Sampras Vs Federer

[hariharan1972]

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This one is for the Tennis fans......

Who in your view is the greatest tennis player - male & female

My pick

1. Pete Sampras

2. Roger Federer

3. Stefan Edberg

4. Andre Agassi

5. John Mcnroe

6. Boris Becker

7. Jimmy Connors

8. Goran Ivanasevic

9. Leander Paes

10. Mats Wilander

Women

1 to 8 - Steffi Graf

9. Martina Nav

10. Sharapova


Especially on who's better between Sampras & Federer - Federer is all conquering but my vote is still for Pete for the foll reasons

a) Is / Was always a Gentleman first

b) Single hand down the line backhand - Need i say anything more ?

c) Nerves of Steel

d) Grit...Grit....Grit

Federer too is great

a) Angle....Angle...catch the opponent on the tangle

b) Magic touch

Upto now, both have a thing in common - haven't won french. Wish it stays the same....

French Open - Yuck !!!!!.. You could go around bangalore twice before a point ends......Worst still if the point goes to "Egalite" that's it......It is said that seats at french open are changed every year - why not ? After loooooooooong matches, the seat gets attached to the patron's rear !!!!!

Ban the tournaments on clay - tennis will be much better - i am even game for 4 Wimbledons a year....Tennis at it's best....

Why Leander ?

Well he is not Leander Paes….Actually he is “Lion Leander”…..Little man with a BIG HEART….His “sugreeving” (volleying !!!) is only next to Stefan IMHO. There isn’t a player greater than Leander when it comes to India’s cause, the type who would willingly walk on hot coals for India.

 

[kashyap]

My Pick

1. Roger Federer
2. Pete Sampras

After this it will be with a little bit of non-tennis reasoning

3. Boris Becker becos I like him
4. Stefan Edberg he is cool cat.
5. Mats Wilander he was a gentleman
6. Goran Ivanisevic for the serve......
7. Ivan Lendl --- for winning all xcept wimbledon and for his famous immortal
quote -- GRASS IS FOR COWS !!!!

8. Old Mac
9. Connors
10. Ramanathan Krishnan -- becos he is indian and becos I got an autograph from him


women
strictly no tennis reasons

1. Maria (my darling) Sharapova
2. Anna ( arumai ) kournikova
3. Sania Mirza ( Sania Sania sokka vaikkum Sania)
4. Steffi Graf ( immortalised in a tamil song as follows:
Steffi Graf egiri gudhichhaa dont miss !!!
5- Gaby Sabby ( Gabriella Sabatini! ) .. WOW!
6-10. Any ova (no pun intended) from russia and east europe. ( hee hee !!)

 

[hariharan1972]

Can't fault you !

7. Ivan Lendl --- for winning all xcept wimbledon and for his famous immortal
quote -- GRASS IS FOR COWS !!!!

Yep, Lendl was a fabulous Hard court player. His weakness was in adapting to other surfaces. Now for the best quote "on" Lendl by........i think Goran.

"He comes to the net once in the match......to shake hands !!!!"

10. Ramanathan Krishnan -- becos he is indian and becos I got an autograph from him :)

Yes, Ramanathan Krishnan was a fabulous player. Pity i never saw him play, even in videos. Reaching S/F at Wimbledon twice, no mean achievement. I, ofcourse, have seen a lot of "Thatchi Mammu" Ramesh Krishnan. He was a touch artist - a la Ken Rosewall. I remember the scoreline of Ramesh vs Jim Courier in one of the olympics - 5 setter - something like 1-6, 6-1, 0-6, 6-1, 1-6 types....not absolutely certain but the point is that either he totally dominated a set or allowed himself to be dominated. Not for him, the comeback efforts etc.... But a gentleman on & off the court.

women
strictly no tennis reasons ;)

Can't fault you for this !. After all all games start at "Love all" isn't it ?

 

[hariharan1972]

What happened to the "Tennis man" Silver fox ? Where are you sir ?

Since you have made known your views about "cricket" i thought of getting you going on "Tennis", pity, you are not taking the bait !!!

I thought of getting the views of our own Nick Bolliterri !!!!!

 

[silverfox]

Dear Hari and Kashyap:
Excellent postings! I just saw your postings. You have omitted one of the best in the game of tennis - Bjorn Borg!! How could you miss him? Of course, he could never win the US Open!
Of course, my all-time favorite is Rocket Rod (Rod Laver). I shook hands with him in New York almost 30 years ago at a match. You should look at his left hand (he was a leftie); it was twice as big as his right hand! Almost like Popeye!!
Yes, right now, I still kinda go with Pistol Pete. I liked one of your reasons - backhand down the line; a very difficult shot to make (I am still trying!!).
Yes, Pete was very good at it. Hari! seems you are very knowledgeable in tennis!

This past US Open - I was watching Maria Sharapova coming in to play at night time schedules - she is so tall (6 ft. 3 in), she knew that guys would be watching her on tv and so she dressed up in pretty colors with matching bows on her hair. Though she is not even 20 yet, she is a very shrewd business woman and makes more money in ad's and endorsements than in tennis. --- wait! I forgot I was supposed to talk about tennis!!
I was there for one night and I saw her very close. Boy! she was not only beautiful but extremely tall when you see her up close, especially for a guy who is only 5'7"!!

 

[hariharan1972]

Silverfox,

I left our Borg since i didn't see him play much. I was around 8 years when he won his last Grandslam in 1980 i guess. His was the era of wooden racquets.

Rod Laver, ofcourse what a champ, the last man to win all 4 in 1969 was it ? He did it twice in '64 & '69 i think. Ofcourse i didn't see any of that.

Silverfox i am a Life time member of ACA if you must know - that is "Arm Chair Association" so i can talk about any sport in general & particularly about Cricket, tennis which are my favourites.

 

[hariharan1972]

Poornam Vichu meets Anna Kournikova

2. Anna ( arumai ) kournikova

This was the inspiration to write this piece

2. Anna ( arumai ) kournikova

This was the inspiration for me to try this piece.

WTA Womens Open Tournament at Chennai. Anna Kournikova participates in the tournament & Poornam Viswanathan is hired by good ol' Doordarshan for commentary & interview at end of the match.

Now to the interview

Poornam Vichu (PV) : Idhu, vandhu, namashkaram

Anna : yenna karam adhu ?

PV : aiye, karamellam illa adhu, kozhandey !!!! ippo naan yenna introduce pannikkaren...yen peru poornam viswanathan....naan oru valarum actor....aaana nekku appo appo naakku pirandirum....adhanalla yennakku ullarum actor nu peru vechutta....hi hi hi

Anna : Oh ! yen peru "Anna Kournikova". Chellama yenna Anna Kourni nu call pannuvanga

PV : yennadhu anna kourni ya !!!! nee satchath mahaletchmiyattum irukka theriyumo ?

Anna : Is it

PV : illaya pinna......russia la nee “Anna kourni” ya irundhalum enakku nee “Anna poorniya” dhan theriyara

Anna : oh

PV : aana oru vishayam kozhandey !!!!! ippadi ennado nalu muzha veshtiya naala madichu skirt nu kattindirukkiye...nanna va irukku idhu.nanna thazhaya thazhaya pattu pudava kattina nee appadiye engathu calendarla irukkira maha letchumiyattum iruppe theriyumo ?

Anna : Oh, whose that maha letchumi ? is she a tennis player ?

PV : he, adeyappa…appadi ellam pasha padadhu theriyumo….maha letchumi na indha logathukke matha…..loga nayaki

Anna : Aamam why are you called “Poornam”

PV : “He he…he…adha kekkaraya…kozhandey naan china vayasa irundhappo, yengathulla pillayar chaturthi varum paaru….appo naan kozhakatta panna vecha “poornatha” horlicks baanilaa “appadiye shattruven”….adhannala yenakku indha peru”

Anna : Oh…ungalukku tennis theriyuma ?

PV : “Hey nannave theriyum…..aana naa china vayasulla yemandu poi tennis vilayada mudiyala”

Anna : What who cheated you ?

PV : Adhu onnum illa kozhandey, Tennis kathukka court kku ponen…appo anga irundha coach yenna koopittu “Serve pannu” nnar…..naan odane odi poyi, yen sondha selavula tea, coffee, palagaramellam vangindu vandhu avalukku “serve” pannen…..adhu pudikkama yenna vilayatila irundhu thookitta

Anna : Oh my god

PV : Amam,..annikki rathiri naan azhuden paaru ….amma paradevathey…yennakku yemma indha sodhanai nu……….azhudu azhudu rendu kodathulla jalam rombidichu

Anna : oh

PV : apparam neenga kandippa yengathukku vandittu kozhandela paarthuttu dhan poganum…..naan ippo utharavu vangikkaren…..kshetha st. Thomas churchukku poganum

Anna : What you go to the Church ?

PV : yenna panradhu….kalaignar aatchilla brahmanall yellarum churchulla padiriyaara sheranumnu sollittar….adhar churchukku poyittu akkara vadasala neivedhyam panni deebaradhan kaatittuu vandudaren….neenga oru auto pudichi mylapore la yena aathukku poyidungo !!!!

:rockon:

 

[silverfox]

Dear Hari:
Rippin' good (I tried to be British!)!! Hey, you guys! If you want to see Anna Kournikova without skirt, go here:
http://www.funonthenet.in/content/view/155/31/

I just said "without skirt"; that is all!! Don't try to read too much into it. Go to the link and you know what I mean!!

Yes, Hari, those of us, older guys, used to play with wooden rackets!! Then I switched to Jimmy Connor's Aluminum 2000 (I stil have that racket).

What do you guys think? Will Federer win the French?

 

[rxrajamo]

Silverfox, of course Federer will win )

Hari and Kashyap nice picks. I think Old Mac needs to be placed higher. Who else can introduce such "action" packed on-court antics ? As they say, when old mac was playing there was never a dull moment

To the women's list, among old timers I would add Chris E Lloyd. But Kashyap you seem to have missed Mary Pierce Of course we can even add Monica Seles (sympathy vote).

Ramki

 

[silverfox]

Who is Poornam Viswanathan? Some TV Personality?

 

[hariharan1972]

Legend !!!

Who is Poornam Viswanathan? Some TV Personality?

He is a legend in brahmanical acting - in films, stage plays & TV as well. He along with "rubber vai" raghavan represent a school of acting which has strong roots in brahmanism. Ofcourse for this very reason they are often mimiced.

 

[kashyap]

hari
good one on poornam and anna.

 

[balaiyer2]

Yes; u have done a balanced analysis of the two great players of tennis. i would also rank Pete as the greatest ever for his 'COOL' approach and humility while winning and grace in loosing!

Why no mention about Ramesh Krishnan? Perhaps, a person who contributed so much to our Davis-cup. Again, a cool player to watch. There no mention of Steffi-Graf as well, wasn't she the one who brought this power game to women-tennis? From mid 1980s to mid 1990s, she simply dominated the women's arena, again a gracious appearance, compared to the more glamorous ones nowadays. Paes and Bhubathi could have brought laurels in doubles both to themselves and to the nation; but they also seem to be having the tamil-brahmin syndromme i.e. can go with any tom,dick and harry but not with one other tamil brahmin ( a kind of a curse!); poor fellows least realising that they represent the entire gamut of definition of an 'EGO'.