As for Goran, wayyyyy past-prime Goran won wimby?? must've been a really weak field then. sounds like he's not as formidable on grass as the Pete fanbois make it out to be?
They're all very, very good, why does it have to be anymore than that? They're all at a BEYOND human level...but Goran was losing in the 1st round of Aussie Open qualifying remember before turning the light switch on for one last run.
It IS a lot like Vincenzo Spadea says. IT's more simple than imagined. IS YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME. When a player is at their "peak," they simply HANG ONTO points like a dog hangs onto his bone. They don't let go. Tennis is a battle of *wills* more than anything else at the "inhuman" level. A depressed player is an unable player. Goran right after winning his Wimbledon basically went back to sucking again. Wasn't tanking, but you could just tell there wasn't no "fire" left in his eyes. He was in a pleasure cruise mode, just riding out the wave. That's how it is. You simply can NOT win consistently at this level without your head FULLY into the sport anymore. Look at how unbelievably fast Medvedev tailed off after that devastating French loss to Agassi. He simply lost the will for the game anymore. It's as simple as that. The greatest level of achievement can't be done with one foot in the after glow cake, I really don't see why it's that hard to grasp. It's not a MANLY a mano argument to just accept how good all of these guys really are. If at their absolute best they're all gonna be pretty darn amazing. Look at Berasategui done to Agassi once at the Aussie...he went all bionic Kip the kangaroo on Agassi with his forehand. Afterward, Agassi said it's the best in the game when *on.* That's how it is. You do know, Haas recently beat Federer right? At his age, and after as injury-riddled a career as anyone in "recent" memory.
Also, Krajicek I believe I read once that near the end following another elbow surgery I believe it was; he retired, the reason was, that he *couldn't* serve like he used to anymore. He was forced to take something like 15% off his "full" capabilities with it, just to be able to play. And that's being missed here. There are always counters to every argument at this leve, why? Simply, because the guys are all potentially that "God" like on any given day. It's not that hard to understand. If they're on they're game that day, they're going to hold onto your tail and not let go. If they did not have the potential to be "God-like" on any given day, they simply would not reached that pinnacle of achievement before. It comes down to a matter of *frequency* and WHEN the chips are highest, do you wilt like yesterday's bad cod, fried fish in a pond for the day...or do, come out like a pirrahna *possessed.* It's less a matter of ability per say, but bringing it in the most pivotal moments of your *lifetime*...it's a lot of pressure. That's why Bruguera beat Federer 6-1, 6-1 coming off what was supposed to be career-ending shoulder surgery...na-na-na-na...see how that goes? WHO CARES. No really, you win some, you get spanked some (and Bruguera was playing goodness knows how awful that match, honestly, he was to me barely even recognizable from the peaked animal I once remembered (*when* he was trying, which all too often...he was only half there, you could *always* see it in the eyes with him...the eyes do NOT lie...).
More on this ending note, look at how Costa near the end, was he really the same after winning that French? NO. You could SEE IT. Did you see his last match against "peak" Hewitt at the US Open? Could have just been Hewitt being in his peak, but no; that *didn't even need* to factor in. His eyes was just kind of lolly-gagging there...but not. That's how it is, once the mind begins to drift. The eyes get vacuous, and it gets obvious. Have you ever tried to play a motion sensor swing and miss game when your head's not all there? No? How about laser tag, zap-zap!! ...and, after awhile, even Rafael Nadal, simply doesn't care...*that* much. It WILL happen one day, in fact, we've already seen it. A few years ago during his raw animalistic peak, after his parent's divorce, his eyes were NOT there anymore...for the remainder of that season. And *suddenly,* he looked very *mortal* out there...don't care who. That's how it is. As Spadea said, he's really not far off from the TRUTH. When Rios was #1, he simply did NOT miss. That's what "locked in" players at their peaks do. Whether it be the serve or anything else, it's ALL connected from the TOP (your brain), on down. EVERYTHING is affected. It's TOO easy to miss in this game, TOO easy to bail out of a point of wills too prematurely at this level, it's a constant *re-*focus sport. That's the point. You CAN'T play it any other way, and hope to succeed at this level. Muster without head in, the second he lost that focus, he was losing 1 and love like practically everyday...the hardest trier out there went to being a who gives freak anymore, i want to fly helizippers around the outback now. Look at how quickly guys like Kafelnikov and Muster balooned up...it was almost inconceiable...but they is rich you know, and that buys awesome, muy excellente, turkey and cider feasts everyday you want. When your'e that rich and generally "successful," you have the option to "bail out" at anytime. When you're young and trying to "prove" yourself, you iz HUNGRY and would do anything to suceed. You *can't* teach an old dog new fight, when they really just *don't* have it in them anymore. That ALWAYS has to come fromi inside. Did Olivia Newton John's original, candy hunka joy..."care" the same when he was sleeping with "their" actress/maid lady or whatever? No, because he's a 'turd. Tennis is bang-here-right now, the second your mind drifts, you become the other player's row-row, yo-yo-beech...that's just the way it is, so sung Billy So.
Just remember, Chang at the end, was tanker too. It can happen, that was a miracle in and of itself; but Chang, even Chang lost spirit and began tanking at the slighest frustration in a match. Exact opposite of how he used to be...it's only natural. Maybe you're just a pup, maybe you're old as the moon; don't matter. One day, you'll see why can't we all just zen along. Everything else is pointless.They'z all really good you know, and put a lot in; it doenst' ahve to be anymore than that.
We're talking about Pete Sampras, one of the greatest athlete to ever play tennis here. Even if he's 36, he can still play world class tennis much like Agassi did in his mid 30s, and Sampras didn't even have back problems to worry about like Andre. Pete did beat Federer in that match fair and square, but it's just an exhibition match that should never be mentioned when comparing the greatness between the two.
