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10-04-2011, 07:35 AM
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#1 |
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Hall Of Fame
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,247
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Best number 1 & 2 Combo in WTA history?
Ok...we give the current women a lot of flack and knock them around for their bount of weaknesses. I'll be the first to admit that the current one two combo is probably one of the worst quality wise that womens tennis has ever seen...
but...to try and discuss something positive...which is getting hard around here... If you could go back and grab any #1 & 2 from a point of history on the rankings, what #1 & 2 would you consider the strongest combo to hold the spots? I know there are some obvious choices.... Navratilova/Evert Seles/Graf But any others that were strong or stand out for a reason, whatever that reason may be? like contrasting styles, approaches, their rivalry? I say this grasping at straws for something good to say about womens tennis...haha... |
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10-04-2011, 07:40 AM
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#2 | |
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Legend
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 7,146
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10-04-2011, 07:44 AM
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#3 | |
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Hall Of Fame
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Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,247
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10-04-2011, 09:17 AM
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#4 | |
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,315
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Easily Graf/Navratilova summer 1989. |
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10-04-2011, 10:39 AM
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#5 |
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Rookie
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 248
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Yes Graf/Nav 1987-89 is amazing. Probably the 2 greatest players ever in women tennis history.
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10-04-2011, 01:57 PM
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#6 | |
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Hall Of Fame
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,247
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Quote:
Navratilova/Evert- Strong, consistent, and 2 very different styles of tennis, mentally strong, fit...a powerful one two punch Seles/Graf- Seles was a fighter, she never gave in, Graf was athletic, graceful, all around threat...not a bad duo. King/Court- Relentless S&V tennis, ability to read a court, great weapons, and a fierce one on one rivalry. Lenglen/Wills- I really don't feel the need to explain this. Connolly/Hart- Probably underplayed, Hart was a finalist at 18 majors and only won 6, but during Connolly's career the last one to fall was usually Hart. Both were strong deep tournament finishers. Mauresmo/Henin- probably the last truly strong 1/2 combo. I don't think they stack that highly in comparison to others that the rankings have seen but they were both great all around players...to bad Mauresmo was mentally flakey. |
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10-04-2011, 07:29 PM
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#7 |
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Hall Of Fame
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: OREGON
Posts: 2,354
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Well guys, Lenglen and Wills were contemparies. another thought, When Bueno was healthy and Court was right behind.
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10-04-2011, 10:16 PM
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#8 | |
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Professional
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 976
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Quote:
it's wozniacki and zvonareva! lol |
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10-05-2011, 02:05 AM
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#9 |
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Rookie
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 93
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Graf/seles
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10-05-2011, 04:23 AM
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#10 |
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Legend
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 7,146
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Some other excellent 1s and 2s---BJ King/Goolagong, Evert/BJ King, Evert/Austin.
Last edited by pc1 : 10-06-2011 at 06:34 AM. |
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10-05-2011, 08:22 PM
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#11 |
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Legend
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 7,146
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Push comes to shove I would go with Graf/Navratilova and I think the best year would be 1988. Navratilova won nine tournaments that year and I believe she was 70-7. I think Graf was 72-3 off the top of my head so the two were a combined 142-10 I think. Graf of course won the Golden Slam that year. Navratilova just the previous year won two majors and dominated tennis prior to 1987 for a number of years. Not that it means anything but in 1988 the Graf backhand returns against Navratilova during the Wimbledon final were so good that you would have thought they were hit by her husband Andre in his prime. I never saw her hit backhand returns so well.
At first I thought for pure dominance in their time that Lenglen and Wills would be the choice. Problem is that Lenglen and Wills weren't dominant at the same times. Both these women at their peaks didn't lose for years and their match in 1927 was legendary. They were one and two for only one year in the 1920's. Last edited by pc1 : 10-05-2011 at 08:25 PM. |
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10-06-2011, 06:21 AM
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#12 | |
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Hall Of Fame
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 4,247
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Quote:
And yes....Grafs Backhand then was truly amazing, it was more then just a little slicer that she would develop later. She could definitely hit the thing with topspin and I never got why, in later years, she stopped doing so because it was such a good weapon and she certainly was good at it. My personal choice...I honestly don't know. This combination though it definitely on the shortlist. My top 5 would probably be in some order... Graf/Nav Nav/Evert Court/King Connolly/Hart Court/Bueno Another interesting pairing that comes to mind is Gibson/Fry...although I am not saying they were a combo up there with others. Gibson was definitely a talented player. |
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10-06-2011, 12:00 PM
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#13 | |
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Rookie
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 243
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10-06-2011, 12:06 PM
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#14 |
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Rookie
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 243
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How about Hennin vs. Clister vs. Serena Any combination of these 3. I don't remember if they were actually #1 and #2 any period. If clister is not injured she can beat up any current top rankings so does Hennin.
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10-06-2011, 01:22 PM
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#15 | |
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,315
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Quote:
Clister, Hennin and Serrana - the best!! |
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10-06-2011, 02:03 PM
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#16 | |
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Rookie
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 243
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Quote:
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10-07-2011, 08:25 AM
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#17 |
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Legend
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 9,663
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It would have to be a period you have two all time great players playing their best at once.
Evert and Navratilova in 1985 Graf and Navratilova in 1989 Graf and Seles in 1992 To a lesser extent: Evert and Navratilova in 1984 Evert and Navratilova in 1986 Graf and Navratilova in 1987 Evert and Navratilova in 1978 Court and King were never really at their best together. Court shone brightest from 62-65, 69-70, and 73. King was at her best from 66-68 and 71-72. One of those would have to be the winner IMO. Of the last 20 years the choices would have to come down to: Venus and Serena 2002 Serena and Henin 2003 Overall my choice would be Navratilova and Evert 1985.
__________________
TMF on Jan. 2011- Serena is washed up for good, TMF in Oct. 2009- Nadal has won his final slam, TMF in 2011- Woz will beat Serena at U.S Open |
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10-07-2011, 11:21 AM
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#18 |
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Hall Of Fame
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Sweden
Posts: 3,836
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Delete, I completely misread.
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¡uoɔǝıɹɐW ʎǝH |
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10-07-2011, 11:49 AM
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#19 | |
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,315
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Quote:
In 1992 Steffi had only her 9th-best (!) winning percentage. In 1989 Navratilova had her 6th-best. And in 1985 Navratilova and Evert had their 5th best year ever. So Steffi most certainly was not "playing her best" in 1992. Nevertheless she was perhaps the best #2 ever that year. So you might be right after all. |
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10-07-2011, 11:51 AM
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#20 | |
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Banned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,315
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Quote:
And if we then consider that a 16-year-old Graf beat Evert in March 1986 easily in two sets and never lost again to her ... |
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