Talk About Tennis 2.0

To contrast, or balance, the thread where we're asked to list the players we 'don't care for', I think it's appropriate that we have a thread where we can list the more positive traits we've seen in players.
This can be based on observation of, or interaction with, the player(s) in question - or even, I suppose, from media reports of something positive they've done.

My entries are Adil Shamasdin, Leylah Fernandez, and Thomas Johansson.
Adil is a mostly unknown Canadian doubles player. He played a little Davis Cup, but is otherwise pretty anonymous.
My first interaction with him was a few years ago when he took a bucket of balls to a practice court alone toward the end of a qualifying day. There were few fans remaining on site, of which I was one. He was just serving, as one would expect, given that he was alone. I asked him if I could get on the court to return the serves. He said "The bucket (of balls) is almost empty." I said "Yeah - but it's refillable!" He seemed to like that, and invited me on court. I spent 15 - 20 minutes trying to return his serves. At first, I was lucky to mis-hit maybe 4 out of 10 returns. The others whizzed past me. Just as I was starting to (finally) get into the rhythm of his serving (actually returning about 4 out of 10), he stopped.
We then talked as we picked up the balls. Very nice guy. I asked him if his racquet is real, or just a 'paint job' - he said it was real. We talked about other elements of tennis, and of the pro game. I spent about 40 minutes on court with him, both returning his serve (or trying to), and talking. As we parted, I said to him "I'm playing a tournament next week (true), and I want you to know that you've just completely ruined my confidence!" We both laughed.

The next time I saw him - about 4 years later at the same tournament -, I said "Hey - remember me?" He said "Yeah - over on court #10 a few years ago - how are you?" Figuring I'll take my chances at redemption, I said "I've improved since then." He just looked at me and deadpanned "So have I." Quite funny.

I talk with him every time I see him now. The last time was at a Challenger, where I handed him an old, standard size fibreglass racquet to hit with on the practice court - because that racquet has the best feel of any racquet I've ever hit with. He said "But if I hit with it and like it, I won't like my racquet as much, and it might screw up my strokes." I said "Yeah - that'll probably happen - so what? Just hit with it." He hit with it for 5 minutes and really liked it.
(At that same Challenger, I took an old Head Vilas from the early '80s out of my bag - just to see if anyone recognized it... a coach came up to me and said "Wow... man, this is so beautiful - can I hold it?" I said "Sure". He said "This is amazing. I got to #18 in the world with this racquet. Thank you so much!" He took a photo of it. I have no idea who he was, though!

Leylah is just a sweet, unassuming person. I love her passion, focus, and intensity on the court - but off the court, she is kind of the opposite. I've spoken with her and her dad a few times, and they've always been very approachable and nice.

Thomas Johansson was playing in the annual 'tennis players vs. hockey players' ball hockey game, played on a court during a tournament. They get pro tennis players and pro hockey players, past and present, and they play against each other. Most of the tennis players, naturally, are from countries where hockey is popular - like Sweden, Russia, Czech Republic, Canada... On this occasion, the tennis players beat the hockey players. About an hour after the hockey game, I saw Johansson on a practice court alone. I said to him "Congratulations on the hockey win!" He laughed and said "Thanks - I was waiting for that!" I said "It's really great that you came all the way here just to play in the hockey game - that's true dedication." I was joking, of course - but he didn't seem to know that, and told me that he was there coaching a young up and coming player named Borna Coric, whom he was waiting for on the court.
A few years later, when he was coaching Goffin, as they came off the practice court, fans surrounded Goffin for autographs, photos, etc. Johansson was just standing there alone. I said to the crowd of fans "Hey - you guys should be asking this guy (Johansson) for his autograph - he won this tournament in 1999! That guy (Goffin) has never won it." Johansson laughed and said "Stop - I don't want them to ask me to sign! And it was 1998 that I won here." I said "No way - it was 1999, for sure." He said "Really?" I said "Absolutely. What year did you win the Aussie Open?" He immediately said "2002", which was correct.

I've seen Stan Wawrinka allow fans to come onto the practice court and hit with him, one after another, for about 5 - 10 minutes each for about 30 minutes total (with Stan's racquets). That was nice of him.

Evonne Goolagong gets to the tennis club we used to train in (Florida). Of course the tennis pro is not going to play against her, so he picks this young gun, ranked 14th in the South east division of the USA, in the 16-18 group.
They start playing. He is really hitting hard, but she starts moving him around. A lot. So he starts hitting harder and harder. She starts hitting softer and softer, but every ball is landing inches from a line. 6-4, 6-4.
She was super gracious with everybody. A time prior to smartphones, no photos were taken, except one with the entire group, later framed at the club house.
The kid can't understand what has happened. He says something like "this lady plays". It was only then that I realized he did not know who she was (she had retired very recently). And she never told him.
I did, to make him feel better.

Apparently people prefer to criticize players than to praise them.
That's unfortunate.
Balance is good.

Even though we are a tennis board, I wonder how many of us have had interactions with pro-players to a high degree.
Thar Goolagong story is all I have. Being in Venezuela basically precludes you from interacting with many players, that other people would know.
(I know the Venezuelans, which makes for very few stories).

I want to include personal interactions, but not limit it to just personal interactions.
That's why I wrote in the 'introduction':
"This can be based on observation of, or interaction with, the player(s) in question - or even, I suppose, from media reports of something positive they've done."

Just something positive that makes a player stand out. Essentially, the opposite of the 'Players we don't care for' thread.

Venus has fought on and off the court for equal prize money for women. In her own words it is about 'respect'. End of. She has taken a real leadership role off the court promoting women in sport. A great role model for young girls - and boys for that matter. Why not!! I also like how she's handled her sister. The love & support they have for each other is real obviously. But Venus for the most part doesn't get tangled up in Serena: The Drama Series. 'You be you Serena and I'll do my thing'. And she has.

I admire Andy Murray for his public stance on calling out and fighting against sexism in tennis. It is refreshing to see a man in sport speak respectfully of women in sport. He's called out sexist questioning from journalists, refutes sexist attitudes of others and champions women coaches in men's tennis on principle and in practice.

I've always admired Venus & Andy for the principled stands they have taken. At the end of the day they are tennis players and it is their job to play tennis. But I've never believed that means they can't speak to issues outside the bubble of tennis. The world outside is the world inside tennis too. I'm glad they want to speak about other things. I welcome being outspoken, having opinions and being political.

Deuce wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:53 am I want to include personal interactions, but not limit it to just personal interactions.
That's why I wrote in the 'introduction':
"This can be based on observation of, or interaction with, the player(s) in question - or even, I suppose, from media reports of something positive they've done."

Just something positive that makes a player stand out. Essentially, the opposite of the 'Players we don't care for' thread.

Just now seeing this thread, sorry!

Robby Ginepri was so nice and friendly to my nieces and nephews at the Indy Tennis Championships, and the few interactions I had with him as a volunteer were nice, too. Seemed like a really gentle, nice person. His only titles were 1 in Newport and 2 in Indianapolis, and we didn't give replica trophies to winners. He said he has no trophies at home. I've always wanted to raise money and buy him a trophy. He's come back in recent years to play a US Pro Series tournament. Thought it would be nice to present him with it.

Pat Cash was also very nice to my dad at the tournament. He held the door open for Dad, then Dad told Cash he reminded him of my brother Paul, and Pat gave my dad his hat. Dad loved that.

I covered the Cincy tournament for TAT and Tennis Panorama quite a few times. Liezel Huber gave me an interview at like 11 pm, after her doubles match. She hadn't even showered. She was so nice and candid. I thought a lot of her after that. Same with Bob Bryan at one point.

Robin Soderling charmed me with his runner-up speech at the French Open in 2009. Sometimes it takes just a little glimpse at someone's personality - especially in defeat - to win me over.

I'm guessing most players are good people. For one, they're athletes - endorphins make people happy, according to the gospel of Elle Woods. I know there can be assholes among the bunch, and some have a huge ego - I think you almost have to have a big ego on some level to complete in an individual sport and believe you're better than everyone else, even in the context of an athletic skill set.

Serendipity - Wertheim's column today is all about positive encounters with players. https://www.si.com/tennis/2021/02/03/ma ... rs-stories

meganfernandez wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 4:51 pm Serendipity - 's column today is all about positive encounters with players. https://www.si.com/tennis/2021/02/03/ma ... rs-stories

Wertheim loves stealing my ideas
Thanks for the link, Megan. I read the entire thing - an enjoyable read. I don't think the grand prize winning story was very grand - there were several better ones among the group. And who'd have thought that people would have friendly encounters with Connors and McEnroe!?

The Wertheim stories jogged my memory about a couple more from a while back...

Back in the 1980s, when Connors was still desperately clinging to his T2000s long after Wilson (and Lacoste!) had stopped making them, Jimmy was asking fans to check their basements to see if they had any from a certain batch - he was offering to buy them from people... I met a guy at a tournament - we were both maybe 18 - 19 years old... He told me he had some T2000s at home that he thought were the ones Connors wanted. I told him to tell Jimmy. He was shy to do that, so I said I'd go with him. He and I waited for Jimmy to come out of the locker room area (this was back when top players were not worshiped and protected like demi-gods). Jimmy came out, with his ever-present friend/business manager (short guy with well groomed grey hair who was attached to Jimmy at the hip for years). The 4 of us had a very friendly and enjoyable conversation about the T2000 frames for about 10 minutes, and Jimmy gave my new friend some kind of contact information to follow up on the T2000s the guy had at home.
I remember walking away from that encounter being thoroughly surprised at how nice and down to Earth Connors was - because he was known for being an asshole.

Also back in the '80s, I somehow became friendly with Tony Pickard during a tournament. Pickard was Stefan Edberg's longtime - and well known - coach. Edberg was an up and coming youngster at the time - probably ranked somewhere in the 20s, but everyone knew he'd be a top 5 player. I don't remember how it began, but I somehow got to talking with Pickard one day, and then every day after that, we'd talk whenever we saw each other on the tournament grounds. He was a very nice man.

Although I have usually said if you want to know how a person really is in real life, put him on a tennis court (cheaters will cheat, good people will be respectful), Connors was a true exception. He was boorish and many times a jerk on court, but the rest of his life has been that of a very common, decent man. He married Patty McGuire, Playboy Playmate of the year, and everybody thought that was going to be a disaster. They are still married. He has been seen many times with his sons, all smiles. Never has had as much as a parking ticket thrown at him.
Lendl, that villain, is about the same. One wife, devoted to his girls' golf, still in touch with almost everybody he has worked for.
Pinker's theory: most people are good people. There are, percentage wise, few bad people on earth.
It is only that they make a lot of noise.

I agree about Andy Murray. Never been a fan of him on the court, but there’s a lot to like about him off of it. His opinions are usually honest and thoughtful, he seems to have great priorities in his life, and his love for the game comes out of his pores. I feel a bit bad for him for putting his mum in the “loathe” category but she winds me up

Liamvalid wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 3:22 pm I agree about Andy Murray. Never been a fan of him on the court, but there’s a lot to like about him off of it. His opinions are usually honest and thoughtful, he seems to have great priorities in his life, and his love for the game comes out of his pores. I feel a bit bad for him for putting his mum in the “loathe” category but she winds me up

For sure. Judy Murray is the worst!

Deuce wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 5:13 am The Wertheim stories jogged my memory about a couple more from a while back...

Back in the 1980s, when Connors was still desperately clinging to his T2000s long after Wilson (and Lacoste!) had stopped making them, Jimmy was asking fans to check their basements to see if they had any from a certain batch - he was offering to buy them from people... I met a guy at a tournament - we were both maybe 18 - 19 years old... He told me he had some T2000s at home that he thought were the ones Connors wanted. I told him to tell Jimmy. He was shy to do that, so I said I'd go with him. He and I waited for Jimmy to come out of the locker room area (this was back when top players were not worshiped and protected like demi-gods). Jimmy came out, with his ever-present friend/business manager (short guy with well groomed grey hair who was attached to Jimmy at the hip for years). The 4 of us had a very friendly and enjoyable conversation about the T2000 frames for about 10 minutes, and Jimmy gave my new friend some kind of contact information to follow up on the T2000s the guy had at home.
I remember walking away from that encounter being thoroughly surprised at how nice and down to Earth Connors was - because he was known for being an asshole.

Also back in the '80s, I somehow became friendly with Tony Pickard during a tournament. Pickard was Stefan Edberg's longtime - and well known - coach. Edberg was an up and coming youngster at the time - probably ranked somewhere in the 20s, but everyone knew he'd be a top 5 player. I don't remember how it began, but I somehow got to talking with Pickard one day, and then every day after that, we'd talk whenever we saw each other on the tournament grounds. He was a very nice man.

Can you imagine giving rackets to Rafa or Federer now? How funny. That's a great story. I maintain that most people involved with tennis are nice.

Liamvalid wrote: ↑Thu Feb 04, 2021 3:22 pm I agree about Andy Murray. Never been a fan of him on the court, but there’s a lot to like about him off of it. His opinions are usually honest and thoughtful, he seems to have great priorities in his life, and his love for the game comes out of his pores. I feel a bit bad for him for putting his mum in the “loathe” category but she winds me up

Andy Murray, total jerk:
His mom's club was short of one player for the weekend tournament. So, who can she get? Jamie? No, she gets Andy to go and play. Of course, he will only do to fill a spot; no way he plays for real.
So he goes and spends a Saturday playing hit and giggles with a bunch of club people, hitting some doubles, mixed, whatever. Takes a ton of selfies, signs everything. AND THEN, he goes to grab a sandwich and, when he is handed it, pulls out his wallet and PAYS FOR IT.
The story would have gone unnoticed if it were not for one person from the club sending it to the press, because the Murrays never brought it up.
Talk about somebody with his feet well planted.
Plus everything Liam says.