Monica Seles vs Irina Spirlea 1997 US Open quarterfinals

[@grunchlk]

Spirlea has a beautiful game, she was one of my favourite players. That backhand is fantastic.

[@1stGeorgiePie]

Irina was a very underrated player. Extremely talented, with the most energy saving, compact and effective serves in Tennis. She could place the ball in absolutely any spot in that block.

[@andrews6341]

When we were in Rome on holiday as a kid i was 9 we were at the Italian Open with our parents and we saw Spirlea beat Gabriela Sabatini pretty easily , the fans were shocked . Though I did find out the Sabatini thrashed her later on in other meetings but that day she played great. It was in 1994.

[@mickwelly6123]

yes she was a fine player she suffered a lot of flak in the semi final against williams so unfair i believe.

[@andrewmoores7166]

I do think any criticism of Monica's weight after the stabbing is unfair and irrelevant. She went through something no other player has had to endure and the fact she returned at all says so much about her. It wasn't the only trauma she went through so she will always be one of the most inspirational players for me.

[@richardross4677]

What is fair to criticize though is hitting almost every 2nd serve to the forehand in the 3rd set. Isnt it kind of obvious that is Spirlea's weapon, and on this day she on a roll with it. Stupid. That would be like playing Graf and hitting every 2nd serve to the forehand in the 3rd set (which Seles would never do btw).

[@bear-ms3ms]

@@richardross4677 Here again? What the hell you want in all Seles videos? What the hell you want?

[@zeddeka]

It's interesting - as far back as 1991, people were commenting on Monica's weight. She admitted in an interview in 1991 that she was "addicted to butter". It seems that her problems with eating disorders actually started quite a while before the stabbing.

[@travisstrong5389]

She is a professional athlete, and choosing to play pro tennis. It is a commentators job to analayze and dissect what players do well, what strategies they should be using for each opponent, where they can improve. Seles does not get a free pass on it noted she is grossly overweight just since she got stabbed, when she chooses to play professional tennis, which she could easily be choosing not to do if she wants. Commenators are doing their job.

[@FlabbyTitmuss]

It may have been unfair (debatable) but it certainly wasn’t irrelevant. Monica’s extra weight prevented her from having a more successful comeback, as she herself has acknowledged many times.

[@racketlord64]

Awesome highlights! I remember this being such an exciting match. I was routing so much for Seles, but Spirlea played extremely well to win.

[@andrewmoores7166]

I'm a huge Seles fan but I have to say Spirlea played some stunning tennis there. I'm surprised she didn't go on to achieve bigger things. I can't even remember what happened to her tbh.

[@gk891]

She did a fade after 1997. She had some spotty results in 1998 and by 1999, her days as a top 10 player were essentially finished. She's kind of like Karina Habsudova in 1996 and Barbara Schett in 1999. Both had excellent results in those years but then faded after that.

[@deaconconway5281]

She was very talented but nuts. Remember the ridiculous bump in the semi with Venus after this.

[@ralphbourgeois5875]

@@stwaters1147 You are racist against Muslims, you must be a Trump voter. If you commit to Muslim faith you can improve and become a better person.

[@ralphbourgeois5875]

@@stwaters1147 Why do you hate Muslims? You Islamaphobic racist.

[@paddylewis6818]

She was often accused of not taking the sport seriously and that may of been her demise from the game

[@NOTHEOTHERGUY]

IF Seles had won, we never would have gotten that infamous "bump" with Venus and Irina in the next round! LEGEND!

[@JacquesHsu]

Spîrlea has a similar game as Graf. Big forehand, single-handed backhand, and she uses top spin backhand more often. Great talent, but it’s a shame she faded quickly after mid-1998.

[@riccardombollani]

Monica, simply the best ever

[@bubblewrap1205]

Thanks again for sharing a terrific highlights video, Cindy! I especially enjoy that, while you're clearly a Monica fan (as I am!), you include winning points from both players in your videos. This particular video is kind of heartbreaking because it was the first time I genuinely knew that post-stabbing Seles was not the same player, mentally.

[@fjordking]

Irina had one stinger of a topspin backhand, she was one of my favorite players back then, '90s had a huge pool of top tennis players, 1 to 20 could beat each other on a given day

[@JaNeZoKu]

Damn that's some fine tennis by Spirlea! Respect!

[@TheRobelectro]

min 12:45 Monica's FUCK!!

[@gustavoleal8112]

Me parece genial cuando el tennis técnico, vistoso e impecable prevalece sobre el puramente físico.

[@kenmoreSF]

Seles got outplayed, that's just it.

[@TheTursunov]

What a splendid player Spirlea , what a pity she did n t go on to play

[@jess4metoo]

Watching this match hurt. You could see Monica wilting as the match wore on. Thanks for sharing it though.

[@pablovenegas8975]

how many inners did she hit 100? spirlea deserve to w in

[@1Rdby]

That tall white turkey Spirlea had such an impressive game. Her success at the top seemed to last one hot second.

[@TheRobelectro]

1Rdby Irina Spirlea is from Rumania

[@rwlowe6177]

No, I think they meant she actually looks like a turkey😂😂

[@rwlowe6177]

She does

[@1Rdby]

@@rwlowe6177 Wow,,,, that’s a comment I made so many years ago. I recall after Spirlea purposely bumping into Venus, Richard Williams called her a turkey, lol.

[@tabscoobrealestate6061]

talentosa jugadora Irina Spirlea, me emociono cuando gano a Seles

[@bryguy0111]

Spirlea played some brilliant tennis and served great she almost made the final if I recall correctly ..Monica was not on especially in the third set and probably should have still won this match in two tight sets ..I felt like Monica was battling herself looking upset at critical points of the match where the old Monica would be laser focused and hit closer to the lines ..Tracy Austin brought up a good point why was Monica not serving to her backhand more ..still a great match and spirlea deserved the victory

[@Kevinsf]

If I didn't see the title and looking at the opponent of Seles on the far end, I would have thought that was Graf.

[@deaconconway5281]

Graf is far more mobile and consistent (even in this match Spirlea hit a ridiculous 71 unforced errors) and mentally tough than this. Yes otherwise when playing well she is similar to Graf with the huge forehand, great slice, great first serve, and volleying, but those are some huge differences.

[@stwaters1147]

Graf has never worn a hat

[@Munkyjoe1]

Good match from Spirlea she played like her idol, Steffi Graf

[@paddylewis6818]

I was disappointed with how Monica played in this match, she had beaten spirlea 4 times so knew how to play her, she hit so many serves to her forehand such a silly tactic, coz spirleas forehand was on fire in this match. Seles was my idol growing up, there was no one like her and she was destined to rule for definitely 2/3 yrs longer who knows how many more slams she’d have won very sad tennis story and I really felt for Monica after the stabbing she was not the same player anymore

[@BLACKTREAT]

Spirlea, IMO played a similar style as Steffi Graf, no wonder why Spirlea has given Seles trouble in the past. Both Spirlea and Graf had big forehands that could go inside out.Of course Steffi had the heart of a champion and Sprlea tried to be the class bully to Venus whe she bumped her, and lost lol

[@whfan007]

Seles was fat in this match just like all her post stabbing matches. The stabbing made her depressed and caused an eating disorder. If she was 20 pounds lighter and fitter, she would have won this match and many others. It's really a sad story.

[@CindyC71]

whfan007 I don't know about that actually, sure Monica's fitness was questionable in this period, but the way Spirlea was playing, i'm not sure anyone would've beaten her on this day. Heck, it took Venus Williams 3 sets (2 of those tiebreakers) to beat Spirlea in the next round. But i do agree that Monica would've won more matches if she were fit, after she came back from the stabbing.

[@gk891]

BLACKTREAT I also think Graf and Spirlea's slice backhands also gave Seles trouble. I remember Seles once said that Steffi's backhand never got the credit it deserved because it was an extremely tough shot to play against. Come to think of it, Jana Novotna could also give Seles major trouble. I think the only player who really couldn't trouble Seles all that much in spite of having a heavy slice backhand was Conchita Martinez. IIRC, Spirlea was a streaky player who never really repeated her quality of tennis again after 1997. She showed flashes of good tennis in 1998 but she did a big fade afterwards. In some ways, she's kind of like Karina Habsudova who had a good year in either 1995 or 1996 but faded after that. Ditto with Barbara Schett in 1999. But yes, Spirlea's style was very similar to Graf's (big serve, big forehand with similar patterns, severe slice backhand). The one things that she probably did better than Graf was dropshot. Otherwise, Graf was much more mentally tough and had much better mobility. It's probably those 2 specific attributes that helped make Graf into a champion whereas Spirlea never won a grandslam.

[@jonathankieranwriter]

whfan007 Soooooo true. Monica was fat and her mobility was a JOKE, for a top pro. If she were even 25 lbs lighter at that time, she would have destroyed everyone. Including Spirlea.

[@deaconconway5281]

Her mobility was never a strength even at full fitness. And even less mobile she only lost to people who were outhitting her, which is why her results vs Sanchez, Sabatini, Martinez, Huber, Majolir, Capriati were exactly the same. While people like Venus, Serena, Davenport, Graf normally put her on the defensive anyway, while people like Spirlea less often but sometimes can. I dont think it made much difference in her results frankly.

[@whfan007]

Seles is obviously overweight here and very tired at the end. That's what saddens me most, if she was a step up faster and fitter in some of those matches she would have definitely won them like pre-stabbing.

[@pablovenegas8975]

dispite her over waith she manages to move pretty well and almost beat spirlea

[@lorisminerva1005]

top...

[@frank7928]

la partita della vita per spirlea! poi nn ha vinto nulla. seles the best!

[@antinotis]

Any other day and Monica would have won this.

[@bilraz]

Not sure about that. Spirlea did win three straight matches against monica

[@jl3322]

Seles beat herself in the 3rd set

[@whfan007]

Seles looks so unfit :( if she had been fit she would have won many of those close matches after the stabbing :(

[@thomaslamarque1507]

Poor handshake from Spirlea. Very unfriendly player

[@andrewcharles7873]

After Seles came back from her stabbing, she gained 30-40 pounds. And although she was hitting the ball harder as a result of her extra body weight, her movement and mobility were greatly affected. And it also took a tool on her foot and knees with all the extra baggage she was carrying. As a result, her form at best was yo-yo like. She could never regained the formed she had before the stabbing. In short, she should have retired rather then making a comeback. At least her fans would still have regarded her as one of the best rather then a struggling overweight player who was more interested in what she would eat after her matches rather then what she could achieved on the tennis court.