Question 3 Jay's

Jay's question was hard, it was pick my favorite tennis player of all time.  I had to really think about this as I have so many, and should it be favorite male and female, one or the other?   So I am making a list of both.

A little history I started playing tennis in the 7th grade, mostly because my gymasntics career started to wind down after my kidney transplant, while I still took gymnastics classes I no longer competed and needed another competitive outlet, and lets just say with tennis it was love at first swing :)   So here are some of my favorites and at the end I will list my all time favorite player.

MEN
I should state that growing up I was more into watching the women's game and while yes I am a male it really had nothing to do with looks or their outfits, most of it was the women's game when I started watching was teens dominating like me and I thought that was completely cool.  That said I still have some favorites on the men's side.

Stefan Edberg- I only caught the last of his career but I really feel like he embodies everything tennis is all about.  You always hear tennis called the gentlemen's sport and he was well known to be a gentleman on the court and off, and who doesn't love a serve and volleyer! 

Roger Federer- He is almost my all time favorite and like Edberg a classy guy but there are a few ahead of him in my list.  What an amazing champion this guy is, and such a class act on and off the court, and watching him play on grass is like watching poetry in motion

John McEnroe- While I wasn't a huge tennis fan yet when he really took off, I was a fan when he made a comeback and played mixed doubles with Steffi Graf at Wimbledon.  I was pissed when she pulled out on him!!  Now he's the best commentator in the game, and of course when I am coaching in practice for fun I will use his famous "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS" phrase, and it saddens me when the girls don't know who said that. 

Pete Sampras- Another class act and amazing champion.  It used to make me mad when the media would pick on him for not being "showy" enough like Agassi.  Umm the dude was #1 and winning everything who the hell cares about his personality.

Women
Martina Navratilova- Came to tennis on the end of her career and yet she was still amazing til the very end.  I actually became a bigger fan of hers when chose to come back in BOTH singles and doubles in her 40s I believe it was. 

Venus Williams- I fully admit when both Williams sisters emerged on the scene I wasn't a fan I thought sportsmanship was a word they didn't know the meaning of.  However, my opinion on Venus has changed GREATLY.  Now that she is going thru Sjorgren's she has become a fan favorite and you have to admire how she has dealt with all that.

Martina Hingis- The swiss miss!  Had a huge crush on her, and she is very close to my all time favorite.  It was amazing to watch this tiny girl out think and manuever these big hitters and win Grand Slams.  Not only that she did the impossible she helped Anna Kournikova become a grand slam champ in doubles!  I still hold out hope for a return but it won't happen, even though she holds her own against the top players in WTT.

Jennifer Capriati- What a story, child prodigy gets burnt out and arrested, comes back wins 3 grand slams becomes number 1, gets injured and then goes thru more crap, gets inducted to the hall of fame.  Talk about roller coaster she still is part of my all time favorite match when she was outslugged by Seles in the US Open semi's when they were both teens.

Lindsay Davenport- Almost named her my all time favorite.  She did everything almost the complete opposite of Capriati, and was still successful.  Loved watching her play, when she won Wimbledon and broke down crying I almost did too!! Luckily she is a commentator for tennis channel and does a great job with that.

Now here are my two all time favorites, yes two I went with a male and female cuz I couldn't decide

MALE- Novak Djokovic-  This guy might be the most entertaining tennis player if you don't believe me youtube his impersonations they are hilarious.  I also admire his work ethic early in his career he was known for pulling out of events due to the slightest of injuries yeah not anymore.  I know he is current but he is easily the one I am always rooting for.  I am keeping fingers crossed this is the year he breaks thru at the French

FEMALE- Monica Seles- If I had to choose she is probably my ALL time favorite.  What a warrior, that is also one of tennis' saddest stories.  In case you forget Seles was stabbed at a tournament in Germany, a spectator came on court during the changeover and stabbed her because he was a Graf fan.  How sad.  It was great to see her return to that but honestly she was never the same.  She was so uniques hitting two hands on both sides, the loud grunt, and more deteremination than i've ever seen.  Mad respect for Seles.

There ya go!  Shife's up next