OF NOTES AND QUOTES AND AN ABSENCE OF BLOKES
NOT A GOOD SIGN: Mardy Fish has been struggling for months with a heart condition which required a two-hour surgical procedure, heart monitors and great care. He courageously entered Wimbledon and, in the first round, beat Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in 2:38. But then the Californian canceled his mandatory post-match press conference because he wasn’t feeling well.
ANOTHER WONDER CONTROVERSY: Stevie Wonder has a way of stirring controversy. President Bush was satirized by Saturday Night Live and Conan O’Brien for supposedly waving at the iconic blind singer at a 2002 gala. More recently Britain’s Laura Robson criticized Wonder for his performance at another gala, a concert celebrating Elizabeth’s Jubilee. The 18-year old, reportedly with a smirk, said, “I couldn’t understand why Stevie Wonder was singing happy birthday. It wasn’t her birthday. He didn’t even call her ‘Your Majesty,’ he said ‘Your Honour.'”
A BITING COMPARISON: Andy Murray said David Nalbandian kicking an advertising board and bloodying the leg of a linesman was like Mike Tyson biting off a bit of Leander Holyfield’s ear.
WIMBLEDON TO CHANGE DATE?: Wimbledon officials are talking about moving the traditional date for Wimbledon to three, not two, weeks after the French Open. The idea is to give more time for the grass court season. But there are lots of issues and unintended consequences, and no move would be made before 2014.
SO SERENA, DO YOU WANT TO BE A ROCK STAR: Serena’s pre-tournament press conference featured this exchange:
Q: You said you’ve got no thoughts of quitting it all. What is it that you love about the sport? Is it the competition, the feeling of being physically fit?
SERENA: I love competing. I love the challenge. I love holding up trophies. So I guess if ever I feel that I can’t do that, then maybe I won’t play anymore.
That’s what I love. I love stepping out on that court, having that atmosphere, that moment. That moment is all about me. Maybe it’s a little selfish, but I love that feeling.
Q. Do you think it would be difficult to replace that when the day comes that you do finish playing?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Probably, yeah. But you have to make adjustments … Who knows, maybe I’ll become a rock star (laughter).
HEADLINES:
THE SHEER BLISS OF RETURNING TO THE PERFECT PLAYGROUND
TENNIS MARKS NEXT PHASE OF NATIONAL SPORT AGONY
LET’S GET OVA IT — FORGET EURO, THINK WIMBO
WORLD NO. 79 VESNINA SENDS FIVE-TIMES CHAMPION VENUS CRASHING TO EARTH
SUN SETS FOR VENUS
STRUGGLING VENUS ECLIPSED ON FIRST DAY
ECLIPSED … BUT VENUS WON’T THROW IN THE TOWEL
LINE JUDGES GIVE SIGH OF RELIEF AFTER NALBANDIAN EXITS WITH A WHIMPER
NALBANDIAN FALLS AT FIRST HURDLE WITHOUT PUTTING HIS FOOT IN IT
NALBANDIAN’S GONE CHAPS, SO PUT AWAY THE SHINPADS
DJOKOVIC AND FEDERER DEVOUR SPANISH APPETISERS
QUOTEBOOK:
“The air seemed heavy, brooding, as though everyone was just awaiting another downpour, or perhaps a thunderclap from David Nalbandian.” – Matthew Dangel
“I’m a visualizer and could see things long before things happened, and that is what Venus should have done. She should have visualized what to do.” – Venus Williams’ father, Richard, after his daughter’s first-round loss.
“I’m tough, let me tell you, tough as nails.” – Venus Williams
“It wasn’t a Cinderella story, that’s for sure.” – Sharapova on her long return from an injury to being No. 1.
“I just can’t get out of my own way.” – John Isner on his first-round loss
“I’m just a smiler.” – The upbeat young Brit Heather Watson
“I took a vacation from Grand Slams. I didn’t want to play them. I just played the small tournaments.” – Ernests Gulbis, who has struggled mightily in Slams
RAPP RELEASED: Long time SAP Open Tournament Director Bill Rapp’s employment was terminated by the tournament. Rapp, who had been with the tourney for 30 years, was the first USPTA pro to become an ATP tournament director.
NUMBERS:
$47,000 – Cost of soccer star Wayne Rooney’s hair transplant.
3 – Number of times John Isner used the word “cloudy” (as in, “I got out there and was so cloudy”) in his press conference after his first-round loss.
1997 – The last time Venus lost in the first round at Wimbledon.
1938 – The last time an Australian man did not reach the second round of Wimbledon.
CLOSE THE BOOK ON THAT CHAPTER: Now that she’s won the French Open, Sharapova feels the comeback from her shoulder injury in ’08 is complete.
REALITY CHECK: Sharapova said the day after winning the French Open that she found herself sitting “in row 20 of the European Southwest Airlines going to Spain to see my candy being produced with little babies next to me. It was a reality check.”
REFLECTIONS ON ENGLAND’S SOCCER LOSS TO ITALY:
* “An Italian job gone too far.”
* “At the beginning England was very average. In the middle England was very average. And at the end, England was very average.”
* “If there is one positive at least from the loss, you know what, at least now we can’t lose to Germany Thursday.”
THE END OF THE BLUES: Despite their improved visibility on TV, ATP President Brad Drewitt has banned blue courts for next year. He still claimed that the ATP encourages innovation and said there could be testing of blue clay at lower level tournaments.
RYAN RUMBLES: In the first round, Ryan Harrison came from behind to defeat Taiwan’s (“Andy Roddick-slaying”) Lu Yen-Hsun 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. But now he must play Novak Djokovic. According to the New York Times, the 20-year old will, for the sixth time in six months, be facing a player who is ranked in the top 12. But Harrison – always the confident blaster – relishes the challenge. The Texan said, he will “have to play with my guns.” Ryan added that says he “loves the competition” and he will eventually win a Slam because, he “will do whatever it takes.”
THAT FABULOUS BAKER BOY: Brian Baker, who has survived five surgeries and was playing Tennessee League Tennis last summer, continued his wondrous ways. He didn’t get a wild card, so he came through the qualies and now has advanced to the second round.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SERENA WILLIAMS: Here are some excerpts from Serena’ press conference after her first-round win.
Q. The other day you said you love competing, the challenge, you the moment. Could you take a moment and try to describe feeling is like to walk out there for a big match.
SERENA: It’s a great feeling. You feel really good. You feel like for that moment in time it’s all about you and your opponent. I love that feeling. I don’t quite know why, but I really do. It’s interesting to go out there … and for me do what I do best, which is play tennis.
Q. You feel it’s all on your shoulders? It’s all in your hands?
SERENA: When I’m playing a match, I either win it or lose it. That’s, I think, is cool.
Q. You’re one of the few players who has transcended the sport. You’re famous with people who might not even follow tennis. What do you think it is about yourself that has found 2.7 million Twitter followers?
SERENA: I think just being involved in a sport that’s traditionally white and being a black girl and coming out and doing so awesome in general is going to open eyes of watchers that don’t normally watch tennis or have never even thought to watch tennis … Also, I have a pretty outgoing personality. Maybe not today, but normally I’m pretty upbeat and funny. I don’t know. I’m really an outgoing individual, and I’m not afraid to wear my emotions on my sleeve or speak my mind on a lot of different things or just be myself.
Q. You had a rough day at the office in Paris. You said the other day, If you don’t learn from it, it will keep on happening. What did you learn from it?
SERENA: I learned that you got to go, to keep going. I was playing excellent before Paris … I hadn’t felt that good in a long time … going into a Grand Slam. Obviously I was extremely disappointed. But you know, as Kelly Clarkson says, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” (Laughing.)
Q. So the lesson is to keep going, to close the deal?
SERENA: You appreciate more moments. It’s not easy. You just got to keep going and not lose confidence more than anything.
Q. Everybody wants to play mixed with you. Andy said he asked you first and if you don’t play with him ‑ he’s not going to invite you to Austin House anymore. How are you going to deal with that?
SERENA: I love going to Austin. I have so much fun with Andy and his wife. Oh, my gosh. We have a blast. So that’s a tough one. I think I have to talk to both captains, the male and female. We should just see medal‑wise who it would be best to play with. Honestly, I wouldn’t leave it in my hands because I would make an emotional decision as opposed to a good decision.
Q. At this point in your career do you expect issues to pop up every couple months, or do you think you’ll get a couple years with no health issues whatsoever?
SERENA: No, I never expect anything to pop up. I don’t think like that. I always try to think positive. Okay, I’m not going to go here because I don’t want a glass to fall on me. So I am more or less looking out for bad luck … as opposed to other things. Body‑wise, I feel really good.
Q. What role do you think luck plays in our sport?
SERENA: I don’t know. I feel like luck is what you make it. I’ve always said for me the definition of luck is when preparation meets opportunity. I’ve prepared my whole life for this. I’m not very lucky, but yet I have a few slams. So, you know…
Q. Do you have to force yourself to be positive?
SERENA: I’m naturally negative. The glass is always half empty for me. [I’m that] kind of girl. Yeah, I’m always forcing myself to be positive.
