Tennis Involved

The Tennis Channel is bad for tennis

2011-03-19T11:33:00.000-07:00

I hate the Tennis Channel.

Hear me out. I don't have the Tennis Channel. I already pay too much to Time Warner Cable. And I worry that if I did get this channel (and whatever other channels I would have to pay for to get it) I would never want to leave home.

Joking.

Sort of.

I love tennis, but I think the Tennis Channel is bad for the game. Why? Over the last few years I have seen fewer and fewer tennis matches aired by other channels, as the Tennis Channel has obtained the rights to air them. And yes this is bad for me as I can no longer watch the matches I used to. But I also believe that fewer people will be exposed to tennis on TV, so new fans will decline as a result. By making it so exclusive, it has made it unseen by the masses outside of the Grand Slams. Not good in my opinion.

Li Na's fun post-match interview

2011-01-28T14:35:00.001-08:00

After Li Na beat Wozniaki at the 2011 Australian Open, she gave a fun interview on court.

Dead spot on court

2011-01-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

Weirdest thing I have see during a match. Seems unreal, like special effects had to do this.

It was during a Sharapova match at the 2011 Australian Open.

Another sore loss for Serena

2010-06-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

She frequently (now) will say her opponent played well, but always and immediately will then say she, herself, did not play well. For her there is no such thing as being out played. That would be too much a compliment to another player.
She's always so perplexed about a loss, because she could have beaten her. She is a better tennis player after all. But she didn't win, and is always in such a daze that she could not play the way she is capable. Whatever happened? It's such a mystery.
The arrogance and lack of humility never ceases to astonish me.

Do you remember the 1077 Austrailian final?

2010-06-03T16:21:00.000-07:00

Me either. A wee bit before my time.

McEnroe's other legacy

2010-03-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

It was John McEnroe--when calling matches--who would always say this or that shot "paid dividends" for this or that player. Now all the announcers use this cliche. And it is getting so old. Please stop it.

Agassi's memoirs

2010-03-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

I am almost done with Agassi's memoirs. It's been very interesting. It is mostly well-written. And the book sets the stage right by describing Agassi's early years, and showing what a tyrant and plain mean man his father is/was. But I found myself realizing that I soon lost some of the sympathy for Agassi as the book went on. He surely had some hard times throughout his life. Who doesn't. But he becomes a giant in the game of tennis, marries a beautiful icon of a woman Brook Shields, is rich, famous, adored...he has it all. And still he is petulant and unhappy. And the book does nothing to explain why, because there is no explanation, other than that is who he is.

I was not a huge fan of Agassi. I always wanted Pete to beat him. (I felt for Pete, who was always pegged as dull. I just thought he was serious, and took tennis seriously, while Agassi did it for fame and money. And the book proved that with all the "I hate tennis pronouncements.) I did root for him more after his come back. It seemed to me that he took tennis more seriously then, and he seemed more settled. And the book supports that belief. But his moody and childish ways were not gone. Even after meeting Graf and becoming happy, he still dismisses losses on the court with weak excuses not befitting a champion.

I know he's only human, as they say. But this book only enforces my belief that he did not deserve my support. If you don't like what you do, then do something else. I will not feel sorry for you for doing something you hate for two decades--and getting huge cash for it. I haven't always liked my jobs, but I do them to the best of my ability when getting paid to do so.

So boo hoo.
But full credit for his honesty here. That took balls.

Roger Rabbit?

2010-03-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Oh no he di'n't.
Roger Rabbit? Maybe Radder?

Venus with the risque underwear

2010-01-23T11:48:00.001-08:00

I truly did a double take when this was on TV. Had to rewind to make sure I did not see what I thought I saw.

Roddick upstaged by koalas

2010-01-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

Roddick upstaged by koalas getting busy.

Serena Williams's wrist injured

2009-11-30T09:17:00.000-08:00

Serena Williams' playing status is in doubt after she was slapped on the wrist by the International Tennis Federation's Grand Slam Committee. Her injuries are still being evaluated. Sources say her risk of severe injury is low because she is used to being slapped on the wrist, and has developed strength there.

Agassi did crystal meth

2009-10-28T05:38:00.001-07:00

Wow.

2009-10-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

Can someone tell me why Fox Sport Net is playing this Sampras-Wilander semi-final match over and over again? I have somewhat limited cable and every time I search for tennis to record this is all that has been coming up. And it's not a recent match. It took place in March, I believe. The commentators discuss whether Federer will surpass Sampras in Slam titles. This has already happened, so it must have been from earlier this year. I watched the match and it frankly was not worthy of constant airings. Any clues?

James Blake, on The Colbert Report

2009-10-14T05:22:00.000-07:00

James Blake was recently on The Colbert Report. It seemed to me to come out of no where, since Blake's star has not been shining lately. But as always, good exposure for tennis.

Did I call this or what?

2009-10-11T16:17:00.001-07:00

Agassi cleaning up as expected.

Isner is gigantic

2009-10-08T20:50:00.001-07:00

See how he looks next to Simon and Ginepri.

Agree 100%

2009-10-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

With this. And no commentary from me is necessary.

Guga not as big as Pele

2009-10-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

During all that press about the bid for the Olympics I heard about Pele a lot, but this is the first time I heard that Kuerten was involved. I guess the US press didn't think he was worth mentioning. Poor Kuerten. Poor tennis.

Did you know the Bryan twins make music?

2009-10-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

Want to buy their music "album"?

Tennis mentioned on The Daily Show

2009-10-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sure, it's old news, but the Daily Show was on hiatus when this happened. And they were likely itching to comment on this one. And since I like both the Daily Show and tennis so much I have to add it here.

Do other sports take doping so seriously?

2009-10-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

Do other sports take doping this seriously? I would seriously like to know--as I don't really follow other one. But it really seems to me that tennis is incredibly strict. I remember reading an interview with Andy Roddick, and he said he was afraid to take a multivitamin for fear of what might show up in the drug screening.

Somewhat related.

Someone wants to eat their own cake

2009-09-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

More nonsense about how men's tennis isn't manly enough. The writer of this opinion piece peppers it with caveats in order to have it both ways. But the title, and the article's very existence, is basically a call for animosity between players. Because that's exciting. Or something. It's a vague love letter to days gone by, the good ol' days, when bratty American's ruled. I wonder if he also joneses for Marcelo Rios to return. Somehow I doubt it.

Reminds me of that nut that NPR gives a pedestal to on Wednesdays Frank Deford). Just look at Grandpa Munster. He once had an NPR-level rant about how male tennis players should not collapse after a win, because it wasn't triumphant enough for him. It did not, in his opinion, celebrate enough. Too passive a practice, he thinks. I nearly pulled a muscle with that eye roll. How could anyone contemplate that subject long enough to record a show on?

Tennis is, at its heart, a gentlemanly sport. And that's what I like about it. Like Federer Hingis was a very amiable number one. I think this is a good thing. I know many people mean well when they suggest changes to attract more fans (by making it more like other sports). But I love the sport as is. It's unique. I hope it stays that way.

Agassi to start the senior tour

2009-09-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

Man, I feel for everyone else on the senior tour. But this should give it more fan interest. The matches that I have seen are no where near the level of play on the regular tour. And since it really hasn't been that long since Agassi retired, I don't see how he won't be collecting tournaments with ease.

What a load....

2009-09-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

This article by The Nation is simply absurd. I used to subscribe to this magazine, and find it can be a very good one. But it is wildly uneven, and sometimes simply ridiculous. The article is an example of that.

To equate vague expletive spewing ("I don't give a shit") with actual physical threat ("If I could, I would take this fucking ball and shove it down your fucking throat." ), means that the writer of this story should never be taken seriously. Between the lines of the article is the evidence that the writer knows little about tennis history. Yes, McEnroe is known as the former bad boy....as if he was never fined, as if he was never suspended from the sport. He was. And he never threatened anyone with bodily harm.

The writer of that article is trying so hard to find misogyny or racism or something. But all he did is make an ass of himself.

Serena (and Venus, though in my mind less so) has a history of post-match press conferences where she gives her opponents little credit, even if the opponent won. I think in this instance she was less so for many reasons. For one, what she did was so wrong even she can see it. Also, Clijsters is reportedly one of the nicest players on tour, and that sets a tone. But more importantly is the release date of One the Line--September 1, 2009. Just before the Open. And as Serena tells the press frequently--she is also a business woman.

Serena Williams as Mother Nature?

2009-09-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

When you think of menstruation, think of Serena Williams. Or so Tampax would have it. Her recent crankiness at the US Open was not, apparently, inspiration for this choice.

Justine Henin is coming back!

2009-09-21T17:00:00.001-07:00

I personally guessed this one wrong. I thought this would never happen.

What in the world is a "doubles rubber"?

2009-09-19T07:37:00.001-07:00

I was confused by this story's headline:

"Murray to play in doubles rubber"

What is a doubles rubber? It was a difficult term to track down, but I did. Here and here. It is apparently the deciding match/game in a series, the one that decides a tie. I personally had never heard this term before, so I thought I'd share.

Zero to 19 in 3 tournaments

2009-09-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Not bad at all. Clijsters has gone from no-ranking to being #19 in the world after winning the US Open (her 3rd tournament). The game needs her, so I hope there is much more of this to come.

Belgium was elated.

If she can climb like that in 3 tournaments, why can't Serena take #1 from Safina...(that's another post).

Federer slapped on the wrist

2009-09-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

I like the guy a lot, but it's only fair.

Roger, the potty mouth?

2009-09-14T20:42:00.001-07:00

This was a shocker for me. The gentleman? The ambassador for the sport? I have never seen him so pissed before and letting it out like this. Serena must have inspired him. Kind of sad, really. Or perhaps the twins kept him up all night.

He was supposed to be a bad temper when younger, so I guess this is regression.

UPDATE: Federer fined.

No, another lines-woman

2009-09-14T20:39:00.000-07:00

At this low resolution the clip can't really show it, but the expression this lines-woman wore after Serena dumped a return into the net was hilarious.

I don't think I have seen a lines person show such interest in a match before. But I agree with her assessment of Ms. Williams, er, I mean the shot. Hi Def was much easier to see, but no recorder for that just yet. Here's a still:

How things have changed

2009-09-11T17:51:00.001-07:00

During the rain delay at this year's Open they have been playing some vintage matches. They played a very entertaining (and long) clip from 1979, 2nd round, mens match. McEnroe vs Nastase. The event was new to me--I was 9 years old at the time. But amidst some controversy over the 30-second rule for serving the crowd got very rowdy (NYC, natch), play was at a long standstill, and the players and tournament referee were discussing the problem on court. My favorite part was this:

Just hilarious how things have changed. So casual, the guy sauntering on court to share his thoughts on the matter, and hardly an eye is batted. He is swatted away like a mildly annoying gnat.

Bud Collins's mind wanders

2009-09-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

Bud Collins said that Yanina Wickmayer's noise when she hits that ball sounds like 'whoopee', and said: "I don't know--maybe she is making whoopee out there."

Reminds me of another inappropriate comment made by Cliff Drysdale. Back when Martina Hingis was still on the tour and dating some other tennis player (Magnus Norman, I think). She was not playing particularly well, and he said that perhaps it was because she was spending too much time with her boyfriend..."but I don't think she would like to hear me say that." There was a pause, and his co-host (Mary Jo Hernandez or Mary Carillo) said: "I don't think I like hearing that."

Awkward.

But we can all laugh it off and point out how they are quaintly from another era.

Nadal Gets Some Lovin'

2009-09-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Nadal gets some unsolicited but not apparently unwanted affection from a fan. Kudos to Nadal for the calm, flattered reaction. And for his ability to carry on in defeating Monfils after this. (Anyone who knows tennis has to think about poor Seles at these moments.)

The kiss:

And Nadal doesn't want him to go:

More, plus video.

Dear Andy Murray

2009-09-08T19:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Andy Murray,

There is a button on your shirt. It has a function. Please put it to use. You look like a slob.

Thank you,

-LW

Oudin and Clijsters to the rescue

2009-09-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

Melanie Oudin and Kim Clijsters have saved the 2009 US Open for the women. Without Clijsters's incredible return to form or the up-and-comer Oudin's Russian Removal Plan, this Open would be more fodder for those pointing out how out of whack the women's game is (when compared to the men's).

The female #1 (Safina) is dogged by questions about her worthiness at the top spot (with good reason). And one by one the top women have been eliminated far too early. Many of the announcers on television imply that the ranking system needs to be retooled so that Serena Williams is ranked #1. The reasoning? She has won 2 Slams this year. But the rankings should reflect the best. Serena craves the limelight above all else, and she therefore plays her best at the Slams. But she doesn't play enough otherwise. She doesn't support the tour outside of the Slams, and this frankly belittles the effort that the rest put into it. So she should not be #1. (It's not as if she is ranked low--she's #2. So relax.)

Serena rules due to the meekness of the rest of the field. Venus can bring it at times, of course. And how I miss Henin now--to a degree I did not predict. I miss her because she is one who could truly compete with others instead of fighting herself as the others (Safina) clearly do. But just look at the void of champions that is the women's field, and who could be surprised that Oudin and Clijsters would be embraced in the way they have. Clijsters has the calm demeanor of a former winner who is back because she wants to be. And that's nice to see. Oudin has the hunger and enjoyment of a new-on-the-scene 17-year-old, and it's an entertaining combination.

Serena will likely be ranked #1 a week after the US Open ends. But right now I think none of them deserve that ranking. Right now the women's field should start at #2. Because that about sums up the field. Here's to hoping Oudin and Clijsters bring it back to #1.

Inaugural post!

2009-09-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

I adore tennis. Naturally, I love the Slams. In the midst of 2009 US Open I am compelled to start a blog to share my thoughts on the sport with the imaginary people in my head who care. I can be snarky and irreverent, but the bottom line is that I adore watching and playing tennis.