The Australian Open is into it's fourth day and I've been watching without sound for the last day and a half. It seems that the talking heads for ESPN2 are wholly owned by the American/British/Australian tennis axis. You could throw in Switzerland as well but that is a more complex matter. I remember when the US tennis establishment didn't much care for a certain monogrammed gentleman from that country until other players not from Northern Europe began to make noise on the tour. Then he became the greatest thing since sliced bread. But I digress.
I refuse to watch any match involving Kim Clijsters that is broadcast on ESPN2. I think they think she's the only woman to have ever given birth. The way they carry on about her is ridiculous. All of the women broadcasters have children so they should know better than that. She has a nanny. She does not spend her days shuttling between quality time with her child and the tennis court. It's obvious she's been preparing for her comeback for quite some time yet no one can bring themselves to say it. So last night I slept until the men's match came on.
To me she will always be Cupcake Kim. She came back at the end of the season fully rested while all the other women were beat up mentally and physically. Tell me that was not premeditated.
By the way there is a reason I stopped watching her matches, and will soon do the same with her countrywoman Justine Henin. Brad Gilbert felt that both Belgian women should have been seeded. Not just at the lower end of the scale but at 2 & 3. Imagine all the women who played their asses off sitting still for that. His reason was that now they're going to have to knock each other off. I'm crying as I type this.
As some fans have said it seems that the ESPN2 crew and the majority of the tennis media are for anyone they think can knock off The Williams Women. I heard no groundswell of support for the liar who played last night from the stands. It was all coming from her box and over the airwaves.
I'll end this little rant with a quote from tennishead "Rocketta" about St. Kim.
Anyway, it gave me flash backs to the AO when they just knew she was going to win and beat Serena and it looked like it was going to happen then Serena turned it around and won at the last minute.... I thought MJF and Pam were going to actually cry on air. If you are that emotionally attached to a player then you shouldn't be calling her matches OR just be up front about it... don't fake objectivity..
The Other Stah
Listening to Dick Enberg call a Maria Sharapova match makes me feel like I need a bath. The postmortem discussion was amazing the other night for it's bathos. "Where does Maria go from here?" someone whined.
I think Craig and I are the only ones who said there was no major difference in her serve and that her game had not changed. Last night one of the women in talking about how well the Liar and Elena Dementieva moved said that it was too bad Sharapova can't move like Elena and the Liar were. I am really upset that Elena couldn't hold it together and win when she had so many opportunities to do so. It means I have to spend more time watching a television or computer screen with the sound off.
Grand Slam Miscellany
Anyone notice how chunky and round faced Fernando Verdasco has become?
While I applaud his effort and feel bad that he worked so hard and lost James Blake had a snowballs chance in hell of beating Juan Martin del Potro. Delpo had no intention of losing to Blake.
How come no one sent me a memo to tell me Venus is now in her warrior princess phase? That is some dress. (If you don't get the reference Google "Xena".)
Serena added a wrap to her calf to match the one on her thigh during doubles play yesterday.
Caroline Wozniacki spilled something on her dress.
Note to Jeff Tarango who commented that he could never date Jelena Jankovic because there would be too much drama. You're right. You could never date her.
Dinara Safina lost her gut. Good for her.
St Kim isn't so saintly after all. I wonder how her husband reacted to the picture of her feeling up Rafael Nadal?
A fan tweeted the other night that John Isner used an expletive or two during a tense part of his first match. If you watch ESPN2 you would never know.
Andy Roddick's little cursing jag was caught live but due to what I presume was a delay we didn't get to hear his bon mots. The incident was laughed off as "Andy being Andy." Okay.
James Blake used his racquet to point out an unruly fan. I thought the announcers were going to faint.
Donald Young is competing today.
ESPN2 coverage starts at 11p Eastern tonight. I wonder what the featured match will be?
End Note: I'll start posting pictures soon. I promise.
7 comments:
Glad to see you back.
I am already sick of the Belgiums. You are right about that Brit/US/Aussie axis of evil. LOL
Those talking heads sure don't like eastern europeans/Russians. They keep harping about how there are 16 Russian women in the draw. So what? Maybe they can play and sometimes win. I also noticed they put Andy Murray on Rod Laver the first night and Roddick,Delpo and Djokovic were on Hisense. Guess Murray complained at the FO about being on a lesser court and that's why he lost there.
As for Tarango, is he trying to be the new Slob? Who cares who that idiot would date. I seem to remember his French drama wife putting on quite a performance at a presser a long time ago. I think Wozniacki has replaced JJ the drama queen with her outstanding performance at the USO writhing in pain and then jumping up like a jack-in-the box.
Oh well, enough bitchin.
First off let me say how glad I am that you are back, you were missed! Hope that your health continues to improve.
I don't have any problem with Kim but this idea that she's all gum drops and rainbows, mothering her way thru the WTA is nothing short of revolting.
As for Slim Shady, the sooner she exits the better. Other then the WS I don't know who is up for the job but I hope one of these women steps up and sends her off permanently.
Carillo sounded delighted at the prospect of Hingis' returning, saving all of her moral venom for Serena I guess.
Would have loved to have seen Cilic/ Tomic this AM but instead got to see Roddick and his antics again. And the "isn't he adorable" tone of the commentary was what I expected.
Oh Savannah, it was worth the wait. I could even smile at the monogrammed one. Notice how they are burying him again. Poor Mr. Monogram. Oh well. As to the commentators and the way they are all up the you know what of the Belgians, I dont even know what else to say that has not already been said. It is getting extremely tedious having to listen to this all the time. To have them say that if DelPo and Tsonga who are big guys can move well, then the women who are that tall should be able to move that well. Suffice it to say that my mouth is still open. The way they have agonised over Oudin's loss is just for repellant. It is like they are hoping against hope that one of the Belgians wins this thing. In addition, I dont recall so much angst when in 2007 one side of the draw at the USO was Tier V and the other side was a Grand Slam draw. it was the year Henin won. I dont recall anyone saying that Henin got a bad draw. Dementieva just continues to disappoint. Not a fan of hers but I was hoping that she would at least want the glory and to let Henin know that you cannot go away from the Tour and relax and train in secret, come back refreshed and win a major, but alas poor Yorrick, she failed, again.
Wozniacki's act at the US Open was Oscar worth an Oscar nomination wasn't it?
Kia, I will call her Slim Shady from now on! Love it!. They've hated the Russians since forever and it amazes me that they get away with ethno centric remarks that would be called racist under other circumstances. I remember one commentator, American, a few years ago going on and on about the Eastern Europeans coming out of their hovels and not wanting to go back. Hovels!!! The only Eastern European they like is Maria Sharapova and that's because she was shaped by the leathery one in Florida. How dare Mrs. Safin raise not one but two stars? How dare Mrs. Dementieva have a daughter who they say can teach their darling a few tricks?
As for Oudin I almost feel sorry for her. She's 17. The Axis is so desperate for stars they're pushing her and Robson when both need to continue to improve their game without the pressure of winning titles.
Karen I think PMac will always be in the Monogram's corner. :)
Yes Elena disappoints again. I thought she would go deep here.
Why didn't we get to see Cilic/Tomic? I want to see the brat play since the hype around him is so strong.
Slim Shady seems accurate on so many levels... Did you realize that you were privileged to see her vs ElenaD?
Sharapova and her American accented english escaped the hovels so she will always be fawned over...
Donald Young was both great and disappointing. I only saw what ESPN showed so was baffled at how well he was playing only to lose the first two sets.
In general I don't mind MJ that much but Pam Shriver's criticism of Venus being stubborn was so ridiculous it was laughable. The personal poise and grace with which Venus conducts her business on court is something that Pam hasn't a clue about...
Sorry for the double post but I forgot that I wanted to tease that if I started a group petition for Donald Young's parents to relinquish his career from their strangle hold, would you sign it? Living in Metro Atlanta I could even hand deliver it : )!
Oh Savannah, how I've missed thee!
"Note to Jeff Tarango who commented that he could never date Jelena Jankovic because there would be too much drama. You're right. You could never date her."
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