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AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Surface?
You cannot compare like that, when sampras played at wimbledon (at his prime), in the mid 90's the courts used to be super quick and low bouncing.Now wimbledon surface is totally different. Agassi is the only baseliner to win wimbledon before hewitt did.Cannot imagine a baseliner winning a wimbledon title to be honest.
It's just a fun poll mate, not meant to be analysed to within an inch of it's life.....
Which surface would you choose then?
Let's just say a completely generic surface then......
Ok, like US open hardcourts...well i'd go with Sampras, just because his running forehand and 2nd serve is the best i have ever seen.
Ok, like US open hardcourts...well i'd go with Sampras, just because his running forehand and 2nd serve is the best i have ever seen.
What about on clay?
I have had this arguement numerous times and everyone except a Greek mate says Federer (he may be biased though). He just has everything. I am a tennis coach and I can't pick a weakness. Maybe boredom might creep in soon! Federer has him covered from the baseline, volleys would be similar, while Sampras' serve might be in front (although Federer's is very underated).
Mentally both were/are very tough but I think Federer knows that he can win from any situation. Then you look at surfaces:
Grass - Even
Hardcourt - Federer
Rebound Ace - Federer
Clay - Federer
You got to be joking.Have you seen Sampras's diving volleys? even for a guy like agassi, he found him so hard to hit a passing shot.Federer is a good volleyer but sampras is better.
Federer doesnt need diving volleys as he has an awesome approach shot! And why dive and risk injury when you smack anyone that you play anyway
Oh, then according to your theory federer's volley > beckers as well? if thats what you are saying , i rest my case.Federer is not a natural volleyer, he can volley very well but if you watch his technique, he is obviously at discomfort while hitting shoestring volley's
Fair enough, but what I am saying is Federer doesn't put himself in the position to have to hit these shoestring volley's!
I know what you mean here, its kinda like Agassi, he used to get in a position where he had easy volley's. However i ask you this, in a lightnight quick vintage grass court, or paris indoors (not the current crap slow ones), would federer stand a chance against Sampras? Sampras's serve also used to get him easy volleys.I cannot remember anyone who returned his serve consistently well (other than agassi) if agassi had problems returning sampras's serve, federer wouldnt?
So you are saying for Sampras to win everything (ie surface, weather, indoors etc) must be in his favour. I think that kind of answers the poll. Both are great players and I would have them ranked 1 and 2 of all time, but in my opinion Federer pips him due to his all round ability!
Total, dead agreed. Comparing eras is ridiculously hard. Wimbledon especially. Total, don't take this the wrong way. But if you told me 10 years ago that Nadal..a dead baseliner would get to the final of Wimbledon I would say to you to lay off the grass. The courts have changed and believe me I HATE it. The courts need originality. I hate courts being altered to give home guys a better chance.