View Poll Results: Do you believe in luck in tennis?

Mountaindewslave · 11-02-2012, 09:56 PM

of course luck plays a role in anything in life. and luck just as in, sometimes life works out even when it shouldn't, or things happen you wouldn't expect, etc. for example if a tennis player mishits their stroke and the ball looks like it's going to net and it just barely hits the chord and rolls over, winning them the point, then that is luck. and often in instances like that, the luck helps give that player momentum and frustrate their opponent...

weather conditions can be considered lucky/favorable for players, etc, how draws unfold, on and on...

luck plays a part in life and certainly in tennis. but the reality is that players do not get lucky all the time, and very great champions in a way create their own luck because regardless of circumstances or happenings they find a way to win. certainly luck has helped players at small moments though

BackhandDTL · 11-02-2012, 09:56 PM

A formerly considerable junior tennis player and old friend of mine once told me "There's no such thing as luck in tennis, only percentages." Since then, I've always thought back to that adage as it relates to this sport.

Luck is what we ascribe to certain miniscule and sometimes "uncontrollable" factors that might contribute to a given outcome. If we look close enough, everything has causation that might otherwise be perceived as "luck". The concept is universal, meaning it applies to everyone, and in some sense, it could be a factor of every thing (that happens in tennis, at least) as well. Because of its broad application, I tend to think it's negligible.

In the end, players usually have the greatest say in what happens, be it in a match or their career.

Lestat · 11-02-2012, 09:57 PM

Ask Murray and the wind... Luck even gave him a GS when he was completely scared to win it.

The Bulldog · 11-02-2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arm

I agree. But the thing is, some individual points change the course of sets, even entire matches.

Yes, of course they do. You're absolutely right. These pieces of luck are far more likely to get the opposition angry and flustered than just firing a good forehand past them. If they get mad, it leads to them playing worse. Soon enough, the match has turned around.

Things like bad calls, flukes and net chords are big mental blows to whoever comes off worse.

However it's important not to confuse this extremely interchangeable short-term luck with a player playing above his level, which is no co-incidence. That comes with the right mentality and belief in technique.

RafaelNadalisGod · 11-02-2012, 10:01 PM

Murray 2012 USO.... Stars fucking aligned

Mountaindewslave · 11-02-2012, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RafaelNadalisGod

Murray 2012 USO.... Stars fucking aligned

I would agree that the conditions alligned and so did his draw but he certainly fought and did a lot of things to make it happen too. that's a mixed bag there, Murray/US Open

hipolymer · 11-02-2012, 10:08 PM

Of course. Mugerer winning the French Open at the only time Nadal was mysteriously absent, and then winning Wimbledon in 2012 at the only time Nadal was absent.

Oh wait...this topic is about luck? My bad. I thought it was about match rigging and legacy-making by the ATP.

Roy Emerson · 11-02-2012, 10:15 PM

RafaelNadalisGod · 11-02-2012, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hipolymer

Of course. Mugerer winning the French Open at the only time Nadal was mysteriously absent, and then winning Wimbledon in 2012 at the only time Nadal was absent.

Oh wait...this topic is about luck? My bad. I thought it was about match rigging and legacy-making by the ATP.

Nadal played Wimbledon 2012 and Roland Garros 2009. Next.

ciprianned · 11-02-2012, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by latso

Luck is always equal to 0 in the long run.

THIS !

TBkeeper · 11-02-2012, 11:13 PM

WoW guys ..... please ..... sense yourselves !
OF course there is LUCK !
THE exact moment when the ball leaves the racket and begins it's trajectory you had given some EXACT properties to the ball (spin,pace,placement) these properties CHANGE at A DIFFERENT RATE EVERYTIME and that is cause of RANDOM FACTORs which are not constant EVEN THE ATMOSPHERE PRESSURE is changing CONSTANTLY the temperature too there is no place on earth where there is absolutely no WIND at ALL !!!(oh gosh i feel like here are persons that doesn't know in what a world we live in and i'm 17 talking about IQ ... ) SINCE you can't CHANGE THOSE variables hence it's luck! THE MOMENT when the ball leaves the racket everything from there on till the next contact with the opponents racket is luck !
THERE are no two opinions about this clearly ... guys sort yourself up ...

just as i thought that humanity is slowing it's degrading levels i prove myself wrong ...