To call this spamming is idiotic. And I actually like that not-so-big names have been getting their due, but most posters here are glory-hunting fanboys that couldn't care less if some 154th-ranked schmuck went broke so it's only natural they'd be whining about unobtrusive shout-outs like this rather than the umpteenth GOAT thread.
As to the OP Guga is still the most exciting clay-courter I've seen. Even by today's standards the guy was trigger-happy, always looking to dictate with his serve and groundies which normally isn't a winning recipe on terre battue but he had the firepower and court sense to pull it off. And those long limbs of his gave him more court coverage than meets the eye.
What made Guga such a fan favorite, though, was his infectious love of the game. He really seemed to be in it for nothing but the tennis, unafraid to celebrate his opponent's shots even on crucial points. And by "celebrate" I don't mean the tepid tap on the racquet you usually see, but a full-blown double-fist pump like this:
That lack of cutthroat competitiveness (compare Guga's reaction with Pioline's) and a string of injuries probably kept him from challenging Becker, Edberg and Wilander in the ATG hierarchy or at least nabbing a HC major, especially since he thrived on momentum and shotmaking unlike most dirtballers. Which meant that the AO following a monthslong break was always going to be a tough event for him (it also didn't help that he enjoyed his off-court life as much as his on-court career), or that
his form would fluctuate wildly even at RG. But when he was dialed in few if any were more dangerous on clay, and even on HC where, of course, he dispatched both Sampras and Agassi in the '00 YEC SF and F while saving 16 BPs (9 vs. Pete and 7 vs. Dre) in what must be one of the clutchest performances ever:
Speaking of which:
Seems like we hear this from players way more than the fans. As fans we usually lean towards the trophy lifts as the best moments.
But of course I understand it. Winning a tournament could involve some lucky breaks. But to be able to call yourself literally the best tennis player in the world based on your body of work for an entire year must be incredibly fulfilling.
Pretty sure he considers it especially special cuz he got to finish 1st by defeating Sampragassi in a row despite a sore back. That final vs. Agassi in particular was a masterclass on par with virtually anyone's.
www.atptour.com
