That forehand is just ridiculous. To be in a completely open stance, the ball well behind her, airborne, and then often rip a winner - Graf's timing had to be impeccable.
Graf's competition in the mid 1990s was so weak yet people praise her for beating lightweights like Sabatini, Martinez, Novotna, Sanchez Vicario, and Mary Joe Fernandez. The competition Graf had was weak because most of the women besides Seles lacked the weapons and mental toughness to beat her.
@JordanjamesX Seles's competition in the early 1990s was so weak yet people praise her for beating lightweights like Sabatini, Martinez, Novotna, Sanchez Vicario, and Mary Joe Fernandez. The competition Seles had was weak because most of the women besides Graf lacked the weapons and mental toughness to beat her. See how easy that was idiot.
that big white girl luckily did beat steffi at wimbly when steffi was old and not as sharp. just like when 2 blacks named zina and lori got lucky when they knocked out steffi to give martina the edge in wimbly titles...steffi woulda have 10 wimblys and martina only 8 if she wasn't helped by 2 blacks and 2 more wimblys woulda have gone to steffi plus 1 more if the big white girl didn't got to be the lucky one
It's so interesting to see that Lindsay used to have a different movement in service at the beginning of her carreer!! It changed quite significantly..
Lindsay was very overweight here but she was also very young. I think Lindsay was only seventeen years of age in this match. Lindsay did improve and she did beat Graf in the Wimbledon final in 1999.
@JordanjamesX yes since that was only about how much Lindsay improved and none about Graf being a shadow of her prime self by 1999, aging and at the end of her career. Delusional.
It's amazing too see how cleanly Davenport hit the ball, even at such a young age. Her forehand is almost as good as Graf's. The difference in early stages of their H2H was the speed. Lindsay's was very slow.
Even at such a young age, Lindsay Davenport's shots are so crisp & clean. She would have to go down as one of the purest strikers of the ball ever in the women's game. If only she had had the footspeed of a Graf or Sanchez Vicario, she may well have been up there with the best of all time in women's tennis. It was really the only thing which held her game back over her career.
To truly judge how great a tennis player is or was in the history of the sport, you must look at the level of competition through out the field in their era. As great as Graf was, the level of competition in the women's field during Graf's reign was no where near as strong as it is today or even a few years ago. It's wonderful that she was able to raise herself to such a level that she could win so many titles but she wouldn't be able to dominate in this era. That fact is incontrovertible.
@MrNeilsy or u could say, the women's field 2day, is not near as talented
as Graf was, with a few exceptions that is ofcourse. From '87, till '99, she made her mark on the game. I'll doubt if Wozniacki can say the same. And "wouldn't b able 2 dominate in this era"?? Like Rod Laver wouldn't b able 2 dominate is this era also? U can not compare, and that's incontrovertible
@meneerkonijn74 To answer your question regarding Rod Laver, no, he would not be able to dominate in this day and age. He was not nearly as big and strong as many of the players today in the Men's field. He did not posses a power game. He has stated the fact regarding the level of competition being greater today than in his era. The comparison can be made and is often made by professional players and commentators who know the game better than you or I. The same can be said of Graf.
Sorry, I beg to disagree. To judge a player's greatness requires looking how well they did in their era with whatever was available at that time. Graf didn't have the advantage of today's technology nor did she have the training being used by today's players. The game evolves as the technology and understanding of the human body progresses. But I am still amazed by how hard she hit the ball considering the fact that she was using a heavy, stiff, midsize racquet (the Dunlop 200G).
@rinor28 I agree with you for the most part. I think training wasn't an issue for Steffi. Quite the contrary. She was always known as the fittest player on the tour. Even the year she retired, she was considered the fittest player. As far as the Dunlop racquet goes. Lets see Serena lay down that 110sq inch beast she has and hit with an 85sq racquet from the 80's and see how good she does!
It is not just that she was such an incredible shotmaker. It is above all else that Steffi did it all so gracefully on the court. No one has come close to that since.
Still it is great to see that even back then on their first meeting Davenport showed signs of weapons that would eventually make Steffi suffer later on in their meetings. Great serve, such great and clean groundstrokes..... too good
I love Lindsay as a commentator, but would love it more if maybe she could come back to doubles. It's not as taxing and she's an excellent doubles player.
From 3-1 down, Steffi just steamrolled Lindsay here.
Calicokit101 1 week ago
That forehand is just ridiculous. To be in a completely open stance, the ball well behind her, airborne, and then often rip a winner - Graf's timing had to be impeccable.
HellField04 1 month ago
Graf had really gotten her mojo back by the beginning of '94.
Calicokit101 3 months ago
Davenport has always had amazing powerful groundstrokes but her speed apparently has always been her weakness
amb817 4 months ago
Davenport's spin for her cross court stroke was fantastic.
beavertown2006 4 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Steffi best player every male or female!
mnkylondon 6 months ago
Steffi best player every male or female!
mnkylondon 6 months ago
No. A big no no for every MALE. @mnkylondon
volvariella 3 months ago
Graf's competition in the mid 1990s was so weak yet people praise her for beating lightweights like Sabatini, Martinez, Novotna, Sanchez Vicario, and Mary Joe Fernandez. The competition Graf had was weak because most of the women besides Seles lacked the weapons and mental toughness to beat her.
JordanjamesX 6 months ago
@JordanjamesX Seles's competition in the early 1990s was so weak yet people praise her for beating lightweights like Sabatini, Martinez, Novotna, Sanchez Vicario, and Mary Joe Fernandez. The competition Seles had was weak because most of the women besides Graf lacked the weapons and mental toughness to beat her. See how easy that was idiot.
grafgirl27 6 months ago 2
@JordanjamesX
Yes, the 00s were far stronger.
With giants like Capriati, Myskina, Kuznetsova, Schiavone, Ivanovic winning slams.
Graf really dodged some bullets here ...
Hoffenheim08 3 months ago
and yet steffi dominated martina hingis
QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
@QuietLittleToto
Hey LOSER.....! Where is your chinese broken english, HomoHoffie?
Heere we go again, sissy HOmoHoffenheimer has ANOTHER bad screen name!
LOL, LOl, LOl.....
artisking1 7 months ago
at this point in her career this big girl matched steffi's game but this big girl was such a loser to martina hingis who didn't even hit hard
QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
there's no way this big white girl woulda get her one hit wimbly if steffi was movin and hittin like this
QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
that big white girl luckily did beat steffi at wimbly when steffi was old and not as sharp. just like when 2 blacks named zina and lori got lucky when they knocked out steffi to give martina the edge in wimbly titles...steffi woulda have 10 wimblys and martina only 8 if she wasn't helped by 2 blacks and 2 more wimblys woulda have gone to steffi plus 1 more if the big white girl didn't got to be the lucky one
QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
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QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
Comment removed
QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
Comment removed
QuietLittleToto 8 months ago
It's so interesting to see that Lindsay used to have a different movement in service at the beginning of her carreer!! It changed quite significantly..
neunstof 10 months ago
Lindsay was very overweight here but she was also very young. I think Lindsay was only seventeen years of age in this match. Lindsay did improve and she did beat Graf in the Wimbledon final in 1999.
JordanjamesX 10 months ago
@JordanjamesX yes since that was only about how much Lindsay improved and none about Graf being a shadow of her prime self by 1999, aging and at the end of her career. Delusional.
grafgirl27 6 months ago
It's amazing how both players create angles,wow!
zaireanboy 11 months ago
It's amazing too see how cleanly Davenport hit the ball, even at such a young age. Her forehand is almost as good as Graf's. The difference in early stages of their H2H was the speed. Lindsay's was very slow.
juju1305 11 months ago
steffi graf is an artist, the best
TheSami75 1 year ago
Even at such a young age, Lindsay Davenport's shots are so crisp & clean. She would have to go down as one of the purest strikers of the ball ever in the women's game. If only she had had the footspeed of a Graf or Sanchez Vicario, she may well have been up there with the best of all time in women's tennis. It was really the only thing which held her game back over her career.
fantome19 1 year ago
To truly judge how great a tennis player is or was in the history of the sport, you must look at the level of competition through out the field in their era. As great as Graf was, the level of competition in the women's field during Graf's reign was no where near as strong as it is today or even a few years ago. It's wonderful that she was able to raise herself to such a level that she could win so many titles but she wouldn't be able to dominate in this era. That fact is incontrovertible.
MrNeilsy 1 year ago
@MrNeilsy yes graf is the best
egg1080 1 year ago
@MrNeilsy or u could say, the women's field 2day, is not near as talented
as Graf was, with a few exceptions that is ofcourse. From '87, till '99, she made her mark on the game. I'll doubt if Wozniacki can say the same. And "wouldn't b able 2 dominate in this era"?? Like Rod Laver wouldn't b able 2 dominate is this era also? U can not compare, and that's incontrovertible
meneerkonijn74 1 year ago
@meneerkonijn74 To answer your question regarding Rod Laver, no, he would not be able to dominate in this day and age. He was not nearly as big and strong as many of the players today in the Men's field. He did not posses a power game. He has stated the fact regarding the level of competition being greater today than in his era. The comparison can be made and is often made by professional players and commentators who know the game better than you or I. The same can be said of Graf.
MrNeilsy 1 year ago
@MrNeilsy
Sorry, I beg to disagree. To judge a player's greatness requires looking how well they did in their era with whatever was available at that time. Graf didn't have the advantage of today's technology nor did she have the training being used by today's players. The game evolves as the technology and understanding of the human body progresses. But I am still amazed by how hard she hit the ball considering the fact that she was using a heavy, stiff, midsize racquet (the Dunlop 200G).
rinor28 11 months ago
@rinor28 I agree with you for the most part. I think training wasn't an issue for Steffi. Quite the contrary. She was always known as the fittest player on the tour. Even the year she retired, she was considered the fittest player. As far as the Dunlop racquet goes. Lets see Serena lay down that 110sq inch beast she has and hit with an 85sq racquet from the 80's and see how good she does!
cphipps79 5 months ago
It is not just that she was such an incredible shotmaker. It is above all else that Steffi did it all so gracefully on the court. No one has come close to that since.
LDVTennis 1 year ago 3
@LDVTennis
I agree, Graf was a player apart from the lot. She has no peer...
petosp 1 year ago
@LDVTennis
Still it is great to see that even back then on their first meeting Davenport showed signs of weapons that would eventually make Steffi suffer later on in their meetings. Great serve, such great and clean groundstrokes..... too good
petosp 1 year ago
I love Lindsay as a commentator, but would love it more if maybe she could come back to doubles. It's not as taxing and she's an excellent doubles player.
donlyjeronimo 1 year ago