Volleying U.S. Open (Tennis!) Thread...

Waah, waah, waah. It was one point. Serena's been accused of her own gamesmanship. Serena certainly had the crowd behind her last night, unlike that 'mean' (that is, made up of those who live beside neighboring Belgium and thus naturally inclined to root for the French-speaking Henin) crowd in France in 2003

Serena doesn't need to give Henin credit. All she needs to do is show up at a major Henin decides to play in (unlike the Aussie Serena won) and get defeated. She's 3/3 on that score this year.

And further as to Serena not giving Henin credit, Justine's in good company. Serena doesn't give any of her opponents any credit when she loses.

At least Serena, despite her bitter classlessness, had the sense to say she needs to go back and figure out (or something to that effect) how to beat Henin.

Career record head-to-head, Henin vs Serena: 6-6. Was 3-6, I believe before Henin started kicking that ample behind -- twice in straight sets, including last night with Serena either quitting or gassing badly in the second set, take your pick -- at all the majors she played at this year.

So now it's on to see if Henin can defeat Venus, who should be a much tougher matchup for the Belgian. Henin is only 1-7 in her career vs the much-fitter-than-her-sister-at-the-moment Venus.

Can Venus be Serena's 'Vitali?' We will soon find out. One thing's for sure: As long as Henin is around and healthy, Serena can no longer expect to just show up and win, regardless of fitness level or practice time (not) put in.

- - - - - - - -

Nice to see Federer straight-set Roddick, who did put up a hell of a fight. Can't wait to read Loopy both poo-poo the loss and bemoan the upcoming fall of his idol Petey Boy's all-time majors record.

Two more victories - neither of which would be against Nadal - in this tournament and Roger would be only 2 major victories behind (14-12) the great Sampras.

For all the talk of how Nadal was gaining on Federer, etc., 2007 has been Roger's most dominant year, a year which saw him come very close to breaking through at the French.

If Roger goes on to win this tourney as he should, it's starting to look like he'll catch Tiger (13 majors) and Sampras (14), as well as win the French, all before Nadal -- or anyone else -- next defeats him at a major.


But there's still the semis and the final to be played at this US Open, so I won't be updating the "Roger vs Tiger" thread prematurely. Plus, there's potential injury(-ies) and just flat boredom which could set in. I mean, the guy has been THE single-most dominant athlete for the past 5 years and it's not even remotely close. What he's doing is totally off-the-charts. At some point he's going to fall-off, right? Right?

When this run ends, all of us -- including fans of Tiger Woods' -- will be able to say we saw something we had never seen before, ever. And may never see again.

Win or lose this tourney, it's Roger's World. The rest of us our just along for the ride.

Including Eldrick. At least since 2003.

 

He sure does. Because Roddick is another overhyped pretender, American style.

I like Roddick, a lot. But Federer is totally at a different level from him, and just about everyone else. Nadal is busting his butt to catch up, but Roddick, IMO, will never be there. No matter how much Loopy or any other person in the USA wants him to be.

Roger "Swatch" Federer - knocking 'em down with all the precision normally attributed to his homeland's timepieces.

 

I'm wearing a Swatch right now, and I hated to miss tonight's match, but I opted for beer drinking with the neighbors instead.

 

Rewrote my next to last post.

As far as Serena "jockriding (brariding?)" goes, the piece from Newsday's Johnette ____ (can't recall last name, will link later) takes the cake. At least the author admitted Serena was pouting after the match. The rest of the article read like a pre-written, hoped-Serena-won spiel. You know, things like 'balanced life' versus training more, etc.

Absolutely. If I have a kid and they have a choice between potentially being the best ever in a professional sport or making "Anaconda 2," (or whichever ridiculous film it was supposed to be) I'm definitely going for "Anaconda 2."

Not.

 

psssst. real journalists, not fanboys, exchange thoughts here.

 

Here's the link to the Newsday story by Johnette Howard:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/ny-sphow055359674sep05,0,3550582.column


And a link to the 'anti-Johnette Howard take' on last night's events (particularly focusing on the aftermath of the Justine-Serena match) by the LA Times' Bill Dwyre (outstanding column, IMO):

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre5sep05,1,2907879,print.column?coll=la-headlines-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true


What makes Dwyre's column particularly good, IMO, is that one would imagine he will take some heat for it from some hometown sycophants of Serena's, even if everything Dwyre said is pretty much on-target.

 

pssst. look up.


(really, go be one with your fanboy friends. stop torturing yourself.)

 

Sally Jenkins thoroughly checkmates Ms. Howard's attempt to defend her sistah. Jenkins owned Howard like Henin owned Serena.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/05/AR2007090502641.html

 

Some have raised the issue of whether American fans (certainly not those who were at the event itself, who heartily cheered Serena Williams against Justine Henin) were being unpatriotic by not pulling harder for Serena against Henin, or by being happy that she lost in light of her graceless behavior after her defeat.

Here's Venus Williams' take on watching her sister fall to Henin:

"I wasn't happy with the result at all, to say the very least," Venus said. "I was sad that Serena lost because I didn't like to see her so upset.

"I definitely have to try to win for Williams."

Not, that is, for the United States, even though Venus is the last American on either the men's or women's singles.

Nope. She wants to win 'for Williams.'

The next time a Williams apologist (particularly a Serena apologist) tells you you are being 'unpatriotic' if you don't blindly root for the sisters, remember this post.

Peace.

 

fanboy: psssst, go be with your own kind. you won't be laughed at there.

 

Richard Williams plays both excuse-maker and PR agent for daughter Serena, who was heavily criticized for her reaction in the wake of her straight-sets loss to Justine Henin:

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070907/SPORTS01/709070424/1034/SPORTS


Richard explained that Serena has a few different injuries, including a fractured thumb, a torn hamstring and a swollen knee.


* and *


After Serena's last match, she was almost quarrelsome in her disappointment during a press conference. He explained that Serena's comment about Henin getting "lucky shots" referred to her own inability to move, rather than Henin's performance.

"(Serena) just meant she was lucky because Serena couldn't move," Richard said.


When Richard Williams -- not the first person I would think of who would feel the need to justify his or his daughters' behavior or statements -- realizes it's time for PR damage-control, you know something seriously damaging occurred.

Henin's solidification of her role as the "Serena stopper," Serena's bitter post-match press conference, Venus' opportunity to avenge her sister's defeat and continue her own excellent year are just a few of the items which will serve as the backdrop to today's women's semifinal match-up.

Can Henin become the first woman to defeat both Williams' back-to-back since 2001, or will Venus increase her dominance over Justine to a career record of 8-1.

Should be interesting.

And however it turns out, expect to hear more from Richard Williams.

 

fanboy