There is a new member of the WTA winners circle. Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino won the title in Bogota. Will she be the Spanish woman to take the top ten by storm?
Meanwhile Victoria Azarenka played despite what looked like an ankle turn and won the title in Doha.
Roger Federer showed that despite that US Open victory, one that seems to have taken place in an alternate universe, Juan Martin del Potro is his bitch romping to victory over the Argentine player.
Nicolas Almagro successfully defended his title in Sao Paulo.
Milos Raonic of Canada did the same in San Jose.
Doubles Results
Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond won in Doha.
Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic won Rotterdam.
Mark Knowles and Xavier Malisse are the San Jose champions.
Eric Butorac and Bruno Soares took the title in Sao Paulo.
Former WTA #1 Caroline Wozniacki has decided to go all in on her critics going as far as naming the name of the former player now commentator who has been an icon of women's tennis longer than Wozniacki has been alive.
Excerpts from her interview are below.
Dubai - Former world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki hit back at Martina Navratilova on Monday for claiming that the Dane had never deserved to be top of the world rankings.
Wozniacki also suggested she has lost respect for Navratilova, regarded by many as the greatest female player ever, implying that her TV commentating sought to stir things up and that it would be better to "think a little bit."
"I would never say Martina was No 1 when there was no-one playing," Wozniacki said, "or that she was the best when no-one was playing. That would be disrespectful."
Her comment was an echo of Navratilova's remarks at an Australian Open press conference, in which the 55-year-old legend said: "Clearly nobody feels Wozniacki is a true No 1."
Navratilova, whose 18 Grand Slam singles titles were achieved when the women's game had less depth, also criticised the modern ranking system which placed Wozniacki at the top for 68 weeks.
This places too much emphasis on the quantity of wins rather than their quality, Navratilova alleged, suggesting fellow Czech Petra Kvitova, Wimbledon champion and winner of five other titles last year, should have become No 1 instead.
When Wozniacki was asked if she had lost respect as a result of some of the remarks made about her on television, she reacted immediately.
"I think I have to be honest, lost a little bit of respect. Because I respect what they have achieved," she said, referring to players of a previous era who are now commentators.
"And I really respect what someone else (has done), I know how hard it is to reach the top level of a sport like tennis.
"I think I would never say Martina was No 1 when there was no-one playing, or she was the best when no-one was playing. I mean that would be disrespectful.
"She was unbelievable. She won so many Grand Slams, her touch was unbelievable. Martina Hingis was unbelievable as well - for me my favourite player.
"But I think they should respect players that are playing now as well. Because they know how hard it is. You don't just wake up and say okay I want to win this tournament, and it just happens like this. At that point, you are like, they should just think a little bit."
Wozniacki reacted almost as strongly when asked about Navratilova's comment that it was Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka who now formed the game's best rivalry.
"They always have to make comments, and that's what they get paid for - to be comments, because they are not playing any more. And they need to stir everything up," Wozniacki said.
"When I was No 1 they needed to make a story so in the beginning when I was coming up they were saying I was the next big thing.
"Then when I had been there for a while and it got boring... then they said she hasn't won a Grand Slam - because and because and because.
"Soon it will be if Victoria (Azarenka) loses a match, 'how could she lose a match?'"
Just picture what the firestorm would be if Serena Williams said something like this for public consumption. I'm being nice saying there would be a firestorm. There would be a lot of icky brown waste matter clogging tennis blogs and columns wouldn't there? Instead Wozniacki will be patted on the head like an over indulged child and excuses will be made. What's that comment about heat and kitchens again?
1 comment:
No one is saying anything because it is a case of Wozniacki Who? As far as the tennis establishment is concerned she had her day in the sun and she provided the 15 minutes that commentators would spend deriding the women's tour. From where I sit, most commentators want to see the end of women's tennis, and unfortunately, it also includes those who benefitted from what women's tennis brought to the table.
I have listened to both Martinas, Lindsay, Corina Chris and a whole host of other players go on and on about the WTA and its product and I am left shaking my head. I have never heard any former ATP pro player deride the men's game in the same way that the former female champions do.
As far as I am concerned Wozniacki represented her sport in a very good way and she is to be commended for it.
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