That one point that could change the outcome of a match and rivalry,

[Graf=GOAT]

Most of us can agree that tennis is a sport decided by a few crucial points, when top players play each other. Here are few of the matches that a single point could have turned the match around:

2005 AO semi final. Had Federer taken that MP, he'd have FOUR consecutive 3 slam seasons in a row.

2006 Rome final. Peak clay Fed vs peak clay Nadal. Federer truly left his heart out on court that day. He led by a break in 5th set and had MP in the breaker. Had he won that point, he might have had the confidence to challenge Nadal and beat him in Paris. I feel this match was a turning point in the Fedal rivalry.


2007 French Open final. Fed was 1/17 on break points and actually won a set. With the he was serving, converting just another BP would likely force a 5th set - an unfamiliar territory for Nadal in Paris. Who knows what might have happened?

2007 Wimbledon final. Had Nadal converted BPs that he had early in the 5th set, he might have broken Roger's confidence and won the match.

2008 Wimbledon final. See above, but this time for Fed. He was riding massive momentum by coming back from two sets down, had he converted BP earlier in the set, he'd have 8 Wimbledon titles by now.

2009 AO final. Nadal came back from 0-40 and 15-40 in the next game in the 3rd set, a set that he won in TB. Had Fed taken one of those points, he'd probably win AO in 4 sets.

2012 AO final. Nadal missed a routine BH pass at 30-15, had he made it, he'd hold serve and make it 5-2, a deficit, Djokovjc would be unlikely to recover from.

2013 RG semi. If Djokovic didn't touch the net, he'd win the point and hold serve (he won the next point), putting him 5-3 ahead, most likely winning the match and completing CGS a day later.

2013 USO final. Nadal managed to recover from 0-40 in 3rd set against redlining Djoker, who had him on the ropes for the last 2 sets. That single BP taken, would mean Nadal would be two sets down against super confident Djokovic and would most likely lose in 4 sets.


Any others you can add?

 

[The Hermit]

2006 Rome Final, 2007 Wimbledon Final, 2012 AO Final, 2013 FO Semi for me.

 

[Chico]

And the most obvious and clear example:

1993 Hamburg QF.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

US open 2009 final, that forehand passing shot winner from del potro hitting the line, otherwise Federer would have led 2 sets to love.

Wimbledon 2009 final of course and that missed volley from Roddick to lead 2 sets to love.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

And the most obvious and clear example:

1993 Hamburg QF.

that's a different story, we are talking about tennis points in this thread

 

[Chico]

that's a different story, we are talking about tennis points in this thread

It does not matter. This is the most obvious example of one point, one moment, one match that changed everything.

 

[PSNELKE]

And the most obvious and clear example:

1993 Hamburg QF.

Where did you catch this? In your Junior High history class?

 

[kiki]

maybe also 1984 FO

 

[dr325i]

Where did you catch this? In your Junior High history class?

Some of us knew tennis existed before Rafa showed up...

 

[Graf=GOAT]

And the most obvious and clear example:

1993 Hamburg QF.

Can you stop trolling? Thanks.

 

[Mustard]

2006 Rome final. Peak clay Fed vs peak clay Nadal. Federer truly left his heart out on court that day. He led by a break in 5th set and had MP in the breaker. Had he won that point, he might have had the confidence to challenge Nadal and beat him in Paris. I feel this match was a turning point in the Fedal rivalry.

Federer had 2 championship points when Nadal was serving at 5-6 in the fifth set. In the fifth set tiebreak, Nadal trailed 3-5 and then won 4 points in a row.

Any others you can add?

Yes. 1989 US Open second round, with Boris Becker vs. Derrick Rostagno. Rostagno won the first set 6-1 and won the second set 7-6 (7-1 in the tiebreak). Becker won the third set 6-3, but Rostagno served for the match in the fourth set at 6-5 up, only to be broken back as Becker forced a tiebreak. In the fourth set tiebreak, Rostagno had 2 match points at 6-4 up, the first on Rostagno's own serve where he knocked a volley long.

Now for the big point, the second match point was on Becker's serve. Becker hit a body serve to the ad court and Rostagno hit a slice backhand return down the line. Under pressure, Becker ran to the ball and hit a forehand cross court as Rostagno charged towards the net ready to hit a certain volley winner. The ball then clipped the netcord and caught Rostagno completely by surprise and Rostagno ended up hitting the ball behind himself and into the stands.

The irony was that if the ball had landed either lower or a bit higher, Rostagno would have won the match. Instead, Becker won that fourth set tiebreak 8-6 and won the fifth set 6-3 to take the match by the score of 1-6, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Becker then went on to win the entire tournament, beating Lendl 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 in the final, to take the 1989 US Open title.

 

[Mustard]

Another match. 1991 Wimbledon fourth round. Michael Stich vs. Alexander Volkov. Volkov led 5-3 in the fifth set and was serving for the match at 30-15 up. A shot by Stich was heading out, but the ball hit the inside edge of the top of the net post, sailed over Volkov's head, and landed inside the line, sparing Stich from having to face 2 match points on Volkov's serve, and bringing the scoreline to 30-30 instead.

Stich went on to beat Volkov 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5. Then he beat Courier, Edberg and Becker, to take the 1991 Wimbledon title.

 

[RF20Lennon]

Actually looking back, there have been a lot of matches that Fed should've won but gave it away.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Actually looking back, there have been a lot of matches that Fed should've won but gave it away.

you are right, Federer never had very big mental strenghts, his strenghts used to rely on his pure talent and his physic, but mentally he's also been pretty weak IMO. that's great for him he won 17 GS, he can be very happy with that.

 

[Omega_7000]

you are right, Federer never had very big mental strenghts, his strenghts used to rely on his pure talent and his physic, but mentally he's also been pretty weak IMO. that's great for him he won 17 GS, he can be very happy with that.

Are you sure?

 

[RF20Lennon]

you are right, Federer never had very big mental strenghts, his strenghts used to rely on his pure talent and his physic, but mentally he's also been pretty weak IMO. that's great for him he won 17 GS, he can be very happy with that.

I think he had bursts of mental strength, like against the tiebreak in the second set against Roddick in 2009 or against Nadal in 2008 (sets 3 and 4) and he has come back from 2 sets down numerous times but overall not very consistent at all.

 

[FedererWinsWimbledon2014]

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=477451

 

[Steffi-forever]

And the most obvious and clear example:

1993 Hamburg QF.

Idiotic troll!

Before the Seles stabbing, Graf was the only single player in history of tennis (men & women) to have accomplished everything!

 

[Graf=GOAT]

Actually looking back, there have been a lot of matches that Fed should've won but gave it away.

In 2010 alone Fed lost 4 matches where he had MP's. One of those was in a slam semi. The epic collapses in final sets of USO and AO 2009 also deserve special mentions. If he had better mental strength, he'd have 20+ slams easily by now

 

[FedererWinsWimbledon2014]

Actually looking back, there have been a lot of matches that Fed should've won but gave it away.

Yeah, but he could have also lost many.

RG 2009 v Haas, Wimbledon 2009 v Roddick, 2007 Wimbledon Rafa, 2012 Wimbledon Benneteau

Also you could say 2004 Wimbledon v Roddick, 2007 US open nole, 2006 Aus Baghdatis

Many others also

 

[PSNELKE]

Some of us knew tennis existed before Rafa showed up...

Definately. But Chico sure as hell ain't one of those.

 

[Bilders]

Another match. 1991 Wimbledon fourth round. Michael Stich vs. Alexander Volkov. Volkov led 5-3 in the fifth set and was serving for the match at 30-15 up. A shot by Stich was heading out, but the ball hit the inside edge of the top of the net post, sailed over Volkov's head, and landed inside the line, sparing Stich from having to face 2 match points on Volkov's serve, and bringing the scoreline to 30-30 instead.

Stich went on to beat Volkov 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5. Then he beat Courier, Edberg and Becker, to take the 1991 Wimbledon title.

This trio conquering alone is a candidate for most impressive finish to a slam.

 

[dr325i]

Idiotic troll!

Before the Seles stabbing, Graf was the only single player in history of tennis (men & women) to have accomplished everything!

Hmmm...pepe, that analogy is full of flaws...
Graf was pounded by Seles just before stabbing, therefore -- the stabbing!
And NO, she was not the only single player that has accomplished everything at that point...

 

[wy2sl0]

Fed has had the most IMO. Nadal's in AO 12 was just immense to me. Doesn't mean he would have won the match anyways, but it was as close as it comes to a match point shot probably (backhand down the line at the net).

Fed in AO 09 just disappeared in the 5th. Poor.
Wimbledon 08 maybe, I don't know. Nadal had some chances too and didn't convert.
USO 10 and 11 against Djokovic with essentially match points in both. Terrible.
The Rome final was a war.

Difference is Nadal has taken advantage of every opportunity that he has had at important moments (except AO 12) whereas Federer has let a LOT slip. Had he been more mentally tough, he probably would have been undisputed GOAT. However, I guess we could play the IF game all day...if Nadal played more aggressive...etc.

 

[efete]

Federer had 2 championship points when Nadal was serving at 5-6 in the fifth set. In the fifth set tiebreak, Nadal trailed 3-5 and then won 4 points in a row.



Yes. 1989 US Open second round, with Boris Becker vs. Derrick Rostagno. Rostagno won the first set 6-1 and won the second set 7-6 (7-1 in the tiebreak). Becker won the third set 6-3, but Rostagno served for the match in the fourth set at 6-5 up, only to be broken back as Becker forced a tiebreak. In the fourth set tiebreak, Rostagno had 2 match points at 6-4 up, the first on Rostagno's own serve where he knocked a volley long.

Now for the big point, the second match point was on Becker's serve. Becker hit a body serve to the ad court and Rostagno hit a slice backhand return down the line. Under pressure, Becker ran to the ball and hit a forehand cross court as Rostagno charged towards the net ready to hit a certain volley winner. The ball then clipped the netcord and caught Rostagno completely by surprise and Rostagno ended up hitting the ball behind himself and into the stands.

The irony was that if the ball had landed either lower or a bit higher, Rostagno would have won the match. Instead, Becker won that fourth set tiebreak 8-6 and won the fifth set 6-3 to take the match by the score of 1-6, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Becker then went on to win the entire tournament, beating Lendl 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 in the final, to take the 1989 US Open title.

Here is the video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQBKLoKpIp8

 

[Chico]

Idiotic troll!

Before the Seles stabbing, Graf was the only single player in history of tennis (men & women) to have accomplished everything!

Please don't insult me. It does not help your argument.

Anyway, I am talking about what happened after, not before, and hot this single violent event ruined Seles' career who was on the way to real GOATness with 8 GS at 19 years of age, and how it helped Graf's career to achieve over 20 slams instead realistic 15-16. I.e. this single event had a huge effect to this rivalry, both careers, and overall tennis history. This simply can't be denied.

 

[Graf=GOAT]

Please don't insult me. It does not help your argument.

Anyway, I am talking about what happened after, not before, and hot this single violent event ruined Seles' career who was on the way to real GOATness with 8 GS at 19 years of age, and how it helped Graf's career to achieve over 20 slams instead realistic 15-16. I.e. this single event had a huge effect to this rivalry, both careers, and overall tennis history. This simply can't be denied.

Another disgusting post.

Seles could not even have a positive H2H against Graf in her so called prime and got hammered in Wimbledon 6-2 6-1. Steffi made her look like a junior with flawless display of fast court tennis.

Honestly, you are starting to sound more and more like a blind extremist who can't look simple facts in the eyes. Seles was not that good. A flash in a pan player with a couple of fluke years like Djokovic's 2011. Steffi was a machine of consistency and that's why she's regarded as the greatest female player to ever pick up a racquet.

 

[Chico]

Another disgusting post.

Seles could not even have a positive H2H against Graf in her so called prime and got hammered in Wimbledon 6-2 6-1. Steffi made her look like a junior with flawless display of fast court tennis.

Honestly, you are starting to sound more and more like a blind extremist who can't look simple facts in the eyes. Seles was not that good. A flash in a pan player with a couple of fluke years like Djokovic's 2011. Steffi was a machine of consistency and that's why she's regarded as the greatest female player to ever pick up a racquet.

Sorry but there is nothing wrong with my post. Seles won 7 our of last 9 slams before stabbing. And she was only 19. Enough said.
She would have continued this dominance for many years if there was no stabbing. This simply can't be denied.

 

[Tenez101]

The 2013 RG SF "net point". That one point literally swung the Djokodal rivalry in favor of Nadal, prevented Djokovic from completing the career slam, and most likely ensured Nadal will catch Federer's record.

 

[grafforehand]

The 2013 RG SF "net point". That one point literally swung the Djokodal rivalry in favor of Nadal, prevented Djokovic from completing the career slam, and most likely ensured Nadal will catch Federer's record.

Yeah I agree with that one. I think Nadal would have been broken mentally forever if he lost that match despite badly outplaying Djokovic. Now that rivalry has completely swung in Nadal's favor, probably for awhile to come, and Nadal who might have been stuck forever at 11 or 12 slams is now likely to pass Federer's slam record. Come to think of it, that is the best example of any.

I would say another huge one though is Henin missing out on both break points early in the 3rd set of her 2010 Australian Open final at the start of her comeback vs Serena. She takes one of those and I believe she wins that match and the title, goes on to win the French as well, doesnt get injured at Wimbledon, and we might see Serena and she both battling for best of their era and a similar place in history at 13 or 14 majors, instead of Serena challenging for best of all time at 17.

 

[grafforehand]

Another big one is Capriati missing what would have been a winner barely wide at 30-30 serving for the semifinal of her 91 U.S Open semis vs Seles. She makes that and I am pretty sure she wins, and wins the title. She probably goes on to overtake Graf and Seles as World #1 in 1992 and goes on to become the amazing great and dominant player people predicted her to be. Instead she is never the same after that and eventually leaves tour with drug problems. She eventually makes a mini comeback and becomes a very minor level great with a by then overachieving 3 slams but mere 14 tournament titles, and is now back into drug problems, depression, and other issues.

 

[Crose]

Yeah, let's act like it was the freaking net that won Nadal that 2013 RG semi, and not his insane level in the 5th set. He hit 22 winners in that one set for pete's sake.

 

[Tenez101]

Yeah, let's act like it was the freaking net that won Nadal that 2013 RG semi, and not his insane level in the 5th set. He hit 22 winners in that one set for pete's sake.

That point turned it around though. Nadal looked like a broken man in the beginning of the fifth. After that point, he sniffed blood and suddenly turned into this crazed beast fighting for his life. I remember while watching the match seeing the glint in Nadal's eyes as he pointed to Djokovic touching the net. I knew Novak no longer had a chance to win after that.

 

[Chico]

Yeah, let's act like it was the freaking net that won Nadal that 2013 RG semi, and not his insane level in the 5th set. He hit 22 winners in that one set for pete's sake.

Sorry, you can twist is all you want but, it was the net and Pascal Maria's biased incorrect calls on couple on other crucial points that won the match for Nadal. Nothing else.

So I partially agree with Tenez here about the net point on FO SF 2013. Luckily, this unjust swing in Nadal's favor will not last long.

 

[grafforehand]

Yeah, let's act like it was the freaking net that won Nadal that 2013 RG semi, and not his insane level in the 5th set. He hit 22 winners in that one set for pete's sake.

He should have won the match in the 3rd or 4th set but due to terrible choking a badly outplayed Djokovic was still in the match, and when he was up a break early in the 5th Nadal looked beaten mentally. So I do think that particular point (which btw was a correct call by the rules) turned the match and ultimately the rivalry and Nadal's career around.

 

[Tenez101]

On the other side, Nadal's missed passing shot up 4-2 30-15 in the fifth set of the 2012 AO Final probably took a heavy mental toll on him. Had Nadal won that point, he would have surely closed out the match. With AO and FO that year, he might have had the confidence to go deep in the other slams of that year, and we might have seen another 3-slam year from Nadal. Nadal might even have been on the cusp of surpassing Federer's record by now. :shock:

 

[Mustard]

Seles could not even have a positive H2H against Graf in her so called prime and got hammered in Wimbledon 6-2 6-1. Steffi made her look like a junior with flawless display of fast court tennis.

Seles dominated from the fall of 1990 to early 1993. She won all the majors and WTA Championships that weren't Wimbledon in this period. If Seles didn't beat Graf herself, she usually beat whoever beat Graf anyway. Seles loved tennis in this period.

 

[Crose]

Sorry, you can twist is all you want but, it was the net and Pascal Maria's biased incorrect calls on couple on other crucial points that won the match for Nadal. Nothing else.

So I partially agree with Tenez here about the net point on FO SF 2013. Luckily, this unjust swing in Nadal's favor will not last long.

Nope. No twisting here. Nadal just turned it up a notch, to a level that Djokovic just wasn't good enough for. Congratulations to Novak for lasting 1, or really 2 sets longer than he should have against a FAR past his peak Nadal. Really good fight from Novak, but he just wasn't good enough in the end.

 

[grafforehand]

Seles dominated from the fall of 1990 to early 1993. She won all the majors and WTA Championships that weren't Wimbledon in this period. If Seles didn't beat Graf herself, she usually beat whoever beat Graf anyway. Seles loved tennis in this period.

Seles loved tennis in that period since apart from Graf and young Capriati there was nobody who could make her move at all and expose her weakness. Seles looks great when she is outhitting everyone, but when she plays people with more power than her off all shots (rare) her weaknesses become very obvious In the early 90s there was only 2 women with more power off some shots (Graf forehand and serve, Capriati forehand and maybe serve) and none with more power off all shots. Yet even Graf with her serve and forehand destroyed Seles on all faster courts, while pusing her hard on slower ones; while she never had an easy win pre stabbing over Capriati on hard courts. When she came back after the stabbing that all changed. In addition to Graf, we now had Venus, Davenport, Serena, and Pierce who all hit the ball harder off every shot and from every part of the court than Seles, and her lack of ability to play such players became evident.

The early 90s field which had some very good players but mostly spin and finesse players like Sabatini, Sanchez, old Navratilova, Fernandez, was perfect for her to have her most success. Graf being in a massive slump and rarely even playing Seles made it all the easier. In 4 of her 7 slams from 91-93 Seles played Mary Joe Fernandez in the semis or finals.

 

[grafforehand]

Mary Joe Fernandez is a massive pusher btw, a poor womens Wozniacki. Just to inform anyone who has not seen her play.

 

[helterskelter]

Wozniacki is a poor woman's Mary-Joe.

 

[helterskelter]

Chico,

Good point! Another point that was a major turning point was in the first set tiebreak of the 1995 US Open. Monica had set point, served what she thought was an ace, but it was called out, and Graf won the set. Although Monica raced through the second set 6-0, she tired in the final set, and Graf went on to win. Monica would probably have won in straight sets had that serve been in, and it might have given her the confidence to regain her fitness and speed and resume dominating women's tennis. (Actually, there was a great deal of controversy about whether Monica's serve was out. It would have been interesting to see what Hawkeye had to say about it).

 

[grafforehand]

Wozniacki is a poor woman's Mary-Joe.

Yes Mary Joe who peaked at World #4 and was a pathetic 1-30 or something combined vs Graf and Seles. Heck Mary Joe was even 0-6 vs 32 or older Chris Evert. Sorry but she was a joke, a boring pusher.

 

[helterskelter]

Hingis v Seles Roland Garros semi-final 1997. Seles is serving at 7-6 5-5. Hingis goes up 40-0 and has three breakpoints. Seles saves the first two of them, and on the third she hits a swinging lefty serve out wide. Hingis floats a high return and Seles has the whole court into which to hit the shot. Instead of either waiting for the ball to bounce or hitting a punched volley, she goes for a drive volley, misses it, and drops serve. Hingis won 6-7 7-5 6-4.

 

[helterskelter]

Yes Mary Joe who peaked at World #4 and was a pathetic 1-30 or something combined vs Graf and Seles. Heck Mary Joe was even 0-6 vs 32 or older Chris Evert. Sorry but she was a joke, a boring pusher.

Wozniacki wouldn't have peaked at much higher than #4 in an era with two great players still in their prime years, a third one still doing near-great things into her mid-30s, and a strong supporting cast (Sabatini, Sanchez-Vicario, Capriati, Novotna). Besides, Wozniacki benefitted from the ranking system.

Wozniacki has been in 1 Slam final, Mary-Joe made three. Admittedly, the first two of them she got demolished by Monica, but in the third one she pushed Graf really hard, and was thrice a break up in the final set.

In honesty, Wozniacki and Mary-Joe are probably about on a par.

 

[grafforehand]

Hingis v Seles Roland Garros semi-final 1997. Seles is serving at 7-6 5-5. Hingis goes up 40-0 and has three breakpoints. Seles saves the first two of them, and on the third she hits a swinging lefty serve out wide. Hingis floats a high return and Seles has the whole court into which to hit the shot. Instead of either waiting for the ball to bounce or hitting a punched volley, she goes for a drive volley, misses it, and drops serve. Hingis won 6-7 7-5 6-4.

That match wasnt pivotal to anything though. Hingis went on to lose the final to on fire Majoli, and Seles would have almost certainly lost the final the way Majoli played too. It also meant nothing to the Seles-Hingis overall rivalry. Seles was always a tough opponent for Hingis on clay over the year, where Hingis was most vurnerable to the big hitters (even ones she generaly did well against otherwise like Majoli, Pierce, past her prime Seles) but winning comfortably over them on other surfaces.

So I dont see how that relates to the thread.

 

[helterskelter]

Edberg v Lendl Australian Open semi-final 1991. Edberg is serving at 4-6 7-5 6-3 5-4 40-15. He serves a double fault, loses confidence, and Lendl comes back to win 6-4 5-7 3-6 7-6 6-4. Lendl was by this time starting to drop a little, and lost the final to Becker (on a surface that probably favored Lendl slightly). Edberg would have been slight favorite against Becker on form and on that surface.

Still, Edberg finished the year at #1, and Lendl never made another Slam final, so perhaps it didn't change much.

 

[helterskelter]

That match wasnt pivotal to anything though. Hingis went on to lose the final to on fire Majoli, and Seles would have almost certainly lost the final the way Majoli played too. It also meant nothing to the Seles-Hingis overall rivalry. Seles was always a tough opponent for Hingis on clay over the year, where Hingis was most vurnerable to the big hitters (even ones she generaly did well against otherwise like Majoli, Pierce, past her prime Seles) but winning comfortably over them on other surfaces.

So I dont see how that relates to the thread.

Clearly, I think Seles would have won the final against Majoli. Otherwise I wouldn't have posted it here.

As for the rivalry with Hingis, Seles had never beaten her at that time. She did beat her in the 1998 semis, though.

 

[Tenez101]

Edberg v Lendl Australian Open semi-final 1991. Edberg is serving at 4-6 7-5 6-3 5-4 40-15. He serves a double fault, loses confidence, and Lendl comes back to win 6-4 5-7 3-6 7-6 6-4. Lendl was by this time starting to drop a little, and lost the final to Becker (on a surface that probably favored Lendl slightly). Edberg would have been slight favorite against Becker on form and on that surface.

Still, Edberg finished the year at #1, and Lendl never made another Slam final, so perhaps it didn't change much.

Lendl destroyed Becker in the first set of that final (I think it was 6-1 or something), and then inexplicably faded. He might have been tired from that 5 set war with Edberg (Lendl was getting pretty old in tennis terms by this point).

 

[grafforehand]

Wozniacki wouldn't have peaked at much higher than #4 in an era with two great players still in their prime years, a third one still doing near-great things into her mid-30s, and a strong supporting cast (Sabatini, Sanchez-Vicario, Capriati, Novotna). Besides, Wozniacki benefitted from the ranking system.

Wozniacki has been in 1 Slam final, Mary-Joe made three. Admittedly, the first two of them she got demolished by Monica, but in the third one she pushed Graf really hard, and was thrice a break up in the final set.

In honesty, Wozniacki and Mary-Joe are probably about on a par.

In addition to her mundane weaponless game Mary Joe Fernandez was mentally weak. She proved that when she choked at the end vs an out of form Graf in the 93 French Open final, despite having all the momentum from her play the previous 1.5 matches and so far that day. She proved it also in the 91 Australian Open semis vs Seles where even after a bagel 2nd set over Monica and match point in the 3rd she choked the match away. On her match point up in that match she had 3 short balls to either come for the net and go for a winner off of, and she backed up and eventually made an error to lose the point. Numerous other examples. If you are going to be a weaponless steady baseliner type without even much creativity you atleast need mental strength. She never had that, Wozniacki atleast had that much. Wozniacki was also far more consistent and made far fewer mistakes at her relatively brief peak.

How would a player who was 0-6 vs a really really old Chris Evert be close to #1 (which Wozniacki was for quite awhile) in any era. On that note here is a clip of 35 year old Chris Evert spanking prime Fernandez:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg9OEi2A0qM

Notice how the commentator talks about Chris has always easily beaten Mary Joe, even though she was in her mid 30s by then. So just imagine what a cakewalk she was for the likes of Graf and Seles.

Then 15 year old Hingis spanking prime Fernandez at the 97 Australian Open:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBSjXpkVi0M