Venus Williams Beat By A 15-Year Old

[TFoA]

Here's The Story

Good Lord, ranked #11 in the world and you lose to a 15 year old. That's like the Falcons losing to your local middle school football team. I don't follow tennis, but I do know that even though young players are coming up lately, this is ridiculous

[scooter13]

I don't know if it is too ridiculous. It's not like the Falcons losing to the local middle school. Probably the high school state champs. Bad, but not as bad as it sounds. After all, Boris Becker two Wimbledons at the ages of 17 and 18. And you know, girls develop faster.

[yh]

Anything can happen at Roland Garros. Clay is getting to be such a rare surface on which major tourneys are played that it kinda levels the playing field somewhat. And haven't both of the Williams sisters said that tennis isn't necessarily their single career priority anymore? It was my understanding that Venus and Serena are diversifying their career portfolios and if that is in fact the case then I can see where they might not necessarily dominate the game as they did a few years ago. They are each terrific athletes but ability can take you only so far. I'm sure a 15 year old kid trying to break into the pros is much better disciplined in training for a big event like a Grand Slam tourney than a pro who has won a number of majors and is playing more for the love of the game than the chance of a lifetime.

[thejroll]

Agreed, tennis is one of the games where age really isnt a factor. And generally Americans do terribly in the French Open.

[winghaz]

There is a woman I work with who is from Bulgaria, and she is totally thrilled.

It's funny. You think of Bulgarian female athletes during the Cold War, and you think of bulky weight lifters or throwers. Now, you see a nice-looking teenage tennis player.

Another reason to thank God the Cold War is ovre.

[winghaz]

* over

(And that gave me my 400th post.)

[NJTank]

Venus Williams is a non issue now shes not as good as Serena nad the two of them are always hrut or busy doing other things and have lost focus on being dominant they may win here and there but there careers will not live up to the early hype.

[scooter13]

Clay is getting to be such a rare surface on which major tourneys are played that it kinda levels the playing field somewhat.

True, true, true. You look at the list of Grand Slam champs, and there are a lot out there with wins in the other three except the French. Heck, Sampras has more Grand Slams then any men's player in history, yet no French Open championships. Then there are a few that have won the French 2 or 3 times, yet haven't won any of the other three Slam tourneys. Roland Garros is the great equalizer.

[omnivore]

Happens all the time in Tennis. But that said, she's never one to give her opponents credit. I hate that. She got beat fair and square and she says "Oh, if I'd played 10% better, I would've won." No plop, but you didn't..so you lost.

[CaolinaJoe]

Venus Williams is a non issue now shes not as good as Serena nad the two of them are always hrut or busy doing other things and have lost focus on being dominant they may win here and there but there careers will not live up to the early hype.

11 Grand Slam wins and $30 million, I think that would qualify as living up to the hype. They are 10 year veterans and in the world of women's tennis, 24 & 25 are pretty much the end of the road anyway.

[NJTank]

No they were good for 2 or 3 years but they could have been even better if they didnt lose their focus. They shoudl have not gone from invincible to ordinary this quickly.

[slapshot]

Both Williams' game was based on brute force. They both overpowered their opponents into submission. Finesse wasn't exactly part of their vocabulary. It started with their personalitites, and extended to the playing surface. Everything was about being the center of attention and trying to intimidate their opponents.

But right around the time they were both injured, the rest of women's tennis found out that by playing the little game (soft shots, precise lobs) eventually it will overtake the power game. You can't play the power game if you're injured?look at the Williamses, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati. All were trying to play the power game, but all were hurt at some point. So then the other players who played the finesse game were able to win the tournaments.

[HedleyLamarr]

Happens all the time in Tennis. But that said, she's never one to give her opponents credit. I hate that. She got beat fair and square and she says "Oh, if I'd played 10% better, I would've won." No plop, but you didn't..so you lost.

No kidding. It's either "I didn't have my 'A' game today." or "It's hard to play when you're injured." from them two, or their puppeteering father.....

[omnivore]

Venus Williams is a non issue now shes not as good as Serena nad the two of them are always hrut or busy doing other things and have lost focus on being dominant they may win here and there but there careers will not live up to the early hype.

11 Grand Slam wins and $30 million, I think that would qualify as living up to the hype. They are 10 year veterans and in the world of women's tennis, 24 & 25 are pretty much the end of the road anyway.

No doubt. Serena and Venus dominated tennis together for a few years. They would go back and forth. Not too long ago, there was a point when no other woman had won a grand slam, because those two were doing their thing.

That's more than living up to the hype, especially given the scrutiny these girls - rightfully or otherwise - they've been under since Day 1.

I think for most tennis players, it's about that and then moving on to say, having a family and such. The fact that they're interested in other things and are using their money however they want, is refreshing. I mean, it's better than them getting in trouble or whatever.

The fact that they're not winning as much, yeah deals with injuries too. But ultimately, if any of us here was the man and was dominating whatever sport we played - so much that no one could touch us - most of us would keep working hard to stay on top.

But it's not like the women's tennis tour is known for its warm fuzzies or being cordial. I don't think these girls feel as though - despite all they've done - that they're respected by the top players in their sport. Part of it, is because tennis players are just like that.

But given all of that, I can't necessarily see why they wouldn't want to come back and dominate, not make excuses..but just kick ass, rather than being seen as "wow, they had so much potential" or "just a flash in the pan" or whatever.

[brennus]

That's like the Falcons losing to your local middle school football team.

Donno why you are so surprised, that happens alot.