Gonzales VS Rosewall: The Ultimate Battle Fight 2 - More Impressive Career?

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by pc1

There's no doubt Gonzalez is under appreciated. Here's a man who was the top player in the world for many years. He defeated Trabert, Segura, Sedgman, Rosewall, Hoad, Cooper, Anderson among others on tour who are some of the all time greats. He won over 130 tournaments and even when he was over 40 he was able to win in the Open Era defeating guys like Roche, Ashe, Stan Smith, Newcombe, Connors among others in the Open Era. The man was 40 in the year the Open Era started.

He was smooth and a great athlete with possibly the greatest serve in the history of tennis. At worst Gonzalez is in the top five of all time and he very possibly is the greatest that ever lived. Jimmy Connors said that if he had one match for his life to play, he would pick Pancho Gonzalez to play it.

It was a crime that Gonzalez was so low on that Tennis Channel List.

You also could have mentioned Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall as Pancho's most prominent open era victims

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

You also could have mentioned Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall as Pancho's most prominent open era victims

Gonzales had that famous win over Laver at Madison Square Garden in the $10,000 winner takes all match in February 1970. What was Gonzales' biggest win over Rosewall in the open era?

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Gonzales had that famous win over Laver at Madison Square Garden in the $10,000 winner takes all match in February 1970. What was Gonzales' biggest win over Rosewall in the open era?

Gonzalez even beat Laver in 1970 in four sets in the Las Vegas final.

Pancho defeated Muscles in the 1969 Los Angeles (PSW) tournament by 6-4,11-13,7-5. At Las Vegas he again beat Rosewall 6-4,1-6,6-3 in his toughest match. I still wonder that Gonzalez was able to demolish Newcombe 6-1,6-2 and also Ashe 6-0,6-2,6-4 in the same event.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

Gonzalez even beat Laver in 1970 in four sets in the Las Vegas final.

Pancho defeated Muscles in the 1969 Los Angeles (PSW) tournament by 6-4,11-13,7-5. At Las Vegas he again beat Rosewall 6-4,1-6,6-3 in his toughest match. I still wonder that Gonzalez was able to demolish Newcombe 6-1,6-2 and also Ashe 6-0,6-2,6-4 in the same event.

On a given day, one fast carpet or wood, a fit Gonzales could beat anybody just on his serve.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by kiki

On a given day, one fast carpet or wood, a fit Gonzales could beat anybody just on his serve.

It's certainly doesn't hurt to have arguably the greatest single weapon in the history of tennis.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Gonzales had that famous win over Laver at Madison Square Garden in the $10,000 winner takes all match in February 1970. What was Gonzales' biggest win over Rosewall in the open era?

Please note, that this was not the semi-final of the event, where Gonzales was whipped by Laver, but merely the opening match of a long series. Laver WON the event! He was not eliminated by Gonzales.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

Gonzalez even beat Laver in 1970 in four sets in the Las Vegas final.

Pancho defeated Muscles in the 1969 Los Angeles (PSW) tournament by 6-4,11-13,7-5. At Las Vegas he again beat Rosewall 6-4,1-6,6-3 in his toughest match. I still wonder that Gonzalez was able to demolish Newcombe 6-1,6-2 and also Ashe 6-0,6-2,6-4 in the same event.

These were majors? Sorry to poke holes in your argument.

[Limpinhitter]

Originally Posted by pc1

It's certainly doesn't hurt to have arguably the greatest single weapon in the history of tennis.

Mmmm, I'm going with Federer's forehand for that title. Although, with a modern frame, Gonzales' serve might have been even greater than Sampras'.

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

These were majors? Sorry to poke holes in your argument.

I never claimed these wins were achieved in majors. The discussion was about Pancho's biggest win over Rosewall in open era. L.A. and Las Vegas did be his biggest wins against Rosewall in open era.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by pc1

It's certainly doesn't hurt to have arguably the greatest single weapon in the history of tennis.

do you know if Gonzales met Kodes anytime, anywhere, anyhow?

Kodes did play, when at his prime, most of late 60´s-early 70´s greats.I don´t know about Pancho.I know he owned Gimeno.

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by kiki

do you know if Gonzales met Kodes anytime, anywhere, anyhow?

Kodes did play, when at his prime, most of late 60´s-early 70´s greats.I don´t know about Pancho.I know he owned Gimeno.

I guess they never met but I can be wrong.

[kiki]

I know I am losing the very few friends I made on TT...but, again, there is so much - mostly deserved - praise on Gimeno, and he always said playing Kodes was very tough for him...

[kiki]

why not bring out Gimen0? the man is under svere finatial trouble but a good serve and BH, a good volley and one of the best lobs, and attacking FH in the 60´s shall be recognized, ain´t it?

plus, he was a true gentleman.Laver, who really was a sentimental guy and Rosewall, who was thought being an ice man, were really good friends with him...

[Mustard]

Didn't Nadal and Ferrer do a fundraiser for Gimeno a couple of years ago?

[pc1]

Originally Posted by Limpinhitter

Mmmm, I'm going with Federer's forehand for that title. Although, with a modern frame, Gonzales' serve might have been even greater than Sampras'.

Limpinhitter,

Vic Braden, the noted tennis coach who also does computer analysis of tennis player strokes said he had no doubt that Gonzalez would serve in the 140 mph range with the racquets of the time and that was in 1998! He also thought it was a smoother stroke than Pete's because there was less strain on the shoulder.

Is it a better serve than Sampras? Who knows, but it clearly was one of the all time great serves.

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by kiki

why not bring out Gimen0? the man is under svere finatial trouble but a good serve and BH, a good volley and one of the best lobs, and attacking FH in the 60´s shall be recognized, ain´t it?

plus, he was a true gentleman.Laver, who really was a sentimental guy and Rosewall, who was thought being an ice man, were really good friends with him...

Andres Gimeno once asked me to lend him much money but I had to refuse because I'm not rich.

But meanwhile Spanish Federation has being helping...

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Didn't Nadal and Ferrer do a fundraiser for Gimeno a couple of years ago?

Yes, see my later post.

Sorry for my error.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by BobbyOne

Andres Gimeno once asked me to lend him much money but I had to refuse because I'm not rich.

But meanwhile Spanish Federation has being helping...

You know,Kodes would never do such a thing¡¡¡¡

[pc1]

Originally Posted by kiki

You know,Kodes would never do such a thing¡¡¡¡

Kodes certainly has the edge over Gimeno there. Kiki, while some get mad at you here (not me by the way) I think there is an argument that you toss out some of the best one liners on the forums.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by pc1

Kodes certainly has the edge over Gimeno there. Kiki, while some get mad at you here (not me by the way) I think there is an argument that you toss out some of the best one liners on the forums.

Thanks

I know a bit about Gimeno´s troubles, which start with his own tennis club, which was probably the first pto managed ever club in Spain, which he launched around 1974 or 1975, just after retiring.Gimeno has always been a nice, friendly guy but that has nothing to do with this forum.It´s always been very very intriguing the spanish rivalries, and how many pressured Orantes to support either Gimeno or Santana, just a few lines abbout it...(Orantes had it very clear, though)

I strill wait your unvaluable contribution on the best lovers thread...I heard about Noah,Pecci,Arias,Mac but I think Newcombe,Emmo and Stolle match them all in their primes (BTW Newcombe had a severe pre heart attack a few years ago?)