.
Do girls dress up at Flushing Meadow? My random takes, missed few Park Avenue princess, :). Serena was like sleep walk, as if she didn’t want to be there. But managed to win in 2 sets. Justin Gimelstob won his doubles in 2 sets too. The crowds loved him. The fun part of the doubles is players are sort of entertainers, less serious than singles players. The network should broadcast doubles more!
Archive for Sports
US Open .. the girls
Golf
I once heard that golf stands for gentleman only lady forbid. It’s been a long time since I step onto a golf course. As King’s camp winding down, they played their finale at the Clearview public course. The weather was beautiful with refreshing gentle breeze, the surrounding is serene (even adjacent to the highway), the grass and trees are as essential to the game as tonic to the eyes. No wonder Golfer spends every awakening moment on a course, the tranquility sure beats his screaming n yelling wife (can you image if I was fluent in Chinglish, how much louder would I have been?) .. .. Now, am I risking of losing King .. .. away from nagging mom?? Sweet.
US Open 2007
I saw Yan Zi in Toronto when she wore the identical same multi-color shoes, rather odd strokes, but out played Ana Ivanovic sharply. Sizable buddies turned up there, few of them I haven’t seen in years! Lord. Group of them went to lunch with her last years, and said she only speaks Sichuan dialect and English. Mao had made Mandarin the nation language once he took up residence in Zhongnanhai. I haven’t met anyone who’s educated and under the age of 60 doesn’t speak Mandarin. They said her coach is from Sichuan too. Even athlete needs a balance life. I’m provincial, but I do consider my yardstick of standard Mandarin and passable calligraphy still holds truth of one’s education background.
What’s equality?
Last week’s Time has Nadal answering 10 Questions from the fans, one asked his opinion on female players earning the same salary as men. He replied, “I don’t have much opinion about that. I totally agree that women and men are the same in all areas of life, but my opinion is that, well, if we are the same, then women should have to play best-of-five sets [instead of 3] if they want to earn the same amount of money.” Well said. I often wonder those women’s right advocates are doing a service or disservice to us. Yes, men and women are the same, but No when the girls getting paid the same but doing less. Best-of-three sets some times lasts only an hour, that’s how long girls final often is. How could you ask for the same pay with much less effort? Are we just a bunch of whining babies seeking an easy ride under the guise of equality? And expecting to be taken seriously. Silly and sissy.
Pete Sampras 桑普拉斯 1971
On the eve of US Open, Pete gave an rare interview with FT, in which he mentioned that his era was different from current Federer’s where there is much less real competition. I agree. It gets so boring that we see FedEx plays on Sundays and wins all the time. Thanks god he doesn’t grunt, and moves fluidly with impeccable form, especially single hand backhand. The only player who has an edge over him is Rafael Nadal, but it’s only limited on clay, so FedEx ends up with other 3 slams. In no time, he’ll surpass Pete’s 14 slams record. Sampras still has bit fire in his belly, for he said IF he gets in shape, he’ll still be a force to reckon with on grass. WTG, Pete! Yuan Meng’s practice partner Ras said he saw Pete from time to time in LA, “he plays 3x a week, keep in shape … plays with everyone ..” page
- 2010.08.26, Making of a Champion
- 2008, A Champion’s Mind
- 1991, unfairness of the commentator in Europe
Blink … and my new style of serve
I played with new serve over the weekend – without any practice – did well. Only couple of more doubles than usual, which surprised me. (I had many doubles on Sunday afternoon when I played at a party, after 3 serious hours of playing in the morning – I was so poppped.) So years ago’s advice actually blossomed, although I never thought of making use of it.
Couple of weeks ago, there’s book review on Gerd Gigerenzer’s Gut Feelings by Catherine Arnst (Business Week 8/20). It sounds very familiar with a book I read few years ago – Blink. No coincident, by 3rd paragraph, the reviewers mentioned that Blink‘s author Gladwell drew heavily on Gigerenzer’s research. Every time when I committed a double fault in tennis, I thought of Blink: we all develope an innate and unconscious rules that govern our negotiation in life – most of those doubles are made when I thought of making it, not I wanted to make it. Like telling myself, oh no, don’t double fault. And I was not flexible (or quick) enough to avoid making it. Is this the thin line distinguish a good player from a great player? This theory not just applies to tennis.
Nothing is right
Last Thursday I took my first lesson with Barry. He’s trying to correct my strokes, not just one, but basically all of them, from forehand to serve. Shhishe, I’ve been taking lessons on and off over the years, group or private. None of the coaches tried this hard. They all say how good I played 🙂 guess not. I didn’t like it – IF indeed I’m good, than how come I don’t improve much, stagnate at 3.0? Well, I never gone out of my way looking for one that can pick my game either. Hopefully Barry is the man. He first worked on my forehand. My problem is I don’t shift my weight, and hit short, hooves around the serve line, which isn’t good, baseline is the target. Simon had said it hundred times. So was Lou, so’s Barry. After a while, tired of telling me to hit it deep, he said my lacking of power is due to my skinny arms. Hey, I eat lot of spinach, will it mean that I’ll get my popey’s arm, soon? 🙂
Right before ending of the session, he showed me how to serve .. the right way. I remembered one of the coaches years ago, who said, “your serve is great, but you should consider adding more varieties, like twist the grip when you’re up 40 love..” I was lazy, and my serve has always been very dependable with very few double faults. If I could force errors and gain points here and there, there is very little incentive for me to add anything to my repertoire.
I told Pumpkin how did I learn to serve when she asked: that for the first few times, I felt totally lost of control and the ballet movement. Ya, the ballerina, the metaphor coined by Gerald at Queens College. Barry showed me how to do it, which I thought that’s the way I’m doing it.
“Oh no, you don’t” he replied.
Geee, now I see the purpose of mandatory continuing education in many industries, to refresh and to improve. Many things I thought I’m doing it the right way, but after years of doing it, I somehow found a way to do it incorrectly, cutting corners, out of laziness. Same with swimming. Once a girl asked me to teach her, did I realize how badly had I been swimming.
A dinner for Yuan Meng
Dong Yi Feng 东溢丰 698 Cafe / 新東溢豐
135-29 37th Ave,
Flushing, NY 11354
We had dinner last night with Yuan Meng 袁梦, Dream Girl and her entourage, Ras and Yu at Dong Yi Feng Seafood. More than 20 of us showed up. Tony collected more than $5k for her.
It’s my second time meeting Yuan and her coach/manager Yu. Both are warm.
After Dick gave a short welcome speech, Yu spoke, mentioned that there are many sponsors chasing them, but they refused. This $5k donation was different, very heart felt … Over the course of 10 (?) years, Yu said she never hide anything from DG, except tonight’s dinner.
“I didn’t tell her a thing.”
So its a bit surprise to DG. After fumbling with words, DG got emotional, cried. They lived in a family style hostel in Flushing because of tight budget. Yu blamed the landlord’s fight late in the night, “I heard knife ..”
So they didn’t sleep well at all. DG lost in the first qualifying round.
If she’s still at it, next year they certainly can stay with any of us. I’ve a few moments to chat, I found DG to be genuine, content, talkative (mostly about herself), acting younger. She certainly isn’t like the scary kitten Yu first encountered – distrusting everyone.
Jonathan said to DG, as long you tried your best, we’re here to support you. Is this experience talking? Yu was circling the room, asked me for videos of the night to bring home for the media.
Anna, Michelle, now Dream Girl
Anna K has long retired comfortably from tennis without winning a single title. Her career was so short, I didn’t even have a chance to practice her last name, Kournikova. When I goggle her on the net, all I have to do was type in Anna K. I got my girl. There is also a Michelle, with so much fanfare and firework, turned out the prodigy can’t even make it in the lady’s tour, LPGA. They all had huge endorsement contracts, with real money, not just some free clothing and equipments. I’m not privy to their contracts, but wondered do the advertisers put in some clause for protection, like you’ll get this level of $$$ only after you won X among of tourneys or reach certain ranking? It’s safe to say that their good looks have gotten them lucrative deals, made the advertisers being more than generous. (On this topic, I also often wondered, the look is part of you, then why when people taking that into consideration .. deemed shallow?)
Anyway, Tony called last night, asking donation on behave of Yuan Meng, saying she need financial help, that they are sleeping on the floor at the hotel, etc. (Doesn’t US hotels all equipped with either king size or 2 twins??? Does it cost less if you forgo bed?) According to Tony, the top 50 ranked players could make a comfortable living (it’s crucial that you’re able to remain at that level week in and week out), within 100 is no. Yuan’s highest rank was 92, and brief. He also mentioned that there are few tourneys held in Asia, mostly in US and Europe, hence it’s very expensive (travel expenses, jet-lag – earlier arrivals..) for the Chinese to break into the top rank. For their European peers, all they have to do was get into a car and drive there. Also marketing in China is not as mature as in the USA. Could all those obstacles be over come should the athlete has the talent, mental toughness plus gorgeous look, plus a savvy manager?
Lisa Raymond has turned pro in 1993, over the years, she has made $7m in prize money. I like her, but not many people know who she is, even she briefly held the #1 ranking back in 2000. Doubtfully she signed any lucrative endorsement deals that offered to Anna and Michelle. In any event, I’ll sponsor Yuan, questions aside.
.. .. Oh, their cute names. Yuan Meng, Yan Zi .. etc. Tony laughed.
“Most of them changed their names once you gain a little fame, you pick a new name. A common practice in China.” Just learned one more thing. He went on to say – actually I wondered myself – “most those athletes are from poor and under-educated families .. the rich kids don’t want, don’t have to sweat.”
A story: dreams fulfilled
A grieved one. Or, a happy one .. .. about Yuan Meng 袁梦 (yuan meng 园梦 means a dream fulfilled). file 22885
I found few Chinese tennis pros’ names are all sounded whimsical – regardless how they were written. Yan who played in Toronto, Yan Zi = swallow, and Yu Fengming 于凤鸣.
- 2012 her post
- 2008 the moneyman
- 2007 her quandry
- 2007 verbalizing it
- 2007 dinner for Yuan
Yuan Meng is a 21 years old pro who made into US Open main draw last year but has to play the qualifying round this year. Tony brought her to SAndy’s house to practice this afternoon. So after lunch and shower, we all went back there again.
Tony was hitting with a youngster, then Yuan walked onto the court, and started practicing with the youngster. She would stop and confer with the lady who remained on the court all the time while she’s playing. The lady looks in her 50s, very tanned too. To my common sense, there wasn’t any tennis – so to speak – in China back 30 or 40 years ago (however I did have a classmate in Beijing who came from Sichuan province played tennis there in an athletic school), so I said so to Tony. He laughed,
“You’re right .. .. she doesn’t play tennis at all.” Then added that she’s also from Zhongguancun’s CAS??
Is she a manager or 保姆 Nanny?
“That’s bit offensive.” Tony looked at me.
Well, they are basically groupies, managers and coaches. IMHO, managers are pretty much a nanny, 一脚踢 in Hong Kong lingo – who does it all. Not a derogatory term in my dictionary.
During a water break, I chatted with the lady who couldn’t wait to tell me why she’s here.
Yuan came from a farming family (a.k.a. un-educated) in Hunan province (Mao’s home province). She was selected to attend an athletic school, playing tennis. When she’s 11, she stole a perfume bottle from her roommate. “It’s cute .. she didn’t know anything .. it cost on 11.40 RMB.” So the coach singled her out as the trouble maker, and made the environment poisonous for her for the next two years. Her fellow players would hide their wallets around her .. .. She had no way out but to leave. When the athletic school refused to issue a certificate for her to attend school elsewhere, Yuan’s really done for.
A family friend in Beijing took her in to practice with their child. Few months later, when the child gained admittance to the athletic school, her service was no longer needed. So Yu’s brother-in-law asked her to take the 14-years old in for few days. It stretched into few weeks, then few months.
“I was really at my wits end. She tied me down, stayed home all day with nothing to do … she lied all the time, didn’t trust any one .. I wondered out loud when would she leave … then she started calling me gan ma – god mother ..”
As we were chatting, Yuan came over. Yu immediately massaged her right hand with both her hands.
So the burdened lady who knew nothing about tennis became coach/shrink/financier. She learned on the job, moved to Shenzhen for the warmer climate, sold their house to finance their travel. For a while, Yu’s grown son was supporting them.
Today, they both clad in Adidas. Yuan did well in Aussie Open (in January) and was signed by Adidas right on the spot. Tony was more blunt in asking as how much the expenses are, like $150k a year? Yu didn’t give an answer. Then she started complaining as how much the hotel cost, very expensive, like $100 a night .. the prize money would only cover the entrance fees …
Does her prize money plus the endorsement cover the expenses?
Yu said, “we’re still in talk.” ?? (Her post on Adidas in 2012)
Either she’s a true Mao’s trooper – looked like one (sounded like one too), or just a lousy manager who doesn’t know her way around. She told me that Adidas only supplies clothing. I was very surprised to hear this. Hello … even Golfer’s high school classmate got free clothing/sneakers and equipment, for only playing high school tennis.
Anyway, I am definately not the one who analyze things or people, believing what other tells me. Yuan’s profile on US Open showed her career earning is US$136,817. Not bad for a farmer’s daughter who got kicked out of the system, under no professional coach thereafter.
During the time we were at the court, I saw one thing strange: Yuan takes a lot, I mean A LOT breaks. Yu said,
“OH ya. I won’t let her to practice more than two hours at time. One to two times a day, to preserve her physical energy.”
Another hello. I though all the pros practice 7-8 hours a day, 6-7 days a week to build their stamina. Oh well, Irene doesn’t know tennis. I think she’s out of her mind. Yuan needs to practice a lot longer and a lot more, if she wants to have any kind of future, in tennis.
They met by fate. A lovely story, touchy. Sorry the story teller has limitations, :). .. .. Relationships fascinate me. ____________
- 2012.12.27, her post on weibo
- she stays low
- moneymen
- US Open 2007
- her tennis + dinner pix
- at dinner
- her name
- 2006，曼谷女子网球公开赛:袁梦闯入正赛[图]
- 2010.08.29， 袁梦，网球梦难圆
- her blog, posts
