Can I Have a Career Do-over, Please?

[El Dude]

This is a variation on the old "under-achiever" discussion, and I vaguely remember starting a thread like this several years ago, but can't remember for sure. But hopefully it is a bit different to inspire some interesting answers.

The basic idea: if you could pick one player that you could give a career do-over, with better coaching and simply a chance to try again, who would it be? For bonus points, speculate on what kind of career you think they might have today if they were to do it again but with better guidance and focus.

Some obvious candidates include the lazy David Nalbandian, the angry Marat Safin,the enigmatic Marcelo Rios, or Miroslav Mecir...but it doesn't have to be the obvious "Underachiever Crowd." What about Juan Martin del Potro? Or even someone like Robin Soderling (be careful who you kiss, Robin!)? Mario Ancic? Andre Agassi without the early partying?

It doesn't have to be someone who you think would have been an all-time great, just a player you'd like to see give it another go, perhaps with a bit of magical wisdom, like in one of those movies where the protagonist gets to live his life again (e.g. Family Man, Groundhog's Day, etc).

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I also often wonder what happens when posters get a life.

 

[Moxie]

I also often wonder what happens when posters get a life.

It is almost Groundhog's Day, after all, and it's not like you don't massage over the minutiae.

 

[Moxie]

This is a variation on the old "under-achiever" discussion, and I vaguely remember starting a thread like this several years ago, but can't remember for sure. But hopefully it is a bit different to inspire some interesting answers.

The basic idea: if you could pick one player that you could give a career do-over, with better coaching and simply a chance to try again, who would it be? For bonus points, speculate on what kind of career you think they might have today if they were to do it again but with better guidance and focus.

Some obvious candidates include the lazy David Nalbandian, the angry Marat Safin,the enigmatic Marcelo Rios, or Miroslav Mecir...but it doesn't have to be the obvious "Underachiever Crowd." What about Juan Martin del Potro? Or even someone like Robin Soderling (be careful who you kiss, Robin!)? Mario Ancic? Andre Agassi without the early partying?

It doesn't have to be someone who you think would have been an all-time great, just a player you'd like to see give it another go, perhaps with a bit of magical wisdom, like in one of those movies where the protagonist gets to live his life again (e.g. Family Man, Groundhog's Day, etc).

I'm inclined to Safin. If he weren't so crazy and had had Peter Lundgren for longer, he might have to at least one more Major. Is that the idea?


=

 

[El Dude]

I'm inclined to Safin. If he weren't so crazy and had had Peter Lundgren for longer, he might have to at least one more Major. Is that the idea?


=

Yep. I was just watching highlights of him beating Roger at the 2005 AO. So impressive how he seemed to barely move, making Roger run all over the court. But his temper...

 

[Moxie]

Yep. I was just watching highlights of him beating Roger at the 2005 AO. So impressive how he seemed to barely move, making Roger run all over the court. But his temper...

It wasn't his "temper" as much as his "temperament," if you can get the difference. He really only blew up at himself, even if he often threw it at the umpires. He hated to play imperfectly. Legend has it that, since he played such a nearly perfect match against Sampras at the USO in 2001, when he was 19 or something, it spoiled every match he played thereafter, for him. Every other match left him unsatisfied with his play. Except (maybe) the SF at the AO you mention, which I think Lundgren gentled him through. It took 7 MPs to win it, and Safin held his head together. The last title he ever won. I don't think it was that he had a temper so much as that he was a perfectionist. When he wasn't playing perfectly, he could tank and get off the court. He tolerated himself less than anyone else in tennis did him.

 

[El Dude]

In other words, he fought against himself. And lost.

 

[Moxie]

In other words, he fought against himself. And lost.

Exactly. And, for the bonus points: if he hadn't had such a crushingly punitive mother as his first coach, (See: Safina, Dinara.) and had had someone like Lundgren earlier, I think that he might have won a couple more Majors. Injuries (wrist, knee) got him, too, but I think if he could have gotten out of his own way for a couple of his best years, he would absolutely have won more, at least below the Majors, if not actually more Majors. That's a conservative estimate.

 

[atttomole]

Safin for me. He had an imposing game. At times he looked effortless while producing jaw dropping shots. This guy could match Federer on talent alone.

 

[Moxie]

I think I'm the only one that understands this game. LOL. How about this for complicated and controversial: Juan Martin del Potro. If he hadn't had wrist issues, and had continued on healthy after his win at the 2009 USO? He'd just crushed Rafa and beaten Rog. He was tall, with an imposing serve and an imposing forehand. Before there was a Novak that really mattered, there was Juan Martín. What if he'd never been injured? What if his FH hadn't come down a bit? What if he'd gone into 2010 full tilt? I think Rafa would have won RG and W, but I'm not sure about the USO. And I'm not sure how Federer or Djokovic would have done, with JMDP in the full mix, going forward. What if 2011 Novak didn't only have to contend with Rafa, but del Po? I'm sure del Potro would love a do-over.

 

[El Dude]

I think JMDP would have been formidable if healthy but that Roger, Rafa, and Novak would have figured him out; his game is just more limited than there's. But he would have been like a more consistent Cilic, and vied with Andy as "Worst of the Best, or Best of the Rest." But I think he could have won a few Slams.

Same with Safin. I think he was probably the second most talented of his generation and could have won a handful more big titles, although I think his time to dominate would have been 2000-03, as I'm not sure he would have ever been able to get past Roger (and then Rafa) consistently no matter how he was coached.

 

[Moxie]

I think JMDP would have been formidable if healthy but that Roger, Rafa, and Novak would have figured him out; his game is just more limited than there's. But he would have been like a more consistent Cilic, and vied with Andy as "Worst of the Best, or Best of the Rest." But I think he could have won a few Slams.

Same with Safin. I think he was probably the second most talented of his generation and could have won a handful more big titles, although I think his time to dominate would have been 2000-03, as I'm not sure he would have ever been able to get past Roger (and then Rafa) consistently no matter how he was coached.

Yes, but if either had come better in their slot, even if for a short time, they could have skunked Federer/Nadal/Djokovic out of at least one each., don't you think? I would say that both were positioned to change the Slam count, as it stands.

 

[The_Grand_Slam]

Del Potro without the injuries would be a multiple slam winner
Soderling without Mono would contend for slams.

Two of the biggest "What Ifs" in recent times

 

[atttomole]

Del Potro is the other one. His forehand was scary when he was on. He always looked like he could hold his own versus the top 4 guys.