FULL VERSION 1991 - Seles vs Navratilova - Milan Fitgar International

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Commentary / Broadcast Copyrights -
© 1991 Mediaset Italia Due (Italy) - a subsidiary of MFE - MediaForEurope.
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Rad to the Power of Cool Copyrights -
© 2022 PertSnergleman™ Channel
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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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“I still feel close to the No. 1,” a dejected Navratilova said. “It was a good battle, a close match decided on two or three points.”
The 1-hour 40-minute victory by the Seles kept Navratilova from equaling Chris Evert’s record of 157 tournament titles.
Seles and Navratilova, who met in the U.S. Open final last month, played with intensity normally reserved for a Grand Slam event.
"If she always plays like she did today, she will have plenty of opportunities to beat the record," said Seles, whose career earnings reached $3.4 million.
This was the first and only year (1991) a Women's Draw Event was held for the Milan Indoor Tournament... Enjoy!

[@SaleSarajlija]

One and only Monica Seles!!!! Thank you for this great retro selection!

[@zeddeka]

Some of their matches were amazing. Such a brilliant clash of styles. Interesting that before the stabbing, there didn't seem to be too much love lost between them.

[@zeddeka]

That last game in particular illustrating how Martina's forehand really was shaky at times, both on the volley and at the baseline. Under pressure it could really fall apart. Monica knew that and directed a lot of her shots to Martina's forehand on big points.

[@00708046]

I know fame and fortune is nice but when you can both have a memorable match like this it makes life more real .

[@SpiritDonkey]

Another great one!!!

[@00708046]

Monica seems to have spiritual conversations to herself when she makes mistakes but never shows off after big wins . Her opponents either get upset when they lose or do a fist shake when they make a shot.

[@zeddeka]

At the 1991 US Open, Monica's brother was asked what she was saying to herself. He said she was just saying "come on", encouraging herself

[@thequinnster72]

One of four classic matches between them. The others being the '89 VS Championships, '90 Los Angeles, and '93 Paris. I could go with '91 VS Championships also if it had been best 2 out of 3 sets, but the fourth set was a bagel. Usually entertaining matches between these two where they'd both get fired up.

[@MarioBeart]

Martina's technique and graceful net game is unmatched.

[@zeddeka]

I don't think you'd teach anyone these days to hit groundstrokes like Martina except for the slice. Her forehand in particular was famous for the way it could break down. Arthur Ashe said of her forehand that her grip was "chosen for convenience rather power".

[@hundeware]

Monica < a class act, not so much for Martina...

[@zeddeka]

There's a lot to admire about Martina, but also a lot to dislike. She seems to have had a very egotistical side to her, that was resentful about anyone who beat her or who was #1 above her. She had her moments when Steffi Graf took over as world #1 (trying to organise a "stop Steffi" group in the locker room, and telling the crowd in the Wimbledon 1988 final that they shouldn't be cheering for Steffi because she was German). There was the famous grunting incident with Monica at Wimbledon of course. Bizarre because Martina had never complained in all their previous matches (or any after), so it was clearly an attempt at gamesmanship to try and unnerve Monica. Martina was also very ungracious and unfair about Conchita Martinez, and is on record as saying: "I won nine singles titles at Wimbledon but it should have been 10. Conchita never did it again. She never played that well again because she just doesn't care. And that's what bugs me. I would rather have beaten her and lost to Zina Garrison in 1990, because Zina was working her ass off and would have given anything to win. The girl (Martinez) took the money and ran."

[@Smudgeroon74]

@@zeddeka may I ask where did you get these comments attributed to Martina Navratilova from? Was it in a book or an interview or ..... just curious. The remarks about Conchita Martinez are particularly unflattering, if true.

[@00708046]

Did you know Monica cut her own hair . Her style became popular over the years.

[@zeddeka]

Her look here was unveiled earlier in 1991 when she signed a deal with Matrix haircare. Her hair has become so damaged with all the bleaching she had done over the years that it needed to be cut short. There is a promotional video here on youtube from 1991 by Matrix Haircare where Monica discusses her new look.

[@zeddeka]

This is what their US Open match should have been more like - but the appalling scheduling that they had really ruined it. 34 year old Navratilova was exhausted after her semi final and quarter final wins and didn't have much left in the tank.

[@ChicanoPhD]

The schedule had been that way for years. Martina had more rest time, too, since her semi was first. Plus, Martina prided herself on her fitness. Your comment is inane.

[@zeddeka]

​@@ChicanoPhDoh it's you again with your mental illness. They let you out of the asylum for the day? Wishing you all the best with your recovery.

[@WONGLER]

No official WTA match ?

[@juanantoniobl7550]

It was an official tournament

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

I take that back. Navratilova’s ground game was nothing short of embarrassing in this match.

[@zeddeka]

How did it go to 6-4 in the final set then? How did she manage to break Monica? You've said her ground game was 'embarrassing' and her net game is 'very overrated and erratic'. Makes you wonder how she won a point, she was apparently so bad......

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

@@zeddeka All of that remains true in my perspective. While her net play was erratic, she was able to connect with the ball often enough to produce competitive matches. Other times, her deficits were easily exploited by the up and coming generation by the likes Steffi and Monica.

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

Martina would have been nothing without her serve. Her net play is very overrated and highly erratic. When players like Monica had time to set up, it was a piece of cake to pass her. While her ground game wasn’t one of the best, it was almost more solid than her net play.

[@zeddeka]

I think you're possibly the only person in history to think that. Martina is widely regarded as the best women's volleyer of all time, and maybe you should watch some of her other matches to get a better view. This wouldn't have been such a tight match if she wasn't, nor would she have 9 Wimbledon titles. Her game, including her ground game, were essentially from an era of wooden racquets when much of tennis was played on grass. Most players didn't hang round at the baseline - the idea was to get into the net as quickly as you could. Martina's whole game was based around that, although she did have excellent feel on her backhand slice in baseline rallies.

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

@@zeddeka Of course we have always been told that Navratilova is the best volleyer in the history of women’s tennis, and that certainly used to be true. I do appreciate that it was a different game back in her prime and I am no stranger to the sport. I was actually fortunate enough to see Seles beat Navratilova at Madison Square Garden in person at the VS Championships of 1992. I don’t come to these conclusions on a whim, or with a prejudice toward the modern game. So let’s just discuss her net play. I mean, it’s certainly better than most, and she would wipe my ass of the court in 40 minutes even today. However, to still say that she is the best volleyer in women’s tennis history is simply not true.Though Venus Williams didn’t solely rely upon her net game to win points, she was an infinitely more imposing and talented force to be reckoned with up at net. Venus had much quicker hands and feet, longer wingspan and height, better anticipation, and hands as soft as Martina on any day. It’s hard to even see Venus miss a volley throughout her career, and she got her racket on passing shot attempts that would have been clean winners against most anyone else. All those shots that Martina always said were “too good” as she watched them land on her side of the court for winners- Venus was right on top of those balls and turning them into her own volley winners. I’m really not even a Venus fan, but her net play was obviously phenomenal. Just watch this in case you need a quick reminder. kzbin.info/www/bejne/anWbaY1vYr6Hpas

[@00708046]

I think Martina played great . I think Monica is able to disguise her shots and you never know what kind of spin might be on it . The thing is , the longer a rally lasts , the more surprises there are .

[@zeddeka]

​@@Ricky-mo6mvI think nowt people would think you have a very eccentric view of tennis. Venus was a solid volleyer but she wasn't anywhere near Navratilova's class.

[@Ricky-mo6mv]

@@zeddeka I disagree. Navratilova was probably more skilled at executing volleys while moving forward, and half volleys. But once up at the net Venus had the edge and her superior athleticism and speed made her virtually un-passable with far less wild errors. Venus had more conviction behind her volleys as well.