Goolagong vs Bueno

[grafrules]

Both of these great players won 7 slams. Bueno was a Court rival mainly, while Goolagong was a rival of Court, King, and then Evert. Who would you rate the higher of the two? Both were similar in many ways in that they were famous for their fluid and graceful movement and great shotmaking abilities.

[rolandg]

I would rate Evonne slightly higher.

[CEvertFan]

I would rate Goolagong slightly higher because of her results against the quality of competition she had to face (i.e. Court, King, Evert, Navratilova). I've read that Bueno was even more graceful than Goolagong if that's possible. Maria must have been breathtaking to watch because when Evonne was having a good day she certainly was.

Even though I chose Goolagong, Bueno's seven Slam titles are more prestigious than Goolagong's, as Maria won 4 US Opens and 3 Wimbledons to Evonne's 4 Australian Opens, 2 Wimbledons and 1 French Open. Bueno did make the finals of the AO and French once each, but lost both of those finals to Court.

[Q&M son]

Originally Posted by rolandg

I would rate Evonne slightly higher.

Same to me.

[boredone3456]

Originally Posted by CEvertFan

I would rate Goolagong slightly higher because of her results against the quality of competition she had to face (i.e. Court, King, Evert, Navratilova). I've read that Bueno was even more graceful than Goolagong if that's possible. Maria must have been breathtaking to watch because when Evonne was having a good day she certainly was.

Even though I chose Goolagong, Bueno's seven Slam titles are more prestigious than Goolagong's, as Maria won 4 US Opens and 3 Wimbledons to Evonne's 4 Australian Opens, 2 Wimbledons and 1 French Open. Bueno did make the finals of the AO and French once each, but lost both of those finals to Court.

I would partially agree with this. I voted for Goolagong because she had a greater variety of slam wins, winning 3 of the 4, even though I think Maria's 4 us opens weigh more than Evonne's 4 australians. I think Goolagong played in a much more competitive era though, having to deal with court, evert, king, and a whole host of other dangerous players. Goolagong also had more accomplishments over a longer period of time, least to me. This is not to discredit either woman, as they both had amazng careers, but Goolagong with the edge

[urban]

I must say, that i never saw coherent videos of Bueno in her prime. Astute observers like Maskell or Bellamy give her high notes in the artistic department. Her service motion was swift and beautiful. Goolagongs backhand was a stroke of art, her walkabouts legendary.
Buenos career was hurt by a severe illness (hepatitis). Since 1961 she never regained the easy game, she had before. Around 1960 she was undoubtedly the Nr.1 for 2 or 3 years - a position Goolagong never reached for a longer period. Therefore i go maybe with Bueno. But both were wonderful players.

[TennisExpert]

Goola, new number one in woman tennis

[Wuornos]

I voted for Maria Bueno. Hardly anything in it but I think her peak period running up to the French Open of 1965 just edges Evonne Goolagong run up to the US Open of 1975.

The Performance ratings I calculate sees 10 points difference between with Bueno at 2755 at her peak and Goolagong 2745.

Officially Goolagong hit the #1 spot briefly but the performance ratings see her as never having achieved this instead reigning for no less than 18 majors at #2 in the rankings with her first achieving this position after Wimbledon of 1973. Bueno first hit the top of the rankings after the US Open of 1959 and held the position for 8 majors.

The discrepancy we see in relation to their success in Ranking terms compared with the narrow difference in the ratings says much about the quality of opposition in Goolagongs career compared with Buenos.

[BTURNER]

Definitely Bueno. She was number 1 for the better part of two years. And in my mind she probably would have kept the seeding in 61, and maybe 62, had severe illness cost her over an entire season, much like Seles stabbing in her best years. Ann Mortimer, and Darlene Hard got her slams and ranking (Court was still immature) That she came back to be competitive at the highest level ( # 3 in 62 and #2 in 63,64) should tell us a lot. Evonne on the merest fluke got to number 1 for two weeks.

[thalivest]

Originally Posted by BTURNER

Definitely Bueno. She was number 1 for the better part of two years. And in my mind she probably would have kept the seeding in 61, and maybe 62, had severe illness cost her over an entire season, much like Seles stabbing in her best years. Ann Mortimer, and Darlene Hard got her slams and ranking (Court was still immature) That she came back to be competitive at the highest level ( # 3 in 62 and #2 in 63,64) should tell us a lot. Evonne on the merest fluke got to number 1 for two weeks.

Yes Bueno could have achieved alot more without unfortunate health problems. Goolagong was kept from achieving alot more by her own laziness and casual approach to tennis. Bueno also won all her slams at the big 2 of Wimbledon and the U.S Open, while Goolagong won over half of her 7 slams at the then non-slam that was the Australian Open back then and never won the U.S Open. There is no comparision.

I just noticed almost everyone voted for Goolagong. That surpises me alot.

[Tomaz Bellucci]

I'm just a little biased!!!

[BTURNER]

Bumping for the hell of it. We ought to keep more women's threads going on the front page.

[pc1]

BTURNER,

You're right, we should have more Women's threads active.

I suppose I would go with Goolagong. I loved watching Evonne play. Evonne did win a few year end finals which was very prestigious and was in the finals of many majors despite losing to greats like Evert, King, Court and Navratilova.

[Limpinhitter]

I've seen them both play. Not that it is relevant because Goolagong was in her prime, and Bueno about 10-12 years past her prime in a team tennis match.

I voted for Bueno because of what I've read about her abilities and her dominance over the women's game for a short time. I didn't know about her illness, but, that would explain her seemingly 2 separate careers. Goolagong was a great player during a time of tough competition, but, I can't say that Goolagong was ever dominant.

[BTURNER]

For those not in the know, here is a quote from her website


"In 1961 she arrived in Paris feverish and feeling tired. The trouble was not immediately diagnosed and she was allowed to go on exercising for a couple of hours a day.

Her condition worsened, the illness turned out to be hepatitis and upon her return home to Brazil she was confined to bed for eight months, during which her weight dropped by 24 lbs. Already slender, she sank below eight stones and looked just skin and bone.

Her recovery was to prove slow but nevertheless certain and by February 1962, Maria had her sights set, once again, on Wimbledon. It was an anxious and worrying time for her as she struggled to regain her fitness and form.

Major titles were to prove elusive that year, with Maria losing to Margaret Smith in the Italian finals after a thrilling match that showed her to be capable of her best, then falling to the clever Czech housewife, Vera Sukova at Wimbledon and again to Margaret at Forest Hills, both at the semi-final stages.

A year later, however, Maria won again at Forest Hills, beating
Margaret 7-5 6-4 to prove she really was back at her very best...."
Then in1965, "Maria was increasingly aware that her left knee was growing ever more painful. In the final of the Australian 1965 final it led to severe cramp which, in turn caused further damage and forced her to default when Margaret was leading 5-7 6-4 5-2 in their final...Just before Christmas that year Maria entered the D Pedro II Hospital in Sâo Paulo where João Di Vicenzo, one of Brazil’s leading orthopaedic surgeons, took 140 minutes to remove two menisci from her left knee"

after about six months she was working her way toward form and got colic after gall stones. Not a lucky champion!