by Karen
Today on Day 4, Venus Williams, a 5 time champion at The Championships, Wimbledon played her second round match on Court 18. Social media was of course up in arms at this. The arguments were made that a 5 time champion of this event should be given any of the main show courts until the day she hangs up her racquet. I agree with this wholeheartedly. However, on the other hand, there are fans who have travelled from far and wide whose sole purpose is to see Venus Williams play on the lawns on Wimbledon. For them this was like the best of both worlds. They were able to see Venus up close and personal, in a match, that for all intents and purposes may not have gone Venus' way. They showed her battling her young opponent and they saw her use her skills and experience to break through.
While I was watching the Keys/Flipkens match, I overheard in the commentary booth the following discussion after a ball was called out, and there being no Hawk Eye on that particular court, Keys could not challenge. The discussion went something like this:
Commentator No. 1 - this is why you need to get your ranking up so you can play on the big courts
Commentator No. 2 - yes. but what about Venus who is a 5 time champion here being placed on Court 18
Commentator No. 1 - well you just play and get on with it.
Madison Keys is in the top 10 and a quarter finalist here last year. Venus is ranked No. 8 and is a 5 time singles champion and has won countless doubles titles also at Wimbledon. She has also won a gold medal in doubles with her sister at the 2012 Olympics. Not quite sure what else she needed to do to ensure that she played on a main show court.
I asked tennis fans their thoughts on Venus having to play on Court 18 and these were the responses:
From Matt Zemek
Today on Day 4, Venus Williams, a 5 time champion at The Championships, Wimbledon played her second round match on Court 18. Social media was of course up in arms at this. The arguments were made that a 5 time champion of this event should be given any of the main show courts until the day she hangs up her racquet. I agree with this wholeheartedly. However, on the other hand, there are fans who have travelled from far and wide whose sole purpose is to see Venus Williams play on the lawns on Wimbledon. For them this was like the best of both worlds. They were able to see Venus up close and personal, in a match, that for all intents and purposes may not have gone Venus' way. They showed her battling her young opponent and they saw her use her skills and experience to break through.
While I was watching the Keys/Flipkens match, I overheard in the commentary booth the following discussion after a ball was called out, and there being no Hawk Eye on that particular court, Keys could not challenge. The discussion went something like this:
Commentator No. 1 - this is why you need to get your ranking up so you can play on the big courts
Commentator No. 2 - yes. but what about Venus who is a 5 time champion here being placed on Court 18
Commentator No. 1 - well you just play and get on with it.
Madison Keys is in the top 10 and a quarter finalist here last year. Venus is ranked No. 8 and is a 5 time singles champion and has won countless doubles titles also at Wimbledon. She has also won a gold medal in doubles with her sister at the 2012 Olympics. Not quite sure what else she needed to do to ensure that she played on a main show court.
I asked tennis fans their thoughts on Venus having to play on Court 18 and these were the responses:
From Matt Zemek
@bridgepea A 5-time champion who used her champion's status to fight for pay equity. A transformative figure of supreme stature & importance— Matt Zemek (@mzemek) June 30, 2016
— ❤️VeeLiever❤️4Lyfe (@Foxykhat) June 30, 2016
@bridgepea @Wimbledon The reason to let Venus play on CC is her game. Classic grass game. Young player needs to learn from the best.— rent (@reborn_spbian) June 30, 2016
@gymrat06 @bridgepea to be more frank she's the Venus "effing" Williams. She should never see the "6th best court" at a tournament— Bri (@4TheTennis) June 30, 2016
@bridgepea Top 8 seed, had won the tournament is singles and doubles 5 times. Global superstar. Second best grass resume actively on tour.— F A V É (@faverena) June 30, 2016
@bridgepea @Wimbledon Hard to fathom another 5 times Champion being relegated to Court 18, and here I thought the Brits respected royalty?— Luvly1 (@LuvlyDramaGurl) June 30, 2016
@bridgepea Whenever she plays, people watch. Why forego good ratings for a flavor of the month player?— Almondie Brown (@ladyvenoms) June 30, 2016
@bridgepea @Wimbledon 5x Wimbledon champ, ranked #8 , automatic future hall of famer. 1st name VENUS, last name Williams. Living legend.— nioka (@blacknsassy) June 30, 2016
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