You know that you preferred tennis in the 90s when...

Oct 2, 2014, 6:49:46 PM

You know that you preferred tennis in the 90s when...
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, not your cup of tea. Your stars were called Sampras, Agassi, and Steffi Graf. You preferred tennis in the 90s and you have many arguments to explain why.

The retirements of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf have been like a little death for you. Conversely, convinced that tennis stopped with the second millennium, the exploits of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin have never really done anything for you. Because you, you preferred tennis in the 90s.

 

... You can easily have a half-hour discussion about MaliVai Washington, Petr Korda, Wayne Ferreira and Nicolas Lapentti.

 

... Your racquet? A Völkl, a Yonex or a Prince.

 

...You remember Todd Martin's dark circles.

 

... Jim Courier's forehand, well that was something. Sergi Bruguera's too.

 

... The strokes of Greg Rusedski, Richard Krajicek, Goran Ivanisevic and Mark Philippoussis still echo in your head.

 

...Swedish tennis was still cool: Jonas Bjorkman, Thomas Enqvist and Stefan Edberg, of course.

 

...Sampras against Agassi, it was something else than Federer and Djokovic complimenting each other.

 

... You still think of Patrick Rafter’s crazy races to the net. First class.

 

...At that time, different playing styles could win throughout the season. Depending on the surfaces.

 

...And yes, all the surfaces were not fast yet.

 

...Strangely, Alex Corretja and Carlos Moya were never doing anything at Wimbledon.

 

...And Pete Sampras never won Roland Garros.

 

... Miami, Bois-le-Duc? No, Key Biscayne, Rosmalen.

 

...Masters 1000? No, ATP Mercedes Super 9.

 

...Maria Sharapova? No, Gabriela Sabatini.

 

...You never found Monica Seles, Gustavo Kuerten, Wayne Arthurs and Lindsay Davenport.

 

...Shoplifting, marijuana and depression, you have never seen a life as crazy as the life of Jennifer Capriati.

 

...You remember, nostalgic, an US Open where the Louis Armstrong Stadium was the most important court.

 

...In your memories remain: Martina Hingis' tears, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario's screams, Steffi Graf's class.

 

...Since Pete Sampras in September 1996, nobody has ever vomited on a court again.

 

...You will never forget that Marcelo Rios had once dominated the ATP rankings.

 

...A decade during which you said goodbye to Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova.

 

...No toughie has ever replaced Thomas "Boom Boom" Muster.

 

... Besides, the best Swiss player of the decade, Marc Rosset, had a proper big mouth.

 

...You saw the emergence of the Williams sisters, Lleyton Hewitt, Tommy Haas, Amelie Mauresmo and Marat Safin.

 

...At the time, players were not congratulating each other all day long on Twitter. They could hate each other.

 

By Antoine Mestres