Which player did John McEnroe say he would jump off the Empire State Building if he lost to at Wimbledon?
Who was the first Croatian player to win a Grand Slam major title?
Which former doubles team was the first American/Russian duo to win a Grand Slam major title together in mixed doubles?
How many players have won a Grand Slam singles title while wearing a backwards baseball cap?
Which tennis legend did not show up at the Newport Tennis Hall of Fame for his own induction?
(First person to answer all questions correctly wins a copy of “Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew.”)
No tags
mat4 · June 3, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Chris Lewis, in 1983?
It could be Nikola Pilic in 1970, otherwise Goran Ivanisevic.
B. Bryan/V. Zvonareva?
2?
No idea.
mat4 · June 3, 2012 at 7:15 pm
I like very much French pragmatism. When they realised Stan was so tired he couldn’t barely move, they decided to continue the match.
Thomas Tung · June 3, 2012 at 8:39 pm
I was surprised that after they stopped Berdych and Del Potro, they still let Tsonga and Stan go at it for another 20 min. or so, when one could barely see the ball. I think mat4 is right, and they were cutting Tsonga some breaks so that he could get the quick game lead in the fifth, then go all Boris Becker (with a French twist) tomorrow and shell-shock Wawrinka during the next 2 games.
Thomas Tung · June 3, 2012 at 8:48 pm
The biggest priority for them was, at all reasonable costs, to prevent more “epic heroics” from Stan, as he took it to Jo-Willy last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw960X9ajz8&hd=1
mat4 · June 3, 2012 at 8:52 pm
Thomas,
I see we agree. Unfortunately, what I wrote is pure speculation. It is what we feel, but it’s clear we can’t prove it, just like I can’t prove that the draw at RG is fixed.
But, from another angle, there should be some rules, norms, criteria. You can’t be a slam without lights. You can’t found your decision to continue a match or not on a subjective judgement. You have to measure the visibility, and if it is under a certain level, to interrupt the match. You must have the same norms for everbody: you can’t interrupt a match on the Lenglen and continue a match on the Chartrier.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2012 at 1:09 pm
A plausible theory Thomas.
mat4 · June 4, 2012 at 1:21 pm
@Scoop:
How many good answers?
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2012 at 2:18 pm
Mat4, you are batting .200, you got one right, the first one )
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Gee, Zakopalova looks and plays just like ol Patty Schnyder. Same slightly bow legs, same face, hairstyle, form on forehand, backhand and serve however the retired Schnyder was a lefty, Zakopalova is righty. These two are the most spitting image players I think I’ve ever seen.
mat4 · June 4, 2012 at 4:32 pm
2. Iva Majoli? It’s tricky for me, because we have different gender for men/ladies.
The rest, I really don’t know. Zvereva was Belarus, not Russian, anyway it was USSR then.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2012 at 6:03 pm
Zvereva is half the team Mat4.
Mertov · June 4, 2012 at 7:58 pm
Hi guys,
Here is my shot at it:
Chris Lewis
Mirjana Lucic
Pugh/Zvereva
2
Bjorn Borg
Best..
Mertov · June 4, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Ooops.. Typo error..
Make that “2” a “1” on the fourth line.. Meaning only 1 player won it wearing a cap backwards..
mat4 · June 4, 2012 at 10:22 pm
Scoop,
She played then with Jim Pugh. Checked in Wikipedia, a bit ashamed. Remembered her playing with Fernandez in double.
But, SHE’S NOT RUSSIAN! It is probably a tradition preserved in the States, because it was Russia before the revolution of 1917.
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2012 at 12:10 am
Mertov you are just about there, four out of five ain’t bad, as Meatloaf almost sang. Lucic made SF of Wimbledon. Or wait a minute, did she sneak a mixed doubles slam? Welcome to the site Mertov, where are you based?
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2012 at 12:11 am
Jim Pugh is right Mat4, I got that from the Hard Courts book by Feinstein, and he described it as the first Russian American duo to win a slam.
Mertov · June 5, 2012 at 5:53 am
Thanks I enjoy your site.
Lucic won women’s doubles with Hingis at the Australian Open.
Based a little bit all over the place. In France since 2010, soon-to-be in Pennsylvania. Moving around, here and there 🙂
Best
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2012 at 12:40 pm
Wow, I totally forgot Lucic won a major, but that had to be after 97 when Majoli won the French. Will doublecheck. Where abouts in PA Mertov, Tennis-prose.com is based in NYC/northNJ area which is not far from PA.
Mertov · June 6, 2012 at 6:00 am
Hi Scoop,
Yes, you are right, it was in the beginning of 1998, Majoli was first.
I will be on the “other side of PA, in Pittsburgh.
Best