The Spin Team
I started writing about Serena's quarter final against Pliskova and I stopped. I stopped, not because I did not think that I had anything to add to the conversation, but that I believe my thoughts might get lost in the narrative (there is that word again) about Pliskova and her amazing ability to come back from 5-1 down to beat Serena.
I love watching Judge Judy. I watched Judge Judy not because I learn anything of a legal sense but at her ability to read into the motives of the people who appear before her seeking compensation for wrongs that they have allegedly suffered. One thing that Judge Judy loves to say is this "if it does not make sense, then it is not true". I have the same view about Serena losing from 5-1 down because her opponent staged a comeback. It did not make sense, and therefore it is not true.
As I said, I won't rehash the match here as the 2 women who actually made it to the final deserve their space.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2019
Naomi Osaka - she of the tan complexion. I don't know whether she needed to emphasise her colour in that way, but I guess that is how she feels about her dark skin. She is not black or brown. She is tan. In case you missed it, one of Osaka's sponsors, Nissin had a video going the rounds where they had whitewashed her. After a hue and cry by persons who had seen the video, it was taken down. I have not seen it so I can't comment, but it is weird how a company felt it was best to cast Osaka as a white person, rather than a person of colour. This was similar to the cartoonist in that Australian paper who felt the need to interpret Osaka as a wraith thin white girl and cast Serena as a big black woman with thick lips (but I digress).
Osaka is into her second Grand Slam final. It is a testament to her growth as a player. I never usually liked to give credit to coaches, because I think men get enough accolades, but her coach has done a fantastic job with her and I believe that part of the reason for his success with Osaka stemmed from his time as the hitting partner of Serena. During this Australian Open swing, I watched the majority of Osaka's matches and I could not help but compare her mannerisms and her game to Serena's, even to the getting down on bended knee to hit a backhand down the line. Her constant screams of come on after every single point against Pliskova was as in your face as I have seen her. It felt at times as if she had something to prove or maybe she was ensuring that Pliskova did not stage another comeback.
Much will be written about Petra Kvitova and her return from an incident that should have sent her into retirement. That she is able to come back and find her way into the top of women's tennis with the chance to actually get the long awaited No.1 ranking says a lot about her tenacity and inward fight.
"It's great that I didn't give up and I was still believeing." -Petra Kvitová on her "second career"#AusOpen #SleepIsForTheWeak pic.twitter.com/6RCFXUWrwQ— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2019
No story should be told about Petra without delving into why she is where she is. I find it incredible that no tennis journalist or media house has done any significant story about her attack. I was recently contacted by a journalist who shared information with me regarding the ongoing case in the Czech Republic. I have tried to find any evidence of on going court proceedings, but I have not had much luck. It would seem as if there is some doubt as to the person that the police have charged for this horrific crime as he seems to have an airtight alibi for the time that the incident occurred. The fact that she has been playing for the past 2 weeks and there has been zero discussion (at least as far that I have seen) about the attack on Kvitova, the upcoming trial etc.,speaks to the lack of journalistic integrity that permeates tennis. Consider that there were frequent articles written by tennis media regarding Venus' accident, the potential civil trial, the criminal indictment etc. Tennis media spoke to prosecutors, and the police. In this instance the silence has been deafening.
Tonight Petra will play someone who hits the ball just as hard as she does. Who moves a lot better than she does and who has weathered the storm of some tough matches over this fortnight. Osaka has been here before. So has Petra. I am giving this one to Osaka. She is hungry and as folks have said elsewhere she wants this one to be about her.
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