Greatest achievements other than winning majors

[jhar26]

With so much of the focus always going to the slams it's perhaps a good idea to have a thread about achievements in tennis other than winning any of the four majors. The poll choices are just the first that came to my mind, but I'm sure that there must be others that are jus as noteworthy. If so, feel free to discuss them. I've limited it to recent achievements by currently active players.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I chose other Serena Williams winning the Gold Medal in singles at the Olympics and completing a career golden slam in singles and doubles the only player male or female to do so.

 

[shawnbm]

I go with the Pole!

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I have a thread for Fed cup, so that's my pick!

 

[jhar26]

Had to vote for Caroline. :heart:

BTW - it's Sharapova's birthday today, so happy birthday Maria!

 

[Hoergren]

Had to vote for Caroline. :heart:

Me too - she's done it well and is a super rolemodel for the girls around the world - GO Caro!:heart:

 

[sk310]

I would say Caroline just because weeks at number 1 is, I believe, the second factor obviously to majors, that makes a great player.

 

[junren65]

I voted for Caroline, of course.

 

[Kirijax]

Voted Caroline. That stat alone will make people doubt Wikipedia's validity for all eternity.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I also voted for Caroline it was a pretty impressive stat.

 

[BTURNER]

How about Evert never falling out of the top three spots, for 16 consecutive years(1972-1988) using World Tennis Magazine's rankings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_ten_ranked_female_tennis_players_(1921–1974)#1973 and then the WTA Rankings.

 

[BTURNER]

I got this one Evert's 125-match clay court winning streak from August 1973 to May 1979

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris...t_winning_streak_from_August_1973_to_May_1979

Statistics: 71 of the 258 sets (or 28%) were 6–0. Only 8 of the 125 matches were three-setters.
1.Karen Krantzcke 6–7 6–0 6–0 2.Marie Neumannova 4–6 6–1 6–4; 3. Martina Navratilova 2–6 6–2 6–1 4. Evonne Goolagong 5–7 6–4 6–2 5. Dianne Fromholtz 2–6 6–3 8–6 6. Ivanna Madruga 3–6 6–1 6–4 7. Olga Morozova 6–1 1–6 6–0

And then there was this match for the ages at the US Clay court championships of 1975 playing Nancy Richey an old nemesis and great claycourter who had given her tons of trouble long past when Chris had multiple wins over Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, everyone on the tour. The final score of this match reads 6–7 7–5 4–2 ret. Evert recovered from 7–6 5–0 40–15 down two match points, to win this match and keep streak alive at 73 matches

From the beginning of this run, Evert did not lose a set on clay in 1973 or between 1976 and 1978. She had runs of 76, 65, and 50 consecutive sets won during the streak.

 

[tented]

I got this one Evert's 125-match clay court winning streak from August 1973 to May 1979

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris...t_winning_streak_from_August_1973_to_May_1979

Statistics: 71 of the 258 sets (or 28%) were 6–0. Only 8 of the 125 matches were three-setters. From the beginning of this run, Evert did not lose a set on clay in 1973 or between 1976 and 1978. She had runs of 76, 65, and 50 consecutive sets won during the streak.

Truly a record which may never be broken.

The note at the bottom makes the achievement even more extraordinary: “Statistics: 71 of the 258 sets (or 28%) were 6–0. Only 8 of the 125 matches were three-setters. From the beginning of this run, Evert did not lose a set on clay in 1973 or between 1976 and 1978. She had runs of 76, 65, and 50 consecutive sets won during the streak.”

 

[BTURNER]

Truly a record which may never be broken.

The note at the bottom makes the achievement even more extraordinary: “Statistics: 71 of the 258 sets (or 28%) were 6–0. Only 8 of the 125 matches were three-setters. From the beginning of this run, Evert did not lose a set on clay in 1973 or between 1976 and 1978. She had runs of 76, 65, and 50 consecutive sets won during the streak.”

Its truly astonishing that a player in the modern era can emass that kind of streak on a single surface. I reedited the post to include the names of the players who took those sets, including a truly historic comeback. I have to wonder how long that match went because the rallies would have been long. It would have looked like a Borg Vilas match on clay. Its no wonder Nancy Richey was forced to retire from exhaustion.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

You have Maria Sharapova's return, but not Jennifer Capriati?

Capriati took the game by storm during the height of the Graf/Seles era from 1990-1992 (at ages 14-16), culminating in an Olympic Gold Medal in singles. After winning the Gold Medal, Capriati's career was derailed by personal problems in her late teen years and mediocre play in her early 20s. Capriati finally returned to her early 90s form about a decade later, in 2001, when she was in her mid 20s.