Grass is the original surface of the game of tennis – it was always intended to be played on grass, and it always should. It is a historical anomaly that today more tennis is played on hard courts and clay than on grass, and it is my opinion that the game would be much better off if it returned to it’s roots and were played on grass more often.

The extra week is a step in the right direction, but much like the Australian Open kicks off a spring hard court season, I think the most logical thing to would be for a grass court circuit to be created in Europe after Wimbledon so players who didn’t want to travel to the US, could do so.

The game would be better for it.

June 16th, 2015 at 10:19 am

It’s also nice for the fans of grasscourt tennis because it gives us one more week of tournaments to watch. And overall it seems more fair to have a week added as the grass season is very short compared to the hardcourt, clay, and indoor seasons.

June 16th, 2015 at 10:29 am

Maybe you’re correct that tennis was intended for grass courts. However, grass courts would take the sport away from all but an extremely privileged few. That decision, while romantically nostalgic, will ruin the game for everyone who doesn’t have access to manicured lawns.

June 16th, 2015 at 10:30 am

@MMT
👍

June 16th, 2015 at 10:42 am

Is that what the world needs..more grass court players?

I mean, you play on that useless surface for 4 weeks. It’s not worth it.

June 16th, 2015 at 11:48 am

I like grass when it gets worn down enough that is’s just dirt. Like the Centre Court baseline on the final weekend.

June 16th, 2015 at 12:23 pm

snotnosedkid = humble rafa

comment 12:23 more proof not needed.

June 16th, 2015 at 12:48 pm

@Snot^^^^^ Me too!!

June 16th, 2015 at 12:50 pm

You guys have a grass fetish? This is a tennis forum.

June 16th, 2015 at 12:59 pm

“Among the supporters is Roger Federer, the best grass court player of the generations”
what a nice subtle observation. He will be that till he retires. I remember everyone who won against fed at Wimby playing very very very good in order to beat him. I don’t know if djoker or rafa could have played any better in 08 and 14. Since 08 federer Nadal and djoko have collected two Wimby titles each, Murray one. Interesting stat if he wins this year.

June 16th, 2015 at 5:44 pm

sienna Says:
snotnosedkid = humble rafa

comment 12:23 more proof not needed.
–
Humble will never say that the the so called Center Court is equal to dirt. Dirt is gold, grass is for cows.

June 16th, 2015 at 6:11 pm

Hard to say what would have happened if Federer, Rafa, Nole, and Andy came to pro form at the same time. My guess would be Fed might still be regarded as the fan favorite because of his en pointe ballerina pose on his backhand…and some top skills, of course. But certainly less Wimbledons than he got.
He also lucked out in his early years that Pete and Andre were about done, Safin was out barking at squirrels and Haas and Nalbandian were injured.

June 16th, 2015 at 6:16 pm

How very interestingly unpredictable tennis has become, hasn’t it?

June 16th, 2015 at 6:20 pm

@Markus…..You probably don’t realize it but you agreed with my post on another thread. Unpredictable is the exact word I used…..along with fickle! We think alike on a few matters…..Now ain’t that a kick in the head?? :) :) lol

June 16th, 2015 at 6:57 pm

That grass is the original surface of the tennis that we know and love is a fact, not an opinion. The game used to be called “lawn tennis” to distinguish it from “real tennis” played indoors by aristocrats.

The ITF (International Tennis Federation) until the open era was called the ILTF (International Lawn Tennis Federation) precisely because the game’s natural home is on grass.

That Federer has the best grass court game is a matter of opinion, but he certainly has the best grass court record of all active players – that too is a fact. My opinion is that Nadal is the next best grass court player in the tennis, based on his record and his set of skills.

June 16th, 2015 at 7:17 pm

@Okiegal: If there’s anybody who I wouldn’t mind being a parrot to, it’s you. You are funny, broad-minded and has good manners. You make me want to behave.

June 16th, 2015 at 7:18 pm

@Markus……Now I told you here awhile back that I didn’t want to cramp your style here on the forum! Lol Nice compliment……now if I could get my son to want to behave!! I don’t influence him much…but I will have to say, he’s always been a good kid. I’ve never had to bail him out of jail……..yet! Lol

June 16th, 2015 at 7:27 pm

MMT,
Agree on all points and great to see someone come here and actually have read the history of tennis. Actually the first tennis court was hour glass shaped, but whatevers not important in your point.
I don’t know if Nadal is the second best player on Grass in todays game, but he is up there. Novak’s set of skills on grass is closing fast and Rafa better start winning more matches on grass real soon. They both have 2 Slams on Grass…

June 16th, 2015 at 7:29 pm

Rafa better start winning more matches on grass real soon.
–
Chill out. Treat your cats well. Be happy with the NBA outcomes, etc.

June 16th, 2015 at 9:59 pm

Rafa lost today. I don’t really agree that he is the second best grass player of this generation, and I see a lot of players with games more suitable to grass, from Dimitrov to Dolgopolov.

Anyway, this Wimbledon will be quite open. Djokovic will be very deflated after the hearbreaking loss at RG, Federer is 34, Rafa looks vulnerable, Murray will be under big pressure to win again. So, let’s wait and see.

June 16th, 2015 at 10:02 pm

CF1…….so you think Fed’s ‘en pointe ballerina pose’ makes him a fan favourite.
Your post is yet another recycling of your ‘weak era’ obsession.
Get some help.

June 17th, 2015 at 3:59 am

What ballerina? If you know anything of history of ballet and goats in that art form.
You know that they are people of great substance, knowledge, endurance, fighting spirit, absolute mental power. They the will the overcome faults and great adversary. To be a ballet GOAT you must be the ultimate warrior.

If Federer is a ballerina, its because he has many of those features to become a legend. Not because the term is used in a bigot way like on this site.
I find many of the Nadal and Djokovic fans to have characteristics of biggots and racist behavior. I hope that it changes for the better.

June 17th, 2015 at 4:35 am

Roger has retaliated against Boris Becker. I like a thread on that one.
Finally Roger speaks out against this wannebe legend.

But still do not get caught in a dogfight with a guy like Becker.

They must think Roger is dangerous for Wimbly to get out on a attack at personal level like team Djokovic is doing.

June 17th, 2015 at 7:15 am

Indeed, the context in which “ballerina” was used to describe Federer was in a bigot way. Otherwise, the more proper term “ballerino” (masc.) would have been used, or balletic which is less gender specific. But that’s Tennis-X for you. The objective of some posters is to irritate, not to inform.

June 17th, 2015 at 8:50 am

Thanks Markus and Sienna. I gets sick of people referring to ballet and ballet dancers in derogatory terms. Their combination of strength, athleticism and aesthetics are precisely the features that Federer shares and are the reasons why his popularity goes well beyond sport.

June 17th, 2015 at 11:55 am

mat4,

I also don’t agree ref Nadal second best grass court, but he has the most Wimby finals and they are tied at 2 titles each. but all the other major gras stats Djoko is better.
1 – more wins on Wimby (45 to Nadal’s 39) and had more semis or better than Nadal (6 to 5) and is always semis or better the last 5 years.

2 – He has more wins on grass than Nadal, 60-15 for 80% winning while Nadal is at 57-16 (including this week loss), for a 78% winning.
Djoko winning 1 more Wimbledon and the debate is settle. HE is way more close to another Wimbledon (with his past results: semis, Winner, semis, RUP and winner) than Nadal is: winner, rup, 2nd, 1st round, 4th round. Nadal’s record on grass from 2006-2011 are completely different than last 4 year, and is only decreasing even tough he won a small title last week.

For Nadal, he has 5 finals compared to Djoko’s 3 and 2 outside titles (1 Queens and 1 Stuttgart this year), although Djoko hasn’t play enough outside Wimbledon as Nadal did. I think 7 tourneys between Queens and Halle.

June 17th, 2015 at 11:30 pm

Actually, Murray has more wins than both, at 78-16 for a 83%, more titles than both at 5 but 1 Wimbledon short and stands at 41-8 at Wimbledon. If he wins there this year, he will lead in all categories except number of finals played which Nadal would still have more.

I think Andy is too good not to win another Wimbledon or more.
If I had to bet I think both him and Djoko would have better grass courts records and pedigree than Nadal by the end of their careers.

Right now, it is debatable between Nadal and Djokovic but pretty soon it can change.

June 17th, 2015 at 11:35 pm