Was Mandlikova basically a lesser Navratilova, but with Evert's basline craft?

[kiki]

Hingis was new Evert but she was not as patient and went for the winner earlier
She was also a better volleyer and the last true net woman along Venus Williams
Both Hingis and Evert had perfectly tamed two handed backhands, among the very best of all time

[Amelie Mauresmo]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

When I watch tapes of Austin play I am amazed she achieved all she did so young, and had the great success vs prime Evert and Navratilova as she did. Sorry she just doesnt impress me much, even for the time frame. I even find Jaeger had a better game, but I guess she didnt have as strong a mind. I dont think she would have achieved all that much after 1981 even without her health problems. Her game was incredibly limited, what she excelled at she did very well but that was all she could do. Her serve was pitiful even for 70s standards, her volleys or attempts at them, lol, she had absolutely no variety, no real feel for the ball or any finesse shots, and her hitting patterns from the baseline were so unoriginal, the same crosscourt or down the line drills repeatedly. She makes Evert who some suggest is limited look like an incredibly complete player with so many dimensions by comparision. OK I admit I might be a bit biased since I really hate watching Tracy play in any of the old videos I saw, I find her game incredibly numbing and boring. I actually love her as a commentator today, way better than Evert or Navratilova IMO, I think I am a big fan of Tracy the person but not Tracy the tennis player, even though I acknowledge she was a great and unfortunate one.

I guess she could have won a few hard court slams spread out over time and ended up with say 5 slams or something in that area had she stayed healthy, but she would have never had the serious challenge to being #1 like she did in 1980 and 1981 ever again IMO. Her game just didnt have much capacity for growth at all, and I think that was part of her decline in 1982 and 1983, it wasnt just her health problems, she couldnt keep up with the new athletic standard Navratilova was setting, Evert was trying to follow, and the improvements Mandlikova, Jaeger, Shriver, and others were making. Plus people figured out how to play her, her game was so simplistic in nature, it was only a matter of time that happened. I think Evert cracked the code on how to play Austin in that 1980 U.S Open upset over Tracy who was starting to be considered the dominant player at the time, and other players started to follow suit.

I think you need to give Tracy Austin more credit she was right up there with Chris and Martina in the lae 1970s and early 1980s. Tracy had the mental toughness that Pam Shriver and the rest of the WTA lacked. Tracy was so mentally strong she just a tiny girl but she could hit the ball a ton. Tracy was so strong she had a 9-8 winning head to head against Chris Evert. Tracy also proved she was NO FLUKE her 1979 US OPEN victory. In 1981 Tracy did it again defeating Martina Navratilova 7-6 in the third to win her second US OPEN. It is such a shame that injuries did Tracy in. Tracy says when she was young Billie Jean King told her to do stretches and warm up her body prior to matches but she didn't listen. I think when Tracy was a teenager she thought she was invincible and on the tennis court she was.

[NadalAgassi]

Wouldnt someone who was invincible win more than 2 slams, LOL! Yes of course Tracy was up with Chris and Martina for a period. However she still never ended a year ranked #1, and never reached a major final outside of hard courts or the U.S Open. The Martina of 80-81 was also nothing like the future beast Martina. As for Chris, Tracy is a bad matchup for her, so looks better in the matchup than she really is, similar to Sanchez Vicario when playing Graf, Hingis when playing Seles, and numerous other cases.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

Wouldnt someone who was invincible win more than 2 slams, LOL! Yes of course Tracy was up with Chris and Martina for a period. However she still never ended a year ranked #1, and never reached a major final outside of hard courts or the U.S Open. The Martina of 80-81 was also nothing like the future beast Martina. As for Chris, Tracy is a bad matchup for her, so looks better in the matchup than she really is, similar to Sanchez Vicario when playing Graf, Hingis when playing Seles, and numerous other cases.

She also won the WTA Champìonships as well as the Avon Finals, both huge events back then.

[KneisslDestroyer]

I saw Hana team up with Nasty vs Vilas and a lesser know past legend whose name I cant recall...Hana would nail every ball so close to the line with super ease and precision it was scary, she was amazing even at her elder stages...a truly gifted player who just was not mature enough to harness it and dominate along with martina and chrissie...but she got her slice of the pie and is a legend.

[kiki]

Hingis was such a joy to watch.and she came to the net more in a match than any current player over a year.

Hana, you just cannot root against her if you love tennis.Even if she only won 4 or 5 biggies, she had more talent in her nails than 99% of the pros in their whole bodies.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by kiki

Hingis was such a joy to watch.and she came to the net more in a match than any current player over a year.

Hana, you just cannot root against her if you love tennis.Even if she only won 4 or 5 biggies, she had more talent in her nails than 99% of the pros in their whole bodies.

I think so. She was just super gifted.

[BTURNER]

Originally Posted by pc1

I think so. She was just super gifted.

How in hell does anyone get their strokes grooved playing Hana? You have no idea what shot she will hit or what to cover, and 'percentage tennis' is an absolute mockery in a Mandlikova match. There is no pattern and the options are unlimited. She personifies chaos theory. No one gets sleep or relaxes when they see Mandlikova as their next match.

[pc1]

Originally Posted by BTURNER

How in hell does anyone get their strokes grooved playing Hana? You have no idea what shot she will hit or what to cover, and 'percentage tennis' is an absolute mockery in a Mandlikova match. There is no pattern and the options are unlimited. She personifies chaos theory. No one gets sleep or relaxes when they see Mandlikova as their next match.

This is the type of post I wish I could write.

[kiki]

She was the women' s Nastase
And like Ilie, never fulfilled promises
You just saw, felt and tasted how easy tennis wad
for her,Sometimes she made me desperated but there is no other player I ever wanted to watch
One decent good match of hers was worthy 50 matches from almost anyone else
One great Hana match was a true privilege
One grand one was a state of art, so scarce yet so valuous

[suwanee4712]

Originally Posted by BTURNER

How in hell does anyone get their strokes grooved playing Hana? You have no idea what shot she will hit or what to cover, and 'percentage tennis' is an absolute mockery in a Mandlikova match. There is no pattern and the options are unlimited. She personifies chaos theory. No one gets sleep or relaxes when they see Mandlikova as their next match.

Hana's blessing and her curse. She operated well in chaos which might explain why she played so consistently well at Flushing Meadow through most of her career.

All the players said what you just said - they couldn't get a rhythm against her. Bettina Bunge once said that if Hana knew what she was going to do, perhaps she could figure it out. Hana's imagination and gambit approaches freaked most out including Martina who would literally get MAD if Hana drop shotted off her second serve or rushed forward and half volleyed her first serve. This is why Chris was the perfect answer to Hana. She knew to mentally stay on her side of the net and play steady. If Hana hit winners, good for her. But the errors will come which Chris gobbled up.

[BTURNER]

Originally Posted by suwanee4712

Hana's blessing and her curse. She operated well in chaos which might explain why she played so consistently well at Flushing Meadow through most of her career.

All the players said what you just said - they couldn't get a rhythm against her. Bettina Bunge once said that if Hana knew what she was going to do, perhaps she could figure it out. Hana's imagination and gambit approaches freaked most out including Martina who would literally get MAD if Hana drop shotted off her second serve or rushed forward and half volleyed her first serve. This is why Chris was the perfect answer to Hana. She knew to mentally stay on her side of the net and play steady. If Hana hit winners, good for her. But the errors will come which Chris gobbled up.

You have to wonder if this is a lesson Evert learned playing Evonne for so many years. Chris once said her aptitude for anticipating, did her no good against Evonne because even Evonne could not anticipate Evonne!

[suwanee4712]

Originally Posted by BTURNER

You have to wonder if this is a lesson Evert learned playing Evonne for so many years. Chris once said her aptitude for anticipating, did her no good against Evonne because even Evonne could not anticipate Evonne!

That was probably true. Even though its well past her prime, I hope you've seen Evonne's 1982 Palm Beach loss to Chris. It's a masterpiece watching Evonne work her magic on har -tru.

[CEvertFan]

Originally Posted by suwanee4712

That was probably true. Even though its well past her prime, I hope you've seen Evonne's 1982 Palm Beach loss to Chris. It's a masterpiece watching Evonne work her magic on har -tru.

I've watched it many times - it really is something wonderful to watch - from both women.

[kiki]

Those who don' t have her in the top 5 ever for peak play know little tennis