the first tennis match you ever watched?

[aphex]

for me it was when i was around 7 y.o. lendl-becker in wimbledon (must've been 1986?). i remember being on lendl's side...

[FedererForehand]

The first live match I can actually remember start to finish was Agassi v. Becker in the '95 Wimby Semis. I was crushed that Agassi lost... I was only 13.

[David_86]

The first match that I can remember watching live, from beginning to end, was the 2003 Wimbledon final between Federer and Philippoussis (I was 16 so quite a late starter). I'd seen matches before, but this is definately the first time I remember being genuinely interested in the result. (I have vague recollections of Sampras, Ivanisevic in 2001, I think I may have watched a few 5 set matches from Wimbledon 2002 featuring Malisse, Krajicek and others)

[vbranis]

Quite a story for my first time watching a match IN PERSON... It was the '97 Romanian Open QF, where Fromberg defeated local hero Adrian Voinea 7-5 6-3. It was a night match, and I remember seeing Nastase only a couple of rows in front. I had his autobiography with me, and after the match I asked him to sign the cover. He was very polite and told me that if I ever become a tennis pro, "don't be like Voinea" (who had just lost). I still have the book, and it was a great experience! I've been to dozens of matches since, but I'll always remember my first time. :)

As for the first time watching a match on TV, I honestly can't remember, I was too young.

[SempreSami]

Sampras - Pioline, Wimbledon final 1997 methinks.

[Feña14]

Sampras - Pioline, Wimbledon final 1997 methinks.

Same!

I'd been camping with the Cubs all weekend, when I got back home on Sunday lunchtime I must of been so tired that I managed to sit still for long enough to watch it all :) I was 7, nearly 8.

[game set match 46 TIMES!!]

I had watched like 10 mins of tennis at the time. But the first real match i bought haha. Federer Vs Rafa! 2007. Rafa side :). oh and wimby of course

[lucknowrocks]

Agassi Ivanisevic '92 wimbledon final. I was 5 and found agassi and his hair a bit strange.

[aphex]

you guys make feel old!!!!!!

[SystemicAnomaly]

you guys make feel old!!!!!!

Perhaps this will help. One of my earliest memories is seeing Pancho Gonzales on TV (black & white) back in the mid 1950s -- perhaps 1956 or so.

[ronalditop]

I think the first match i saw was Hingis against Capriati in a final, which capriati won. I was rooting for hingis cause she was more pretty. :D

[ebm]

Tim Gullikson vs Johnny Mac 1979 Wimbledon. I think it was the third or fourth round. It was the only day we had tickets for.


Did watch Borg win it on the TV though.

[aphex]

Perhaps this will help. One of my earliest memories is seeing Pancho Gonzales on TV (black & white) back in the mid 1950s -- perhaps 1956 or so.

i.d. marked...


as one of the few posters who know what they're talking about then :)

[FuriousYellow]

Sadly, I wasn't a fan of tennis until I started playing back in 2004 so the first match I ever watched all the way through was the Coria/Gaudio FO Final.

Despite that, I still developed a love of the sport.

[Arrows]

I got hooked after sitting through the Molik/Davenport AO match (can't remember if it was '04 or '05). I miss Molik.

[hate machine]

2005 wimbledon final - roddick v federer. FFS

[Dilettante]

I recall it was a John McEnroe match, but can't remember the rival.

[random guy]

For me it has to be some Sabatini-Graf match (maybe Seoul 88 final). Sabatini was the first tennis player I cared about. She was certainly an amazing player and such a sweet person.

[scraps234]

it was some match with andre in it near the end of his career. sorry im not so specific...=/

[Oui, c'est moi.]

I've been watching tennis since i was a baby (family use to watch tennis religiously). So i can't remember as far back.
It was probably a Wimbledon match though since i was born 2 weeks before the championships. Wimbly has been on TV every year, can't go wrong with that one.

[T1000]

john mcenroe in new haven, must have been 1994 or 1995, can't remember. I was three or four at the time. the first one i remember was 2001 hewitt sampras

[aceroberts13]

Roddick vs Younes Elenowi (sp) at the Australian Open, I had just started playing tennis for my high school when I saw that. I had never heard of either player and I instantly became a Roddick fan. I really picked up the game well considering I didn't start until 16. I'm about a 4.0 right now and can generate as much pace as almost any other people I've played. (sorry, not being a prude and trying to brag :/)

[samprasvsfederer123]

really weird, channel surfing july 2008, sunday, and i see federer nadal on nbc in wimbledon

[120mphBodyServe]

I think it was 1986 FO Women's Final...
Graf Vs Navratilova...

[Sentinel]

Live or on telly ???

Probably late 70's or 1980 when they began showing Wimbledon on telly in India (just the finals first, then finals and semis) ...

i recall listening to the Borg McEnroe final in 79 or 80 on AM Radio. ... The massive five setter ...

[GPG]

Probably a Marcelo Rios Match

[CCNM]

On TV-sometime in the early 1980's.
women-Evert v. Navritilova
men-McEnroe and Yannick Noah (don't remember who their opponents were)

[lainey80]

honestly, I'm a newbie to watching tennis. I have seen Agassi play, I watched his last match against Becker, mostly the whole way through, I guess that would be the first match I've seen..
also, another one that really got me interested in tennis, is '07 Novak vs. Roger in Montreal; what a great win for Nole!!;)

That's when I became addicted to the sport, and became a Nole fan.

[lainey80]

really weird, channel surfing july 2008, sunday, and i see federer nadal on nbc in wimbledon

haa, really?:)

[Vermillion]

Athens - 2004 Fish vs Massu. Wasn't really interested until I saw Fed vs Safin Masters Cup 04.

[ag200boy]

Not much of a tennis watcher here... TBH I don't think i have ever watched an entire tennis match all the way through, I've watched matches but during the first few sets I always am switching around channels...

Haven't seen any live pro tennis except for a women's futures event, but I have tickets to a few days of the Cincy masters this year! So excited!

[CountryHillbilly]

I think it was some Ivanisevic-Becker in the mid-late 80s. Goran was really young at that time.


also, another one that really got me interested in tennis, is '07 Novak vs. Roger in Montreal; what a great win for Nole!!;)

That's when I became addicted to the sport, and became a Nole fan.

Yeah, that's when I started watching tennis more insistently, especially Nole.

[Oui, c'est moi.]

Live or on telly ???

Probably late 70's or 1980 when they began showing Wimbledon on telly in India (just the finals first, then finals and semis) ...

i recall listening to the Borg McEnroe final in 79 or 80 on AM Radio. ... The massive five setter ...
I didn't know you're Indian.
I'm 0.25 Indian
Come embrace me brother..

[WillAlwaysLoveYouTennis]

For me was the 1986 Wimbledon which Becker eventually won. The first match I remember seeing was vs. Zivojinovic. Then I actually recorded Becker vs. Lendl and still have it on VHS tape today which plays well. One of my tennis treasures.

[SVP]

In 1976 or 1977, I saw the UCLA No. 1 and No.2 players, Peter Fleming and Brian Teacher, wipe out their Cal opponents in collegiate matches. Watching Fleming at 6'5" against the 5'9" Cal No.1 player was like watching Goliath slay David.

[Casey10s]

Probably the Billie Jean King - Bobby Riggs exhibition in the early 70's.

[SlapShot]

I remember watching the U.S. Open in what must have been 1995 or so - I couldn't sleep the night before school started, so I sat and watched that with my dad. It was Agassi playing someone - if I researched, I bet I could figure out who he was playing...

[Cross Court]

Agassi vs. Hewitt, 2002 US Open. God I was young.

[atatu]

A made for TV exhibition between Borg and Connors in Boca Raton got me hooked. The first live match I remember seeing was Raul Ramirez vs. Roscoe Tanner in Washington D.C. a few years later I saw Johnny Mac play Borg in Richmond, VA. that was a great match.

[flyinghippos101]

2001, Federer V. Sampras Wimbledon

[hankash]

2007 Rogers Cup Final in Montreal - Federer vs. Djokovic. Great match, Djokovic won.

[fed_the_savior]

sampras agassi 2001 us open... really got me hooked

[flyinghippos101]

2001 was a good year for tennis

[vive le beau jeu !]

good thread. :)

i'm not sure... at least i remember vaguely some matches of RG 1987: some early rounds with connors and becker, that my grand father was watching (i was less than 10). i was curious and asking questions to him. appart from my interest about the game itself, those guys on TV sounded like "big names" to me, like great players (of course they were !)... and i was wondering what was going happen when 2 big names would clash at some point of the tournament ! ;)

about one year later, i started to follow tennis more regularly... and i didn't really stop until today. :)

[egn]

First full match was Edberg v. Sampras 1992 US F I was little and my family was watching and cheering for Sampras cause he was American and all I know was I rooted for Edberg because I felt bad cause I was like for some reason this whole room is rooting for the other guy..i had seen some tennis prior to that but that match is what brought me in..it was edberg and those volleys =]

[dennis1188]

For 'Live' it was to see ; T.Roche, J.Newcombe, Marty Riessen at a exhibition match held indoors at Northwestern U, Evanston Ill (in the mid 60's).
More recently was opportunity to see Federer on practice court (I was twelve feet from the court) for two hours at the Thailand open in BKK (just after he won his first Wimbeldon).