See how the superior Millenium FH demolishes Sampras

[Pelle Svanslös]

Second serve, decent return, Rogi forced to move a step back.

In preparing, Rogi takes a full turn. He can go either corner from that
stance and Sampras is left guessing. When the blow comes -- again early
ball, spinny, heavy bullet with great placement -- it's too late.
Sampras has to lift the ball up and the wrong-footing finishing off is
with equal precision.

Breathtaking. The great news is that that FH can be taken on clay, HC
and ... anything, and it will be just as effective. McEnroe drools when
he sees it on TV.

All this with catgut and a 85 sqin paddle. The times were a changing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG70ifjGLqQ#t=22m24s

[Whisper]

Only change was Sampras fading. Fed couldn't breathe with Henman on a
grasscourt in 2001.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
http://www.avg.com

[Guypers]

If peak Fed played peak one dollar greek, it would be hewitt redux, 6-0,6-2,6-0!!!!!!!!!

[John Liang]

Are you sure he wasn't played half assed, or without ass in that match?

[The Iceberg]

After 2000 Sampras had pretty much retired.

[Gracchus]

On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 8:45:44 AM UTC-7, The Iceberg wrote:

> After 2000 Sampras had pretty much retired.

Yeah, just like McEnroe "pretty much retired" after 1985, negating all of his embarrassing losses. We've heard that one before. A player is retired when he or she stops playing professionally.

[Pelle Svanslös]

On 18.5.2017 17:27, Whisper wrote:
> On 18/05/2017 11:34 PM, Pelle Svanslös wrote:
>> Second serve, decent return, Rogi forced to move a step back.
>>
>> In preparing, Rogi takes a full turn. He can go either corner from that
>> stance and Sampras is left guessing. When the blow comes -- again early
>> ball, spinny, heavy bullet with great placement -- it's too late.
>> Sampras has to lift the ball up and the wrong-footing finishing off is
>> with equal precision.
>>
>> Breathtaking. The great news is that that FH can be taken on clay, HC
>> and ... anything, and it will be just as effective. McEnroe drools when
>> he sees it on TV.
>>
>> All this with catgut and a 85 sqin paddle. The times were a changing.
>>
>
>
>
> Only change was Sampras fading.

Nah. Everybody thought the match was an instant classic at the time. The
commies dismissed talk about Sampras' form, Sampras himself dismissed it
after the match.

Just look at the Sampras' first service game. Two aces, two
unreturnables, at least two +130mph 1st serves. That's peak stuff. "I'll
teach you, you whippersnapper".

> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
> http://www.avg.com

You should sign up to a cookie cutter answer checking service.

[reilloc]

You call this the "Millenium FH," and characterize it by describing a
full turn in preparation. Is that it? The Millenium FH uses a full turn
in preparation? Like nobody before 2001 ever did that?

You make a point of dismissing the racket by describing its strings as
ordinary and size as small(er than what's commonly in used today and
what Federer uses now) but I believe the truth is that *is* the
racket--coupled with a mature physicality that grew up using it and made
it into the weapon that produced your so-called "Millenium FH."

Do you not agree that if the year were the same and the point were
identical and if Federer took "a full turn" and hit the same shot but
with a Kramer Autograph or a Maxply or any other wooden racket, you
wouldn't be exclaiming that it was "Breathtaking"(?)

LNC

[Shakes]

Don't know about "Millenium FH", but, yes, Fed's FH is an awesome shot, a very versatile shot. He strikes the right balance, for the most part, between the classical FH and the modern FH.

What's with your bait-posts on S/V, Sampras etc. lately ? I always thought this was a very good match, a well-fought match, that Fed won. I wouldn't call it a demolition by any means, though. And it didn't/doesn't change my opinion that Sampras was the best fast-court player that I've seen for the last 30+ years, though Fed may very soon move past him in the Wim greatness stakes soon should he win Wim this year.

[Pelle Svanslös]

On 19.5.2017 8:54, reilloc wrote:
> On 5/18/2017 8:34 AM, Pelle Svanslös wrote:
>> Second serve, decent return, Rogi forced to move a step back.
>>
>> In preparing, Rogi takes a full turn. He can go either corner from
>> that stance and Sampras is left guessing. When the blow comes -- again
>> early ball, spinny, heavy bullet with great placement -- it's too
>> late. Sampras has to lift the ball up and the wrong-footing finishing
>> off is with equal precision.
>>
>> Breathtaking. The great news is that that FH can be taken on clay, HC
>> and ... anything, and it will be just as effective. McEnroe drools
>> when he sees it on TV.
>>
>> All this with catgut and a 85 sqin paddle. The times were a changing.
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG70ifjGLqQ#t=22m24s
>
> You call this the "Millenium FH," and characterize it by describing a
> full turn in preparation. Is that it? The Millenium FH uses a full turn
> in preparation? Like nobody before 2001 ever did that?

I did not characterise it in any way. The full turn is there to start a
story about why Sampras is left guessing. Practically every shot starts
with one.

The Millenium FH could best be characterised by this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOyx-2KVFdw

> You make a point of dismissing the racket by describing its strings as
> ordinary and size as small(er than what's commonly in used today and
> what Federer uses now) but I believe the truth is that *is* the
> racket--coupled with a mature physicality that grew up using it and made
> it into the weapon that produced your so-called "Millenium FH."

An open-throated graphite helps, definitely. But if the claim is that
without the racquet there would not have been a "Millenium FH", then I'm
less sure.

> Do you not agree that if the year were the same and the point were
> identical and if Federer took "a full turn" and hit the same shot but
> with a Kramer Autograph or a Maxply or any other wooden racket, you
> wouldn't be exclaiming that it was "Breathtaking"(?)

I've seen some pretty nice stuff done with a woodie too. But I usually
don't think much about them. In 1992 they had already been playing with
graphite for almost 10 years.

--
“Donald Trump is the weak man’s vision of a strong man.”
-- Charles Cooke

[reilloc]

On 5/19/2017 2:22 AM, Pelle Svanslös wrote:
> On 19.5.2017 8:54, reilloc wrote:
>> On 5/18/2017 8:34 AM, Pelle Svanslös wrote:
>>> Second serve, decent return, Rogi forced to move a step back.
>>>
>>> In preparing, Rogi takes a full turn. He can go either corner from
>>> that stance and Sampras is left guessing. When the blow comes -- again
>>> early ball, spinny, heavy bullet with great placement -- it's too
>>> late. Sampras has to lift the ball up and the wrong-footing finishing
>>> off is with equal precision.
>>>
>>> Breathtaking. The great news is that that FH can be taken on clay, HC
>>> and ... anything, and it will be just as effective. McEnroe drools
>>> when he sees it on TV.
>>>
>>> All this with catgut and a 85 sqin paddle. The times were a changing.
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG70ifjGLqQ#t=22m24s
>>
>> You call this the "Millenium FH," and characterize it by describing a
>> full turn in preparation. Is that it? The Millenium FH uses a full turn
>> in preparation? Like nobody before 2001 ever did that?
>
> I did not characterise it in any way. The full turn is there to start a
> story about why Sampras is left guessing. Practically every shot starts
> with one.

No offense intended or attempt made to disparage you or what you said.
It's just that the only stroke-mechanical mention you made was the full
turn.

>
> The Millenium FH could best be characterised by this:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOyx-2KVFdw
>
>> You make a point of dismissing the racket by describing its strings as
>> ordinary and size as small(er than what's commonly in used today and
>> what Federer uses now) but I believe the truth is that *is* the
>> racket--coupled with a mature physicality that grew up using it and made
>> it into the weapon that produced your so-called "Millenium FH."
>
> An open-throated graphite helps, definitely. But if the claim is that
> without the racquet there would not have been a "Millenium FH", then I'm
> less sure.

I think you're probably a tennis player yourself and maybe even one
who's used a wooden racket. Given that, I think you have to know that
there's no way wood can impart as much kinetic energy as metal or the
composites that are standard today. It may be that you, as I do, miss
the beauty of the classic stroke necessitated by the use of wood.

>
>> Do you not agree that if the year were the same and the point were
>> identical and if Federer took "a full turn" and hit the same shot but
>> with a Kramer Autograph or a Maxply or any other wooden racket, you
>> wouldn't be exclaiming that it was "Breathtaking"(?)
>
> I've seen some pretty nice stuff done with a woodie too. But I usually
> don't think much about them. In 1992 they had already been playing with
> graphite for almost 10 years.

I don't think always about the old days, about playing with wood, about
watching the pros do things with a wooden racket that I can understand
after I see them done but could never do, myself, but the old days and
wood color my appreciation of the game and make me wince when looking at
the "Millenium FH" and the omnipresent two-handed backhand.

In the video you posted, look at where those guys' wrists are. They
underneath the trailing edge of the racket, in order to wipe the strings
across the ball. Conceptually, I can understand it and obviously it
works for them, people with strength, exquisite timing and years of
repetition.

I don't have to like it, though.

Your observation is accurate.