pabletion
Hall of Fame
Back when I was new here (and didn't know about the SEARCH option) I started a thread about how low an atp ranking could a top female beat, concretely Serena... It is a thread thats done forever, nevertheless, I find the subject fascinating, mainly because, very likely, we will NEVER witness another "Battle of the Sexes" spectacle anytime soon. What I've come to realize is that everybody has a lot to loose, specially the potential female contender. John McEnroe has said, I guess more than once, that he thinks he still can take on Serena Williams and beat her, and that they've even flirted with the idea, but doesn't see it happening:
Yesterday I found a very interesting radio talk show featuring the very funny Jon Lovitz interviewing the very interesting Vince Spadea (Aint afraid'ya!). Talking about anything and everything, at 6:25 they approach the subject, Spadea has said, paraphrasing, that the mens and womens game are completely different and that the gap is way too big (I would agree), he also talks briefly on how he beat Martina Navratilova at the US Open's Center Court on a practice match, 6-0 (dont know if it was a double 6-0) when he was 16 yo and Navratilova was the No. 1 player in the world!
I've fantazised and even talked to a local sports tv and radio host here in Guatemala about an Exhibition Match between a top WTA player, maybe Serena, and our top player, whose highest ranking was 326 (currently 493). He, a tennis enthusiast, incredibly, thinks Williams would beat him (Christopher Diaz). I put my money on the 493rd player in the world. Although it is something that will probably never happen, it is something that we still find exciting to talk about, at least it is to me, I would absolutely love a renewed Battle of the Sexes between a Williams and (make your pick, McEnroe?).
But going back to what Spadea says, is it something that happens all the time on tour still? Young juniors and starting male players sparring with top WTA players? I remember the famous story about a journeyman ATP player who demolished the young Williams sisters while having a smoke and a beer, or so the story goes. Are there more stories like this that happened and still happen today about male players playing practice matches or sets with the WTA elite? Any footage available? Do you guys think it does happen but ALWAYS behind closed doors, and the results are practically marked as CLASSIFIED?
Let me know! (licking my fingres....) I wanna hear all about the juniors that spank the Woz, Garbiñe, the sisters and everyone else on a daily basis.
Yesterday I found a very interesting radio talk show featuring the very funny Jon Lovitz interviewing the very interesting Vince Spadea (Aint afraid'ya!). Talking about anything and everything, at 6:25 they approach the subject, Spadea has said, paraphrasing, that the mens and womens game are completely different and that the gap is way too big (I would agree), he also talks briefly on how he beat Martina Navratilova at the US Open's Center Court on a practice match, 6-0 (dont know if it was a double 6-0) when he was 16 yo and Navratilova was the No. 1 player in the world!
I've fantazised and even talked to a local sports tv and radio host here in Guatemala about an Exhibition Match between a top WTA player, maybe Serena, and our top player, whose highest ranking was 326 (currently 493). He, a tennis enthusiast, incredibly, thinks Williams would beat him (Christopher Diaz). I put my money on the 493rd player in the world. Although it is something that will probably never happen, it is something that we still find exciting to talk about, at least it is to me, I would absolutely love a renewed Battle of the Sexes between a Williams and (make your pick, McEnroe?).
But going back to what Spadea says, is it something that happens all the time on tour still? Young juniors and starting male players sparring with top WTA players? I remember the famous story about a journeyman ATP player who demolished the young Williams sisters while having a smoke and a beer, or so the story goes. Are there more stories like this that happened and still happen today about male players playing practice matches or sets with the WTA elite? Any footage available? Do you guys think it does happen but ALWAYS behind closed doors, and the results are practically marked as CLASSIFIED?
Let me know! (licking my fingres....) I wanna hear all about the juniors that spank the Woz, Garbiñe, the sisters and everyone else on a daily basis.
