swedechris
Banned
Pat can ,i cant.
He couldn't even beat Bastl the last time he played. Get real :?
cuddles26
Banned
I too think if he were allowed to enter the womens event at Wimbledon right now he could make the semis if he avoids the Williams sisters and Sharapova until that round.
swedechris
Banned
Either that or maybe winner of the balding players tourny( Mac, Bob Hewitt, etc ..) ..
just kidding.
just kidding.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Either that or maybe winner of the balding players tourny( Mac, Bob Hewitt, etc ..) ..
dayvadenko would win.
swedechris
Banned
But does Davy even play on grass.. cant recall .. Andre would be tough fun vs. Pete
LetFirstServe
Rookie
I hope he doesnt come back....it would be painful seeing him lose against some nobody. I dont think it would be like Jordan....it would be more like a late Tyson match...he would just look like an old man getting kicked around.
T. H. Park
Professional
True regarding the technology aspect. However, I don't think a graphite stick would've done that much more. More yes, but not much.
I also agree that Sampras has a better game style (serve and volley with insane serve and insane cross-court running forehand) that will probably allow him better results. But then again, players in the year post 2000 are stronger, faster, and better trained than from early 1990s - we just know about the science of sports via technology (including slow-motion video at incredible frame rates). So, in general, if Sampras steps back on the court, he will be get a good pounding in the early rounds and will with all likelihood be packing his bags early on. That would truly be a shame and dent to his insane legacy. Were it a couple of years back, things would have been different. Not now.
jimbo333
Hall of Fame
Connors was unique
Even 20 years ago nobody anywhere near his age was getting to Semis of Grand Slams!!!
Sampras would have absolutely no chance now.
As much as i'd love to see Pete come back and play Wimby and the hard court season, I don't think he'd have a ton of success. The fact is, players stand very far back and can take huge rips at returns. Pete coming back would be a publicity stunt, don't get me wrong, I'd love that, still he'd only win a few rounds per tournament. He wouldn't be a legit contender.
thalivest
Banned
Connors was unique
Even 20 years ago nobody anywhere near his age was getting to Semis of Grand Slams!!!
Sampras would have absolutely no chance now.
True, that was amazing to achieve that at 39 in a pretty modern time, start of the 90s, when players are not lasting nearly as long as the 60s and 70s. He sort of go a bit of a good draw (eg- Krickstein and Haarhuis in the round of 16 and quarters) but hey you can only beat what is across the other side of the net.
Aye-yay-yay...not this myth again. Guys like Courier and Muster were as on the bleeding edge fitness as we've EVER had in tennis during their peaks. Players didn't just magically start taking their training seriously now. Sampras was training with the reigning Heisman trophy winner in the 90s and holding his own head to head athletically.
The 80s era, yeah, you can maybe make that case, but the modern era started in the *1990s* as far as I'm concerned.
If all this revolutionary training mythology were true, HOW ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH does a relative tub of lard like David Nalbandian manage to be one of the few guys who's given BOTH Federer and Nadal hell?
Sampras could win a match here and there today, but he'd never be able to sustain unless he were on the juice.
Guys like Krickstein, Harhuis, and Patrick McEnroe are a bit underrated. Patrick McEnroe gave Becker fits, and beat him at the Australian Open. There was a time in the early 90s before the injuries decimated him that he was building momentum and starting to step out of his brother's shadows. He was never going to be a world beater, but he really was no joke as a player either. He was building steam, and had he stayed healthy, would have been a consistent top 20 to 40 level player imo.
Krickstein also is underrated. He wasn't a legend of anything, but he'd proven he could hang with the top guys and has had some decent results in his career.
Harhuis is the most underrated. This guy beat Sampras several times on tour, and it's shocking how many big names he's beaten. You kind of have to scratch your head as to why he did so well against the big names, but could never mount a serious attack on the rankings. Maybe he was just a big match player or something, but not so good against the ordinary guys, but it's still amazing to me how well he really did do against the big names. It's funny, because on the seniors tour, he's continued that trend and then some, just DOMINATING the year ending championships three years in a row and then smoking Courier in his OWN seniors tour championship final...the nerve! I guess he's just a guy who plays better when he's not the favorite, shrugs.
he beat both McEnroe and Becker at the Open from what I remember.
T. H. Park
Professional
Are you talking about the revolutionary training program Agassi was on - McDonalds burgers? Just go to the Olympics website where you have records and see how many records are shattered as time goes on:1980s, 1990s, and 2000+. That's evidence alone w.r.t. athletics. Unless you think people MAGICALLY get faster, stronger, and become better athletes a la David Copperfield.
As far as Nalbandian is concerned, because his tennis skills are so high, he can and does win against the very best form time to time. The key word is time to time. You don't have to be physically fit "100%" to do that in a 3-setter, especially. It just shows that it's a shame that Nalbandian is not fitter as he would really have been a much better player. No?
As to your last sentence I agree.
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woodrow1029
Guest
You gotta remember that if Pete were to play Wimbledon, he would be unseeded. Still a chance he could draw Federer, Roddick, Nadal, Murray or Djokovic in the first round. Pete would win a round if he drew a wildcard, or MAYBE a qualifier, but that is about it.
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woodrow1029
Guest
When Connors won what at 39?
Leublu tennis
Legend
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Cesc Fabregas
Legend
It would be the greatest thing ever if Pete got a WC for the USO and knocked Federer out in the 1st round. 
He should play mixed doubles
federer is the king of excuses
- wind
- light
- blisters
- mono
- temperature
what else?
It would be the greatest thing ever if Pete got a WC for the USO and knocked Federer out in the 1st round.
yeah10 char
MAX PLY
Hall of Fame
You forgot one . . . the glare from my 14 GS trophies got in my eyes. Sheesh! Amazing how Federer can overcome all of those "obsticles" and still be the king of excuses!
AAAA
Hall of Fame
In an era of 'clowns' or 'chokers' according to the words of people who say they know about tennis, fitness wouldn't even figure in the match. 5 Sets? Sampras with his superior skillset easily wins in 3 sets. Fitness would not be a factor in this 'weak' era;-). I'd love to see Sampras make a comeback, some of his fans need it far more than he does.
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grafrules
Banned
Rome isnt a grand slam. Wimbledon is. When is the last time Federer lost to a Volandri type in Rome. Mind you when it comes to Sampras even in his prime he has lost to Volandri types in slams- Yzaga, Schaller, Delgado, Kucera, so perhaps you are right for Pete it isnt that big a deal like it would be for Roger.
35ft6
Legend
Do any of the "Pete can win" people care to address this?
orangettecoleman
Professional
Rafter's projecting. Wishful thinking among old guys. Pete would get killed by anyone in the top 50, people are better at handling big serves now and Pete's movement isn't what it was in his playing days.
the green god
Professional
I guess if Bird, Magic, and Jordan were 24 playing today they would just be minor role players. You are delusional if you think someone like Del Porto is a better athlete than a prime 90's Sampras. You guys must believe everyone playing today is some genetic, evolutionary mutant.
zagor
Bionic Poster
Yes but this isn't prime Sampras we're talking about but rather a 38 year old guy who has been retired from the game since the beginning of 2003.If he comes back I really don't see him doing much damage at all.
And yes prime Sampras is a better athlete than anyone playing today,he's one of the best athletes in tennis ever IMO.
thalivest
Banned
ROTFL what does 90s Sampras have to do with 2010 or whatever Sampras if he were to return. You ae the one delusional if you dont get the difference.
Dark Victory
Rookie
Off topic for just a little bit...
We all know Pete had a testy pro relationship with Rafter for while and that they've made up since then.
But anyway, I remember that one quip Pete made on what's the difference between him and Pat Rafter.
Can you imagine if Fed won 24 slams and got asked that question with Pete on the comparative end?
If Fed didn't have class, he'd know exactly what to say. Haha. :lol:
We all know Pete had a testy pro relationship with Rafter for while and that they've made up since then.
But anyway, I remember that one quip Pete made on what's the difference between him and Pat Rafter.
Can you imagine if Fed won 24 slams and got asked that question with Pete on the comparative end?
If Fed didn't have class, he'd know exactly what to say. Haha. :lol:
superdave3
Rookie
I would love to see him come back for just one more Wimbly, but honestly I doubt he could compete. I saw the tape of the recent senor's final in Chicago, and he lost to Mac for the first time ever, 8-7 in a pro set that Mac won in a tiebreak 7-4. Sampras looked good at times but missed so many easy shots that pros now just don't miss, like hitting a 2nd serve of Mac's into the net on match point. I think after he retired after the US Open final in 2002 he could have come back just for Wimbly in 2003 and would have had a good chance, but not now.
kabrac
Professional
by the way, know why sampras didn't play much on the senior tour this year is because he was giving the other guys a fare chance at competing. He only played like 2-3 events and tied for 3rd I think. He won the champions tour easily last year and could have done so this year. And on another note, most of those 1 night champions tour matches are all rigged. I bet they talk in the locker room about "give him a few games to make things competitive", "ok, here's who needs to win tonight, and here's how tommorrow night will pan out". He could come back if he wanted to. The minute federer won #15, I would have been like, "ok time for a comeback". I mean really, if you could still play well, wouldn't you come back if someone else was trying to take everything you worked so hard for and the title GOAT?
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NadalDramaQueen
Guest
He could come back, but he isn't going to be in the position to deny Federer (or any of the top four) any titles. It would be the same mistake that many great champions have made, which is to mount a comeback, fail, and potentially tarnish your legacy. In all honesty, the comebacks are usually forgiven and the legacies go untarnished, but it is a bit disappointing to see your idol look ordinary against lesser players.
hoodjem
G.O.A.T.
treblings
Hall of Fame
it´s been the ´end of´ three years ago
why resurrect a thread that´s dead a long time now? Sampras hasn´t become younger in the meantime and what was maybe possible then is impossible now
