FULL VERSION 1992 - Agassi vs McEnroe - Wimbledon
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Thank you for your gracious use of this classic match!
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PertSnergleman's Review:
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During breaks in the demolition, John McEnroe's head was either buried in his hands or hanging like a wrecking ball between his knees. Out on the court, Andre Agassi's charged returns would flash by, and McEnroe would stop and stare and mumble and tumble. He went down in a heap once and stayed there, able only to cover his eyes.
It would have been sweet if McEnroe, approaching the edge of retirement, had made the 1992 Wimbledon final. But Agassi had no intention of letting that happen.
McEnroe reasserted his belief that Jimmy Connors is the only other modern player who could return serves as well as Agassi does... "And now he's taken it to another level," McEnroe said.
Where McEnroe has heroic memories, Agassi has slick, freeze-frame, celluloid hype. He has been to three previous Grand Slam finals and to Grand Slam semifinals on four other occasions. He has never won a Grand Slam tournament. Some have suggested he never will.
But Agassi kept up his routine of hitting practically flat-footed, producing burning, two-fisted backhands. "I thought I played everything," McEnroe said. "I tried to hit out wide to his forehand. I tried to hit it into his body. I tried to swing it into his backhand. I tried to take a little off it." In one stretch, the one that all but decided the match, Agassi broke McEnroe's serve five times in six tries.
McEnroe knew he had to be close to perfect, and he wasn't. He served six double faults, some at crucial times, and hit the Centre Court net with volleys at important moments. Agassi punctured the nostalgic story line, but he also set up an interesting final. The best returner in the game will be trying to cope with the most punishing server.
Agassi became the first American to reach the Wimbledon men's final since 1985, when Kevin Curran, a naturalized American born in South Africa, lost to Boris Becker. The last American to win was McEnroe, who did it in 1984.
McEnroe and Agassi practiced together at the All England Club before Wimbledon started. "I think it just made it more comfortable for him," McEnroe said. "He knows that his game - it can stack up well against me. He knew he was going to have his chances. But, I mean, it still surprised me, how well he played."
The match began with McEnroe double-faulting to give Agassi the first game, but McEnroe broke back to tie the first set at 2-2 with a cross-court volley that touched down on a line. Both players then held serve until McEnroe double-faulted away another game and, really, the set. Agassi went ahead by 5-4 on the break and served out the set.
After the match, McEnroe, who was noncommital about whether he would play at Wimbledon again, was true to his candid form, reflecting on the excitement he had caused during the tournament this year, from his thrilling five-set victory on Centre Court over Pat Cash in the second round to his rout of No. 9 seed Guy Forget in the quarterfinals.
"I'm really happy with this tournament," he said. "I feel great about it. I felt like this tournament's been exciting, and I've been a part of that."
But he added: "I mean, every time we sit here and reflect on my great runs when I lose in the semis."
Agassi sounded hopeful that he was on the threshold of something special, knowing that he had been around the block a few more times than Ivanisevic, that he had played in important Davis Cup matches and gained experience in Grand Slam finals.
"I think I have always had a tendency not to necessarily feel like I am a great player," Agassi said. "It is easy being known as one of the guys with the most talent if you never really find out exactly how much talent you have. I kind of always hung around in that frame of mind. I would go out and see what happened. Now I am starting to really march forward, starting to see my goals." - Sport
There are a lot of comments here by zoomers who have zero idea what the transition from wooden racquets to modern racquets was like. McEnroe was used to playing a different game, thus he may appear to play "weak" tennis. Try using a wooden racquet and get a clue.
well said
Anybody that thinks Mac was playing weak tennis here is clueless about the game. Agassi was just "on" with his returns and passing shots, and he was hitting deep enough that Mac couldn't really make a strong approach to get a good angle on a volley. Plus you have to factor in that Mac missed way too many first serves, so he wasn't able to come in behind his weaker 2nd serve. He was just a bit off that day, but still a good performance. Didn't embarrass himself. I'm not a Mac fan, but I call 'em the way I see 'em.
It was his eastern grip on his forehand.
Yeah it's easy to tell the difference on here between the Skip Bayless style fanboys and people who have actually played tennis.
I have to say this match is a good example of that transition. Even Mc stated he should've updated his game to continue to be competitive. I mean the reason for those passing shots from Agassi and those dip shots at the net were definitely due to his advantage of the tech.
Crazy how agassi bridged the mcnroe era to the federer era
There is sampras era between that too
Good point! Pretty amazing how that was for Agassi.
Agassi`s returns are dynamite. No matter how good serves are, they always come back. Talented and unique player, thanks for all these moments he gave us.
Truly McEnroe's last hurrah. He played a magnificent Wimbledon but was simply overwhelmed by Agassi here. Even when he acts out following a point loss it seems kind of off - it's not like he could've done something else and won the point. Just the passing of the torch.
Crazy, Agassi played against McEnroe and at the end of the career against Rafa Nadal.
In 1992, Mac was mid 30's, while Agassi was only early 20's.
oh yes, Agassi played against legends from the 70s (Connors, Mcenroe), 80s (Becker, Lendl, Wilander), 90s (Sampras, Edberg, Courier, Muster, Kuerten) 00's (Federer, Nadal, Safin, Roddick, Hewitt)
McEnroe won his last grand slam at 25 years old. He grew up in an era of wooden rackets. That was a disadvantage when playing younger players who grew up playing with graphite rackets.
True but Mac never changed his game, conditioning, diet and so on like Martina and Lendl did during the latter half of his 20s. He relied too much on talent and didn’t like practicing.
McEnroe's game had become outdated by the 1990's and his play level was not what it was in the early 1980's. McEnroe's game was brilliantly designed during the standard size wood racket era where sweet spots were quarter size and where 14+ ounce unstable 65 square inch wood rackets were strung at 60 lbs or much more with synthetic or natural gut. His proprietary lefty spinning serve was extremely difficult to return with the wood racket and top players in the world were left with mishits or weak shots that he cut out of the air. His groundstrokes were basic but designed to keep the ball in play long enough for him to attack and attack he did. His volleys and feel were at the time unprecedented (though arguably matched by Rod Laver). By this match (aside from Agassi playing great) he was not only at the end of his career but he had clearly gotten out of shape and his strokes were noticeably sloppy in form compared to his wood racket era play. He was not covering the court well at all and his little jabs seemed inappropriate for a Wimbledon semi-final. McEnroe initially played much better with the 85 square inch (albeit flexible and heavy) graphite Dunlop racket that he began using around 1983 but as time went by his form became less disciplined and more exaggerated (something that often happens when going to larger rackets). Andre Agassi on the other hand was playing with a much larger stiff 110 square inch graphite Donnay tennis racket! Indeed he was the first major tennis star to have developed his strokes from the ground up with an oversized graphite racket (note: no star players from the previous era were able to adjust to larger tennis rackets, even midsize rackets; e.g. Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg, Jose Luis Clerc, Jimmy Arias, the list goes on). As a result Agassi was able to easily return McEnroe's serve, catching him in no man's land, and pass him. Importantly Agassi was able to develop a new style of two-handed backhand that is now familiar to modern players that would not have been possible with the older technology. Agassi only didn't have the benefit of polyester strings, the low string tensions (not previously possible), and of course improved rackets as today's players enjoy. While MacEnroe played ineffectively here, it is an amazing achievement that he got to the semi finals of Wimbledon in the Becker/Edberg era on very fast grass courts. 1984 notwithstanding (McEnroe's best overall year), I believe McEnroe's golden age was the wood racket era and I encourage viewers to go back and see him play during that period. Which players today would have been good during the wood racket era?
Nah! Rafter Goran Pete played the same sort of game. Johnny Mac probably snorted 3-4 grms of cocaine the night before this match (they were known to do that back in the day). But then again Vitas G was already gone by then! Lol! He was too already at the tail end of his career by this time. Cheers! :-)
@@kukang1232 No you are misunderstanding my post. I am not speaking about serve and volley being outdated (though it is out of fashion as we speak), I was positing about the stroke production and tactics based on wood racket era technology could not compete by the 1990's. McEnroe's game (as was Bjorn Borg's and others) was developed during the wood racket period. No top player at the time transitioned though McEnroe did briefly (he used a flexible heavy 80 sq inch Dunlop 200G racket). Sampras (who grew up in my neighborhood and I played along as a junior) would have been a champion in the wood racket era as would Federer for sure. Both used smaller rackets growing up developing classic strokes but still their games would have been tamed considerably by the wood rackets (and Federer would not have been able to use polyester strings at low tensions). Rafter and Ivanisevic are not good examples as they were not playing during the wood racket era. Indeed Rafter was using a modern 97 sq inch graphite racket and Ivanisevic a 93 sq inch graphite racket in the 1990's juiced up. They were playing on super fast grass courts of the era. Indeed an article by Marshall Fisher in the Atlantic in 1995 entitled "The Feel of Wood" used Ivanisevic as an example of a player who would not have made it during the wood racket era but who was transported by the new rackets, "A player like Goran Ivanesevich, who has a Herculean serve and not much more (by professional standards), can reach the finals at Wimbledon..." Watch clips of McEnroe playing US Open in 1980 with a wood racket and be amazed but notice the opponents could not return his serve well. Cheers.
Federer
@@jamescarr4662 Agreed!
Nobody in the history of tennis had ever struck groundstrokes with the consistent murderous savagery that Agassi did in this tournament.
That has to be taken into account as well.
McEnroe was and is one of the greatest players who ever lived. I agree with the points made about the smaller raquets. If everyone has to play with wooden racquets, I don't know if anyone gets the upper hand on prime McEnroe. He did enjoy the Dunlop 200G which was a small framed graphite raquet. In 1984 John McEnroe was terrifying.
Andre record in tennis is remarkable , to win the super slam that, career grand slam of all 4 , Olympics gold, Davis cup, and year ending ATP finals . Against the players he had that time. He truly fulfilled his great talent . By archiving this rare feat ,I thought Nadal had done this but surprisingly he never did the atp final which is remarkable.
This is a baseline passing clinic and in the fast grass era, no less. One of the most flawless matches of Andre’s career.
There should be ONE Grand Slam tournament where
all the players have to play with a wood racket - either
a Jack Kramer or maybe a Dunlop Maxply. We can watch
them play and compare them to Laver or Mac or Borg.
lol id pay to see that !!!
and invite the old players.
Surprising that McEnroe could still compete at this level considering he had no real weapons. His touch wasn't enough to cut it anymore with how much the sport had changed by 1992
Wouldn't exactly say that he had no weapons. As you say, he did have that touch. Also, possibly the greatest volleys ever and a serve w/ great disguise and spin. But yes, these weapons were not the same when the power game became dominant. He did well to get this far.
I cannot believe this match was 30 years ago today...
My favorite player of all time John Mcenroe.
Lendl
Me too
It’s amazing Agassi a baseliner could win Wimbledon BEFORE they changed the grass in 2002. And he beat the best serve and volleyers of the era to do it. At least three of them - Becker, McEnroe, Ivanišević - were Wimbledon champions.
McEnroe well past his best, at least 5years past it
Jason Cowell yea, sad to see. He was on his way out. a couple years prior, he lost to Sampras at the Open in ‘90.
Borg a base liner, won 5 in a row too
Agassi n' Borg r d only baseliner capable 2 win on d real grass.
A good baseliner will always beat a good serve & volleyer.
Maaaaaaan i miss those days. It didn't seem like it at the time but the 90s were fucking awesome. 😂
Maybe EVERY generation says that but fuck it, this was mine. I was 15, steffi was my tennis queen. Wild she ended uo with Agassi. Nirvana & REM were everywhere. I got my nose pierced & 3 & a half months later my brother died & boom i was an adult & its never quite been as carefree & fun since.
Good things have happened too.
But if i could go back in time it would be this day ❤
I feel you man.
To beat Becker, McEnroe, and Ivanisevic back to back to back was something special. Seven Wimbledon titles between them.
At the time Ivanisevic's best result was SF of Wimbledon.
Crowd applause amazing. Listening on speakers during pendamic to keep away negativity. Thanks for upload.
One of the nicest matches I've ever seen until
now in my life.
It’s amazing how well I guess he was able to do on the old grass, he beat many great serve and volley players, like Boris Becker, and John McEnroe.
the Agassi return at 58:50 is unreal
McEnroe was never the same player after taking that extended LOA for a year and a half in the late 80s
changing of the guard this was... Agassi so special for his time, the beginning of modern tennis
I appreciated the hug and handshake at the end from Mc Enroe knowing that a new generation has came up and that it was his last semi finale at wim
Meanwhile in 2020...next gen shaking big-3 hands and hugging at the end knowing they can’t beat them (at least at grand slams!) and giving compliments! ...no slam winners under 30 for almost 5 years and still counting...and even then those, who did were in 26-29 age group...lol
McEnroe is probably watching them now and beating himself thinking - “Why the hell i wasn’t born in their era...” lmao
McEnroe's last Grand Slam semifinal... a brilliant style of play never to be seen again in the late rounds of the majors. I wish the day had gone a little bit better for him, but Agassi wasn't having any of it, he just ate him alive.
Patrick Rafter played similarly at Wimbeldon and was very successful. He mightve been the last Johnny Mac.
McEnroe’s hands around the net were just sublime.
Thank you thank you thank you PertSnergleman for these wonderful matches. They are such a pleasure. And Agassi played amazing tennis......such a joy to watch this.
This is when grass tennis was grass tennis and an era of contrasting styles. Not the cookie cutter surfaces and tennis games we have today
Agassi with new type of racket with big head allowing you to hit every ball, combined with his return ability.... just deadly.
This is like watching 2 players from different era's play. Mac is playing a totally different and dated game, just pushing the ball around while agassi is smashing it around.
Agree. Agassi was bringing firepower.
2 of the best players of all time here!
-- along with Roger, Nadal, Sampras.
Macs flat continental grip was well passed its sell by date even for 1992 !!!
Dexter Haven ok, Djokovic doesn’t exists..😂😂
Dexter Haven sorry. Outside clay, Djokovic >>>Nadal.
McEnroe has the most iconic serve in the history of tennis.
Well, the silliest for sure. All that pendulum swaying, which has absolutely nothing to do with serving. I love it tho. Novak does a phenomenal Mac impression.
Getting into the rhythm dude
You cannot be serious 😜
He started doing that because of his back. It stretched it.
And the service stance came along with it. When he learned it hid his serve well and the angle out it placed on the serve, he kept it.
McEnroe sucks
One of these changing of the guard matches. The last great run for Johnny Mac at SW19. And Agassi's first major and at a tournament he avoided like the plague until just one year before he conquered it.
Different eras overlapping. Kind of fascinating. I wonder if they played with wooden rackets who'd win ? Probably Mac. Agassi should have won more slams - what a fun player to watch.
Agassi was screwed over by that era being dominated by fast serves: after the racquets had got bigger and lighter, but before the surfaces were slowed and the strings changed. It was in all honesty a dull era for fast court tennis, and Sampras, although a great player in his own right, was made to look greater than Agassi because his serve was such a dominant weapon on fast courts. But Agassi's all-round game was better, which is why he won all four slams whereas Sampras never even reached the final at Roland Garros.
Absolute treasure while sheltering in place. Just as good as the first time. Thank you.
I read about this on Agassi's book, OPEN and came to watch it...
Best biography ever, even if your not into sports.. Amazing story
The match was scheduled for the Friday, as normal for men's SFs. I had tickets for the match and was offered 1000 pounds for them by touts on the walk up to the Club, refused. It then rained all day and not a ball was hit. It was a huge match, going to be McEnroe's last Wimbledon. McEnroe was my tennis hero then. Changing of the guard. Mac's backhand was unique, he was untouchable in his prime. The tickets couldnt be used for the next day. This is why the match had such an early start, on Saturday. Mac would have won had it been played on the Friday :-)
I think the biggest takeaway from this match is how McEnroe knew there was a prodigy and took him under his wing of experience. It's all about respect of the game.
Watching this in 2020 (Covid era) and listening to the commentary’s about the year 2003 at 14:50 is really funny....
what's crazy is that they were talking about 11 years from then. it really shows how the signifier of post-2000 sat in the mind so resolutely from common science fiction narrative.
To be honest I feel I must give credit to JPM for standing toe to toe with such a Tennis Monster considering he was way past his prime. McEnroe was hit by three storms in his career: first, materials change for Tennis rackets. Second: the rise of physical training. Last but not least the end of old school Tennis imposed by Agassi which by all means must be considered the Father of today's Tennis. If we watch Roger Federer using the Serve+Forehand scheme over and over again instead of Serve+Volley one of the reasons is sure found in what Agassi brought to Tennis. Ciao!
Well said.
Yep, absolutely. Agassi is the most influential player of his era. Sampras won more titles, but Agassi changed the game.
Tatum also contributed. When he got married, he lost focus a tad.
@@KaitainCPS Ivan Lendl was more influential than Agassi, I'd argue.
thanks for posting. Two greats. This is when I fist started to seriously get the Wimbledon bug. In those days in the UK I think only the summer grass court season was televised
God, Agassi's return was just awesome. In 92, there were guys with monster serves like Ivanisevic, Sampras, Krajicek, and others.
I watched this live, and I felt like compared to those guys, McEnroes serve was like candy to Andre. McEnroe was 33 at the time of this match, and did really well to hang in there during the power era, but he was just outgunned against the elite players, and specifically Andre on this day.
I must have seen Agassi play hundreds of matches in my life, and I honestly feel this was one of his best. EVERYTHING was going in for him, and he made Mac look like a child out there.
McEnroe had no right to be getting this deep into Grand Slams with how he played and how the game had evolved, shows how much of a tennis savant he really was. I'd love to see the current players have to use a Dunlop 200G.
Sir John, he is a different kind of player than Federrer, Sampras... he is an artist not a tennis player... everyball he hit is all about feelings... nobody plays tennis the way he did...
quite true
if by different you mean worse, than yes he is.
Amen buddy. Anyone who really knows the game and didnt grow up after the millenium knows how unique and beautiful his game was. Mac grew up on wood. He wasnt really meant to play in the power era with his type of ground strokes. Hell of an effort to reach the semis here with all of those bombers who were ten years younger than him.
_"everyball he hit is all about feelings... nobody plays tennis the way he did"_
czcams.com/video/Xvuhx1DYWZU/video.html
Thank you so much for video and commentary.
I remember watching this match live back in 1992 and thinking how "old" McEnroe was at 33. Grey hair, ailing body, etc. Now guys hit 33 and look and run like are still in their 20s. The athleticism of the sport sure has come a long way.
True! Funnily though McEnroe seems to be one the fittest of the vet players today:-)
For sure...so difficult for bottom players to move up the rankings as the older players are still playing so well and making most of the money...
Back in 90's most of players would retire at the age 31-33, nowadays players win slams like young and fast guys back in 90's
@ferzy09 agree
There is no player today in tennis that can compare wit Mac...you have to understand serve / volley, touch, net play, angles, Mac was magic and an artist, today it's all less athletic but more power using advanced materials, less athletic today than Mac, Connors, Borg and Lendl...
Credit should still be given to John McEnroe. He's great!
Bjorn Borg and Andre Aggasi were such rock stars of tennis, two main reasons the sport has got and kept its appeal to masses
Agassi is a starter of the new gen tennis.
Is that Arthur ashe commentating? Mcenroe 's serve is one of the most unique distinctive motions in all of sports. I think every tennis player has tried to replicate this motion. How he does this so consistently i have no idea
This is reminiscent of Connors beating down Rosewall in ‘74. Combination of too much power on one end and too many years on the other.
Watching this; I was a young boy and thought the likes of John and Borg could never be surpassed, then along comes Roger, it makes me wonder who we will be watching in times to come, and the remarkable thing on how athletes keep getting better!
Does that mean athletes are getting better, or that some are just more dominant?
Luxilon,my friend.
McEnroe actually gave Agassi some advice earlier in the tournament. He said to Agassi that he had the game to win on grass. He also said to him to shorten his back swing on grass. McEnroe probably regretted it during this match.
Are you making this up?
@@stepaushi It's true.
@@stepaushi No. I read it in Sports Illustrated. McEnroe knew his best days were long past then.
@@rushrush1209 👍
So great!!
Mac's final year on the tour; he retired ranked 20 after 14 years on the tour.
This was the best that agassi ever played on grass,Mcenroe was past his peak,but there are glimpse of his brillance here.
Very little...it was a lopsided match.
The other semi final was the only time Ivanisevic beat Sampras at Wimbledon.
Yep, the chips did fall slightly in Agassi's favour that year, although Ivanisevic was still considered the favourite in the final. And Agassi had to beat two Wimbledon greats to get there (Becker and McEnroe).
All credits to John & Jimmy for they had a very awkward groundstrokes, mainly forehand & backhand, lendl changed it up a lot then when Agassi & Sampras arrived it changed totally, very hard for John to keep up with them. This is like Drago V Apollo.
that's how you swing when you grow up hitting with wooden rackets. if you swung a wooden racket like a modern one you'd blow out your elbow in no time. problem is they never adjusted their swings to the new lighter rackets that allowed more power and spin. agassi grew up with modern lighter rackets so he swung like a hammer every time.
40年間でのウッドから複合素材へのラケットの技術進化によって、テニスのプレースタイルも大きく変化しました。
今では、テニスプレーヤーは皆フォアハンドはウエスタングリップ、バックハンドは両手打ち、特徴的なマッケンロースタイルとは違いサービスフォームも似たようですし、金太郎飴のようにプロのテニスプレーヤー皆同じでのベースラインプレーヤーたちばかりです。
グラファイトやカーボン等の複合素材ラケット技術進化においてのテニスで勝つという点では以上のプレースタイルの方が優れているのでしょう。
個人的には両手打も、アガシ迄は見ていてとても魅力でしたのですが、、、。
しかし、単純に娯楽としてのテニスの試合を、楽しむという面で見るのは面白く無くなってますね。
ジョコヴィッチよりもフｪデラーの試合の方が楽しいなと感じるアマチュア元テニスプレーヤーでした。
McEnroe was 33.years old .yet he looked 48 going into 60
Now he looks pretty good for 60 year old
I have to agree ... he looked "tired" and "old". Echoing the reality that he was at the end of his brilliant career ... he ruled the 80s.
He was the oldest 33 year old. Now he seems a young 60
The worse thing that John did was marrying Tatum, she ruined him physically and emotionally
He also took a year off when he was near the top of everything.
Vice a Versa too. Didn't do much good for her too.
You vote for Trump.
@@whodidit99 she was in the slippery slope many years before she met John, she dragged him right down.
Ain’t that the truth
In one on one sports the most difficult opponent to play against (boxing tennis chess ect) is an aggressive counter puncher i.e. Agassi.
Incredible match! Agassi risk all and won.
McEnroe's Wimbledon swan song, much like Jimmy Connors run to the U.S. Open Semi-Finals in 1991...
really great stuff. just subscribed!
It's easier said than done. If you were a tennis player in that era, with the best racket you had, were you be able to defeat John Mcenroe ? Time changed, technology developped, game changed, everyone knows.
The first one who began to destroy McEnroes game was Ivan lendl. His groundstrokes were too good.
I know that Lend had the head to head advantage, but even he admits that it had more to do with Mcenroe's decline than with his own improvement. There were plenty of matches, quite impressive to behold, in which McEnroe completely dominated Lendl.
Borg had even better ground strokes and was much faster than Lendl yet Mac did well against him.
I don’t get it why some people prefer McEnroe or Sampras instead of Agassi. I mean, Andre was just cool, nice, polite and just a good player. You habe to love Agassi
I can not see anything different in Agassi's playing, maybe some good shots.
People have their preferences. Some people preferred Agassi over others. Agassi was immature as a teenager. As he got more mature, I rooted for him more frequently, similar to Venus Williams.
@@rushrush1209 but let’s be honest. McEnroe who always was freaking out and insulting the umpires ? Or Sampras who always looked arrogant and was an annoying serve and volley player ? No. Agassi was more sympathetic, cool, fair, nice to watch
@@rushrush1209 Well, Agassi was a man playing in men's tennis, whereas Venus is a man playing in women's tennis, so there's that.
@@nvader88im sorry ,what!!!
18:08 astonishing half volley by Johnny Mak. If he had be able 2 keep dis level, even 4 Andre it would be truly tough.
I saw it live on TV. I really wanted McEnroe to win, but it was a demonstration of power tennis against old style wood touch tennis.
McEnroe was out of time, out of place here but still made some magnificent volleys.
It's pretty crazy how different (and old fashioned) his style was, and that he made it to the semi-finals at all.
@@robertorolfo Pretty shocking that a 3 time champion can make it to the Semis.
@@regworld1167 The point is he was a full 8 years past his peak. It was a hell of a run from Mac here...he always felt he had another Wimbledon in him...but he just came up against a guy that was too young and too good....which is the natural order of things.
Looks like that won't happen to the greats of today...is it because they are too good or the next gen isn't that great?....i could argue both.
Agassi was the man! He does not get the proper credit for how he changed the game. First player to hit the ball from both sides , equally well, this is why everybody had to Improve on both sides. He was the last great baseliner to play well against all the serve and volley players, ( Sampras, Becker, Stephan Edberg, Patrick Rafter, McEnroe, Taylor Dent, David Wheaton, etc. ) that's why the game has changed along with the equipment, he showed how to beat that brand of tennis
Darryl Perry Agee with all you say.
Watching this I feel some of the same feelings of watching the jokavich Alcar match from this year sad to see a great beat
For those of us wanting to develop or improve our volley game, this is the man to copy. Notice also the short back swing on the ground strokes for McEnroe, even more practical for today's game.
Yep my coach was saying today that basically having no take-back is better! Just a short block forwards is perfect
You seem like an alert student Yonas. Hope you have a great season.
Timothy Smith Thank you! Well I just do whatever it takes to get better. Hope you have a great season as well.
His short swing is great , now to have and play with his type of swing . You have to put a very low pressure on the strings like he did . Was way below any player , is not so easy to have his type of touch , feeling hitting the ball
What you say makes sense. That low string tension probably assisted his finesse. I know when I try drop shots they usually land short.
The pattern worn grass was so different then -- people actually followed their serves to net.
The grass was faster and the balls were lighter back then. These days Wimbledon is slow asf
Back when the grass corts were fast....real fast
Great Agassi. Love you
"he has lots of hair" LOL. If they only knew.
Great story with the French open final 90
I think John's hair grew a little grayer during this match
Mac here is 33, between Rafa and Federer now and a year older than Wawrinka. Why's he look and play like he's 50?
Mac looks younger now. It's weird. He does look like an old, pudgy man.
Maybe not younger. But better.
he's terrible at tennis. Has no backhand and a weak forehand. Without his serve he would never even win a point. Nadal and Federer would embarrass him.
Better? Maybe in discussing with umpires, haha.
Do you find it hard to hide the fact that you're German? ;-)
I remember this match and tournament so clearly. McEnroe wasn't used to those crowds cheering for him. He was almost uneasy in the role of 'good guy.' And no one saw Agassi coming in this tournament. And interestingly, winning it wasn't the coming out party for him everyone thought it would be. It wasn't for another 3 or so years before he really found his game and became the HOF'er he is. He worried less about his image and decided to capitalize on his immense talent.
If you read his book, he tells us that he didn't really like tennis because it was a life he was forced into as a child. It wasn't until the late 90's when he started to play for his foundation that gave him motivation, he then starts to like tennis and then ends up loving it.
Watching this during lock-down for covid19, and all i can concentrate on is ALL THE COUGHING THAT IS GOING ON in the crowd and realizing that i am going to be aware of this issue from now on ....
yeah, thats true if you expect to die before vaccine releases around november-december this year. GL tho
@Steven Graham whatever. how much does this comment help you? you dont know nothing about me but you jump like a baby with your head to the wall on this internet thread . i repeat : you dont know me. if you would be a bit wise you would abstain to comment on a person you dont know. dont make statements above others which are completely out of your belly fat. not a person of science HAHA where did that come from?
no way in hell? you sound much more like a person of science. maybe you are, i dont know you. but hell does have an importance in your regular thoughts
i also do have a university diploma in science, issued in my name so that will work against your pretense.
Je voudrais rappeler a tous les "haters" de Mac Enroe que ce joueur a quasiment invente le jeu vers l'avant. Concernant son cup droit John n'a qu'une prise de raquette comme les joueurs de squash ce qui explique son style unique. John joue toujours sur la prise de risque vers l'avant bien avant Pete Sampras par exemple. Ensuite John joue le plus souvent en drop ou sur l'energie de la balle montante ce qui est tres difficile a faire mais lui permet en general de mettre un pression d'enfer sur l'adversaire. Enfin John continue a jjouer au meilleur niveau a 60 ans grace a son style qui ne repose pas sur le physique. John a un sale caractere mais grace a lui et surtout a Bjorn Borg le jeu a connu un formidable engouement que probablement tous les commentateurs de ces forum ne sont meme pas capable de comprendre... Ces 2 joueurs sont TRES respectes par les vrais connaisseurs du Tennis. Remember and respect this name please.
Well said. I love Mac's game as well.
End of My Mac! It hurt!
It still hurts.
Frankly it's been as much about new "Racket Tech" as talent that changed the course of tennis history. From the Wooden racket generation of Borg, McEnroe and Connors to the Graphite era of Sampras, Federer and Agassi. To the "String Generation" with Nadal and Novak. The courts have also slowed to a crawl since the days of "Fast as Glass" courts to today's slow hard courts.
I liked Agassi most in the beginning of his career, on clay, when he really mixed it up with lots of stunning dropshots.
I remember watching this as a 12 year old loving Agassi but i though Mac was ancient 😂 33!
33 but he looked 50
Did someone played more beautiful tennis than Andre Agassi at Wimbledon in 1992 ?
I remember this semi final. It was held on a Saturday afternoon because of a rain delay. Just remember Agassi totally dismantling McEnroe with his return of serve.
Go Jonny Mac! Nice ending, great sportsmanship
He only kniw how to be Angry
After a LONG career of pounding on his body and a clear knee injury, Mcenroe at 33 years old goes a CLOSE 6-4 in the first he could have won, then slowly wore down. But what's amazing is that a shell of his greatness here, at 33 with a bum knee, serves and volleys against the greatest returner in the history of tennis IN HIS PRIME and was very competitive. That's how great Mcenroe was. 50% of himself is still that good.
Was this Agassis prime? He was the 12 seed
Glad 2 read clever comments about an absolute legend like McEnroe.
Mac still had great volley skills and smart game, but it wasnt enough vs Agassi. Mac reached SF defeating 2 seeded players, it was nice. Its interesting, that Agassi at 33 yo was more competitive )
Because baseline is more effektive.
@@thebigmonstaandy6644 and steroids are delicious.
I just like that he beat Becker en route. Yay.
I’d love to have the Jack Kramer Pro Staff McEnroe used. My first racquet was the JK Autograph. Bought in early 80’s. I still have a Wilson T-2000 too. Bought both around that time. I remember when the first Prince Pro oversize came out. I thought it was the bomb at the time. So I can personally relate to what playing with heavy wooden racquets was like. Was some great tennis being played back then. I’m glad I got to grow up watching McEnroe, Connors, Lendl and all the players of that era!
I play once a year in a wood racquet tournament. There is a VERY nice and unique feel to the old wood racquet when you are just hitting / rallying some clean shots. But after a few matches you are thankful for the new tech and strings and are ready to dump the wood racquet in the trash.
@@JK-vc7ie That’s pretty neat a wood racquet tournament. I agree with ya about they had a unique feel about them. I wish I could go back to the early 80’s when I was a teen and be playing with my wood racquet. lol. Great times! I miss those days!!
@@allenhawker3911 I hear you for sure, but if you actually play sets with one you won't miss them. You will want to throw it in the garbage can next to the courts. Try it for yourself. The novelty wears off pretty quick when you are playing and not just hitting. You quickly start appreciating your current racquet and advancements in technology. It makes tennis a lot more fun and enjoyable.
@@JK-vc7ieYeah I definitely agree with ya. Tennis is such a great sport. My favorite really.
Mac ran into a buzz saw that day. AA was on fire. On paper, it looked like Ol' Mac would have a good shot at his swan song Wimbledon, but it was not to be.
The death of the serve and volley era.
Oliver Juria Not so fast, Patrick Rafter and Tim Henman kept it going until about 2003.
Lleyton Hewitt's matches against some of the great serve and volleyers better marked the end of serve and volley imo.
no man, Boring Pete won a couple of slams with that strategy
seen so many times..each one hope finally mac win but no way
@29:32 Ashe astutely calls the double fault to be by McEnroe (great analyst).
One of the first matches where the new rackets over power the net player. The balls velocity is too great. Agassi is playing the match of his life.
McEnroe was some eight years past his prime here. In the words of Wally Masur "he was the same person, but not the same player".
It hast nothing to do with the new rackets, or too much power.
Pit prime Agassi against prime McEnroe, and it would be a completely different story.
Mac’s problem was pure serve and volleying was a losing proposition with the new racquet technology. You can’t play with that style and win consistently. Rafter was pretty successful at it. I never considered Sampras a pure serve and volleyer. Federer either in more recent times. Pure net rushers get passed. I always said that if Martina and Mac played today, they wouldn’t win as many slams. Agassi hit flat, took ball early and was great ground stroker like many of the players today. He would fit in well today. Mac would be an anachronism. Coming in on every ball. Still I miss the serve and volley .
you forget Edberg. Back then it was still possible, but from 2000 on. with he new strings, it became impossible, so they don't know any more how to volley.
eoe123321 bullshit...
eoe123321 There were sone test about the contribution to to spin. The major contribution comes from head size. Because smaller heads means two or even 4 less strings and lesser bening of the strings. Without heavy top spin, those incredible angles are not possible any more, and net approachingvmight become more rewarding again. And easy to implement, to control and not that bad for industry. No need for just pure serve and volley. I remember Wimbly matches in the 1990 th. Stich, Sampras, Ivanisevich, Rosset, Kraijeck, the game was just a serve game , as boring as todays baseline grinding, however it was over after 1.5h. I think the beste era was the golden era, the 1970-mid 1980th
mrmagoo491 yeah. A good example is Mischa Zverev. Comes in nearly every ball. Not successful
Andreas Schulz you must be old
Chris Evert’s commentary of late draw men’s match was a rarity then for any woman. I’ve always thought her commentary of this match and the men’s final was exceptional.
Except whe nshe would say really stupid stuff like, "The left handed player gives a different angle." A friend of mine and I call this "Evertisms". It happens when, like Chris Evert, someone constantly states the obvious. She's useless as a commentator.
Agassi the bridge of two gens. Andre played the great Federer both in top shape (masters houston) and this game vs the pricky johnny mac. Agassi was forced to improve a lot from johnny macs level to Federer level in order to keep up. all credits to Agassi cos he was not a spring chicken any more.
John very gracious in defeat