This can't be happening (tennis)

[johnny]

Yeah, that's right, but they come from either Sweden, Russia, Chech republic or Finland. That's the only sport they know overthere, so that doesn't count either.

[Aelia Jusa]

Originally posted by the new JR Jansen: quote: Originally posted by Grojlach: Amusing... Was zapping a bit, and CNN had more attention for Serena Williams accusing Henin of "lying and fabricating" than for the match itself. Talking about being a bad loser...

Well, Serena should be able to handle it. Wasn't she the one that said 'she played in a bubble'. It's not nice to loose and have the public against you but these things happen in sports.

Update, Verkerk takes second set 6-4. One set away from the finals. [/QUOTE]Well she's already said this week that she only plays to win at the Australian because we don't give her enough money - apparently 1.4mil at the US open is great but 1.1mil at the Aussie is piddling . I'm not sure she's entirely lucid frankly

[johnny]

I think she's defenitely no longer "Serena from the block", just like Jenny.

[Grojlach]

Originally posted by Aelia Jusa: Well she's already said this week that she only plays to win at the Australian because we don't give her enough money - apparently 1.4mil at the US open is great but 1.1mil at the Aussie is piddling . I'm not sure she's entirely lucid frankly

...As if she doesn't have enough money to live excessively for the rest of her life already, with the insane amounts of money going around in the tennis industry nowadays.

[Zarr]

Well Ferrero beat Costa so he'll play Verkerk in the final. Ferrero's my favorite tennis player so I hope he wins but Verkerk deserves respect - it won't be easy. I just hope for entertainments sake that Verkerk doesn't frezze in the final, although Ferrero did last year it has to be said... Should be an interesting match...
EDIT:Oh I forgot to say I agree Serena Williams can't take getting beat. She was beat by on the day the better player. Did anyone notice how cold Williams was when they shook hands she couldn't take it. I think she thought she was going to win all the grand slams in one year.

[ 06-06-2003, 05:47 PM: Message edited by: Zarr ]

[the new JR Jansen]

The womens finals are up today. Predictions anybody. My vote goes to Henin-Hardenne.

[the new JR Jansen]

Originally posted by Aelia Jusa: quote: Originally posted by the new JR Jansen: quote: Originally posted by Grojlach: Amusing... Was zapping a bit, and CNN had more attention for Serena Williams accusing Henin of "lying and fabricating" than for the match itself. Talking about being a bad loser...

Well, Serena should be able to handle it. Wasn't she the one that said 'she played in a bubble'. It's not nice to loose and have the public against you but these things happen in sports.

Update, Verkerk takes second set 6-4. One set away from the finals. [/QUOTE]Well she's already said this week that she only plays to win at the Australian because we don't give her enough money - apparently 1.4mil at the US open is great but 1.1mil at the Aussie is piddling . I'm not sure she's entirely lucid frankly [/QUOTE]You've got to admit, it's a trifling sum, a mere pittance

[Cerek the Barbaric]

I didn't see Serena's match, but after reading about the crowds behavior and her reaction, I searched through ESPN looking for the story.

While I'm not a big tennis fan, I think it's reasonable to say that the crowd got out of hand towards the end of the match. I don't think it has anything to do with France/America relations...I think it had a LOT to do with Serena's mocking comments about the French a few weeks earlier. It was obvious the crowd didn't like her from the very beginning. Even Henin agreed the crowd's behavior was a "bit much" towards the end of the match.

As for the controversial incident when Henin raised her hand - I agree that she should have been honost when the referee asked her about it...but Serena had NO REASON to complain about the call after the match, because she won that point anyway. It may have been a bit aggravating, but the outcome of the match certainly did not hinge on that one incident.

I have to agree with Henin's assessment of the crowd's actions when she said it was just part of the game. Hostile crowds are part of any sporting events, although tennis likes to consider itself more courteous and well-mannered than other sports (with the possible exception of golf). Hostile crowds may not be a normal part of tennis but they do happen and Serena will just have to learn to deal with it. John McEnroe never let hostile crowds bother him.

[johnny]

LOL Cerek, If McEnroe had a problem with hostile crowds, he would have never won a single tennismatch. This guy made enemies as if it was his profession.

JR, i put my money on Clijsters. I've seen them play against eachother several times before, and every time Clijsters came out as the winner. Henin seems to get tired at the end of a game, and not able to return the ball well anymore.

[Davros]

Originally posted by Cerek the Barbaric: I didn't see Serena's match, but after reading about the crowds behavior and her reaction, I searched through ESPN looking for the story. While I'm not a big tennis fan, I think it's reasonable to say that the crowd got out of hand towards the end of the match. I don't think it has anything to do with France/America relations ....

In fact I would think it would be totally ludicrous to even take a diverting walk down that path. Any tennis follower would tell you that Roland Garros is a stadium of passion - they love supporting the underdog, the sentimental favourite. They pounce on the misdemeanors and misbehavoiurs of players, they most certainly take sides, and they are merciless in their support. Question a line call, throw a tantrum, show bad sportsmanship - you will get booed on any tennis arena, but on Roland Garros - you better be prepared for hell. Just ask Martina Hingis back when she played Steffi in the final a few years ago. She threw a tantrum, questioned the unpire, and the crowd proceeded to destroy her confidence. Martina never ever recovered from that event - she played mediocretennis by her standards for another year, and when she came back to Paris the following year the crowd still hadn't frgiven her.

Lleyton Hewitt got some of the treatment in an early round when he was "carrying on like a pork chop", and Coria was extremely lucky that they let up on him after just a few games when his thrown racket grazed the ballboy in the mens semi agains Verkirk.

You get on the wrong side of the Roland Garros crowd at your own risk. In a relatively even contest of ability, they will sway the outcome of the result.

[ 06-07-2003, 08:53 AM: Message edited by: Davros ]