Questions and Answers Tennis Style

by Savannah

I rag on the so called tennis media a lot don't I? Some of you may think that I envy them their access to players and shit like that.

No, I rag on them because they're a bunch of spineless idiots who do what agents and yes, the tours want them to do instead of covering stories that the average fan may be interested in.


Aaron Favila AP

Exhibit A is one Kei Nishikori, or more properly Nishikori Kei for, well, cultural reasons. At any rate Mr. Nishikori played the match of his life last night. After a physical melt down in a warm up event he's played well in the blast furnace named Melbourne. If that had been, say, Sam Querrey or any of the nameless faceless Brits not named Andy Murray his post match press conference would've been packed with people asking him how it felt to play so well and lose in straight sets. Instead this is what happened:

Q. What do you take away there the match today?
KEI NISHIKORI: You know, first of all it's really disappointed because had some chances to at least get one set, and I couldn't. I mean, both tiebreaks he was playing much better. He raise his level and he was playing good.

But, yeah, a couple points was amazing points. Yeah, I thought I was playing good. Some important points I couldn't get. You know, the games can change completely.

But, yeah, I think I was playing well to not beat them but have some chances to, you know, at least win one set.

So, you know, I think that was best game I have against Rafa this four or five times.

Q. So there's some satisfaction?
KEI NISHIKORI: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think that was the closest game I had against Rafa.

Think I'm kidding? Here's the link

What a shameful way to treat a man who left it all out there.

Let's look at how these steely eyed members of the Fourth Estate treated another player, one named Maria Sharapova. During her match against Dominika Cibulkova she indicated that she needed a medical time out for what was later revealed to be glute strain, literally a pain in the butt. This is how her presser opened:

Q. What was your health issue there at the end of the second set?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I have a bit of a strain the trainer told me in the hip area.

Q. How much was that troubling you?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, those aches and pains are expected when you spend a long time on the court. Just have to play through it.

Q. When things weren't going your way in the second and third set, what were you telling yourself to get back into the contest?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I haven't been playing the best tennis of this tournament, but I found ways to get through to the last two matches.

Tried to do that again today, but she played extremely well.

Q. Is it the same hip issue you had at Wimbledon? Do you think it's the same area?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: No.

Do you THINK it's the same area? How many hips does she have? Last I checked like most of us she has two. What the hell kind of soft question is that? And excuse me, non journalist here is asking where the hell was the follow up question? How about which hip was it then?

It goes on.

Q. When did the hip first start giving you trouble?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't know a particular moment, but I think it was just because I played a lot. This is only my second tournament back, so it was those types of things that are expected. Just have to find a way to block them out.

(...)

Q. Will you quantify what the hip problem prevented you from doing the last two sets? Was it movement?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I don't think it's rocket science. Just when you play a lot of tennis, you're going to get these types of aches and pains and certain movements that you feel it on.

(...)

Q. Because you played in such hot conditions earlier on in the tournament, do you think that might have taken a slight toll on your body?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: I can't use that as an excuse.

Yes it's to her credit that she didn't use the out the questioner gave her but most of the questions were of the same softball variety.

Personally I would've liked to have heard more about Kei, more than what seemed to be one reporter could ask.

The tennis press routinely decides who is worthy and who is not, who we're supposed to like and who we're not.

Pova's presser ended with this question:

Q. Are you going to stick around Melbourne as long as Grigor is in?
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You know what? I hope he stays as long as possible. I'm not sure what my traveling schedule is at the moment.

Ah, love.