Everyone has been doing their Parting Shots from Wimbledon. I think I should clear out my notebook as well.
1. Congratulations to Petra Kvitova, Wimbledon Ladies singles champion for 2011. Awesome performance and well deserved.
2. Congratulations to Maria Sharapova for making it to the finals of another Grand Slam and showing the world what hard work and dedication can do for you.
3. Another Major and another loss to Caroline Wozniacki. However, she is still the World’s No. 1 but you have to think that there is some pressure on her to perform.
4. How dismal a performance from former Grand Slam champion Ana Ivanovic. Her many fans must be disappointed that after a wonderful fall season her results in 2011 have not kept pace. One can only hope that with the recent announcement of Nigel Sears, former head of women’s development at the LTA as her new coach,things will start looking up for her. However, I don’t think the problem lies in Ana’s coaching. It lies elsewhere in my honest opinion and the sooner she recognizes that, the better.
5. Screaming, grunting, shrieking etc seemed to have taken up a lot of time with media practitioners during the Wimbledon fortnight. It is unfortunate because the tennis being played by the women was wonderful.
6. Congratulations to Victoria Azarenka for finally getting over the quarter-final hump and making her first Grand Slam semifinal. Fans of Azarenka can only hope that she moves forward with this improvement. Her performance was one that will fill her fans with great hope for her future.
7. Seeing Serena Williams break down and cry after her first round win at Wimbledon was heartwarming and showed fans of women’s tennis just what this game means to Serena.
8. Another disappointing dismissal by the Queen of the Green, Venus Williams by what can only be called her nemesis Pironkova. As a big fan of Venus myself, I was very disappointed and I can only hope that she will at some point return to the winners circle at what is without a doubt her favourite tournament.
9. Marion Bartoli showed that her win in Eastbourne was not a fluke, neither was her reaching the semis of the French Open. Bartoli has put in the hard work and it has paid off handsomely. I hope that she does not overplay during the US hard court series and makes a run at the US Open.
10. It was good to see Sabine Lisicki not only enter the winner’s circle with her win at Birmingham but also seeing her make the semis of Wimbledon. Her performance was a tad disappointing. Her first serve which is one of the biggest weapons in her arsenal was nowhere in sight against Sharapova and her forehand which is one of the biggest on Tour was nowhere in sight. Hopefully she will improve as the rest of the season progresses and can continue to remain healthy.
11. Julia Georges showed once again that it is not always good to bet on a streaky horse. Her performance against Cibulkova was not only disappointing but was underwhelming to say the least.
12. Dominika Cibulkova is a giant killer. After taking out Julia Georges in the third round, she went toe to toe with the World’s No. 1 Wozniacki and took her out in 3 tough sets. She would later fold against Sharapova, but give her a bigger serve and a better backhand and she should be able to collect her first singles title sometime this season.
13. Last year’s beaten finalist, Vera Zvonreva struggled for much of Wimbledon. She was taken out in the third round by Pironkova in straight sets. Zvonreva seems to be regressing these days and that is quite unfortunate.
14. Kim Clijsters was a no-show at Wimbledon this year and one can only guess that her time on Tour is drawing to a close.
15. Sam Stosur disappointed as per usual.
16. Jelena Jankovic left Wimbledon with nary a whimper. I doubt if she even gave a press conference following her first round loss. One only has to wonder whether Jankovic is even interested in playing tennis any more. The Tour needs players like Jankovic to spice things up a little.
17. One of the many things that went wrong during this year’s coverage of the women’s portion of Wimbledon has to be the fact that none of Petra Kvitova’s matches were shown on tv. I know that I saw quite a few of her matches as I had access to live streams but from speaking to many of my tennis buddies that reside in the States and elsewhere we could not recall seeing any of Petra’s matches on tv. Perhaps it is time that the networks start doing a highlight show where they focus on players who have played on the outer courts so that in the event that they win at least they will have some footage of them to show.
18. I enjoyed watching the juniors at Wimbledon this year as live video streaming of the girls’ finals was broadcast. Ashleigh Barty is without a doubt a mental giant. Being 4-0 down in the first set she would go on to win the set and eventually the title. It was also good to see Justine Henin in the stands supporting the player from her Sixth Sense Academy, Irina Khromacheva. It was quite funny that the commentators on the live stream did not know who she was and kept confusing her with Nicole Pratt. How that could ever happen I will never know, which leads me to my next item…
19. I think it is time that commentators get lessons in how to pronounce players’ name. Julia Georges had to rebuke the umpire during one of her matches recently in no uncertain terms as to how to pronounce her name. Commentators are guilty of this as well and should be made to answer for their destruction of players’ names.
20. Some players really need to start focusing on the tennis and not on the outside interests. Not too long ago Chris Evert wrote a letter to Serena Williams informing her that she could always have a fashion and acting career, but that she would never have another tennis career. I think a letter should be sent to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Andrea Petkovic. Less time tweeting, writing blogs, designing ugly outfits and making up new dances and more time on the tennis court trying to win tennis matches. Bethanie Mattek-Sands is now the No. 1 ranked American woman. She has never won a singles title and is best known for wearing knee-high socks and outrageous ugly outfits and eye black on court. Andrea Petkovic is not doing much better. She is best known for making up dances that she does when she wins matches against opponents. Rather than the media calling out players for grunting, how about calling out Petkovic for her unsportsmanlike conduct, plus she cannot dance.
21. The loss by the world’s No. 1 was compounded by the fact that her loss did not rate a mention on ESPN’s website. As a tennis buddy of mine tweeted at the time the font type used to describe her loss was smaller than that used to describe the loss by Venus and Serena Williams, who also lost on the same day. The world’s No.1 should not be an afterthought. Think I am wrong, people are still talking about the World’s No. 3 loss on the men's side long after the tournament has ended. The WTA has a serious problem on its hands when the world’s media cares little about whether Wpzniacki has lost in a Major or not.
22. Kimiko Date Krumm proving more and more that age is nothing but a number.
23. Billie Jean King said “pressure is a privilege”. Na Li, winner of the French Open found that out when serving for the match not once, but twice against Sabine Lisicki. She was ousted in the second round.
24. The revival of Tamira Paszek. Once a child prodigy and former top ranked junior, Paszek turned up at Wimbledon fitter than I have seen her in years and made it all the way to the quarter-final before losing to Victoria Azarenka. She played one of the best matches I have ever seen her play in taking out Francesca Schiavone in the round of 16.
25. Svetlana Kuznetsova after playing fantastic tennis in the early rounds bowed out in the third round playing really sloppy tennis. One wonders if Sveta will ever return to the top 10, which leads to the following question …
FUTURE GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS
Of the current members of the top 10 or even top 20 who have not won a major I tried to see who would have the potential to win a Major. Unfortunately, apart from Wozniacki and Azarenka there are no other players who have not won a Major who even have the potential to win one. It is dispiriting for women’s tennis that with the veterans winding down or reducing their schedules due to injury, the new guard in women’s tennis has not shown that it has been able to step up and challenge on the big stages. I am sure that the WTA must be scratching its head in frustration at the fact that there is hardly anyone coming up through the ranks who is able to dominate the Tour and for whom fans can identify in the coming years.
Petra Kvitova’s win is without a doubt the shot in the arm that the WTA needs and indeed its younger generation needs to give them the impetus to start doing much better at the majors.
TOP 10 MATCHES DURING WIMBLEDON
1. Kimiko Date-Krumm v. Venus Williams. A match about using every single angle of the court and relying on your strengths and finding your game when you left it in the locker room.
2. Petra Kvitova v. Yanina Wickmayer. A match about staying focused and just marking the Xs and Os.
3. Marion Bartoli v. Serena Williams. A match about believing in your game and executing it.
4. Francesca Schiavone v. Tamira Paszek. The fight of a veteran and the never say die attitude of a youngster.
5. Daniela Hantuchova v. Victoria Azarenka. What happens when there is a struggle.
6. Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez v. Venus Williams. Grass court tennis at its best
7. Sabine Lisicki v. Na Li. What happens when you believe.
8. Marion Bartoli v. Flavia Pennetta. Getting it done
9. Caroline Wozniacki v. Dominika Cibulkova. A giant sized forehand contained in a pint sized body.
10. Ashleigh Barty v. Irina Khromacheva. The new generation.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
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?
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?
Sunday, June 12, 2011
WIMBLEDON
Just typing that name tells me that my favourite time of the tennis season is here.
I have nothing against clay court and hard court tennis, but there is just something so tranquil and spectacular about seeing players dressed all in white, playing against the beautiful backdrop of green grass. This year, 2011 the grass will be especially green as England has been an enjoying a really spectacular summer with lots of rain, interspersed with lots of sunshine. As is the norm during this time of the year, we have seen lots of rain delays and/or matches having to be rescheduled to the next day, but for tennis fans like myself, we don’t care. We know that while this season is short, the gold at the end of the rainbow is the crown jewel in our tennis world. To be crowned a Wimbledon champion.
I was talking to one of my tennis buddies and we started to talk about who we thought had a chance at winning this tournament on the women’s side. There were a lot of potentials thrown out there. We had, of course, Sharapova who won Wimbledon in 2004. We had Petra Kvitova, who made the semis last year. We had Azarenka, perennial quarter-finalist at the Majors, who lost last year in the third round to Petra Kvitova. We also spoke about Vera Zvonreva, even though we were not optimistic that she would repeat her efforts from last year. Too many changes in her camp since that Wimbledon run. How about Clijsters, she of the 4 Major titles, but who seems to want to spend more time with her husband and child, rather than playing the regular Tour? I seem to recall that when Clijsters made her exit from the sport in 2007, she spent quite a bit of time telling everyone who would listen how she was more prepared to just sit at home with her dogs and count her beads, rather than being on Tour. Seems to me like since coming back, Ms. Clijsters has now reverted to type.
My tennis buddy and I also spoke about Marion Bartoli. Bartoli was a finalist in 2007 where she lots to Venus Williams, she of the 5 Wimbledon crowns and without a doubt the best grass court player of her generation. However, there is the matter of that other Williams sister, Serena Williams.
Now here is where our conversation took a different turn. You will note that nowhere in this conversation did we speak about the current World’s No. 1, Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki has not done well in the Majors since making the final of the USO in 2009. However, it was not about Wozniacki’s lack of performance at a Major that brought about a discussion. It was the seedings.
My friend took the opportunity to visit the Wimbledon website to get an idea of what the criteria was for seedings. Turns out that the way the seeding is done by the Wimbledon organizers for the men is totally different than how it is done for the women.
For the men the Committee that oversees the Championships uses 75% of their best results in the past year and 100% of their results from the year before to determine their seedings. For the women, the same criteria is in place, except that the Committee has the right to use its discretion in order to establish a fair and balanced draw.
The seedings for the men will, in my view, be fairly straightforward. It is the women however who will generate the most headlines when the seedings are announced.
If the Wimbledon Committee uses the seeding criteria, we could see, Serena Williams, who has not played a tournament since winning Wimbledon in 2010 be the No. 1 seed. How, you ask could that possibly happen, having regard to the fact that Serena has not played a tournament since Wimbledon 2010 (she is scheduled to play Pironkova in Eastbourne on Monday 13 June)? Well that would happen because of Serena’s performance at Wimbledon over the past 2 years.
Many of you will recall that Serena made the final in 2008 where she lost to her sister, Venus Williams. In 2009, she returned and won the title, beating her sister in the final. In 2010, she returned to the final again, beating Vera Zvonreva for the title. As can be seen, since 2008, there has not been a player more dominant on this surface than Serena Williams. If the organizers of the Championships decide to, they could, in all fairness seed Serena Williams, holder of 13 Grand Slam titles at No. 1. This should make all the other women on Tour breathe a sigh of relief, because let’s face it, no one wants to meet her in the first round of a major, if she is seeded at her current ranking, which is currently in the low 20s.
One of the things that will make these Championships so enjoyable once again on the women’s side will be the same thing that happened at Roland Garros a few weeks ago. The unpredictability of who will come out of the women’s side holding up the Venus Rosewater Dish.
Just as we had no idea who would be holding up the Suzanne Lenglen trophy on the women’s side at Roland Garros, so we do not know and that is what makes the anticipation so much better.
The Wimbledon Seed Report will be on 15 June. Qualifying rounds start on Monday 13 June.
Get ready for the Grass Court Ride of your Life
Monday, May 16, 2011
DOUBLE STANDARDS IN TENNIS
Remember when Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic posed in their skimpy swimsuits?
Recently, Serena Williams did this (via onthegotennis.com)
http://tinyurl.com/6yc5qxk
When I checked my Blackberry today and saw my timeline blow up about Serena, I was wondering what was the problem. Lo and behold I finally got a chance to see what was causing all the journalists to come out in high dudgeon against Ms. Williams. Lo and behold, it was because she chose to change her twitter Avatar with the picture cited above.
I have to say that I am a bit stunned at the reaction of tennis journos, and especially that paragon of tennis journalism, Greg Couch. Mr. Couch states that “Still, Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic photos are never quite as gritty as Serena’s”. Hum, maybe they are not as gritty as Serena, simply because despite what advertisers and others would have us think you are either born with it, or you have it bestowed upon you. In Ms. Williams’ case, put her in sack cloth and ashes and she would still make Sharapova, Ivanovic and Kournikova look ordinary.
However, that is not the reason for this post. This post is about the hypocrisy that pervades throughout tennis journalism, and no where is it more evident but in the way how women’s tennis is covered and the way in which the women’s game is portrayed by journalists.
Separate and apart from the righteous indignation of Couch who would have us think that he is only defending Serena’s honour in thinking that for someone who has been the victim of a stalker (and he had the gall to cite Erin Andrews, but more anon), but how dare she post a picture that conjures up so much meaning and putting it out there for another stalker, or the same one, to think that he was invited to do it once again. How dare Serena Williams actually try and be a woman. A person. An individual. How dare she?
If I was 10% convinced that Mr. Couch’s heart was in the right place, I would ask him to get into high dudgeon at the way the media has chosen to deal with women’s tennis since this 2011 tennis season has commenced:-
1. There have been 4 Premier Mandatory tournaments played since the tennis season began. Of these 4 Premier Mandatory tournaments, the women’s portion of those events have only been airing since the quarter-finals. Tennis Channel, ESPN and the other networks that broadcast tennis do not believe that women’s tennis is worthy of being watched by millions of viewers and so the women are hardly shown and when they are shown, we are given highlights or interrupted play. I do not recall Couch and many other journalists bemoaning that fact.
2. When Todd Woodbridge chose to comment to Rennae Stubbs via text message that the possible reason for Kim Clijsters looking so grumpy and her breasts looking full must mean that she is once again pregnant. Correct me if I am wrong folks, but I do not recall anyone defending the invasion of Clijsters’ privacy with such a disgusting remark. I think most women would agree with me that if you had to get up and look at Mr. Couch’s face every day, and indeed listen to some of the male commentators on tv, you would perhaps be grumpy as well.
3. How about the constant belittling of professional women by referring to them as girls? If there is anything more demeaning to listen to is having grown ass men referring to women who could buy them 10 times over as girls. I will keel over and die the next time I hear commentators refer to the likes of Federer and Nadal as boys.
The cries of indignation by people like Couch infers and/or implies that because Serena was the victim of a stalker she should not have posted such a suggestive picture of herself. I guess that means that women who get raped while on dates should never ever go out on another date. Or how about women who get attacked viciously while going about their normal business? According to Mr. Couch, they must be asking for it, or indeed, they should change their lifestyle to minimize the chance of them being attacked. Are you serious Mr. Couch? He seems to think that Serena posting a picture of herself is an invitation to the lunatics, like the one who stalked her, and therefore, Serena, a free adult should be bound by fear, according to Mr. Couch, and not post pictures of herself, no matter that this is a free society, because the likes of the stalker who was recently hauled before the Florida Courts could be tempted to do this again.
As someone who has been a victim of personal crime, I find it insensitive and downright obnoxious that someone like Mr. Couch could ever deem to hold himself out as a moral authority as to women’s rights. Mr. Couch has used his position as a journalist to besmirch and downright call down fire and brimstone on the head of the Williams family, and Serena Williams in particular. Mr. Couch has absolutely no moral authority, imagined or otherwise, to even call Serena Williams to account.
It would have been good if Mr. Couch was sincere in his chastising of Ms. Williams, but his previous rants against Ms. Williams and indeed her whole family, the most recent of which was his abominable rants that Ms. Williams, knowing that she could not play an exhibition event for Nike, implied, inferred and colluded with Nike to have her name on a billboard promoting said Nike event. The fact that Ms. Williams was then diagnosed as suffering a pulmonary embolism, had to be rushed to the hospital for a subsequent hematoma, as a result of a cut on her foot, which to this day, Mr. Couch, and others of his like thinks is a figment of Ms. Williams’ imagination, notwithstanding his stance and others like him that Ms. Williams was not in fact injured, but was saving herself for the majors. I am yet to hear any apology from any of those members of the media who called into question, Serena’s continued absence from the Tour.
Therefore, it strikes me as a bit rich, that Mr. Couch of all people should be coming out and purportedly chastising Ms. Williams for putting herself in danger, seeing as she had been the victim of a stalker. You cannot have it both ways. It is either Ms. Williams is a lying, cheating hypocritical heifer who makes up injuries in order that tournaments can sell tickets, or she is injured, or she is the victim of a stalker, or is it that Ms. Williams, like most women, needs a man to look after their interest, because she is incapable of doing so herself.
Mr. Couch is of the view that Serena’s personality and character are big for women’s tennis. He believes that people like Schiavone (a very talented player and a Grand Slam champion) do not draw crowds to tennis matches or fans are not drawn to her. Clearly, he did not watch today’s match with Schiavone and Hantuchova, when Schiavone showed us just why she is a Grand Slam champion. She had the crowd in Centre Court in her home country on their feet with her performance today. Perhaps Mr. Couch should have been watching that match, rather than trolling the internet looking at Serena’s twitter picture (or maybe he did not get to see it seeing as it was not on Tennis Channel).
Mr. Couch and his cohorts in the media, and those who continue to use their positions to deride the women’s game need to be called to account. For too long they have used their positions to belittle the women’s game.
The constant criticism of the grunting in women’s tennis, never mind that the current No. 1 player in the world, grunts like he is climbing Mount Everest and having a hard time of it. The current No.2, Novak Djokovic (grunts), Verdasco (grunts), Federer (grunts), almost every single Spanish player (grunts), some of them so loud that you cannot even hear the commentary in the booth at times. The only comment is this “what an effort from [insert name here]. When the women do it, they are not exerting effort. Oh no. They are just doing it because they are cheating. It annoys me that former players such as Carillo and Navratilova have joined the bandwagon in criticizing the women’s game in relation to this but I guess if you want to be considered one of the boys, what better way than to join up against the women.
Of course the women grunt, but they also play tennis. How about commenting on the tennis and leave the grunting out of it. Is it distracting to fans? Sometimes, it is. Is it turning fans away? Only because the media continues to put emphasis on the issue. During every single broadcast of a tennis match featuring Azarenka, Sharapova or Venus, the first thing that you hear is the hue and cry about grunting.
I, like many fans of women’s tennis are waiting for the day when Serena Williams returns to the tennis court. As it is she is not playing the French Open. Rather than the media speculating about a picture that Serena Williams posted, how about letting fans know who the early round contenders are? How about doing some homework before the start of play so that fans can be properly advised about the current crop of players.
I will not be holding my breath for that to happen.
Monday, May 9, 2011
ROME – SHAFTED AGAIN
I feel like I am beating a dead horse. A really dead horse.
Last week it was Madrid. A few weeks ago it was Miami. Before that Indian Wells and now we are in Rome. The paucity of women’s tennis on Tennis Channel is infuriating. Thanks to Eurosport and live streaming I was able to watch some of the women’s matches that were played in Rome today, but every single match today that was shown on Tennis Channel was all about the men’s game.
Professional Women Tennis Players Have a Responsibility to the Sport
A few years ago when Fox had the rights to broadcast Indian Wells and Miami, a reporter asked Roger Federer, then the NO. 1 player in the world as to whether he had seen his next opponent. His response was no, because there was no television coverage of the matches and he was unable to even watch any tennis from his hotel room. Since that time the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami have discontinued their agreement with Fox and now coverage of these events is carried by Tennis Channel, ESPN and CBS/ABC.
I am wondering which of the many female players who are currently earning multi-million dollar endorsement contracts and who are being touted as the most searched face, body or whose very presence at a tournament brings in thousands of fans will have the gumption to say categorically when she is asked about her next opponent say that she has not seen her play because there is no televised coverage of women’s tennis.
We have 2 of the biggest names in women’s tennis who sit on the WTA Players Council. In addition the current No.1, Caroline Wozniacki also sits on the Players’ Council. One hopes that at some point in time the issue of lack of coverage of women’s tennis comes up in discussion when the Council meets to discuss the path that women’s tennis is taking.
More and more at even the Grand Slams, the women are scheduled on courts that have no television coverage and even worse, women who have been successful at these events have found themselves scheduled on courts that are notorious for pulling upsets.
At what point will the Sharapovas, Ivanovics, the Hot Shots, the Williams Sisters, Wozniacki, Azarenka and many others have their voices be heard and decide that this can no longer continue.
The ATP has its Masters Series tv. Fans can, and have paid numerous amounts of money to be able to watch tennis online. They have a feature where they can even go and watch archived matches. The ATP has ATP World Tour, a programme that showcases the ATP, from the NO. 1 player in the world, to the player not even ranked. It makes fans of men’s tennis be able to know their players and see who is coming and who is going. What does the WTA have? A stupid YouTube programme called Hot Shots. What does it do? It show cases players, some of whom have never won a singles title on how to become a marketer’s dream. It does not aid them in becoming better professional tennis players. It is showing them how to market themselves so that sponsors can see them and offer oodles of money to sell their products.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the whole point of being a professional tennis player was to win titles and to be the best or one of the best at whatever you do, but apparently the WTA sees its mandate as somewhat differently.
Many years ago, 9 women took their future into their hands. They separated themselves from the archaic professional tennis circuit and formed a Tour for professional women. The money earned by those women is paltry compared to what today’s tennis players are earning. Has it ever crossed the minds of the women playing today that if they pool their resources together they could not form their own network.
Can you imagine if someone with the business sense of a Venus Williams, joins up with a media name like Sharapova and has someone with the background of a Lindsay Davenport and have people like Clijsters, Navratilova and many other women, both retired and active, coming together, that a network such as this would not be successful.
Tournament directors would pay a price to have their tournaments aired in conjunction with the WTA. There would be some form of profit sharing. All the money that is currently being spent by sponsors on individual players could go towards purchasing advertising space for these women.
Nike recently upped Sharapova’s contract and is reportedly paying her US$25M. Lord only knows what Serena Williams is getting. Ana Ivanovic has a lifetime contract with Adidas. Wozniacki is a marketer’s dream (or so we are being told) and there are many other women who are up and coming whose Federation will no doubt back them in this venture.
Perhaps it is time that women’s tennis starts looking outside the box in the way it promotes itself. For too long it has been riding on the coat-tails of the ATP. There was a time not so long ago when that was not the case.
Come on women. You now have more than the power. You have the money to go with that power. Make it happen.
Last week it was Madrid. A few weeks ago it was Miami. Before that Indian Wells and now we are in Rome. The paucity of women’s tennis on Tennis Channel is infuriating. Thanks to Eurosport and live streaming I was able to watch some of the women’s matches that were played in Rome today, but every single match today that was shown on Tennis Channel was all about the men’s game.
Professional Women Tennis Players Have a Responsibility to the Sport
A few years ago when Fox had the rights to broadcast Indian Wells and Miami, a reporter asked Roger Federer, then the NO. 1 player in the world as to whether he had seen his next opponent. His response was no, because there was no television coverage of the matches and he was unable to even watch any tennis from his hotel room. Since that time the tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami have discontinued their agreement with Fox and now coverage of these events is carried by Tennis Channel, ESPN and CBS/ABC.
I am wondering which of the many female players who are currently earning multi-million dollar endorsement contracts and who are being touted as the most searched face, body or whose very presence at a tournament brings in thousands of fans will have the gumption to say categorically when she is asked about her next opponent say that she has not seen her play because there is no televised coverage of women’s tennis.
We have 2 of the biggest names in women’s tennis who sit on the WTA Players Council. In addition the current No.1, Caroline Wozniacki also sits on the Players’ Council. One hopes that at some point in time the issue of lack of coverage of women’s tennis comes up in discussion when the Council meets to discuss the path that women’s tennis is taking.
More and more at even the Grand Slams, the women are scheduled on courts that have no television coverage and even worse, women who have been successful at these events have found themselves scheduled on courts that are notorious for pulling upsets.
At what point will the Sharapovas, Ivanovics, the Hot Shots, the Williams Sisters, Wozniacki, Azarenka and many others have their voices be heard and decide that this can no longer continue.
The ATP has its Masters Series tv. Fans can, and have paid numerous amounts of money to be able to watch tennis online. They have a feature where they can even go and watch archived matches. The ATP has ATP World Tour, a programme that showcases the ATP, from the NO. 1 player in the world, to the player not even ranked. It makes fans of men’s tennis be able to know their players and see who is coming and who is going. What does the WTA have? A stupid YouTube programme called Hot Shots. What does it do? It show cases players, some of whom have never won a singles title on how to become a marketer’s dream. It does not aid them in becoming better professional tennis players. It is showing them how to market themselves so that sponsors can see them and offer oodles of money to sell their products.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the whole point of being a professional tennis player was to win titles and to be the best or one of the best at whatever you do, but apparently the WTA sees its mandate as somewhat differently.
Many years ago, 9 women took their future into their hands. They separated themselves from the archaic professional tennis circuit and formed a Tour for professional women. The money earned by those women is paltry compared to what today’s tennis players are earning. Has it ever crossed the minds of the women playing today that if they pool their resources together they could not form their own network.
Can you imagine if someone with the business sense of a Venus Williams, joins up with a media name like Sharapova and has someone with the background of a Lindsay Davenport and have people like Clijsters, Navratilova and many other women, both retired and active, coming together, that a network such as this would not be successful.
Tournament directors would pay a price to have their tournaments aired in conjunction with the WTA. There would be some form of profit sharing. All the money that is currently being spent by sponsors on individual players could go towards purchasing advertising space for these women.
Nike recently upped Sharapova’s contract and is reportedly paying her US$25M. Lord only knows what Serena Williams is getting. Ana Ivanovic has a lifetime contract with Adidas. Wozniacki is a marketer’s dream (or so we are being told) and there are many other women who are up and coming whose Federation will no doubt back them in this venture.
Perhaps it is time that women’s tennis starts looking outside the box in the way it promotes itself. For too long it has been riding on the coat-tails of the ATP. There was a time not so long ago when that was not the case.
Come on women. You now have more than the power. You have the money to go with that power. Make it happen.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
WOMEN GET SHAFTED ONCE AGAIN
Sorry for the no blogging but there has not been a lot to talk about in terms of women’s tennis on tv, except the lack of women’s tennis being shown on my tv.
This week we have the Mutua Madrilena Premier Mandatory 5 and Masters Series combined event happening in Madrid, Spain. This event started with main draw play on Sunday, yet up to the time of writing this, unless you are an obsessed fan of women’s tennis, the only coverage that you will see is that being shown on your computer screen.
We have had Grand Slam champions, former No.1s, current No. 1s and a whole slew of up and coming stars playing this tournament on the women’s side and to date, not one match for the women has been shown on the women’s side. NOT A SINGLE MATCH.
I refuse to watch this tournament. I have Tennis Channel at home, but I refuse to watch a tournament that is supposed to be a combined tournament and the women are never shown until those in authority deem it worthwhile to show women’s tennis. If Tennis Channel or any other entity has a problem in obtaining rights to the women’s matches, then the WTA needs to ensure that a sit down is done with Tennis Channel to ensure that women’s tennis at least gets some form of tv time in these events.
We have a slew of combined events coming up during the rest of the season. Rome is next week, then when the Tour returns to North America, there will be Toronto and Montreal, then Cincinnati and then the Asian swing. Are you going to tell me that this is what fans of women’s tennis will have to put up with? We will be seeing a whole slew of mediocre male players grunting their way to a victory or a loss while the scores for the women are scrolled at the bottom of the screen, or fans have to rely on tennis fans in Europe or bloggers on the ground tweeting about what is happening?
This just cannot continue and the WTA must see that the women’s tour is getting the shaft in this situation.
As I write this, Caroline Wozniacki is heading to a third set with Julia Georges. Most fans will recall the awesome match that these 2 women played recently in Stuttgart and this one from the looks of it has been a good one so far. At the same time as this is happening Tennis Channel was airing Fit to Hit when I last checked the schedule and I ensured that I checked Tennis Channel before changing the channel to ensure that I got it right.
Women's tennis is being given short thrift these days by commentators who are quickly selling the view that women's tennis is boring. The NO. 1 player is boring. Her game is boring and that all the women have no variety and are not worth watching. We even have former champions of the game pouring cold water on women's tennis and bemoaning the lack of rivalries etc. and comparing it to the 1990s. I disagree with all of this, but that will be a post for another time.
The women's game if many took the time to watch it instead of complaining about being bored, and about grunting (which happens on both Tours by the way), should talk about why is it that it is the women who are using all forms of social media to promote the sport? Why it is that it is the female players who are bringing a level of enthusiasm to the sport and why it is that there are more female personalities that fans can now identify with who are moving the sport forward.
Many fans of tennis do not even bother to watch tennis during clay season especially on the men's side because there is usually only one winner of all the events. Going into Roland Garros with the absence of some of the potential favourites for that major, there is uncertainty as to who will walk away with the trophy on the women's side. The potential for upsets and great news stories abound in women's tennis. We cannot say the same for the men's game.
Sport is supposed to make us root for the underdog. Sport should bring a level of uncertainty which makes our hearts pound and our mouths water. As it is right now the women's game brings this. Why is this not being promoted?
This week we have the Mutua Madrilena Premier Mandatory 5 and Masters Series combined event happening in Madrid, Spain. This event started with main draw play on Sunday, yet up to the time of writing this, unless you are an obsessed fan of women’s tennis, the only coverage that you will see is that being shown on your computer screen.
We have had Grand Slam champions, former No.1s, current No. 1s and a whole slew of up and coming stars playing this tournament on the women’s side and to date, not one match for the women has been shown on the women’s side. NOT A SINGLE MATCH.
I refuse to watch this tournament. I have Tennis Channel at home, but I refuse to watch a tournament that is supposed to be a combined tournament and the women are never shown until those in authority deem it worthwhile to show women’s tennis. If Tennis Channel or any other entity has a problem in obtaining rights to the women’s matches, then the WTA needs to ensure that a sit down is done with Tennis Channel to ensure that women’s tennis at least gets some form of tv time in these events.
We have a slew of combined events coming up during the rest of the season. Rome is next week, then when the Tour returns to North America, there will be Toronto and Montreal, then Cincinnati and then the Asian swing. Are you going to tell me that this is what fans of women’s tennis will have to put up with? We will be seeing a whole slew of mediocre male players grunting their way to a victory or a loss while the scores for the women are scrolled at the bottom of the screen, or fans have to rely on tennis fans in Europe or bloggers on the ground tweeting about what is happening?
This just cannot continue and the WTA must see that the women’s tour is getting the shaft in this situation.
As I write this, Caroline Wozniacki is heading to a third set with Julia Georges. Most fans will recall the awesome match that these 2 women played recently in Stuttgart and this one from the looks of it has been a good one so far. At the same time as this is happening Tennis Channel was airing Fit to Hit when I last checked the schedule and I ensured that I checked Tennis Channel before changing the channel to ensure that I got it right.
Women's tennis is being given short thrift these days by commentators who are quickly selling the view that women's tennis is boring. The NO. 1 player is boring. Her game is boring and that all the women have no variety and are not worth watching. We even have former champions of the game pouring cold water on women's tennis and bemoaning the lack of rivalries etc. and comparing it to the 1990s. I disagree with all of this, but that will be a post for another time.
The women's game if many took the time to watch it instead of complaining about being bored, and about grunting (which happens on both Tours by the way), should talk about why is it that it is the women who are using all forms of social media to promote the sport? Why it is that it is the female players who are bringing a level of enthusiasm to the sport and why it is that there are more female personalities that fans can now identify with who are moving the sport forward.
Many fans of tennis do not even bother to watch tennis during clay season especially on the men's side because there is usually only one winner of all the events. Going into Roland Garros with the absence of some of the potential favourites for that major, there is uncertainty as to who will walk away with the trophy on the women's side. The potential for upsets and great news stories abound in women's tennis. We cannot say the same for the men's game.
Sport is supposed to make us root for the underdog. Sport should bring a level of uncertainty which makes our hearts pound and our mouths water. As it is right now the women's game brings this. Why is this not being promoted?
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