Anyone watched Statoil Master/Legends from London?

It was live this past weekend in the UK on ITV4.

I only managed to catch last two games of Rafter vs. Ivanisevic semi final (7-6 6-4) and I saw something truly shocking. How beautiful game Rafter has! Although Goran seemed to be struggling with serving, he wasn't going for much, just putting it in.

More to the point, I watch the full Rafter vs. Henman final where both players played amazing S&V tennis and Rafter was especially sublime.

But my main point is that I was completely taken away how beautiful Rafter's game is. That would be something Tour really needs, because believe me, it was truly amazing. His volleying on difficult balls.. compared to the current top players.. no way they can get even close. Volleying, touch, placement, tactics. Today's tennis indeed looks like a grind-fest compared to that.

Plus in the Legends McEnroe def. Wilander in a quite competitive match for old geezers. That too was a nice watch and it was amazing to see them still being able to generate some pace. Truth to be told, event was broadcast with somewhat wider angle cameras than normal ATP, but still, having watched that these guys are seriously impressive.

Yes, I managed to catch up with it on the last 2 days. I couldn't figure out which channel they had put it on until very late. Typically, it wasn't very well advertised.

I completely agree with your assessments. It was fascinating to see them all in action again and, although obviously slower than in their heyday, the talent that made them such great players was there to be seen again and brought back great memories.

Rafter's and Henman's attractive serve and volley duels, Ivanisevic's power-serving, McEnroe and Wilander displaying their fascinating contrast of styles (JMac's power game v Wilander's clever, all court coverage), all of it was on display and seemed to roll back the years to the 80s and 90s and early 2000s. (McEnroe and Wilander alone accounted for 14 Grand Slam singles titles between them).

They should show more of these legends' and seniors' matches. They are a timely reminder that great tennis was often played well before the era of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic!

Watching Rafter and Henman was great. Surprisingly entertaining and they're still playing at a high level. I agree what has been said above about Rafter's game.

I am totally and utterly sick of Mansoor Bahrami and his tedious schtick though.

I really love that tourney, seeing classy players SV on fast courts, relying on skill full touch and carefully placed serves rather than ridiculous spin and bullish fitness and stubborn grinding.

Moz said:

I am totally and utterly sick of Mansoor Bahrami and his tedious schtick though.

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He's an acquired taste. What I find fascinating about him though is how skilled a doubles player he is despite all the tricks and fooling around yet he never seems to want to use his abilities seriously but only to make the crowd and the other players laugh!

Leconte is another one who only seems to want to clown around and play for laughs these days.

Personally it's great to see the likes of Ivanisevic (even without the serve) and Rafter. That's how tennis should be played.....

I've always been a big Rafter fan, but he was playing particularly well, so much so I think he surprised himself in some of the interviews. And a thoroughly nice bloke too.

Looks like he's dropped a few pounds as well, which I expect helps with his movement and timing.

I like Bahrami. He treats those games as the entertainment spectacle they are supposed to be. Leconte tries to be funny but he just fails for me....he seems to plod about like an old drunk at a wedding lol. The player who really surprised me Jamie Murray. I knew he was an acomplished doubles player, but he has some real talent there. In some of those volley exchanges he really held his own well.

Rafter/Wilander racquets?

Any idea which racquets did Rafter and Wilander use? Both looked quite thin-beamed to me, Rafters red with some yellow detailing, and Wilander's black with yellow bridge if I remember correctly.

I think Rafter was using his old Precision Response. Nice looking racket.

Wilander keeps changing. He was Donnay for a while but I didnt see his games this year.

This senior tennis always confuses me a bit, but specifically, why was there 2 different winners.. Rafter and McEnroe? I looked at the rankings and Rafter and Mac are both ranked on the same computer, so why was there 2 different tournaments/draws?

Age I think

topsltennis said:

This senior tennis always confuses me a bit, but specifically, why was there 2 different winners.. Rafter and McEnroe? I looked at the rankings and Rafter and Mac are both ranked on the same computer, so why was there 2 different tournaments/draws?

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MacEnroe was the winner of the Statoil Masters Tennis Legends , Rafter was the winner of the Statoil Masters Tennis Senior Champions. It's essentially an age difference. The players on the Legends tour are typically 50 and over. Those on the Senior Champions Tour are typically late 30s to mid 40s.

robbo1970 said:

I think Rafter was using his old Precision Response. Nice looking racket.

Wilander keeps changing. He was Donnay for a while but I didnt see his games this year.

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http://www.atpworldtour.com/~/media/DC6CE573BCCD4A5CB70E0C68ED26042B.ashx

all.round said:

Any idea which racquets did Rafter and Wilander use? Both looked quite thin-beamed to me, Rafters red with some yellow detailing, and Wilander's black with yellow bridge if I remember correctly.

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Thin beamed? Rafter uses a brick of a racquet in terms of thickness, All Responses are 23mm, thin beam is 19mm and below.

Rafter had great instincts and probably the best 1st and 2nd volleys of his time. Not to mention the best kick serve.

Well it looked thin-beamed to me on TV, perhaps it was an illusion, because when I look at that Response it certainly looks chunky compared to what I saw live. Or what I think I saw.

Mainad said:

He's an acquired taste. What I find fascinating about him though is how skilled a doubles player he is despite all the tricks and fooling around yet he never seems to want to use his abilities seriously but only to make the crowd and the other players laugh!

Leconte is another one who only seems to want to clown around and play for laughs these days.

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Newsflash...that is what they are PAID TO DO! No one goes to watch doubles...competitive doubles is a yawn fest, falls into the category of better played than watched (and even then it is boring)...which is why Johnny Mac recently came out about doing away with it at slams...and he's a great doubles player!

The singles was fun to watch....Rafter looks fit enough to rejoin the tour....anyone know what stick Wilander was wielding?

HRB said:

Newsflash...that is what they are PAID TO DO! No one goes to watch doubles...competitive doubles is a yawn fest, falls into the category of better played than watched (and even then it is boring)...which is why Johnny Mac recently came out about doing away with it at slams...and he's a great doubles player!

The singles was fun to watch....Rafter looks fit enough to rejoin the tour....anyone know what stick Wilander was wielding?

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I watched his match and was pretty sure he was plying with a PK Black Ace 98, it had the older pj

also Rafter said he was serving better now that at any point when he was playing on the tour!

chippy17 said:

I watched his match and was pretty sure he was plying with a PK Black Ace 98, it had the older pj

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Yep, that was the one!

Mainad said:

MacEnroe was the winner of the Statoil Masters Tennis Legends , Rafter was the winner of the Statoil Masters Tennis Senior Champions. It's essentially an age difference. The players on the Legends tour are typically 50 and over. Those on the Senior Champions Tour are typically late 30s to mid 40s.

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Ok, I assumed that, but I looked at rankings and Mcenroe is ranked #1 and Rafter is ranked on the same list behind Mac, so how does that work? They play separate events but rankings are combined?

Moz said:

I am totally and utterly sick of Mansoor Bahrami and his tedious schtick though.

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Mansoor is a pleasure to watch compared to Henri Leconte.