Tennis Talk 2013

[skyz]

Rafa and Serena are mirroring each other in this 1st set. WTF, Roger? But yay to Serena.

[falafaclese]

I was distracted during the first set of Rafa/Roger. Were the games closer than the scoreline makes it seem? Serena/Vika was much tighter than the scoreline for sure. In fact, that's the story of their rivalry. In spite of the fact that Serena's up 11-2, they have had so many super-tight, super-tense slugfests, it's almost unfair to compare that rivalry to Maria-Serena. This final wasn't a war, as I never thought Serena was in trouble, but Vika was always present and fighting.

Roger is not looking great.

p.s. Serena sounded pretty natural speaking Italian durign the trophy ceremony. Better and more relaxed than she sounded speaking Spanish last week.

[skyz]

I guess I should have specified. The scoreline and their shot making in both 1st sets were great. Roger missed so much in the 1st set and I don't think he got close in any of Rafa's service games. He played pretty badly. I didn't watch the 2nd set of the men. Serena had the chance to make it 6/1 in the 2nd to but couldn't convert her break chances. She's in great form going into the French.

[lt]

Whoa. As happy as I am that CBS will no longer have the US Open (although I'd prefer NBC would get out of the tennis game) I am not happy that so many people are losing their jobs at ESPN with one of those reason being that ESPN is paying so much for live events rights. They didn't need to spend so much to get the US Open! CBS wasn't even close with what they were going to pay.

[roseha]

Now that I've cancelled cable all the Slams are moving there...I suppose that if they all have great finals I could sign up at the end of the year when Tennis Channel replays them all?

[harry24]

TTC is just now showing Fed-Haas playing Petschner-Melzer in Halle. To my surprise, Fed is playing the ad court, and Haas is serving first. I'd love to know how they made those decisions. They make an extremely attractive team, that's for sure.

[lt]

Hoo boy, this is a little old but I'm just catching up with my Deadspin. TTC's Ken Solomon is not happy.

[harry24]

Aw, I'm a little sad things have been so quiet here on TH, with no one wanting to talk about Venus not playing Wimbledon, Serena making her controversial comments about the rape trial/conviction of the high school athletes in Ohio, and the Wimbledon seedings with Rafa seeded fifth.

I mean, I guess I don't have much to say either, but I've been checking in here hopefully the past several days hoping a discussion would have started. Personally I'm feeling very sad about Roger's decline, so the tennis fandom is a source of sadness and pain at the moment, but I hope to bounce back soon and reengage.

[acre]

Oh yeah, I just groaned at Serena. I think it's awful that she thinks that way and also unbelievably stupid that she said it at all. How damn sheltered is she that she doesn't know this is a highly sensitive subject that she has no damn business commenting on? And offensive, and wrong in what she said. Teach your kids not to get drunk and not to rape people! I know which one bothers me more. Sigh.

Not much to say about Venus, I guess it's her back, but also AI diseases are not trivial. Most can lead a good, normal life, but what's normal about being a big athletic star?

I'm sad about Fed, but also resigned. Time passes, things change, life goes on. But I'm definitely less invested, I like lots of guys, but not like him. So yeah, tennis is just something I'm less passionate about now. It's cool, it's enjoyable, but if I miss something oh well. I've been through ups and downs before, but with age and change I don't think I'll ever be as engaged as I once was.

[skyz]

*Trigger warning for mentions of rape*


The sad thing is that a lot people think like Serena. Why did the girl go to the party? Why did she drink so much? Why shouldn't she go to a party? She drank, yes, under aged, but does that mean she should have expected to be gang raped in a party with her friends? That people would watch and record it and laugh about it? Should she have expected that? Should anyone who goes to a party with friends expect to be gang raped? By most peoples thinking, it's yes, and that's disgusting. As women we have to be so aware of our surroundings and the situations we do find ourselves in.

I was frustrated that she spoke about it all because I'm sure she said it, but in what context? Horrible way to think and I hope she realizes that what she said and her thoughts on the situation are wrong. Victim blaming is never right. That whole case was just disgusting all around, that poor girl.

Venus withdrawing was a relief for me. If she hadn't played Fed Cup, then maybe her back would have healed up enough for the clay season and into the grass, but who knows? Her disease doesn't help her back problems either. And it will probably be her back that makes her retire. This has been going on for almost a year come August. I'm particularly sad that this will be the first Wimbledon she's missed since 1996-1997. But I want her to get better and for her back to heal, but I'm not very optimistic. When she retires I'll probably stop watching the WTA, as she's my favorite player ever and while I enjoy watching Serena play she's not must see for me.

[harry24]

The sad thing is that a lot people think like Serena.

Disclaimer: I didn't follow the news story of the crime/trial, and I didn't read Serena's quotes with any care.

However, I don't think it can hurt to encourage all women and especially young women and girls to realize that they do have control over whether they get impaired around people they don't know well/trust so they don't allow themselves to be easy prey to criminals.

I'm choosing to believe that's what Serena was really trying to say, not expressing sympathy for the poor, widdle wapists whose lives were ruined (by being convicted of a crime of which they almost certainly were guilty.)

I'm just not looking forward to Wimbledon. None of my favorite players is playing well, and my heart is heavy over my Beloved Roger.

[oopssorry]

Not surprisingly, I tend to agree, harry24 - especially given her context growing up. Certainly she's known for parts of her life that there is no justice and that taking all precautions is empowering not the opposite.

I'm so hoping that was it. So very hopeful.

Differently, however, I'm really enjoying this era of Roger's career. I've enjoyed it all, to be sure, but I love the high performance without the OCD symptoms I felt during 'the reign'. I was so focused on no one bumping him from his position/ranking/records/etc that I sometimes felt more anxiety than I wish I had - from this vantage point. Now I feel a bit liberated to relish the wonderful moments and know that his off-court life is in good balance.

TMI. But FWIW.

[skyz]

I hope that's what Serena meant too. She just didn't say it correctly. She issued an apology that speaks a bit more on it.

[harry24]

Whoa!! Serena once dated Dimitrov and obliquely refers to it in bitchy comments about Maria? I had no idea Serena and Grigor had been an item. I actually kind of love that she called him "the guy with a black heart." It sounds like he really hurt her. Who can't relate to that?

But, Serena, please. Keep your mouth shut. You're one of the greatest athletes in the history of sports, and you're in the late years of your prime, and it sounds like your life's in a great place. Let's keep the focus on that.
******************
ETA: Aw, Mahut won the tournament this week! I'm so glad for him. It's his first ATP title. (Although I'm a big Wawrinka fan too, so I'm a little sad he wasn't able to get another tournament win.)

[skyz]

I remember all those cryptic tweets Serena was putting out early last year. I think she said somewhere that she had a broken heart then or something. She can be so childish and vapid sometimes. The guy with the black heart, is an inspired insult though.

Can't wait for Monday when play begins. I'm very curious about the men's side. A Rafa vs Roger quarter final to look forward to as well.