Federer is to Seles as Nadal is to Graff

[FedSampras]

The dominance of Federer and Seles ( pre stabbing) are eerily very similar.

Pre stabbing Monica Seles was dominant in all surfaces except grass while Roger Federer is dominant in all surfaces except clay.

The ONLY remaining question in 1993 was if Seles will finally Wimbledon while the ONLY question this year was that if Federer will finally win Roland Garros.

Graff prevented young Monica from winning her 1st Wimbledon in 1992 finals just as Nadal prevented Federer from winning his 1st French today.

Monica's only rival during that time was second ranked Steffi Graff who won 2 Wimbledons but was 4 years older than her.

Roger's only rival right now is #2 Rafael Nadal who won 2 French Opens and is 5 years younger than him. ( Nadal finally won his 3rd consecutive French today)

 

[FedSampras]

 

[ATPballkid]

The ONLY remaining question in 1993 was if Seles will finally Wimbledon while the ONLY question this year was that if Federer will finally win Roland Garros.

Seles was the top women’s player heading into 1993. In January 1993, Seles defeated Graf in the final of the Australian Open, which was her third win in five Grand Slam matches with Graf.

 

[lambielspins]

Obviously Nadal has more chance to win a slam outside the French Open then Graf ever would have at that point. For the reason you said, Nadal is younger then Federer, while Graf was much older then Seles. However Nadal is the time of player who will be past his prime well before he is 25 event, so in tennis years he is probably as old as Federer. Still much more chance then Graf would have had at that point with the much younger Seles dominating her though.

 

[Warriorroger]

What I do appreciate about you two ATPballkid and Fedsampras, is that you guys took the time to do this. Can't find fault there.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=137961

 

[Attila the tennis Bum]

to the OP:

I think you have the SAT's on your mind a bit much.

 

[Warriorroger]

What I do appreciate about you two ATPballkid and Fedsampras, is that you guys took the time to do this. Can't find fault there.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=137961

 

[LDVTennis]

Keep arguing with yourselves.

Meanwhile, in the real world, you know the one were things get communicated and have an effect, Barry MacKay for the Tennis Channel had this to say when commenting on the Federer/Davydenko semifinal.

Federer had just run around his backhand to hit an inside-out forehand for a winner from the middle of the court. Barry said that when Federer does that he reminds Barry so much of Steffi Graf. He thinks they are the only two in the history of the game who could do that so beautifully and so effectively.

Millions of people heard Barry say this.

 

[LDVTennis]

to the OP:

I think you have the SAT's on your mind a bit much.

With logic like this, he better have lined up more than one "safety" school.

 

[roysid]

I always felt it is
"Nadal is to Federer what Seles was to Graf".

Another thread has pointed how similar the pairs are in playing styles, personalities etc.

Regarding career, Steffi Graf was all conquering before Seles came along and she was beating Graf in big matches (Slam finals), in French Open. Same for Nadal.

The only difference is that Seles extended her run to hard courts which Nadal hasn't.

 

[caulcano]

"Federer is to Seles as Nadal is to Graff "

It must be me because I don't see any similarities whatsoever besides ranking.


It maybe more similar IF/WHEN Nadal wins the AO & US Opens but can't win Wimbledon because of Federer.

 

[diggler]

I think Federer is Muhammad Ali to Nadal's George Foreman. Artist vs power merchant. The difference is that Ali won the Rumble in the Jungle. Federer lost the "affray on the clay". It's not very good, but it's the best I could come up with.

 

[CyBorg]

Federer is by far better looking than Steffie!

 

[FedSampras]

I always felt it is
"Nadal is to Federer what Seles was to Graf".

Another thread has pointed how similar the pairs are in playing styles, personalities etc.

Regarding career, Steffi Graf was all conquering before Seles came along and she was beating Graf in big matches (Slam finals), in French Open. Same for Nadal.

The only difference is that Seles extended her run to hard courts which Nadal hasn't.

Seles was not only dominant on clay but she was also dominating the 2 other surfaces (hardcourts and rebound ace) at time of the stabbing. Seles was also the 3-time defending at the YE Championships (indoor). Monica's best surface was not clay but harcourts.

Graff cannot be compared to Federer. Nadal has not supplanted Federer as the best player in men's tennis while Seles dethroned Graff as the #1 player in only her 2nd year as a professional. Big difference there.

Graff is more like Nadal as she was only limited to one surface (grass) during the Seles dominant years while Nadal has only been limited to winning on clay by Federer.

 

[FedSampras]

"Federer is to Seles as Nadal is to Graff "

It must be me because I don't see any similarities whatsoever besides ranking.

Monica Seles just before she got stabbed was in the same situation as...

... Roger Federer was in 2006.

But with one less grand slam title. But Monica at that time was 19 and Roger was 24.

So anyway,

At that time Monica had the last 3 consecutive Australian Opens and French Opens.

In 2006, Roger had the last 4 consecutive Wimbledons and 3 consecutive US Opens.

Monica had also won 2 other US Opens.

Roger has won 2 other Australian Opens.

In 1992, Monica hadn't won Wimbledon but she was a finalist the last time.

In 2006, Roger hasn't won French Open but he was the reigning finalist.

By January 1993, Monica had won 8 out of the last 12 grand slams at that point. (66%)

In 2006, Roger has won 9 out of the last 14 grand slams right now. (62%)

Monica's only rival during that time was Graff who won 2 Wimbledons but was 4 years older than her.

Roger's only rival right now is Nadal who won 2 French Opens and is 5 years younger than him.

 

[Nick Irons]

But Rafa is not a Graf and Rafa is only the Clay Master to date (and the Fed Killer)

Stabbing, schmabbing. Could've, would've, should've.


Graf got the better of Seles at the end of the day. Monica is one of the greats, no doubt, but Graf is arguably the greatest player of all time (male or female).

 

[ATPballkid]

Graf got the better of Seles at the end of the day. .

What? Then, why was Seles the one WINNING all of those titles until she was stabbed by a Graf fan?

Of course, Seles was better than Graf ... the #1 ranking and the fact that Seles won 9 out of the 11 biggest titles during those 30 months leading up to a Graf fan stabbing Seles in the back with a sharp knife. Of course, Seles was better than Graf.

 

[FedSampras]

Graf is arguably the greatest player of all time (male or female).

No, not really....She would have had to have taken the number away from Monica, and not had it handed to her by Parche......Her greatest rival, and greatest obstacle, and the dominant number one player in the world was removed by a freak attack. Graff never regained her status as Number 1 through her play. She never earned it, it was handed to her, and everybody knows it....

Had she regained it through her play, then you could say that graff was the greatest, but she did not......

Martina Navratilova will go down as the Greatest ever.

 

[FedSampras]

Graf got the better of Seles

Graff got the better of Seles becayse of the KNIFE. I always felt that Graff played better after Monica'a stabbing. She relaxed more, because her most intimidating opponent was no longer a factor. Graff and Monica didn't play very often before the stabbing because Graff wasn't making the finals as consistently. After Monica was gone, Graff was consistently making finals and winning nearly all of them.

She was intimidated by Seles' game, but not anyone elses....

And their last match, at the Aussie 93, was really not very close....6-2 in the third, Monica won the set on two breaks and hit a winner on match point of Graff's serve......

Even Graff herself said after the first set, it was all monica, and she could do nothing to stop it....Monica even hit six aces in that match...clearly, Seles was beginning to hit her prime.....

Whatever Monica may have become now, she was better than anyone in early 93, and she had proven it..........

 

[welcome2petrkordaland]

But Rafa is not a Graf and Rafa is only the Clay Master to date (and the Fed Killer)

Stabbing, schmabbing. Could've, would've, should've.


Graf got the better of Seles at the end of the day. Monica is one of the greats, no doubt, but Graf is arguably the greatest player of all time (male or female).

uh . . . WTF? beagley, beagley, which way did he go, George? which way did he go? pre-stabbing seles was THE most mentally tough female player in history and was making a habit of eating Graf sandwiches w/ sour crout and sausage before that tragic and heinous crime.