Countries whose greatest athlete is a tennis player
- Thread starter Milehigh5280
- Start date
The Harkleroad
Rookie
Russia would have to be Yelena Isinbayeva (Pole Vault) - 2 Olympic Golds, 3 World Championships, 4 Indoor World Championships, 1 World Cup, 5 World Athletics Finals Golds, a few more European and Junior Championships. She is the current World Record Holder.
or maybe Aleksandr Karelin (Wrestling).
China, probably Fu Mingxia (Diving) - 4 Golds and 1 Silver at the Olympics + 2 World Championships. She won a World Championship at age 12 and an Olympic Gold at age 13. Two other Chinese Divers (and one Male Gymnast) have since won more Olympic Golds and other trophies but her impact in the sport is far greater.
or maybe Aleksandr Karelin (Wrestling).
China, probably Fu Mingxia (Diving) - 4 Golds and 1 Silver at the Olympics + 2 World Championships. She won a World Championship at age 12 and an Olympic Gold at age 13. Two other Chinese Divers (and one Male Gymnast) have since won more Olympic Golds and other trophies but her impact in the sport is far greater.
chicagodude
Hall of Fame
The way this question is asked is flawed. Do you mean by 'greatest athlete' the athlete that country has that was considered the most successful in his/her sport?
Or the athlete that most people in that country would name as their greatest athlete?
If it's the latter, then invariably in each country the greatest athlete would be the athlete that was most successful in the sport that happens to be the most popular one.
In the Netherlands for example, you would get Cruyff or possible van Basten, followed closely by a cyclist or speedskater.
If the OP means the former, then it'll become very different, because a country's greatest athlete may then be in a relatively obscure sport.
For example, in Malaysia the greatest athlete in terms of success/dominance is arguably Nicol David, but I doubt she would be named the greatest athlete by the Malaysian public....
Or the athlete that most people in that country would name as their greatest athlete?
If it's the latter, then invariably in each country the greatest athlete would be the athlete that was most successful in the sport that happens to be the most popular one.
In the Netherlands for example, you would get Cruyff or possible van Basten, followed closely by a cyclist or speedskater.
If the OP means the former, then it'll become very different, because a country's greatest athlete may then be in a relatively obscure sport.
For example, in Malaysia the greatest athlete in terms of success/dominance is arguably Nicol David, but I doubt she would be named the greatest athlete by the Malaysian public....
Tennis_Hands
Banned
Yes, along with Zhang Jike, and Liu Guoliang (depending on who you ask) they have to be the main contenders for their top athlete.
chicagodude
Hall of Fame
Silly comment, as if the greatest athletes in the USA are per definition greater than the greatest athletes elsewhere
Deon Sanders
Legend
Silly comment, as if the greatest athletes in the USA are per definition greater than the greatest athletes elsewhere
Thats exactly the definition
Other countries have better actors playing in sports (soccer). So they have that going for them.
Tennis_Hands
Banned
Since Sampras is the greatest male American tennis player in the Open Era, and if your claim is correct, then he should be greater than any other male tennis player on the Open Era.
Sampras >>> Federer?
pc1
G.O.A.T.
I would probably go with some hockey players for Russia or chessplayers like Botvinnik, Karpov, Smyslov, Petrosian, Spassky or Kasparov.
pc1
G.O.A.T.
That's not an opinion but a FACT.
Deon Sanders
Legend
Since Sampras is the greatest male American tennis player in the Open Era, and if your claim is correct, then he should be greater than any other male tennis player on the Open Era.
Sampras >>> Federer?
No the claim is that the greatest athletes play other sports in the United States
I think the olympics medal count says it all. You can include those that train here in that count as well.
BlueB
Legend
Not really, if you do it on per capita basis.
It becomes even much worse when you put the disposable income or GDP in the formula...
Why the hell would you include those? In this globalized world, one can train wherever he wants.
It's bad enough that US tends to import all the talented people and than claim them as their own...
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Benben245
Banned
They are due to selective breeding. Africans do not by and large have the same muscle mass of African Americans. Slavery and American sports are interconnectedSilly comment, as if the greatest athletes in the USA are per definition greater than the greatest athletes elsewhere
Dane_is_Finnish_OJ
Legend
Don't know, but do you really think american runners were not fully competing professionally? University sports seldom creates PhD's. US runners were 100% professionals.
Tennis_Hands
Banned
So, MJ would have been the greatest tennis player, should he have chosen to play the sport?
While they were in college, sure. I agree they are not amateurs when they are in college. But once you were out, you needed to have a job to eat, but also enough time to train.
There was a famous incident that involved Prefontaine and other Americans in Finland where they were set to race Viren and Vaartanen I believe it was. But then the head of the AAU got a payoff, and invoked contamination, meaning Prefontaine and Shorter were going to be considered professionals if they raced, and anyone in that field would be as well.
I'm not saying it was clean in the US. It was just as dirty, but in a different way. The suits kept the athletes under their thumb for their own benefit. So athletes were forced to live hand to mouth, all the while, being expected to compete and win in competitions against police officers, army personnel(wink wink, nod nod) who got to train and sleep instead of scratching for food as well.
Which is why professionals competing is the proper way. Everything is in the open as far as money is concerned. None of these eligibility questions and games, simply if you're good enough, you're in.
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