tennis, life and a few things in between

Many many years ago when the Williams sisters just began taking over the world, once during a mixed doubles match (a rarity!!), Chris Evert marveled at the power the sisters were dispensing.
“She’s over powering the men …” On both sides of the net.
Then she went on to say …
“During my time, we would just sit by the phone [till the man called for a mixed doubles game]; now they chose. …” I reckon the male players are flattered?
You go girls.
Girls Rule

IF anyone care to remember that Irene had, [pls note: past tense] a grand ambition, to reach the level 4.0. As being Irene, I have to say it’s not going to happen, any time soon. One I’m aging and two I’m lazy … let’s just hope that she obtains the 3.0 first.

So, tomorrow is our summer tennis tourney with 4 divisions:
Mixed Doubles
Men’s Doubles 3.0
Men’s Doubles 3.5
Men’s Doubles 4.0
And the committee decided to limit a player to only one event for easy court management.
So I figure IF I asked a guy to play with me, he’ll miss the real fun and challenge with the boys.
So I decided not to participate.
Seeing the registration getting a slow start, more warm bodies are needed, Irene felt obligated to help out. Ya right.
SO, no man called even I sat by the phone day and night.
SO, I called.
Rob: “Sorry my back hurt.”
Kenneth: “My leg hurt.” Guess I am no Barbie.
Bill: “Sorry … “ he’s hinding out in Europe.
Some popular woman here.
Some thick skinned woman here.

This morning I just found out that I’m in an arranged union. With Tom.
Tom.
The acer Tom?
The Tommy who has the meanest back hand?
The 6’5” Thomas who nails every single shot?
It turned out, the daddy Tom, father of a movie star.
Does Dad Tom even own a tennis racket? Sure the committee just wants my money 🙂

I first met him 5 years ago at a friend’s wedding. Then recently we reconnected at a dinner with mutual friends, the tennis buddies. I sat next to him.
After greeting and intro, he insisted that
“We’ve met before.”
Ok, whatev. I had no recollection at all.
Halfway though the dinner some one mentioned his star daughter, Lucy Liu, then a light bulb turned on.
He’s a sweet gent who always chats me up whenever we meet.
But tennis?
Hey, it might turn out that he’s as good as any other guy who carries Irene through the match.
What does Irene know? It’s a pure miracle that I manage to remember my name.

Allan St. John wrote in the current issue Maxim that back to 2004 when Murray, a Scot has won US Open boy’s title, British tennis officials decided to pay “the esteemed [Brad] Gilbert $1.5 million a year to coach him”, a future UK hopeful.

Interesting.

So far, he hasn’t won a slam (12 singles titles) but is ranked as high as #3 in May 2009. The commentators were amused to discuss the British press putting a cross on the face of the departing hometown players.

It’s so cute and cool. Did any one see it on ESPN2? Pam Shriver, Mary Carillo and Mary Joe Fernandez covering Wimbledon, did this little sketch. Hope no one is going to rise a hell, citing political incorrectness.

American Mardy Fish, who’s seeded 28 just won his match; he’ll face the Joker, Novak Djokovic. Why doesn’t he stripe any more? Don’t be shy

Robin Soderling is play Fernando Gonzalez. Gonzalez is from Santiago, Chile; plays single hand back hand and is the oldest one among the 4 semi men, 29. Guess I’ll root for him for the simple reason one-handed backhand … but he grunts … but his form is prettier than Soderling’s (his forehhand likes a street fighter) although I like Soderling’s relaxed manner. A lot of long rallies already. A fair game.

Oddly engouh, I can’t fine the live feed of the French Open, don’t tell me that NBC bought out all of the operators. That’s sicking.

OK .. it’s 11:10am, Soderling edges out Gonzalez … 6:3, 7:5, 5:7, 4:6 and 6:4. And NBC is still showing the game at 4:3 third set. Sickening. What other important sport that they have to show on a weekday early morning?

Gonzalez was up 4:1 in the 5th and was up 30:15 on Soderling’s serve …

Feliciano Lopez is the best looking man on the tour. He’s from Toledo, a little town not far from Madrid. A very distant memory of one of my Europass summers there :). Lopez plays one-handed backhand. He turned pro in 1997, with only one singles and one doubles titles (both in 2004), his earning over the course of 12 years is $4 mil.

The two ladies semis produced the predictable result: Samantha Stosur lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova in 3 sets and Dominika Cibulkova lost to Dinara Safina in 2 sets, yielded a Russian final @ French Open this Saturday.
The Aussie Stosur looks cool and composed. The Slovakia Cibulkova who’s only 5’3” is small, but pretty, especially her eyes. Watching her trading hard fought and often long rallies with Safina was just amazing. The two losers played marvelously.
Dinara reminds me of Lindsay Davenport.

There was a little tense moment at French Open’s 3rd round match between Serena Williams vs a Spanish player, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez: first set (2:2), Serena was serving at 30:40. Martinez Sanchez charged the net and was hit by Williams’ return. The ball first bounced off Sanchez’s right arm (she’s lefty) .. and the chair umpire awarded the point to Sanchez (she took it!) who ultimately won the first set at 6:4. But lost the match. And her name.

In tennis, when the ball touches the player, the point is over and he/she loses the point.

It’s totally unsportsmanlike.

It’s totally against the spirit of tennis.

Here is what I’m thinking: Martinez Sanchez may have an impressive long name, but she isn’t going to be anything in tennis, other than a 40-something ranked journeyman. She will never win a slam. The only high point of her career – her moment under the sun or 2 seconds of fame, might have been this one, playing against a multiple grand slam winner Serena. IF I were Sanchez, I’d tell chair umpire that the ball hit me and it’s Serena’s point. Play it fair and you’ll be remembered for it, for the rest of your life. Instead, she cheats: took the point without blinking her eyes.

I knew the feeling being hit on the court: for the first second, I feel angry (not at the player, more at myself), after all, you’re hit. But the next second, I congratulate the player: not being a sucker but for a job well done. And telling myself to move, and to be agile – IF I were quick or light on my feet, I wouldn’t have been hit in the first place. The hit sometimes can be painful and often leaves bruises. But rule is rule. Fairness is the name of the game.

She’ll be forever remembered as the cheating girl – and a loser. Any wise girl would behave and play it right and fair. What’s so telling was at press conference, she denied the ball had hit her. When a reporter called out that the video showed clearly the ball had bounced off her right arm, she dismissed it as “A Stupid Question.”

Oh ya right. Dumb people are everywhere, even in tennis.

Anyone still remember that white turkey .. who bumped into Venus? What happened to her? I’m sure she’s no body .. still ..

And how about the final Pete Sampras against Andre Agassi when Pete wasn’t feeling well and Andre graciously agreed to delay the match .. very classy, even he ultimately lost it to Pete.

Ok, fess up: I cheat. Since Serena’s match was delayed, so I checked the score after the hitting incident because I really could not bear to watch injustice .. .. I felt great whenever Serena lashed out her powerful shots at that cheater: beat her and pound her to the cheating hell.

Serena offered her hand to the cheater and chair umpire at the conclusion of the match. Nice and neat. I’ll hate to repeat myself .. I don’t care about Richard Williams but he and his wife surely brought up two very well balanced, happy girls. Serena’s outfit/color is pretty, far better looking than Venus‘, Ana (Ivanovic)‘s and Maria (Sharapova)‘s .. .. Some girls just don’t know how to dress..

After tennis and downtown Granada, we had lunch at Masaya market on Sunday in Nicaragua. We were the only eaters. Seven adults with a 6 years old. The bill came at US$122. The fish soup was good.

This year’s top ranking players for the Open ..
Men: Nadel, Federer, Murray and Djokovic
Women: Safina, Serena, Venus and Dementieva

Venus is out already. The sisters are playing the doubles at the moment: 2:6, 6:1 and Serena is serving at 4:1. Seeing them over powering the other set of girls, I feel good. Sorry for being chicken and biased. I just want to see the Americans win. Seeing the skinny chicks could handle the sisters’ power, I feel good too: the over all level of game and fitness have improved since the Martina Navratilova era.

The net works should broadcast more doubles games.

P.S. The sisters won, 6:2.

Mary Carillo and Pamela Shriver commented on how unpopular the sisters are in France. .. .. Why worry? What does the Frenchy know? 🙂 They don’t know the good stuff even you presented to them.