I have one word for Gilbert -- Orantes
Anyway, wasn't Rafter a dark horse the first time he won the USO?
Anyway, wasn't Rafter a dark horse the first time he won the USO?
http://www.atptennis.com/en/players...?year=2002&query=Singles&player=S402&x=23&y=5Dirk said:Pat and Cliff tried to argue with him by saying that Hewitt wasn't a favorite going into the USO 2001 by Brad came back with "He was seeded number 3 at that Open". They brought up Rafter who was seeded 13 at the 97 USO, but Brad retort with "Pat was in the finals of many of the USO lead up events". I think Brad is right on this statement. Can anyone find evidence to the contrary?
Gregers isn't that bad Eggy.TheBoiledEgg said:Rafter in 97
well someone had to win that one
look at the semifinalists![]()
http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/playerprofiles/Titles/default.asp?playernumber=O017star said:I have one word for Gilbert -- Orantes
Anyway, wasn't Rafter a dark horse the first time he won the USO?
Michael was just completely tired from his quarterfinal win over Marcelo. :angel:TheBoiledEgg said:Rafter in 97
well someone had to win that one
look at the semifinalists![]()
When Orantes won the US Open, it was on clay. And he won other large clay events earlier that year, I believe.star said:I have one word for Gilbert -- Orantes
Anyway, wasn't Rafter a dark horse the first time he won the USO?
I'd say so.Whistleway said:13th seed is a "dark horse"? What y'all smokin?
Sampras did not play well all year but nobody could be surprised when Pete started rolling so he wasn't a TRUE darkhorse. Sampras in 1990, however, is a different story. He was a true darkhorse then.Although Sampras had 13 Slams under his belt in 2002, he didn't win any tournament since Wimbledon 2000. I considered he's a dark horse that year.
It was green clay. But I looked him up, and all I could find was that he lost first round at Roland Garros that year and played a few Davis Cup matches.Leo said:When Orantes won the US Open, it was on clay. And he won other large clay events earlier that year, I believe.
Rafter in '97 was probably the last winner of the US Open who could be considered a dark horse. It doesn't happen much in New York.
I didn't know much about Orantes either so I looked him up on tenniscorner: http://www.tenniscorner.net/index.php?corner=M&action=players&playerid=ORM002star said:It was green clay. But I looked him up, and all I could find was that he lost first round at Roland Garros that year and played a few Davis Cup matches.
But anyway, I remember that USO. I remember watching the final. It was a fantastic match. I remember everyone thinking before the match was played that Orantes had no chance. He had played 5 sets late into the night the day before the final. Connors had a fairly easy afternoon match and was rested and eager.
As I recall it at the time, everyone thought that Orantes was a long shot to win the tournament.
For sure! He was seeded sixth, I think? But he was a tournament pick for many after beating Sampras in a very close TMS Canada final not long before. Plus he had reached the quarters of the French earlier in the year and won a bunch of titles.Clara Bow said:Would Safin in 2000 be considered a dark horse?
What was he seeded?