Why you like so-and-so...

[Great Hands]

I will try to keep it short. I believe I already talked about it but, I am a Fedal fan.
Before Roger tennis was just the thing I would watch occasionally with my dad and played it even less, and was really disappointed by how things were. Then Roger came along. He always struck me as that pretentious genius in class who was leagues above the other children. A bit arrogant, and stubborn but a really great guy. When his reign began, and from then on, I barely missed a match from him. He was just the personification of talent. And then Wafa jumped on the scene. At first, it pissed me off how this kid from Mallorca could trouble Roger so much, but even in 2004 the level he could reach was pretty clear. I was amazed by his physical abilities and strength. Never was there such an imposing figure on court. Guys were literally afraid of him. He also possessed very unique shot making skills, since he never had much of a serve, and the focus he had, my god. This earned him a place among my faves. Both of them are very calm and quick thinkers. I could talk for days, but this pretty much summarises it.
I also like Andy, Delpo and Wawrinka.

Delpo and Wawrinka are definitely my two fave players after the big 4. So exciting when on form, both of them. Kind of appropriate that they're the 2 (along with Cilic - not so keen on him!) that have managed to win slams during the big 4 era.

 

[Great Hands]

I will try to keep it short. I believe I already talked about it but, I am a Fedal fan.
Before Roger tennis was just the thing I would watch occasionally with my dad and played it even less, and was really disappointed by how things were. Then Roger came along. He always struck me as that pretentious genius in class who was leagues above the other children. A bit arrogant, and stubborn but a really great guy. When his reign began, and from then on, I barely missed a match from him. He was just the personification of talent. And then Wafa jumped on the scene. At first, it pissed me off how this kid from Mallorca could trouble Roger so much, but even in 2004 the level he could reach was pretty clear. I was amazed by his physical abilities and strength. Never was there such an imposing figure on court. Guys were literally afraid of him. He also possessed very unique shot making skills, since he never had much of a serve, and the focus he had, my god. This earned him a place among my faves. Both of them are very calm and quick thinkers. I could talk for days, but this pretty much summarises it.
I also like Andy, Delpo and Wawrinka.

Delpo and Wawrinka are definitely my two fave players after the big 4. So exciting when on form, both of them. Kind of appropriate that they're the 2 (along with Cilic - not so keen on him!) that have managed to win slams during the big 4 era.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Not sure I would call Muster an "attacking" player! He hit the ball hard, raking over the ball for the most part, but he still was a baseliner who almost "never" went into the net! He could be halfway there and retreat; "where have we seen that?" :cover uzzled :nono :angel: I remember his getting injured just a day before final in Miami against Lendl in '87, but it was more like he was hit than a real car accident! He was crunched between 2 vehicles IIRC! He was later given special dispensation to play only on clay when he became #1 for about 5 minutes in the 90's! :eyepop

There are different ways to attack. Muster's was to pound on you from baseline and just wear you out and take your legs away from you. I have seen it a million times. Sure, he did not attack the net , that is a different type of attack, but Muster had his own version that worked great for him because he was just fitter than everyone else. Sure more talented players took him out most of the time, but on clay, for a period, he was the king.

 

[Haelfix]

I like seeing things that i've never seen before on the tennis court. I like seeing unbeatable combinations and the chess match on how to counter it.

For that reason I very much like offensive players that might have a bit of variety (pure ballbashing doesn't do it for me). Sampras, Rafter, Nalbandian, Safin, Federer, Jmac, Edberg etc.

 

[Kieran]

I'm kind of random, stylistically. Mt tennis family tree starts with Borg, who begat Mats, a little bit of Lendl, then a void until Sampras, then a void until Rafa.

With the exception of the younger Lendl, these are all stoic types, as Riotbeard puts it. Lendl, I think, was a sympathy vote, because I detested the lefty Irish Yanks who tormented him. Temperamentally, I loved how all of them handled pressure. Borg, Mats, these lads didn't even break sweat. They were the epitome of grace under pressure. Pete was stone cold in the clutch, but he raised his aggression and precision to exaggerated heights when the pressure was on. Undistracted and ruthlessly efficient. And Rafa is the kid who keeps punching, even when he's on the floor. He takes opponents into darker places than they're usually willing to go, and that's a fascinating and honest ability in itself. He's more expressive than the others, but it's that graphic, force of nature brutality that's compelling...

 

[DarthFed]

It is mostly about style of play. Similar to Haelfix, I like the aggressive shot makers. I also don't like pure James Blake style ball bashing or the trees who can only serve.

I also have always liked Roger's attitude and confidence bordering arrogance (or maybe it is flat out arrogance). I think for the most part he still believes it is all up to him, believes that he is superior and should always win. Can't say I ever got to that level of belief in tennis, but in other things that I'm better at I think much the same way.

As for the other top guys I really like Nole's game and personality the most. On top of being funny and open he always struck me as a genuinely decent dude. As someone mentioned earlier in the thread he is the rare champion who doesn't treat the sport as life and death and a big part of that is due to the circumstances he grew up under. For him it is still just a game, back in the day it was an escape. I might not be able to relate to that thinking but I can respect it and I don't know if it makes him lesser than he can be but he's done well regardless.

 

[Kirijax]

I have this stupid gene where I'm compelled to root for the underdogs. I wish I could be a Yankees, Steelers, Lakers fan, but instead I'm a Jaguars, Magic and Marlins fan. :cover Curses!

Same thing for tennis. When I first came up, the tennis world was ruled by Borg, Connors and McEnroe. So naturally I rooted for the No. 4~6 (Gerulaitis. Tanner and Vilas). Then Mats Wilander came up and he was my favorite until the 90s. The it was Courier. Then my underdog gene kicked in when it saw Agassi struggling against Sampras. Then it was Roddick. Don't mention the '09 Wimbledon final to me. I'm still trying to deal with that.

Now it's Murray. He's been my favorite since about '09 or so. He really pisses me off sometimes but his playing style is similar to mine. You say he has to face unbelievable odds in each and every GS/Masters against the most fearsome trio the world of tennis has ever seen in its history? Murray is my man! The Gold Medal, the '12 U.S. Open and the '13 Wimbledon titles are like a tiny drug that gives me comfort at times. My greatest hope for Murray is to somehow, anyhow, to reach the No. 1 ranking at least once in his career.

To a lesser extent, I like to root for Berdych, Ferrer and Nishikori. For the same reason I stated above. That blasted underdog gene.

 

[nehmeth]

Favorite players from the old days:
Vilas, Panatta, Edberg, Sampras, Rafter

 

[Carol]

I like Nadal, besides his superb game he gives a lot of good emotions and excitement to this sport. He has a very good sense of humor but not like a clown. He respects to his opponents, good person and always has his feet on the ground.
I also like Muzz, Federer is ok, Berdych, Raonic and some others.
I don't like Novak style to play, he looks like his legs and body are to divide in two parts. I don't like his body language when he lost a point even that he is winning the game, sorry but I never like too much his personality and less when he make those perfomances imitating the others players, I don't think he is funny at all

 

[Carol]

I like Nadal, besides his superb game he gives a lot of good emotions and excitement to this sport. He has a very good sense of humor but not like a clown. He respects to his opponents, good person and always has his feet on the ground.
I also like Muzz, Federer is ok, Berdych, Raonic and some others.
I don't like Novak style to play, he looks like his legs and body are to divide in two parts. I don't like his body language when he lost a point even that he is winning the game, sorry but I never like too much his personality and less when he make those perfomances imitating the others players, I don't think he is funny at all.

:cover :cry uzzled :nono :angel: :ras: :deadhorse :violins:

Hey, should I have the same taste as you? :laydownlaughing :snicker :woohoos:emperor::wow:

 

[nehmeth]

Hey, should I have the same taste as you?

No. :nono And I'm thankful we like different players.

 

[Carol]

Hey, should I have the same taste as you?

No. :nono And I'm thankful we like different players.

Me too

 

[Billie]

:laydownlaughing

Isn't this "Why you like so and so"? Kieran you should really explain your intentions a bit more.

Let's see, shall I torture some here with Why I like Nole?:lolz:

 

[Moxie]

Picking a team sport favorite can be a lot about location and legacy, but a favorite in an individual sport is a little like a romance...there's often something hard to define as to why you pick them. As Broken says: you tend to like them first, and figure a good reason later. And I have to agree with Carol about taste...it's individual, and it's not really on to sneer at the preferences of others. And why we don't like players is likewise sometimes not that easy to know.

Folks around here may have heard this before, so I'll apologize, if you have. Borg was my first favorite, and Vilas was my runner-up. Always liked the dirt. And Johnny Mac, though he is probably my S&V anomaly. Didn't pay much attention for a long time, and had no favorites on the men's side. (Navratilova kept my interest up.) Didn't like Sampras or Federer, mostly because they "won too much," in my estimation, and I just didn't like them. No chemistry for me. Then I discovered Marat Safin, rather late...around 2003. Super-handsome (initial appeal, I admit,) super-talented...amazing when he was "on," frustrating most of the time, but almost always entertaining. Nadal was a bit on the radar, because of Davis Cup, but by the 2005 RG, I was getting hooked on his game. So astonishing, new and bold. When he played Fed in the SF, I was rooting as much against Roger as for Nadal, but he was a Spaniard (I used to live in Spain,) and so it was a happy fit for me. That was when I realized I needed a back-up to Safin, and who knew that Rafa would make such a good one.

It's a bit funny to me that Nadal has turned out to be one of the best ever on clay, along with Borg, and they are two of my biggest favorites. I know people who like a a quicker game tend to denigrate the other. I've always like the longer rallies, the baseline game. It's all a matter of taste, isn't it?

 

[Carol]

And we comeback to the same subject, it's not hate at all, it's just different teste, diferent points of view, diferent ways to see the game/style and personality of each player
But the big difference is when we see someones with bad wishes to a player, then that's a diferent story....:nono
Well, and it seems that I have tortured someone when I said why I like NADAL :lolz:

 

[Billie]

And we comeback to the same subject, it's not hate at all, it's just different teste, diferent points of view, diferent ways to see the game/style and personality of each player
But the big difference is when we see someones with bad wishes to a player, then that's a diferent story....:nono
Well, and it seems that I have tortured someone when I said why I like NADAL :lolz:

If you mean me, be a big girl and address it to me directly. And you would be wrong completely, go ahead and post pages and pages about why you like Nadal, I wouldn't object or try to find something bad to say. I am not that kind of person.:nono

You probably don't know, other people who know me longer on these boards can confirm this: I actually like Nadal, I used to like him better, ironically, when Nole used to lose to him almost always...and then 2011 happened and a lot of things changed, mainly Nadal's attitude towards Nole and you bet it cooled me off towards him. But I forgave him as I know it is difficult to be gracious when you are at the lowest points and not all people can do it.

Everybody had some nice stories and nobody said anything bad about other players here until you started. Hate is such a terrible feeling....I resist it hard. I always try to find something positive in anybody (unless they are the really bad guys: murderers, terrorists, etc..). It just helps my soul and my state of mind. If somebody does say something bad about Nole, I won't turn back and say something bad about that person's favorite player just for revenge. Frankly I think it is petty and ugly.

 

[Fiero425]

And we comeback to the same subject, it's not hate at all, it's just different teste, diferent points of view, diferent ways to see the game/style and personality of each player
But the big difference is when we see someones with bad wishes to a player, then that's a diferent story....:nono
Well, and it seems that I have tortured someone when I said why I like NADAL :lolz:

Happy? I deleted my post! Please get over the victimhood! :cover :nono :dodgy:

 

[Carol]

And we comeback to the same subject, it's not hate at all, it's just different teste, diferent points of view, diferent ways to see the game/style and personality of each player
But the big difference is when we see someones with bad wishes to a player, then that's a diferent story....:nono
Well, and it seems that I have tortured someone when I said why I like NADAL :lolz:

Happy? I deleted my post! Please get over the victimhood! :cover :nono :dodgy:

Nope, I'm not the victimhood but anyway thanks to have deleted that HORRIBLE post, nice detail of you
Go Roger!

 

[Moxie]

Anyone want to get back to the topic? It's really not that controversial.

 

[Carol]

And we comeback to the same subject, it's not hate at all, it's just different teste, diferent points of view, diferent ways to see the game/style and personality of each player
But the big difference is when we see someones with bad wishes to a player, then that's a diferent story....:nono
Well, and it seems that I have tortured someone when I said why I like NADAL :lolz:

If you mean me, be a big girl and address it to me directly. And you would be wrong completely, go ahead and post pages and pages about why you like Nadal, I wouldn't object or try to find something bad to say. I am not that kind of person.:nono

You probably don't know, other people who know me longer on these boards can confirm this: I actually like Nadal, I used to like him better, ironically, when Nole used to lose to him almost always...and then 2011 happened and a lot of things changed, mainly Nadal's attitude towards Nole and you bet it cooled me off towards him. But I forgave him as I know it is difficult to be gracious when you are at the lowest points and not all people can do it.


Everybody had some nice stories and nobody said anything bad about other players here until you
started. Hate is such a terrible feeling....I resist it hard. I always try to find something positive in
anybody (unless they are the really bad guys: murderers, terrorists, etc..). It just helps my soul and
my state of mind. If somebody does say something bad about Nole, I won't turn back and say something bad about that person's favorite player just for revenge. Frankly I think it is petty and ugly
.

Sorry if I bothered you with my comment about Novak but I don't think I started....
And what can I say? I've read already critics about Nadal, his attitude (explain to me about it) his game etc etc. Well I usually don't critic the players but this time I couldn't help
By the way my previous comments weren't to you but to someone else as you can see