Graf v. Novotna at Wimbledon 1995 and 1996

Lionheart392

Lionheart392

Professional
I haven't watched either match, so I'd like to ask those who have, what was the difference between them? In 1995, Graf had a fairly tough-looking 5-7 6-4 6-2 victory in the semis, whereas in their 1996 quarter, Graf won much more easily, 6-3 6-2. Can anyone summarise the matches for me?
 
Lionheart392 said:
I haven't watched either match, so I'd like to ask those who have, what was the difference between them? In 1995, Graf had a fairly tough-looking 5-7 6-4 6-2 victory in the semis, whereas in their 1996 quarter, Graf won much more easily, 6-3 6-2. Can anyone summarise the matches for me?
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The 1996 match was Steffi in peak form.
No female on this planet was able to beat her when she played like this.
Simply would not happen.
 
Joe Pike said:
The 1996 match was Steffi in peak form.
No female on this planet was able to beat her when she played like this.
Simply would not happen.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Although Novotna was a tough opponent for anyone on grass (even though she never beat Graf on it), so while the 1996 result isn't surprising I still would've expected her to give Graf a bigger fight.
 
In 1996 Graf was way too good for any women on grass and Jana was very flat that day, she didnt even have a winner until the 6th game of the 1st set and wasnt even coming to net much for awhile.

In 1995 it was an amazing match, Jana played some of her best tennis but was still overcame as Steffi raised her game towards the end of the 2nd and into the 3rd set.
 
NadalAgassi said:
In 1996 Graf was way too good for any women on grass and Jana was very flat that day, she didnt even have a winner until the 6th game of the 1st set and wasnt even coming to net much for awhile.

In 1995 it was an amazing match, Jana played some of her best tennis but was still overcame as Steffi raised her game towards the end of the 2nd and into the 3rd set.
Click to expand...

What do my wandering eyes should appear, a compliment from Ms NadalAgassi about that vastly inferior and horrible (she's got no backhand) Steffi Graf ? ! ?

Is someone playing tricks on my here? :-?

Now didn't Mons beat Steffi at 1996 Wimbledon? We all know how great Mons was, right?

Wait. I forgot. Mons lost to......Katerina Studeniwhokova.....in the 2R! ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :shock: :)
 
I haven't watched either match in years. But I remember Steffi simply being too good in the 1996 match. Jana had been playing some very good tennis from Paris onwards. In fact, this is probably the beginning of the most consistent stretch of Jana's career (1996-1998).

The 1995 match is a great one to watch, though not necessarily a great match. There were moments of great tennis. But Jana let Steffi off the hook in the 2nd set and had another letdown early in the 3rd. I agreed with what BJK said about Jana needing to win in 2 because she would lose a 3rd set. The reason I said it was great to watch though is that the weather was magnificent that year and the time of day on Center Court was at my favorite time to watch a match. Plus Steffi and Jana both looked great.

I really had to admire the way Steffi hung in there while playing with a headache. She pulled out some great shots. But Jana should have won this match. She was up a set and a break and was playing too good not to win it. Jana in 1995 was always just a little off. She played way too cautiously and didn't follow her serve into the net enough. She played much of this match like she was on a hard court.

The form that Jana displayed in the 1993 final was much better than what she showed in either of these matches.
 
Amazing knowing that Novotna never had a top spin back hand in the whole of her playing career. At least Graff used her drive backhand (in the latter parts of her career anyway) when she had to make passing shots against her opponent at the net.

Conchita Martinez was another who sliced all her backhands and still managed a Wim singles title in 94.

Would they stand a chance competing in today's top 16 I wonder......?
 
Cloned_Spud said:
Amazing knowing that Novotna never had a top spin back hand in the whole of her playing career. At least Graff used her drive backhand (in the latter parts of her career anyway) when she had to make passing shots against her opponent at the net. ...
Click to expand...

Yes, really amazing how "Graff" made all these slice backhand passing shots in the earlier parts of her career against Navratilova, Shriver, Mandlikova!


Cloned_Spud said:
...
Conchita Martinez was another who sliced all her backhands and still managed a Wim singles title in 94. ...
Click to expand...

Yes, all these Martinez slice back hand passing shots against Martina!

Cloned_Spud said:
...
Would they stand a chance competing in today's top 16 I wonder......?
Click to expand...

Yes, that is the question - would peak "Graff" stand a chance against Bartoli, Petrova and Radwanska? Or against a 40-year-old Kimiko Date?
 
Cloned_Spud said:
Amazing knowing that Novotna never had a top spin back hand in the whole of her playing career. At least Graff used her drive backhand (in the latter parts of her career anyway) when she had to make passing shots against her opponent at the net.

Conchita Martinez was another who sliced all her backhands and still managed a Wim singles title in 94.

Would they stand a chance competing in today's top 16 I wonder......?
Click to expand...

Somehow I think they would...:shock:
Plus I'm no expert on racquet technology but I'm pretty sure hitting a topspin backhand is far easier now than it was with the racquets of that era.
 
Saw Graf playing the exhibition doubles @ Wim last year during the unveiling of Centre Court roof etc....
She was hitting top spin backhands passing shots but with a humongous Head racket which made the shot far easier to hit right.
She used the original Dunlop 200G in her playing days, which was, back then, one of the 1st widely available affordable graphite rackets available; Mc played with that too I believe. It was a heavy lump which prob wasn't that comfortable to take a big swing single handed.

Didn't Novotna use a Prince Graphite 110?
 
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