[HL] Monica Seles vs. Jennifer Capriati 1991 US Open [SF]

[maxsancor]

THIS IS THE BEST FEMALE MATCH I EVER SEEN TIL NOW, IM A TENNIS FAN SINCE 1984 AND IM STILL ENJOY THIS VIDS

[kljMN2]

When this match originally took place, I actually rooted for Capriati to win. What was I thinking??

[davetennisx]

@kljMN2 lol Maybe because she was just a teenager and it was nice seeing someone so young and so promising?

[kljMN2]

@davetennisx : I guess so! Capriati was so likeable back then.... after she won her first Grand Slam title in 2001, she became a total brat on the court with her tantrums.

[carling5]

The Williams sisters are one the BEST things to happen to women's tennis and anyone claiming they "ruined" is ignorant and probably racist. Want to know what's ruining women's tennis? The chicks who hold the #1 ranking without winning grand slam titles like Wozniacki, Safina, and Jankovic. Wozniacki in particular should have won a couple slams by now. Like them or not, Venus and Serena are LEGITIMATE champions and no one can ever take that away from them. The facts speak for themselves.

[JordanjamesX]

@carling5 Exactly Venus and Serena broke down racial and cultural barriers and brought women`s tennis to a wider audience. Venus and Serena proved two young black women can dominated a white sport. Yes, tennis is changing slowly with the emergence of Li Na and other Asians but tennis is still a very expensive sport to get training and to compete in. Venus and Serena also got equal prize money for women. The French Federation president said he was moved by Venus words for equality.

[Meade3763]

@JordanjamesX

Do you really think the Williams sisters brought so many new fans to the sport?

Whom? Africans? Afro-Americans?

The world-wide impact of players like Evert (USA), Graf (Europe, Asia) or Li Na (China) was considerably bigger, IMO.

[Meade3763]

@carling5

The Williams sisters were not able to prevent players like Ivanovic, Jankovic, Safina and Wozniacki getting to #1!

I mean, do you really think Evert, Navratilova or Graf would have let that happen???

[carling5]

@Meade3763

"Prevent"? "Allow"? Did Federer "allow" Nadal to become #1? Why didn't Nadal "prevent" Djokovic from doing the same? Your posts are completely illogical and certainly do not merit anymore of my attention. You appear to be some kind whack-job with the same old boring-ass racist ax to grind against the Williams sisters (YAWN!) because you don't know jack-shit about the game of tennis. I think professional help is definitely in order. I mean, get it together, dude!

[Meade3763]

@carling5

Yes, Federer allowed Nadal to become #1.

And Nadal couldn't prevent Djokovic from becoming #1 because he was not good enough.

What is so difficult to understand here, dickhead?

[trent8002003]

More than any other matches in the 90's , this match called the time for serve and volley tennis in the women's game. With groundstrokes this brutal, no serve and volleyers could stem the onslaught.

[Meade3763]

@trent8002003

Yes, that's why a 34-/36-year-old Navratilova was able to beat # Seles three times ...

[trent8002003]

@Meade3763 And how many times did Seles beat Navratilova did you say? Oh yeah, you didn't. Wonder why. And who beat whom even on Wimbledon's grass where S and Vers were supposed to dominate did you say? Oh yeah, you didn't. Wonder why.

[Meade3763]

@trent8002003

#1 Graf beat a 31/33-year-old Navratilova in 4 of 4 matches in 1988/89 (100,0 %).

#1 Seles beat a 34/36-year-old Navratilova in 7 of 11 matches in the 2 years before the stabbing (63,6 %).

Maybe Navratilova was still maturing in 1988/89 ... ?

[trent8002003]

@Meade3763 And your stats are from.......Mmmmm lets see, Mars? Monica's career hd to hd agst Navratilova was 10-7 in favour of Monica. And Navratilova won their first 2 encounters in 89. You go figure.

[Meade3763]

@trent8002003

I was talking about Seles as #1.

She had a worse record as the #1 player against Navratilova than Graf as #1 player.

Although she played a far older Martina.

That is another proof that peak Graf was far superior to peak Seles.

[trent8002003]

@Meade3763 Tell me you're a politician. You have so many ways to qualify your statements and stats that you can basically make the wildest and offest claim and you'd still be right. What's next? Monica has a worst record agst Navratilova of all players who where playing Navratilova while they were having a period?

[Meade3763]

@trent8002003

Seles fanatics are extrapolating Seles's success in 1991/92 to 1993-2011.

And don't like it when knowledgable tennis fans mention that

1) Graf was in a slump in the early 90s (tons of losses to Sabatini/Novotna types)

2) Graf nevertheless won most of her matches against #1 Seles pre-stabbing

3) Graf had a HIGHER winning percentage in a ELEVEN-year period (1986-96) than Seles in her SINGLE best year ever (1992)!!!!!

Especially the last fact puts an end to wet Selesian dreams ...

[100BABOLAT]

@Meade3763 However, you forget to mention that Seles was not there in 1986-87-88-93-94-95 for the most part....what was Graf's record against Evert and Navratilova between 1984-1987...miserable....Seles beat Graf in 3-4 GS betwenn 1990-1993....as a teen...they were both great champions and there is absolutely no way Graf would have 22 slams...Seles would have held her own against Graf in australia and French, not Wimbledon however...but they would have more Chris-Nav numbers at 18 slams each...

[Meade3763]

@100BABOLAT

Woulda-coulda scenarios don't count.

Or do you really think that Seles would have won all those slams in 1990-92 without Graf being in such a poor form that she went 1-7 H2H against Sabatini and 2-3 H2H against Novotna at some point during those years (Graf is 29-11 against Sabatini and 28-4 against Novotna career-wise)?

BTW, which slams would Graf not have won without the stabbing?

FO 93 & 95? When even in 92 she lost only with 8-10 in the third set?

AO 94? When she beat ASV 60 62?

[Meade3763]

@trent8002003

Graf being 4-0 against Navratilova in 1988/89 and Seles being 7-4 against Navratilova in 1991/92 (three years later!) says a lot about the relative strength of #1 Graf in 1988/89 and #1 Seles in 1991/92.

[jess4metoo]

My! Seles is so aggresive and unforgiving here. I don't care what anyone says, she was never the same after the stabbing. Here she's like a predator, after the stabbing she was somewhat timid, say like the prey.

[100BABOLAT]

@jess4metoo The point at 8:10-8:49 is absolutely tremendous...a match of epic proportions..

[LobOverTheBackhand]

The best part of these hightlight is that every time Mary Carillo begins to speak she gets cut off!

[100BABOLAT]

@LobOverTheBackhand Although I completely disagree with you, that was a hilarious post...

[Super30101974]

for me seles is the best ever!Graf must say thanks to her countrymate gunther!

[Meade3763]

@Super30101974

Why this?

Günter provided Seles with the perfect excuse for every match not won between 1993-2003. Maybe he was paid by the Seles family?

[italo36]

Monica in the good old days when she was so fit and so dominant

[italo36]

Monica is the good old days

[100BABOLAT]

@Xerkun No way that the sisters were bad for womens tennis, they were great but the Eastern European movement has been atrocious for the women's game...that's for sure...can you imagine Seles pre stabbing, 1988 Graf, Navratilova and the sisters all in the same tournament...wow I would love to see them go at it....

[HanMue70]

Absolutely breathtaking. Best period in women´s tennis ever! Seles, Graf, Navratilova, Sabatini, Capriati, Sanchez...all fantastic players at a high level these days....and now? Omg....

[xicano777]

Who thinks Gunther Parsche is the devil?

[suddenlyitsobvious]

*with your knowledge of the most basic facts

[tj10splayer]

THATS LIKE NADAL PLAYING RIGHT THERE .... SMOKE WEED ERDAY IF UR A FRUSTRATED TENNIS PLAYER

[WHATTHEBUCKSHOW]

Monica seles press conference 1991

[WoWGorg]

@WHATTHEBUCKSHOW WATTUPPPP CRIP

[idontsignin]

greatest slugfest ever, 1 of the top 10 greatest matches of all time. this is one of the reasons why i started watching tennis

[JordanjamesX]

Venus and Serena proved you do NOT need to be white, blonde, or rich, to become a tennis champion. Venus and Serena proved that through hard work and sheer determination two black girls from compton California can dominate the still very elitist and racist sport of tennis. The reason some people resent the Sisters is because they are not white or blonde but they are the best. It is not Venus and Serena fault the rest of the WTA are mental lightweights.

[jese1975]

@JordanjamesX well said Jordan and I agree.... The WIlliams sisters have an amazing game and they are not your typical players. I've seen Venus and Serena here in Sydney, Melbourne, WImbledon and NY... These girls are fierce and they worked hard for every single achievements they have....

[Meade3763]

@JordanjamesX

Venus and Serena proved that steroids work.

[JordanjamesX]

A lot of ignorant comments on this tread about the Williams Sisters if anything Venus and Serena made women's tennis MORE popular because they transcend RACE. Venus and Serena brought women's tennis beyond the white, yuppie, snobbish country club set. Regular people started to watch women's tennis and identify with the sisters. Venus and Serena also helped women get equal prize money at all the four slams. Venus and Serena changed women's tennis for the better and they deserve respect.

[suddenlyitsobvious]

@JordanjamesX

' Venus and Serena changed women's tennis for the better and they deserve respect.'

Everything you mentioned seems picked right out of a handout leaflet at a politically correct demonstration against racism. We're not discussing civil rights here, or the IMAGE of tennis. What's at issue is the QUALITY of the matches.

It's pretty obvious to most people that women's tennis in the last 8 or 9 years has lost A LOT, in terms of variety, quality of matches, personality of players.

[grafgirl27]

@suddenlyitsobvious where is the variety here.  It is just ball bashing. Henin or Hingis are variety, not Seles or Capriati. Venus and Serena are ballbashers too but they are better ones than Capriati and Seles with more power off every shot and much bigger serves, and far more mobility too.

[suddenlyitsobvious]

@grafgirl27

Seles' accuracy, grit, determination were just amazing, her unforced error-count exceptional and if you just see 'bashing' I really don't know what to say to you.

I'm sorry but your black-and-white thinking really strikes me as reflecting a rather crude psychology and a lack of feeling for tennis.

'It is just ball bashing. Henin or Hingis are variety, not Seles or Capriati.'

You know how this sounds? It sounds like the extremely cut and dry simplistic opinion of the kind of...

[suddenlyitsobvious]

@grafgirl27

(2)

...woman referred to by Jungian analysts as 'animus possessed'.

(Rigid, dogmatic, unflexible and undiscerning).

It isn't my intention to be mean, but really, your comment is just amazing.

Note Seles before her stabbing had gotten the better of Graf and her sportsmanship and attitude were FAAAAAR better.

[grafgirl27]

@suddenlyitsobvious

Seles is 5-10 lifetime vs Graf

while Jennifer Crapriati is a pathetic 1-10

So try again. Anyway my post wasnt about Graf. It was about Venus and Serena who like it or not have taken the power game to a much higher level than womens tennis had ever seen. Capriati's best ever tennis was not here but in the early 2000s vs the Williams and they still owned her.

[suddenlyitsobvious]

@grafgirl27

Is there something wrong with your reading comprehension as well as with the most BASIC FACTS everybody even slightly familiar with tennis is aware of?

BEFORE THE STABBING.

Everybody knows Seles was never the same afterwards.

[suddenlyitsobvious]

@grafgirl27

'Anyway my post wasnt about Graf.'

Maybe not but YOU are. She was a bad loser.

[suddenlyitsobvious]

'Seles is 5-10 lifetime vs Graf

while Jennifer Crapriati is a pathetic 1-10'

And really, again, the fact that you state this clearly shows that the entire life and dynamics of tennis completely elude you. You all stuff it into one dead categorical statement.

[grafgirl27]

@JordanjamesX For once you make sense. Venus and Serena are disrespected largely since they are groundbreakers. They are black women in this white lily sport who took over the game and actually became champions. Many people were probably hoping the best you would ever get from black women was McNeil, Garrison, and Rubin who would be happy being in the top 10 for a bit and winning the odd match vs one of those white greats and being relieved to do it.

[marypierce1909]

both girls would kill wozniacki on the court!!!!

[cobarnew]

I would really like to get a copy of the seles capriati 1991 US Open semi...can anyone help...i'm happy to pay :)

[jess4metoo]

Is is available? I would love to own a copy.

[jockfl25]

This was a great match but it was barely 2hrs long, they were definitly having a slug fest. But I can think of other matches that were more hard fought than that. I think the Hingis-Capriati match in Australia in 2002 was in 100 degree heat and was over 2hrs. Evert-Navratilova french open of 1985 was nearly 3hrs long.

[100BABOLAT]

@jockfl25 I think the fact they were going for winners so quickly and connecting made it brutal...to hit the ball that hard from both ends from both players for 2hrs is pretty remarkable...to top that they were 17 and 15 years old! Insane. Can you tell me a match in the modern era that ever showed this quality of tennis between 2 teenage female players...no way. Voted the best teenage slugfest by Tennis magazine.

[100BABOLAT]

@jockfl25 I think the fact they were going for winners so quickly and connecting made it brutal...to hit the ball that hard from both ends from both players for 2hrs is pretty remarkable...to top that they were 17 and 15 years old! Insane. Can you tell me a match in the modern era that ever showed this quality of tennis between 2 teenage female players...no way. Voted the best teenage slugfest by Tennis magazine.

[Vengeance509]

Honestly, there were a few cool, dramatic women's matches in the 80s, early 90s. The Evert/Navratilova French Open contests were stunning. But nothing compared to this brutal stuff.

Take a look at the stands. They were always full for women's matches back then. This is why. Bloodthirsty champions, instead of daffy head-cases.

NOTHING sucks worse than women's tennis now. The biggest joke in all sports. The Williams sisters ruined it, though some fools think they've been good for the game.

[davetennisx]

@Vengeance509 How did they ruin it?

[eajrone]

@Vengeance509 youre an idiot, daffy doesnt have shit on youre head-case. now thats brutal stuff. dont be a F#@K-up youre whole life.

[kljMN2]

@Vengeance509 : You're an idiot.

[kljMN2]

@Vengeance509 : How you can claim they ruined it is beyond me. I would really love to hear your idiotic reasoning as to why you would say such a thing.

[mathis3749]

@Vengeance509 they ruined it by winning??

[russianskatingfan]

@Vengeance509 Saying the Williams sisters ruined tennis or in fact werent great for it shows what an idiot you are. And I dont even like the Williams sisters but they have the most important players in the game since Graf and Seles.

[erichgoetze]

@Vengeance509 I agree with you that the williams sisters ruined tennis. But it was because they were so dominant for so long. But i don't agree with you saying womens tennis is shitty right now, only because the williams sisters are getting older and are on the way out of the sport. Plus, there is alot of talent in the womens game right now. Clijsters, sharapova, li na, wozniacki, zvonarava, so on and so on. It goes in cycles just like the mens game. The womens game is better now than it's been.

[GregHuismans]

@Vengeance509 As a student of the sport, I would love for you to explain exactly how the Williams's "ruined it." Obviously you haven't a good answer...unless you're suggesting that playing sustained devastating tennis is "ruining it." Please stop making pathetic comments you can't back up.

[kljMN2]

@Vengeance509 : I'd like to know, too, how the Williams sisters "ruined" women's tennis... do tell! Personally, I think you're full of crap.

[jese1975]

@Vengeance509 yeah how did the Williams sisters ruin the game....?

[kljMN2]

@Vengeance509 : Venus and Serena have saved women's tennis. You should be thanking them, loser.

[templedown]

i remember watching this one. capriati was 15 and seles 17 at the time of this match. unreal. jc twice was serving for the match but couldn't get it. same thing happened to her againist henin in 03. those two matches and the pete andre 01 us open quarter tie for 5th on my all time list :)

[jmfeeney1]

God I love this match. I recorded it off of ESPN Classic a few years ago during a rain delay. Every time the US Open starts I pull this out & watch it, just an awesome match. And to pflau1, I too purchased a shitload of old Seles matches years ago on eBay, but that seems to have dried up considerably, I don't know why?

[Kallytom]

slugfest, breathtaking!!

[Antidote002]

I have this on dvd and it is the best match ever. Monica was such a champion. I truly believe she could have been one of the greatest ever.

[pflau1]

@Antidote002 Where can I get the DVD of this match??

[Antidote002]

@pflau1 I had a copy off a seller on ebay a few years ago. There are many on the net selling dvd tennis matches too. Good luck.

[pflau1]

@Antidote002 Really? I had an automatic search for "seles capriati" on eBay for a few years and never found anything..

[juju1305]

One of the best matches played in the women's competition at the US open :)