Another day...
Here we go....another boring day at work...
Anyway, here's a look at the Top 10 All Time Great Tennis Players...
HOW THEY RATE
------------------------------
1 PETE SAMPRAS
THE serve-and-volley genius holds two astounding records - winning Wimbledon seven times and finishing as World No1 six years in a row.
MODERN LEGEND ... American ace
Pete Sampras tops our all-time list
Sampras' methodical mastery stemmed from his blend of touch and power, artistry and athleticism.
And on the fast grass of SW19 the big-serving American even achieved that true accolade of greatness - making his sport seem boring, such was his efficiency.
Sampras spent more weeks at No1 (286) and won more Grand Slam titles (14) than anyone else claiming at least one Slam every year from 1993 to 2000.
------------------------------
2 BJORN BORG
The best tribute to the Swede is surely the fact he won Wimbledon five times in a row despite being mainly known for his baseline brilliance.
ICE-BORG ... Borg kept cool as he
dominated Wimbledon, 1976-1980
Ice-cool Borg captured 11 Grand Slams, including a record six French Opens, on his way to 62 titles.
His heavy-topspin groundshots, including the famous two-handed backhand, outgunned or wore down all types of opponent.
And, as his Wimbledon odyssey went on, he developed enough of an all-court game to reign until John McEnroe beat him in an epic 1981 final.
------------------------------
3 PANCHO GONZALES
RARELY has a sport been dominated so long and so utterly as by Gonzales from 1951 to1962.
To many - especially those tired of the Sampras-led 'wham-bam' era - he is the classiest player of all time.
But strong-serving Gonzales, who had an immaculate all-round game and powerful return, is not contending our No1 spot because he turned pro in 1949.
That made the American ineligible to play in the Slam tournaments - as "Open tennis" only came in 19 years later - and difficult to evaluate in terms of career titles.
But he easily beat every Wimbledon champ during his golden decade and might have won perhaps 20 Grand Slams had he stayed amateur.
------------------------------
4 ROD LAVER
THE only player to win two clean sweeps of the Grand Slams - in 1966 and '69 - Laver had a superb record worthy of his complete game.
The Australian left-hander claimed 11 Slams, including Wimbledon four times.
And his career total of 47 titles, plus 21 finishes as runners-up, produced one of the most dominant eras tennis has ever seen.
Laver also introduced the type of fierce top-spin shots that later became the trademarks of 1980s legends Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas.
------------------------------
5 ROGER FEDERER
Still only 23, the Swiss hero has the type of awesome record and sublime all-round game that could eventually make him the greatest player ever.
ALL-ROUND MASTER ... the current world No1 Federer
An amazing 2004 saw him become the first man since Matts Wilander in 1988 to win three Grand Slams in a season.
And his overall statistics for the year, including 11 titles, were last matched by Ivan Lendl in 1986.
Federer's guile and beautiful passing shots make him equally comfortable on grass or clay, against big-hitters or baseline specialists.
------------------------------
6 JOHN McENROE
POSSIBLY the most exciting player in tennis history, McEnroe mastered Wimbledon with touch and technique, rather than biff and bang.
EPIC WIN ... McEnroe ended Borg's
five-year Wimbledon reign in 1981
His graceful shots and graceless rows with umpires were unmissable entertainment.
Left-hander McEnroe spent four years at No1, winning 77 titles.
And his clever serves - sliced with angle and bounce - were a sublime set-up for perhaps the deftest volleys tennis has ever seen.
------------------------------
7 BILL TILDEN
ONE of the greatest sportsmen of the 1920s, Tilden had a spell of such domination that it is reckoned he went seven years without losing a single important match.
The American was a triple Wimbledon winner and seven times the US Open champion, yet he only achieved greatness at the age of 27.
Tilden even remained as the world's best player after having the top of his middle finger on his racquet hand amputated due to infection.
He was a master entertainer and superb strategist - with the ability to produce all sorts of angles and change styles suddenly, while often saving his thunderous serve for big points.
------------------------------
8 IVAN LENDL
THE Czech-born star brought in the modern era of power tennis - with a robotic attitude and killer forehand that earned him 94 titles, four years at No1 and 13 years in the top 10.
Lendl won eight of his 19 Grand Slam finals, but lost both times he got that far at Wimbledon.
His meticulous training and preparation enabled him to become one of the most consistent players ever.
But, as hard as he tried to adjust, he never added the serve-and-volley game that would have made the naturalised American a contender for a top-five spot in our list.
------------------------------
9 DON BUDGE
IN 1938 the American became the only player to win all four Grand Slams in the same year - until Rod Laver.
Budge had arguably the most stylish backhand in tennis history, as well as a blistering serve.
His domination of the amateur game peaked when he won Wimbledon in 1938 without losing a set.
And Budge was equally successful after turning professional the next year, regularly beating the two top pros - Ellsworth Vines and Fred Perry.
------------------------------
10 KEN ROSEWALL
The Australian legend was the best player of the early 1960s - when Rod Laver was still an emerging talent and Pancho Gonzales was in semi-retirement.
Rosewall had a backhand, notably a sliced shot, that was rated aside Don Budge's as the greatest of all time.
He won six Grand Slams, with his agility, stamina and lethal volleying.
But his modest serve was one reason he never quite turned four appearances in a Wimbledon final into a victory.
Anyway, here's a look at the Top 10 All Time Great Tennis Players...
HOW THEY RATE
------------------------------
1 PETE SAMPRAS
THE serve-and-volley genius holds two astounding records - winning Wimbledon seven times and finishing as World No1 six years in a row.
MODERN LEGEND ... American ace
Pete Sampras tops our all-time list
Sampras' methodical mastery stemmed from his blend of touch and power, artistry and athleticism.
And on the fast grass of SW19 the big-serving American even achieved that true accolade of greatness - making his sport seem boring, such was his efficiency.
Sampras spent more weeks at No1 (286) and won more Grand Slam titles (14) than anyone else claiming at least one Slam every year from 1993 to 2000.
------------------------------
2 BJORN BORG
The best tribute to the Swede is surely the fact he won Wimbledon five times in a row despite being mainly known for his baseline brilliance.
ICE-BORG ... Borg kept cool as he
dominated Wimbledon, 1976-1980
Ice-cool Borg captured 11 Grand Slams, including a record six French Opens, on his way to 62 titles.
His heavy-topspin groundshots, including the famous two-handed backhand, outgunned or wore down all types of opponent.
And, as his Wimbledon odyssey went on, he developed enough of an all-court game to reign until John McEnroe beat him in an epic 1981 final.
------------------------------
3 PANCHO GONZALES
RARELY has a sport been dominated so long and so utterly as by Gonzales from 1951 to1962.
To many - especially those tired of the Sampras-led 'wham-bam' era - he is the classiest player of all time.
But strong-serving Gonzales, who had an immaculate all-round game and powerful return, is not contending our No1 spot because he turned pro in 1949.
That made the American ineligible to play in the Slam tournaments - as "Open tennis" only came in 19 years later - and difficult to evaluate in terms of career titles.
But he easily beat every Wimbledon champ during his golden decade and might have won perhaps 20 Grand Slams had he stayed amateur.
------------------------------
4 ROD LAVER
THE only player to win two clean sweeps of the Grand Slams - in 1966 and '69 - Laver had a superb record worthy of his complete game.
The Australian left-hander claimed 11 Slams, including Wimbledon four times.
And his career total of 47 titles, plus 21 finishes as runners-up, produced one of the most dominant eras tennis has ever seen.
Laver also introduced the type of fierce top-spin shots that later became the trademarks of 1980s legends Bjorn Borg and Guillermo Vilas.
------------------------------
5 ROGER FEDERER
Still only 23, the Swiss hero has the type of awesome record and sublime all-round game that could eventually make him the greatest player ever.
ALL-ROUND MASTER ... the current world No1 Federer
An amazing 2004 saw him become the first man since Matts Wilander in 1988 to win three Grand Slams in a season.
And his overall statistics for the year, including 11 titles, were last matched by Ivan Lendl in 1986.
Federer's guile and beautiful passing shots make him equally comfortable on grass or clay, against big-hitters or baseline specialists.
------------------------------
6 JOHN McENROE
POSSIBLY the most exciting player in tennis history, McEnroe mastered Wimbledon with touch and technique, rather than biff and bang.
EPIC WIN ... McEnroe ended Borg's
five-year Wimbledon reign in 1981
His graceful shots and graceless rows with umpires were unmissable entertainment.
Left-hander McEnroe spent four years at No1, winning 77 titles.
And his clever serves - sliced with angle and bounce - were a sublime set-up for perhaps the deftest volleys tennis has ever seen.
------------------------------
7 BILL TILDEN
ONE of the greatest sportsmen of the 1920s, Tilden had a spell of such domination that it is reckoned he went seven years without losing a single important match.
The American was a triple Wimbledon winner and seven times the US Open champion, yet he only achieved greatness at the age of 27.
Tilden even remained as the world's best player after having the top of his middle finger on his racquet hand amputated due to infection.
He was a master entertainer and superb strategist - with the ability to produce all sorts of angles and change styles suddenly, while often saving his thunderous serve for big points.
------------------------------
8 IVAN LENDL
THE Czech-born star brought in the modern era of power tennis - with a robotic attitude and killer forehand that earned him 94 titles, four years at No1 and 13 years in the top 10.
Lendl won eight of his 19 Grand Slam finals, but lost both times he got that far at Wimbledon.
His meticulous training and preparation enabled him to become one of the most consistent players ever.
But, as hard as he tried to adjust, he never added the serve-and-volley game that would have made the naturalised American a contender for a top-five spot in our list.
------------------------------
9 DON BUDGE
IN 1938 the American became the only player to win all four Grand Slams in the same year - until Rod Laver.
Budge had arguably the most stylish backhand in tennis history, as well as a blistering serve.
His domination of the amateur game peaked when he won Wimbledon in 1938 without losing a set.
And Budge was equally successful after turning professional the next year, regularly beating the two top pros - Ellsworth Vines and Fred Perry.
------------------------------
10 KEN ROSEWALL
The Australian legend was the best player of the early 1960s - when Rod Laver was still an emerging talent and Pancho Gonzales was in semi-retirement.
Rosewall had a backhand, notably a sliced shot, that was rated aside Don Budge's as the greatest of all time.
He won six Grand Slams, with his agility, stamina and lethal volleying.
But his modest serve was one reason he never quite turned four appearances in a Wimbledon final into a victory.
posted by Aaron Tan at
9:06 AM
1 Comments:
...today aaron taught me a great lesson, but he is charging me rm20 for it.
and this is my lesson for aaron:
- do something that makes us proud that we have done it everyday. say something that will cheer somebody up everyday -
then, our office life will not be so boring after all. it will be great!!!
By
Jyon, at 9:39 AM
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