Tennis

[Deleted]

I was surprised Pete Sampras was so gracious about having his record broken.

I suppose Federer might come off quietly arrogant at times (as I remember people criticising Sampras for being in the same way), but I don't know how one couldn't be if you are able to do the things guys like this are capable of doing. It would be hard to be humble all the time, which I think Federer comes off seemingly most of the time. But the more you're interviewed I don't know how one could maintain that level of humbleness publicly at all times. In order to win in the first place, I imagine you'd have to believe strongly in yourself. As long as you're not treating anyone badly because of the confidence you have in yourself, I don't particularly have a problem with that kind of confidence.

[Fraggle Rock]

You would think that if it were such a great tactic why aren't the men using it, and why isn't the Wimmbleton champ S. Williams doing it?

Serena definitely grunts. It's not on every point the way other players do it, but the mute button does not go unused during her (or Venus's) matches for me.

[Deleted]

Pete has always been a very modest person, a great ambassador for the game. The only match his parents came to watch him play was his last Wimbledon. They didn't live through him.

[Deleted]

Jul 8, 2009 19:51:54 GMT -4 @barrie said:

Pete has always been a very modest person, a great ambassador for the game. The only match his parents came to watch him play was his last Wimbledon. They didn't live through him.

Yeah, I think Pete was publicly modest, but from the way people would describe him on message boards, and, at times, even in magazines, I think I came to have a less positive impression of him. Of course, I now reverse that opinion after seeing him behave graciously at Wimbledon.

[Ginger]

I think Pete was always very gracious, just like I think Roger is always very gracious. But I also think they both have a realistic view of their own talents and achievements. Because those talents and achievements are pretty huge, it's hard to distinguish acknowledgement of those things from arrogance sometimes.

I know that Pete, even in his biography, has never shown any signs of being threatened by someone else (i.e., Roger) being as good as he is. That's quite different from Bjorn Borg, who apparently flips out at the thought of someone breaking any of his records - which, to me, is arrogance and insecurity.

[soul]

When is the US Open?

I need to get another fix of Rodger beating Roddick.

[Fraggle Rock]

Jul 10, 2009 21:16:47 GMT -4 Ginger said:

just like I think Roger is always very gracious.

We're going to have to disagree on that one. I'll refrain from posting a very long rant, but Roger has shown himself to be less than gracious - particularly in defeat. He has a habit of taking swipes at other people or giving backhanded compliments. I know others may disagree, but I don't find him to be a very likeable champion. For me, you need to be gracious in victory and in defeat, and I don't think he is. He's prone to pissy pouting and excuses.

[soul]

Oh, those are the best atheletes, the ones who give a damn to let it show.

All the "gracious" ones are putting on a show and are boring.

[Fraggle Rock]

Oh, those are the best atheletes

Not really IMO.

They're just the loudest.

(Edited to add some news)

Richard Gasquet is clear to return to tennis. The ITF tribunal ruled that his contact with cocaine was 1 - inadvertent, 2 - a miniscule amount, and 3 - out of competition.

[OnyxRose]

Jul 11, 2009 10:20:22 GMT -4 Fraggle Rock said:

Jul 10, 2009 21:16:47 GMT -4 Ginger said:

just like I think Roger is always very gracious.

We're going to have to disagree on that one. I'll refrain from posting a very long rant, but Roger has shown himself to be less than gracious - particularly in defeat. He has a habit of taking swipes at other people or giving backhanded compliments. I know others may disagree, but I don't find him to be a very likeable champion. For me, you need to be gracious in victory and in defeat, and I don't think he is. He's prone to pissy pouting and excuses.

I really don't get the people who think Roger is gracious. It's easy to be gracious when you're winning but he returned to form from his early days when he went on his little losing streak. Bawling when Nadal took Wimbledon, making snide remarks toward Djokovic and Murray. No one ever brings this up. Before he turned into the GOAT, he was quite the pissy little bitch. It just went into hiding when he started beating everyone.

I'm not really a fan of Pete but he acknowledged that he never thought the record would be broken until Roger started to win everything in sight. I think he resigned himself to the fact a couple of years ago.

Bjorn Borg is...completely unlikeable.

In his return to tennis, Gasquet will do what he did before his suspension...not a thing. Mental headcases, all of the French.