WTA Tennis

[njbill]

I was just being an old man. I remember it well. Barely 17 years old. Beat Serena in the finals. Has a lifetime Grand Slam. Not too many players can say that.

It is surprising to me that more tennis players don’t have shoulder problems from serving. A tennis serve at the top level is somewhat similar to pitching a baseball. Tennis players may serve 100+ times per match, and have to do it every other day, sometimes every day. They don’t get three or four or five days rest between matches like major league pitchers do.

[wlaxnut]

Only a few have won the career grand slam. Nice company to be in. I’m surprise she waited this long to retire. It was obvious after she came back from her suspension that she didn’t have it anymore to compete in grand slams. She was a pretty feisty player. She rubbed a lot of players on the tour the wrong way but she couldn’t have cared less. She was there to play and win tournaments. She grew on me. I didn’t like her or her shrieking initially but after a while I enjoyed watching her play. Very graceful and feminine although a fierce competitor. She was pretty funny at times and how disrespectful she was to her opponents. One time she was playing Radwańska and after she finished the point she yelled at her, “RUN! RUN!”

https://youtu.be/LhVKYPyEv8s

Another classic moment was when she swore at the French Open crowd which can be a very obnoxious group of people when they want to be.

https://youtu.be/gNPYU4TZBb4

[njbill]

The French obnoxious?

[Brooklyn]

A couple of years ago there was some report about several Russian girls on the tour complaining that when she spoke Russian, it was with an American accent. Somehow, they found that to be troubling though I'm not sure why.

[wlaxnut]

The French obnoxious?

So I’ve heard. But I can be obnoxious myself so who am I to judge.

[Brooklyn]

Masha!

[Nigel]

Masha!

She was on the other night, no grunts or snorts. Amazing.

[Brooklyn]

Masha's retirement home. It is described as "minimalist" but looks more like a yuge fortune in building and furnishings.

[Brooklyn]

Indian Wells - one of the very best Tier One tournaments in the sport - has been cancelled due to virus fear. Remarkable.


https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2020/03 ... ess/87934/

https://www.si.com/tennis/2020/03/11/ma ... act-tennis

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/n ... rus-fears/



What next - the Olympics?

[Brooklyn]

The French Open is on and they're playing in unusually cold weather.

Here is Victoria Azarenka playing while wearing leggings in order to keep warm:




Miss Vika wasn't too happy with playing in the cold.

[Brooklyn]

French Open


Iga Swiatek wins the French Open, beating Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-1
An astounding, dominant two weeks ends with Swiatek handing her 6th opponent a 6-1 set. Swiatek showed a lot of fortitude to tough out the first set against a gritty Kenin, then when Kenin looked vulnerable she pounced. Swiatek is now the first Polish Grand Slam singles champion of all time.


Iga Swiatek’s career earnings before this tournament: $1,106,808

~ earnings for two weeks of work: $1,900,000




https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/10 ... &auto=webp


https://sports.yahoo.com/iga-swiatek-co ... 38818.html

[Nigel]

Quite a point, fun to watch.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1350501907333316614

[Brooklyn]

Quite a point, fun to watch.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1350501907333316614

Wow!

[Brooklyn]

Haven't watched WTA in a while but am now watching Petra Kvitová vs Maria Sakkari at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. The match does not feature all the screeching the players have been noted for in the past few years. As in most sports today, there is no audience.

[Farfromgeneva]

Brooklyn at the Minneapolis tennis club

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B9XcXniI3JQ

[Brooklyn]

HAHAHAHA!!!

[Farfromgeneva]

HAHAHAHA!!!

Don’t worry I’m right next to you on that one.

Question, think I know what you’re answer will be: As a fan of WTA and obviously supportive of “equal pay” (or “treatment” is some cases) as one should be, shouldn’t the women play best of 5 all the time? Is the argument it’s ratings or revenues generated, in which case that hurts women’s sports in many sports, particularly team ones sans maybe women’s Team USA soccer? Or is it that they put in the same work, which isn’t the case if you’re mostly playing best of three?

If they moved to best of 5 all the time I bet you’d see more skill and French/clay specialists on the women’s side and a little less focus on grunt power.

I think that it’s a combination but that the length of matches should have parity and don’t see any legit reason in this day and age they can’t or shouldn’t.

[Brooklyn]

I've discussed that issue on several websites. The women of WTA voted to keep it 2 of 3. The men of ATP voted to keep it 3 of 5. Dunno why but it is their choice and not that of anyone else. Does this lead to disparate salaries because the men work so much longer? Yes it does. But nothing people like me do can persuade them to change. Their matches often take five hours and you have to wonder, who the heck has the time to sit through their marathon sessions? I sure as heck don't.

I said good bye to ATP back in 2003 when Sampras retired. Next to Rod Laver he was my all time fave.

If it were up to me, I'd make it 2 of 3, slow the exit speed of the ball by making it softer, use wooden racquets or some other form which does not generate the power these present racquets exert, use clay or grass courts exclusively (alternately, we can develop some form of artificial surface that reduces the speed of the shots in the mens game). If the game of mens pro tennis goes back to a 2 hour game, I might take some interest in it again.

[Farfromgeneva]

I don’t know, a great 5 setter can be amazing. Sampras-Agassi, Connors-Mac, I recall one final don’t think it was Wimbledon, between Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg that was insane. For some odd reason when I first got into tennis a bit I picked Boris Becker as much favorite.

Graf was my favorite on the women’s side. Guess I just like German tennis players though I also loved me some Michael Chang and respected Lendl never being considered in the top echelon but #1 for years. Liked Gabriela Sabatini and has a thing for Capriati because of her troubles as a teenager so I view her as dirty in a great way.

Have played in some summer leagues in Atlanta mostly mid level doubles but generally don’t watch tennis much the last decade. All sports have declined but this is one I can play and even a little with my smalL children now.

But anyway if you say it’s more sets and more work than that’s fine right even if you think 3 with other alterations is better?

It’s more because I’m thinking of this equity argument in some other sports like basketball. Not even sure went to one in DC way back but do WNBA play same min and same games in a season. Let’s say they do, do they deserve equal comp (collectively) as the men if the NBA makes all the money (which they do and subsidize the WNBA). Women’s soccer? Sure they do the same thing and generate more rev, pay them more. This extends into more politics boards but I see advocates who just blanket “it should all be the same and they do the same thing” but we know that’s not really true and so it had me thinking about an individual sport like tennis. But here if you are Smokin hot (sharapova lr most Russian and soviet bloc ones) or dominant like the Williams you can make your money no different than men anyways.

[Brooklyn]

ATP certainly has its merits. But as with all other considerations, there can be too much of a good thing. 3 out of 5 when 2 of 3 is sufficient? Well, again, that's up to you. If this is what the men in ATP (and their fans) want, well, more power to you.

But please don't say men should get paid more just because they want to play more. After all, the women have not forced them to play more. It is choice the men made. Woman have nothing to do with that. Without them, there would be no grand slam events or other tournaments so they deserve what they get. Often they raise more revenue than men through sales of tennis shoes, playing suits, head and wrist bands, racquets, and inner garments that men do not use. For example, men use t shirts, shorts, and shoes. There is no variation in them. But women wear multiple types of suits with wide variation in style, color, and form. These uniforms also come with matching jackets. Same with the shoes, visors and hats, and bags. They also use socks and protective garments such as sports bras. Because of all that variation they often generate many millions more in sales revenue for the sport than the men do. Further, the garments they wear are due to contracts they make with the manufacturer. They get endorsement contracts from those deals and make money that goes into their pockets, not that of the WTA. Heck, good for them.


As for the WNBA, it is a separate league from the NBA. Management in the NBA realized it would have to pay the players the same salaries if it was one league. That is why they sold it to private owners which made its own contract with the players. Had it been one league, then I would agree that the salaries should be the same. But since it is a different league, there should not be any such requirement. Having said that, since the NBA owned the WNBA from 1996-2002, I feel it owes the players equal salaries for that six year period. If I were the judge in a lawsuit for back pay, I would rule that the NBA owns them the salaries for regular and post season play, adjustments for inflation, and treble damages. Further, since the league makes money from sales of merchandise, the WNBA should get an equitable share for sales and from TV revenues from those years. This would amount to several million dollars but as a matter of fairness, it should be done.