Wish I could see this match. I believe Orantes trailed 0-5 in the fourth set and was down match points, but came back to win in 5 sets.
Orantes beating Connors in the final was a big upset. It was thought that Orantes would be too tired after that marathon comeback win over Vilas to beat Connors, but Orantes was still on such a high from beating Vilas the way he did and he used that momentum to beat Connors.
Did anyone see that match? What do you remember about it? Could Vilas have defeated Connors in the final? What do you think about this pic?
Great that you actually saw the match, pc1
I have seen the 1975 US Open final, and I seem to remember the commentators speculating that Orantes might be too fatigued to beat Connors, but Orantes showed hardly any signs of fatigue and actually looked in the zone at times. Orantes played very smart tennis to win.
I know it technically was an upset against Connors but I saw Orantes throughout that tournament and I thought he was playing at the highest level. I really didn't think it was much of an upset.
I was lucky enough to be at that match and it obviously had long grueling rallies. I watched the match intently and when it was 5-0 in favor of Vilas I moved to a seat near the portal so I could leave quickly. Well you know the story, I had to be there for a much longer time.
Orantes defeated Nastase, Vilas and Connors to win that US Open. That's pretty impressive. Incidentally he was in total control during his match against Nastase despite the fact Nastase won one set. Nastase played very well in my opinion but Orantes was too much for him.
Interesting about Nastase, and impressive. I always think of the Vilas and Connors matches, but with Nastase in there that's a great set of wins in the last 3 rounds.Orantes defeated Nastase, Vilas and Connors to win that US Open. That's pretty impressive. Incidentally he was in total control during his match against Nastase despite the fact Nastase won one set. Nastase played very well in my opinion but Orantes was too much for him.
I think so too. Vilas hit more impressive winners in that '77 final, but what Orantes did in the '75 final was so solid, so free of errors, he shut Connors out. He gave Connors virtually nothing to work with, no way to get into the match.But in retrospect I'm not sure if Orantes' best on har tru wasn't better than Vilas' best.
I'm looking up these matches, but he has only one Davis Cup match against Nastase, a straight-set loss: http://www.daviscup.com/en/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10002336I recall that he was called "Lazarus" Orantes, because of that resurection, which was almost a miracle, similar to Cochet vs Tilden in 1927.In fact, Orantes has been one of the greatest, if not the greatest himself, specialist in comebacks.
He won the 1976 Masters final after a great comeback.He beat Nastase on a comeback on DC tie, and did the same vs taylor in another come back miracle.
If Vilas had beaten Orantes, I have a hard time seeing him beat Connors in the final. They met in the '76 semis and Connors overpowered him 4, 2 and 1. Of course in '76 Connors was playing great ball, and maybe in '75 he might not have done the same to Vilas. But Vilas really had his breakthrough as a champion in '77, first by winning RG and then with that truly great victory over Connors at USO. Could he have reached that self-assurance as early as '75? Maybe but I doubt it.
Some highlights of the match!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL_DLw9C0eo
Did anyone see that match? What do you remember about it? Could Vilas have defeated Connors in the final? What do you think about this pic?
True.so Orantes basically saves all those match points by serve & volleying. and this guy was considered a typical 'claycourter' of the time. god tennis today is boring.
There is much truth here."so Orantes basically saves all those match points by serve & volleying. and this guy was considered a typical 'claycourter' of the time. god tennis today is boring."
I've been watching quite a bit of tennis since the early 70s and I've heard the "tennis today is boring" in every single era including the mid-70s.
No matter what style is in vogue people think some other era was more exciting. I look back at some of those 70s matches and it looks like they were playing in slow motion. For me, W I think it was '92, plus or minus a year, may have been the low-point. That Sampras-Goran final. I'll take Djoker v. anyone over that snoozefest.
True.
Remember that Borg-Vilas final at the FO (with 90 shot rallies).!?
True.
Remember that Borg-Vilas final at the FO (with 90 shot rallies).!?
Wish I could see this match. I believe Orantes trailed 0-5 in the fourth set and was down match points, but came back to win in 5 sets.
Orantes beating Connors in the final was a big upset. It was thought that Orantes would be too tired after that marathon comeback win over Vilas to beat Connors, but Orantes was still on such a high from beating Vilas the way he did and he used that momentum to beat Connors.
I know it technically was an upset against Connors but I saw Orantes throughout that tournament and I thought he was playing at the highest level. I really didn't think it was much of an upset.
I was lucky enough to be at that match and it obviously had long grueling rallies. I watched the match intently and when it was 5-0 in favor of Vilas I moved to a seat near the portal so I could leave quickly. Well you know the story, I had to be there for a much longer time.
Orantes defeated Nastase, Vilas and Connors to win that US Open. That's pretty impressive. Incidentally he was in total control during his match against Nastase despite the fact Nastase won one set. Nastase played very well in my opinion but Orantes was too much for him.
Well, Orantes beat Connors in the Final, so I don't think it is that far a stretch to think Villas could have beaten Connors in the final. And this was when I think Forrest Hills was on clay, a surface that is more suited to Argentine and Spanish players since they grow up playing on that surface.
"I was a Vilas fan at that time because he was on constantly on the PBS tennis broadcasts during the Summer tennis circuit and I grow to enjoy his play."
With B. Collins and D. Dell.
so Orantes basically saves all those match points by serve & volleying. and this guy was considered a typical 'claycourter' of the time. god tennis today is boring.