WOMEN'S SEMIFINAL - WIMBLEDON

 As I am writing this piece, Ashleigh Barty of Australia, the world's No. 1 ranked player in the world, a player of Aboriginal descent has just made her way into the finals of The Championships at Wimbledon and I am sitting here seething in rage at Chris Evert and Chris Fowler as they continue to use the term "walkabout" to describe Ms. Barty's lapse during certain points in the match.

I tweeted earlier tagging Ms. Evert in my tweet and using the hashtag that was coined for Ms. Evert to let her know that using the term walkabout to describe Ms. Barty was offensive.  Various users on Twitter informed me that at the start of the match, her fellow commentator, Chris Fowler also used the opportunity to use the word walkabout in describing Ms. Barty.

At a time when ESPN is being shown to have issues as it relates to diversity (see Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor), it would have been good if the powers that be had taken both Chrises into a room with a Wikepedia page and let them know just how wrong it is to use this form of language and how hurtful it can be to Ms. Barty.  This year we are being told that the dress that Ms. Barty is wearing is her clothing sponsor's way of paying homage to another Aboriginal, Ms. Evonne Goolagong who won The Championships 50 years ago this year. 

How hurtful must it be for Ms. Goolagong, a woman who has paved the way for Aboriginal persons to listen to a young player's lapses being termed as walkabout.

For those who do not have access to Wikipedia, a quick Google search turned up this article

https://www.outdoorrevival.com/old-ways/walkabout-aboriginal-australian-hike-serves-rite-passage.html

A walkabout is a rite of passage which is of a spiritual nature. As a result of Western culture using it in a disparaging and disrespectful manner, the Aboriginal peoples have had to cease using the word to describe a part of their culture and heritage.  How absolutely shameful is this.

As a woman of colour and a Jamaican living in a land that is not of my birth, I hear so many remarks being made about Jamaicans on a whole.  The most famous is that Jamaicans love to smoke weed and there was the time when someone said that Jamaicans are best known for how they can use a mop (don't get me started).

ESPN commentators and frankly its not just ESPN but commentators on a whole need to do better.  I thought we had long passed the time when I had to take to my blog to talk about issues such as this, but again, it is clear the more things change, the more they remain the same.  I am exhausted by this. 

Currently watching the second semifinal.  Yet to hear the talk of Sabalenka's grunting so small mercies.  

OH MY GOD IT IS HOT

by Karen

As many of you who read this blog know I am a Caribbean girl. Born and bred on the lovely island of Jamaica.  I am used to the heat. As a child I played lots of sports. Dandy shandy, baseball, cricket, etc.  I could not wait until summer because then I got to go to the country and swim in the river, walk the sugar cane plantation owned by my grandparents and hide under the cellar away from chores just to read the thousands of books that my aunt, a teacher kept under there.

When I got to high school, I played netball, swam, played hockey and football.  I was basically an outdoor type of girl.  As I got older, I took up tennis.  Loved the sport and even though I never made it beyond Level 5 in my local league, I enjoyed playing, whether rain or shine. When I moved to the Cayman Islands 12 years ago, I joined a club and started playing in a Mixed League.   There were times when my opponents in league tennis who were much better and fitter than I was would schedule matches for Saturday or Sunday mornings at 11:00 when the sun was high in the sky.  At those times, I really hated my opponent and wished that they had sun stroke, but I sucked it up and played, and win or lose I would give my best effort.

I recently watched an NFL game where both teams were playing in blizzard type conditions.  At one point, they could not even see the replay of the game because the snow was coming down so hard.  I have seen many pro athletes develop their games in conditions that were inhumane to say the least. From players in war torn Cameroon to women from the Middle East competing in long dresses or with their whole bodies covered in order to compete with their fellow professionals from all over the world.

Professional tennis players though are in a class of their own when it comes to playing through adversity.  From complaining about lighting, to the type of balls used, to whether someone is standing up way in the stands before they can serve, to removing bugs from the service line before they can hit a serve, professional tennis players come across as childish, petulant and full of their own sense of importance.

These men and women are playing a sport that is hardly even recognised as a sport by other professional athletes.  From having their racquets strung by a professional stringer, to having a trainer come on court to massage their bodies, these athletes are doing everything in their power to alienate what little fans they still have who pay attention to the sport.

The latest complaint from the gallery is the never ending discussion about the heat in Australia.  It is Australia.  It is hot because it is summer.  The same thing happens every single year at every single Major.  At the Australian Open it is about the heat, French Open, when are we going to get lights for night tennis, at Wimbledon, is the grass slow or fast and will it rain and at the US Open, when will we get a roof and is there a tropical storm or hurricane on the way.

Tennis fans and the players need to let it go and try and enjoy the tennis. Sit back and relax. Watch someone adapt their game to the conditions and to what the man or woman is doing on the other side of the net.  Yes it is hot but this is what you trained for.  This is what you should have prepared yourself for while you were soaking up all that exhibition money and having  a great old time in what passes for the off season.  How about using that ice towel and ice vest to cool down. Drink more fluids.  Stay focused.  Ignore the heat.  It is hard, but you can do it.  

I love this sport.  I really do, but I am beginning to become mroe and more disillusioned by the players who play the sport.

For once, can we just shut up and play

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SPORT

Way back in the day when I lived in Jamaica, there was a programme that aired on the local tv station called Wild World of Sports. One of the highlights of that show was the narrator talking about the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  They also spoke about the triumph of the human spirit in a sporting environment.

I am not the most athletic person, but when I was younger, I played netball, I swam, I played hockey and I did track and field.  As I got older I took up tennis but as with most things when you get to an old age, your body starts to fail you and you can no longer continue.

I enjoy watching tennis, especially women's tennis. The characters and personalities in tennis are all divisive in their own way and they make for absolutely great story lines.  I strongly believe that one of the reasons why there are so many tennis blogs out there competing for the average tennis fans' attention is because there are so many wonderful athletes who are out there competing day in and day out.  They all have their little quirks that they do before each point and most people would be able to pick tennis players out of a line up if all you had to do was tell someone exactly what said person was doing, or indeed if all you had to go by was a short snapshot of what each player did between points.  There is the Federer hair toss, the Serena Williams glare, the Azarenka/Wozniacki jumping up and down, the Sharapova/Hantuchova walk to the back of the court to commune.  The list goes on and on.

However, there is one person whose foibles are cast in stone.  From the jumping up and down prior to receiving serve, to the wave of her whole body to and fro prior to receiving serve, to the constant fist pumps to her box, the focus and intensity on every single point, I don't think there is anyone in tennis who has as many quirks and foibles as does Bartoli.

I have never been a fan of the French woman.  I think sometimes her quirks border on unsportsmanlike conduct.  I think she goes over and beyond in her competitiveness and this sometimes irks me.  However, one thing I have to do is give her credit.  Credit for doing what is/was right to move her career forward and to realise her potential and credit to actually having the guts to do something that she should have done a long time ago.

Last year when Bartoli was unable to compete for France at the Olympics, I was one of the few that sided with the French Federation. All Federations have rules and everyone, no matter who you are, have to abide by those rules.  For the FFT, the rule was that you could not be coached by your personal coach when you played Fed Cup. Bartoli and her father refused for many years to abide by these rules and as a result her dream of representing France at last year's Olympic was not realised.

Fast forward to 2013 and Marion parted ways with her father/coach.  I cannot imagine that it was an easy decision for her.  Once she had parted ways with him she struggled to find form.  She did not make it past the second round of any tournament at which she played.   Her game suffered.  The double faults, something which has always plagued her. intensified.  When she got to Wimbledon, no one, and I mean no one picked her to even make the second round, much more the second seek.

As she stated, when she started the tournaemtn at Court 14, she had no idea that she would have been the last woman standing. Bartoli, as so many late bloomers have done since Schiavone at the French Open in 2010, seized her moment and never let go.

Bartoli had been down this road before.  In 2007 she faced down then No. 1 Justine Henin and pipped her at the finish line in a wonderful display of grass court tennis.  She failed to make a dent in the game of the Legend that is Venus Williams, but she showed true grit nonetheless.

It took her 6 years to make her way back to Centre Court. 6 years during which time she has not fared particularly well at the Slams, with her best showing being a semi-final finish at the French Open in 2011.

I hope that Marion's win at Wimbledon will show the other women on Tour, who have the game, but not the mentality to do what is right in their careers.  Caroline Woznaicki reigned for 2 years as the No.1  player in the world.  She has indicated on more than one occassion that she is severing coaching ties with her father but as at the time of writing that coaching situation remains the same.

Marion Bartoli has shown that once you have the guts to do what is necessary to advance your career, you will achieve greatness.

Marion Bartoli, Wimbledon Ladies Champion 2013 

WIMBLEDON DAY 2 PICKS

Spin got slammed yesterday.  There are no 2 ways to describe what happened on Day 1 on the women's side.  From young Puig slamming the NO. 5 seed, Errani in straight sets, to Sharapova struggling against Krista, to Vika almost retiring against her opponent, to the struggles of Bartoli and Flipkens, the women's bottom half of the draw saw more drama than anything else.  Of course the day will be remembered for the upset heard around the world with Rafael Nadal, the French Open champion on the men's side going out in straight sets to Steve Darcis. 

The top half of the women's draw plays tomorrow and the reigning ladies' champion, current occupier of the Penthouse and the No. 1 seed, Serena Williams, opens action on Day 2 on  Centre Court.

The OOP for tomorrow is filled with lots of great matches and it took Spin almost 2 hours to really make her picks.  I will therefore advise all readers of this blog to tread carefully when making your picks, because unlike Spin, you don't want to get slammed in Suicide Pool.  

Spin's Picks are as usual in red:-

Day 2 Matches

Serena Williams (USA) [1] v Mandy Minella (LUX) 
Q Caroline Garcia (FRA) v Jie Zheng (CHN) 
Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) v Q Carina Witthoeft (GER) 
Alexandra Cadantu (ROU) v Tamira Paszek (AUT) [28]

Sabine Lisicki (GER) [23] v Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 
Elena Vesnina (RUS) v Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 
Olga Puchkova (RUS) v Arantxa Rus (NED) 
LL Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) v Samantha Stosur (AUS) [14]

Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [10] v Laura Robson (GBR) 
Q Mariana Duque-Marino (COL) v Julia Goerges (GER) 
Ayumi Morita (JPN) v Marina Erakovic (NZL) 
A.Medina Garrigues (ESP) v Shuai Peng (CHN) [24]

Romina Oprandi (SUI) [31] v WC Alison Riske (USA) 
Mallory Burdette (USA) v Urszula Radwanska (POL) 
Kaia Kanepi (EST) v WC Tara Moore (GBR) 
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) v Angelique Kerber (GER) [7]


Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [4] v Q Yvonne Meusburger (AUT) 
Timea Babos (HUN) v Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 
Heather Watson (GBR) v Madison Keys (USA) 
Monica Niculescu (ROU) v Mona Barthel (GER) [30]

A.Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [21] v Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) 
Q B.Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) v Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) 
Anna Tatishvili (GEO) v Petra Martic (CRO) 
Karolina Pliskova (CZE) v Nadia Petrova (RUS) [13]

Roberta Vinci (ITA) [11] v Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) v Jana Cepelova (SVK) 
M.Torro-Flor (ESP) v Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 
Q Maria Elena Camerin (ITA) v Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) [18]

Klara Zakopalova (CZE) [32] v Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 
Nina Bratchikova (RUS) v Annika Beck (GER) 
Olga Govortsova (BLR) v Simona Halep (ROU) 
Michaella Krajicek (NED) v Na Li (CHN) [6]

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: WIMBLEDON - DAY 1 PICKS

Wimbledon.  The home of tennis.  It is without a doubt my favourite tournament and I really do look forward to seeing and hearing the sounds of Wimbledon.  The music that is played on the television is different than for the other Slams and the calm and serenity that overtakes this tournament transforms the tennis calendar and takes fans back to the days of women playing in long skirts and men in long pants with jackets and waistcoats. 

The draw has been analysed to death and as is the norm on this particular blog, I leave that to those who know how the draws actually work.  As I have done in the past I will feature the day's play and do my picks. The Spin abandoned her picks mid-match due to the loss of a certain player who shall remain nameless.  

Most persons have picked Serena Williams to win this tournament and I can see nothing in her draw (I looked) that would upset her.  

The off court stuff that is now going on will hopefully not affect play.  Much has been said about those off court comments and these have also been analysed to death.  The Spin will not post any thoughts on this, except to say, let the tennis begin. 

The OOP for Monday has been posted and the matches as well as Spin's Picks  below which are in red:-

DAY 1 MATCHES

Sara Errani v Monica Puig
Petra Kvitova v Coco Vandeweghe
Petra Kvitova v Coco Vandeweghe
Carla Suarez Navarro v Lourdes Dominguez Lino
Jelena Jankovic v Johanna Konta
Jelena Jankovic v Johanna Konta
Alize Cornet v Vania King

Silvia Soler-Espinosa v Misaki Doi

Lara Arruabarrena v Lesia Tsurenko

Eva Birnerova v Varvara Lepchenko

Sloane Stephens v Jamie Hampton

Pauline Parmentier v Andrea Petkovic

Petra Cetkovska v Donna Vekic

E.Cabeza Candela v Caroline Wozniacki

Marion Bartoli v Elina Svitolina

Christina McHale v Alexa Glatch

Camila Giorgi v Samantha Murray

Stefanie Voegele v Sorana Cirstea

Lucie Safarova v Lauren Davis

Lucie Hradecka v Karin Knapp

M.Larcher De Brito v Melanie Oudin

Kristina Mladenovic v Maria Sharapova

Kiki Bertens v Yaroslava Shvedova

Garbine Muguruza v Anne Keothavong

Johanna Larsson v Ekaterina Makarova

Sofia Arvidsson v Mirjana Lucic-Baroni

Eugenie Bouchard v Galina Voskoboeva

Virginie Razzano v Ana Ivanovic

Yanina Wickmayer v Vesna Dolonc

Ajla Tomljanovic v Bojana Jovanovski

Yulia Putintseva v Kirsten Flipkens

Su-Wei Hsieh v Tatjana Maria

Elena Baltacha v Flavia Pennetta

Maria Joao Koehler v Victoria Azarenka

LOSSES, LOSSES AND MORE LOSSES

Where to begin. Manic Mondays or that should Mundane Mondays or Muck-Up Mondays. That is the way I am feeling right now after the events at Wimbledon today. Today, 2 of the biggest stars that women's tennis have ever witnessed were sent packing from the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon. It is ironic that they were sent packing by 2 players who have between them 4 WTA titles and 1 appearance in a Grand Slam.

Pironkova, she of the forehand slice, deceptively accurate serve and lethal backhand showed that her win against Venus Williams in the quarter finals of the Championships in 2010 was not a fluke. Having gone 6-15 for this season, Pironkova turned up at the Championships, apparently to defend the points (which according to her she had no idea that points were awarded for going far in tournaments) turned up a deadly performance in ousting the 5 time Wimbledon titlist and WTA Tour veteran, 6-2, 6-3 in what can only be called a command performance.

Earlier that day, Venus' little Sister, defending champion and 13 time Grand Slammer, Serena Williams was also ousted from the Championships by Marion Bartoli. Fans of women's tennis will remember that Bartoli was the player who sent Justine Henin packing in the semifinal of Wimbledon in 2007. Today, she backed up the potential she showed by staying strong and serving lights out to take out the defending champion. Serena however showed why she is indeed the toughest woman in tennis as it took Bartoli 5 match points before she could finally put away Serena Williams.

Fans of Caroline Wozniacki will have to wait until the US Open for the World's No. 1 to win a Major as she was ousted today in three tough sets by Cibulkova. Cibulkova hit winners from every side of the court but especially from her forehand side. She made the world's No. 1 look pedestrian in her victory today. Cibulkova has now taken out 2 of the biggest contenders for this title and she will now face the woman that many have picked to win these Championships, Maria Sharapova.

The others left in the tournament are Petra Kvitova, Tamera Paszek, Victoria Azarenka, Wild Card Sabine Lisicki and Marion Bartoli. It will be a very interesting quarter final from the ladies and we may very well have a very new Grand Slam champion on the women's tour.

Today's round of 16 losses by both Williams Sisters marks the first time that either woman has lost in this round at Wimbledon. The loss does not seem to have affected Serena in the same way that it seems to have affected Venus. In her post match presser Serena seemed almost defiant in her loss as she said that she can only get better and actually threw down a challenge that the rest of the women's tour should watch out. Venus on the other hand, while sounding stoic in her loss, seemed quite bemused that she could not find a way to get past Pironkova today.

She indicated in her presser that she does not know why she cannot seem to play her best against Pironkova. As I sit here and write this, I am watching the match on mute and I can tell Venus the reason why she does not play her best against Pironkova. Pironkova believes. She has no doubt in her mind that she can beat Venus. Venus, on the other hand knows that Pironkova can beat her and as a result she is not able to play without fear.

I remember years ago when Venus first came on Tour every woman on Tour did not like to play against her. She was as tough as they came. She had to fight tooth and nail for all that she has attained. From media critics about her game, to the anti-Williams sentiment that permeated the Tour at that time. Every player even her fellow Americans did not know what to make of her and her sister, and indeed the rest of the Williams Family. I strongly believe that as a result of having to stay strong during those tough moments early in their careers, Venus and to a lesser extent Serena, became extremely tough and competitive opponents.

Today, after achieving so much, maybe the desire to prove themselves is no longer relevant. Maybe, the fact that they are now acknowledged as being great players in their own right and maybe as a result of their accomplishments both on and off the court, the fire to compete is no longer there. I don't know but the Venus from even 2005, the Venus who stared down match points on so many occassions, the Venus who would look across the net at her opponent and tuck her weave behind her ears and adjust her Diane von Furstenburg dress was nowhere in sight today.

Today, I saw a woman who gave up and that is not my Venus.

I am hoping that with more match play, less injuries and that bravado that she has where she has ruled SW19 for so many years will return. I know that many of her fans would like to see that again.

On another more humours note, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, winner of zero WTA singles titles, black eye-liner, and who spends more time on her bizarre outfits and who never even made it past the first round is now the top female American player. Even more humourous, Melanie Oudin, she of the "I cannot win a first round match to save my life" is now ranked ahead of Serena Williams.

Take a drink folks, the ride is only going to get better.

WIMBLEDON, SCHEDULING AND OTHER STUFF

Wimbledon. Grass court tennis. The Williams Sisters. The lawns. Rain delays. The roof. All of these signify the return of my favourite time of the year. I love grass court tennis and I love Wimbledon. However, there are days when I do hate Wimbledon. I do hate their out-dated scheduling polices and I do hate that the All England Club continues to pander to the least common denominator in joining those who continue to condemn the women game. I also condemn the professional women of tennis who continue to suck up the type of behaviour that is constantly being meted out to the women's tour.

Since the commencement of the tournament the standard policy of scheduling one women's match on Centre Court, along with 2 men's matches continues. However, the schedule for tomorrow, Thursday 23 June is what has me really upset. Serena Williams, she of the 13 Grand Slam titles, the 2 time defending champion has been shifted to Court No. 2. I don't care what anyone says. Court No. 2 has been given the name the "Graveyard of Champions" for so long that most fans of tennis will tell you that they hate to see their favourites scheduled for that particular court. The AEC has informed us that the old Graveyard Court has been demolished and this is a new and shinier version of the Graveyard Court. In that case, why not schedule the men's matches for that particular court?

In what universe is Robin Soderling, a 2 time loser at Grand Slam finals, where he never even won a set, and Lleyton Hewitt, albeit a former champion at Wimbledon (so long ago that most fans don't even remember) command Centre Court on Thursday's schedule and Serena Williams gets to go on an outside court. Even worse, how is it that Sharapova, she who has not been to the final of a Grand Slam for going on 3 years, and who has not won at Wimbledon since 2004 gets to play on the Court No. 1 and Serena gets Court No.?

I can understand Na Li playing on Centre Court. After all she is a newly minted Grand Slam champion and one of those who the experts have picked to make it far, or even win this tournament, but again, I ask, why is the 2 time defending champion and the woman who has made the finals 3 years running, playing on Court NO. 2 and not on a main show court?

Interview Transcripts

I am happy that the AEC has saw it fit to prove interview transcripts on their website and not follow the lead of the French Federation in bowing to the journalists' association in putting a 24 hour hold on these transcripts. I have been reading through the transcripts and I have always asked myself the question, what if you were a journalist and had the opportunity to interview some of today's big name players, what questions would you ask. I have made up a list of questions and I am hopeful that some enterprising blogger or journalist who reads this little blog could perhaps ask one of our top ladies any of the following questions:-

As a top player, do you believe that the WTA Tour is doing all that it can in promoting women's tennis?

Do you believe that in this age of equality that the AEC should dispense with its credo of placing 2 men's matches on the main show courts and relegating the women, despite their records and pedigrees, to the outside courts?

Do you think that the constant criticism of the women's tour in relation to the issue of grunting is an issue that could become detrimental to the women's tour, and if so, what do you think the Tour and players could or should do to address this issue?

Do you think that the Players Council should address this issue publicly? If not, why not?

With not so many teenagers coming up through the ranks, do you think the WTA should lower the eligibility requirements, and if so, to what age?

Do you think in order to promote the women's game more it would be better if the WTA started its own commercial television station and start partnering with the various tour stops in an effort to fully promote the sport?

If you were given the job of CEO of the Tour, what if any changes would you implement in order to benefit the women's game?

Do you believe that on court coaching has had a negative or positive impact on the younger players? If so, why and if not, why?