Tennis Personality GOATs

hoodjem

hoodjem

G.O.A.T.
This thread is not about ability on the court, or records.

It's about who find most flamboyant or interesting or even exciting, or even too extreme. (Lendl and Sampras need not apply.)
Although it should not mean exclusively bad behaviour. And of course maybe talent has something to do with it.

1. Nastase
2. Connors
3. McEnroe
4. Gonzales
5. Gerulaitis
6. Safin
7. Kovacs
8. Agassi
9. Leconte
10. Roddick
11. Panatta
12. Becker
13. Monfils
14. Noah
15. Santoro
16. Gulbis
 
Last edited:
kiki

kiki

Banned
hoodjem said:
This thread is not about ability on the court, or records.

It's about who find most flamboyant or interesting or even exciting, or even too extreme. (Lendl and Sampras need not apply.)
Although it should not mean exclusively bad behaviour. And of course maybe talent has something to do with it.

1. Nastase
2. Connors
3. McEnroe
4. Gonzales
5. Monfils
Click to expand...

Did you put Monfils (" My son") in this list for any subtle, funny reason that are due to know?

BTW, rest is grand.Add others funny but not bad guys like Borotra,Riggs,Larssen,Budge,egocentric Kramer,Hoad,Newcombe,Becker,Panatta,jack Crawford, Emerson. Ashe,Vilas...
 
Mike Bulgakov

Mike Bulgakov

G.O.A.T.
I would put Vitas Gerulaitis and Yannick Noah on the list. Personality is hard to define, so I am taking the perspective of charisma.

I was at Monte Carlo for Borg's return with his wooden racquet in 1991. Everyone was going crazy about seeing Borg, like nothing I have seen since.

I happened to be talking to some Swedes when Edberg brushed through us. Edberg was very shy and people let him go by, and nobody seemed to care. A few minutes later, Becker arrived, and was rushed by crowds of people. All the players wanted to see Borg, still a star.

On the women's side, Kournikova created fan frenzies far more than any WTA player I have seen. I found her to be dull and not all that beautiful in person, so I attributed the madness around her to marketing.
 
kiki

kiki

Banned
Correct.Annja makreting agent is second best ever, right behind Elsworth´s...

Kodes is clearly the worse one...but the commies didn´t have it..
 
X

Xavier G

Hall of Fame
My favs are Jimbo, Mac and Nasty.
I liked Vitas G and Henri Leconte as well. Wanted Henri to win a Slam tournament for his left-handed genius and pleasant manner.
Bjorn had a sort of charisma too with his headband, beard and intensity.
I believe Frank Kovacs was a character in his day from what I've read.
I wonder what Bobby Riggs was like?
 
kiki

kiki

Banned
Newcombe was very outgoing too.And, of course, Lewis Hoad.Fred Stolle and Roy Emerson were known for their taste for partying, although they kept mthemselves fit with hard training.

tilden was like an actor.Borotra was a pre modern Leconte, with his flamboyant style.

There are many ways to be a character.The mild, soft spoken and articulate Ashe had a fine sense of humour, see the link with the WCT Finals 1975 and his jokingly speech in the night before the final.

I never liked the Hollywood style of Agassi.I think it was not his true nature but he had an image to keep and which made him a miliionaire.
 
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