Sampras with Wawrinka groundstrokes???

[zill]

Take Sampras and give him Wawrinka topspin forehand and topspin backhand. Would he have won up to 30 slams back in the day and be undisputed GOAT?

This version of Sampras would definitely have won FO. We assume Sampras still had his volleys so winning Wimbledon isn't an issue.

Note I didn't want to give Sampras the ground strokes of the big 4 as that would be unfair.

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Its not just about strokes...its about mentality! LOL Wawrinka is a mental midget for the most part and even when people put up those three defeats he landed to Rafa and Novak at grand slam finals as an argument towards he "supposedly" Godlike form, i never hesitate to remind people, that Djokovic leads him 19-5 in their h2h and Nadal leads him 17-3, so yeah...

 

[zill]

Its not just about strokes...its about mentality! LOL Wawrinka is a mental midget for the most part and even when people put up those three defeats he landed to Rafa and Novak at grand slam finals as an argument towards he "supposedly" Godlike form, i never hesitate to remind people, that Djokovic leads him 19-5 in their h2h and Nadal leads him 17-3, so yeah...

Assume Sampras mentality. Sampras everything except give him Wawrinka groundstrokes on both sides.

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Assume Sampras mentality. Sampras everything except give him Wawrinka groundstrokes on both sides.

You can't just "assume" someone's mentality pal, thats not how that works! But alright whatever i'll play your "game" for a while...lets assume Sampras possesses Wawrinka and takes over his spirit for a while in addition to some of his technical arsenal thrown into the mix...hmmm wil lthat make him as you describe? GOAT worthy? Dunno...depends on match-ups, conditions and stuff like that, but yes...he would win more than he did thats for sure...

 

[zill]

You can't just "assume" someone's mentality pal, thats not how that works!

I just want Sampras everything but Wawrinka ground strokes

 

[FedGR]

I think you are overestimating Wawrinkas groundstrokes. For sure when he is ON and goes for every shot he is very impressive and so much fun to watch. But his high risk game by definition cannot be always ON therefore his average groundstroke game is significantly lower than you think it is.

From somebody that loves Stan.

 

[Hamnavoe]

Can't become the GOAT when you're already the GOAT.

 

[slice bh compliment]

^I. Am. Offended.^
By. His. Toxic. Masculinity.
~So, liiiike....The chest hair is a little too much for this "day and age". And instead of vaping some sweet synthetic pineapple churro juice, he has some weird actual liiiike.... tobaccoleaves on a stick or something. Ew.~

 

[SecondServeAce]

Wawrinka plays with super super racket tech and bozooka strings . Pete played with a crappy old pro staff

I would hope Stan has better ground strokes.

 

[slice bh compliment]

Pete was awesome. I have on good account that Sampras admires Stanley's backhand.

I am guessing stan admires pete's serves, volleys, and mentality.

 

[NatF]

Can Sampras keep his own forehand and slice?

 

[alexio]

Can't become the GOAT when you're already the GOAT.

the boss)) looks like tony montana from scarface

 

[tennisaddict]

LOL. If 90’s clay sees this thread he will commit suicide

How much more insults are going to be thrown at Sampras ?

What next ? If Dnitrov had Fed’s mentality he will win forty majors ?

 

[Djokodalerer31]

the boss)) looks like tony montana from scarface

Looks like the son of italian mob, who works as a pizza maker at NYC restaurant in Manhattan...

 

[King No1e]

Assume Sampras mentality. Sampras everything except give him Wawrinka groundstrokes on both sides.

Sampras had a great forehand, especially on the run. It's debatable whether Wawrinka forehand is even better than Pete's.

 

[King No1e]

LOL. If 90’s clay sees this thread he will commit suicide

How much more insults are going to be thrown at Sampras ?

What next ? If Dnitrov had Fed’s mentality he will win forty majors ?

Santoro with a serve has 20, so perhaps

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Santoro with a serve has 20, so perhaps

...And what if Mansour Bahrami played tennis seriously?! Oh boy...

 

[Red Rick]

would be a weak returner.

 

[SeeItHitIt]

If Pete has different strokes on both/either wing, he’d likely have fallen in love with them as most of the ‘modern’ players have. If that’s the case, it would’ve reduced Pete’s S&V and net dominance (just as it has all but eliminated those play styles from the game we watch today). Just sit back and pummel, admire the spin and wait for the other guy (who’s doing the same thing) to make a mistake.

No thanks.

 

[byealmeens]

Sampras had a great forehand, especially on the run. It's debatable whether Wawrinka forehand is even better than Pete's.

Honestly, I personally do not think that's debatable. Sampras clearly had a better forehand in my opinion. Also, I think what we are not giving Pete enough credit on return. Stan often pushes returns into play due to his extreme grips, which would be an issue if Pete had the same groundstrokes. Pete was better at attacking the return.

 

[slice bh compliment]

^Agreed^... @byealmeens ....
especially with the return, and the legendary running forehand. But stanislas can hold his own on the inside-out and inside-in fh.

 

[King No1e]

Honestly, I personally do not think that's debatable. Sampras clearly had a better forehand in my opinion. Also, I think what we are not giving Pete enough credit on return. Stan often pushes returns into play due to his extreme grips, which would be an issue if Pete had the same groundstrokes. Pete was better at attacking the return.

I guess we don't count the hack return as one of the Wawrinka groundstrokes that we're replacing for GOAT Sampras

 

[True Fanerer]

Honestly, I personally do not think that's debatable. Sampras clearly had a better forehand in my opinion. Also, I think what we are not giving Pete enough credit on return. Stan often pushes returns into play due to his extreme grips, which would be an issue if Pete had the same groundstrokes. Pete was better at attacking the return.

 

[slice bh compliment]

I guess we don't count the hack return as one of the Wawrinka groundstrokes that we're replacing for GOAT Sampras

Yes, no, yes.....
We do not count this.

There were too many attackers in Pete's day, for a block return.
Stan is able to use it to get into points with the dearth of S&V practitioners.

Good thread. Makes me think of a Stan with the second serve of a Pete. And his volleys. And consistent aggression. And focus.

Multiple titles at all four, including Roland Garros.

 

[The Safinator]

Take Sampras and give him Wawrinka topspin forehand and topspin backhand. Would he have won up to 30 slams back in the day and be undisputed GOAT?

This version of Sampras would definitely have won FO. We assume Sampras still had his volleys so winning Wimbledon isn't an issue.

Note I didn't want to give Sampras the ground strokes of the big 4 as that would be unfair.

Sampras had one of the best forehands in tennis, Wawrinka has nothing over the pistol on the forehand side.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Take Sampras and give him Wawrinka topspin forehand

Is this a joke? Pete has the greatest running FH in the history of the game and one of the top 5 FH's of all time. Stan would kill to have Pete's FH. Kind of like saying, "boy, that Djokovic guy would be pretty good if he had Tim Henman's BH."

 

[BeatlesFan]

I just want Sampras everything but Wawrinka ground strokes

Then you have never seen one single Sampras match or any film of him. It's getting tedious defending Sampras when I was an Andre fan, but the amount of sheer ignorance posted here about his serve, his groundstrokes and everything else about him is mind boggling.

 

[alexio]

Is this a joke? Pete has the greatest running FH in the history of the game and one of the top 5 FH's of all time. Stan would kill to have Pete's FH. Kind of like saying, "boy, that Djokovic guy would be pretty good if he had Tim Henman's BH."

who is better at the net sampras or fed?

 

[hoodjem]

No. He would lose to Wawrinka with Sampras's serve and volley skills.

 

[True Fanerer]

Then you have never seen one single Sampras match or any film of him. It's getting tedious defending Sampras when I was an Andre fan, but the amount of sheer ignorance posted here about his serve, his groundstrokes and everything else about him is mind boggling.

I know the feeling.

 

[MeatTornado]

This wouldn't help him at all. Pete played to his strengths, and Stan's strokes would not help him at all on 90s fast courts.

Why do you suppose Wimbledon is Stan's worst major? And that's on modern grass.

 

[brystone]

Sampras is unlikeable. That is probably a reason his actual tennis is underrated today. There are very few hardcore Sampras fans, he is the kind of person you just want to underrate as he is kind of a d0uche.

 

[HetTheGreaterer]

Assume Sampras mentality. Sampras everything except give him Wawrinka groundstrokes on both sides.

Wawrinka sux on fast indoor HC and Grass due to long swing on his strokes...
So basically you're improving pete on his worst surface (clay), bu pretty much screwing his legacy, game and achievements on his best surfaces (fast HCs, grass)

 

[HetTheGreaterer]

Santoro with a serve has 20, so perhaps

Imhotep with a European body has 15, so perhaps not....

who is better at the net sampras or fed?

Sampras by a small margin...
Fed did it in era of baseline grinding and homogenization, but still sampras's skills at net were quite amazing to witness... A little bit better than fed imo..

I know the feeling.

You shared my heart's words bro...
Some of the teens and people who started watching tennis in 2006/2008/2011/2015, talk about older players and their strengths, I feel like hammering in head

 

[True Fanerer]

Imhotep with a European body has 15, so perhaps not....



Sampras by a small margin...
Fed did it in era of baseline grinding and homogenization, but still sampras's skills at net were quite amazing to witness... A little bit better than fed imo..



You shared my heart's words bro...
Some of the teens and people who started watching tennis in 2006/2008/2011/2015, talk about older players and their strengths, I feel like hammering in head

PETE ruined many a day for me lol. I appreciate him more now.

 

[HetTheGreaterer]

PETE ruined many a day for me lol. I appreciate him more now.

Agassi fan??!!

 

[slice bh compliment]

Sampras is unlikeable. That is probably a reason his actual tennis is underrated today. There are very few hardcore Sampras fans, he is the kind of person you just want to underrate as he is kind of a d0uche.

Unlikable, yeah, mais oui, mais... I do not see him as a dbag at all. Just a bit selfish, i think? Like steffi graf. Like Lendl.
Less fake than the guys have to be today on soChill and not soChill media.

I like Pete with the bh of stanley and the social media of stefanos. And the bandana of philippoussis. And the hair of LeMonf. And the eyebrow stylings of niko Kyrgios. And the cableknit sweater of rene lacoste. And the woolen cuffed socks of laver. And the badassery into his forties of pancho gonzales. Stage presence of yannick. The Joy of guga. That's pretty much the perfect player.

 

[OldschoolKIaus]

Its not just about strokes...its about mentality! LOL Wawrinka is a mental midget for the most part and even when people put up those three defeats he landed to Rafa and Novak at grand slam finals as an argument towards he "supposedly" Godlike form, i never hesitate to remind people, that Djokovic leads him 19-5 in their h2h and Nadal leads him 17-3, so yeah...

3 slams, 2 vs. Djoker, get over it lmao

 

[Djokodalerer31]

3 slams, 2 vs. Djoker, get over it lmao

19-5 in their h2h...get over it! LOL Also 4-3 on grand slams! (We aren't going to count only finals are we if we are being 100% fair, right? Otherwise Nole already leveled with Rafa for 4-4!) LOL

 

[timnz]

Take Sampras and give him Wawrinka topspin forehand and topspin backhand. Would he have won up to 30 slams back in the day and be undisputed GOAT?

This version of Sampras would definitely have won FO. We assume Sampras still had his volleys so winning Wimbledon isn't an issue.

Note I didn't want to give Sampras the ground strokes of the big 4 as that would be unfair.

Well Sampras had a better forehand that Wawrinka. The backhand though would be worth acquiring.

 

[Purplemonster]

Then you have never seen one single Sampras match or any film of him. It's getting tedious defending Sampras when I was an Andre fan, but the amount of sheer ignorance posted here about his serve, his groundstrokes and everything else about him is mind boggling.

According to quite a few people on this forum Sampras only possessed a serve. That’s how he won those 14 majors. Also explains why the likes of Karlovic, Isner, Ivanisevic, Krajicek etc. amassed 10+ majors each.

 

[Purplemonster]

Sampras is unlikeable. That is probably a reason his actual tennis is underrated today. There are very few hardcore Sampras fans, he is the kind of person you just want to underrate as he is kind of a d0uche.

If Sampras was a ****** then what would that make Agassi ??

Sampras was all business and that’s what allowed him to win so much and break records. He set his sights on that and was able to achieve it. Anyone who underrated Sampras should follow a different sport as they must know very little about the sport.

 

[NoleFam]

I would actually take Sampras' forehand over Wawrinka's without a doubt and Sampras' mentality is on a entirely different level.

 

[HuusHould]

At an age where Federers still winning majors Pete was losing 76 61 61 to a puddling Hewitt in the USO final. So yeah he couldve done with Stans bh at least, just to give him a B game when the serve was off. Mightve nabbed him another major or two at the most.

 

[Gonzo_style]

Samprinka would have RG but no way in hell 7 Wimbledons

 

[sredna42]

Take Sampras and give him Wawrinka topspin forehand and topspin backhand. Would he have won up to 30 slams back in the day and be undisputed GOAT?

This version of Sampras would definitely have won FO. We assume Sampras still had his volleys so winning Wimbledon isn't an issue.

Note I didn't want to give Sampras the ground strokes of the big 4 as that would be unfair.

Wouldn't Wawrinka's ground strokes interfere with Sampras's net attacking game? as Wawrinka needs to stand a little further behind the baseline to get the time to swing, whereas Sampras would stand closer, with a flatter grip to suit.

 

[sredna42]

I would actually take Sampras' forehand over Wawrinka's without a doubt and Sampras' mentality is on a entirely different level.

No way. Wawrinka's forehand is seriously under rated. Sampras had that awesome ape-like running CC winner he could hit, but for the most part it always looked awkward and "hugging the bear" like. Wawrinka's forehand is consistent and heavy, and looks smooth and unforced.

 

[metsman]

Don't think Pete could afford to have his takebacks orbit the earth once before hitting the ball in the 90s. He'd do better on the all important dirt though!

 

[accidental]

What if you gave Sampras Lebrons vertical leap and put him in the octagon vs Mayweather?

 

[kishnabe]

Sampras would have far less majors, but he would at least have the FO.

Wawrinka Stokes don't deal well with pace, or getting time take away.