The Many Pursuits of Janelle - Match Point

The Many Pursuits of Janelle - Match Point

2011 Predictions

12/1/2010

dukemag.edu

What is in store for the upcoming tennis year, 2011? With a new tennis season quickly approaching, this thought is on every tennis lover’s mind. Who will make their first breakthrough? Which underdog will come out on top? What controversies will happen? Who will come out on top?

2010 was Rafael Nadal’s year to shine. He won three out of the four Grand Slams. He also won three Masters 1000 Finals, six ATP Singles Finals, and an Exhibition Final according to tennis.wettpoint.com. He has had a very successful year.

His rival, Roger Federer, did not do so well. He started off strong by winning the first Grand Slam of the season, the Australian Open. He played in the final against Andy Murray. He did not win a single title after this Grand Slam until the Barclays ATP World Tour Final a few days ago. He did win against Nadal, so there is still hope for all you Federer fans out there.

I believe that 2011 will be once again a battle of wills between Nadal and Federer, or quite possibly, it could be a breakthrough year for Andy Murray or even Robin Soderling. Soderling has been causing quite a few upsets over the years, especially his win over Nadal a few years ago at Roland Garros. This could be his year. Also, Murray has yet to win the elusive Grand Slam despite being ranked in the top five for some time. Perhaps, he could be the Brit to bring Wimbledon back home.

The women’s side is not so easy to make predictions about. Caroline Wozniacki is currently ranked number one in the world. She has only made it to one Grand Slam final, and she lost it. However, she is extremely athletic and talented. Her rise to number one reminds of Anna Ivanovic’s rise to greatness. Ivanovic won the French Open in 2008 over Dinara Safina, but things went all downhill from there. She started tensing up and could not win a match for the longest time. To this day, she has not looked like the same player as she was in that final. She is now ranked 17 in the world. I hope Wozniacki does not end up like Ivanovic.

The Williams sisters are certainly a threat to Wozniacki. There are always out there lurking in the lower half of the top ten in the world. However, Serena withdrew from the Australian Open due to a foot injury leaving the draw wide open for big sister, Venus, to make her move and win her first title there ever.

Justine Henin will make her return to tennis in the 2011 Hopman Cup according to ESPN.com. Henin was out earlier 2010 due to an elbow injury. She is a dangerous wildcard. She was at the top for so long, and then to come back with a whole new style of play may hurt her. Whatever the case, she is a contender in any match she plays. 2011 could be the year that she reestablishes her dominance and right to be world number 1.

Grunting

12/1/2010

A big issue that has been affecting the tennis world for some time is grunting. Grunting is the shrieking or screaming that a player makes while he or she hits the ball. Mostly women do this, but some men are prone to do it as well. Why is it such a big deal? Let me ask you this: how would you feel with a large, adrenaline rushed tennis player on the other side of the net came rushing at you while grunting? I know that I would feel a little intimidated.

The problem with grunting is that many players feel as though some players do it just to intimidate others. Furthermore, it is quite annoying and disruptive to fans. I believe that there are players who cannot help their grunting problem; it is just something that happens to come out of their mouth.

Prominent players who are “famous” for their grunting include the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Rafael Nadal. Many people have asked for grunting to be banned or at least punishable. I believe that grunting is okay as long as it is not obnoxious. As soon as it gets out of hand, that’s where I would draw the line. It is not okay for grunting to draw away from the beauty that is the game of tennis.

There are other players like Michelle Larcher de Brito who defend grunting as being part of their individual rights. According to Wikipedia.org, Larcher de Brito said, “Nobody can tell me to stop grunting. Tennis is an individual sport and I'm an individual player. If they have to fine me, go ahead, because I'd rather get fined than lose a match because I had to stop grunting." She believes that it is perfectly fine. Larcher de Brito has a decibel rating of about 109 which is almost equivalent to a lion’s roar. That is definitely reaching the point of obnoxious for me. As a spectator at a tennis match, I would be very annoyed with a player grunting this loud.

Currently, there is no punishment for grunting, but an umpire can make the player forfeit a point if there is any hindrance to the play of tennis. A grunt could fall into this category.

Recently, a study has been done on the impact of tennis grunts at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Researchers found that, “the extraneous sound (the grunt) resulted in significantly slower response times, and significantly more decision errors, confirming that both response time and accuracy are negatively affected,” stated Scott Sinnett on sciencedaily.com.

Grunting in tennis is certainly an issue that needs to be addressed soon; however, not all grunters should be punished. Only the ones who get out of control with it need to be punished. There’s assuredly a problem when a tennis player is grunting as loud as a lion roars.

Better Than a Man

11/29/2010

This week I wanted to look deeper into a tennis player that I do not know much about. I wanted the player to be well known but not of my generation. I decided to explore Billie Jean King’s tennis career. To be honest, I do not know a lot about her. I only know that she has a court named after her at the US Open and that she defeated a man, Bobby Riggs I think, in the “Battle of the Sexes” match. I think that she is definitely a tennis legend whose name will last through the ages just with that one match, but she has done so much more.

According to ESPN.com, King was ranked number one for five consecutive years. Also, she has won four US Open singles titles and six Wimbledon championships. However after all this, she is revered by most women (and maybe men) for her defeat of a 55-year-old man and former champion Bobby Riggs. Riggs had won Wimbledon in 1939.

Billie Jean King won the match in 3 sets, pummeling the former champion. This proved that women can compete just as well as men can, if not better. As a woman and a tennis player, I have a lot to thank Billie Jean King for. Women in tennis were not treated as equally as men. Men earned lots more than women did in those times. In essence, women were treated like second class players. Billie Jean King paved the way for future generations of women tennis players in the seventies.

King was fed up with this, and in 1972, King won the US Open and demanded that next year the prize money for men and women be equal at this tournament or she and the other women players would not show up. Her hardball tactics worked, and in 1973, the US Open offered equal winnings to both men and women. Billie Jean King was and still is a pioneer for women’s sports. She was named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century.”

In 1974, Billie Jean King founded “WomenSports magazine, started the Women’s Sports Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing athletic opportunities for females, and with her husband (Larry King), formed World Team Tennis,” according to ESPN.com. There is no doubt that King was a force to be reckoned with. The next year King was found to be the most admired woman in the world over Israel’s Prime Minister.

Even though King is now retired, she remains very actively involved in the game. She is an announcer, author, and coach. I bet King would be right out on the courts with the Williams sisters if she could; her passion for tennis is that evident and all-consuming.

Tennis Coaching Controversy

11/7/2010

A big problem in the tennis game that has been occurring a lot lately is the use of improper coaching. That is players looking to their box to see where their coaches want them to place the serve or what type of point to play, such as a serve and volley game. This is illegal in the game of tennis. You can be coached before or after a match but not in the middle of the match. Numerous players have been accused of doing this, but the one that sticks out most in my mind is Rafael Nadal when he won against Novak Djokovic in the US Open final. I was not there so I do not know what happened, but according to espn.com, Rafael Nadal admitted to receiving coaching on the last point of the match. He was told by his long time coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, to serve at a certain spot. However when Nadal leaked this information, he leaked it in Spanish, and it is not 100 percent sure what he said. The translator was not sure what Nadal said because he was talking so rapidly. Furthermore, Nadal could have been looking to his beloved Uncle Toni, who has been his coach throughout his whole life, in a moment of pressure, and Nadal could have been looking for support. This is not the first time that Nadal has been accused of receiving improper coaching.

Last Wimbledon, there was a big dilemma over whether or not Nadal received coaching in his third round match against Philipp Petzschner according to worldtennismagazine.com. Nadal was uncharacteristically angry with the chair umpire for receiving this warning. He glowered and yelled at the umpire in a John McEnroe way. This brings up what is construed as coaching. Is yelling “Vamos Rafa” coaching? Is telling him “Beautiful forehand” considered coaching? Where does is become too much?

Toni Nadal is not the only coach to be accused of improper coaching. There are plenty of other coaches who have been accused of doing just this. Other ones that come to mind are Jimmy Connors and Todd Martin. However, the Pilot Penn tournament in New Haven is now allowing on court coaching. What does this mean for the future of improper coaching? Will it be allowed at more tournaments? Only time will tell, but whatever the reason, Rafael Nadal is still the 2010 US Open men’s singles champion.

Photo courtesy of deportes.orange.es

Pretty Players vs. Talented Players

11/1/2010

Photo courtsey of abc.net.au

Wimbledon has been known for its classiness and old school ways for so long. All players are required to wear white on court, and there is barely any advertising on courts. However, Wimbledon, the crowning achievement for any player, was under a lot of scrutiny in 2008 for improper court placement.

In 2008, Venus Williams was the reigning Wimbledon champion, and she had returned to the famed green courts to defend her crown, but things were not to her liking or advantage that year. She was placed on an outer court where barely any person who wanted to see this great woman play tennis could actually do that. She and her sister, Serena, were placed on Court 2 which is commonly known as the Graveyard Court because of all the legends that have lost there. According to nydailynews.com, Venus Williams said, “I’m actually really tall, so I feel a little cramped. Will I have rooms to move my legs around? There’s a lot of room in back. There’s less on the side” in response to being placed on the smaller Court 2.

Venus and Serena were not the only ones seemingly being ostracized. Jelena Jankovic, then a top-seeded player, was placed on Court 18. Spectators had to cram around the court just even to get a glimpse of the woman from Serbia.

On Court 1 of the same day, Nicole Vaidisova played Anna Chakvetadze. These two are unknown players compared to the Williams sisters and Jankovic. Why were they placed on such a better court than the three power players. A person can argue that Vaidisova and Chakvetadze are more commercial and attractive than Venus, Serena, and Jankovic. This might be the case, but officials did place Svetlana Kuznetsova and Agnieszka Radwanska on Centre Court, and these two ladies are not the most attractive people in the world.

Putting these high-ranked players on these small, obscure courts was definitely not a smart move by Wimbledon. Whatever their reasoning behind the move, it was stupid on their part. Venus was the DEFENDING CHAMPION. You do not place her on an outside court no matter what! She is a point of interest for people. People come just to see her. I mean seriously she is known as “The Queen of the Grass” aka Wimbledon. She has won five trophies just from Wimbledon alone. To make more money off her, place her on Centre Court or Court 1 at least. Furthermore by placing her so far away, she is bound to not be happy. You do not want an angry Williams sister. Just look at what happened to Serena at the U.S. Open. Venus, Serena, and Jankovic deserve more respect, and hopefully, they will get it in upcoming years.

Serena Williams Tirade

10/24/2010

Okay, so I just thought I would let you all know that I am writing this while watching the Packer Viking game. It is very distracting, but here I go anyway. The YouTube video above is pretty much self-explanatory, but it does not give my opinion.

Last year at the US Open, Serena Williams had an outburst during her semi-final match against the Belgian Kim Clijsters. Nothing was addressed at Clijsters, and if I remember correctly, Williams apologized to her that she had to see something like that.

The whole argument was directed at a line judge who made a crucial foot fault call against Williams a point before match point. I found this whole outburst a big surprising. I never expected her to do something so blatantly threatening. In the YouTube clip, you can hear Williams creating a fuss and yelling and threatening the line judge. I do not know if the line judge was correct in her call, but even she should be treated with some respect. Williams should have handled the situation more calmly and reasonably. What she should have done was politely asked the judge if she did indeed foot fault or not. If she was not satisfied with that answer, she could have gone to the chair umpire.

There is no excuse for her behavior, but I believe that her punishment was a bit harsh. She lost the next point which handed the match to Clijsters, and she was fined an outrageous $82,500 according to usatoday.com. I mean honestly people make threats all the time to others, but do they get fined that much money or at all? I think not.

Was Johnny McEnroe ever fined? He was notorious for making a ruckus at his tennis matches. I do not recall ever hearing about him being fined an outrageous amount. Men in tennis get away with it all the time. According to nydailynews.com, Andre Agassi once smacked a 120 mph serve at a lineswoman and questioned her sexuality only eight years earlier at Wimbledon. This was an outrageous outburst, but was he fined?

Whatever the case, Serena Williams did act badly. She should have expressed her displeasure in a different, healthier way. She should definitely not have threatened someone’s life. One point is not worth another person’s life. Serena Williams was certainly in the wrong, but she should have not been punished so severely.

Sibling Rivalry

10/16/2010

Photo from binsidetv.net

One is tall, lanky, and quick. The other is big, muscular, and powerful. They both have been ruling the tennis courts since they first stepped on them over fifteen years ago. Venus made her tennis debut in 1994 with little sister Serena making her debut a year after; they were both 14 years old when they turned pros. However, they did not come from a really strong tennis background. Their father and coach, Richard Williams, wanted his daughters to have a life outside of tennis, so he often would pull them out of their tennis academies. This did not deter their careers. In fact, it might just be what keeps their careers going longer.

Venus has won a total of seven Grand Slam singles titles, not counting her 12 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister; five of these titles are Wimbledon trophies. This awe-inspiring amount of Wimbledon titles has earned her the title of “Queen of the Grass” according to biography.com. She is currently ranked fifth in all time Wimbledon championships. As of today, Venus is ranked fourth in the world. Not bad for a player who, according to numerous tennis commentators, never plays enough tennis and pursues other interests. However, this love for tennis keeps her coming back to the big events tournament after tournament.

Serena has won 13 Grand Slam singles titles in her 15 years as a tennis professional. She, unlike Venus, has won a Grand Slam at every event; she has five Australian Open, one French Open, four Wimbledon, and three US Open titles. She has won the most career prize money in the Open Era out of any woman, and only two men have won more than her. Serena is ranked sixth on the all-time greatest champions list. She is the reigning champion at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

Who is the better of the two sisters? Even though Venus is my favorite of the sisters, I will concede that Serena is the better of the two. She has won more titles at more events, and has a better record against her sister with 13-10. Serena’s game seems to be a bit better put together than Venus’ right now. However, Venus has a few things up on her little sister. Venus has won more career titles with 43 to Serena’s 37, and she has the fastest serve on record at 130 mph; whereas, Serena’s is 129 mph.

Both sisters are exceptional athletes when they are not hampered by injuries. They are rivals on the court, but off the court, they are each other’s best friend often starting businesses together and just being sisters. They live together in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with their two dogs when they are not on tour amazing crowds with their athletic ability according to williamssisters.org.

Women of Tennis 2010

10/9/2010

A friend of mine found this great videoclip of all the top female players of 2010 playing tennis in slow motion. Here is the website http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/08/29/magazine/womens-tennis.html

The Rise of Andy Murray

10/8/2010

Wimbledon is THE most prestigious tennis tournament there has ever been. Nothing seems to compare to the immaculately groomed lawns, ball persons dressed all in white, and the ad-less grounds. Yes, there is nothing like winning on the grass at Wimbledon, just ask Venus Williams, she has won five titles on the esteemed grass. Her little sister is not far behind with four. However, there is nothing quite like winning on your home turf. The newest and possibly best hope for England is Andy Murray the fiery Scot from Dunblane, Scotland according to atpworldtour.com.

The last Brit to win Wimbledon was Fred Perry in 1936 according to independent.co.uk. That is a 74 long year drought. According to freebase.com, Perry won eight Grand Slam singles titles, 3 were Wimbledon titles. He was number one in the world for four consecutive years. As well as playing tennis, Perry was a great table tennis player, having won the Table Tennis World Championship in 1929. Also, he is the first of only seven men to have won all four Grand Slams. The most recent of which is Rafael Nadal. Perry was known to shout out “Very clevah!” to his opponents when they won a point. Perry was truly an amazing tennis player that will always be remembered, especially by the British people.

Does Murray have what it takes to bring home the title? He certainly has a lot of support. The Queen visited Wimbledon in 2010 for the first time in 33 years. Murray was obviously her favorite. Murray is currently ranked fourth in the world behind Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer. There is no doubt about it that he is facing some of the best tennis players ever. However, Murray has held his own winning fifteen titles throughout his career. According to atpworldtour.com, Murray turned pro in 2005, and he has a career winning record of 255-89. The statistics show that he is a great tennis player; however, he has yet to break the barrier and win a Grand Slam title. He has shown lots of promise at the US Open final in 2008 and the Australian Open final this year. Many commentators think it is not a matter of if Murray will win a Grand Slam title but rather an issue of when. Will it be the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, or the coveted Wimbledon? Only time will tell for sure.

Where in the World is Dinara?

9/26/2010

dinarasafina.com

Dinara Safina was the world’s number one ranked tennis player in 2009, but she has yet to break through and win a Grand Slam title. She is the younger player of Marat Safin, two time Grand Slam winner himself. According to tennis.com, they are the first brother sister team to both be ranked number one. However, Dinara was not number one for very long.

What happened to this promising young Russian? I have not seen her since last year’s US Open where she lost miserably in the third round to a player who is practically unknown and not ranked in the top ten. Many tennis fans think that she has had a mental breakdown. She has never had a strong mental game. Oftentimes, she was seen throwing her racket to the ground, cursing in Russian in a fit of rage during her matches. This is definitely not the behavior of a stable tennis player who is at the top of her game. In fact, the year of 2009 was a huge disappointment for Dinara. She made it to three out of four Grand Slam finals, but lost every one badly. Serena Williams trounced her at the Australian Open final. She made it to the French Open final, but she was often in tears of frustration because of her disappointing performance. She lost this final to Svetlana Kuznetsova. In her third and last final of 2009, Dinara lost to Venus Williams at Wimbledon in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 6-0 according to tennis.com. It is hard to believe that she only managed to win one game. She was ranked first in the world when she played this match! I think that this was a breaking point for her.

Dinara has been out most of early 2010 due to a back injury, but she is now back in form and ready to play. She is currently ranked 59th in the world according to dinarasafina.com. It is my belief that she will need to be better than her best to be a real contender in 2010 or 2011. First, she is just coming off of an injury and has not played much tennis in the past several months. Second, her mental game has never been strong. She really needs to improve this aspect of her game. Finally, she could not beat either of the Williams sisters when she was at the top of her game. Dinara Safina is going to have to improve her game immensely to win a Grand Slam in the next two years. I guess that only time will tell. Let’s see what 2010 and 2011 have in store for the newly recovered Dinara.

Just Janelle

I am a sophomore English literature major with a Spanish minor. I hope to become either a lawyer, book editor, or librarian--something involving books and reading. I love tennis a lot, but my family doesn't quite understand why. My favorite players are Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams. It was love at first sight when I watched Andre Agassi play Pete Sampras in his final professional tennis match ever. That's when I knew tennis was a part of who I am.

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