Lendl was insanely fit. He used to invite a young Sampras to his home in Greenwich, CT to practice. After playing tennis and cycling with Lendl, Sampras said he was so sore he couldn't walk home. It showed Sampras the price he had to pay to eventually be #1.
Johnny Mac makes the common mistake of thinking elegance is the sole indicator of talent. That’s just one indicator. Just because someone doesn’t look elegant doesn’t mean they are not talented as there are other indicators - mental strength, timing, reading the game, analysis of opponents, ability to disguise shots, varying spin and trajectory and raw instinct to name a few. Ramesh Krishnan was one of the most elegant players I have seen yet he didn’t make a single grand slam final. Lendl dominated McEnroe head-to-head matches. Not bad for a person who supposedly had less talent than Mac had in his little finger.
He was my favourite... I cried when he lost in Wimbledon finals ... Was elated when he won diamond studded racket... In his game you can seee glimpse of all today's generation player bits.... He was powerful like Nadal, had great forehand like Federer and grest court coverage like Djokovic...
I really like Ivan Lendl. He learned a lot by observation of Martina Navratilova. He used Robert Haas for his diet after he saw how effective it was working for Martina. Tony Roche, a student of the greatest coach of all time, Harry Hopman, Australian him too. 🇦🇺 I love Ivan's work on his mind, a very astute tennis 🎾 player.
@@scachan331he was Wimbledon champion was a junior it still counts . He might have won the big one it if he played his normal game but he strung his racket to 55lbs instead of his normal 72lbs and serve and volleyed.
Seems like Djokovic secret weapon all these years was Lendl as his backstage coach. I see too many similarities. They were laughing at Djokovic for doing yoga, having strict nutrition. I believe in 20-30 years, many things he did will be a norm today. What a great video, narration, illustration, music, i watched it in a breath. Lendl was revolutionary.
"And proved that his system worked" If ever a statement summed Lendl up, that was it! Clear to see why he was the final piece to Murray's jigsaw concerning Grand Slams. Another top quality video from this channel 👏
I loved how strong he was, physically and mentally, I did certainly admire Ivan, our son use to ask me to buy the same t-shirt than Ivan when he was only 5 years old.
Ivan shaped today's Tennis and Andre perfected it. BTW when I heard Boris stating "hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard" in an interview I was pretty sure he was referring to his rivalry with Ivan
I think it was Bill Talbert who say that Lendl had the best strokes on both sides since Don Budge or at least something to that effect. That was the ultimate compliment in those days.
For anyone who really knows tennis and has watched it. Lendl was the father of the modern power game that we know today. Lendl originally sliced his backhand a lot before turning it into a blistering weapon. His inside out forehand was lethal and his down the line was deftly accurate. Just think about Lendl who hated grass and could not play on it ended up in 2 finals and 4 semifinals only loosing to superior grass court players. Becker and Cash. I saw him hit devastating ground strokes against Becker and send him to the floor. Connors never beat him again after his early losses, McEnroe either.
His running forehands and backhand passing shots were amazing. They would Curl from outside the court and Curl in land inside the line. Definitely the Father of modern power tennis from the baseline. Prior to Ivan, power tennis was considered a big server and volleyer.
I had once the opportunity to watch him playing at the senior tour in Switzerland. His opponents was much younger and fit (I think it was Tim Herman). Lendel tried a set long, but when he saw he didn’t have a chance he began to play aggressive, not afraid of making mistakes. And there I could see some of the shots that he used in his best time - winners with the forehand and backhand. The power of these shots was really impressive! I never understood peoples telling that he was boring. In this time everybody was boring compared to McEnroe or Connors, right? Lendl was far ahead of his time concerning practice and all the details needed to become a top player.
Calling Ivan Lendl for Roger Federer's last hurrah. Lendl was a beast. I never hated a player as much as I hated him as my favorite player was John McEnroe. I see him now and I feel such immense reverence. He was an absolute beast.
I described a mug of water for 7 minutes. I believe this exercise is what I need to stay in the moment. Thank you for sharing/creating this video whoever you are
He roasted Agassi and Sampras when they came on tour, having started his career with a wooden racket. Bridging eras in such a commanding manner defines him as the real deal in modern tennis.
Im not too proud to say I was a HUGE Lendl fan..not to the extent of wanting to play like him. But I appreciated what compelled him to be so damn good. And it was his drive...not his work ethic, per say..or his diet...or his professionalism or his forehand. Ivan Lendl, to me, was the most driven tennis player I ever saw. Even during those early yrs in the early 80s, when he couldnt get past Borg and Connors, in those grand slams...he was driven, to be better. and what I REALLY admire about him, was how unphased he was about Connors/McEnroe. When they were running their mouths about him on court, Ivan would "check 'em", and get in their faces. Ive seen Lendl approach McEnroe on two different occasions near their chairs, where Ivan got in John's face...letting him know that John didnt have to LIKE Ivan, but dammit!..he was going to RESPECT Ivan. And thats what a driven tennis player is made of. Boris Becker and Ivan Lendl, were the two guys that neither John McEnroe nor Jimmy Connors, could intimidate.
Interesting to hear details about somebody with a crazy work ethic taking his game to a higher level by gaining the perspective that even a Grand Slam final wasn't life or death, it's just a game after all. Sometimes learning to relax is the key to somebody accessing their best, rather than trying so hard with an all or nothing win/lose mentality. Ivan was very under appreciated due in part to his personality, but a great champion with some of the best ground strokes in tennis history.
He helped Murray, which made me so happy. I still remember seeing Lendl ice cold sitting with Murray's mom , not reacting until Murray won in Wimbledon 2013 and US Open 2012. Incredible. Lendl really helped Murray with his mental game, like the way he once helped himself. 2 great champions of the sport
This is an incredibly informative piece. Conrats for putting it together. I do have a slight issue with the title, perhaps designed to get clicks. As Tony Roche pointed out, Lendl was determined to get to the top regardless, he was in a number of finals which shows he was talented, just not ready to make the next step.
The title is is in context to how he was defined by the tennis media of the time - as the ‘player nobody cares about’ and being ‘robotic and mechanical’. In that context he overachieved. We were going to, and may still do, as the ‘father of professional (or modern) tennis’
@@BaselineTennis Indeed. Its inrcedible how many players followed his tactics. Sampras and Courier particularly with the use of the inside out forehand to control rallies for instance.
Eight, consecutive USO finals is a great feat in itself, in the history of the sport. Lendl, although the best player in the 80s, benefitted during a timeframe when Borg retired early at age 25 Mac's peak sizzled due to burnout, Tatum, and who knows what else and Connors career was waning. That left him with Wilander as his primary competition, which matched up well with Lend's game. Becker and Edberg were just getting their HoF careers started during Lendl's #1 years (85-87).
The American media were so pathetic during that time. They couldn't digest the fact that there was someone as good as, if not better, than John McEnroe or Jimmy Connors.
@@shivangpatel1831 Djokovic is only equal to Lendl by how he is treated by the media! At pretty much everything else he is head and shoulders above him and even then some! First of all - slam tally! 18 against 8 (yikes!) Then grand slam finals win-loss ratio - 18-10 for Djokovic (which is almost one third titles won of all finals he played!) against 8-19 for Lendl (which is nearly the exact opposite! Lol) again - yikes! Lendl never winning Wimbledon and failing to capture career grand slam against Djokovic winning it 5 times with Roland Garros title to boot is yet another yikes! I also forgot Lendl managed some kind of incredible feat like winning 4 different grand slams in a row on three different surfaces - Big yikes! Also never enjoyed a three slam winning season as opposed to Djokovic, who enjoyed it twice! But most important of all he was never in any sort of talks for the GOAT title and is currently ranks narrowly alongside fellow ATGs of the past as the king of “mid tier ATGs” (aka people who never reached double digit slam count...), before him Borg was the GOAT, like Laver was before Borg, after him it was Sampras! At very most he was the king of 80’s, but he never was a part of the GOAT conversation, unlike Djokovic! (Who was part of discussion ever since capturing career grand slam in 2016!) Djokovic has the potential to become an ultimate GOAT acknowledged by nearly everyone, Lendl now is remembered as a loser, who lost more grand slam finals than he won! Not quite the same reputation...
@@Summon256 Still 8 titles more than a lot of other players have achieved. I'm sure plenty players would have liked to have had his success. Is he the best ever? Certainly not, but still hardly a loser.
@@matthewturner2803 He is supposed to be superior player than Wilander, yet he lost to him 3 finals and won only one, all three finals were lost on all three different grand slam surfaces too, so you can’t blame it on the surface either! His losses to Becker are the only losses, that are understandable as Becker was supposed to represent slightly younger more modern generation of players along with Edberg! And imho he should have absolutely dealt with Pat Cash in 1987 Wimbledon final! That loss is yikes...anticlimactic!…
I think Lendl should have won the Australian Open in 1983 against Wilander back then it was played on grass, Kookyong. I am not sure about the spelling. Wilander won in 1983 and 1984 and won grass. He was runner up in 1985 against Stefan Edberg. Strange to know that Wilander won two grand Slam on grass.
Totally disagree about that overachiever comment. He was number 3 in the world and took a prime Borg to 5 sets in ther French(!) open before he even started to work. He was an incredible talent. That overachiever stuff was started by McEnroe, who said he had more talent in his left pinky than Lendl had in his entire body. But Lendl’s genius was in his back of court control and power. Basically, if you watch him, he introduced the way 95% of players play today. And in his prime, he’d still do great against today’s best, using current racquet tech.
We totally agree, but the context of the video starts with that McEnroe quote & those mag headlines. In that context he IS the greatest overachiever. To be brutally honest Lendl is the father of modern tennis & the first true modern professional.
I have trouble Lendl labeled as an overachiever. This is a common mistake people makes. Overlook an obvious talent while over emphasize hard work and create another overachiever. It’s off in number of ways when you call Lendl an overachiever. In tennis you don’t overachieve to be that dominant champion. The sport is just too competitive for it. The point you talked about the drastic difference in coaching and professional assistance made on Lendl proves that he actually underachieved badly before his success. It’s the complete opposite conclusion of what you said. The guy was ahead of his time by decades. He is more likely than any of his rivals in his era to succeed in modern tennis. His height alone is right around today’s average though he was tall in his era. Calling one of the most talented players in history of the game an overachiever is a disgrace. I’m not happy about it.
We agree with all your comments. Understand the title in relation to the context of the piece - which is framed on the (misunderstood) notion that Lendl was dull, steely and mechanical (the champion nobody cares about) - in that sense he did 'overachiever', but that (as you state) an oversimplification of a player who is the father of modern tennis and the most influential of all of his contemporaries.
This video is solid but Lendl is actually one of the game's greatest underachievers...he reached 19 GS finals winning only 8. He had one of the greatest forehands of all time, basically invented the inside out forehand. And his one handed backhand gave his opponents fits on hard courts. So he was way more talented than this video indicates. It was extremely colonial and xenophobic for Sports Illustrated to run that headline. Americans were closed minded and when his contemporaries talk about Lendl today, they not only acknowledge him as the best of his era. But they acknowledge how incredibly talented and taken for granted he was.
Nice video. I’m ok with overachiever. In the same way as Djokovic. Finding a way to rack up several GS titles is overachieving, relative to the rest of the field. I’ll never understand the guys that say “oh, he only won 7…of 20 chances” or some such thing. Completely absurd. He’s going for the biggest title possible. And he’s not facing the same opponent each time. Lots of things can happen. The opponent may have lost his last 5 finals and now he’s going to give everything. It takes numerous attempts, but getting to that final is, in itself, a feat.
I dont like the use of the word "overachiever". What Lendl did to transform himself, could have been done by any other player too. That he chose to do it and succeed is what makes him great. It isnt as if he did something he wasnt meant to do. In fact, he should be rightly called the Pioneer of modern professional tennis, "professional" in every sense.
@@tobiasrekker5376 Yes. The only slight difference is that Martina did not have a huge number of competitors other than Chris Evert. After Chris faded away and Steffi came on the scene, Martina couldn't stay at the highest level.Whereas Lendl fought his way through Borg, Connors, Mc Enroe who were at their peak early on in his career, and then the next gen players like Becker/ Edberg / Wilander who achieved early and were tough competion.
Lendl wasn't an overachiever. That makes it sound like he was untalented and overachieved because of that. He was super talented and had great ability.
The title of the video is very insulting. He definitely under achieved. And to call him the game's biggest choker is totally wrong. The guy lost his first grand slam finals to Borg, Connors and McEnroe. And he lost all his other GS finals to Hall of Famers. HE should have won at least 5 more slams.
Lendl was anything but an overachiever, his skill set from the start was quite impressive. Borg himself noted that he was intended for great things. No, he was not a natural when it came to net play and volleying but neither was McEnroe a natural at the baseline. Does this make McEnroe an overachiever? Lendl had to overcome obstacles that few, if any, of his peers faced, especially the two tyrannical twats McEnroe and Connors who were coddled and protected by the American sports media. Too, he revolutionized the game and is thoroughly deserving of his greatest title - the father of modern tennis. It may be fairly said of Lendl that he is the most overlooked and under-appreciated champion of modern tennis but overachiever . . ? Not. Cheers!
@@fundhund62 I suppose it depended on how one wants to define "natural". Sure, McEnroe was a capable baseliner but he was never going to beat anyone of note from the baseline, especially in the Grand Slams. Cheers!
Lendl is similar to Joker. An extremely fit person who just happens to play Tennis. They don't win by talent. They win by outlasting the opponent. They win ugly. Which is why no one likes to watch them.
In his day half of the grand slam tournaments were played on grass which was certainly not his favorite surface... this certainly didn't help his career.
Yes, and Connors is at 2 and 6, Lendl is at 3 an 8. These are consecutive weeks at No.1. These players had multiple long spells at No.1, hence the multiple listings.
what a disrespecting title! the guy lost like 6 or 7 GS finals before he won his first....he made the US Open semifinals or best of eight for like 10 years on the row....you clearly don't know what you talking about...the guy's tennis IQ was unsurpassed before Fed came to the scene....
Well, that might be his best. He might have been nobody without those efforts. It didn't feel like he was giving anything less than 100% in what I've watched of him on RUclips
In terms of overall results, he eclipsed his contemporaries. Only player for 30- something years to not only win 3 different majors but successfully defend them as well. + 95 career tournament wins was head and shoulders above everyone else of his era except for Connors. Yes, he lost 11 major finals but those losses were all to players who were or would become #1. I think its fair to say he found more gears when he needed to and transformed the game. To think there was once a time tennis players just played more tennis to become great. Now everyone works on waist twist rotations/ core flexibility, x-fitness and nutrition. Imo one of the greatest players of all time.
Lendl had a higher IQ then the rest of the field added together.what a stupid title...watch some of his interviews...his insights and preparations are so far above the other guys,they had zero chance...you know Gilbert?he is the American brain of tennis....he's got zero win against Ivan.Murray started winning after hiring Lendl....people are so clueless...or guess how Federer started winning? with the same tactics Lendl used/slice backhand ,every once in a while topspin and big insideout forehand/Whose forehand Sampras imitate? you guessed right...Lendl's....with whom tennis actually become an athletics based sport?...yep,Lendl started it
Lendl and Djokovic are positioned as villains by Western media, which at the end, they brings new revolution of tennis... Lendl brought power of modern tennis, Djokovic introduce flexibility of tennis stroke ..
@@nala3038 Yeah, it is not correct. But I was so surprised that I asked if he only had 3 grand slams. I think they said that in the video. Or I must have heard wrong
He helped Murray, which made me so happy. I still remember seeing Lendl ice cold sitting with Murray's mom , not reacting until Murray won in Wimbledon 2013 and US Open 2012. Incredible. Lendl really helped Murray with his mental game, like the way he once helped himself. 2 great champions of the sport
Both times Murray won 🏆 against Djokovic. He also won twice the Olympic gold and finished the tear 2016 as world number one, defeating Djokovic at the masters finals. The only plater that achieved the number one year end since 2003 at the time.
Lendl was insanely fit. He used to invite a young Sampras to his home in Greenwich, CT to practice. After playing tennis and cycling with Lendl, Sampras said he was so sore he couldn't walk home. It showed Sampras the price he had to pay to eventually be #1.
Johnny Mac makes the common mistake of thinking elegance is the sole indicator of talent. That’s just one indicator. Just because someone doesn’t look elegant doesn’t mean they are not talented as there are other indicators - mental strength, timing, reading the game, analysis of opponents, ability to disguise shots, varying spin and trajectory and raw instinct to name a few. Ramesh Krishnan was one of the most elegant players I have seen yet he didn’t make a single grand slam final. Lendl dominated McEnroe head-to-head matches. Not bad for a person who supposedly had less talent than Mac had in his little finger.
He was my favourite... I cried when he lost in Wimbledon finals ... Was elated when he won diamond studded racket... In his game you can seee glimpse of all today's generation player bits.... He was powerful like Nadal, had great forehand like Federer and grest court coverage like Djokovic...
:) shared memories
Me too
I really like Ivan Lendl. He learned a lot by observation of Martina Navratilova.
He used Robert Haas for his diet after he saw how effective it was working for Martina.
Tony Roche, a student of the greatest coach of all time, Harry Hopman, Australian him too. 🇦🇺
I love Ivan's work on his mind, a very astute tennis 🎾 player.
Same here. I wanted Lendl to win Wimbledon at least once. He would probably win more grand slams today's courts including Wimbledon.
@@scachan331he was Wimbledon champion was a junior it still counts . He might have won the big one it if he played his normal game but he strung his racket to 55lbs instead of his normal 72lbs and serve and volleyed.
Seems like Djokovic secret weapon all these years was Lendl as his backstage coach. I see too many similarities. They were laughing at Djokovic for doing yoga, having strict nutrition. I believe in 20-30 years, many things he did will be a norm today. What a great video, narration, illustration, music, i watched it in a breath. Lendl was revolutionary.
Dude the level of production and entertainment on these videos are so good
"And proved that his system worked"
If ever a statement summed Lendl up, that was it! Clear to see why he was the final piece to Murray's jigsaw concerning Grand Slams.
Another top quality video from this channel 👏
I loved how strong he was, physically and mentally, I did certainly admire Ivan, our son use to ask me to buy the same t-shirt than Ivan when he was only 5 years old.
Ivan shaped today's Tennis and Andre perfected it. BTW when I heard Boris stating "hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard" in an interview I was pretty sure he was referring to his rivalry with Ivan
After Borg left the scene, Lendl became my favorite player. From my TV in the U.S., I willed him to victory in Paris in 1984. 😊
I think it was Bill Talbert who say that Lendl had the best strokes on both sides since Don Budge or at least something to that effect. That was the ultimate compliment in those days.
For anyone who really knows tennis and has watched it. Lendl was the father of the modern power game that we know today. Lendl originally sliced his backhand a lot before turning it into a blistering weapon. His inside out forehand was lethal and his down the line was deftly accurate. Just think about Lendl who hated grass and could not play on it ended up in 2 finals and 4 semifinals only loosing to superior grass court players. Becker and Cash. I saw him hit devastating ground strokes against Becker and send him to the floor. Connors never beat him again after his early losses, McEnroe either.
His running forehands and backhand passing shots were amazing. They would Curl from outside the court and Curl in land inside the line. Definitely the Father of modern power tennis from the baseline. Prior to Ivan, power tennis was considered a big server and volleyer.
Love the way he used Sport Psychology techniques to improve his game. It makes such a difference.
As a coach he also transformed Andy Murray from a choker to a champion.
I had once the opportunity to watch him playing at the senior tour in Switzerland. His opponents was much younger and fit (I think it was Tim Herman). Lendel tried a set long, but when he saw he didn’t have a chance he began to play aggressive, not afraid of making mistakes. And there I could see some of the shots that he used in his best time - winners with the forehand and backhand. The power of these shots was really impressive!
I never understood peoples telling that he was boring. In this time everybody was boring compared to McEnroe or Connors, right? Lendl was far ahead of his time concerning practice and all the details needed to become a top player.
Lendl is the first GOAT of the modern tennis!
Calling Ivan Lendl for Roger Federer's last hurrah.
Lendl was a beast. I never hated a player as much as I hated him as my favorite player was John McEnroe. I see him now and I feel such immense reverence. He was an absolute beast.
Lendl was a brilliant warrior.
Ivan the greatest legend of all time
Great video. You forget to mention that Ivan introduced the change of the racket when balls changes to keep the feelings consistent. Great job
I described a mug of water for 7 minutes. I believe this exercise is what I need to stay in the moment.
Thank you for sharing/creating this video whoever you are
I did research on Alexis Castorri.
Her book's title is "Mental Aerobics".
With Ivan Lendl foreword.
Great book.
Incredible Video! I can't believe that this channel doesn't have more subscribers!
He roasted Agassi and Sampras when they came on tour, having started his career with a wooden racket. Bridging eras in such a commanding manner defines him as the real deal in modern tennis.
Amazing info! Really interesting to see how even 30+ years ago, a top player used sports psychology to develop a winning mindset
This channel is absolutely awesome. Congratulations to the team.
Im not too proud to say I was a HUGE Lendl fan..not to the extent of wanting to play like him. But I appreciated what compelled him to be so damn good. And it was his drive...not his work ethic, per say..or his diet...or his professionalism or his forehand. Ivan Lendl, to me, was the most driven tennis player I ever saw. Even during those early yrs in the early 80s, when he couldnt get past Borg and Connors, in those grand slams...he was driven, to be better.
and what I REALLY admire about him, was how unphased he was about Connors/McEnroe. When they were running their mouths about him on court, Ivan would "check 'em", and get in their faces. Ive seen Lendl approach McEnroe on two different occasions near their chairs, where Ivan got in John's face...letting him know that John didnt have to LIKE Ivan, but dammit!..he was going to RESPECT Ivan. And thats what a driven tennis player is made of. Boris Becker and Ivan Lendl, were the two guys that neither John McEnroe nor Jimmy Connors, could intimidate.
My favourite all time player alongside with Federer. But Lendl was considered a great prospect and talent since junior years.
Congratulations for this video. Well Done!
Interesting to hear details about somebody with a crazy work ethic taking his game to a higher level by gaining the perspective that even a Grand Slam final wasn't life or death, it's just a game after all. Sometimes learning to relax is the key to somebody accessing their best, rather than trying so hard with an all or nothing win/lose mentality. Ivan was very under appreciated due in part to his personality, but a great champion with some of the best ground strokes in tennis history.
So manyy similarities with nole awesome vdo guys keep going
I have often thought that myself.
Certainly not in the style of play!
This is a great example to emulate. Great Blueprint for success.
Wow. Good video. Lendl was one of my favorite players back then.
Is there a video of Navratilova
He helped Murray, which made me so happy. I still remember seeing Lendl ice cold sitting with Murray's mom , not reacting until Murray won in Wimbledon 2013 and US Open 2012. Incredible. Lendl really helped Murray with his mental game, like the way he once helped himself. 2 great champions of the sport
This is an incredibly informative piece. Conrats for putting it together.
I do have a slight issue with the title, perhaps designed to get clicks. As Tony Roche pointed out, Lendl was determined to get to the top regardless, he was in a number of finals which shows he was talented, just not ready to make the next step.
The title is is in context to how he was defined by the tennis media of the time - as the ‘player nobody cares about’ and being ‘robotic and mechanical’. In that context he overachieved. We were going to, and may still do, as the ‘father of professional (or modern) tennis’
@@BaselineTennis Indeed. Its inrcedible how many players followed his tactics. Sampras and Courier particularly with the use of the inside out forehand to control rallies for instance.
One of my favourite tennis player.
One more awesome motion, thanks!
Ivan Lendl was a great champion 🏆.
A great example too.
I would like to see a video on Martina Navratilova, and Bijorn Borg.
40-Love production! Well thought out :). Keep it up and NEVER give up!
Eight, consecutive USO finals is a great feat in itself, in the history of the sport. Lendl, although the best player in the 80s, benefitted during a timeframe when Borg retired early at age 25 Mac's peak sizzled due to burnout, Tatum, and who knows what else and Connors career was waning. That left him with Wilander as his primary competition, which matched up well with Lend's game. Becker and Edberg were just getting their HoF careers started during Lendl's #1 years (85-87).
Overachiever a pair of balls: his groundstrokes were a thing of beauty!
The American media were so pathetic during that time. They couldn't digest the fact that there was someone as good as, if not better, than John McEnroe or Jimmy Connors.
@@shivangpatel1831 Djokovic is only equal to Lendl by how he is treated by the media! At pretty much everything else he is head and shoulders above him and even then some! First of all - slam tally! 18 against 8 (yikes!) Then grand slam finals win-loss ratio - 18-10 for Djokovic (which is almost one third titles won of all finals he played!) against 8-19 for Lendl (which is nearly the exact opposite! Lol) again - yikes! Lendl never winning Wimbledon and failing to capture career grand slam against Djokovic winning it 5 times with Roland Garros title to boot is yet another yikes! I also forgot Lendl managed some kind of incredible feat like winning 4 different grand slams in a row on three different surfaces - Big yikes! Also never enjoyed a three slam winning season as opposed to Djokovic, who enjoyed it twice! But most important of all he was never in any sort of talks for the GOAT title and is currently ranks narrowly alongside fellow ATGs of the past as the king of “mid tier ATGs” (aka people who never reached double digit slam count...), before him Borg was the GOAT, like Laver was before Borg, after him it was Sampras! At very most he was the king of 80’s, but he never was a part of the GOAT conversation, unlike Djokovic! (Who was part of discussion ever since capturing career grand slam in 2016!) Djokovic has the potential to become an ultimate GOAT acknowledged by nearly everyone, Lendl now is remembered as a loser, who lost more grand slam finals than he won! Not quite the same reputation...
@@Summon256 8 Grand Slam singles titles, hardly a loser.
@@matthewturner2803 ...8 titles out of 19 finals...so 8 won and 11 lost! Not a loser?! Ok boomer...lol
@@Summon256 Still 8 titles more than a lot of other players have achieved. I'm sure plenty players would have liked to have had his success. Is he the best ever? Certainly not, but still hardly a loser.
@@matthewturner2803 He is supposed to be superior player than Wilander, yet he lost to him 3 finals and won only one, all three finals were lost on all three different grand slam surfaces too, so you can’t blame it on the surface either! His losses to Becker are the only losses, that are understandable as Becker was supposed to represent slightly younger more modern generation of players along with Edberg! And imho he should have absolutely dealt with Pat Cash in 1987 Wimbledon final! That loss is yikes...anticlimactic!…
My favorite....Lendl should have won 2 more US open and atleast 1 Wimbledon....v informative video
I think Lendl should have won the Australian Open in 1983 against Wilander back then it was played on grass, Kookyong.
I am not sure about the spelling.
Wilander won in 1983 and 1984 and won grass. He was runner up in 1985 against Stefan Edberg.
Strange to know that Wilander won two grand Slam on grass.
Totally disagree about that overachiever comment. He was number 3 in the world and took a prime Borg to 5 sets in ther French(!) open before he even started to work. He was an incredible talent. That overachiever stuff was started by McEnroe, who said he had more talent in his left pinky than Lendl had in his entire body. But Lendl’s genius was in his back of court control and power. Basically, if you watch him, he introduced the way 95% of players play today. And in his prime, he’d still do great against today’s best, using current racquet tech.
We totally agree, but the context of the video starts with that McEnroe quote & those mag headlines. In that context he IS the greatest overachiever. To be brutally honest Lendl is the father of modern tennis & the first true modern professional.
Incredible
NIce work. 👍
Every single data point provided by thi video regarding post-1984 events are mostly imprecise,
The data are incomplete.
Father of modern tennis
I have trouble Lendl labeled as an overachiever. This is a common mistake people makes. Overlook an obvious talent while over emphasize hard work and create another overachiever.
It’s off in number of ways when you call Lendl an overachiever. In tennis you don’t overachieve to be that dominant champion. The sport is just too competitive for it. The point you talked about the drastic difference in coaching and professional assistance made on Lendl proves that he actually underachieved badly before his success. It’s the complete opposite conclusion of what you said.
The guy was ahead of his time by decades. He is more likely than any of his rivals in his era to succeed in modern tennis. His height alone is right around today’s average though he was tall in his era.
Calling one of the most talented players in history of the game an overachiever is a disgrace. I’m not happy about it.
We agree with all your comments. Understand the title in relation to the context of the piece - which is framed on the (misunderstood) notion that Lendl was dull, steely and mechanical (the champion nobody cares about) - in that sense he did 'overachiever', but that (as you state) an oversimplification of a player who is the father of modern tennis and the most influential of all of his contemporaries.
Wow!!!
My favourite tennis player ever, bar Murray
84 french open. Final he was 2 sets down but not a break down in the third
This video is solid but Lendl is actually one of the game's greatest underachievers...he reached 19 GS finals winning only 8. He had one of the greatest forehands of all time, basically invented the inside out forehand. And his one handed backhand gave his opponents fits on hard courts. So he was way more talented than this video indicates. It was extremely colonial and xenophobic for Sports Illustrated to run that headline. Americans were closed minded and when his contemporaries talk about Lendl today, they not only acknowledge him as the best of his era. But they acknowledge how incredibly talented and taken for granted he was.
Anyone who calls Lendl and "overachiever" knows nothing about tennis!
Nice video. I’m ok with overachiever. In the same way as Djokovic. Finding a way to rack up several GS titles is overachieving, relative to the rest of the field. I’ll never understand the guys that say “oh, he only won 7…of 20 chances” or some such thing. Completely absurd. He’s going for the biggest title possible. And he’s not facing the same opponent each time. Lots of things can happen. The opponent may have lost his last 5 finals and now he’s going to give everything. It takes numerous attempts, but getting to that final is, in itself, a feat.
He Reached 19 finals, only the big 3 had archived more. He has 8 finals in a row in the US Open, more than anyone else. My favourite player.
He won 8 Grand Slams not 7, and 5 Masters (equal to Sampras, only Djoko and Fed have more).
Sounds like Djokovic of that era…
I dont like the use of the word "overachiever". What Lendl did to transform himself, could have been done by any other player too. That he chose to do it and succeed is what makes him great. It isnt as if he did something he wasnt meant to do. In fact, he should be rightly called the Pioneer of modern professional tennis, "professional" in every sense.
The real pioneer was Martina Navratilova (smartina)
@@tobiasrekker5376 Yes. The only slight difference is that Martina did not have a huge number of competitors other than Chris Evert. After Chris faded away and Steffi came on the scene, Martina couldn't stay at the highest level.Whereas Lendl fought his way through Borg, Connors, Mc Enroe who were at their peak early on in his career, and then the next gen players like Becker/ Edberg / Wilander who achieved early and were tough competion.
Was my favorite player when he was an active player. Then along came Federer a decade later
I would argue Stan Wawrinka is tennis' biggest overachiever.
3 majors at a 63% win ratio really shouldn't happen.
He still wants 3 G.
AO 2014 against Nadal
RG 2015 against Djokovic
US O 2016 against Djokovic
Not bad.
The Father of the modern Tennis.
Lendl wasn't an overachiever. That makes it sound like he was untalented and overachieved because of that. He was super talented and had great ability.
I wish I was so untalented
Yes. Every single Grand Slam tournament or major winner is very talented, and they all work extremely long and hard on their tennis game.
Lendl wasn't an overachiever.
The Ostrava Ghost, as Bud Collins used to say
lendl underachieved. he could have won a lot more
I'm shocked by the ball bounce count.
LOL, overachiever.
If anything, underachiever
If not for his late blooming, his slam tally would be double digits ++
“If not for his late blooming”…
The title of the video is very insulting. He definitely under achieved. And to call him the game's biggest choker is totally wrong. The guy lost his first grand slam finals to Borg, Connors and McEnroe. And he lost all his other GS finals to Hall of Famers. HE should have won at least 5 more slams.
Lendl was anything but an overachiever, his skill set from the start was quite impressive. Borg himself noted that he was intended for great things. No, he was not a natural when it came to net play and volleying but neither was McEnroe a natural at the baseline. Does this make McEnroe an overachiever? Lendl had to overcome obstacles that few, if any, of his peers faced, especially the two tyrannical twats McEnroe and Connors who were coddled and protected by the American sports media. Too, he revolutionized the game and is thoroughly deserving of his greatest title - the father of modern tennis. It may be fairly said of Lendl that he is the most overlooked and under-appreciated champion of modern tennis but overachiever . . ? Not. Cheers!
McEnroe was "a natural" in any part of the game, actually.
@@fundhund62 I suppose it depended on how one wants to define "natural". Sure, McEnroe was a capable baseliner but he was never going to beat anyone of note from the baseline, especially in the Grand Slams. Cheers!
How is it determined whether someone has "natural" talent at something?
2:45-2:47
He contacted East German sports minister 😉
Lendl is similar to Joker. An extremely fit person who just happens to play Tennis. They don't win by talent. They win by outlasting the opponent. They win ugly. Which is why no one likes to watch them.
In his day half of the grand slam tournaments were played on grass which was certainly not his favorite surface... this certainly didn't help his career.
Pete Sampras nr 5 and nr 7!
Yes, and Connors is at 2 and 6, Lendl is at 3 an 8. These are consecutive weeks at No.1. These players had multiple long spells at No.1, hence the multiple listings.
After retiring it seems he let go all of his fitness ethics
He's kind of in shape now though
He had chronic back problems for years if not decades.
what a disrespecting title! the guy lost like 6 or 7 GS finals before he won his first....he made the US Open semifinals or best of eight for like 10 years on the row....you clearly don't know what you talking about...the guy's tennis IQ was unsurpassed before Fed came to the scene....
In my opinion, he underachieved his potential. He was extremely fragile on the big points / big matches.
Well, that might be his best. He might have been nobody without those efforts. It didn't feel like he was giving anything less than 100% in what I've watched of him on RUclips
In terms of overall results, he eclipsed his contemporaries. Only player for 30- something years to not only win 3 different majors but successfully defend them as well. + 95 career tournament wins was head and shoulders above everyone else of his era except for Connors. Yes, he lost 11 major finals but those losses were all to players who were or would become #1. I think its fair to say he found more gears when he needed to and transformed the game. To think there was once a time tennis players just played more tennis to become great. Now everyone works on waist twist rotations/ core flexibility, x-fitness and nutrition. Imo one of the greatest players of all time.
Oh and one more thing - the guy was also a class act on the court. Didn't waist energy on tantrums or trash talk his opponents.
@gildylan8703 Djokovic has lost 11 GS Finals.
You mean you are an underachiever. Boris Becker could have done much better.
"I have more talent in my little finger than he has in his whole body".. John McEnroe. Goes on to have a losing record. Lol. WTF?
Lendl had a higher IQ then the rest of the field added together.what a stupid title...watch some of his interviews...his insights and preparations are so far above the other guys,they had zero chance...you know Gilbert?he is the American brain of tennis....he's got zero win against Ivan.Murray started winning after hiring Lendl....people are so clueless...or guess how Federer started winning? with the same tactics Lendl used/slice backhand ,every once in a while topspin and big insideout forehand/Whose forehand Sampras imitate? you guessed right...Lendl's....with whom tennis actually become an athletics based sport?...yep,Lendl started it
1:21 "Mettle", not "metal". Jesus!
Lendl and Djokovic are positioned as villains by Western media, which at the end, they brings new revolution of tennis... Lendl brought power of modern tennis, Djokovic introduce flexibility of tennis stroke ..
You may enjoy our video on this subject.
ruclips.net/video/jbmeOsTjrRM/видео.html
McEnroe only has 3 grand slams??
That’s incorrect
@@nala3038 Yeah, it is not correct. But I was so surprised that I asked if he only had 3 grand slams. I think they said that in the video. Or I must have heard wrong
@@nala3038 Here is why I asked 2:37
Mc Enroe has 7 GS.
Over achiever? Says who? You? Ivan Lendl was a great player and champion. Something you'll never achieve as a RUclipsr.
Execute? Serve
achiever
Mcenroe est bien au dessus !
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hard work values here ( shaolin k y p e arnld brc le
Djokovic is today's Lendl.
He helped Murray, which made me so happy. I still remember seeing Lendl ice cold sitting with Murray's mom , not reacting until Murray won in Wimbledon 2013 and US Open 2012. Incredible. Lendl really helped Murray with his mental game, like the way he once helped himself. 2 great champions of the sport
Both times Murray won 🏆 against Djokovic. He also won twice the Olympic gold and finished the tear 2016 as world number one, defeating Djokovic at the masters finals.
The only plater that achieved the number one year end since 2003 at the time.