hard or as cleanly as she had been the previous season I felt. Mary Joe on the other hand was hitting her serve and forehands with more pace than she had been known for and it took her to the brink of a big win but she faltered at the chance and Seles was mentally tough enough to close it out.

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irma

· #13 · Sep 16, 2003

MirjanaLfan said:
Of course if we all listen to Irma, then Steffi never lost a match because the other player was better Sorry Irma!

The Graf - Capriati match in Barcelona was just a gritty Capriati performance where Jenny wore Steffi down on the clay by getting everything back and having the power to hit the winner whenever the chance arose. Jenny had a lot of close losses to Steffi so was overdue a win so thankfully she finally got it that day.

Jana played the kind of game in the Australian Open that Steffi hated to face throughout her career. She played solid rallies coming in midway and forcing the passing shot. It's why players like Novotna, Sabatini ( in the early '90s ), McNeil, DeSwardt & Garrison gave Steffi so many problems. They were happy to rally and sneak in as well as serve and volley. Even Kournikova used these tactics to get her win over Steffi at Eastbourne.

garrison never beat steffi again after wimbledon 90 and played her some times, novotna outside one retirement never did again after those 13 months ending feb 92 and played her 19 times, sabatini never beat steffi again after amelia island 92 and played her 8 times. you can't tell me that in those 48 months it were only them playing well and steffi had nothing to do with it and had no influence on it. the matches were also too close for that when there was a real easy match (less then 5 games) steffi was the winner

lori mc neil always gave steffi troubles outside in 92 before the masters then steffi leads 5:1 and suddenly loses (oke I have my own vision about that but well maybe she had a right :lol: )
wimbledon 94 was just a struggeling steffi since months and again steffi was leading 5:3 in the second set

so now we can argue steffi was a choker but I was called a non fan for saying that :lol:

and about mariaan the swardt. that woman served steffi off the court like venus did in hanover 99 totally different circumstances as the matches before

other then that I am a bad loser and so steffi never lost when she played well or was mental stable. I totally agree with her comment from 98 :haha:

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alfajeffster

· #14 · Sep 16, 2003

I have all of those matches on tape (did the recording myself- xing out commercials, thank you), except for the Zurich Final between Graf and Navratilova, which I would dearly love to have.

The Australian match between Novotna / Graf was the best match I've ever seen Jana play. Yes, Hana was annoying in the stands, but then Peter Graf could be annoying at times, moving all over the arena and giving illegal signals. Jana's backhand was particularly outstanding that day, and no, I didn't get the feeling Steffi choked, Jana just took it to her and beat her on the day.

The Australian match between MJF and Seles was another story. Mary Joe definitely choked. You could see it when she had match point- physically tightened up and missed balls that she was making the rest of the match. Once Seles saw that- well, she went for the lines even more and the rest is history.

Jennifer's match at the Olympics was a good overall match, and she kept the pressure on Steffi's backhand in the end, and hit several winning two-fisters down the line to win crucial points. It's a good match to have, if only to see how Capriati looked and played back then in comparison to what you just saw at the Open.

The Sukova/Graf match was anti-climatic. Everyone was hoping to see another Navratilova/Graf showdown in Seles' absence, but Helena took care of that by beating Nav. The match was a stinker, but Steffi did steal the show with the black-and-white pleated outfit.

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irma

· #15 · Sep 16, 2003

that said novotna hit steffi off the court at the masters 91. steffi got overwhelmed in that third set

see I am not always bad

MLF

· #16 · Sep 16, 2003

You have to give the opposition credit sometimes Irma. Sabatini went through a phase of playing tactically superbly against Steffi and it got her the results. Steffi was forced to play out of her comfort zone and didn't like it. Unfortunately, the level that Garrison, Novotna, Sabatini etc needed to be at to defeat Steffi regularly was too high but on occasion they did reach that level required and Steffi couldn't stop it. Of course when they were not at the level requried Steffi punished them for it.

irma

· #17 · Sep 16, 2003

I guess french 91 was also because of excellent asv :lol:

MLF

· #18 · Sep 16, 2003

irma said:
I guess french 91 was also because of excellent asv :lol:

No, that was Steffi, having one of the worst days of her career ( though I didn't mind seeing it anyway ).

I have some of the Graf-Sabatini matches on tape from 1990 - 1992 were Gaby was slightly the better player. She hit great groundies, lovely approaches, good volleys. The Boca Raton final '91 in particular was a very good performance from Gaby. Steffi was the superior player to Gaby - of course, everyone knows that. Gaby did have the ability to pull of the win due to her better play on occasion though. I just wish she had never switched from Prince rackets to Yamaha rackets in summer '92.

irma

· #19 · Sep 16, 2003

yeah but that doesn't mean steffi was playing in the best of her form and I don't mean tenniswise but in her head. come on between 90-95 (so I don't stop in 93) steffi won three grand slam final were she it was close and those were more because of the opponent then steffi being mentally so stable other then that

french 90 4 setpoints
us open 90 2 setpoints
french 92 more winners but also double the unforced errors
australia 93 winning the first set, totally fading after an ace
us open 94 winning the first set 6:1 up in the tiebreak

I don't think that was all because of the opponents. sorry.

irma

· #20 · Sep 16, 2003

and in all matches she played to sabatini that period she had chances. I think at the masters she was also up a set in both matches
in miami she won the first 6:0 and the next year she was leading 6:3 5:3

amelia island oke. I rest my case there. I don't blame her she never returned

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