Favourite, but forgotten player?

retrowagen · Mar 27, 2007

snapple said:
Also, two other names that come to mind are Martin Jaite and Jaime Yzuga, who I recall giving Sampras fits at the '94 Open.

I remember early in Jaite's career, he arrived at a tournament with no tennis shoes. He played a match (I think it was against Lendl) wearing running shoes! If I recall correctly, he was one of the few pros using the Prince Woodie back when it was current.

retrowagen · Mar 27, 2007

Oh yeah: after Amanda Coetzer, how about some other South Africans:
Johan Kriek (one of the speediest guys on foot ever) and Kevin Curren (ex Texas Longhorn and Wimby finalist)?

Rabbit · Mar 27, 2007

K. Wilson Moose said:
Little Mandy Coetzer, one of the fittest women players ever.

Moose, I was waiting.....

snapple said:
Harold Solomon & Eddie Dibbs (AKA the Bagel Brothers)

You stole my thunder! Yep, Fast Eddie Dibbs and Harold "Moon boy" Solomon. I miss watching those two guys for sure.

And Karsten Braasch

Kirko · Mar 27, 2007

Hans Gildemeister, his brother Fritz lived at the same tennis & golf club I did in Reno,NV. I got to seem him hit with his brother when he would visit.

K. Wilson Moose · Mar 27, 2007

Rabbit said:
And Karsten Braasch

Ah yes, the chain smoking German, who once drank a 6 pack of beer during a golf round, had a sensible cigarette or two, and then spanked both of the Williams sisters.

retrowagen · Mar 27, 2007

slice bh compliment said:
Oh, SNAPple...do you remember who was the top pro who endorsed Snapple? (I think it was Snapple Sport)

Was Mikey Chang, wasn't it?

Anyone out there in remember Rodney Harmon? How about Tim "Dr. Dirt" Wilkison?

snapple · Mar 27, 2007

Forgot all about Dr. Dirt - a tennis player with a football players attitude the way he used to lunge around the court before Becker popularized it. I remember (to my dismay) he upset Jose Louis Clerc at the '82 US Open.

Kirko · Mar 27, 2007

retrowagen said:
Was Mikey Chang, wasn't it?

Anyone out there in remember Rodney Harmon? How about Tim "Dr. Dirt" Wilkison?

yeah Wilikison he made quite a run at the 85 U.S. Open.

Kirko · Mar 27, 2007

David Pate from Las Vegas saw him play the final at the Pilot Pen tournament in Palm Springs in 85 against Jaime Yzaga.

thomas martinez · Mar 27, 2007

Actually Bobo did end up with the Pumas, even at oen point when partnering Boris in doubles playing the same PUma Super. Another one people are forgetting, Milan Sjreber, and what about Helena Sukova? Shuzo he used to be called the kind of qualifying. And is to this day a god in Japan still. Really really underrated player he was.

alwaysatnet · Mar 27, 2007

Hana Mandlikova,Mecir(or course),Henri Leconte,Guy Forget,Jana Novotna. I remember Johan Kriek beating McEnroe in San Francisco. He was the Jimmy Wynn( a forgotten baseball star) of tennis. Short but powerful.

slice bh compliment · Mar 28, 2007

The guy with a snapple patch and a television ad for snapple:

Ivan Lendl. They did a Sports version for a while: Snap-Up. Lendl and his tiny li'l shorts were featured on the poster and on the tv ad. It was almost as good as his Ben-Gay spot.

retrowagen, I did not recall Chang endorsing Snapple. But I trust you. What is it about Lendl and Chang? Hmm, let's get two tennis players with as low a Q rating as possible to say they drink our product. They'll make our lady behind the counter really stand out!

What ever happened to Snapple, anyway? Maybe people figured out that it was basically sugarwater.

slice bh compliment · Mar 28, 2007

retrowagen said:
Was Mikey Chang, wasn't it?

Anyone out there in remember Rodney Harmon? How about Tim "Dr. Dirt" Wilkison?

Dr. Dirt is perfect for this thread.

Rodney Harmon, yeah...he used to bounce the ball right before his return of serve. Him and Marcel Freeman both had deals with Levi's tennis apparel.

Nick Saviano is another one for this thread. Used a Head Edgewood or a Head Vilas, if I recall.

Oh, what about Jay Berger?

urban · Mar 28, 2007

Someone remembers Jeff Borowiak? Was a nice, upcoming player in the early 70s. A sort of a hippy, intellectual and artist - i think a musician -, who followed the ways of the tennis guru himself, Torben Ulrich. He won ( or was runner up) in the first WCT event, he played, at Cologne in 1971, against all the leading players of the day. I think he never reached the top ten.

John Galt · Mar 28, 2007

Vijay Amritraj. For some reason this guy's name comes to mind. I was watching a practice session of his at Stratton Mountain many (many

) years ago and his strokes were absolutely fluid. Smooth footwork and a really class person. He hung with the crowd for quite a while and talked tennis

Kirko · Mar 28, 2007

urban said:
Someone remembers Jeff Borowiak? Was a nice, upcoming player in the early 70s. A sort of a hippy, intellectual and artist - i think a musician -, who followed the ways of the tennis guru himself, Torben Ulrich. He won ( or was runner up) in the first WCT event, he played, at Cologne in 1971, against all the leading players of the day. I think he never reached the top ten.

I remember him. I saw him play in the Nevada Open in Reno, NV in 1980. that tournament "pulled in" a lot of good players from the Bay Area. Brad Gilbert played there also.

snapple · Mar 28, 2007

Rodney Harmon, yeah...he used to bounce the ball right before his return of serve.

Is that legal? To bounce a ball while waiting to receive serve just before the other player begins his serve?

retrowagen · Mar 28, 2007

slice bh compliment said:
The guy with a snapple patch and a television ad for snapple:

Ivan Lendl. They did a Sports version for a while: Snap-Up. Lendl and his tiny li'l shorts were featured on the poster and on the tv ad. It was almost as good as his Ben-Gay spot.

retrowagen, I did not recall Chang endorsing Snapple. But I trust you. What is it about Lendl and Chang? Hmm, let's get two tennis players with as low a Q rating as possible to say they drink our product. They'll make our lady behind the counter really stand out!

Oh, that's right! My bad, having recently read Chang's autobiography and having read him sing the praises of Snapple beverages for a few paragraphs, I thought it was him. But now I do recall seeing Lendl hawk Snapple! (I think Snapple was banking on the "health nut" angle, not the "cheery personality" angle)

Dour Lendl as a Ben-Gay spokesmodel was also classic! But my fave was his full-page headshot ad in RayBan aviators (the State Trooper specs), Adidas argyle shirt, toothy grin, and all. Cool, man.

retrowagen · Mar 28, 2007

slice bh compliment said:
Oh, what about Jay Berger?

Berger-meister Meister-berger? Wasn't he sponsored by Dr. Scholl's, Tylenol, and Ace Bandage?

I still have nightmares about that service motion of his. Scary.

gmonfils · Mar 28, 2007

How about

Chip Hooper I believe he was 6-6 and a super athlete!

David Pate's doubles partner I believe was Gary Donnelly

and last but not least world #4... 2 hands off both sides Gene Mayer!

retrowagen · Mar 28, 2007

Here's a little more: anyone remember the Best (chain catalog store) Tennis Team of circa 1983? They sponsored up-and comers Rodney Harmon, Chip Hooper, Mel Purcell (a.k.a. Huck Finn) and Elliot Telscher?

A couple years later, the chain of stores went the way of the dodo bird, as did the careers of these guys...

drakulie · Mar 28, 2007

I would have to go with Noah.

slice bh compliment · Mar 28, 2007

urban said:
Someone remembers Jeff Borowiak? Was a nice, upcoming player in the early 70s. A sort of a hippy, intellectual and artist - i think a musician -, who followed the ways of the tennis guru himself, Torben Ulrich. He won ( or was runner up) in the first WCT event, he played, at Cologne in 1971, against all the leading players of the day. I think he never reached the top ten.

Yes, great answer. Jeff Borowiak and his brother Scott. I actually warmed up with Jeff right before a pro-am in the mid/early 90s. I think he lives is Seattle. He drove up in a modest, aging Honda Accord with Washington plates.

We're getting our bags out of our trunks.....Jeff takes out a pigskin, and tosses it to me. Gradually, we're going almost the length of the parking lot. Nice spiral. We went inside, warmed up and checked in. Totally humble, nice guy. Total control over each and every ball.

K. Wilson Moose · Mar 28, 2007

slice bh compliment said:
He drove up in a modest, aging Honda Accord with Washington plates.

We're getting our bags out of our trunks.....Jeff takes out a pigskin, and tosses it to me. Gradually, we're going almost the length of the parking lot. Nice spiral.

Good stuff, gotta love a guy who can chunk the foosball.

Noveson · Mar 28, 2007

galain said:
Yannick Noah. He seems more well known for his singing these days but I always enjoyed his very unique brand of tennis.

Petr Korda was another one. The drug scandal really seemed to shut him down.

If Yannick acted anything like his son, I don't want to remember him. Florida basketball sucks!!!

rjkardo · Mar 28, 2007

Bettina Bunge

WillAlwaysLoveYouTennis · Mar 29, 2007

Mine definitely would be Derrick Rostagno, I always loved to watch him play. Miloslav Mecir, certainly, always amazing slinking about the court. Slobodan Zivojinivic yes...still have that match against Lendl on VHS, dark haired, extremely tall, looked like he'd could eat 3 or 4 toddlers at a single sitting. Big serve..sad about his son years later..by the by. I liked watching Aaron Krickstein as well. Paul Haarhuis...

Trinity TC · Mar 29, 2007

Paolo Bertolucci. Little guy with a beautiful game. Won Davis Cup for Italy back in 1976.

Peter McNamara. Used to play at our dinky little club in Toronto when he was rehabbing from a knee injury.

Jeff Borowiak was also NCAA champ when he was at UCLA. Smooooth service motion. All of the tennis mags made a big stink that he wouldn't make it on tour because he used a modified eastern forehand grip on his backhand volley.

snapple · Mar 29, 2007

Brian Teacher - classic S & V game

Elliot Teltsher - top tenner from early 80s, rival of Mac's in the juniors, awkward style but very tenacious.

Henrik Sundstrom - heavy topspinning Swedish baseliner (any other kind except Edberg) who had some big Davis Cup wins over Mac and/or Connors I believe.

urban · Mar 29, 2007

Paolo Bertolucci looked, as if he was eating even more pasta than Panatta. Another good player with a beautiful smooth game was the Pole Wojtek Fibak. He played a bit like Edberg later, and for a while seemed to be the next great European star behind Borg. But he never made the breakthrough at the big events. He lost once rather unluckily to Orantes in the Masters at Houston (1976?). And he mentored the young Lendl. Today, he is however probably the richest tennis player (alongside Tiriac). Invested with great success in art, and is the biggest art collector in Poland.

lethalfang · Mar 29, 2007

Alexandra Stevenson: a flash in the pan

triplefault · Mar 29, 2007

OK, from the 70's...Ismail El Shafei. I was excited about seeing Rod Laver play for the first time and I watch Laver lose to Izzy El Shafei of Egypt in three sets. He was the only other pro at that time,with the exception of Cliff Drysdale and Frew McMillan , that I remember having a two-handed backhand.

Also .... Pierre Barthes of France

Frank Froehling...also known as spiderman.

alwaysatnet · Mar 29, 2007

urban said:
Someone remembers Jeff Borowiak? Was a nice, upcoming player in the early 70s. A sort of a hippy, intellectual and artist - i think a musician -, who followed the ways of the tennis guru himself, Torben Ulrich. He won ( or was runner up) in the first WCT event, he played, at Cologne in 1971, against all the leading players of the day. I think he never reached the top ten.

I met and played a bit with this guy. Very gentlemanly and a nice guy but he definitely had his own point of view. Very unforgetable.

diegaa · Mar 29, 2007

how about zina garrison?

Also, Guillermo Perez Roldan has a good couple of seasons. BIG forehand.

dowjones · Mar 29, 2007

Colin Dibley

Colin Dibley (born September 19, 1944 in Sydney, NSW) is a former tennis player from Australia, who once held the title for the fastest serve in the world at 148 m.p.h. During his professional career, he also won four singles and seventeen doubles titles. The righthander reached his highest individual ranking on the ATP Tour on September 26, 1973, when he became the number 35 in the world. After retiring in 1980, he took up real estate, still keeping himself in the game through coaching others.

148 mph with a wooden racket! Can you imagine what this guy would pump out with today's technology!!

slice bh compliment · Mar 29, 2007

Another big server: John Feaver, of England. Yes, that was his real name.

vive le beau jeu ! · Mar 30, 2007

slice bh compliment said:
Hey, anyone remember Hicham Arazi? Has he retired?

What a game! Sometimes.

he's playing the QF at the fes challenger today !
would be cool if he managed to win the tournament...

slice bh compliment · Mar 30, 2007

Fez...a Challenger in his own country. This is like Dre playing a Challenger in Vegas, almost.

Allez Hicham!

vive le beau jeu ! · Mar 30, 2007

slice bh compliment said:
Fez...a Challenger in his own country. This is like Dre playing a Challenger in Vegas, almost.

Allez Hicham!

he unfortunately lost...

http://www.sportmarocweb.com/fes2007/SCORESonline.htm

N23 · Mar 30, 2007

jaykay said:
Great thread... going down nostalgia lane!

Edberg could hardly be termed 'forgotten', but I completely agree with you, Craig, it is a little sad that he has completely withdrawn from the public eye. He was a genius, such fluid grace, poetry in motion really...

Isn't Mashona Washington Malivai's kid? Malivai was another really good player, but sadly a 1-trick pony; handful of titles with a semi's showing at Wimby (I think).

Besides Slobodan Zivojinovic, the giant with the booming serve in the late 80's / early 90's; there was also a big Japanese player who had a HUGE serve. He had some high-profile Davis Cups wins; top-50 dude with couple of titles. I think Shuzo Matsuoka was his name..., anybody remember him?

Malivai actually made the Wimbledon final in 1996 against another guy we all forgot about... Richard Krajicek. Another great player.

I gotta add Michael Chang. Oh... where did you go?

WillAlwaysLoveYouTennis · Mar 30, 2007

diegaa said:
how about zina garrison?

I liked to watch her play also, she had such a "nervous" way of moving about when returning service..

slice bh compliment · Mar 30, 2007

a photo from the Challenger this week in Fez

Not gone, not forgotten. Hell of a player, but struggling. Merci, Vive le beau jeu, for the link.

rmiller774 · Jul 4, 2008

Poor Rodney Harmon. I strung for him and my bad stringing possibly ended his career although he did beat Vilas in Mason Ohio one morning but because the tournament was behind he had to play again that afternoon, lost, so he didn't even have a full day to enjoy his Vilas win. A fine but greatly under-rated coach, Willis Thomas coached him, Zina and Lori.

!Tym · Jul 4, 2008

jaykay said:
Great thread... going down nostalgia lane!

Edberg could hardly be termed 'forgotten', but I completely agree with you, Craig, it is a little sad that he has completely withdrawn from the public eye. He was a genius, such fluid grace, poetry in motion really...

Isn't Mashona Washington Malivai's kid? Malivai was another really good player, but sadly a 1-trick pony; handful of titles with a semi's showing at Wimby (I think).

Besides Slobodan Zivojinovic, the giant with the booming serve in the late 80's / early 90's; there was also a big Japanese player who had a HUGE serve. He had some high-profile Davis Cups wins; top-50 dude with couple of titles. I think Shuzo Matsuoka was his name..., anybody remember him?

Umm...Mashona's Mal's sister, not kid. Malivai Washington though was one of my favorite players to watch, I loved the solid elegance of his strokes. There was no bull-shi...t.

For me, my favorite but forgotten player is Mal and Med--Medvedev that is. Also, Guy Forget.

I don't think they delivered enough on tour to be considered forgotten, but Byron Shelton and David Wheaton were nice but forgotten players to watch.

I loved watching Byron Shelton's service motion.

Regarding, guys like Bruguera, Edberg, et. all not coaching; I think it just has to do with them not really being the types who enjoyed the limelight...AT ALL. These were guys who really didn't enjoy being in the public eye and went out of their way to avoid it. Bruguera for a long-time had a reputation as being the anti-interview, anti-press. And in his prepared retirement statement actually apologized to the press about this tendency, saying that he was never really comfortable in the spotlight.

A guy like Brad Gilbert, you get the feeling that he wants to be a star in old age as much as he did when he was young. ...remember, the old Agassi quote about him?

Also, you have to factor in that a lot of these retired pros get queasy in the stomach at the thought of having to take on anymore frequent flier miles. Some people feel like they need to be around the action, like they need the action, like it's an additcion, like moths to the flame, or Michael Jordan from competition and gambling; these two weren't/aren't like that at all.

CyBorg · Jul 4, 2008

urban said:
Someone remembers Jeff Borowiak? Was a nice, upcoming player in the early 70s. A sort of a hippy, intellectual and artist - i think a musician -, who followed the ways of the tennis guru himself, Torben Ulrich. He won ( or was runner up) in the first WCT event, he played, at Cologne in 1971, against all the leading players of the day. I think he never reached the top ten.

Interesting to mention that Ulrich is the father of Lars, the Metallica drummer. He was a hippy-looking fellow with long, flowing hair and a handlebar moustache flowing into a full beard.

Very exotic-looking. He looks like a biker now.

CyBorg · Jul 4, 2008

For me, Metreveli was quite well known in my younger days, where I was from.

More recently, Andrei Chesnokov was a favorite. Talented guy, but more importantly very funny. Very witty. I don't know if he was forgotten though. Medvedev was another quick-witted guy.

Warriorroger · Jul 4, 2008

Derrick Rostagno

snapple · Jul 4, 2008

Henrick Sundstrom and Joachim Nystrom, the latter of whom had one of the smoothest 2 handed backhands around.

Tennisfan! · Jul 4, 2008

CyBorg said:
For me, Metreveli was quite well known in my younger days, where I was from.

Agree, and Pietrangeli.

Murray_Maniac · Jul 4, 2008

Ive only been watching tennis for a few years, & the 1st post included current pros, Ill have to say Tommy Robredo. Although he probably isnt in my top 10 favorite players, he's my favorite current player thats completely under the radar.

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