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Did Connors and Agassi Alter The Tennis Universe?
71 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
Everyone in tennis is struck by how the younger #NEXTGEN players have struggled so mightily to make inroads into the ATP Elite pantheon – and marveled at how the older players continue to improve and maintain their dominant ways.
While players like Federer, Nadal, Karlovic, Muller, Seppi, Lopez, Simon, Wawrinka, Estrella Burgos, Robredo, Haas, Ramirez-Hidalgo, Youzhny, Djokovic, Isner, Berdych, Tsonga, Monfils, continue to enjoy success on the ATP Tour into their thirties, the youth brigade has been forced to suffer and scrap and fight for every single match win.
Tennis used to be a young man’s game but not anymore. The power elite of tennis are all over the age of 30. And the predicted youth rebellion continues to exercise their collective patience, waiting and striving and pushing and pressing to overthrow The Five Kings.
There has to be a reason for this strange change in the tennis universe. Could it be rooted in the examples of Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi? Specifically Connors’ historic run to the US Open semifinal at age 39 and Agassi’s consistent elite results all the way into his mid thirties.
Is it possible that these two aged pioneers forever altered the power structure of tennis and shifted the balance to older veteran players and from the young up and comers?
Recall the days when the top ten featured mostly younger players. The top five in May 2002 was 1 Hewitt (age 21), 2 Haas (24), 3 Agassi (32), 4 Kafelnikov (28), 5 Safin (22).
So could there be any other explanation for this shift? Could it be that the players love to play tennis more today? Could it be connected to more serious fitness regimens and nutritional programs? Or is it all just a big coincidence?
Agassi · Connors · Federer · Nadal
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« Previous 1 2catherine · June 15, 2017 at 9:31 am
Andrew – I didn’t say grass was worse than hard, if you meant me – grass is better than hard for several reasons.
A couple of the worst injuries I’ve come across in pro tennis were from people playing on synthetic courts which became sticky in the sun. Don’t think that happens now.
Your assessment of W’don would favour Simona if only she could remember to use half the shots in her locker.
Dan Markowitz · June 15, 2017 at 9:58 am
Chazz, How can you pick Murray to win Wimby when you know that both Jack Sock and Ryan Harry Harrison are in the Main Draw?
Chazz · June 15, 2017 at 10:17 am
Dan, I had Nishioka winning the whole damn thing until he got injured. 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · June 15, 2017 at 11:32 am
Wonder if Greg Sharko has the stat on injuries by surface? Have to guess hard first then clay then grass.
Scoop Malinowski · June 15, 2017 at 11:36 am
Unbelievable that the great Yoshihito Nishioka has become a butt of jokes. This guy is going to shock the world again. Chazz and Dan when Nishioka wins his first major you both are getting tattoos that say "Yoshihito Nishioka Grand Slam Champ" 🙂
Chazz · June 15, 2017 at 11:39 am
Scoop, you must have missed the previous posts where I said if Nishioka recovers from his injury he has a chance to eventually be in contention for a GS. I was just teasing Dan this time around. 🙂
Andrew Miller · June 15, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Haha yes, it would favor Halep. Her serve puts her at some disadvantage. Guess that would mean power plus touch plus GOOD JUDGMENT AND BRAVERY.
Andrew Miller · June 15, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Don’t think Nadal looks clever at all, and Federer looks like he messed up not playing clay. But it’s way too early. No one has struck a ball at the All England Club. Once that starts up we’ll see who’s the genius!
Andrew Miller · June 15, 2017 at 12:11 pm
I like Murray’s chances also. Maybe even Djokovic if he remembers how to play the sport during a tournament. Sorry for the insults to team Djoker.
catherine · June 15, 2017 at 1:31 pm
Andrew – women have won Wimbledon without great serves – Chris Evert eg. But yes – Simona would have to bring along serious dedication and aggression and not get distracted by thinking about her gracious loser’s speech half way through the match.
She could always work on her serve of course. Maybe she’s doing that now.
catherine · June 15, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Feel sorry for the organisers of Birmingham (UK) who have lost about half the draw – it’s really not fair for players to enter and pull out with all sorts of injuries etc so late in the day. I wouldn’t blame the LTA if the tournament disappeared from the calendar.
However – to revert to a conversation further up – it appears Angie K is braving the Midlands climate so all good luck to her. And Ostapenko too I think, but you never know.
Andrew Miller · June 15, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Catherine, if the semifinal round double counted as the championship round Simona would have a nice collection of trophies. I consider Halep like Novotna, all the talent abandoning her to rescue defeat from the jaws of victory. Another reason I thought her talent should win out over Ostapenko’s aggression, because Halep can do more with the ball and that should have meant something.
And for a while it did. Then it dawned on her: I can win this thing!
And that was it.
catherine · June 15, 2017 at 4:15 pm
Yes – there seem to be players around in each generation who are afraid to win, in the sense they are unable to grasp the fact that they are basically good enough. You’d think it would take just one big title to change things but it doesn’t seeem to work that way.
Simona was too nice in defeat. She should have taken it harder.
Woody · June 15, 2017 at 5:04 pm
Connors and Agassi are not the first, look at Rosewall, he was best player on the tour in 1971 at age of 37!
http://tennis-strangeforest.rhcloud.com/playerProfile?name=Ken Rosewall&tab=ranking
Also look at Pancho Gonzales, he was constant Top 10 player from at the dawn of Open Era at age of over 40!
http://tennis-strangeforest.rhcloud.com/playerProfile?name=Richard%20Pancho%20Gonzales&tab=ranking
Andrew Miller · June 15, 2017 at 5:40 pm
I’m sure she’s crushed. Only that where will that lead to? Will it mean she will do some of the hard work to shore up and simplify a few combinations? (Agassi did this – he had so many ways of hitting a ball that Gilbert had to emphasize a few simple ones that would work for the biggest matches). Or do some better scouting, which Cahill should do himself?
My sense of all this is…no way.
Bobby · June 15, 2017 at 10:11 pm
Hey Scoop,
Agassi and Connors had an influence. But I also think the reason is increased physical fitness and the fact everyone has physios and a fitness staff. I also think the new generation of tennis players lack a complete game. They can just bang ground strokes. But they can’t volley or slice. They don’t have the versatility or experience to use the right shots at the right time to get the big wins of the older generation players.
catherine · June 16, 2017 at 2:45 am
Andrew – yep, inside she’s probably gutted. However, of all tournament finals I’ve ever watched this seemed in some ways the weirdest at the end and in the aftermath. All that hugging ! And Cahill’s message, that her speech was the thing he was most proud of etc. A mistake, IMO.
As if any of that matters.
catherine · June 16, 2017 at 6:09 am
Henk – (or anyone else with knowledge)
If you see this can you clear up a confusion over the Mallorca tournament ? We were discussing the players who will be there, including Kerber, but I now see Angie is also down to play Birmingham the same week, ie next week.
Even Angelique can’t be in two places at once.
Or can she ?
Some tournaments I don’t believe the entries until the players actually step on the court 🙂
Henk · June 16, 2017 at 9:25 am
catherine, my misunderstanding. Even for her it would be hard to be both places… ‘Your’ (and mine a little bit 🙂 Angie will play Birmingham this year. She was at the inaugural Mallorca Open last year and despite the May annoucement that she would play Birmingham, some of the recent tweets regarding tournaments had me confused, so I assumed she’s be back but she will be back in Birmingham in stead. Assuming (from thelate entry last month)a better start fee.
catherine · June 16, 2017 at 9:51 am
Henk
Thanks for clearing that up – Birmingham has had its problems this year as I mentioned above so it’s good she’s here. Maybe she wasn’t sure about RG performance and entered B’ham as a fall back preparation on grass. I doubt Angie would be bothered much about $$$$ at this point. Luckily the forecast for next week is ok.
Now I’ve moved on to consider the mind boggling predicted audience of cricket fans for India v Pakistan in London Sunday – only around 90 million 🙂
Tennis can’t compete on the subcontinent I’m afraid.
Federer is a cricket fan BTW and is pals with retired legend Sachin Tendulkar. Fed supports S Africa, his mother’s homeland. He’s a universal sports icon !
catherine · June 16, 2017 at 6:26 pm
Yet another withdrawal from Birmingham – no sooner has she been announced as playing, she’s not playing – Ostapenko.
I hope these tournaments have huge insurance.