Don Budge: The Greatest Player of All Time
- Thread starter chaognosis
- Start date
pc1
G.O.A.T.
Clearly modern play and the pure hitting of the ball is superior today however Budge was legendary for his pure stroking of the ball as was Connors and Agassi. I would venture to say Budge was the predecessor to both. Budge also had an excellent serve and a nice volley.
Here's a video of Budge against Fred Perry. I love the form on Budge's backhand at the 14 second mark in the video.
Kramer designated the four major pro tournaments for each year of the late fifties for his group of players, which included both Hoad and Rosewall.
Here are the winners. I have suggested the 1957 Wembley be included for that year to fill out the "four" designation.
1957 Sydney (Segura) Forest Hills (Gonzales) L.A. Masters (Gonzales) Wembley (Rosewall)
1958 Kooyong (Hoad) Sydney (Sedgman) Forest Hills (Gonzales) L.A. Masters (Segura)
1959 L.A. Masters (Gonzales) Forest Hills (Hoad) Sydney (Gonzales) Kooyong (Hoad)
Rosewall won some important tournaments in the late fifties, but Gonzales and Hoad won more.
Limpinhitter
G.O.A.T.
Meh, as long as you recognise there is a difference
Yes Nat. I've acknowledged many times that comparisons between such eras requires an adjustment for equipment.
pc1
G.O.A.T.
Meh, as long as you recognise there is a difference
You mean there's a difference in strings and racquets???Yes Nat. I've acknowledged many times that comparisons between such eras requires an adjustment for equipment.
Didn't know that!! When did this happen?? You mean my Jack Kramer wood is no longer top of the line??
Actually not only is the playing equipment better but let's not forget about things like better tennis shoes! I used to get terrible blisters on my feet with the old lousy sneakers. Apparently this was a problem with many players. Budge wrote how when he first played Vines on the World Championship Tour about how he wasn't sure if he would last considering after just a few matches he had blood blisters all over his feet! Vines let know that his feet were just as bad! I guess if we see some players ftom the past running more slowly than some players today, that could be one of the reasons!
I wonder about the fifties tours, those marathon affairs...perhaps by then they had better tennis shoes, otherwise I can't see the players lasting that long.You mean there's a difference in strings and racquets???
Didn't know that!! When did this happen?? You mean my Jack Kramer wood is no longer top of the line??
Actually not only is the playing equipment better but let's not forget about things like better tennis shoes! I used to get terrible blisters on my feet with the old lousy sneakers. Apparently this was a problem with many players. Budge wrote how when he first played Vines on the World Championship Tour about how he wasn't sure if he would last considering after just a few matches he had blood blisters all over his feet! Vines let know that his feet were just as bad! I guess if we see some players ftom the past running more slowly than some players today, that could be one of the reasons!
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pc1
G.O.A.T.
I guess they found a way to survive somehow.
srinivas vangala
New User
GOAT belongs to Open Era agree
Limpinhitter
G.O.A.T.
Why do you say that?
Gonzalez and Rosewall, from the fifties tours, sure did last a long time. I never thought of the tennis shoes as also being such a benefit for today's players, which they are. All tennis fans should get to see the Tennis Channel documentary on the tough life on the pro tour. Today's players are spoiled brats, by comparison.
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
I find it intriguing that Budge's record of six slams in a row still stands, even today.
pc1
G.O.A.T.
Laver could have had the Open Record if his group didn't boycott the Australian and French in 1970. He did win the basic equivalent of the Australian in the 1970 Dunlop so perhaps he could have won five in a row.
Unfortunately that was the way it was in tennis in those days. It was unknown territory and players were fighting to get a better monetary deal. So Laver has to settle for an Open Era tied with Djokovic. Navratilova has the Women's Open Era record with six in a row but couldn't complete the Grand Slam. Connolly won 9 in a row for majors she competed in but she did skip some majors.
@Dan Lobb may be amused to know that Connolly won the mixed doubles at the 1954 French with Lew Hoad.
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70sHollywood
Guest
Worth noting that of all the Grand Slam winners Laver is the only one who didn't win more than 4 in a row. Maybe it is a sign he would have won the 1970 AO?!
pc1
G.O.A.T.
It was just a different set of values. The pros were trying to improve the monetary standards for all. Laver and many of the other pros had to sacrifice playing in majors. Connors and others were hurt also because of the ban by the French Open of WTT players which seems so ridiculous nowadays. Isn't it amazing that Borg didn't play the 1977 French because of WTT?
Yes, I knew that. I think that Hoad started in 1955 to play mixed doubles with his fiancee/wife and won some significant events with her.
