I look at matches sometimes and it seems as if some players become so discouraged or intimidated by a player who really isn't doing anything special. Most of the top players to me seem to have an air about them that's intimidating.
When I watch Martina Hingis play it seems when she is smiling and playing around with her opponents she's the most intimidating. I sometimes wonder if some players are thinking to themselves "I'm trying my best and she's f***ing laughing at me". Most of the time when Martina is playing and isn't smiling it becomes a task to her, and when that happens she's at her most vulnerable. She used to smile all the time, which pissed me off early in the Venus/Martina rivalry. My sister used to ask me all the time, "What the hell does she think is so funny"? I would usually say "I guess the fact that she's whoopin' her ass". But she doesn't smile as much now which ironically I find disheartening.
When I watch Lindsay play it seems like just the fact that she hits the ball with seemingly little effort, and just walks around the court like it's practice is intimidating. While players grunt, sweat, and argue she's standing at the baseline cool as a cucumber. I think that more than anything that would piss me off. And I'm really not easily intimidated A girl is kicking my ass with little effort, while I'm running around the court is discouraging. Like a lot of the top players if you can induce some type of emotion other than their norm. You have a chance. With Lindsay a sign is usually when she talks to herself.
When I watch Venus, call me bias, it seems like she never loses confidence in herself. She could be down a set and 2 breaks and still walk around the court with head held high, shoulders straight, and those long strides like she's in control. That in and of itself is intimidating. But she too has very subtle signs of frustration. Sometimes she'll put her head down with her hand to her brow. Usually though you can't really tell. I get the impression that she's always thinking, and if she's tried all the various game plans and still hasn't made a dent than that's when you see small signs of frustration.
I don't feel like doing everyone, but who do you feel has the most effective if not best intimidation factor other than their game?
When I watch Martina Hingis play it seems when she is smiling and playing around with her opponents she's the most intimidating. I sometimes wonder if some players are thinking to themselves "I'm trying my best and she's f***ing laughing at me". Most of the time when Martina is playing and isn't smiling it becomes a task to her, and when that happens she's at her most vulnerable. She used to smile all the time, which pissed me off early in the Venus/Martina rivalry. My sister used to ask me all the time, "What the hell does she think is so funny"? I would usually say "I guess the fact that she's whoopin' her ass". But she doesn't smile as much now which ironically I find disheartening.
When I watch Lindsay play it seems like just the fact that she hits the ball with seemingly little effort, and just walks around the court like it's practice is intimidating. While players grunt, sweat, and argue she's standing at the baseline cool as a cucumber. I think that more than anything that would piss me off. And I'm really not easily intimidated A girl is kicking my ass with little effort, while I'm running around the court is discouraging. Like a lot of the top players if you can induce some type of emotion other than their norm. You have a chance. With Lindsay a sign is usually when she talks to herself.
When I watch Venus, call me bias, it seems like she never loses confidence in herself. She could be down a set and 2 breaks and still walk around the court with head held high, shoulders straight, and those long strides like she's in control. That in and of itself is intimidating. But she too has very subtle signs of frustration. Sometimes she'll put her head down with her hand to her brow. Usually though you can't really tell. I get the impression that she's always thinking, and if she's tried all the various game plans and still hasn't made a dent than that's when you see small signs of frustration.
I don't feel like doing everyone, but who do you feel has the most effective if not best intimidation factor other than their game?
