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re: Rafael Nadal: The playing style of Pete Sampras was not enjoyable to watch

Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:13 am to
Posted by PortCityTiger24
Member since Dec 2006
87455 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:13 am to
did you use to be Al Bundy?
Posted by cast away
Francis Street Hooligans
Member since Jun 2010
5507 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:14 am to
quote:

Bjorn Borg vs. Rafael Nadal

quote:

Pete Sampras vs. Roger Federer

That would be amazing. They should at least do a computer generated match like they do on that show "Dealiest Warrior"
Posted by theunknownknight
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
57446 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:15 am to
Nope, obviously. Why? I'm guessing he was a huge Sampras guy? I really don't care about who's the best in tennis, I just vividly remember how dominating Sampras was.
This post was edited on 6/28/11 at 9:16 am
Posted by PortCityTiger24
Member since Dec 2006
87455 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:18 am to
quote:

Nope, obviously. Why? I'm guessing he was a huge Sampras guy?


No, SFP said he thought you were one in the same. Carry on.
Posted by Roscoe
Member since Sep 2007
2917 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:22 am to
Depends on what grass surface they would play on - wimbledon grass of 10-15 years ago or the faux pas grass of today that plays more like a clay court.
Posted by theunknownknight
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
57446 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:23 am to
quote:

No, SFP said he thought you were one in the same. Carry on.


Oh ok, well that's easy to disprove.
Posted by FootballNostradamus
Member since Nov 2009
20509 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:24 am to
quote:

There's alot of Sampras hate in this thread. That dude was a cold blooded cyborg. If they met in their true primes, I wouldn't be surprised if Sampras demolished Nadal, and I LIKE Nadal.


Not hate to say what we’re saying. I acknowledged that Sampras was head and shoulders the better Wimbledon champion, but it’s about matchups and the evolution of the game and its skill level. Hell some of the best LBers in NFL history would look like lost puppies in today’s game. That doesn’t mean they’re not some of the greatest ever.
Posted by cast away
Francis Street Hooligans
Member since Jun 2010
5507 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:28 am to
Here is some pro-Sampras footage

Sampras vs. Federer exhibition
Posted by Zamoro10
Member since Jul 2008
14743 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:31 am to
If Agassi had problems returning Sampras so would Nadal. I doubt Nadal would ever beat Sampras at Wimbledon.

That said, it's beside the point of his comments. Sampras was a bore and a chore to watch compared to Nadal. Fans like to see players work for their points. Points lasting under 2 seconds doesn't make an interesting spectator sport.
This post was edited on 6/28/11 at 9:32 am
Posted by WelcomeToDeathValley
1st & 1st
Member since Aug 2006
16947 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:59 am to
quote:

equipment will not allow it.

Crutch...its just not idolized anymore.
Nobody cares to adopt it and/or push it on talented juniors.
Poly strings have been prevelant since the late 90s when Rafter and Henman were doing just fine.

As far as racquet technology, a lot of guys still use older graphite and kevlar, with paint jobs to look like ______.
Practically all of them have it custom weighted to where its a lead pipe at 14-15 ounces.

This post was edited on 6/28/11 at 10:00 am
Posted by HogHoopsFan
Member since Mar 2011
31 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 8:28 pm to
All of that mess you just said is assuming that Nadal would ever be ever able to consistently generate a return against Sampras in his prime. But don't take my word for it. Pay attention to what Agassi says at about the 4:55 mark of this video:

LINK

Combine that with the fact that Sampras held his serve 92% of the time during the 1990's. Nadal has never faced that.
This post was edited on 6/28/11 at 8:39 pm
Posted by WelcomeToDeathValley
1st & 1st
Member since Aug 2006
16947 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 8:55 pm to
If you look at it objectively, Chang beat Sampras close to half the time...Nadal is basically the chinaman on roids.

Not to mention the courts were faster and have gotten progressively slower over the years.
Fed has brought it up in the past when asked about across era comparisons and the big decline in how often he serve-volleys (especially at Wimbledon).

This post was edited on 6/28/11 at 8:57 pm
Posted by sms151t
Polos, Porsches, Ponies..PROBATION
Member since Aug 2009
139878 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 9:29 pm to
quote:


Bjorn Borg vs. Rafael Nadal



At Roland Garros it should be Kuertin v Nadal with Borg v Lendl

Posted by Chd1478
Member since Jun 2009
1815 posts
Posted on 6/28/11 at 10:32 pm to
Sampras was a boring champ. Especially when being compared to the likes of uber-personality McEnroe, Connors, and even Agassi.

I lost a lot of interest in watching men's tennis as a spectator during the Sampras run of glory.
Posted by shel311
McKinney, Texas
Member since Aug 2004
111199 posts
Posted on 6/29/11 at 12:30 am to
I see where he was going with his comments, and it made sense.

quote:

"It's not really tennis, it is a few swings of the racquet


But this is just ignorant. So, because Sampras a great serve/volley game, that's not tennis? What a silly statement.
Posted by Roaad
White Privilege Broker
Member since Aug 2006
76633 posts
Posted on 6/29/11 at 12:48 am to
Nadal/Federer = Sampras/Agassi
Posted by FootballNostradamus
Member since Nov 2009
20509 posts
Posted on 6/29/11 at 6:10 am to
quote:

All of that mess you just said is assuming that Nadal would ever be ever able to consistently generate a return against Sampras in his prime. But don't take my word for it. Pay attention to what Agassi says at about the 4:55 mark of this video:



I'm not trying to discount Sampras' serve. It's maybe the best weapon in Wimbledon history. Rafa would still beat him IMO.
Posted by Roscoe
Member since Sep 2007
2917 posts
Posted on 6/29/11 at 6:34 am to
quote:

Nadal/Federer = Sampras/Agassi


the comparison is fair relative to their individual rankings amongst the best players in the world during their respective playing eras. But the rivalry of Nadal/Federer hasn't produced nearly any of the great matches that the Sampras/Agassi rivalry. I would almost say that Nadal/Federer is = to Venus/Serena in that Venus/Serena matchups have, more often times than not, been disappointments when they have finally met in the finals.
Posted by HogHoopsFan
Member since Mar 2011
31 posts
Posted on 6/29/11 at 7:56 am to
Watching Sampras in his prime was like watching Secretariat run in the Belmont. When he was on, he was just that much better than everyone else on the tour, and to say he never really played anyone would be asenine, so please don't go there.

Sampras' championship wins were a series of tennis masterpieces. They were the perfect example of an athlete at the top of his game dissecting his opponents. If you find that to be boring, that's a "you" problem.
Posted by theunknownknight
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
57446 posts
Posted on 6/29/11 at 9:28 am to
In a way Nadal is saying Sampras was boring to watch because he was TOO good at what he did.
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