Players you once hated but grew to appreciate

[mrzz]

Oh, come on, Darth...you know when it's all said and done you're going to have some affection for Rafa. Oh, um, unless he passes Roger, I guess.

I didn't care for Roddick as a player, but he was hilarious in the press room, so I did grow an affection for him.

Actually I didn't care much for Roddick back then and now I am a fan -- not only tennis wise, but I actually like his attitude on the tennis court. A lot of clips out there were the guy behaved more than decently in a variety of occasions. The press room tirades are obviously classics.

 

[Federberg]

Over the years I've warmed to Rafa, Novak and Murray to varying extents. Novak in particular has changed his behaviour quite dramatically and is not such a good sport on court that I can barely remember all the bad stuff at the start. I guess he was just a kid trying to plot his way on the tour and his folks didn't help. With Rafa, I'm appreciating his tennis more and more. This is nothing to do with the changed dynamic between him and Roger. It actually started watching him fight Novak. Who knew someone would be good enough to make him seem like an underdog? As for Murray, he warmed my cold heart when he struggled to keep it together after the Wimbledon 2012 final and I've been more able to see his good side.

 

[Moxie]

Not going to happen. Would hate him with a passion even if he had zero slams. And we know the record is on Roger's racquet yet to be determined if 20 is enough.

I don't even think YOU believe that. Anyway, I doubt anyone else does.

 

[DarthFed]

I don't even think YOU believe that. Anyway, I doubt anyone else does.

Remind me how many slams Ferrer has and his H2H vs Roger

 

[Moxie]

Remind me how many slams Ferrer has and his H2H vs Roger

I knew you'd come up with Ferrer. You hate him because he's Nadal-like, and you use it as camouflage. If both were Slamless and didn't pester Roger, you wouldn't give 2 shakes about them. You notice that a lot of your fellow Fed fans are willing to appreciate Rafa for his tennis and his accomplishments. It's patently obvious why you can't. You like tennis, but you love Roger. You always accuse me of being bitter, but you're the bitter one. And there's no reason: your man is at the top of the pile in so many ways. I'm actually really happy with all that Rafa has done, though I hope for more for him. When you decide to be a fan of a guy with some 2 Majors, you don't expect that he'll win 14 more (and counting.) Look, I enjoy tweaking your tail over your hatred of Rafa. And I'm not judging it. I would never deprive you of your second-favorite hobby. But I will poke at you about it.

 

[Busted]

I would have to say Andy Murray - and Andre Agassi. I remember everyone was calling McEnroe a "spoiled brat" and I always thought he was a riot.

 

[DarthFed]

I knew you'd come up with Ferrer. You hate him because he's Nadal-like, and you use it as camouflage. If both were Slamless and didn't pester Roger, you wouldn't give 2 shakes about them. You notice that a lot of your fellow Fed fans are willing to appreciate Rafa for his tennis and his accomplishments. It's patently obvious why you can't. You like tennis, but you love Roger. You always accuse me of being bitter, but you're the bitter one. And there's no reason: your man is at the top of the pile in so many ways. I'm actually really happy with all that Rafa has done, though I hope for more for him. When you decide to be a fan of a guy with some 2 Majors, you don't expect that he'll win 14 more (and counting.) Look, I enjoy tweaking your tail over your hatred of Rafa. And I'm not judging it. I would never deprive you of your second-favorite hobby. But I will poke at you about it.

So you doubt that I actually can't stand Ferrer? Because he is slamless and he has never pestered Federer. You can take some of what I say at face value, it won't hurt too much

 

[Moxie]

So you doubt that I actually can't stand Ferrer? Because he is slamless and he has never pestered Federer. You can take some of what I say at face value, it won't hurt too much

I don't know how he's "shameless." He has been gritty player who punches above his weight. A lot have admired that. If you can't, sure, that's your opinion. I'll take it on face value, then.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

I don't know how he's "shameless." He has been gritty player who punches above his weight. A lot have admired that. If you can't, sure, that's your opinion. I'll take it on face value, then.

i think you misread there (as did i, at first). *slamless *shameless

Not a fan of Becker when he first emerged but I did see him play in person at the US Open and the man had charisma and I especially loved it when he beat Lendl for the championship. For this tennis fan it seems my passion and like or dislike for a player remains consistent.

I did a full 360 on Becker. hated him because he seemed scary crazy and i didn't like the boom-boom style either. then later, after he retired, i came to admire his career, everything he achieved at such a young age etc.; and THEN, german media started cramming his persona down our affairs (you guys only get a glimpse of how public he is in the german speaking world. annoying.)... so back to hate it is.

 

[Federberg]

i think you misread there (as did i, at first). *slamless *shameless


I did a full 360 on Becker. hated him because he seemed scary crazy and i didn't like the boom-boom style either. then later, after he retired, i came to admire his career, everything he achieved at such a young age etc.; and THEN, german media started cramming his persona down our affairs (you guys only get a glimpse of how public he is in the german speaking world. annoying.)... so back to hate it is.

Lol! I loved Becker at first when he won Wimbledon at such a young age (Mac was absent at the time so I wasn't fussed, he was the big new thing), but then when Edberg really came into his own I was captivated and started viewing him as a threat and didn't like him so much. Then I switched around again over time and grew to like him a lot. Particularly as he was virtually a neighbour for a good few years

 

[shawnbm]

In the Seventies, I liked Connors and disliked that cold Swede, Borg. But, you had to secretly admire the speed of foot, the stamina and the unflappability of the Angelic Assassin. I grew to greatly admire him. Next was Ivan the Terrible--did not like his game or his shorts or any of that sawdust he spilt around the court ad nauseum. But, as a person in interviews, I found him engaging and quite witty. Now, I have come around to accepting what a tremendous player he was and how he really brought to the fore the power baseline game of today. Agassi I never really liked and that has not changed too much.

 

[Garro]

Nadal. Also Murray because of some of the antics he used to do (his come ons, cheering when his opponents missed, etc).

 

[Moxie]

Nadal. Also Murray because of some of the antics he used to do (his come ons, cheering when his opponents missed, etc).

Good to see you around, @Garro. So are you saying that you've grown to appreciate both Nadal and Murray?

 

[Garro]

Yep. Or in the case of Murray, at least not actively dislike.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Federer.