The Greatness of Rosewall

hoodjem

hoodjem

G.O.A.T.
I call him the GOAT of Longevity

I wish to go on record to say that I believe that Muscles is a true, legitimate GOAT contender.

I think his record of playing at such a high level is unparalleled. I'd venture to say that Rosewall was (or should be) ranked in the top 5 in the world for close to 20 years.

Does that suggest that tennis is more physically demanding nowadays? Maybe, but I prefer to think Kenny was just a freak of nature who played a game so fluid and elegant that he didn't need to injure himself to win.

Yes, I am well aware that he did not win Wimbledon. I believe that he was good enough to get to all those finals, and was good enough to win, but was unlucky in the final match-up. He certainly could win on grass.

Maybe Wimbledon is the world championship now (if anything is), but one can certainly be a great champion with an amazing record without it.
 
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kiki

kiki

Banned
From Kramer and Pancho to Borg and Connors he played them all at a very competitive level
Maybe best all time BH and if there had been no Laver he may have been the GS winner himself
One of those rare players that really impressed me live and this'll be my best tribute towards him
 
pc1

pc1

G.O.A.T.
hoodjem said:
I call him the GOAT of Longevity

I wish to go on record to say that I believe that Muscles is a true, legitimate GOAT contender.

I think his record of playing at such a high level is unparalleled. I'd venture to say that Rosewall was (or should be) ranked in the top 5 in the world for close to 20 years.

Does that suggest that tennis is more physically demanding nowadays? Maybe, but I prefer to think Kenny was just a freak of nature who played a game so smooth and elegant that he didn't need to injure himself to win.

Yes, I am well aware that he did not win Wimbledon. I believe that he was good enough to get to all those finals, and was good enough to win, but was unlucky in the final match-up. He certainly could win on grass.

Maybe Wimbledon is the world championship now (if anything is), but one can certainly be a great champion with an amazing record without it.
Click to expand...

Rosewall was indeed a super player for many decades. Yes Rosewall did not win Wimbledon but we all know main reason for that was that he couldn't play the tournament in his best years. Frankly I think this stuff about winning every major is ridiculous because the test of a truly great player is the ability to win on every surface and Rosewall could certainly do that. Rosewall won tournaments on grass, clay, wood, canvas, hardcourt everything. The great ones do that.

What stands out to me about Rosewall was his innately efficient style of tennis. Max results with minimum effort. His footwork was as great as anyone's. His court sense was as great as any player I've seen.

He was very consistently great with very rare times in which he was playing at a poor level. I think some players like Laver and Hoad to use as examples had higher peak levels for one match but Rosewall's average level, if you put it on a graph would be a very steady line with minor variances. Laver and Hoad may go below Rosewall's level at times also.

The ability to play at a consistently high level all the time is a talent that is vastly unrated. Hoad has been praised greatly for his great ability to hit super shots that almost bordered on superman. However you could easily argue that Hoad didn't have the ability to be consistently great like Rosewall because of his style of play. The closest thing to Rosewall in the Open Era in my opinion is Jimmy Connors. And Connors was about as consistent a player as you could get. They are very similar in style. Both hit the ball very flat and both had super footwork. But had super returns of serve and did not hesitate to move to the net to volley away a weak shot. Both had decent but not great serves. Both had backhands that are arguably the best ever with weaker but excellent forehand. And both players had variety in their styles and were also super defensive players with great lobs.

Do I considered Rosewall the GOAT? I consider him a GOAT candidate but I do rank some players ahead of him as of now on my own list currently.
 
U

urban

Legend
Agree with pc 1 about the comparison of Rosewall and Connors. At first, when he came up, Jimbo looked to me as the opposite, like a raging bull full of fire and cockiness. Seeing his crouching style, i never thought he would last long. But on the long run he showed that he had proper stroke production and clean strokes, also using his head and brain in his later career with fine defensive qualities.
Rosewall had the most easy, solid, compact style, not taxing to the body and wrist. I think, his only injury occured, when he tripped on a nail (and even then he beat Newcombe). The biggest quality of Rosewall was imo his anticipation. He always moved into the right place and did make the court on his side smaller than it was. He wasn't a first strike player, going more for the second and third shot, but his combinations of shots, combined with his court sense and swift movement, made him dangerous on every surface.
 
kiki

kiki

Banned
Best way to put it for me is
Rosewall is the tennis teacher I would pick if I could
If he had become a pro coach he could easily be the best one, If Roche was so good, figure out Rosewall
 
hoodjem

hoodjem

G.O.A.T.
pc1 said:
He was very consistently great with very rare times in which he was playing at a poor level. I think some players like Laver and Hoad to use as examples had higher peak levels for one match but Rosewall's average level, if you put it on a graph would be a very steady line with minor variances. Laver and Hoad may go below Rosewall's level at times also.
Click to expand...
I believe that Laver said something to the effect that if he played his very best he knew would beat Kenny.

But if he didn't, he would lose.
 
kiki

kiki

Banned
"After the first two games of the match ( 69 RG final) I knew I was going to win.Normaly, when I play Rosewall on clay it is him who takes command and makes me move all around the court.But that day, I knew that was not to be".Rod Laver in his biography.
 
kiki

kiki

Banned
His doubles dimension is very interesting
With his low and precise ROS it must be a pleasure to be his mate at the net
 
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