Extra, extra, read all about it! Serena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open. Gee, what a surprise. (Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice?)
After successfully completing another major tournament in Australia in January, all the media outlets were chirping like birds in spring. "Serena is back," or so they thought. You couldn't find one paper or magazine that didn't doubt that this time, Serena is back and wants to regain her top ranking and form. Well, except for me.
Let's face it, I've never been a Williams fan. So anything I say here I admit must be taken with that in mind. But let's be realistic, the Williams have never really given you anything to honestly cheer about. Yes, Venus and Serena are great players, and one-day Hall-of-Famers. Yes, they can be the most dominant force in tennis.
Serena shocked everyone by winning in Australia without playing a warm-up tournament and without much intense practice. While not unheard of, typically high-level professional athletes don't win major prizes without much practice or pre-tournament play. It wasn't exactly a cakewalk, but Serena showed that pound for pound, she is the best player on the women's tour. That is, when she wants to be.
I'm not going to ponder why she withdrew from the French, nor do I care. In truth, while injuries are the "reason," it's just as much a lack of interest. She hasn't really played all that much, and she hasn't trained as hard as she needs to. I know that there are those of you out there who will try to crucify me for stating the obvious, but tough.
2005 is the beginning of the end. Venus will hang about a year or two longer, but Serena is gone by Christmas, probably for good. Then we will all be beaten to death by Aneres fashions. We will see her on every tour stop with a pre-tournament fashion show. Then we will see Serena on TV or in the movies. Some banana-head studio exec is going to actually believe she can act (for me, the jury is still out) and try to cash in on her supposed "celebrity." Interestingly, without tennis, that celebrity will die, and a quick death at that.
Even Anna Kournikova is beginning to understand that. Anna is not a model, and no one treats her like a supermodel. No matter what she does, or where she goes, the word tennis is still associated with her.
I'm growing tired of reading about Serena. Was she really that good? We'll never really know. My favorite Swiss Miss (why, oh why did you leave me, Martina [Hingis]?) left the game too early. She had the gifts and talent to consistently go head-to-head with the banger sisters, but wasn't willing to put the work in to finish off her darn near complete tennis game. If she has pulled out the win at the Aussie against Jennie Cap that last time, maybe she would still be with us.
No, Martina didn't leave because of the power. Monica Seles hits as hard or harder than Serena and Venus. Heck, it ain't the second serve, either, as Ken Rosewall was a great champ without a power serve, and Elena Dementieva still beats great opponents even though her second serve is somewhere between non-existent and pathetic. Hingis could beat Dementieva in her sleep, still today.
So, Serena takes some more time off. Bet we see her dresses at some Paris fashion event during the tournament. And I bet we see her working on her other careers. Paris is one heck of a place to do it.
As I said, "so it begins..." Let's just see how long Serena stays around. My guess is not long. And that is just fine with me. See ya, Serena. It's been nice knowing you. Just do me and the rest of the tennis world a favor. Don't let the door hit you...
May 24, 2005
J.R. Stewart:
Maybe you don’t have alot to cheer about, but that’s you. I have a lot to cheer about thanks to Serena Williams, and rather you agree or not so does the Tennis Association and the African American Nation!! Also, please tell me why it is that you sports writers never write about the fact that Jennifer Capriati is always out on an injury or whatever!! When she was winning you all were calling her the Darling of Tennis! So tell me what has she done for you lately! At least Serena has won a slam this year! So back off!!! Don’t hate the Player! She is no more injured than the rest of the players!
May 25, 2005
Peter Beck:
I’m not sure which angle to start off from, but I guess I should start by saying that you sound jealous, angry, narrow-minded, arrogant and ignorant all at the same time. I pitty the people around you. Whether you claim to be a reporter/writer or if you aspire to become one, you better learn to be objective. Clearly, if you feel so strongly about the williams sisters, it would only be fair that you put Martina Hingis in the same boat. At least Venus and Serena stuck with the game when things got tough. Where is the oh so “intelligent and crafty” Swiss ice queen now. More power to the Williams sisters if they can win without having to do too much. When they win everything, everyone is upset and bored seeing the sisters all the time. Now that they go through some rough times, they still get critisized. Which one is it? Venus and Serena have done more for the game than any other player on the tour in the last 10 years. To your dismay and that of many of your fellow disillusioned idiots, the Williamses will still be household names long after their careers are over, no thanks to losers like you. Thank goodness for them they have the sense not to be single-minded. Instead they are curious enough to educate themselves and evolve into two of the most well-respected, well-versed and well-rounded individuals on earth. Martina who?????
June 1, 2005
Ted Phido:
Erm. Martina Hingis was injured. Didn’t she have to retire because of said injury? I suppose that’s her fault.
June 24, 2005
Roshane Campbell:
First and for-most I must say that Peter Beck; you have amazing syntax and you bring across very good points. I am only 12 years old; and I adore Serena and Venus Williams, and the individual who wrote this article not only is seeking attention, but needs to shut the fuck up; and speak for him:”Just do me and the rest of the tennis world a favor. Don’t let the door hit you…” I am apart of the tennis world, and I assure you I cannot wai for Wimbledon to see Serena in action; this title belongs to her, the only way possible that Serena might lose; is if she takes it easy on Venus. You obnoxious son of a bitch; I suggest you find something bettter to do in life; beacuse it is quite obvious that you are neither an English nor Sports Majr. If you look at Serena Williams come back trial after her injuries she suffered back in 2003; one would say it is quite impressive. In her first tournament back; she kicked Sharapova’s ass in the Quater-Finals and demolished Elena Dementieva in the Finals; she lost to Capriati in the French and U.S Open Finals ( the U.S Open should be highly disregarded as a win for Capriati; considering she paid the umpire to make calls in her favor) and she made both the Wimbledon and End Year Championships; where she lost to Sharapova; many peolpe forget that Serena was up a set and a break at the Year End Championships before losing because of an INJURY. You seem to be very immature and haughty; and on the behalf on myself and the tennis world; I suggest you shut your shit; and keep in mind; everyone can talk, but only a very few can walk!
June 26, 2005
Josh Crawford:
Apparently Roshane Campbell, you are one of those that can only talk too because contrary to your “shit” Serena did lose, pathetically I have to point out, to Jill Craybas in the first week, one of the few ‘journeywomen’ in WTA.