The Best Tennis Game (by Ivan Lendl)

4 different winners in a row from the best baseliner of all time...

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Best
• Tennis
• Game
• Ivan
• Lendl

[Pitonto]

It's incredible what he could do with a little raquet of a 20 years ago technology

[xfimpg]

I remember from this same match Lendl being on the north side, hitting a serve, wilander returned a bloater to his forehand, and Lendl whacked it as hard as he could cross-court. I have yet to have seen since then a ball hit that hard from the baseline, it was like a rocket.

[SourceNeon]

My left ear enjoyed this.

[DexterHaven49]

Agassi had a killer backhand winner down the line too. As he said, "That shot paid a lot of bills."

[krakenwave]

Interestingly., Mats Wilander was one of the few players on the tour who Lendl was friends with (along with their great rival Stefan Edberg, who Lendl totally respected and admired). Another was Henri Leconte who had a totally different style from him but still they used to play doubles together.

[circuitdesign]

Interesting in that he used an Eastern grip and was considered one of the hardest hitters of his day. Today, almost all the pros use a semi-western and they hit much harder and generate a lot more topspin. Of course, the racquets have a lot to do with it, but it is also the technique and the open stance that they use today. Lendl closed his stance. Also, note that he drops his racquet head on his backswing while today the head is raised on the backswing. Different eras...

[gojipoj]

I currently use my Sampras pro staff 85, it's one of the best rackests I've ever had and used, I used to play with the lendl adidas GTX Pro T, that was my favourite racket till i broke one and sold the other. I also have a babpolat and it doesn't really feel as nice to play as the wilson pro staff. It's a shame that the pro staff is heavier than the babolat but i rather get tired and play with the babolat pure drive.

[Oreoclan]

@TennisAnnalyst

The only benefits in materials since graphite are only whatever Babolat has done to its rackets in order to provide a more solid feel. Before, they felt like hollow pieces of shit. Otherwise, nothing has proven better than graphite or Wilson's graphite/kevlar braid.

Also, the big hitters nowadays use heavy rackets. Some players like Nadal and Federer use freakishly light rackets. Sampras used a heavy racket. Murray used a crazy heavy one until it broke his wrist, and so on...

[Oreoclan]

@Pitonto Okay... Not a normal game for Federer... But not a normal game for Lendl either. Federer actually pulls off better. The 2007 Australian Open Semifinal against Roddick had a game where Federer played an amazing return game. And that's not the only one. There was another one in 2002 Basel against Roddick as well. BOTH return games, where you start off on defense, and he still rained down winners on Roddick.

And if Borg could play how he did with a wood racket, Federer can play with wood!

[Oreoclan]

@TennisAnnalyst Actually, all Basalt does is cheapen the production and materials cost and act as a dampener throughout the racket. The feel and performance from the ProStaff 85 is unmatched by any modern Wilson racket. I say Wilson racket because if you wanted power instead of control and feel, you head your ass over to Babolat and Prince to get some sick rocket launchers.

[jonathanMMS]

the best baseliner of all time??? I don't think so... The greatness of Federer is unquestionable...

[Pitonto]

I would not be so radical, but ok, now you are nearer to the truth. Congratulations.