A Tennis Hypothetical (would this player be GOAT?)

[tudwell]

He'd have a really good case. As Mustard said, tennis history is very complicated, and picking a definitive GOAT is next to impossible. But this hypothetical guy would be up there for sure, having achieved in two years more than 99% of players achieve in their entire career.

[The Bawss]

Ayrton Senna.

[Goosehead]

Originally Posted by joeri888

No. I've never heard of her, and never seen her in any goat debate. I wiki'd here and know what you talk about. It says something that me, a non-american, but way more than casual fan of tennis, don't know who she is.

That tells you that in history, what ifs are important, but not as important as people who actually did what they were destined to do, as opposed to people who never got the chance.

she played in 11 majors and winning 9 of them and those 9 were won in consecutive majors she entered..

saying you've not heard of little mo connolly is like you havnt heard of monica seles or tracy austin...as you say you are a casual fan, thats fair enough....

anyway, now you know, so its no big deal its a big shame how her career was ended age about 20 i think, and then she died of cancer in the 1960s aged around 35

[Mustard]

Yes. Maureen Connolly lost in the second round of both the 1949 and 1950 US Championships, but then won 9 consecutive majors that she entered:

1. 1951 US Championships
2. 1952 Wimbledon
3. 1952 US Championships
4. 1953 Australian Championships
5. 1953 French Championships
6. 1953 Wimbledon
7. 1953 US Championships
8. 1954 French Championships
9. 1954 Wimbledon

The horsing accident which ended her career was just 2 weeks after winning 1954 Wimbledon. She was 19 years old. She died in 1969 at the age of 34, after a 3 year battle with cancer.

[Goosehead]

good post ^^^, i was sort of right then..i didnt check, so at least i got the majors bit spot on.

[jrs]

In men's tennis anyone anyone who can win 2 grand slams (the real not - no this bs career slam business) and Olympic gold - Is GOAT. A golden Slam is even better. I believe Rod Laver won 2 Grand slams (but a lot tournaments were grass).

Women's - I guess you have to beat Steffi Graf's or Margret Courts - records - not really sure what they are.

[JTJet]

This person would definitely be up for the GOAT position, and won't be forgotten easily. Back to back CYGSs will be something to remember, but then again you have the story of Ms. Connolly.

In the future, after this hypothetical player has died, I feel a majority of people will judge by what this player had done, instead of what this player could have done. It's sort of like a Bjorn Borg like way of judging things.

This player would be up there for achievements GOATs, and probably top for potential GOAT discussions.

[timnz]

Originally Posted by jrs

In men's tennis anyone anyone who can win 2 grand slams (the real not - no this bs career slam business) and Olympic gold - Is GOAT. A golden Slam is even better. I believe Rod Laver won 2 Grand slams (but a lot tournaments were grass).

Women's - I guess you have to beat Steffi Graf's or Margret Courts - records - not really sure what they are.

Laver didn't have Olympic Tennis as an option, it wasn't there when he was playing.

re. Olympic Gold. I think rather the WTF. If one doesn't have the WTF on one's CV it is much more glaring than the absence of an Olympic Gold since you get 4 times the attempts to win the WTF than you do Olympic Gold, so only a 1/4 the excuses for not winning it.

[zam88]

Originally Posted by Mustard

Yes. Maureen Connolly lost in the second round of both the 1949 and 1950 US Championships, but then won 9 consecutive majors that she entered:

1. 1951 US Championships
2. 1952 Wimbledon
3. 1952 US Championships
4. 1953 Australian Championships
5. 1953 French Championships
6. 1953 Wimbledon
7. 1953 US Championships
8. 1954 French Championships
9. 1954 Wimbledon

The horsing accident which ended her career was just 2 weeks after winning 1954 Wimbledon. She was 19 years old. She died in 1969 at the age of 34, after a 3 year battle with cancer.

That's a pretty GOAT-ish record.

If a dude did that in today's game I'd be really thinking about elevating him beyond what others had done who'd won less majors.

i can't believe i'd never heard of her before this thread

[Prisoner of Birth]

Originally Posted by jrs

In men's tennis anyone anyone who can win 2 grand slams (the real not - no this bs career slam business) and Olympic gold - Is GOAT. A golden Slam is even better. I believe Rod Laver won 2 Grand slams (but a lot tournaments were grass).

Women's - I guess you have to beat Steffi Graf's or Margret Courts - records - not really sure what they are.

One of Laver's Grand Slams was against amateurs. It means zilch.

[jrs]

Also, I believe during that time - 3 of the grand slams were grass court events.

Didn't realize Maureen Connolly - stopped playing at 19 - that's amazing.

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by Prisoner of Birth

One of Laver's Grand Slams was against amateurs. It means zilch.

It's like pitting a 12 year old against a fully grown man.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by Prisoner of Birth

One of Laver's Grand Slams was against amateurs. It means zilch.

It's wrong to say it means "zilch", but Laver was probably only the fourth best player in the world in 1962, behind Rosewall, Hoad and Gimeno (all professionals). Gonzales was in an 18 month retirement at the time. Laver also won the 4 biggest professional tournaments in 1967 (winning the French Pro, Wembley Pro, US Pro and Wimbledon Pro). By this point, Laver was the undisputed best player in the world.

[BlueB]

Maureen 'Little Mo' Connolly = GOAT
She is the only player that had a movie shot about her!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw5JN_ILHio
That is a pretty acceptable measure of greatness/fame nowadays.

[Blocker]

To use a real example, but in another sport, ie the Munich air disaster that wiped out most of the Manchester United team in the 50s, it has only added to the legend of "Bubsy's Babes". They are still considered one of the best sides ever, notwithstanding their opportunities to win more trophies was tragically cut short.

Sometimes a tragedy can enhance the reputation of a person, rather than cut it short. Look at Elivis, still considered the King. Marilyn Monroe, still probably considered the greatest female entertainer of all time.

So to use the example in the OP, chances are that the player, whoever it was, may just be considered a GOAT, and there would be people of the player's era arguing with future generations just how good he was.