Re: Your favourite underdog
I don't watch Tennis but what's so special about her? I keep hearing radio presenters giddy with excitement, raving about her. Is she the youngest girl to ever play Wimbledon? Has nobody ever won a game after qualifying?
Re: Your favourite underdog
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Fenster
I don't watch Tennis but what's so special about her? I keep hearing radio presenters giddy with excitement, raving about her. Is she the youngest girl to ever play Wimbledon? Has nobody ever won a game after qualifying?
I forgot to mention that she is only 15 years old. There have been young tennis players like Capriati and Becker but these occasions do not happen very often and worth a mention.
Also Murray with a new hip winning in doubles would be a major achievement.
Re: Your favourite underdog
I've seen many teenage prodigy come and go and sure she's only fifteen. She's done well but she's only reached the last 16 and it's not even like she's set a precedent. To put it into perspective. Martina Hingis at 16 or 17 in 1997 won the Wimbledon, USA Open, Australian Open and got to the final of the French Open and that's at time when Graf, Seles, Sabatina, Sanchez Vicario and Martina Navartilova (past her best I agree) were still playing.
The everyday person on the street probably couldn't even tell you whose the current Ladies single Winbledon champion is
Re: Your favourite underdog
I remember all those teenage prodigies, they were all rich kids, all went to some superduper Tennis school in Florida or something. Capriati got nicked for stealing at a shopping centre and smoking funny fags, they blamed it on the privileged Tennis upbringing. They all retired at about 27, to have babies and spend their millions.
I hoped Coco came from poverty or something, however, low and behold she lives in Florida. Enough said. (:D)
When I was a kid we didn't even have tennis courts, well there was two in the local park, empty the entire year around apart from these two weeks when they were packed day and night. I used to slick me hair down like Lendal and bash the racket on my bumpers before serving.
Re: Your favourite underdog
I loved Lendal too and hated that he never won Wimbledon.
Another underdog is Holland women's team against USA. Holland had to go through qualifiers to get into the tournament. If they win, that would be an upset.
Re: Your favourite underdog
How the hell can America be in the best at soccer in anything ?
The American men's team didn't even qualify for the last World cup and they only had to finish in the top three of a group six to guarantee qualification and the six teams Mexico (Decent side) Costa Rica, Panama, Honuduras, Trinidad and Tobago.
They finished 5th.
https://oi1376.photobucket.com/album...psudokenz8.png
Plus Fifa is that desperate to get the USA to be at World Cup, that even if America would have finished 4th, they still would have had a chance, as they would have went into a play off against Australia.
Fifth in group like that ?
That shows you how bad USA men's soccer. All the hype about the MLS. All over the hill, over paid stars they import from Europe and S.America to give their league more cred doesn't escape the fact that until there is a massive cultural swing in the USA and soccer is at the same level at B-Ball, Pro football, baseball and Ice hockey and the MLS is on the same level as the leagues in Europe and S.America, then the USA men's team will never come close to winning a World cup. As the pool of talent and strength of the teams in the men's game is far stronger than the women's.
If America had to qualify through S.America qualifying ?
https://media0.giphy.com/media/ZqlvC...&rid=200w.webp
Good luck
They'd have no chance of qualifying against teams like Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Columbia, Chile and the rest
And that's the only reason USA women are the best. It's not USA women's team is that good. It's more that other women's teams are that bad.
Soccer / Football is the biggest sport in the World and I wouldn't go as far to say the American men's are rubbish at it. Because they're not. They'll give most sides a game and they could even beat or draw against some decent sides. But they are million miles away from being a powerhouse in the men's football the way they are in other sports.
Re: Your favourite underdog
While we're on the topic I had a major bone to pick with Steffi Graf. And to ask the wrong question..was Agassi the Mayweather or Paulie of his time? An underdog seems to denote a given of being tested prior, you're known. At 15 Gauff just sideswiped Venus and the sport and now opened more doors than the one she just crashed. Kirk Gibson hobbling to the plate..there's your underdog.
Re: Your favourite underdog
Venus Williams is nearly 40. It's a bit like Joshua and Klitschko, good timing. However, she obviously has potential. With womens tennis they can be very up and down. Only Serena has been a bit like the male top 3 in that she is always there. Murray too, but he lost his hip and is now doing a Darth Vader.
Re: Your favourite underdog
Can anyone remember Chang when he beat Lendal at the French Open and did the underarm serve? He was 15 and was shattered in the match but won.
