Reading through bleacher report I came across this piece.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1254491-12-reasons-were-in-the-golden-era-of-tennis-with-roger-federer-and-rafael-nadal
I don't agree that this is the golden era. Why this has to be golden era?
12 reasons why this is not a golden era:
1. There is hardly any variety in the game apart from Fed (Fed has been part of the other era as well)
2. The players have been under the cloud of doping.
3. Most of the courts play same so there is hardly any variety from spectators viepoint as well.
4. Hardly any youngsters coming through. The last youngster to arrive on the scene was Delpo and none after him. Murray was one before and still has not yet won a slam.
5. Above 30s are still ruling in the golden era, Haas, Ferret, Youzhny still make qfs and semis.
6. The era lacks the depth, apart from top 4, there is hardly any one who has the capability of winning a masters leave a slam.
I have given my reaosns, feel free to add yours.
This is not a golden era
posted on 16/7/12
TMF, attacking player should win more often than not, but it's a rally tough game to play, players find it much harder to move forwards/backwards than laterally.
posted on 16/7/12
Interestingly re slow speed deterring serve volleying, Edberg, the consumate serve volleyer would serve slowly so that he had more time to get to the net.
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Even more interestingly, the only Grand Slam the consumate serve volleyer Edberg did not win was at the French Open on the slowest surface. Other S&V masters like Sampras and Becker won ever slam apart from the French as well. Surely that should suggest that slower court do not suit S&V play.
No idea what is so different about JC Ferrero, pardon my ignorance.
posted on 16/7/12
JT, exactly and Chang, Muster, Burguera, Moya, Courier rarely did well on grass.
posted on 16/7/12
Just (I don't put JT cos of John Terry), Clay is really tiring to run on, I would say that is more of a deterrent, if the surface was a hard court i.e. easy to move on, but as slow as clay I reckon serve volleyers would flourish on it.
Re Ferrero, he is only active GS winner to have won his maiden slam over the age of 21.
One small stat that can weigh heavily against Murray.
posted on 16/7/12
I don't know about you, but I can't wait for American hard-court season to start
posted on 16/7/12
whiwh is funny, because during Miami, I couldn't wait for clay
posted on 16/7/12
Just (I don't put JT cos of John Terry), Clay is really tiring to run on, I would say that is more of a deterrent, if the surface was a hard court i.e. easy to move on, but as slow as clay I reckon serve volleyers would flourish on it.
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If that's the case, surely Mardy Fish would be world number 1 or 2 by now.
posted on 16/7/12
Mary Fish first needs to learn to swim on grass.
posted on 16/7/12
Lucky we don't have that type of surface!
posted on 16/7/12
Whilst courts were slowing down in 2003 (befire anyone points that out), it was nowhere near as slow as now.
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The real slow down was Wimby 2002. Check who got to the 1/4F that year. Hilarious.
They learnt their lesson that year and provided faster in 2003....but then gradually dropped the speed again.
And we can see why they would cause when teh grass is green and the ball skids, a player like Nadal is very vulnerable. He says himself (2 years ago) that the first week at Wimby was teh toughest. As soon as the grass dries up, it becomes worse than clay cause the balls are (certainly were) slower than teh Babolat 11 or Dunlop 10 and before.