McEnroeisanartist
Hall of Fame
Sampras Fans - What year do you think he had the most aesthetically pleasing game of his career?
Sampras Fans - What year do you think he had the most aesthetically pleasing game of his career?
- Thread starter McEnroeisanartist
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The Aceserver
Semi-Pro
I remember thinking that Sampras in the 1999 Wimbledon final played at the highest level that I had ever seen. Agassi was playing great that tournament and match, but Pistol Pete was smokin’. As for the full year, who knows?
bigbadboaz
Professional
But aesthetically? I think the backhand had already started to devolve by then.
I've seen those YouTube highlights of his '96 US win over Chang and thought he looked pretty darn smooth then.
I've seen those YouTube highlights of his '96 US win over Chang and thought he looked pretty darn smooth then.
Judge Holden
New User
His backhand definitely earlier in his career before he got lock-arm on it, service was pretty constantly beautiful throughout his career, but for the rest of his game it would be 1994-96 for the all-court variety and quality of athleticism and movement.
Racquet_smash
Hall of Fame
I think 1995 in general.
Dropshot777
Semi-Pro
1995
bigbadboaz
Professional
BTW I think his forehand production was always a serious obstacle to his overall game being considered "aesthetic".
Vincent-C
Legend
With that crazy-high elbow? A distinctly inferior copy of the Lendl FH, imo.
Vincent-C
Legend
and the i-think-this'll-go-in volleys, and the hit-and-giggle topspin BH..
This is not to say he was not a great, great player. I wish he and Fred had had many, many more matches.
bigbadboaz
Professional
Just don't get how you can even say that. As Vincent mentioned, that elbow action is just goofy. And it came out nothing like Lendl's.. when I read that was the model I was shocked.
Dropshot777
Semi-Pro
Everything in his game was elegant… except those groundstrokes
Judge Holden
New User
The important feature of Sampras' forehand swing is that he kept his racquet head vertical at the backswing -> swing-through transition, his wrist stable throughout, and in general the shot had few moving parts. You can't swing a forehand with that high of a swingweight on the frame and have any criminal deficiencies in your technique.
Thiem's forehand is the technically-refined form of Sampras'. Stich's is another similar contemporary one to Lendl's that is a bit nicer.
Compared to the spectre that befell his backhand technique and combined with his fast-twitch explosiveness his forehand is quite nice on the whole.
That being said the most aesthetic parts of Sampras' game must be his deuce-side serving [one of the few right-handers with a true left-hander's service profile in converse] and, especially, his explosive movements.
Thiem's forehand is the technically-refined form of Sampras'. Stich's is another similar contemporary one to Lendl's that is a bit nicer.
Compared to the spectre that befell his backhand technique and combined with his fast-twitch explosiveness his forehand is quite nice on the whole.
That being said the most aesthetic parts of Sampras' game must be his deuce-side serving [one of the few right-handers with a true left-hander's service profile in converse] and, especially, his explosive movements.
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Mustard
Bionic Poster
One of the greatest years ever in tennis.
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
None. He was a stoic bore. Great winner though.
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
I love satire. Good one.
Racquet_smash
Hall of Fame
Yeah, unfortunately after that year things went down for the rest of the decade.
I get cramps
Semi-Pro
Every time I watch him play since 1990, it has been the most pleasurable year of all.
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Martin J
Professional
Of those I've actually followed "day in day out" (though that was almost impossible back in the day, with far fewer TV channels broadcasting tennis live), it was the best season.
Two ATGs at their peak competing for #1, many in-form hall of famers and a resurgent ATG, high quality rivalries (Becker, Pete, Agassi, Muster/Costa), Muster's domination and, most importantly (for me), the return of Monika Seles.
Mustard
Bionic Poster
Quite a lot of tournaments in 1995 were on Eurosport in the UK. The BBC obviously had Queen's Club and Wimbledon, as well as a few French Open matches (especially the finals). Sky Sports had the US Open, while Eurosport had the Australian Open, French Open, and a plethora of the Super 9 events and smaller tournaments. The latter was crucial to following the clay season in the 1990s. Sky Sports started broadcasting the rebranded Masters Series events (i.e. Super 9) in 2000.
Martin J
Professional
Yes, most of the non-Major tournaments I watched was on Eurosport (thankfully, the national TV stations in Serbia covered every Grand Slam which was great) and on DSF (in German). I think those were the only sport channels we could watch on Satellite that covered the tennis tournaments (not all, but fair number of it).
Still, if you compare it to today's availability of tennis content, it was still pretty limited.
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