One of the best serve and volley female player, Jana Novotna, rest in peace, who died of cancer 3 years ago. Much love to Monica Seles, one of the best female tennis player with that two handed backhand and forehand. Both players were indeed unique. I miss watching you play ladies, xoxo
Novotna had a brilliant game, and as the others have said: it will not be seen again. Looking back at these clips you can see just how well Monica moved in her prime. She was very fast, and so many of those shots from Jana would have beaten many players. Seles hit a lot of her passing shots on the run. Of course, the stabbing robbed the world of Monica's best prime tennis. Her attacker understood that she was only going to get better so he stopped her getting there. Monica and Steffi would have shared the Grand Slams but Monica would have won more if she was able to keep playing as she did. Steffi is still one of the greatest players ever, she is one of the true greats, and many of her records will never be broken: especially the 'Golden Slam' of 1988. However, it's hard to see how she would have reached 22 slams with Monica in her prime as her rival: it would not have been statistically possible. Monica was too strong in the '90s.
Monica's movement was very underrated - Martina Navratilova had a theory about it. She thought Monica wasn't necessarily the very fastest player, but she had "the longest arm in tennis". She was really brilliant at stretching and reaching for shots.
@@zeddeka 'the longest arm in Tennis' Navratilova is good with the sound bites. Well, she was victim to many of Monica's single-handed forhand passing shots!
I can't argue with you. In her youth and at her best, Monica hit the ball with more raw power than anyone, and yes, she was quick. What a shame. Novotna's game, however, is simply delightful to watch, a female version of Federer, if you like. Those mid-height, moderate-speed backhands that were neither short nor long, but had a deadening effect on her opponents ability to force the issue, and her net coverage was superb. I love how she could think her way around points.
Jana was the last of the serve & volleyers. It is highly unlikely that we will see another like her. And you know for sure that we will never see another like Monica. It's a shame.
Jess4metoo None of the insiders of tennis knew she was ill, only her close friends and family. After that tough loss to Graf in ‘93(and another to Hingis in ‘97) it is great she finally got to hoist that Wimbledon plate in 1998.
Different Monica Seles,she was very mobile here and can chased the ball well because Novotna was covering the net all the time, Novotna's disadvantage was the passing shots from Monica..
This match started Seles' 2+ year (should have been more) dominance of women's tennis. Wins 7 out of 9 majors from '91 AO to '93 'AO (talk of her winning the Grand Slam in '93), then gets stabbed by that psycho Graf fan, leading to an almost 3 year layoff, comes back and IMMEDIATELY makes the '95 US Open Final, almost beating Graf, then follows up winning the '96 AO. But just wasn't the same after that. Freakin 3 years of her prime lost. Probably would have won close to 20 majors if not for that psycho.
Yeah, if 25-30 slams is "close to 20." Barring any serious injury, she had a solid decade of dominance coming. Who was going to stop her? She was about to start dismantling Graf; and Hingis never would've been a challenge if Monica's mobility hadn't been compromised. Venus would have been the first legitimate threat in the 2000s...and Davenport with her big serve and flat, heavy groundstrokes.
I think, if sabatini had had electric shocks sent regularly to her brain to keep her awake, she could have started giving some sustained seles resistance........ :(
Elegance and court smarts versus raw power. These two certainly were fun to watch. RIP Jana, and what could have been with Monica. Thanks for posting this.
Seles had court smarts too. She's one of the first players to hit the ball on the rise and anticipated opponents shots very well. She's also not afraid to use variety such as lobs and topspins and use the odd angle here and there.
The similarities between Novotna`s and Edberg`s game-styles are quite remarkable. Stroke-, as well as movement-wise, both were marked by an elegant creative fluidity. Thinking of their forehand techniques they even shared one of their most prominent susceptibilities. Thank You, Cindy C, for the reminder of a woman, who literally played the game of tennis.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY came-up with the geometric razzle-dazzle that Seles could produce on the court in her prime. Novotna played lights-out in this match, but Seles was just too mighty.
+JamieOwen50 Aww thanks, so do you! Your videos were one of the inspirations for me to start uploading videos here on YT :) Sorry, for some reason i couldn't reply directly to your comment
Jacques Hsu jana was a problem for everyone and should of won a lot more slams her foot work,shots everything,but she always brought the best out of everyone.
She was really underrated. But I agree, I think mentally she was a bit weak, is why things didn't come together for her more. Where as Sanchez was very underwhelming, but she was very mentally strong and focused which helped her win matches she had no business winning.
R.I.P Jana I remember watching this final rooting for Jana as her game was unbelievable! But Monica was too good. 2 of my fav players as Monica in these years was amazing, heartbreaking for a fan of Steffi as I am but you can’t say that she was not amazing! What if... We would have had so many great classic finals between Steffi and Monica... such a shame!♥️♥️😇😇
Monica was amazing at many things. She had absolutely stunning timing, focus, balance, and killer instinct. But her movement was far from amazing, especially relative to the likes of Graf, Sanchez Vicario, Coetzer, Novotna, etc.
Here is a song of tribute to Jana Novotna, who has just sailed from this world, to the “way of truth” (“slí na firinne”, in Irish). It is precisely inspired by an Irish song : “The Maid of Coolmore”, the melody of which can be found on the following link : ruclips.net/video/ySnJyHjbca4/видео.html I advise you to listen to the melody, reading the words of this song, that becomes : “the Maid of Brno”, as Brno (Czech Republic) was the native town of now late Jana (it breaks my heart to have to use this adjective before her so lovely first name, from now on…). Faithful to her roots, she passed away in the village of Omice, near to Brno, where she spent her last days. THE MAID OF BRNO From sweet Brno town to fair Wimbledon There is no other nicer heather anywhere to be found Where the champions each evening are a-playin' 'on the lawn And the joy bells were ringin' for the maid of Brno town The first time that I met her, she cried on my shoulder The next time that I met her, she raised the silver salver But the last time that I met her, she grieved my heart sore For she sailed down Church Road to come back never more If I had the power, the life to give I would blow the wind higher for her again to live I would blow the wind higher to overcome the death On the day that the Maid sailed away from this earth To the village of Omice her grave I'll search for For there I know no one, nor no one knows me I'll leave on it my nicest flowers in her loving memory And like a pilgrim I will give tribute to her ever more The first time that I met her, she cried on my shoulderThe next time that I met her, she raised the silver salver But the last time that I met her, she grieved my heart sore For she sailed down Church Road to come back never more
I think Jana would have stood a good chance to win this final - and thereby her 1st Grand Slam tournament - if a strained muscle in the leg hadn't ailed her while she was dominating this match, having taken the first set. Jana was so unlucky throughout her career...
she had a strained muscle leg? I didn't know that. I know she had a stomach muscle injury at the 1997 Wimbledon finals but i wasn't aware that she was injured in this match too.
She was, unfortunately. After winning the first set, she had a strained muscle leg, by the middle of the second one. Thereafter, she wasn't herself anymore, and everything became much easier for Monica (which doesn't withdraw anything from her victory). It was most unfair, as she had achieved such a great tournament, beating Zina Garrison, Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez in a row. Anyway, injuries do less harm than a cancer. Poor Jana....
I remember her tripping over her doubles partner in Paris and having it affect her Wimbledon title defense. She could barely move in the match against Lindsay Davenpot
@@ChicanoPhD Monica was very godd, indeed. But maybe Jana would have won this match, if she hadn't been injuried. Maybe not. It will remain a question mark for ever. Anyway, it is Monica's name that stands in the record. And Monica is still alive. Not Jana... But I go to Wimbledon each year, on the eve of the Tournament, so as to leave flowers in her loving memory there. Dear Jana... 😥😥😥
Novotna reminds me of the other Czech women before her that were really good, but not quite enough to be 'great', Mandlikova and Sukova.. really awkward and gangly! Hard to explain, but I found them all awkward to watch. I adore Monica. My favourite female player, ever x
Jana Novotna era mi favorita para ver. Su estilo y talento hacían el tenis femenino mucho más interesante. Me cuesta aceptar que ella ya no está entre nosotros.
So do a lot people who shouldn't. Most likely because they got a few wins on her when she 15 and/or benefitted greatly from the attack. Jana was a great player, but Monica would've consistently taken her apart had she not been stabbed.
Seles played Novotna twice in 91-92 and barely won both times in 3 sets, incuding this match on Jana's absolute worst surface (Jana is worse on rebound ace than clay even). That is when Jana was much weaker than she was in 94-98, particularly 96-98. She was always going to have a tough time with Jana. And who are these lots of people who have winning records vs Seles that shouldnt? Graf, Venus, Serena? Basically Jana is the only one you could argue, those others hardly. Hingis and Davenport too, but with their age advantage they likely were going to always have one as well.
Monica had just turned 17 in this match; and the '92 match was the WTA Championships (on carpet -- very favorable to Jana's game) at the end of the year. She was probably a bit worn out from winning everything. Anyway, she finished both of those matches 6-1(wouldn't call that barely winning). She was only getting better and future wins would have been more convincing. Come on! Monica lost 2 of the later matches on clay. NEVER. WOULD. HAVE. HAPPENED. And the other lose was 8-6 in the 3rd. To answer your other question. YES. NO. ABSOLUTELY (Monica would have "Jennifer Capriatied" Serena). YES. And Maybe. I made a brief post about this below when I first commented. P.S. Having a "tough time with" and losing to a player are very different things. Especially with someone as mentally tough as Monica and as mentally fragile as Novotna.
Capriati has a losing record vs Serena, and didnt post a single win over peak Serena (she lost all 8 or so of their matches in 02-03 which is the only version of peak Serena she ever faced). So your Capriati point is pointless. Not to mention it is obvious to anyone with a brain Serena had some weird and eerie mental issue playing Capriati which almost everyone has vs 1 or 2 people, and btw Seles probably had when playing Novotna which makes your suggestion she would be crushing her regularly when she never did that is stupid. Anyway if you think Seles would ever have a winning record vs Serena when Serena had a huge age advantage even if Seles were never stabbed, is a better player overall and even peak to peak, is clearly a bad match up for Seles, and when Seles would have been well past her prime by the early 2000s when Serena began as a contender apart from a bit in 99 well then continue your delusions.
The Capriati/Serena h2h has nothing to do with this really. Stylistically they are similar and Monica would have similarly taken Serena apart. Monica was a smart player who attacked weaknesses better than anyone. She would have found Serena's and exploited it. I guarantee it. When I say she would have "Jennifer Capriatied" Serena I mean that she would devastated her career by quashing all of the early expectations surrounding her. Monica or Venus (not to mention Hingis) almost certainly would have taken Serena out of slam after slam. Imagine if Serena didn't win her first slam until she was 23 or 24. That's what would've happened. No slam as a teen, certainly no Serena Slam, and most importantly, no mythologizing her. Having that media-generated air of invincibilty does wonders for a career -- it's precisely what was stolen from Monica when she was stabbed. Serena would basically be Capriati, but with maybe a few more slams (6-7). Venus never would have bought into Richard's mindf*@kery about Serena being the better player (she wasn't) and would probably have 14+. You do realize that in '01 when Monica got slightly fitter (yet was still 20+ lbs overweight with a foot problem) she nearly beat Serena twice in a row? What do you think would have happened if she was supremely fit and confident with 20+ slams under her belt? Don't forget that we never saw peak Monica. Why are you mentioning an age advantage? Does Serena and every other old player on tour have that now? NO. Yet a lot of them are still winning. Seles turned 26 in Dec '99. That's hardly old. Which makes what I stated above completely plausible and not at all delusional.
R.I.P. Jana Novotna. She was one of the last serve and volley players.
extrañamos a Jana novotna talentosa y con mucha gracia para jugar. Derroto varias veces a Seles
Not quite. There was Natalie Tauziat. Novotna retired early
One unforced error in the third set of a GS final? Monica was brilliant.
Thank you girls for the great game. Thanks Monica for the win ... R.I.P Jana
One of the best serve and volley female player, Jana Novotna, rest in peace, who died of cancer 3 years ago. Much love to Monica Seles, one of the best female tennis player with that two handed backhand and forehand. Both players were indeed unique. I miss watching you play ladies, xoxo
Novotna had a brilliant game, and as the others have said: it will not be seen again. Looking back at these clips you can see just how well Monica moved in her prime. She was very fast, and so many of those shots from Jana would have beaten many players. Seles hit a lot of her passing shots on the run. Of course, the stabbing robbed the world of Monica's best prime tennis. Her attacker understood that she was only going to get better so he stopped her getting there.
Monica and Steffi would have shared the Grand Slams but Monica would have won more if she was able to keep playing as she did. Steffi is still one of the greatest players ever, she is one of the true greats, and many of her records will never be broken: especially the 'Golden Slam' of 1988. However, it's hard to see how she would have reached 22 slams with Monica in her prime as her rival: it would not have been statistically possible. Monica was too strong in the '90s.
Monica's movement was very underrated - Martina Navratilova had a theory about it. She thought Monica wasn't necessarily the very fastest player, but she had "the longest arm in tennis". She was really brilliant at stretching and reaching for shots.
@@zeddeka 'the longest arm in Tennis' Navratilova is good with the sound bites. Well, she was victim to many of Monica's single-handed forhand passing shots!
I can't argue with you. In her youth and at her best, Monica hit the ball with more raw power than anyone, and yes, she was quick. What a shame.
Novotna's game, however, is simply delightful to watch, a female version of Federer, if you like. Those mid-height, moderate-speed backhands that were neither short nor long, but had a deadening effect on her opponents ability to force the issue, and her net coverage was superb. I love how she could think her way around points.
Jana was the last of the serve & volleyers. It is highly unlikely that we will see another like her. And you know for sure that we will never see another like Monica. It's a shame.
Dear and sweet Jana...
Rest In Peace Jana.
1Rdby OMG! I had no idea she died. RIP. I'm so glad she got the Wimbledon trophy she so deserved.
Jess4metoo
None of the insiders of tennis knew she was ill, only her close friends and family.
After that tough loss to Graf in ‘93(and another to Hingis in ‘97) it is great she finally got to hoist that Wimbledon plate in 1998.
This is just devastating news. I'm sad to read about her passing. May she rest in peace and we will never forget her and the legacy she left with us
Different Monica Seles,she was very mobile here and can chased the ball well because Novotna was covering the net all the time, Novotna's disadvantage was the passing shots from Monica..
Two of the best players ever loved both there games ❤❤
This match started Seles' 2+ year (should have been more) dominance of women's tennis. Wins 7 out of 9 majors from '91 AO to '93 'AO (talk of her winning the Grand Slam in '93), then gets stabbed by that psycho Graf fan, leading to an almost 3 year layoff, comes back and IMMEDIATELY makes the '95 US Open Final, almost beating Graf, then follows up winning the '96 AO. But just wasn't the same after that. Freakin 3 years of her prime lost. Probably would have won close to 20 majors if not for that psycho.
Yeah, if 25-30 slams is "close to 20." Barring any serious injury, she had a solid decade of dominance coming. Who was going to stop her? She was about to start dismantling Graf; and Hingis never would've been a challenge if Monica's mobility hadn't been compromised. Venus would have been the first legitimate threat in the 2000s...and Davenport with her big serve and flat, heavy groundstrokes.
Whatever you say Monica.
@@mistertennis7664
Must be comfortable in Lala-Land ;-)
She is the best I ever saw
I think, if sabatini had had electric shocks sent regularly to her brain to keep her awake, she could have started giving some sustained seles resistance........ :(
Elegance and court smarts versus raw power. These two certainly were fun to watch. RIP Jana, and what could have been with Monica. Thanks for posting this.
You're welcome!
Seles had court smarts too. She's one of the first players to hit the ball on the rise and anticipated opponents shots very well. She's also not afraid to use variety such as lobs and topspins and use the odd angle here and there.
The similarities between Novotna`s and Edberg`s game-styles are quite remarkable. Stroke-, as well as movement-wise, both were marked by an elegant creative fluidity. Thinking of their forehand techniques they even shared one of their most prominent susceptibilities.
Thank You, Cindy C, for the reminder of a woman, who literally played the game of tennis.
Watched this live- fantastic tennis
RIP Jana- we miss you
Inspired MONIKA!!! OMG miss u
Novotna was a known “choker” in the big matches. This match deserves a full match posting.
Two wonderful players here! Excellent win and championship for Monica! :)
Monica simply the best ever. Jana r.i.p.
So incredible!!
Monica❤️❤️❤️❤️
a lot of players have trouble playing jana
Yeah no body wanna to play her..she should of won more
Neil Modino Totally agree. An awkward game with a lot of variety, plus she was one of the better movers.
Except Lindsay Davenport..
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY came-up with the geometric razzle-dazzle that Seles could produce on the court in her prime. Novotna played lights-out in this match, but Seles was just too mighty.
What a joke, Jana the final 10 games of the match from 3-3 in the 2nd set barely put a ball in the court.
Novotna seriously running out of mental and physical steam in that last set.
I could play like peak seles on Top Spin 4 on the playstation.
2 of the greatest
+JamieOwen50 Aww thanks, so do you! Your videos were one of the inspirations for me to start uploading videos here on YT :) Sorry, for some reason i couldn't reply directly to your comment
Jana's game really troubles Monica, but she lacks the mental toughness.
Jacques Hsu jana was a problem for everyone and should of won a lot more slams her foot work,shots everything,but she always brought the best out of everyone.
She was really underrated. But I agree, I think mentally she was a bit weak, is why things didn't come together for her more. Where as Sanchez was very underwhelming, but she was very mentally strong and focused which helped her win matches she had no business winning.
R.I.P Jana I remember watching this final rooting for Jana as her game was unbelievable! But Monica was too good. 2 of my fav players as Monica in these years was amazing, heartbreaking for a fan of Steffi as I am but you can’t say that she was not amazing! What if... We would have had so many great classic finals between Steffi and Monica... such a shame!♥️♥️😇😇
Was never a fan of Novotna's game - didn't hate her or anything like that. Just wasn't a fan. BUT I was so happy for her when she won Wimbledon.
Lots winning shots but Monica always clam and composed......but Jana....oh....
Nobody:__________
Nobody Ever _____
Monicas had Enough: 18:03
Monica's movement was amazing,she lost it..
Monica was amazing at many things. She had absolutely stunning timing, focus, balance, and killer instinct. But her movement was far from amazing, especially relative to the likes of Graf, Sanchez Vicario, Coetzer, Novotna, etc.
gk891 you don't know what you are talking about.
I so much enjoyed watching Jana play because she was such a good volleyer.
The point at 17:49, trouble at the net!
Jana pura técnica!
Such a shame for Jana that she couldn't hold her form in that final set. She seemed to run out of mental and physical steam.
As Monica got better during the match Jana seemed unwilling to go to net. I noticed Seles baiting her a few times.
Here is a song of tribute to Jana Novotna, who has just sailed from this
world, to the “way of truth” (“slí na firinne”, in Irish).
It is precisely inspired by an Irish song : “The Maid of Coolmore”, the
melody of which can be found on the following link :
ruclips.net/video/ySnJyHjbca4/видео.html
I advise you to listen to the melody, reading the words of this song,
that becomes : “the Maid of Brno”, as Brno (Czech Republic) was the
native town of now late Jana (it breaks my heart to have to use this
adjective before her so lovely first name, from now on…).
Faithful to her roots, she passed away in the village of Omice, near to
Brno, where she spent her last days.
THE MAID OF BRNO
From sweet Brno town to fair Wimbledon
There is no other nicer heather anywhere to be found
Where the champions each evening are a-playin' 'on the lawn
And the joy bells were ringin' for the maid of Brno town
The first time that I met her, she cried on my shoulder
The next time that I met her, she raised the silver salver
But the last time that I met her, she grieved my heart sore
For she sailed down Church Road to come back never more
If I had the power, the life to give
I would blow the wind higher for her again to live
I would blow the wind higher to overcome the death
On the day that the Maid sailed away from this earth
To the village of Omice her grave I'll search for
For there I know no one, nor no one knows me
I'll leave on it my nicest flowers in her loving memory
And like a pilgrim I will give tribute to her ever more
The first time that I met her, she cried on my shoulderThe next time
that I met her, she raised the silver salver
But the last time that I met her, she grieved my heart sore
For she sailed down Church Road to come back never more
I think Jana would have stood a good chance to win this final - and thereby her 1st Grand Slam tournament - if a strained muscle in the leg hadn't ailed her while she was dominating this match, having taken the first set. Jana was so unlucky throughout her career...
she had a strained muscle leg? I didn't know that. I know she had a stomach muscle injury at the 1997 Wimbledon finals but i wasn't aware that she was injured in this match too.
She was, unfortunately. After winning the first set, she had a strained muscle leg, by the middle of the second one. Thereafter, she wasn't herself anymore, and everything became much easier for Monica (which doesn't withdraw anything from her victory). It was most unfair, as she had achieved such a great tournament, beating Zina Garrison, Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez in a row.
Anyway, injuries do less harm than a cancer. Poor Jana....
I remember her tripping over her doubles partner in Paris and having it affect her Wimbledon title defense. She could barely move in the match against Lindsay Davenpot
Excuses, excuses…Monica was just too good.
@@ChicanoPhD Monica was very godd, indeed. But maybe Jana would have won this match, if she hadn't been injuried. Maybe not. It will remain a question mark for ever. Anyway, it is Monica's name that stands in the record.
And Monica is still alive. Not Jana...
But I go to Wimbledon each year, on the eve of the Tournament, so as to leave flowers in her loving memory there.
Dear Jana...
😥😥😥
Novotna reminds me of the other Czech women before her that were really good, but not quite enough to be 'great', Mandlikova and Sukova.. really awkward and gangly! Hard to explain, but I found them all awkward to watch. I adore Monica. My favourite female player, ever x
Umm Novotna and Sukova may have been gangly, stiff, but Mandlikova was the most graceful and smooth player since Goolagong.
Douglas Varley don't get me wrong, great players. Maybe because they had huge stature? I dunno! Just awkward to watch, for me, anyway
Mandlikova has won 4 grandslam titles in singles... She was "great" enough in her career, I think...
Jana Novotna era mi favorita para ver. Su estilo y talento hacían el tenis femenino mucho más interesante. Me cuesta aceptar que ella ya no está entre nosotros.
Novotna actually has a winning head to head with Seles. Jana had the serve and volley skills to bother seles.
So do a lot people who shouldn't. Most likely because they got a few wins on her when she 15 and/or benefitted greatly from the attack. Jana was a great player, but Monica would've consistently taken her apart had she not been stabbed.
Seles played Novotna twice in 91-92 and barely won both times in 3 sets, incuding this match on Jana's absolute worst surface (Jana is worse on rebound ace than clay even). That is when Jana was much weaker than she was in 94-98, particularly 96-98. She was always going to have a tough time with Jana.
And who are these lots of people who have winning records vs Seles that shouldnt? Graf, Venus, Serena? Basically Jana is the only one you could argue, those others hardly. Hingis and Davenport too, but with their age advantage they likely were going to always have one as well.
Monica had just turned 17 in this match; and the '92 match was the WTA Championships (on carpet -- very favorable to Jana's game) at the end of the year. She was probably a bit worn out from winning everything. Anyway, she finished both of those matches 6-1(wouldn't call that barely winning). She was only getting better and future wins would have been more convincing. Come on! Monica lost 2 of the later matches on clay. NEVER. WOULD. HAVE. HAPPENED. And the other lose was 8-6 in the 3rd.
To answer your other question. YES. NO. ABSOLUTELY (Monica would have "Jennifer Capriatied" Serena). YES. And Maybe. I made a brief post about this below when I first commented.
P.S. Having a "tough time with" and losing to a player are very different things. Especially with someone as mentally tough as Monica and as mentally fragile as Novotna.
Capriati has a losing record vs Serena, and didnt post a single win over peak Serena (she lost all 8 or so of their matches in 02-03 which is the only version of peak Serena she ever faced). So your Capriati point is pointless. Not to mention it is obvious to anyone with a brain Serena had some weird and eerie mental issue playing Capriati which almost everyone has vs 1 or 2 people, and btw Seles probably had when playing Novotna which makes your suggestion she would be crushing her regularly when she never did that is stupid. Anyway if you think Seles would ever have a winning record vs Serena when Serena had a huge age advantage even if Seles were never stabbed, is a better player overall and even peak to peak, is clearly a bad match up for Seles, and when Seles would have been well past her prime by the early 2000s when Serena began as a contender apart from a bit in 99 well then continue your delusions.
The Capriati/Serena h2h has nothing to do with this really. Stylistically they are similar and Monica would have similarly taken Serena apart. Monica was a smart player who attacked weaknesses better than anyone. She would have found Serena's and exploited it. I guarantee it. When I say she would have "Jennifer Capriatied" Serena I mean that she would devastated her career by quashing all of the early expectations surrounding her. Monica or Venus (not to mention Hingis) almost certainly would have taken Serena out of slam after slam. Imagine if Serena didn't win her first slam until she was 23 or 24. That's what would've happened. No slam as a teen, certainly no Serena Slam, and most importantly, no mythologizing her. Having that media-generated air of invincibilty does wonders for a career -- it's precisely what was stolen from Monica when she was stabbed. Serena would basically be Capriati, but with maybe a few more slams (6-7). Venus never would have bought into Richard's mindf*@kery about Serena being the better player (she wasn't) and would probably have 14+.
You do realize that in '01 when Monica got slightly fitter (yet was still 20+ lbs overweight with a foot problem) she nearly beat Serena twice in a row? What do you think would have happened if she was supremely fit and confident with 20+ slams under her belt? Don't forget that we never saw peak Monica.
Why are you mentioning an age advantage? Does Serena and every other old player on tour have that now? NO. Yet a lot of them are still winning. Seles turned 26 in Dec '99. That's hardly old. Which makes what I stated above completely plausible and not at all delusional.
Monica❤🌹