In preparation for this week's Miami Master Series, the likes of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are playing at full steam once again to pave the route for what may be another tense year of rivalries and breath taking confrontations between the three major dominant players in the tour. This brings me to today's entry: How close are other players of being as dominant as the likes of Sampras, Laver, Gonzales and of course Federer and Nadal themselves?
At this point we have talked about the different accomplishments and feats all these legends have achieved through the course of their career, and how unique each of these records are, distinct and different from each other, increasing the degree of unfairness of picking one tennis legend over another. Bjorn Borg is a no-brainer example of this, as the swede retired from tennis at the young age of 25 years old, having conquered eleven grand slam titles: five straight Wimbledon titles and six Roland Garros crowns. The real fascinating statement of Borg's greatness comes when you compare what he did against the other tennis players I have nominated in my GOTA blogs.
Let's see how many slams did other tennis players had at age 25:
Roger Federer had seven
Pete Sampras had eight
Rod Laver had six
Pancho Gonzales had three
John McEnroe had seven
Ivan Lendl had two
Roy Emerson had four
Only Rafa Nadal comes close with ten titles before the quarter of a century.
Keep in mind Borg had won 11 slams without competing in Australia, so while all the others had played around 28-35 Grand Slam events before the age of 25, Borg had only played in 20.
Another example I like to bring to the GOTA discussion is one of my favorite players, John McEnroe. The guy looked like anything like a tennis player. He didn't even have nice, elegant strokes. He didn't even train regularly like his peers. Instead, he relied on playing doubles to train his singles performance. Well, let's not say "relied on playing doubles"; let's go with becoming the greatest doubles tennis player of all time. No other tennis player has come close to matching John's 77 titles in singles, plus another 70 in doubles.
John also helped the US to win five Davis Cup trophies, and he amassed one of the greatest tennis seasons of all time with a whooping 82-3 record. Ironically, like his nemesis Borg, John also went a little away from tennis too early at 26 and started to lose his winning way at a young age. In my mind, if there is a guy who dominated the tennis scene as a whole (Singles AND Doubles), the pick is a no-brainier obvious choice and it's John McEnroe.
So let's kind of create a summary of what we have so far and see if we can come up with a reasonable answer in the next entries. My candidates include:
lunes, 26 de marzo de 2012
domingo, 11 de marzo de 2012
The greatest tennis player of all time - Part IV
Remember the guy in the black and white picture at the end of my part II blog? It's his turn now to be addressed as one of the candidates for the title of GOTA.
Pancho Gonzales is a name that is rarely mentioned nowadays within the same level of the likes of Federer, Sampras, Borg or Laver when the discussion of tennis legends open up. To know the name means that you are more than a tennis fan; it means that you are truly passionate about our sport and that you admire and pursue greatness, and you honor the fact that historic figures deserve a place right where current trends currently sit.
I first heard the name of Pancho Gonzales when I was six years old, back when I was picking up a tennis racket for the first time and my dad -who was a remarkable tennis player- felt it was his dream come true. As he started to teach me the first lessons, he made me watch this movie called "Players", who starred some guy I don't remember, along with Ali McGraw and, precisely Pancho Gonzales. The actor guy is a young ambitious tennis player who is looking for a professional coach to take his tennis to the next level. He finds that man in Pancho, who despite initial reluctance, eventually picks the kid up. There are also some cameos of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Illie Nastase, John Lloyd and Guillermo Vilas. All through the movie Pancho looks like an outcast, a loner, a guy who just wants to be alone in his own world. Apparently, this was no act: this was the way he was in his real life.
After winning two US Opens in the late 40s, young Pancho Gonzales turned pro in 1949 at the age of 21, meeting high standard rivals like Jack Kramer, Frank Palmer and Don Budge, who beat him regularly up to the point of demoralizing him and turning him into an un happy person that started to grow great desire of becoming the best player of all time, at any cost required. Nobody knows for sure what happened or what triggered the reaction that was to come, but by the end of 1952/start of 1953 Gonzales had begun to establish his dominance, beating Sedgeman, Tony Trabert, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Pancho Segura and basically anyone and anybody that would stand in his way. Gonzales' serve and volley game impossible to defeat, to the point that the professional tennis cirquit had to modify the rules of actually coming to the net after the ball had been served, requiring for it to bounce first before being hit, yet still Gonzales' found ways to win.
There are only a few surving sources about Pancho's career, however the majority of them agree that had there been an official ATP Ranking as there is today, he would have been ranked #1 player of the world from either 1952 or 1953, until 1960. Some quotes from tennis players and editors include:
Pancho kept playing competitive tennis until the early 1970s. His results were mixed during the 60s, and while he was still a threat to most top players, he wasn't as dominating as before against new comers like Rod Laver, Arthur Ashe and Roy Emerson, who were able to beat him more often than him beating them. But hey! All of them were 10 years younger! That's quite remarkable...
Since his retirement, Gonzales kind of faded out once again into loniness and made rare appearances on TV and special events. He married Agassi's sister Rita in the 90s and he passed away in 1995, shortly after hailing Sampras as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. His legacy still lives and hopefully one day there will be a proper homenage to the man who could be trusted on playing on behalf of the survival of all Earth habitants.
Pancho Gonzales is a name that is rarely mentioned nowadays within the same level of the likes of Federer, Sampras, Borg or Laver when the discussion of tennis legends open up. To know the name means that you are more than a tennis fan; it means that you are truly passionate about our sport and that you admire and pursue greatness, and you honor the fact that historic figures deserve a place right where current trends currently sit.
I first heard the name of Pancho Gonzales when I was six years old, back when I was picking up a tennis racket for the first time and my dad -who was a remarkable tennis player- felt it was his dream come true. As he started to teach me the first lessons, he made me watch this movie called "Players", who starred some guy I don't remember, along with Ali McGraw and, precisely Pancho Gonzales. The actor guy is a young ambitious tennis player who is looking for a professional coach to take his tennis to the next level. He finds that man in Pancho, who despite initial reluctance, eventually picks the kid up. There are also some cameos of John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Illie Nastase, John Lloyd and Guillermo Vilas. All through the movie Pancho looks like an outcast, a loner, a guy who just wants to be alone in his own world. Apparently, this was no act: this was the way he was in his real life.
After winning two US Opens in the late 40s, young Pancho Gonzales turned pro in 1949 at the age of 21, meeting high standard rivals like Jack Kramer, Frank Palmer and Don Budge, who beat him regularly up to the point of demoralizing him and turning him into an un happy person that started to grow great desire of becoming the best player of all time, at any cost required. Nobody knows for sure what happened or what triggered the reaction that was to come, but by the end of 1952/start of 1953 Gonzales had begun to establish his dominance, beating Sedgeman, Tony Trabert, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Pancho Segura and basically anyone and anybody that would stand in his way. Gonzales' serve and volley game impossible to defeat, to the point that the professional tennis cirquit had to modify the rules of actually coming to the net after the ball had been served, requiring for it to bounce first before being hit, yet still Gonzales' found ways to win.
There are only a few surving sources about Pancho's career, however the majority of them agree that had there been an official ATP Ranking as there is today, he would have been ranked #1 player of the world from either 1952 or 1953, until 1960. Some quotes from tennis players and editors include:
- Bud Collins: "If I had to choose someone to play for my life, it would be Pancho Gonzales". He said this in 2006, having seen Laver, Borg, Sampras, Federer and other greats.
- Jack Kramer: "Gonzales was better than either Laver or Sampras"
- Andre Agassi: "I wouldn't have enjoyed playing against him"
- Gene Scott: "The most formidable serve in the history of the game
- Howard Cossell: "Pancho has a special place in my heart. He is the most competitive athlete I have known"
Pancho kept playing competitive tennis until the early 1970s. His results were mixed during the 60s, and while he was still a threat to most top players, he wasn't as dominating as before against new comers like Rod Laver, Arthur Ashe and Roy Emerson, who were able to beat him more often than him beating them. But hey! All of them were 10 years younger! That's quite remarkable...
Since his retirement, Gonzales kind of faded out once again into loniness and made rare appearances on TV and special events. He married Agassi's sister Rita in the 90s and he passed away in 1995, shortly after hailing Sampras as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. His legacy still lives and hopefully one day there will be a proper homenage to the man who could be trusted on playing on behalf of the survival of all Earth habitants.
jueves, 8 de marzo de 2012
Is Messi the greatest ever after scoring 5 goals?
It's hard to write a summary about what happened this week in the European Championship leagues without overlooking the out of this world achievement of Lionel Messi's raw power display last night.
By this time you are probably aware that the 24 year old Barcelona forward became the only player in scoring 5 goals in a single UCL match since it's new format implemented in the early 90s, and even if we go back 100 years, there aren't many players who achieved the same fact. The real fuzz is the online debate of Messi being the greatest of all time, against the likes of Pele, Maradona, Di Stefano, Cruyff and others. So I'm going to give my position on the whole matter and throw my two cents in.
When I was watching last night's game, the one thing that amazed me was Lionel's hunger for playing football. You have to keep in mind that he missed Barcelona's last match, and yesterday against Leverkusen, he appeared to play as if he hadn't played the game he loves so much in a month. Messi reminds me of that kid in the playground, the one who always asks for the ball "me-me-me-me-me-me!" .... "I'm open-open-open-open".... "me-me-me-me-me!"... and once he gets it, the goal keeper better start saying some prayers, because he knows what to do and he does it without any doubt or hesitation. He has an inner force that drives him to both keep playing the game (the entire 90 minutes) and to enjoy it to the maximum of its extent. That's where I think he excels, and it is in that department where I think he's the greatest better. I haven't seen a player who has had so much desire to play the game from minute 1 to minute 90, never giving up on a ball, always wanting to score, and just having so much fun as if it was a video game.
I have watched a lot of good players, live during their eras: I started watching football around 1984, so I watched Platini, Maradona, Socrates, Van Basten, Romario, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, all of them great players. But at one point or another during the matches they player, they kind of "slowed down" their pace in the field. It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong, they were just easing up and taking things a little more lightly. Messi doesn't. To Messi, scoring means everything... and it's not like he wants to humilliate the rival because I hardly think that is the case. To him, it's just a game; plain and simple... a game. It's the exact same way those hardcore video gamers feel, with the thrill of always, ALWAYS wanting more.
I have to be honest while writing this blog. My preferred player and the one player I think is the greatest of all time is Ronaldinho Gaucho. While not as hungry and desperate to score as if there was no tomorrow as Messi, Ronaldinho brought color and joy to the game of football. I just haven't seen anyone who would wreck defenders as easily as Ronaldinho did. It's a bit sad he lost interest in the game after winning the Champions, because had he kept the insane rhythm that got him to the level where he was, there wouldn't have been any stop to Barcelona's success ever since that tournament up till today.
The other two aspects about Messi being the best ever or not, is the difference he makes in a team. It is undeniable that Barcelona is a machine right now, who could even take national squads apart with ease. That's the luxury of having Iniesta, Xavi and Fabregas playing behind you, and Pedro and Tello by your side. That's why I think both Maradona and Ronaldinho have a bit more merit than Messi: it's not like they were the only stars in a poor team, but they were the driving force playing in teams that had pretty much decent players... maybe above than average, but that's it.
Finally the most objective factor about this discussion that everyone keeps ignoring: the position of the player. Messi is a forward who happens to be a striker. A player like Zidane, was a midfielder. It would have been very unlikely to witness Zidane score 5 goals in any matches, because that wasn't his primary role. In France he had Henry and Trezeguet in front of him, and in Madrid he had Raul, Morientes and Ronaldo to feed balls. Ronaldinho, was kind of an offensive midfielder, close to being a forward. But Ronaldinho's main task was to feed Samuel Eto'o of as many balls as he could in whichever way possible (and so he did), just like he had to feed Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Adriano in the Brazilian squad. The same applies to Maradona in Napoli and in Argentina. They were all different players, playing in different positions.
Of course, the main point is Messi's natural and incredible talent to score from any position at anytime, and the cold blood that he has to score without any question on where and how to shoot the ball. The other element, is Messi's ability to visualize himself in the field and get unmarked so that Barca's midfielders can send him such elegant and perfect passes. All of this combined with his love for the game, results in him scoring 5 goals in an UCL match.
It's very easy to speculate and to day dream, but players like the ones I mentioned, Zizuo, Michel, Diego, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo... I'm quite sure all of them had the same ability to define and score 5 goals the way Messi did yesterday. Don't get me wrong: I'm neither downgrading Messi or upgrading the named players. Maradona scored the best goal in the history of football. Zidane, scored the best goal of the Champions League; Ronaldinho received a standing ovation after scoring two amazing goals (practically by himself) at the stadium of the arch-rival team of Barcelona, Real Madrid. They also excelled playing for their national squads and they all won world cups and continental cups, none of which Messi has yet; but it's too early to judge, because he has at least eight more years of good play in the game. The big factor here, like I said in the beginning... is Messi's passion. That's where he stands alone.
To summarize all the blog in a sentence, Messi is the energizer bunny: he keeps going, and going, and going... and going.... and going...and the only thing that stops him from goind is when the final whistle is blown, otherwise he would STILL keep going...
 |
| This... times five = WOW! |
By this time you are probably aware that the 24 year old Barcelona forward became the only player in scoring 5 goals in a single UCL match since it's new format implemented in the early 90s, and even if we go back 100 years, there aren't many players who achieved the same fact. The real fuzz is the online debate of Messi being the greatest of all time, against the likes of Pele, Maradona, Di Stefano, Cruyff and others. So I'm going to give my position on the whole matter and throw my two cents in.
 |
| Some of the greatest of all time |
When I was watching last night's game, the one thing that amazed me was Lionel's hunger for playing football. You have to keep in mind that he missed Barcelona's last match, and yesterday against Leverkusen, he appeared to play as if he hadn't played the game he loves so much in a month. Messi reminds me of that kid in the playground, the one who always asks for the ball "me-me-me-me-me-me!" .... "I'm open-open-open-open".... "me-me-me-me-me!"... and once he gets it, the goal keeper better start saying some prayers, because he knows what to do and he does it without any doubt or hesitation. He has an inner force that drives him to both keep playing the game (the entire 90 minutes) and to enjoy it to the maximum of its extent. That's where I think he excels, and it is in that department where I think he's the greatest better. I haven't seen a player who has had so much desire to play the game from minute 1 to minute 90, never giving up on a ball, always wanting to score, and just having so much fun as if it was a video game.
I have watched a lot of good players, live during their eras: I started watching football around 1984, so I watched Platini, Maradona, Socrates, Van Basten, Romario, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, all of them great players. But at one point or another during the matches they player, they kind of "slowed down" their pace in the field. It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong, they were just easing up and taking things a little more lightly. Messi doesn't. To Messi, scoring means everything... and it's not like he wants to humilliate the rival because I hardly think that is the case. To him, it's just a game; plain and simple... a game. It's the exact same way those hardcore video gamers feel, with the thrill of always, ALWAYS wanting more.
 |
| This kind of passion, is what Messi feels in the pitch |
I have to be honest while writing this blog. My preferred player and the one player I think is the greatest of all time is Ronaldinho Gaucho. While not as hungry and desperate to score as if there was no tomorrow as Messi, Ronaldinho brought color and joy to the game of football. I just haven't seen anyone who would wreck defenders as easily as Ronaldinho did. It's a bit sad he lost interest in the game after winning the Champions, because had he kept the insane rhythm that got him to the level where he was, there wouldn't have been any stop to Barcelona's success ever since that tournament up till today.
The other two aspects about Messi being the best ever or not, is the difference he makes in a team. It is undeniable that Barcelona is a machine right now, who could even take national squads apart with ease. That's the luxury of having Iniesta, Xavi and Fabregas playing behind you, and Pedro and Tello by your side. That's why I think both Maradona and Ronaldinho have a bit more merit than Messi: it's not like they were the only stars in a poor team, but they were the driving force playing in teams that had pretty much decent players... maybe above than average, but that's it.
 |
| A new edition of this picture is coming this year |
Finally the most objective factor about this discussion that everyone keeps ignoring: the position of the player. Messi is a forward who happens to be a striker. A player like Zidane, was a midfielder. It would have been very unlikely to witness Zidane score 5 goals in any matches, because that wasn't his primary role. In France he had Henry and Trezeguet in front of him, and in Madrid he had Raul, Morientes and Ronaldo to feed balls. Ronaldinho, was kind of an offensive midfielder, close to being a forward. But Ronaldinho's main task was to feed Samuel Eto'o of as many balls as he could in whichever way possible (and so he did), just like he had to feed Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Adriano in the Brazilian squad. The same applies to Maradona in Napoli and in Argentina. They were all different players, playing in different positions.
Of course, the main point is Messi's natural and incredible talent to score from any position at anytime, and the cold blood that he has to score without any question on where and how to shoot the ball. The other element, is Messi's ability to visualize himself in the field and get unmarked so that Barca's midfielders can send him such elegant and perfect passes. All of this combined with his love for the game, results in him scoring 5 goals in an UCL match.
 |
| When I saw this goal live, I thought I had also seen a spaceship land in my backyard. |
It's very easy to speculate and to day dream, but players like the ones I mentioned, Zizuo, Michel, Diego, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo... I'm quite sure all of them had the same ability to define and score 5 goals the way Messi did yesterday. Don't get me wrong: I'm neither downgrading Messi or upgrading the named players. Maradona scored the best goal in the history of football. Zidane, scored the best goal of the Champions League; Ronaldinho received a standing ovation after scoring two amazing goals (practically by himself) at the stadium of the arch-rival team of Barcelona, Real Madrid. They also excelled playing for their national squads and they all won world cups and continental cups, none of which Messi has yet; but it's too early to judge, because he has at least eight more years of good play in the game. The big factor here, like I said in the beginning... is Messi's passion. That's where he stands alone.
 |
| Energizer should get rid of the bunny and use Messi instead |
To summarize all the blog in a sentence, Messi is the energizer bunny: he keeps going, and going, and going... and going.... and going...and the only thing that stops him from goind is when the final whistle is blown, otherwise he would STILL keep going...
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