Tennis Special Feature: Top Ten Most Intimidating Players in the History of the Open Era Part III
The first two parts of this special feature, which honours the ten most threatening players in tennis, cited Chris Evert, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and Rafael Nadal. Let’s take a look at the next two players.
6. Monica Seles (Yugoslavia and United States)
Former World Number 1 Monica Seles could have the Greatest Of All Time in women’s tennis. In 1993, she was on top of the world and had already won 8 Majors titles at the very young age of 19. She had won seven of the eight Grand Slams she had last
participated in, as well as the last three season-ending championships. She also held a 4-1 Grand Slam matches advantage over two of the best players on the court, Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf (whom she dethroned from the top position on the WTA in
1991). Seles was on the rise, and had the potential to be the greatest player anyone had ever seen – tragically, this shining career was put to a stop in 1993, when a deranged German spectator (a fan of Steffi Graf’s) stabbed her in the back with a nine inch
knife at Hamburg. This attack occurred in Hamburg, during a match. The attack and injury caused such trauma to Seles that she was forced to leave the sport for two years. Although she returned to win her ninth Slam in 1996, she was never the same player either
mentally or physically. Her approach reflected that she was just glad to be playing again, and the course of her career changed. Seles officially retired in 2008, although she had not played a match since the 2003 French Open.
Seles was unusual due to her highly unorthodox style of play. She was a left handed player, and played huge two handed ground strokes. She is also known as one of the loudest grunters on the court. In addition to her killer composure and nerves of steel,
she was a humble player, respected as much as she was feared. Even after her attack she refused to feel sorry for herself, or give excuses for her performance, and that is what made her a champion.
Monica Seles was one of the great players, and she could have been the greatest. Most of her intimidating demeanour, was a consequence of her attitude and her style of play.
5. Martina Navratilova (Czechoslovakia and United States)
Martina Navratilova is part of the reason that female professional tennis players now have their own union, the Women’s Tennis Association. The former World Number 1 is widely regarded as the best player ever – even Billie Jean King, a fellow former
World Number 1, said in 2006, “she’s the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who has ever lived.” Navratilova holds the Open Era record for most singles victories at 167, and the greatest number of doubles titles at 177. She also has the longest
winning streak in the history of the Open Era, with 74 consecutive wins. In addition to this, she set three of the six longest consecutive win streaks in the Open Era for women. Navratilova shares the record for most consecutive Grand Slam wins, six, with
Maureen Connolly and Margaret Court. She reached 11 straight Grand Slam finals, second only to Graf’s record of 13. TENNIS, the magazine, gave her the award of greatest female tennis player for 40 years, from 1965 to 2005. Tennis journalist Bud Collins called
her “arguably, the greatest player of all time.”
Navratilova owned the sport in the 1980s. She was a terror on grass, clay and hard court and to the end, she will be remembered as a magnificent serve-and-volleyer. Her claim to intimadition was not just her fighting spirit and her volleys, but the fact
that she brought about a revolution for tennis forever.
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