[alfajeffster]

I don't know about anyone else here, but when Steffi Graf retired from tennis, I felt we lost more than just a great champion, but the door to a tennis era was closed. Gone are the champions who play week in and week out and give every match their very best effort- always 100%. How long will we have to wait to see another champion like her?

 

[DA FOREHAND]

Kim Cljisters?
Martina Hingis?

 

[irma]

to set something straight steffi never played week in and week out especially not the last 4 years before

I felt an era ended when nav and sabatini retired too in fact more then when steffi retired. first when steffi retired I was prepared and with steffi it was just different since I was a fan I was just in a mellowdramatic mood to see the end of a whole era just the end of the steffi era

 

[DA FOREHAND]

I like the fact that she ended it on top, and didn't fade into the nether regions of the rankings. #3 Good stuff, for a womon who the game passed by...LOL

 

[alfajeffster]

to set something straight steffi never played week in and week out especially not the last 4 years before

I felt an era ended when nav and sabatini retired too in fact more then when steffi retired. first when steffi retired I was prepared and with steffi it was just different since I was a fan I was just in a melodramatic mood to see the end of a whole era just the end of the steffi era

Navratilova, yes, but Sabatini, the end of an era? What era was that? The era of a top-3 player who should have been #1 but couldn't seem to learn how to serve more than 60mph and stop hitting all her excessive topspin shots off her back foot? Don't get me wrong- I loved watching Gabby- especially fond memories of being right next to her at the practice courts at the U.S. Open. Her practices were where she left her best tennis- unfortunately, she almost never played that way in a real match.

 

[irma]

I am glad she didn't retire in summer 98 either. I wished it that time. I was thinking so sad. she is such a shadow of her former self, thank goodness she is such a fighter and didn't give up even after another surgery in the fall!

 

[irma]

Navratilova, yes, but Sabatini, the end of an era? What era was that? The era of a top-3 player who should have been #1 but couldn't seem to learn how to serve more than 60mph and stop hitting all her excessive topspin shots off her back foot? Don't get me wrong- I loved watching Gabby- especially fond memories of being right next to her at the practice courts at the U.S. Open. Her practices were where she left her best tennis- unfortunately, she almost never played that way in a real match.

well she played steffi much and these matches just had something special imho and steffi was older so I felt her time would come soon too.
that why I felt that.

 

[DA FOREHAND]

Too bad Hingis didn't take a page out of her book.

 

[hingis-seles]

I don't know about anyone else here, but when Steffi Graf retired from tennis, I felt we lost more than just a great champion, but the door to a tennis era was closed. Gone are the champions who play week in and week out and give every match their very best effort- always 100%. How long will we have to wait to see another champion like her?

I felt the same way when Hingis said a return to tennis "is inconceivable".

 

[irma]

but then I still think martina will return next year

 

[alfajeffster]

Too bad Hingis didn't take a page out of her book.

Oh- now there was a classic match-up, and I know, we've hammered that subject ad nauseum on this board, but I used to LOVE watching Steffi run Hingis ragged!

 

[irma]

the pic of steffi in tokio 91 against martina is the best. she looks like she is saying I will get you next time wich she did of course

http://www.geocities.com/steffipics/PAN.html

 

[irma]

I mean tokio 99 of course

 

[DA FOREHAND]

LOL ME TOO

96 Chase, 96 Us Open semi, 99 French

I always start the 96 Us Open match w/Steffi down 3-5, it's like she switched gears.."OK now I'm gonna run her till her legs give in...and then just before it's all over Mary Carillo chimes in..."Hingis needs a nap"

 

[hingis-seles]

Irma, I thought it was Tokyo 1999.

 

[hingis-seles]

I thought Martina juggling balls during the changeover was so cool. She always had such a great personality, what an entertainer she was!

 

[alfajeffster]

the pic of steffi in tokio 91 against martina is the best. she looks like she is saying I will get you next time wich she did of course

http://www.geocities.com/steffipics/PAN.html

Great pic- THAT is the kind of determination I miss- and I also miss the way she used to take a couple of steps into the court just before she served, as if to say "here it comes!"

 

[irma]

yeah in 91 she misbehaved against sabatini don't have a pic of that

 

[alfajeffster]

yeah in 91 she misbehaved against sabatini don't have a pic of that

and then there was that horrible line call that gave Sabatini the 1990 U.S. Open title: Gabby hit a big looping topspin attempted passing shot down the line, and Graf let it go because it was out- but there was no call!!! Had the linesman called that ball out like he should have, I think we'd be talking about a Graf win that year.

 

[DA FOREHAND]

Great pic- THAT is the kind of determination I miss- and I also miss the way she used to take a couple of steps into the court just before she served, as if to say "here it comes!"

LOL I love that too, but I think she did that to quiet the crowds.
Also loved the way she wiped the sweat w/one finger. She had the best stamina. She'd engage in a 30 stroke rally and be rdy for the next point as if she served an ace, loved the way she'd be bouncing the ball looking up court to see if her opponent had recovered yet.