Could rod laver beat a 5.0 now?

[treblings]

found this link on Laver from 2008, interesting article with pics
http://www.clickcarlsbad.com/Stories/laver.html

sorry, link doesn´t work. if you google laver+stroke you´ll find it(at least i did) on the clickcarlsbad site.

[adidasman]

Originally Posted by treblings

found this link on Laver from 2008, interesting article with pics
http://www.clickcarlsbad.com/Stories/laver.html

sorry, link doesn´t work. if you google laver+stroke you´ll find it(at least i did) on the clickcarlsbad site.

http://www.carlsbadmagazine.com/Stories/laver.html

[treblings]

Originally Posted by adidasman

http://www.carlsbadmagazine.com/Stories/laver.html

thanks, that´s the link i meant

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by treblings

found this link on Laver from 2008, interesting article with pics
http://www.clickcarlsbad.com/Stories/laver.html

sorry, link doesn´t work. if you google laver+stroke you´ll find it(at least i did) on the clickcarlsbad site.

Thanks! I've read that before. I'm glad to see Mr. Laver has fully recovered from his stroke. About his wrist and hip, I wonder if he would consider stem cell therapy! It would be interesting to see the man play in his mid 70's with healthy joints. Look out Champions Tour! Hahaha!

[treblings]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

Thanks! I've read that before. I'm glad to see Mr. Laver has fully recovered from his stroke. About his wrist and hip, I wonder if he would consider stem cell therapy! It would be interesting to see the man play in his mid 70's with healthy joints. Look out Champions Tour! Hahaha!

it would be great to see him play at the ITF World Super Seniors championships. the level of play is extremely high though in the 70+ age group

[ttwarrior1]

would love him to play net as my partner

[pc1]

Just read the story. I love the part where Laver said he would do a lot of unconventional things now if he was playing today. Drop shots, lobs, rushing the net. One thing Laver had and I don't think anyone could deny that was great imagination on the court.

[scotus]

Both wield Babolat sticks.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by scotus

Both wield Babolat sticks.

Actually they have a lot in common. Sampras admitted he based a lot of his game on Rod Laver. Sampras had a two handed backhand until his coach suggested he switch to a one handed I believe to play more like Laver. I'm not sure if that was the only reason for the switch but I think it was one of them.

[robow7]

Originally Posted by pc1

Sampras had a two handed backhand until his coach suggested he switch to a one handed I believe to play more like Laver.

My coach did the same thing to me, wanted to see me hit the one hander like Rosewall....Yea, good luck with that one. Worst mistake I ever made was trying to do what those two could do with a ball.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by robow7

My coach did the same thing to me, wanted to see me hit the one hander like Rosewall....Yea, good luck with that one. Worst mistake I ever made was trying to do what those two could do with a ball.

Don't blame yourself. How many people can reach the level of Laver and Sampras?

[kiki]

Originally Posted by PrinceMoron

Sounds like a new thread coming up, who is the oldest player you have ever lost to... 84 will take some beating.

definitely.That daddy must be the GOAT over 80 years old...I haven´t had many guys over 80 free to play, you know.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by pc1

Just read the story. I love the part where Laver said he would do a lot of unconventional things now if he was playing today. Drop shots, lobs, rushing the net. One thing Laver had and I don't think anyone could deny that was great imagination on the court.

The best in using commando tactics.You - almost- never know what he´d throw to you.Only a Rosewall would, since they played so many times each other...

[kiki]

Originally Posted by robow7

My coach did the same thing to me, wanted to see me hit the one hander like Rosewall....Yea, good luck with that one. Worst mistake I ever made was trying to do what those two could do with a ball.

Good one...but that BH was so personnal...I don´t think it is doable.

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by robow7

My coach did the same thing to me, wanted to see me hit the one hander like Rosewall....Yea, good luck with that one. Worst mistake I ever made was trying to do what those two could do with a ball.

Big mistake!

I tried to imitate Mecir: particularly the way he moved around the court.

After tripping over my other foot and landing face down on the court a few times, I gave up and went back to being myself.

[Chopin]

I'd say it would depend on the 5.0. He'd win some and he'd lose some.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by Chopin

I'd say it would depend on the 5.0. He'd win some and he'd lose some.

I might agree. We don't know Laver's physical condition today and he is going to be 74 years old this year. Perhaps if he didn't have the stroke I would tend to do he would win against any legit 5.0 but who knows. The gut feeling is that he would beat any 5.0 but I understand he had some problems with his right side. Maybe it affects his movement greatly.

[adidasman]

Originally Posted by pc1

I might agree. We don't know Laver's physical condition today and he is going to be 74 years old this year. Perhaps if he didn't have the stroke I would tend to do he would win against any legit 5.0 but who knows. The gut feeling is that he would beat any 5.0 but I understand he had some problems with his right side. Maybe it affects his movement greatly.

Again, he's also had a hip replaced - so it's not just the effects of the stroke that make movement a challenge. Ten years ago, he still hit the ball brilliantly but didn't move terribly well; I can only imagine the movement has gotten worse since then.

[JoelDali]

Tennis historians of the Internet in the future will look at this thread one day and declare complete unadulterated idiocy.

[stormholloway]

I think he'd consistently lose. No offense to Laver. He didn't move that well in that exo with Hewitt and that was a decade ago.