The most UNDERRATED things about Jennifer Capriati

[JennyS]

1. Class and sportsmanship. Sure she swears. Who doesn't? But she is probably one player who never gets credit for being classy. Some examples:
-She never gets personal about her opponents when talking in press conferences. Compare that to Hingis and Davenport calling Mauresmo masculine.
-She doesn't brag about her talent. She comes across as very humble and never says things like "if I play my best, nobody can beat me."
-She always says something nice about her opponents when she loses. Some folks don't recognize this at all, but it's true.
-She does not take injury time outs often and when she does, she actually is injured. In some really big matches, like those US Open semi finals, she could have easily faked an injury and asked for a timeout to stop the momentum, but she didn't. Even Davenport said that in their sf match at Indian Wells two years ago that Jen doesn't do that to people.
-She dedicated two of her Slams to cancer patients. Very very classy.
-She does plenty of charity work, is very patient when signing autographs for fans and gets along very well with here opponents.

2. Clutch play/heart: Sure she's choked. Who HASN'T. But don't tell me she didn't show heart or clutch play in the following matches...
-2001 Aussie Open quarters. Down a set and 2-4 to Seles. Came back to win.
-2001 FO Qf's. After blowing the second set on a double fault, came back to beat Serena in three
-2001 FO final. Won a 1-6 6-4 12-10 thriller against Clijsters.
-2001 Wimbledon qf's. Down a set 3-5 0-30 to Serena Williams, came back to win.
-2002 Aussie Open finals. Down a set and 0-4. BRUTAL conditions. 4 championship points saved. End of story.
-2004 US Open qf's. Who gives a damn about the bad calls

3. Fitness:
Folks criticise her for being "fat" and unfit. But she sure as heck doesn't play like an out of shape player.
-She won 3 three setters at the FO and 3 three setters at the US Open in 2004, and ran like the wind in those matches at the Open. Her defense in the US Open qf was amazing and she ran her butt off in her SF loss. Something an out of shape person could not do.
-She continues to impress with on court speed, which is VERY underrated

etc etc

[davey25]

What is this, Jennifer Capriati online logging in under another name? Sure sounds like it.

[nkhera1]

She is out of shape somewhat. If she could get into better shape she could get to ball faster, and have time for better shots. Either she is out of shape or really big boned.

[iscottius]

Jennifer is a great competitor with alot of power and fight, unfortunately what has and is keeping her from winning more Slams is not her mental fortitude, but her strategy---making adjustments--see dementieva Cap USOPEN semi's. She does not make adjustments, she does not mix up her serve, she plays offensively up until the big points and then plays not to lose. She certainly has the power & game--she is someone who would have benefited from a real coach for her entire career. She is the best pure ball striker on the women's tour. I just hope that it is not too late for Jennifer to win a fourth Slam before she retires.

[Chadwixx]

her amazing slice serve. 65 mph waist lvl is just amazing. she has been playing since she was 4 yet she never learned how to hit a kick serve. i see 12 year olds who have better technique than her. ppl bag on dementiava but capriati's serve is worse.

she has less class than any woman on the tour, how many women are former herion addicts who yell the f word at the chair umpire on a national broadcast?

she is super nice when she wins, and a very poor sport when she loses.

[Deuce]

Underrated things about Capriati? Hmmm...

Well, she's likely even more dishonest and self-absorbed than most believe.

How's that?

Anyone who thinks that she has 'recovered' from her pot bust days is living in an illusion. She's just as messed up now as she was then - the difference is that now, she is better able to disguise it. But it can be seen rather clearly in her 'brat-like' bahavior, among other clues. Capriati is a screwed up kid turned screwed up adult. Those around her - who should care about her - simply help her to continue to avoid the issues in her life which she needs to address.

Jenny - with your barrage of pro-Capriati posts, you're this board's female equivalent of Andy Zarzuela. I suggest you step back and gain some much needed objectivity and perspective if you wish anyone to take your posts with anything resembling seriousness.

[Kaptain Karl]

Shes WAY bigger at one thing than the Press and many of her fans recognize or acknowledge.
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She cheats.

What an error, to have the words "class" and "Capriati" in the same sentence.

- KK

[maratonman]

I consider her not to be in the best shape for competitive level. She is a talent tennis player who have always like the things the easy way... Smacking balls as hard as she can, but thats not enough these days. Eventhough still in the WTA most of the time pure talent overcomes physical conditioning. Examples: Davenport, S. Williams, Sharapova, just to name a few......... Until that doesn´t happen I will not respect these days WTA.

In the WTA it is needed more type of players like Mauresmo, Pistolesi, Dementieva, Molick. Type of Navratilova, Graf, Sanchez. We need to see real fighters on the court!

[MARK ANDERS]

I think the most underrated thing about Jcap is how much her face and choppers resemble a horse's face.

[Fee]

If JenCap was so full of class and sportsmanship, then she would have spoken up in that USO match against Serena when the chair idiot called out the wrong score. She blew it, she should have said something and she knows it, which is why she did such a poor job of playing it off in the interview afterwards.

I reconsidered Jen after she won the French because I believe that everyone deserves the chance at redemption if they so want it (I am a big fan of Les Miserables, one of my fav novels of all time). Her fight back to win 3 slams was admirable, but some of the things she has done since then have been questionable at best. She is not deserving of the glowing description afforded her in the first post of this thread, which as Datacipher pointed out, is missing a dose of objectivity. (I am a very devoted fan of a particular player, but I will be the first person to tell you that he sucks on clay and can make some incredibly poor choices in the midst of matches, doesn't make me less of a fan).

And EVERYBODY gives a damn about the bad calls in that USO match with Serena, it was one of the most poorly officated tennis matches of all times and the whole world saw it. To dismiss them is either naive or in denial. Which one are you JennyS?

[Chadwixx]

why didnt serena ask the umpire about the wrong score?

[christo]

A little known fact about J Cap was her ability to drink Mathew Perry under the table AND to do a bong hit AND chew gum at the same time. What other Grand Slam winner can claim that?

[Datacipher]

Originally Posted by Fee

She is not deserving of the glowing description afforded her in the first post of this thread, which as Datacipher pointed out, is missing a dose of objectivity. ?

I did? I thought this was the 1st time I looked at this thread...must be posting in my sleep again!

Actually, feel free to attribute that statement to me, because it was absolutely correct....in fact I was thinking of replying but as I scrolled down, I realized you all had it covered....

It's nice to know you're thinking of me though!

[Fee]

Oh crud... I must have been posting in my sleep. It was Deuce, not Datacipher. Feel free to apply the palm of your hand to the middle of my forehead with a loud thumping sound. I deserve that one (and it might kick start my brain too). I'm always thinking of you Datacipher, us girls have to stick together.... (snicker)

[marc tressard]

All one can say is that in a sport with such little nat'l exposure and apprarently so few full time fans in the larger community, dissing one of the more prominent figures in the sport on these boards with some hugely insulting angry put downs is counterproductive. We know precious little about the "real" people behind the on court personae. Even Mickey Mantle, an icon, was apparantly "no role model." Enjoy the game. Carpriati has given us many on court thrills. Her physical appearance and teen marijuana problem are not the end of the world. On these boards much of the visible women's tour has been trashed starting with the Wiliamses. What is served by this? It is all perception, we don't know these people.

[Camilio Pascual]

Originally Posted by JennyS

-3. Fitness: Folks criticise her for being "fat" and unfit. But she sure as heck doesn't play like an out of shape player.
-She won 3 three setters at the FO and 3 three setters at the US Open in 2004, and ran like the wind in those matches at the Open. Her defense in the US Open qf was amazing and she ran her butt off in her SF loss. Something an out of shape person could not do.
-She continues to impress with on court speed, which is VERY underrated etc etc

I don't think that argues either way for her conditioning. Perhaps if she was in better shape, she'd win those matches in 2 sets. Of those 3 setter matches won, we'd need to look at the opponents to see if that is impressive or not. Still, she's a great player and will be in the HOF for her 3 Majors singles titles and her Olympic gold.

[gts072]

Actually you should change the topic to "The most OVERRATED things about Jennifer Capriati" because she is just that.

[baseliner]

Anyone heard when she is coming back out on tour? has she played a single match this year? If she has been lifting anything heavier than 12 ounce curls with Bud and she continues to wear those sleeveless tops, she will put Am's shoulders to shame.