1970's tennis was a golden era with players like Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, John Newcombe, Vitas Gerulaitis and many others.
So lovely to hear the wonderful, caramel voice and great commentary of Dan Maskell. Tennis in the UK was never the same after he left us. God, how I would have loved to hear him commentate on Emma Raducanu's US Open run!
In those serve-and-volley days, your ground strokes had to be mustard. The number of strokes made by both men when the ball was all but past them and only six inches above the ground is unreal.
Richey putting his arm around Rosewall at the end, despite having lost, is true sportsmanship. Sadly we just don’t see that sort of spirit anymore. Great match and it was fun to watch.
I notice several things. First, Rosewall's classic tennis attire with the neatly pressed cream-colored shorts. Secondly, one notices how the players don't obsess over which balls to serve. The players also don't take a huge amount of time bouncing the ball or fidgeting with themslves before serving. They just immediately served. This respected the other player. Of course, the main difference was the serve and volley game. Players attempted to get to the net in order to put away the point and not engage in long baseline rallies.
I thought they changed the rules, but there was never any rule about the size of the racket head. It's just that the wooden tennis racket couldn't get any bigger due to the limitations of the material. Then along come metal rackets, and it's a piece of cake to make one with twice the hitting area of the wooden racket, and string tension could be higher, and now baseline tennis makes much more sense. Players could generate so much power standing on the baseline that coming in to the net to volley the ball was suddenly far more risky than before, you had to be certain that your opponent was in difficulties because of your approach shot otherwise the winner would fizz past you.
When I see these old videos, especially the women's matches, I wonder why the service returner never moved in and blocked the return back form three or four feet inside the baseline. IT's as though they were glued to the baseline for the return. Agassi used to return from way in there when the serves were much harder.
You are mistaken if you believe Kenny Rosewall only had a "slice". His backhand was extremely versatile and he could hit it any way he wanted. Mostly with underspin, but it was not a defensive slice but a very flat and pentrating shot.
Rosewall v Laver in the WCT final of 1972 is a match to watch that displays the talents of Rosewall far better. Regrettably, Rosewall's best years were in the pro ranks, and very little TV coverage exists of those years.
I don't find it hard, or at least I don't find it the hardest shot. FH volley is hard for me, and Ken was a master of that too. Kramer didn't say 'easy', he said 'relatively easy'. Mostly because of Ken's foot speed.
Summary: H2H: 6-5 Wilander Major H2H: 3-2 Wilander Number of GS: 7-7 Tie Weeks at #1: 170-20 Mcenroe Year end #1: 4-1 Mcenroe Number of ATP titles: 77-33 Mcenroe
A match like this is appreciated. Extended footage of Rosewall is rare on RUclips.
I hope you have caught the 1970 US Open final with Roche which I posted myself.
That was quite a championship match, 54 years young.
1970's tennis was a golden era with players like Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, John Newcombe, Vitas Gerulaitis and many others.
So lovely to hear the wonderful, caramel voice and great commentary of Dan Maskell. Tennis in the UK was never the same after he left us.
God, how I would have loved to hear him commentate on Emma Raducanu's US Open run!
In those serve-and-volley days, your ground strokes had to be mustard. The number of strokes made by both men when the ball was all but past them and only six inches above the ground is unreal.
Richey putting his arm around Rosewall at the end, despite having lost, is true sportsmanship. Sadly we just don’t see that sort of spirit anymore. Great match and it was fun to watch.
Tennis was much more of an art back then than it is today. Today it's a boxing match. Back then it was chess.
Yes it was, although they didn't have the speed of today's game they made up for it with massive rallies and deadly accuracy down the lines.
You say that as though boxing itself doesn’t require strategy and finesse.
Kenny always looks dejected until he beats you.
I notice several things. First, Rosewall's classic tennis attire with the neatly pressed cream-colored shorts. Secondly, one notices how the players don't obsess over which balls to serve. The players also don't take a huge amount of time bouncing the ball or fidgeting with themslves before serving. They just immediately served. This respected the other player.
Of course, the main difference was the serve and volley game. Players attempted to get to the net in order to put away the point and not engage in long baseline rallies.
I thought they changed the rules, but there was never any rule about the size of the racket head. It's just that the wooden tennis racket couldn't get any bigger due to the limitations of the material.
Then along come metal rackets, and it's a piece of cake to make one with twice the hitting area of the wooden racket, and string tension could be higher, and now baseline tennis makes much more sense. Players could generate so much power standing on the baseline that coming in to the net to volley the ball was suddenly far more risky than before, you had to be certain that your opponent was in difficulties because of your approach shot otherwise the winner would fizz past you.
Rosewell may have been 36 but he was in exceptional physical shape.
Great match.
Fantastic.
I think I recall PBS airing some pro tennis back in the day.
Yup, I remember them in the early 80s.
So many talents back then , Gene Mayer, Bob Lutz, Tom Okker, Ion Tiriac, Stan Smith, John Newcomer....
Newcombe
John Newcombe won the tournament.
When I see these old videos, especially the women's matches, I wonder why the service returner never moved in and blocked the return back form three or four feet inside the baseline. IT's as though they were glued to the baseline for the return. Agassi used to return from way in there when the serves were much harder.
On grass? Really? and these pros spent most of their time on stretched canvas. At least as fast.
Ken Rosewal arguably had the greatest slice backhand. Couldn't survive and reach the top with only a slice backhand today.
You are mistaken if you believe Kenny Rosewall only had a "slice". His backhand was extremely versatile and he could hit it any way he wanted. Mostly with underspin, but it was not a defensive slice but a very flat and pentrating shot.
@TheMightySandow We mostly agree, however no where did I say it was "defensive".
Rosewall v Laver in the WCT final of 1972 is a match to watch that displays the talents of Rosewall far better. Regrettably, Rosewall's best years were in the pro ranks, and very little TV coverage exists of those years.
How would Nadal go on those old grass courts?!
@@Ronnie-k6mNadal probably wouldn’t have learned to play the way he does now had the courts of his childhood been grass courts though 😅
Jack Kramer calls this shot Rosewall hits at 3:13 easy (Kramer's commentary on the shot comes in at 4:48)? I don't think so! Hardest shot in tennis.
I don't find it hard, or at least I don't find it the hardest shot. FH volley is hard for me, and Ken was a master of that too. Kramer didn't say 'easy', he said 'relatively easy'. Mostly because of Ken's foot speed.
Summary:
H2H: 6-5 Wilander
Major H2H: 3-2 Wilander
Number of GS: 7-7 Tie
Weeks at #1: 170-20 Mcenroe
Year end #1: 4-1 Mcenroe
Number of ATP titles: 77-33 Mcenroe
What does this have to do with Rosewall v Richey?