I don't normally follow tennis but I saw it on SC this morning and Serena was robbed. Her backhand shot was in by at least 2 inches. The other two calls were very close and I could see how mistakes were made but the backhand call was crazy.
``I'd prefer she not umpire at my court anymore,'' Williams said. ``She's obviously anti-Serena.''
``At first, I thought it was another Wimbledon conspiracy.''
I played extremely competitive tennis in high school and was ranked in the top 20 (18th actually ) players in the state, so I speak from experience that lines people blow calls occasionally. It's just part of the game and not really any different than an umpire missing a strike call.
Now while the call was an obvious bad one, her "anti-Serena" and "conspiracy" comments are way over the top. I just lost some respect for her and could care less if she ever wins another tournament.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
Agreed. It was also very early in the 3rd set, so one point going either way is not really that big of a deal (been there, done that). Sure, it's annoying and she has every reason to be irritated about it. The thing is that her comments make her look pathetic. "Conspiracy" and "anti-Serena"? She seems to think the whole world revolves around her with comments like that.. The whole world is not out to get her, regardless of what she might think and those comments cost her some of my respect.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
Pogotheostrich wrote:I don't think it's a conspiracy but I think Serena's beef is that the line judge had it right and the umpire overruled for the incorrect call.
I agree. While that call and the ones that followed really affected the match, I was also sick of hearing her complain. I will say that the effect was great at that point because tennis players are trained to go for the lines and if that is taken away from her, it makes a huge difference.
In other Tennis news...... did anybody see that Johansson kid beat Roddick
He has just as good a serve, and a better forehand than Roddick IMO. If he could learn a backhand he could climb his way to #1. He was awesome out there. Had some serves over 140 MPH, and his forehands were rockets. Now he plays his girlfriend's brother in the semi's: Lleyton Hewitt.
"Jack, will you call me, if you're able?"
"I've got your phone number written, in the back of my Bible."
``At first, I thought it was another Wimbledon conspiracy.''
I played extremely competitive tennis in high school and was ranked in the top 20 (18th actually ) players in the state, so I speak from experience that lines people blow calls occasionally. It's just part of the game and not really any different than an umpire missing a strike call.
Now while the call was an obvious bad one, her "anti-Serena" and "conspiracy" comments are way over the top. I just lost some respect for her and could care less if she ever wins another tournament.
Mad, you have to give the context of the conspiracy quote. The Wimbledon conspiracy was a name the media gave to what happened to Venus at Wimbledon this year where in the deciding set tie breaker the chair umpire gave Venus' opponent an extra point. It wasn't a bad call, it was an extra point in the deciding set tie-breaker! American reporters have been going on for years now how tennis is prejudiced agains the Williams sisters. The US press dubbed it the "Wimbledon conspiracy".
Now I agree that her Dad is way over the top and a bit of a nutcase but Serena is very level headed. I like her a lot. She's always a good sport and hardly ever argues calls.
Mookie4ever wrote:Mad, you have to give the context of the conspiracy quote. The Wimbledon conspiracy was a name the media gave to what happened to Venus at Wimbledon this year where in the deciding set tie breaker the chair umpire gave Venus' opponent an extra point. It wasn't a bad call, it was an extra point in the deciding set tie-breaker! American reporters have been going on for years now how tennis is prejudiced agains the Williams sisters. The US press dubbed it the "Wimbledon conspiracy".
Now I agree that her Dad is way over the top and a bit of a nutcase but Serena is very level headed. I like her a lot. She's always a good sport and hardly ever argues calls.
I'm aware of what happened to Venus at Wimbledon . If anything, I would have agreed had that been blown up to a ridiculous proportion. I was surprised it stayed relatively quiet. Sure, there were stories and news about it and the replays were shown over and over, and they should have been, but it didn't get as big as I thought it would.
For Serena to even consider what happened to her to be anywhere as close to the Venus situation is absurd. I've played highly competitive tennis and one lousy point early in a set is nothing to throw a fit over even if the player is right and the chair umpire is an idiot. Point it out, make the complaint, and then move on. To bring up the "conspiracy" situation and to say that anyone is "anti-Serena" after the match is over, is just showing what a spoiled little child she really is.
I've always respected Serena (even though I have zero respect for Venus), but this little temper tantrum and crying over a relatively meaningless point has really hurt her standing in my eyes. Another outburst like that, and I'll really care less about anything that happens to her.
On a side note, I see my boy Agassi lost on Thursday.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
I guess we saw it differently. Those quotes do look terrible but I thought that she was pretty subdued and a good sport about it at the press conference. She also said that the missed calls should not have made a difference and that she should have won anyways.
You're right about Venus.
Too bad about Agassi. I see the end for him soon. Can you imagine what his kids with Steffi will be like? Nike should sign them up now .
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by Pogotheostrich » Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:01 am 
) players in the state, so I speak from experience that lines people blow calls occasionally. It's just part of the game and not really any different than an umpire missing a strike call.
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