Mr Topspin
Semi-Pro
I was talking with a few tennis buddies as we reviewed a few tennis matches. We came to the conclusion that just as you have instances where the outcome of a match may be presumed be won and lost on certain points being won or lost, the same can be to an extent be used to speculate about a particular player's carreer.
For example, in the Wimbledon final 2004 many argue that if a rain delay had not occured Roddick who was 1set up and leading 4-2 would have won. More recently at the the recent mens final at the OZ open many argue that the match was lost when Bagdatis failed to hold for 3-0 in the 2nd set, having won the 1st set. As bold as these speculations may be they are becoming the norm.
The same presumptive assessment can be used to determine a players's passage through tennis history. For example, Sampras stated that his loss to Edberg in the 92 US Open final was his moment of clarity and the catalyst for him to focus all his energies on being the best he could be. 10 years later Pete added 13 slams to his tally.
Lendl finally got the monkey off his back in RG in 1984 against Mcenroe and started to believe despite losing 5 prior finals and finsihed up with 8 slams and 1 more than he's then rival Mcenroe.
It appears to me that Federer's turning point happened at the Houston TMC. Federer claims that the catalyst for his upsurge took place at RG 2003, when he lost in the 1st round. But I believe that it was in his close defeat of Agassi in the RR stage of TMC Houston. Up untill then Fed had never beaten Agassi or Nalbandian and was 0 - 7 against both players he was also 2 - 3 against ferrerro and no one gave him a prayer in his group. But after that 1st win against Agassi in a closely contested match IMHO he started to really believe that he could impose his versatile game on seemingly impossible group. That win over AA IMHO propelled him to beat his nememsis, David Nalbandian and then defeat the equally difficult Ferrerro (2003 edition), who i might add in his defense was extremelly exhausted having played more tourney's than anyone else in 03 and perpetrated his demise in 04.
The resulting confidence of beating a very difficult group of players IMO sowed the seeds of confidence which we see flourishing over the past 2 years.
What are the other turning points in tennis hisory that others would like to discuss?
For example, in the Wimbledon final 2004 many argue that if a rain delay had not occured Roddick who was 1set up and leading 4-2 would have won. More recently at the the recent mens final at the OZ open many argue that the match was lost when Bagdatis failed to hold for 3-0 in the 2nd set, having won the 1st set. As bold as these speculations may be they are becoming the norm.
The same presumptive assessment can be used to determine a players's passage through tennis history. For example, Sampras stated that his loss to Edberg in the 92 US Open final was his moment of clarity and the catalyst for him to focus all his energies on being the best he could be. 10 years later Pete added 13 slams to his tally.
Lendl finally got the monkey off his back in RG in 1984 against Mcenroe and started to believe despite losing 5 prior finals and finsihed up with 8 slams and 1 more than he's then rival Mcenroe.
It appears to me that Federer's turning point happened at the Houston TMC. Federer claims that the catalyst for his upsurge took place at RG 2003, when he lost in the 1st round. But I believe that it was in his close defeat of Agassi in the RR stage of TMC Houston. Up untill then Fed had never beaten Agassi or Nalbandian and was 0 - 7 against both players he was also 2 - 3 against ferrerro and no one gave him a prayer in his group. But after that 1st win against Agassi in a closely contested match IMHO he started to really believe that he could impose his versatile game on seemingly impossible group. That win over AA IMHO propelled him to beat his nememsis, David Nalbandian and then defeat the equally difficult Ferrerro (2003 edition), who i might add in his defense was extremelly exhausted having played more tourney's than anyone else in 03 and perpetrated his demise in 04.
The resulting confidence of beating a very difficult group of players IMO sowed the seeds of confidence which we see flourishing over the past 2 years.
What are the other turning points in tennis hisory that others would like to discuss?
