How would former pros do against current college players

[ttwarrior1]

i have no examples, just list your own if you want. I just say this because i got whipped by a 70 year old today yet i beat the #1 ranked player from university of evansville that is turning pro next year.

[egn]

i have no examples, just list your own if you want. I just say this because i got whipped by a 70 year old today yet i beat the #1 ranked player from university of evansville that is turning pro next year.

How old are you and this i find hard to believe..a 70 year old whipping you but you beating a #1 ranked college student turning pro.

Isn't the #1 at evansville a soph so she is turning pro early...and i don't think too many 70 year old women are capable of playing high level tennis..unless evansville added in a mens team that i do not know of..and not to be mean but is evansville even good enough to produce pro players?

did some research


"One of the main lessons I learned is it's about more than tennis," said Bader. "For coaches and players alike, it's about learning about yourself and working with other people toward a common goal.

"Nobody on this team is going to play pro, so they have to be ready for something else. Through my experience I learned this is something that should be enjoyed. It helps that we all get along."

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/apr/23/ignore-her-age-ues-bader-knows-coaching/?partner=RSS

[ttwarrior1]

im a guy, everyone in the open division which is over the advanced division, id say the average age is 50 years old.

[egn]

okay but what about the evansville person? I have never heard of them having a mens tennis team it is not even listed on their website.

[drakulie]

uhmmmmm, the story here makes zero sense.

[ttwarrior1]

uh im saying what if mcenroe took on lets say the 1 ranked tennis player on arizona , usc or whoever how good would he do as well as other retired pros

[origmarm]

I would say it depends on how "former" the pro is. If you took Safin next year vs a college player I say washout, Safin kills them. If you took Ilie Nastase I say the college player wins though mobility alone. Anyone on Courier's tour would probably murder a college player I reckon. If you then go Blackrock tour (McEnroe etc...) I would say 50/50 depending on the college player (i.e. which college etc..) and their style of play.

[egn]

uh im saying what if mcenroe took on lets say the 1 ranked tennis player on arizona , usc or whoever how good would he do as well as other retired pros

I got the point but

i have no examples, just list your own if you want. I just say this because i got whipped by a 70 year old today yet i beat the #1 ranked player from university of evansville that is turning pro next year.

You are a man who plays tennis against other men but beating a #1 ranked player from a university that only has a female tennis team..Of course I would expect you to win..and I would expect 50 year old Johnny Mac to beat the top ranked womens tennis player..Men wise I think it might be fairer competition and it could be interesting.

[hoodjem]

i have no examples, just list your own if you want. I just say this because i got whipped by a 70 year old today yet i beat the #1 ranked player from university of evansville that is turning pro next year.
Is the 70-year-old a former pro?

[mental midget]

I would say it depends on how "former" the pro is. If you took Safin next year vs a college player I say washout, Safin kills them. If you took Ilie Nastase I say the college player wins though mobility alone. Anyone on Courier's tour would probably murder a college player I reckon. If you then go Blackrock tour (McEnroe etc...) I would say 50/50 depending on the college player (i.e. which college etc..) and their style of play.

sounds about right. as long as the former player's movement is still reasonably good, the college player isn't going to throw anything at them they haven't seen before, and handled, a thousand, thousand times over.

courier, stich, goran, edberg, etc--total murder, with the exception maybe being if the college player has a ridiculous serve, and is playing out of their mind (think maybe an isner-type player, having a career day.)

former top 5, certainly, former #1's--just a whole different ball game.

[DunlopDood]

Probably get blown off he court

[junbumkim]

It really depends on what level of D1 player we are talking about.

I have seen a reserve player at UW-Madison a few years ago gettting beaten by a girl. She was not a professional.

Also, Jim Courier took out Scoville Jenkins(?), African American tennis player, in a baseline game during the Aussie Open.

There have also been stories where top D1 level player from UCLA took out Sampras in a practice set (well...)

I guess my point is, I wouldn't overlook the ability of former ATP pro and hype-up D1 players.

[Frank Silbermann]

None of today's college players would have a chance -- not without at least several months of training to get used to using a wood racket. Even then, developing the strokes and tactics suitable for wood rackets and bad grass courts would take years.

[TheMagicianOfPrecision]

i have no examples, just list your own if you want. I just say this because i got whipped by a 70 year old today yet i beat the #1 ranked player from university of evansville that is turning pro next year.

Lets say...Stefan Edberg,who is 43 years old,he would never lose to the best college player in USA. No way.

[Tennis Dunce]

Lets say...Stefan Edberg,who is 43 years old,he would never lose to the best college player in USA. No way.

Not a chance in bloody f'n Hell mate!

[Fedace]

I heard Pete Sampras beat up on the current boys Of UCLA so bad, they went home crying.... guys from UCLA had trouble winning points against Pete, nevermind games.

[Shaolin]

Great post !Tym.

[mary fierce]

Johnny Mac was the special guest last July at a hospital fund-raiser tennis tournament in Rockland County, NY. He reported that he had recently played the sixth ranked college player in the country (don't recall the name) and beat him.

[tonyg11]

1) McEnroe plays competitive games against Pete Sampras on the seniors tour. He can still hit hot at 50. The biggest difference at that age would be endurance. As long as we're only talking about a best 2 of 3 match then an older player still has a good shot.

2) Edberg still plays and plays well. Whomever said he definitely would lose needs a reality check. Yeah if he never picked up a racquet since he retired i'd say you have a point. But he's fit, he plays, he can still hit great shots, he'd own.

3) Theoretically in a 2 of 3 match guys like Courier and Rafter would still have a shot against top 50 players no problem. The biggest issue like I said at that age is stamina. So no way they could ever pull of a full tournament schedule or play a grand slam. But on a good day they still have the shot making.

4) In a basic 2 of 3, Sampras on a good day could still probably beat current top 10 players.

5) Tennis is a great game because you can remain competitive for quite a long time in terms of playing skill and quick matches or short tournaments. I’ve seen top ranked players in their 50s whip young hot shot players. It happens all the time.

[AndrewD]

I heard Pete Sampras beat up on the current boys Of UCLA so bad, they went home crying.... guys from UCLA had trouble winning points against Pete, nevermind games.

That isn't what I heard from one of the UCLA players. They were amazed that, at that stage (prior to his return to comp), Gimelstob could push him and they could win games from him. Serve still great, forehand inconsistent, backhand sucked.

If you're thinking of Division I players crying, you must mean the Stanford boys, I know one did quite a bit of that at Ojai.

Regardless, I'm still puzzled regarding the OP. egn pointed out some problems regarding the claims but I don't believe there was a reply.

[ichibanosaru]

1) McEnroe plays competitive games against Pete Sampras on the seniors tour. He can still hit hot at 50. The biggest difference at that age would be endurance. As long as we're only talking about a best 2 of 3 match then an older player still has a good shot.

2) Edberg still plays and plays well. Whomever said he definitely would lose needs a reality check. Yeah if he never picked up a racquet since he retired i'd say you have a point. But he's fit, he plays, he can still hit great shots, he'd own.

3) Theoretically in a 2 of 3 match guys like Courier and Rafter would still have a shot against top 50 players no problem. The biggest issue like I said at that age is stamina. So no way they could ever pull of a full tournament schedule or play a grand slam. But on a good day they still have the shot making.

4) In a basic 2 of 3, Sampras on a good day could still probably beat current top 10 players.

5) Tennis is a great game because you can remain competitive for quite a long time in terms of playing skill and quick matches or short tournaments. I’ve seen top ranked players in their 50s whip young hot shot players. It happens all the time.

Well written and well said. :)

[PERL]

On a side note, I heard that story about a club player looking for a partner to play a set. An old man proposed to play. He was about 70 years old. The club player was embarrassed but he could not refuse. They started to play and he got schooled by the shotmaking of the old man whose name was… Jean Borotra. Probably a true story. Borotra played up to the age of 90.

[laboule]

Stefan Edberg sometimes goes to Båstad Tennis Academy and plays against Swedens aspiring upcommers which are in the ages of 15-18. They are the best in Sweden atm and I know that doesnt say alot anymore, but they should be equal to many US college players and better then some... Anyhow these guys never take a single game from Edberg... He destroys them.

[goober]

Stefan Edberg sometimes goes to Båstad Tennis Academy and plays against Swedens aspiring upcommers which are in the ages of 15-18. They are the best in Sweden atm and I know that doesnt say alot anymore, but they should be equal to many US college players and better then some... Anyhow these guys never take a single game from Edberg... He destroys them.

As a group, the best 15-18 year olds in Sweden are not in the same class as the very top college players in the US. Yes they could all play college in the US, but that is not really saying much since if you are 4.5 and above you could probably find *some* college to play at.

[VGP]

!Tym - I totally agree with what you said in post #16 on being able to be walked to the door, handed the key, sometimes your opponent taking the key from your hand, unlocking and opening the door, and even holding it open for you.....only for you to stand there dumbfounded refusing to walk through.

One of the worst matches on tour that I watched was the first round match at Cincy last year between Monfils and Donald Young. Monfils looked like he was having respiratory problems. He was sweating profusely, doubled over at times barely being able to run down every ball.

Meanwhile, Donald Young proceeds to play "his game" seemingly paying no mind to Monfils' condition. Monfils totally sees this and even looks up as he's doubled over smirking as if he's thinking....."this guy just doesn't get it, I'll just let him self destruct and the winner's check is mine."

Young tries to hit big off the ground but Monfils just shovels them back until Young's UE's pile up to a nice 6-1, 6-1 54 minute loss.

Monfils looked like he got away with murder while Young still didn't seem to get it after the match was done. It has to be one of those performances that resonated through the locker room that perhaps this Young guy's not gonna live up to his hype.

Monfils looked totally willing to cash it in during the first round if Young actually put up a fight. Seems he got up to practice the next day as I saw him on the practice courts and tried in his second round match against Haas but retired being down 5-1. I'm sure he decided not to waste his time and energy trying to beat Tommy......

[35ft6]

Um, no, that was me. I don't think I need a reality check imo. Top college players translate to challenger tour level guys. I didn't say Edberg would DEFINITELY lose, what I said or rather what I actually meant was that Edberg would definiitely NOT win EVERY single match against top US college players.Yeah, I remember being told by a member at Tennissport in Queens that Mac has been known to lose to the top teaching pro at a the club. I was kind of surprised, asked if it was because Mac simply wasn't trying, and the guy said, nah, it was just a matter of 25 yo legs against Mac's, at the time, 42 or 43 yo legs. And this was red clay. On a slick indoor carpet surface, Mac would probably still beat every college player in a best of 3.