Which tennis player has been the greatest as a person, beyond their tennis?

[TennisAficionado]

We all know that in the grand scheme of things tennis is a mere game. So which tennis player has made the greatest positive impact beyond their tennis? You can mention overall, or in male and female categories. You can also divide "positive impact" into categories and choose different candidates for each category.

I have no real idea about the non-tennis achievements of the professional tennis players in history. But to me, Andre Agassi seems like a pretty good candidate for this distinction with the work in education that he's been doing through his Andre Agassi Foundation For Education and the the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. So who are your candidates for the "tennis-playing GOAT-person"?

 

[Gustavo Kuerten]

Gustavo Kuerten

 

[sam_p]

Arthur Ashe

http://www.arthurashe.org/life-story.html

Next thread...

 

[Tenez101]

Marcelo Rios.

 

[mbm0912]

Shawn Michaels

 

[tennisaddict]

Roger Federer.

He will no doubt be the 'Man of the Century'. Helping countless charities, working directly with little children through his foundation, he has transformed the life of millions.

 

[marc45]

Nastase claims to have slept with thousands of women

 

[winstonplum]

Uh . . . Arthur Ashe.

 

[Lovely_Bone]

Marcelo Rios

 

[Egoista]

Guga/.......

 

[Amygdal]

Navratilova should at least be mentioned here.

What did Kuerten do? I can't find anything too impressive on Wiki.

 

[borg number one]

Arthur Ashe.

 

[darrinbaker00]

GOLD: Arthur Ashe
SILVER: Billie Jean King
BRONZE: Andre Agassi

 

[forzamilan90]

Roger Federer.

 

[El Diablo]

Billie Jean King contributed enormously to changing the way women function in our culture. Her efforts were an order of magnitude beyond attaching your name to a foundation.

 

[pound cat]

Billie Jean King contributed enormously to changing the way women function in our culture. Her efforts were an order of magnitude beyond attaching your name to a foundation.

And Arthur Ashe...humanitarian and a great role model for black children....yes, they too can become great tennis players.

 

[PSNELKE]

Obviusly Arthur Ashe.

Bobby Riggs should be mentioned too. Battle of the Sexes had a huge impact on women. Riggs certainly contributed to that impact by selling/fixing that match.

BJK shouldn't be the only person to win the laurels for that historical match.

 

[Amygdal]

Never understood how that was considered an upset or surprise. Riggs was fat and over 50, BJK was at her prime.
It's like Serena playing someone like Lendl today. She would butcher him

 

[PSNELKE]

Never understood how that was considered an upset or surprise. Riggs was fat and over 50, BJK was at her prime.
It's like Serena playing someone like Lendl today. She would butcher him

Riggs routined Margaret Court earlier that year, it's widely recognized that Riggs sold that match. BJK is probably the only person who's still denying it.

 

[Amygdal]

Still, do you have any question in mind, that if Serena were to play Lendl tomorrow, she would annihilate him?

 

[Le Master]

Still, do you have any question in mind, that if Serena were to play Lendl tomorrow, she would annihilate him?

I doubt she'd annihilate him. I wouldn't be surprised if she won, but I also wouldn't be surprised if he won. A man of his age probably moves roughly the same as a girl of hers (if not better). Her shots look more powerful based on this 2013 video of him playing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7skMLaPJn-0
But I still could see him at least holding serve and taking her to a tiebreak each set.

 

[Mustard]

Navratilova should at least be mentioned here.

What did Kuerten do? I can't find anything too impressive on Wiki.

Kuerten's younger brother was brain damaged at birth, and suffered physical and mental disabilities as a result, before he passed away in 2007. Kuerten used to give his brother every trophy he won as a souvenir, and would give away some prize money to the cause of assisting people with similiar disabilities to his brother.

 

[Anaconda]

I will get flamed because of his outbursts, but Roddick deserves a mention here. Yeah, the guy was at times an ***, but his charity efforts and fundraising has been commendable.





PS: Any Federer, Nadal or Djokovic fan who laughs at my suggestion will get beatdowns by the way - I have a lot of ammo to use considering MTO's/ On court coaching/ Retiring from sore throats/crying after a loss. Please people, be careful!

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Gentleman Edberg.

 

[Crose]

Kuerten's younger brother was brain damaged at birth, and suffered physical and mental disabilities as a result, before he passed away in 2007. Kuerten used to give his brother every trophy he won as a souvenir, and would give away some prize money to the cause of assisting people with similiar disabilities to his brother.

What an honorable man. /Thread right there.