This is when tennis was fun. Hingis-Martinez

[BTURNER]

I watched a couple of slugfest clips featuring Davenport, Capriati, Seles etc first, which made this one like eating parfait or mousse. Martinez is throwing all that heavy slice, topspin and angle at Hingis and as you can guess, all the tricks come out of the bag. A mature Martinez has the kind of game that can frustrate so many players. For Hingis, it was playtime too. The score isn't that close, but the points are compelling. There is no guessing what either player will do next. When did tactics die? The sport is so dreary now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feLL5hlC4rY

[kiki]

Hingis was always fun to watch
Specially teaming with Kourni

[bluetrain4]

I just saw Martinez on some Tennis Channel "Top 5 Underrated" shows. I don't think she's underrated (as in where she ranks), but maybe "unerappreciated. She really was a great player, great variety - 34 tournament titles, Wimbledon title, AO and FO finalist, and just a ton of other Slam SFs and QFs (including all 4 SFs in 1995), and Fed Cup titles. Wins over all the greats of her generation, though her overall record against those players was pretty abysmal. That's probably why she isn't appreciated more. And, she was an introvert, wasn't beautiful or "hot". So, not surprising that she's not talked about all that much.

[bluetrain4]

Great clip. Geez, Hingis was quick. Yeah, they really did think things out - nice points.

[Moose Malloy]

I guess with enough time passing, there will eventually be some nostalgia for any player. Martinez was not a popular player at all when she played(in fact I think the consensus among fans & media at the time was that she was one of the most boring players to watch - her matches with Sanchez-Vicario may have been an alltime low for womens tennis. at the time.)

I wonder what youtube clips 12 years from now will cause fans to reminisce fondly about today. radwanska-wozniacki?

[bluetrain4]

Originally Posted by Moose Malloy

I guess with enough time passing, there will eventually be some nostalgia for any player. Martinez was not a popular player at all when she played(in fact I think the consensus among fans & media at the time was that she was one of the most boring players to watch - her matches with Sanchez-Vicario may have been an alltime low for womens tennis. at the time.)

I wonder what youtube clips 12 years from now will cause fans to reminisce fondly about today. radwanska-wozniacki?

I agree. That Graf-Seles-ASV-Martinez-Sabatini-MJF-Pierce-Novatana generation was my prime tennis watching years. And, you're totally correct. Martinez wasn't a draw. She didn't have a huge fanbase. And, she was generally considered boring.

But, I always liked her for some reason, and I paticularly liked her tussling with more attacking or crafty players. So, for me, this isn't a case of remembering the past as being better than it actually was. I actually liked watching her back then, even though most didn't.

[bkpr]

Originally Posted by bluetrain4

Yeah, they really did think things out - nice points.

It seems as though back then — at least in that clip and others I've watched — players would try to outsmart each other. Nowadays they try to outpower, outrun, outhit, or ourspeed each other.

[Moose Malloy]

^Top players in 2000(when this clip happened) included Davenport, Serena, Venus, Pierce. davenport played venus in 2 slam finals that year. There sure as hell wasn't a lot of 'outsmarting' going on in those matches.

Like I said, in 2024, there will be probably be some fans looking at clips of Radwanska-Azarenka(who seems woefully underpowered compared to Venus or Davenport) today & saying, "tennis used to be much more fun!"

ah, youtube.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Moose Malloy

I guess with enough time passing, there will eventually be some nostalgia for any player. Martinez was not a popular player at all when she played(in fact I think the consensus among fans & media at the time was that she was one of the most boring players to watch - her matches with Sanchez-Vicario may have been an alltime low for womens tennis. at the time.)

Disagree.Fernandez and Pierce were less appealing.

I wonder what youtube clips 12 years from now will cause fans to reminisce fondly about today. radwanska-wozniacki?

Disagree.Fernandez and Pierce were less appealing.

[Frankc]

Agreed, Martinez was a joy to watch. Just underappreciated - quiet and a game that had depth but not the ka boom(and she chose not to draw attention to herself - an unforgivable sin with the media and many fans)... unique. Great clip, thanks for posting - two wonderful thinkers - those varied exchanges... No nostagia here - found her game rich and interesting then and still to be appreciated - ( Funny, in that era, with their equipment level, one could still watch the points build with the patterns from the "Book") - beautiful ...