Who, in your mind, is currently the 3rd best player?

1556 Views 69 Replies 31 Participants Last post by ASTRID, Aug 4, 2003

"Topaz"

Discussion Starter · Jul 30, 2003 (Edited)

I'm talking current 3rd best female tennis player, not ranking, just in case someone needs clarification.
Let me go by elimination.

- If Serena is playing anyone and is healthy, I expect her to win. So, in my mind, she's the best player right now.

- If Venus is playing anyone but Serena, and is healthy, I expect her to win. So, in my mind, she's the second best player right now.

- If Clijsters is playing anyone but Serena and Venus, and is healthy, I expect her to win. So, in my mind, she's the third best player right now.

- As for the fourth best, I don't have any solid expectation but Justine does come to mind as well as Davey, Cappy and Momo.

As a side point, when the first and second best don't or can't play due to various reasons including illness, why can't we accept that it behoves the third best to take the helm and be #1?

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alfajeffster

· #29 · Jul 30, 2003

Knizzle said:
Henin's forehand is just now becoming solid this year, before it was nothing, and that backhand can still be pounded on. You see this year she has become so muscular because her natural gifts weren't enough to win. I think the Williams get slighted because everyone thinks they popped out of the womb muscular and in shape and powerful. They obviously work hard to keep up their physical conditioning. Their talent was recognized when they were 10 and 8. Sometimes I think people are too caught up in watching how hard the sisters hit the ball to pay attention to the intricasies(sp?) of their strategy and tactics on the court. Somehow people think, hitting the ball slow or with spin or slice automatically makes a player "smart" which is not true. Venus especially is smart enough to have figured out how to beat a tough player like Henin 7 straight times. Those weren't really easy victories either some were 2 sets, but others were 3 grueling sets. The difference between Venus, Henin, and Clijsters is that Venus has figured out each opponent and how to play them. Venus is obviously mentally tougher, and she changes her strategies on the court better than the Belgians. Kim didn't change anything up when Venus countered her at Wimby, also in 2002 when Justine was up 6-2, 4-0 on Venus at Amelia, she didn't change tactics when Venus started to make her comeback. They are just like deer in headlights. This is what setst the talent of Venus apart from the Belgians. You can have all the natural gifts you want, but you have to have the brain power and skill to use them effectively. Venus has developed this.

As the British would say: BOLLOX!!! Deer in the headlights, really! That's exactly what Venus Williams looked like when she played Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport and lost regularly for a long time until new coaching (yes, she gets it regularly and never gives credit where credit is due) taught her to cut down on the unforced errors and simply rely on her athleticism to run down everything and expect to have to hit winners on the dead run all the time. She is without a doubt the most stupid #1 player in the history of women's tennis, IMHO

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