Greatest female Belgium player of all time

Grestest female Belgium player of all time

  • Total voters
    66
cuddles26

cuddles26

Banned
At this moment who do you consider the greatest Belgium women player of all time. The 4 main candidates that I can think of are Henin, Clijsters, Appelmans, and Van Roost. Els Callens was a good doubles player but not as great in singles.
 
cuddles26 said:
At this moment who do you consider the greatest Belgium women player of all time. The 4 main candidates that I can think of are Henin, Clijsters, Appelmans, and Van Roost. Els Callens was a good doubles player but not as great in singles.
Click to expand...

How about Yanina Wickmayer? :grin:
 
svijk said:
OP, what are u smoking?
do u even watch tennis, ever heard of grand slams.
Click to expand...

Like I said most accomplished does not have to equal the greatest. If it does to many that is fine and I understand it. However there are many factors that go into achievements- level of competition, matchups, the conditions at the time suited to your style, and the vagarities of time, place, and chance.

I have watched all 4 play and I rate them as far as actual playing ability:

1. Van Roost
2. Henin
3. Appelmans
4. Clijsters
 
cuddles26 said:
Like I said most accomplished does not have to equal the greatest. If it does to many that is fine and I understand it. However there are many factors that go into achievements- level of competition, matchups, the conditions at the time suited to your style, and the vagarities of time, place, and chance.

I have watched all 4 play and I rate them as far as actual playing ability:

1. Van Roost
2. Henin
3. Appelmans
4. Clijsters
Click to expand...

Ive never heard of Van Roost or Appelmans. Who are they?
 
cuddles26 said:
Like I said most accomplished does not have to equal the greatest. If it does to many that is fine and I understand it. However there are many factors that go into achievements- level of competition, matchups, the conditions at the time suited to your style, and the vagarities of time, place, and chance.
Click to expand...

You're going to have to elaborate on how you think Van Roost was better then Henin or Kim in any of these categories. I had never even heard of her. Looked her up:

-Only two slams QUARTERFINALS
-Only 4 tour titles, and small ones at that.

Best part is this Wiki quote:

Her biggest achievement came during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney where she won the bronze medal in doubles, partnering Els Callens.
Click to expand...

You seriously must be joking.
 
darthpwner said:
Ive never heard of Van Roost or Appelmans. Who are they?
Click to expand...

Dominique Van Roost, who is now back to Dominique Monami after her divorce was an extemely hard hitting baseliner who was a regular top 15/top 20 player in the late 90s until her retirement in 2000. Usually unforced errors cost her matches as she could match firepower with anyone at the time. She reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open twice.

Sabine Appelmans was a regular top 25/top 30 player of the entire 90s decade. She was more consistent throughout her career than Dominique but her career peak wasnt quite as high. She was a lefty and her biggest weapon was a great lefty forehand and her overall craftiness.
 
edmondsm said:
You're going to have to elaborate on how you think Van Roost was better then Henin or Kim in any of these categories. I had never even heard of her. Looked her up:

-Only two slams QUARTERFINALS
-Only 4 tour titles, and small ones at that.

Best part is this Wiki quote:



You seriously must be joking.
Click to expand...

The reason they achieved less was they had much harder competition than Henin and Clijsters. Henin and Clijsters play in the worst era in WTA history. All of you keep saying that. So they like everyone else benefits from the very weak competition they faced to compile their achievements. Anyway I did rank Henin over Appelmans.

Van Roost was an extremely hard hitting baseliner. Unforced errors cost her most matches as she could overpower nearly everyone on a good day despite her slender figure.
 
cuddles26 said:
Dominique Van Roost, who is now back to Dominique Monami after her divorce was an extemely hard hitting baseliner who was a regular top 15/top 20 player in the late 90s until her retirement in 2000. Usually unforced errors cost her matches as she could match firepower with anyone at the time. She reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open twice.
Click to expand...

So you must think that Ernst Gulbis is better than Roger Federer too.
 
cuddles26 said:
The reason they achieved less was they had much harder competition than Henin and Clijsters. Henin and Clijsters play in the worst era in WTA history. All of you keep saying that. So they like everyone else benefits from the very weak competition they faced to compile their achievements. Anyway I did rank Henin over Appelmans.
Click to expand...

I never said that. That's a ridiculous statement, that can't be proven, and it's perpetrated by idiots who love Graf and Seles more than they love commons sense. To try and use their argument to say that a journeywoman Belgian player is better that a 7 time slam champion is absurd.
 
edmondsm said:
I never said that. That's a ridiculous statement, that can't be proven, and it's perpetrated by idiots who love Graf and Seles more than they love commons sense. To try and use their argument to say that a journeywoman Belgian player is better that a 7 time slam champion is absurd.
Click to expand...

You have to admit Van Roost and Appelmans had more competition though. Remember the peaked in the last decade where you had Graf, Seles, Sanchez Vicario, Hingis, Williams, Davenport, all at their peaks. Henin and Clijsters havent had alot of competition and that is why they won alot of slams, except Clijsters got unlucky to lose out on alot more to Henin herself.
 
Also look at my Pierce vs Clijsters clip I posted. It looks like Kim is being totally overpowered. Virtually every point shown Pierce is blasting a blazing winner past her, and Pierce is way past her prime and 30 years old here.
 
cuddles26 said:
You have to admit Van Roost and Appelmans had more competition though. Remember the peaked in the last decade where you had Graf, Seles, Sanchez Vicario, Hingis, Williams, Davenport, all at their peaks. Henin and Clijsters havent had alot of competition and that is why they won alot of slams, except Clijsters got unlucky to lose out on alot more to Henin herself.
Click to expand...

The prime of Henin and Clijsters coincided with the prime of Venus, Serena, Sharapova, Capriati, and Davenport. Serena alone is comparable to 90s Graf; Venus is better than 90s Seles, Sharapova is better than Vicario.

Epic fail to say the Clijsters and Henin didn't have peak competition -- the period of their primes (2001-2005 especially) is as strong as any period during the 1990s without question -- that's why Hingis could win majors from 1997-1999 but stopped winning them once Venus, Serena, Davenport and Capriati got into peak form from 2000 onward.

I saw Van Roost and Applemans play...neither is anywhere near as good as Clijsters and Henin.
 
drwood said:
The prime of Henin and Clijsters coincided with the prime of Venus, Serena, Sharapova, Capriati, and Davenport. Serena alone is comparable to 90s Graf; Venus is better than 90s Seles, Sharapova is better than Vicario.

Epic fail to say the Clijsters and Henin didn't have peak competition -- the period of their primes (2001-2005 especially) is as strong as any period during the 1990s without question -- that's why Hingis could win majors from 1997-1999 but stopped winning them once Venus, Serena, Davenport and Capriati got into peak form from 2000 onward.

I saw Van Roost and Applemans play...neither is anywhere near as good as Clijsters and Henin.
Click to expand...

Serena is not as good a player as Graf. The way Serena played for 18 months in 2002-2003 is the way Graf played for over 10 years. Venus certainly is not as good a player as prime Seles. Seles is on another planet from Venus on any surface except grass. On grass Venus easily trumps Seles but on clay (LOL at Venus on clay), hard courts, or indoors Venus doesnt scrape the surface of Seles. Sanchez Vicario was healthier alot longer than Maria was. It doesnt matter if healthy Maria is better if she only stayed healthy consistently for 2 and a half years after her first slam, while Sanchez Vicario mantained her best level and health for around 10 years after her first.

Serena and Venus had their primes from 1999 to mid 2003. Henin and Clijsters had all their biggest achievements starting around mid 2003 when the Williams were soon to be injured and never the same level again. They maybe had a few months in their primes together at most.
 
Last edited:
Good to see Van Roost atleast with more votes than Henin. While I disagree with Henin being put over Van Roost, and Clijsters being put over Appelmans I can atleast accept it. Clijsters being put over Van Roost would be just crazy, so I am glad the board agrees Clijsters is indeed inferior to Van Roost.
 
cuddles26 said:
The reason they achieved less was they had much harder competition than Henin and Clijsters. Henin and Clijsters play in the worst era in WTA history. All of you keep saying that. So they like everyone else benefits from the very weak competition they faced to compile their achievements. Anyway I did rank Henin over Appelmans.

Van Roost was an extremely hard hitting baseliner. Unforced errors cost her most matches as she could overpower nearly everyone on a good day despite her slender figure.
Click to expand...

Now I know you're smoking crack. You're telling me that Davenport, the Williams sisters, Mauresmo at her peak, Capriati, the Russian contingent... aren't considered hard competition? This year's a fluke of a talent vaccum, not the entire decade :|
 
kabob said:
Now I know you're smoking crack. You're telling me that Davenport, the Williams sisters, Mauresmo at her peak, Capriati, the Russian contingent... aren't considered hard competition? This year's a fluke of a talent vaccum, not the entire decade :|
Click to expand...

Henin has won almost all her slams on clay. She has faced no good clay courters. The Williams and Davenport are not good clay courters. Mauresmo never plays good at the French. Sharapova is not a good clay courter.

The William sisters were not at their best when they lost to Henin and Clijsters at the 2005, 2007, and 2009 U.S Opens. The Williams sisters were not around when Henin won her 2003 U.S Open and 2004 Australian Open titles.
 
cuddles26 said:
Van Roost continues to lead Clijsters in the poll as she should.
Click to expand...

The only reason for that is because people can only vote once. If people were allowed to place each player where they thought, Kim would be blowing away Van Roost.

LMFAO at your argument that Van Roost had better competition. As if Van Roost was getting stopped at every slam by Graf, Seles, etc. This Van Roost chick was loosing before the second week at every slam, to no names. Get real.
 
Let me see...Henin has 7 slams, 41 singles titles, and a 436-95 career singles record. Clijsters has 2 slams, 35 singles titles, and a 404-100 career singles record. Van Roost has 0 slams, 4 singles titles, and a 221-164 career singles record.
 
Henin and Clijsters winning slams are proof of this weak era. In the 90s or when the Williams were in their primes in the early 2000s they would have won 0 slams. They were lucky to win all their slams when the Williams, Davenport, Capriati, Hingis, were all past their primes. Lets look at their slam wins:

Henin 2003 French- won since Serena had off day in the semis, since Venus went out early, and since Clijsters tanked the final.

Henin 2003 U.S Open- won since Serena and Venus didnt play, Capriati choked in the semis and Clijsters played an awful final.

Henin 2004 Australian Open- won since Serena, Venus, Capriati didnt play, and the final with Clijsters was a back and forth chokefest.

Henin 2005 French Open- won since Serena didnt play, Venus lost early, Capriati had retired, and Pierce played a bad final.

Clijsters 2005 U.S Open- won since Venus choked in the quarters, Serena and Davenport and Henin lost before she played them, and since she played a past her prime Pierce in the final who was injured.

Henin 2006 French Open- won since Serena didnt play, Venus had an off day and lost in the quarters to Vaidisova, and since Maria choked away a 3rd set lead to Safina in the round of 16.

Henin 2007 French Open- won since Serena played a bad quarterfinal, Venus lost early, and Maria was injured and lost in the semis.

Henin 2007 U.S Open- OK I guess she earned this one, but even though she outplayed the Williams it is not like they are in their primes anymore while Henin was at her peak.

Clijsters 2009 U.S Open- beat Venus only since she was injured. Lucky Serena played a bad semifinal with lots of errors. Played a weak final opponent.
 
Obviously not as accomplished as Kim or Justine

But I loved Van Roost. She was a natural ball striker. Skinny little thing but reminded me of Rios. Hard, flat ball, instinctively knew where to place it. Terrible serve though. Not much variety.

Appelmans was also fun. I loved her lefty crosscourt short angle forehand and serve to the ad court.
 
cuddles26 said:
Henin and Clijsters winning slams are proof of this weak era. In the 90s or when the Williams were in their primes in the early 2000s they would have won 0 slams. They were lucky to win all their slams when the Williams, Davenport, Capriati, Hingis, were all past their primes. Lets look at their slam wins:

Henin 2003 French- won since Serena had off day in the semis, since Venus went out early, and since Clijsters tanked the final.

Henin 2003 U.S Open- won since Serena and Venus didnt play, Capriati choked in the semis and Clijsters played an awful final.

Henin 2004 Australian Open- won since Serena, Venus, Capriati didnt play, and the final with Clijsters was a back and forth chokefest.

Henin 2005 French Open- won since Serena didnt play, Venus lost early, Capriati had retired, and Pierce played a bad final.

Clijsters 2005 U.S Open- won since Venus choked in the quarters, Serena and Davenport and Henin lost before she played them, and since she played a past her prime Pierce in the final who was injured.

Henin 2006 French Open- won since Serena didnt play, Venus had an off day and lost in the quarters to Vaidisova, and since Maria choked away a 3rd set lead to Safina in the round of 16.

Henin 2007 French Open- won since Serena played a bad quarterfinal, Venus lost early, and Maria was injured and lost in the semis.

Henin 2007 U.S Open- OK I guess she earned this one, but even though she outplayed the Williams it is not like they are in their primes anymore while Henin was at her peak.

Clijsters 2009 U.S Open- beat Venus only since she was injured. Lucky Serena played a bad semifinal with lots of errors. Played a weak final opponent.
Click to expand...

Hah yes, and all those slam finals that Van Roost made. She would have won had she been playing a Williams sister instead of Graf or Seles, or wait........
 
There's no need to be counter-intuitive here. Henin first, Clijsters second. Regardless of weak-era arguments, the gap between Henin/Clijsters and Van Roost/Applemans is big enough to make a clear distinction between them.
 
scootad. said:
Obviously not as accomplished as Kim or Justine

But I loved Van Roost. She was a natural ball striker. Skinny little thing but reminded me of Rios. Hard, flat ball, instinctively knew where to place it. Terrible serve though. Not much variety.

Appelmans was also fun. I loved her lefty crosscourt short angle forehand and serve to the ad court.
Click to expand...

Appelmans and Van Roost had personalities and looks too. They were fun to watch. They werent ugly shrimp sourpusses like Henin, or fake phony nice girls like Clijsters.
 
cuddles26 said:
Appelmans and Van Roost had personalities and looks too. They were fun to watch. They werent ugly shrimp sourpusses like Henin, or fake phony nice girls like Clijsters.
Click to expand...

And the truth comes forth. You know if you want to argue who is pretty and who is sweet then I'm sure US Weekly has forums that would be more suited to your tastes.
 
cuddles26 said:
The reason they achieved less was they had much harder competition than Henin and Clijsters. Henin and Clijsters play in the worst era in WTA history. All of you keep saying that. So they like everyone else benefits from the very weak competition they faced to compile their achievements. Anyway I did rank Henin over Appelmans.

Van Roost was an extremely hard hitting baseliner. Unforced errors cost her most matches as she could overpower nearly everyone on a good day despite her slender figure.
Click to expand...

justine henin and kim clijsters contributed to one of the strongest womens fields(early 2000's) since the 70's and late 80's. when they left, only the williams sisters and the inconsistent russians remained.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
  • Poll Poll
Greatest forehand of all time?
Replies
23
Views
2K
BluBarry
BluBarry
Y
  • Poll Poll
Greatest Player of All Times (school research project)
2
Replies
79
Views
5K
borg number one
borg number one
T
  • Poll Poll
Greatest Player of ALL Time
Replies
28
Views
2K
Cenc
C
Steady Eddy
Looks like Serena is the 2nd greatest of all time.
Replies
16
Views
1K
Djokodalerer31
Djokodalerer31
T
Greatest of all time
Replies
2
Views
271
JMR
J
Back
Top