Lew Hoad-A discussion on his career

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by pc1

Well I would guess in this circumstance you would not pick Hoad over Jesus.

What if Fed wants to play too, and is in God-mode?

[kiki]

I´d pick a two men team: Kodes for field playing and Elsworth´s marketing agent for strategy

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by pc1

To also be fair, a number of people like Jimmy Connors and Bud Collins said they would pick Pancho Gonzalez to play for their life. But yes some would have picked Hoad. It would be some Davis Cup team with Gonzalez and Hoad.

An all-time Davis Cup team?
How about Hoad and Gonzales in singles, Hoad/Rosewall in doubles (they won more major doubles titles than any team in history).
This team assembled when all three at their peak, that is, in 1959.
For any proposed all-time Davis Cup team, we should pick all members at the same year.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

An all-time Davis Cup team?
How about Hoad and Gonzales in singles, Hoad/Rosewall in doubles (they won more major doubles titles than any team in history).
This team assembled when all three at their peak, that is, in 1959.
For any proposed all-time Davis Cuo team, we should pick all members at the same year.

Borg,Connors and Mac in 1980
Agassi,Sampras,Becker or Edberg in 90
Any french team of the 20 and any aussie of the 60

[tomwill65]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

An all-time Davis Cup team?
How about Hoad and Gonzales in singles, Hoad/Rosewall in doubles (they won more major doubles titles than any team in history).
This team assembled when all three at their peak, that is, in 1959.
For any proposed all-time Davis Cuo team, we should pick all members at the same year.

I read somewhere that there was only one thing better than watching Hoad play singles. and that was Hoad and Rosewall play doubles.TomWill

[tomwill65]

Originally Posted by tomwill65

I read somewhere that there was only one thing better than watching Hoad play singles. and that was Hoad and Rosewall play doubles.TomWill

You need a fourth member in the team i would pick Emerson probably the best doubles player in history. TomWill

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by tomwill65

You need a fourth member in the team i would pick Emerson probably the best doubles player in history. TomWill

If a Davis Cup captain has Gonzalez, Hoad and Rosewall, he does not need an Emerson or another guy...

[urban]

Maybe it would end like the team of McEnroe-Connors, with McEnroe and Fleming in doubles.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by tomwill65

You need a fourth member in the team i would pick Emerson probably the best doubles player in history. TomWill

Yes, I mentioned that.Hoad and Rosewall´s doubles play mixed up the umatchable - and complementary- talent of two God touched players.One is great, two is sublime...

Like Plant and Page together during their peak....

[PDJ]

Jenny Hoad: last month I played quite a few sets with Jenny, whom you may wish to know is not only still extremely healthy and fit, but remains an excellent player with court coverage that belies her years. She reached the Australian final, but I wonder what might have been if she pursued tennis instead of having so many children?

[treblings]

Originally Posted by PDJ

Jenny Hoad: last month I played quite a few sets with Jenny, whom you may wish to know is not only still extremely healthy and fit, but remains an excellent player with court coverage that belies her years. She reached the Australian final, but I wonder what might have been if she pursued tennis instead of having so many children?

that´s good to hear about her health. she still living in spain?

[PDJ]

Yes. Right next to the Lew Hoad club. I think she plays every day. The way she plays, you'd be hard pressed to think she was over 40! And very down to earth, as you'd probably expect. Dry sense of humour and interesting anecdotes of her tennis years, as wife & player. Fascinating to someone like me, who loves the history, & the stories!

[treblings]

Originally Posted by PDJ

Yes. Right next to the Lew Hoad club. I think she plays every day. The way she plays, you'd be hard pressed to think she was over 40! And very down to earth, as you'd probably expect. Dry sense of humour and interesting anecdotes of her tennis years, as wife & player. Fascinating to someone like me, who loves the history, & the stories!

i would have expected down to earth, given the aussie heritage
if you can share some of her stories or anecdotes, i think you´ve come to the right place for an attentive and thankful audience

[kiki]

Originally Posted by treblings

i would have expected down to earth, given the aussie heritage
if you can share some of her stories or anecdotes, i think you´ve come to the right place for an attentive and thankful audience

I definitely second that

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by PDJ

Jenny Hoad: last month I played quite a few sets with Jenny, whom you may wish to know is not only still extremely healthy and fit, but remains an excellent player with court coverage that belies her years. She reached the Australian final, but I wonder what might have been if she pursued tennis instead of having so many children?

Tennis is the fountain of youth, for those of us who don't pursue it too hard.

[tomwill65]

Originally Posted by pc1

That's always been the question with Lew Hoad. For one match he very well close have been the GOAT but it is debatable. Yet at the same time there has been an argument that if there was a tournament in which the losers would have to jump off a bridge, then perhaps the winner would be Pancho Gonzalez because in do or die match Gonzalez may reach the highest level.

So what do we look at for GOAT? Hoad obviously has wonderful credentials as a great player and the opinions of players who have played or people who have seen him viewed him with awe but there are also experts like Jack Kramer who felt Hoad was overrated because of his inconsistency in playing level.

Objectively the total career accomplishments of some like Laver and Rosewall surpass Hoad easily. I don't think Hoad can stand up to some in career accomplishment. So we have to look at peak level of play and look at Hoad's best years.

Consistency is important in evaluating greatness but you also have to look at peak level. That's always the problem with evaluating Lew Hoad.

Yes i agree with lew hoad not having as good a record as the other players, however i have seen him play as well as the others if you wanted to see the best tennis come off a mans racquet HOADs the man.Tomwill

[tomwill65]

Originally Posted by PDJ

Jenny Hoad: last month I played quite a few sets with Jenny, whom you may wish to know is not only still extremely healthy and fit, but remains an excellent player with court coverage that belies her years. She reached the Australian final, but I wonder what might have been if she pursued tennis instead of having so many children?

Yes, Jennifer a very ,very attractive lady and like her late husband would not be out place in hollywood.TomWill

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by tomwill65

Yes i agree with lew hoad not having as good a record as the other players, however i have seen him play as well as the others if you wanted to see the best tennis come off a mans racquet HOADs the man.Tomwill

Laver, Rosewall, Gonzales all agreed with you.

[hoodjem]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

Laver, Rosewall, Gonzales all agreed with you.

Do we know Muscles's all-time GOAT-list?

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by hoodjem

Do we know Muscles's all-time GOAT-list?

I only know the first four: Hoad, Gonzalez, Laver, Federer.

But I remember that Rosewall once made another list-about his greatest opponents- with Laver first.