When and How Did Your Favorite Player Become Your Favorite Player?

Rally said:
In a very reductive push comes to shove way, yeah that's more or less what I thought Pete fans would feel. That being said, I'm assuming people who like Pete do so not because he's American and was the greatest of his era but because of how he played. For people who just like the best winner, it makes sense to be playstyle agnostic. I understand it but personally have a hard time relating to it because I'm more attached to the playstyle and therefore will always support the all courter with a one handed backhand over a defensive baseliner, offensive baseliner, or pure serve and volleyer.
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Tell me one thing who should ex Pete fans support? Is there any player who remotely plays like Pete let alone winning slams ?
 
Rosstour said:
Well my all time favorite is Federer but it honestly took me a while to appreciate him. I wasn't watching/following a lot of tennis in college (1999-2003) or afterwards so I didn't really see much of him until I think 2005 USO. Then I realized he was kinda the second coming/evolution of PETE so I paid attention, then liked him for his manners, classic style, etc. and then became a real fan and watched most of his matches from like 2006-end

Current favorite is Shapo, I honestly think he has taken Federer's game to the next level athletically and aesthetically, if not tactically. Better BH IMO



The hair, haha
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It's funny how similar we are (except for Shapo).
I was on tennis hiatus when Pete hung up his racket in what 2001/2002?
No other player at the time had crossed my radar who struck my fancy.
So I essentially stopped watching tennis.

I was however playing at my local tennis club. And it was there I kept hearing Federer this and
Federer that, over and over for a few years.
Finally in about 2005 I decided to check him out and the rest is history.
I became a Fed fanatic overnight. No other ATP player impressed me as much as he did with their whole game,
then and to this day.
 
Mark-Touch said:
It's funny how similar we are (except for Shapo).
I was on tennis hiatus when Pete hung up his racket in what 2001/2002?
No other player at the time had crossed my radar who struck my fancy.
So I essentially stopped watching tennis.

I was however playing at my local tennis club. And it was there I kept hearing Federer this and
Federer that, over and over for a few years.
Finally in about 2005 I decided to check him out and the rest is history.
I became a Fed fanatic overnight. No other ATP player impressed me as much as he did with their whole game,
then and to this day.
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Please watch- if you have not seen it- the 2007 AO SF against Roddick, who was not playing badly (very disciplined tennis from him, actually).
 
Mark-Touch said:
It's funny how similar we are (except for Shapo).
I was on tennis hiatus when Pete hung up his racket in what 2001/2002?
No other player at the time had crossed my radar who struck my fancy.
So I essentially stopped watching tennis.

I was however playing at my local tennis club. And it was there I kept hearing Federer this and
Federer that, over and over for a few years.
Finally in about 2005 I decided to check him out and the rest is history.
I became a Fed fanatic overnight. No other ATP player impressed me as much as he did with their whole game,
then and to this day.
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A lot of people stopped watching basketball when Jordan retired. I checked out of tennis when Pete did.

And you need to watch more Shapo matches! Guy is the real deal
 
Rosstour said:
A lot of people stopped watching basketball when Jordan retired. I checked out of tennis when Pete did.

And you need to watch more Shapo matches! Guy is the real deal
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If you have any interest in football at all, go watch one of the many Dan Marino highlight films.

He makes you get silent and just watch, like Fred.. insane stuff.
 
TennisGrandpA said:
I want him to succeed but what’s the hype? His hype seems similar to Shapo’s hype.
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Well, his game is nothing like Shap's. Shap is cutting against the grain of today's game.
Actually Fonseca's game fits into today's tennis about perfectly..
He reminds me- if anyone- as a bit like young Borg, except he hits the ball very, very hard.
We'll see what happens, though.
 
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Winners or Errors said:
Lendl... 1984 French Open final. Kohlschreiber... I don't remember, just loved watching him play the game. Mac... 1984 Wimbledon final. Rafter... another guy I just enjoyed watching every time he played. That's four. I have a lot of "favorite" players.
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I'm another big Kohlschreiber fan.. solid solid, even with a one-hander. And Rafter, for sure.
 
Rally said:
The obvious one is that one is known for tactically grinding from the baseline with a death by thousand papercuts strategy and didn't really feel comfortable at net until his competition was mostly several generations of players that don't know that there is land on the other side of the service line while the other is known for being so good at serve and volley tennis that he made tennis unwatchable for a lot of fans. Feels a bit like oil and water. Just to be clear, this isn't meant as disrespect to either player. I'm just trying to illustrate how many miles apart their style of play are.
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Also Djok is almost absurdly precise, while PETE was- or could be, in a costly way- sloppy (my beef with his game).
 
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Vincent-C said:
Well, his game is nothing like Shap's. Shap is cutting against the grain of today's game.
Actually Fonseca's game fits into today's tennis about perfectly..
He reminds me- if anyone- as a bit like young Borg, except he hits the ball very, very hard.
We'll see what happens, though.
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Let’s see, I don’t think he’s anything special. His game is not like Shap but his hype is similar to Shap’s. Shape beat Nadal at his age and Fonesca is yet to beat a big name
 
I've been following so many years, and never needed just one guy to root for, but here are some of my faves over the years, and reasons why, as I recall:

Arthur Ashe - As much for his character, integrity and intelligence...but he could flat-out play as well.

Ilie Nastase - A great athlete who had all the shots, and perhaps, appealed to my mischievous side. When he wasn't being an asswipe, he was a great entertainer.

Raul Ramirez -- I loved the doubles team of Gottfried-Ramirez back when doubles was shown more, and I just liked RR's style: quick hands and feet at the net

Pat Rafter -- Just seemed like a cool dude, rugged competitor and a good mate.
...
Okay, Big 3 version - as I love all of them.

Roger: I had missed his initial Wimby championship, and was visiting China with my wife, and watching the 04 Aussie Open, with a Chinese broadcast, and yes, it was a bit revelatory...nobody I had seen before moved quite like that. I wasn't able to watch a lot of tennis between 2001 thru 2003.

Rafa: Davis Cup 2004, match against Roddick who I came in rooting for....but not for long. Rafa just flew off the screen with his energy, talent and charisma, and I saw the tour mostly through his eyes from that match, for many years.

Djoker: Overshadowed, even for me, by the older 1-2 of Roger and Rafa, although even when he was stuck at #3, I would watch his ball-striking and wonder how anybody beat him. I kind of rooted for him, not because he was winning (I've liked a ton of players who've never sniffed #1) but because even after he attained #1, he was still treated as a third wheel for so many. I always liked his tennis, but his narrative also appealed to me.
 
Nice thread, because it allows you to dig into memories, bringing out emotions that had fallen asleep.

I must immediately put some events into context.
As an Italian also a tennis enthusiast who grew up in the midst of the epic era of the big three, I have always waited for an Italian tennis player who could be a great protagonist, wondering why in a nation like Italy with a great sporting tradition, he never managed to emerge.

For this reason, first true tennis love was Gianluigi Quinzi, labeled as the Italian Nadal since he was a child, due to his past in Nick Bollettieri's academy, but also for his being a left-handed player with strong competitive skills.
His escalation in the youth categories was unstoppable, he literally dominated the 2012 Bonfiglio edition where he also gave a memorable lesson to a certain Coric.
Then the subsequent triumph in the 2013 edition of Wimbledon jr, beating the future semi-finalists of the 2018 Australian Open senior edition, Edmund and Chung, between the semi-final and final.
Number 1 in the junior rankings achieved within a generation including the then promising Kyrgios, Kokkinakis, Zverev, and Coric himself.
After that triumph, hype skyrocketed in Italy towards him (and it was part of his downfall).

Then the first appearances at Challenger level, without ever being able to take the next step that would have led him to compete in the major circuit, as in the meantime his peers, unknown at the time of the youth categories, such as the Russians Khachanov, Rublev and Medvedev, were also managing to do.

Quinzi retired in 2021 at not even 25 years old, best ranking at number 141.

Another thing to put into context, despite being one and two years younger respectively, I began to get to know the various Musetti and Nardi through hearsay much earlier than the true predestined of Italian tennis.
This is because the true predestined of Italian tennis had a very anomalous path in his adolescence compared to the various Nardi and Musetti who in the meantime were very popular in the youth categories.
But their exploits, such as Musetti's victory at the 2019 Australian Open jr, mindful of the Quinzi illusion, didn't warm me up much.
Until that moment arrived, Challenger of Bergamo 2019, a skinny "unknown" young 17-year-old boy dressed like a petrol station attendant who literally made his way into that tournament and managed to win it after destroying every opponent in the last three acts, and by a strange twist of fate, among those victims of the young South Tyrolean there was also him, Gianluigi Quinzi.


That was the moment when I understood that the right time had finally come for Italian men's tennis to have a future protagonist, so I started following him via streaming everywhere, including some US Challengers in the middle of summer 2019.
But the time I definitively understood that he could become a future number 1, possible multiple slam winner, was at the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan again in 2019, in particular during the final in which he swept away the then world number 18 De Minaur, with winners along the line with both fundamentals from the baseline.
His name is Jannik Sinner and the rest is history.
 
My favorite player is Matteo Berrettini. I first saw him play and defeat Diego Swartzman in the 3R of Wimbledon. He was so handsome! Then the next round he lost to Federer. After the match, he asked Roger "Thanks for the tennis lesson, how much do I owe you?" That was so funny! A handsome man with a sense of humor. What more could a girl want?
 
Berrettini_Fan said:
My favorite player is Matteo Berrettini. I first saw him play and defeat Diego Swartzman in the 3R of Wimbledon. He was so handsome! Then the next round he lost to Federer. After the match, he asked Roger "Thanks for the tennis lesson, how much do I owe you?" That was so funny! A handsome man with a sense of humor. What more could a girl want?
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Ladies like The Matteo. My friends girlfriend was bored with tennis matches and wanted to go shopping so he took her to see Matteo play and she perked right up. This was the match against Rindernech where he hurt himself. And the girlfriend was practically in tears. I met Matteo a couple of times and he‘s super nice too.
 
I'll add two more things.

Having followed Sinner's escalation with apprehension from that Challenger in Bergamo, this also allowed me to become aware well in advance of another predestined future of the game.
In fact, after winning that Challenger in Bergamo, Sinner won two more future tournaments, extending his winning streak which was interrupted during the Challenger in Alicante, and it caused a sensation because it was interrupted by a boy two years younger who had not yet turned 15, his name was Carlos Alcaraz.
From that moment, although obviously with less interest, I followed his escalation in parallel, aware that he could be a future rival to be taken into strong consideration.

To close, I think that like anyone who has been lucky enough to follow their favorite from the dawn of their career, nothing is more satisfying than following their escalation to the top step by step.
In fact, although today Sinner can already boast 3 slams, the ATP Finals, 36 weeks at number 1, etc., and all the successes he will still be able to achieve, the best and most indelible memories will always remain those of the first years of the professional circuit.
Like the first victory in a masters 1000 match, in Rome against Steve Johnson after canceling several match points in the third set.

Or the first tournament won at ATP level, Sofia in 2020 after a thrilling final.
The first challenge against a member of the big three, which also coincided with his first quarter-final at slam level, against Nadal in the Spanish temple at Roland Garros 2020.
The first final in a Masters 1000 in Miami 2021, but above all the first long-awaited victory in a Masters 1000, in Toronto in 2023.
And therefore the first time he beat his then bête noire Medvedev in Beijing in 2023, and shortly after the first victory also against Djokovic in Turin in the round robin.
The first exciting challenges at ATP level against Alcaraz.
Then the memorable 2023 Davis Cup, again beating Djokovic in the semifinal with Italy's back against the wall and canceling 3 match points.
The first slam, the 2024 Australian Open, and above all the achievement of number 1 during last year's Roland Garros, the true circle that has closed.

From that moment on, his achievements continue to be satisfying, but emotionally incomparable to all the firsts.
There is a saying that says that the greatest satisfaction is not reaching the top of the mountain but that of thinking back to the path that led you to reach the top.
Here also in terms of fans of their favorite, this is a bit of what he represents.
 
I first started liking Federer because I didn't like Roddick and Roger was one of the few who could handle his explosive serve and forehand. But then I found myself watching Federer whenever he played and was a diehard fan by the end of 2003...arguing that he needed to change coaches because he was too good to have only one slam.
 
BlueB said:
Djokovic, it was easy - home town boy. In the beginning, I was getting a bit annoyed with his physical condition, wrongly thinking that he doesn't train enough, but I still cheered for him. Then he sorted out his allergies and became a machine- the rest is history.
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You live in Monte-Carlo? Nice.
 
Winner Sinner said:
…For this reason, first true tennis love was Gianluigi Quinzi, labeled as the Italian Nadal since he was a child, due to his past in Nick Bollettieri's academy, but also for his being a left-handed player with strong competitive skills …
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Last I heard of this guy he was a junior suggesting The Big 3 were doping. Which I’m sure made him very popular in the locker room. Except his locker room was always on the futures tour.

https://www.ibtimes.com.au/tennis-n...ses-rafael-nadal-roger-federer-doping-1313991
 
RaulRamirez said:
Rafa: Davis Cup 2004, match against Roddick who I came in rooting for....but not for long. Rafa just flew off the screen with his energy, talent and charisma, and I saw the tour mostly through his eyes from that match, for many years.
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This!!! I was going to post about this match when I got to the end of the thread. :D

I had seen Rafa play a couple of times before and was impressed but hadn't gotten to the get out of bed at 3:00 a.m. just to watch a tennis match part of my fandom until this match. I fell in love with his brilliance on clay, his movement and his marvelous dancing feet, his dimples, his temperament, his forehand, his backhand, his jaw dropping banana shots, him. I had no idea that so much of the next 20 years of my life would be spent caring about that incredible young tennis magician. I'll never love another player so. :love:
 
RSJfan said:
Last I heard of this guy he was a junior suggesting The Big 3 were doping. Which I’m sure made him very popular in the locker room. Except his locker room was always on the futures tour.

https://www.ibtimes.com.au/tennis-n...ses-rafael-nadal-roger-federer-doping-1313991
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In the United States, for those who also follow the events in the youth categories, he was a well-known name, precisely because despite being a foreign player, having initially grown up with Bollettieri, he was very popular in the various US events reserved for under 12/14s.
I repeat, he was considered a child prodigy.


And in any case, yes, his terrible self-centered character, as can also be perceived from that interview, was part of his downfall.
After achieving great results at junior level, he moved on to the professional circuit looking for everything immediately without respecting the various processes, also due to the exaggerated expectations placed on him.
This is also why in the thread dedicated to the 250 in Buenos Aires I took the liberty of saying that all the hype surrounding Fonseca could prove counterproductive.
Obviously, in terms of talent, there is no comparison between Fonseca and Quinzi.
Quinzi, despite his terrible attitudinal approach, had evident chronic gaps, such as his serve and forehand, both of which were not very incisive, but also a rather clumsy movement.
But the Brazilians in this phase of Fonseca's full development must leave him alone, ergo, allow him to have the normal ups and downs of a teenager, without expecting the moon every time he takes the field.
Every match of Joao is surrounded by the solid Brazilian torcida that expects him to already play like a top player.
 
Watched pete agassi big3 all played great tennis but for my vote is for novak.
Not because he is better player than roger or rafa or pete or agassi bbur because he refused to bow down to australian govt for covid vaccine.
(He maybe was wrong ) but he certainly risked his chances of winning the slam race . The audacity to do that is what it made me great Novak fan.
He risked heavily but not gained anything by doing that madness. But he showed that how strong is he deep inside.
 
I really got into Stannis' game in the AO13 match that he got so close to winning. It was great to see him taking revenge the very next year, lifting the trophy. That short, but oh so sweet, peak of his brought us a handful of very memorable matches. For me, he is one of the best players to watch ever. I also think he has (for the most part) a very likeable and sportsmanlike attitude towards the game, the crowd and his opponents. He is well-spoken and has an underplayed sense of humor that I enjoy. I respect him for hanging in there and doing what he likes the best; hitting the fluff of the ball. That said, Stan is more than power; he has soft hands and an underrated net game.
 
I became a John Bromwich fan when I watched him beat Dinny Pails in 5 to win the 1946 Australian Championships. Really wanted him to win Wimbledon in 1948, but Bob Falkenburg ended my dreams in the final. That fifth set still gives me nightmares.

Decades later I became a fan of Ana Ivanovic when she was of legal age because she was hot and she gave this old man many fantasies. The most notable fantasy was her losing an important match and then crying in her room and then me coming and making her feel better. Nowadays I like Emma Raducanu for the same reason.
 
junior74 said:
I really got into Stannis' game in the AO13 match that he got so close to winning. It was great to see him taking revenge the very next year, lifting the trophy. That short, but oh so sweet, peak of his brought us a handful of very memorable matches. For me, he is one of the best players to watch ever. I also think he has (for the most part) a very likeable and sportsmanlike attitude towards the game, the crowd and his opponents. He is well-spoken and has an underplayed sense of humor that I enjoy. I respect him for hanging in there and doing what he likes the best; hitting the fluff of the ball. That said, Stan is more than power; he has soft hands and an underrated net game.
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Most of the nolefams also loved watching Wawrinka.
 
The first tennis I watched was in black and white of Wimbledon (in India) when a kid from Germany won it. Becker was the kid and Steffi in women's. Tennis at that time is the equivalent of Polo here in the US. Only the rich people would play, and you needed money to even see a tennis court!
I first liked Federer because he made it look so easy. I started playing and figured out how difficult it was. I slowly started watching more tennis and then became a fan of Nadal especially when after losing to Fed for 3 years in Wimbledon finally beat him and lost all respect for Fed when he cried like a baby during the AO 2009 trophy presentation (that was below the belt for a man, he was no kid, unacceptable). The final straw was when Nadal came out of a injury(was out for 6 months) in an Australian Open. He wasn't playing well and still beat Fed, all he had to do was keep it to Fed's backhand and the match was won. I never knew he had beaten Fed when they first met. I also like Djokovic especially for the way he taunts the crowd and still wins, the mental fortitude is next level.
In the current gen I like Alcaraz, he has got some flair, have not watched Fonseca. I am not a big fan of Sinner who has the personality of a whiteboard (atleast the chalk board squeaks from time to time). I have a soft corner for one handers, especially Wawrinka.
 
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