Who was your favorite player when you started watching tennis?

i really remember agassi, he had some serious flair about him, sick lobs, great personality. i was never *that* much of a fan of sampras. all my early tennis watching was wimbledon, which was a bit of a servefest, though i loved it. henman was great, watching him burst on the scene at 21 or whatever, and he always flirted with drama. rafter was another one i was a fan of, stylish player.
 
Guillermo Vilas, later PETE SAMPRAS and now ROGER FEDERER, but tennis is so good to watch that I try to follow any good skilled player and there are many.
 
Born in 71', I grew up watching Borg, Mcenroe, Evert, Navratilova. Really became hooked when I saw a teenager playing against Evert and Evert sometimes was lost by the camera, because that girl hit so hard. The only player (now we call it arrogance) I saw walking away from a point, (while the other player was trying to get to the ball). Steffi Graf. Liked Sampras and Agassi, because were are of the same age (almost). When Graf retired, I lost interest, until a male with a game like Graf's (footwork, forehand, slice, serve) came, Roger Federer.

So from Graf/Sampras/Agassi to Federer.

(I do like ball artists like, Mcenroe, Navratilova, Sabatini and I did like watching Lendl)
 
Agassi around 90-91 and I was 7. In the mid-late 90s I never followed tennis for a while then I started again when I turned on the TV one day and Agassi was coincidentally playing for championship point at the French Open in 99 and thats when I started following again.
 
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Gen said:
Stephan Edberg
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Major fan you are...

Stefan Bengt Edberg (born 19 January 1966 in Västervik, Sweden) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player (in both singles and doubles) from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles


back to topic...


Mine was Andre Agassi.... and still is today!
 
Stefan Edberg and Steffi Graf were my favs when I started watching in 1987. And then Goran Ivanisevic all through the 90s.
 
Have been watching tennis off and on since I was 6-7 years old (When Johnny Mac, J. Connors, Chrissie Evert & Martina N were big). Favorites were Boris Becker & Gabrielle Sabatini.
 
andre agassi without a doubt! i saw him play in 88 on tv and that's what made me want to play!

:twisted:
 
Am I old?

Started watching early 70s. Watched King, Evert, Goolagong, Laver and Ashe. Actually got a box seat at a tourney in mid Ohio and watched the Armitaj's, Roscoe Tanner and Arthur Ashe just feet away from me. (didn't know how lucky I was at 17) in 1974. Arthur was a def fav, he brought color to the uniforms. Got in trouble for it sometimes but forged ahead with his red&white striped shirts. I loved watching the fire in Connors and Nastasie. Even bought and still own a T2000! And fell "in love" with Chrissy and have been a "leg man" ever since.
 
I always loved watching Agassi in his really early days. Was also a big fan of Edberg, Mac, Becker, Cash, Krickstein, and later Rafter.

I don't know... I just always loved real personalities and rivalries unfold. Was never interested in players just because they performed well.

In fact, in many cases, the players who performed most consistently were the ones I found most boring to watch. Graf, Sampras, etc. were great players, but they often made for boring matches, because they would dominate too much. Even when games were live, it felt like watching a replay to a match where you already knew the outcome.
 
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maybe it's because the only tennis i was watching was wimbledon, but sampras wasn't my fave, in a way he was just too good. big serve, net play, over.
 
Agassi was my favorite in the 90', when I started watching, and I always hated when he lost to Sampras (almost as much as when Fed now loses to Nadal). Agassi looked so sad and miserable with those poppy eyes. Then my eyes turned to Rafter, who I really liked because of his style (and the insane support from the aussies), and the s/v game he mastered. I liked Goran when he won wimby, he was one hit wonder but he became famous for his fighting spirit that tournament.
I first noticed Federer at the wimby 03, and my first impression wasn't that positive, I thought "who is this guy with the girly hair and a nose formed like a sweet potato?"
But after wimby I feel in love (if you can use that expression) with his immense game style. He seems like he is dancing (ballet anyone?) and sometimes he almost hovers around the court.
 
corncob571 said:
Started watching early 70s. Watched King, Evert, Goolagong, Laver and Ashe. Actually got a box seat at a tourney in mid Ohio and watched the Armitaj's, Roscoe Tanner and Arthur Ashe just feet away from me. (didn't know how lucky I was at 17) in 1974. Arthur was a def fav, he brought color to the uniforms. Got in trouble for it sometimes but forged ahead with his red&white striped shirts. I loved watching the fire in Connors and Nastasie. Even bought and still own a T2000! And fell "in love" with Chrissy and have been a "leg man" ever since.
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Nice post, i would have loved to be in your shoes, that was truly the Golden era of tennis, and most of it happened in USA.
 
Borg for me too. Played him when we were kids. (10 years old - Schools tour)

Really started watching when Laver was king, then Newcombe & Roach. Ken Rosewall too! Then along came the new boys - Borg, Edberg, then Connors and The Mac.

Borg was the MAN though. Cool on court and lots of girlies chasing him about!

I had a terrible crush on Chrissie though....Sue Barker looked pretty good at the time too!

Mmmm.

Showing my age!

Jimmy
 
Michael Stich. 91 wimby will be one of my most memorable tournaments ever, because both my fav's Stich & Graf won.
 
When I began comprehending sports to early teens = Johnny Mac.
Mid teens, Edberg/Wilander.
Late teens to early 30's - Double A.
 
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