Forty Deuce

Boyfriend Jon Keeps It Real, Yo

We've got an action packed mailbag this week and Boyfriend says what we're all thinking:

Should we take a step back and consider that Rafael Nadal is very unlikely to have the longevity that Roger Federer will likely have and that Nadal may only have five years in him before the body officially breaks down? Essentially what I'm saying is this: Enjoy Nadal's mastery while you can.
-- Mark, Toronto

• Good point. And in addition to relishing Nadal while we've still got him, let's also acknowledge Federer's astonishing durability. His ability to stay healthy and generally injury-free at a time when tennis has never been more physically demanding is still another part of his legacy.

A few of you noted that while we complain about the length of the season and the toll it takes on players, Nadal is a bad case study since his bellicose, grinding style all but begs for injury. Point taken. But I still think this is THE lynchpin issue facing tennis right now. The season is unsustainably long and the demands made on players are simply not realistic.

A lot of you have been complaining about the television coverage in Dubai and China. But put yourself in the place of the networks. If you were considering broadcasting an event and knew there would be a good chance that the most marketable stars wouldn't play (Nadal? Serena Williams? Maria Sharapova? Ana Ivanovic?) would you be rushing to write a fat rights fee check? Seems to me, until the issue of player health is addressed in a meaningful way, the whole enterprise is stuck.

Confession: I somehow missed the whole WTA Yearend Championship. Maybe I've been busy lately, but I did keep up with the news from the ATP somehow. My question, has the ladies game somehow become less relevant with the absence of a major rival or dominant player? (Will Justine Henin come back and make it interesting for one more year?)
-- Joseph Goins, Chicago

• It seems to me the WTA had a choice several years ago. They could either put the year-end championships in a major media market, invest in the marketing/promotion and use it as a platform for women's tennis and the top players. (New York was ideal. Madrid seemed to be working well.) Or the WTA could simply go to sell themselves out -- literally -- to the highest bidder.

Regrettably, the executives chose Door No. 2. The result? The tour is making many millions from the good folks in Dubai and Istanbul, no small consideration, particularly in these austere times. Yet the year-end event, which should be a real showcase event, exists in a virtual vacuum and a literal desert. Buzz and media coverage is non-existent here in the U.S. and, judging from a lot of you, in Europe and Asia as well. The ESPN coverage is long gone. From what I saw, the attendance was dreadful. Sharapova and Henin were MIA, and two other top stars, Serena Williams and Ivanovic, couldn't even get through their matches.

You may just be catching me at a particularly cynical moment, but I also thought there was something off-putting about flying in Billie Jean King to promote gender equity. Look, we're all for gender equity, but the WTA went to Doha because it coughed up the biggest check. That's fine. But let's call a cash grab a cash grab. Trying to spin this as missionary work -- "We've chosen your conservative sheikdom because we can come and enlighten!" -- strikes me as more than a little disingenuous.

How come Arlen Kantarian is given credit for "spectacular growth" of revenues at the USO while revenue growth is barely mentioned in evaluating Etienne de Villiers' performance. The RATE of growth under de Villiers exceeds the "spectacular growth" under Kantarian.
-- Jerry White, Mineral, Va.

• There were a handful of questions about Kantarian's recent departure from the USTA. My fear is that this is awfully "inside tennis" and the majority of readers -- especially from outside the U.S. -- care little about the relentless internal politics of the USTA, etc. I do, however, think that this underscores a bigger issue for tennis. The "outsider-executives" with broader vision and experience often rankle the "insiders."

The desire for change is often seen as a lack of respect for tradition. The "insider-executives" are so caught up in the politics and so beholden that they lack broad vision. Along with a half dozen or so other candidates -- Paul McNamee, Brad Drewett, Patrice Clerc, Mark Young, Butch Bucholz, Boston Consulting Group's Brian Harris -- Kantarian is allegedly on the short list for ATP CEO job. So he may still be in tennis.

Jerry has been writing me weekly about de Villiers and I think his question is valid. The guy comes in with a mandate to shake things up. He does just that, all the while raising prize money by a healthy amount (especially in this climate), finding a site and sponsor for the new Masters Cup, and guiding the ship through choppy waters during which a serious legal challenge could have torpedoed the entire craft. (Thanks, Proskauer Rose!) And he was run out of town because of ... what? He dared to downgrade a claycourt event? He was at his imperious worst with the round-robin debacle (an unqualified disaster, but hardly a major issue)? He made too many Disney analogies? Honestly, it's still unclear what he did to get impeached -- other than rankle the top players.

So much WORD to his thoughts on Doha and BJK's involvement there.  I didn't put a post up about her being there precisely because it seemed disingenuous and wrong.  Memo to Larry Scott -- Please stop the spin machine.  I'm getting dizzy and you're losing cred.

UPDATED: Grandparents, MY ASS

Baby E is hanging out in Madrid with Tabasco.  Thanks to Kiki for the link.  They were caught out catching a Real Madrid match.

Ok, seriously?  They're cute. 

UPDATED:

So Ana's been quoted all around the Spanish media as confirming the relationship and giving new quotes.  Rough translation:  They went out for the first time at the US Open, they're still dating, "he's a great guy and I'm happy", and "This is all I'm going to say about it at the moment.  A girl has to have some mystery."

Ooooooh.  Mysterious.

Start The Countdown, Mate

I guess we're not the only ones who can't wait until January.  Here's the new commercial for the Australian Open:

Click through to view a HQ version.  Thanks to OnTheBaseline for the head's up.

I Hate Exos, But I Would Actually Fly to NYC For This

So much for "player exhaustion".  From AI's site:

Ana is set to take part in the inaugural BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie-Jean King Cup, an exhibition tournament that will take place in New York on 2 March 2009. She will appear alongside two of this year’s other Grand Slam winners in Venus and Serena Williams, plus current world No.1 Jelena Jankovic.

Dubbed “Tennis Night in America”, the indoor event at Madison Square Garden will feature a unique format, with two semi-finals preceding a final on the same night. The semi-final matches will incorporate “no-ad” scoring and will be played over one set; the final will be a best-of-three set match with traditional scoring, although a tiebreak will replace the deciding set.

Serbs and Sisters in the Big Apple?  Brilliant.

Seriously.  I think I'm coming to New York for this.

Pic This: Hee. Straight Out Of Forty Deuce High

Thanks to J for the pics!

Shanghai: Wednesday OOP

Two very fun matches on tap.  One which will undoubtedly feature a lot of long rallies.  And another which probably won't.  But I'm expecting brilliant shot making in both. 

1. Commodus vs. Muzzah
2. The Not #1 Ranked Player In The World vs. A-Rod

Play starts at 5am EST.

We're Going To Have To Talk About This Over A Bottle Of Wine

Boyfriend Jon picks Venus as his POY.

I don't like people throwing in the Olympic gold as part of the argument.  THAT WAS DOUBLES.  It's not like JJ got props last year for winning the Wimbly mixed doubles competition. 

"A Target Doesn't Really Go With This Dress, Daddy."

Peter Bodo with an interesting look at the end of the year and, I think, fair assessment of Baby E.

I thought this was great:

On the men's side, the tennis year is like a tight, well-plotted movie that suddenly gets bogged down in a seemingly interminable ending that introduces a variety of new themes and characters - yet we all know that there won't  be a last-minute plot twist to significantly re-shape our view of 2008.

Heh.  So true. 

As for the ladies:

The women are done, so what does Doha tell us? Among other things, that the changing of a guard in tennis isn't always as cleanly orchestrated and crisply executed as it is at, say, Buckingham Palace.  I saw a lot of rifles dropped, hats flying, and women bumping into each other as they tried to follow the choreography. In the late stages, I found myself thinking a lot about Venus Williams. When the dust finally settled, my thoughts turned to Ana Ivanovic.

Overall, the message seems to be that 2009 is up for grabs: Discount either Williams sister at your peril, Jelena Jankovic still hasn't summited at a Grand Slam event, and Ana Ivanovic leaves more questions asked than answered because of the way she finished the year. And then there's (presumably) healthy and eager Maria Sharapova. But while Jankovic was the firm thread that ran through most of the year, Ivanovic is a more interesting case. I think she's bumped her head on the ceiling of the game and she's well on her way to coming up against something Pete Sampras had to deal with back around 1992, and described this way:

If you want to get to be no. 1 and stay no. 1, you have to get used to living with that target on your back. That's a big decision, because you can have a good life in the Top 10 - eat in the best restaurants, play golf on the best courses in the world, make a lot of money, go deep at tournaments maybe even win a major now and then. . . all without dealing with a whole lot of pressure.Basically, you can hide and have a very good life. The other way is to look at that top ranking and say, "I want this, and I want to hold onto it for all I'm worth, and I'm willing to take the pressure and make all the sacrifices and live my life with that target on my back."

Okay, let's remember that Pete Sampras didn't have that conversation with himself six or seven months after his breakout win at the US Open of 1990. For a good two years, Sampras treaded water, tried to deal with his new notoriety and an improved lifestyle, and wasn't at all convinced that he wanted to don that garment with the bullseye sewn on the back. Slowly, though, he took stock of himself, he took stock of the competition, he took stock of expectations - his own, and those of the world-at-large. Only after that period of drift did he realize that he needed to have that conversation with himself, because he finally understood, firsthand, what was at stake and the issues in play. Deciding that it was worth living with a target on his back was his personal Rubicon, and it shaped the rest of his career. He accepted the garment, and in so doing he laid the foundation for the glories that ensued.

A parallel between Pete Sampras and Ana Ivanovic only goes so far, partly because of the tremendous difference between men's and women's tennis. And let's face it, even on her best day, Ivanovic isn't clearly superior to any number of her rivals in any number of key areas that can determine success or failure. In fact, for her to become a player as dominant as, say, Justine Henin, will demand an extraordinary competitive appetite. It will also take Spartan discipline (something she seems willing to adopt) and unwavering focus.

But other players with less than dazzling physical attributes (a la Venus Williams) or skills (Justine Henin) have taken on those burdens and flourished. In fact, Ivanovic is a present-day version of one of them, Chris Evert. The parallels between them are striking. Both of them are conservative personalities who conformed to the "traditional" model - it's an extraordinary comment on what might be called a general globalization that Ivanovic emerged from Serbia (via Switzerland) so, well, smoothly finished, and seemingly in touch with the mainstream tennis gestalt.

As well, Ivanovic's game is economical, precise, and clean in the same way that Evert's was, and she compensates for a lack of power or explosive ability with good anticipation a shrewd grasp of strategy. Evert showed how far steady nerves, the ability to produce her best shots under the most withering pressure, and recognizing her own strengths and weaknesses can take a player. It's the same territory Ivanovic will have to work, and up until the second half of the year, she did the job well.

Pete goes on to compare and contrast Ana to Chris Evert, which is really interesting.  Then he concludes with this:

So I'm willing to adopt a wait-and-see attitude, and believe that at this stage it's easier to underestimate Ivanovic than to overrate her. She's the forgotten player of 2008.  Her late-season swoon certainly exposed some chinks in the mental armor. Injuries also played a part in her unraveling, and I was a little surprised by that. After spending some time with Ivanovic and her team in the late winter, I felt that her approach was extremely professional and surprisingly geared to the long term (she seemed to devote more time to general fitness and strengthening regimens than to short-term technical or strategic objectives). I think that approach will pay off in the long term, because mental and emotional stability lie at the end of the road for the physically disciplined.

A very interesting read.  Check it out.

Juergen Melzer Has A Douche Stamp

Very original, Juergen. 

Juergen and Domi are vacationing together in Maldives.  It seems they're having a pretty good time. 



I'm sure they got the "all-inclusive" vacation package.

They make a cute couple and all, but I can't get over the fact that he's 27 and she's 19.  Kinda skeevy.  But what else do you expect from a dude with a Douche Stamp.

Thanks to the lovely poster who sent these along.

Spain Sends Granola Bars. Argentina Gladly Accept The Gift

That look says it all.

Spanish Davis Cup captain Emilio Sanchez-Vicario, who looks like he's been beaten to "a bloody palp" there, announced that Marcel Granollers will "replace" Rafa and play singles in the DC Final.  He'll join a hurting Spanish squad comprised of Daveed, Tabasco, and FeLo.

Really?  This guy?

Ooookay.

Nole Goes On Walkabout, Grabs A Bagel, Then Books A Semifinal Spot

What is up with these weirdo scorelines out of Shanghai?  Nole won today, beating Kolya 76(3) 06 75.  You never scorelines like that in the ATP.  So weird.

With the win, Nole is the first player to advance to the semis.  Thursday's match between Elf and Kolya will decide the other semifinal spot. 

AnaFer: Confirmed Since USO

According to an anonymous commenter, Ana confirmed to a Serbian paper that she and Tabasco have been dating since the US Open.  Who knows with he Serbian press though (they've fooled me before).

I don't know why but this news cracks my shit up.  So I guess he wasn't putting the moves on her for the first time in Beijing.

So I was out shopping today and my iPod plays "Inside You", which is a "fake" song sung by Russell Brand in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which if you haven't seen, you should.  Russell Brand, Paul Rudd, and Jack McBrayer.  Enough said.

But I was listening to the song just as I got the email about their confirmed dating history and I started to giggle to myself hysterically because I could totally picture Tabasco singing this song on the guitar and Ana giggling and actually falling for it. 

It's like "More Than Words" which I'm sure has gotten more than one douchey dude laid because girls are too stupid to realize that song is about doing it. God I hate that song.

Pic This: I'm Surprised She Didn't Show Up In A Bikini

There is something both horrifying and hilarious about this photo.  I can't stop giggling but I want to look away at the same time.

Two Words, Jo: Carbo. Load.

I know there's that saying, "Eat, Drink, Sleep, tennis" but this has gone too far.  I think Jo has completely lost his mind:


His healthy does of tennis balls clearly didn't help him today, as he lost yet another super tight and competitive match in a tiebreaker, 76(4) 76(5).

Congrats to the Elf!  He'll play Kolya on Thursday, while Jo will play Nole.
 

"I Don't Want To Be Your Fool, In This Game For Two, So I'm Leaving You Behind."

It looks like the "kinky" kinks in the proposed WTA Roadmap for 2009 have been ironed out after lengthy discussions with the top ladies in Doha last week.  Specifically, the players agreed to a compromise regarding top player entry into certain midlevel tourneys, and while byes will generally be eliminated for all tourneys, they were reinstated in Rome and Tokyo for the semifinalists at Madrid and Beijing:

Upon reviewing the finer points of the plan, some top players expressed unhappiness with details of the provisions. Those have been smoothed over during meetings and discussions with players this week, Scott said.

For example, restrictions were lifted on midlevel ($700,000) events to avoid a situation where players were denied entry or tournaments were forced to increase prize money to meet the criteria for higher-quality fields.

Also, byes will be awarded to semifinalists at tournaments in Rome and Tokyo, allowing them first-round passes at tour events the following weeks in Madrid and Beijing. Scott said this decision was based on players' health, since going deep in the back-to-back tournaments could potentially force them to play 11 matches in 14 days.

The rationale for permitting byes for Rome and Tokyo:

“Rome is a 56-draw tournament followed by Madrid which is a 64-draw tournament (beginning) on Saturday.

“Similarly in the fall, Tokyo is a 56-draw tournament followed by Beijing, which is a 64-draw tournament. Those tournaments overlapped very closely. Players were concerned it was too many matches in too few days.”

The solution was to re-introduce byes for the semi-finalists in Rome and Tokyo.

“Specifically, what we’ve agreed is that we are going to award four byes to the semi-finalists in Rome, into the Madrid tournament, and four byes to the semi-finalists from Tokyo into the Beijing tournament,” said Scott.

“Therefore, for those players that have to play the most matches in Rome and Tokyo respectively, they can start later and have one less match in a subsequent event.

Sounds like everyone's happy.

For now...

Aw Crap. My Soul Just Died A Little.

During the Roddick/Murray match, Gimelstob said that Muzzah would be the next #1.  And dammit, I agree with him.

I'm not quite sure I can look at myself in the morning.

Baby Baby E Wins Her First Senior Title.

Our girl Laura Robson won her first ITF title this weekend in Sunderland.  Her prize money? 

$1M dollars!!!

Or £772.  Totes same.

2008 WTA Year End Rankings

See you in 2009, bitches!

 

1. Jelena Jankovic - Serbia - 4710
2. Serena Williams - United States - 3866
3. Dinara Safina - Russia - 3817
4. Elena Dementieva - Russia - 3663
5. Ana Ivanovic - Serbia - 3457
6. Venus Williams - United States - 3272
7. Vera Zvonareva - Russia - 2952
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova - Russia - 2726
9. Maria Sharapova - Russia - 2515
10. Agnieszka Radwanska - Poland - 2286
11. Nadia Petrova - Russia - 1976
12. Caroline Wozniacki - Denmark - 1678
13. Flavia Pennetta - Italy - 1670
14. Patty Schnyder - Switzerland - 1590
15. Victoria Azarenka - Belarus - 1494
16. Alize Cornet - France - 1492
17. Marion Bartoli - France - 1410
18. Anna Chakvetadze - Russia - 1363
19. Dominika Cibulkova - Slovakia - 1337
20. Katarina Srebotnik - Slovakia - 1272

Hello, Top 10: Lena, Bepa, Agi, Dinara
Goodbye, Top 10: Chakky, Dani, Mono
Hello Top 20: Caro, Flava Flav, Vika, The Cone, Domi, Kata
Goodbye, Top 20: Nikki V., Tati, Peer, Momo, Bammer, Agnes
Biggest Top 20 Jump: Dinara, 15 ---> 3
Biggest Top 20 Drop: Tati, 13 ---> 251

Other notable observations:

• Despite this being, arguably, a career year, this is the first year that AI hasn't improved on her ranking.  In fact, she's dropped a spot, starting the year at #4.
• Bepa's strong run at the YEC meant that she pushed Masha to #9 in the rankings.  This means that the two finalists at AO 2008 will probably be seeded #5 and #9, which is very significant.  Since she'll be outside of the top four, Ana will have to play one of the top 4 girls in the quarterfinals.  And since Masha is out of the top 8, she'll be the most dangerous floater in the group.  Whichever side of the draw she lands in will easily be the toughest draw.  If I remember my seedings correctly, Masha could start playing top seeded players as early as the third round.
• It's hard to believe that Sveta started the year as the #2 ranked player in the world and the #1 Russian.  Now she's #8 and the #4 Russian.  Hope her move home to the motherland snaps her out of this.  She is far too talented to be ranked outside of the top 5.
• Given the point spread I don't anticipate any significant change in the rankings heading into AO 09.  Dinara is within shooting distance of Serena, Venus could catch Ana since she has semifinal points to defend from Sydney, and if I'm Maria I'm going to want to try and pick up some points early to catch Sveta and get into the top 8.  Sveta has Sydney final points to defend so Masha has a shot.

Venus as POY?

Matt Cronin makes his case.

I'm still mulling it all over, but I still give the nod to Serena right now.  A Grand Slam + Grand Slam final + Miami is more impressive to me than a Grand Slam + the Championships or a Grand Slam + Grand Slam final + Indian Wells.  And what about a Grand Slam final + Rome + Beijing + Moscow + Stuttgart?  Very impressive, but not POY material.

Andy Beats Andy. That's All You Get.

Muzzah kicked off his Shanghai campaign in pretty good form, beating A-Rod 64 16 61.  Not quite sure what happened in that second set, maybe it's that jet lag he's complaining about, but Muzz's level dropped and A-Rod took it in less than 30 minutes.  But he clearly took some smelling salts between sets and came out to close out the match easily.

Have I mentioned how much I hate the non-coverage of Shanghai in the U.S?  Ridiculous.

UPDATED: Nadal Out of Davis Cup

According to ESPN and the Guardian UK, a Spanish radio station is reporting that Rafa is out of Davis Cup with tendinitis in his knee.  The station said he'll announce his withdrawal later today.

I'll believe it when I hear it from Rafa, to be honest.

UPDATED: It's being confirmed everywhere so I guess it's true.  Too bad.  Weird to think he only has two months to rehab that knee and get fit for Australia.

"Are You Not Entertained?!?"

 
Is Giily trying to pull a Bepa?  The final qualifier who is playing at the Year End Championships because of the withdrawal of another player, comes in and beats the top seed.  Hmmm...

Yup, that's right folks, Commodus slayed the #2 ranked player, 46 64 63.  By all accounts, Fed's forehand was all wonky, he didn't serve particularly well, and his footwork was all over the place.  And of course, Gilly was Gilly, chasing down everything and forcing Fed to wonk his wonky groundstrokes.

And for those that want to chalk it up to Fed's back flaring up, he put the kibash on that after the match.

Pic This: The Most Unsubtle Flirter Ever

"Hey, Nando!" *insert giggle fit here*

The Queen Lives On

I don't always root for Venus Williams, though I find myself doing it more and more as she (and I) get older.  But then I see pics like this and with that smile and that genuine display of grace and power, I always chide myself for not rooting for her.  She's so great.

In what was, at times, an exciting, tense, breathtaking, and unwatchable match, Venus survived some bad luck in the first set to eventually dust Bepa, 67(5) 60 61, to capture her first YEC title.

What?  Unwatchable?  Whatever could I mean?




"I see your true colors shining through.  I see your true colors and that's why I love you, so don't be afraid to let it show."

Oh Bepa.  To your credit you kept it together for four matches.  But it all came spiraling out of control in the fifth and most iomportant one against the most difficult opponent.  I hope to all heck she has a good team around her that can tell her, in between handing her boxes of tissue and dodging coasters and pens, that she has no reason to hide under that ratty-ass Abercrombie visor of hers.  She proved the critics wrong and she showed the top players that she can play.  She should bring some good momentum into Australia in 2009.

But the day, and the huge winner's check, belongs to Venus.  What a great tournament by her, beating Dinara, Elena, Serena, JJ, and Bepa on her way to the title.  Thanks for making the POY discussion even tougher, Venus. 

More Pics From the Hitman Convention

 


 

The Kids Cool Off

When Nole wears black, he means business, and that's exactly what he gave Hot Crazy Train today in hard fought straight set win, 75 63. 
 
Methinks the Train is starting to lose steam and I really hope his trip here to Shanghai doesn't affect his Davis Cup performance.  Maybe that's why he was pouting in those player party pics?

In the second match of the day, Kolya won a very tough, very hotly contested three setter, finally winning 67(6) 64 76(0).  Seeing as how these matches aren't being shown live in the U.S., I have no idea what happened to Jo in that last tie breaker.  But losing at love in the final breaker?  Sounds like a complete lack of concentration and focus.

Next up tomorrow, starting at 6pm local time:
1. The Number 2 Player In The World vs. Commodus
2. Andy vs. Andy

There's Gonna Be A Lot Of Leftover Guac To Eat.

Pics from the Pajama Party/End of the Year Player Party. 
 

Where is everybody?  Oh, hail no.  First Lady Dinara went through a lot of effort to put this party together and not even Lena or JJ show up?  Y'all made a big mistake.  Dinara's so gonna pull a Kelly Kapoor on you next year. 

Watch your backs.

Shanghai: Sunday OOP

Play in Shanghai kicks off tomorrow at 1am Eastern Time.

1. Nole vs. Hot Crazy Train
2. Kolya vs. Jo Willy

Sorry, I Must Have Missed It. What's Your Ranking?

JJ's presser from today. 

Q. Do you think that was really high level game today?

JELENA JANKOVIC: We have to be honest, we have had better matches in the past. You know, today was, it was a good match, but I wasn't really happy the way I was playing. Especially in the first set, I didn't play well. I didn't play well tactically. I wasn't doing the right things. I played everything that allowed her to play her game.

Then the second set, I played a little bit better. Then in the third, I just in the wrong times. I made some errors, and also she had some luck in the important points. Like at the end of this third set.
But, I tried really my best. Overall, the whole tournament, I didn't really play like I played maybe in this last couple of tournaments, which I won, and that's due to not really practicing as hard before this tournament. My level is not in the same.
But, you know, I really fought hard this week, and Venus was the better one. She made less errors, and I didn't do it. What can I do? The season is over for me. That was my last match of the year. Of course it's disappointing to lose.

But, overall, when I look at it and finishing as the No. 1 player in the world, I can only be proud of myself, and I can look at it in a positive way. I can go to vacation with a smile on my face.

Q. That sixth game in the final set which had six deuces, I think, and you had five breakpoints, that was pretty crucial that game, wasn't it?

JELENA JANKOVIC: It was. It was very frustrating for me, because I had so many opportunities, so many breakpoints. Really a lot of chances, but I didn't do anything. I didn't convert any in my favor which was the key of the match in that third set, especially.

When you have your chances and you don't take them, your opponent's going to take it. So, today I didn't use those chance that's were given to me. What can I do? It's frustrating. It's disappointing, but one of us had to lose, and today it was me.

Q. She looked physically quite distressed at some stages in the final set, we thought.

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, she was. But, you know, I had her on the run many times. I had her under my control, and then I just made the errors when I had to finish it and when I had to do the right things I just gave it to her. That was really frustrating for me. That is because I didn't train enough, and I didn't get my rhythm before I came here.

A little bit of better practice, if I worked a little bit harder, maybe the match would have been in my favor. But I didn't do a lot of work before I came here, and that was the difference as well. Because I wasn't really happy when I did the first press conference on that Monday or whatever, I said I was I don't have my rhythm. I'm not really playing my best, but I fought very well, and I really tried. I gave everything that I have with, you know, that energy that I have left. So what can I do? It's tough to lose. As the No. 1 player I really don't like to lose. It's something that's hard to accept, but you have to be positive, and you have to learn from it, analyze what I've done wrong, what I have done well and just keep learning. I know what I have to work on when I'm going to start practicing again in a couple of weeks.
Today was the last day of tennis for this season. Now I can just forget about it. From tomorrow I'm not talking about tennis. I'm not going to pick it up. I'm not going to see it anywhere close to me. And just enjoy it, and do something else. And really recover my body and do some other things that make me happy in my life.

Q. What would you most like to do?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Go on vacation. And it will be really weird not to have my racquets with me (smiling). You know, it's something that I carry all year long. It goes on the plane with me every time. Now I can just put my bikinis, my beach stuff and all that and have fun (laughing).

Q. You appeared to get a warning from the umpire?
JELENA JANKOVIC: For what?

Q. Well, I thought you might tell us. We couldn't really see?

JELENA JANKOVIC: When?

Q. According to the television, you were engaging in conversation with, we think your godfather; is that correct?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I didn't understand what the umpire was saying. I mean, he was not saying anything to me except like come on or whatever. And she said, I know that he's not coaching you or whatever, but she was saying the things that didn't really make sense to me.

I was just completely focusing on the game. I was really playing my tennis. I didn't really look at who was talking around or what was happening. I really didn't understand what she was saying to me. Especially this 4 3 in the third, she comes up with that.
It was when I just finished the game from the opposite side where he was, and she tells me he's coaching me. I didn't really understand, and I said to her, I need to focus. I need to play my game. I don't need any distraction with that kind of matter. But that was what she was saying.

I didn't have anything to do with him. I mean, I wasn't even looking at him, I wasn't listening to him, I was just playing my tennis.

Q. Did that distract you the last couple of game when's it was a really crucial point?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I mean, it was really she came up with that and I didn't get her what she was saying. I really had nothing to do. He's my godfather, he's not coaching me at all. It's like you say my mom is coaching me. It cannot be true.

I really didn't understand the umpire. And especially at 4 3 in the third, and I'm sitting and drinking my water thinking how I need to play. It's important moment of the match. And she's telling me about this. But what can you do?

Q. Just the two road maps and the two calendar changes that are taking place next year, going to have more combined events, men and women. Are you personally and for the tour, do you think that's a good thing? Are you in favor of combined events, men and women? Do you like that format?

JELENA JANKOVIC: You mean there will be many more combined events with the men?

Q. Combined or back to back, yeah.

JELENA JANKOVIC: I think it's good for the fans and for the tournaments to have both men and women, especially the best players in the world. It's really exciting for the fans. It's a little bit different for us. There's a lot of matches, a lot of people.

When it's combined, it's so many more people than when we play just us, the women. Especially in the locker rooms, in the player lounges, it's full of people because there's men and women, and their coaches, our coaches, all these other people around.
It's a different atmosphere, but I think it's great. It's exciting, and I don't have anything against it.

Q. But personally do you find it a little bit chaotic?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Yeah, especially in the beginning of the tournament, it's a lot of people. But after that when you go further in the tournament, it clears up, so it's okay. I like it. I'm not really I'm in favor for that. So it's fine.

Q. What about on court coaching? Not tonight but next year.

JELENA JANKOVIC: So, I mean, if they are telling me about coaching and all that from, you know, I don't know from the stands. From my opinion, I really never used on court coaching in the past when there were experimenting with that, with that system.

But I think it can help the players play their tennis on a higher level. Because when you are playing your match, sometimes you don't see the things that you are doing wrong when you're playing. And the coaches or people from the side can really see so much better and can see the mistakes that you're doing, and the weaknesses from your opponent.

When the coach comes in, he can really give you a couple of advices which can help you really rotate and turn the match around and do the right things and help you win, sometimes.
But I like to do everything by myself. I like to think with my own head and try to figure out a way to win. But that's me. That's how I do it. But a lot of players have used the on court coaching in the past, and I like that system. But I am not using it, so.

Q. There were a few line call challenges that were overruled. Did that frustrate you?

JELENA JANKOVIC: Today was not my day with the every time I hear I went for a winner I made it by a hair out, always. You know, it's frustrating, but I wish those balls went in and were in my favor, but sometimes it's not meant to happen. I mean, it's the beauty of the game. You cannot always you wish some of the things happened, and were, some of the balls were in, and I did the right things, but I just didn't.

So this is what keeps you working and keeps you going forward. You keep learning, and until I die, I will learn. So it's the reality, and it's something that I have to accept.
I just have to be positive. When I start training again, I have to I know what I have to do. I would have a plan on what I'm going to do with my fitness, with my tennis, with all that. I hope to begin the year in the best possible light, because I want to get stronger.

I want to improve my tennis. I want to bring everything to the top level, because I haven't still reached my full potential. My limit, which is a good thing, because I'm No. 1 in the world, and I have so many things to improve. So it gives me a lot of motivation, and I really am determined to work hard and to become better and better as a player.

Q. You mentioned though that you weren't really affected or aware of what was going around you, but sure you must have taken note of the large vocal support that you had?

JELENA JANKOVIC: The what?

Q. The vocal support that you had from your fans. What message do you have for your fans?

JELENA JANKOVIC: I always appreciate my fans. I appreciate those Serbian people who came to watch me play. They're always very loud. And no matter where I play around the world, I see the Serbian fans coming and cheering and supporting for me. It really means a lot to me.

I love having all these fans. Especially when they're on my side, it's great. They really push me and motivate me to play my tennis.

Q. You finish your season as the No. 1, but don't you feel any frustration not having been able to win one big, big title? Grand Slam or this week in the championship?

JELENA JANKOVIC: That I can leave for next year (smiling). Now I became, I'm finishing as the No. 1 player in the world, and all those big titles, I'm leaving it if I do everything now, what will I do next year (laughing). So that is my goal for next year to win Grand Slams, to win all these big tournaments.
And I'm really going to work hard in my preseason, in my off season. I'm really going to give it my best. And it will be the first time in my young career that I'm going to hopefully begin the year 100% ready, and ready to compete at my highest level. Because last year in December, I trained one week before Australian Open, one hour a day like a recreational player. And I made it to the semifinals of the Australian Open with those kind of circumstances.

So it's really unbelievable. What I have done with all these injuries and not really prepared 100%, not really playing the tennis that I would have loved, I finished No. 1 player in the world, it's really amazing.

I can just imagine when I'm going to be working how I would like to work with my coaches. Hopefully I'm going to be injury free, and I'm going to try everything possible to keep my body in shape so I avoid injuries as much as is in my will. You can always twist your ankle or do something that you cannot really control. But everything that I can control, I will try it. Then we will see.

When you really give everything that you have, you really try your best, then you're not going to have any regrets. You can say to yourself this is my limit, this is how much I have reached, and I cannot go any further, okay. That's it.
But I still have so many things to do in my game, and so many things that I can get better, so that's the good thing. That's the positive. And there's nothing to be sad about. I mean, how many people or girls would have loved to be in my shoes in the moment. I'm finishing No. 1 and I can just smile. I don't care (smiling).

I mean, everybody wants to be the No. 1 player in the world, and I have that spot, so I'm keeping it warm for the winter days, you know. During the winter days, it's mine (laughing).

I don't know what it is but something about the tone of it just made me uncomfortable.  I was really hoping for a classier presser so I could clean my JJ slate for 2009.  Ah well.  Time heals all wounds. 

Or so my ex-boyfriend says.

Air Quotes: Oh, Fed. Why Do You Say Such Things

"It doesn't change a whole lot, I just don't like the ring of it when I'm being introduced on Centre Court saying, 'and this is the number two in the world.  It just sounds wrong. Either I'm number one or I'm a grand slam champion, but I'm not number two."

-- Roger Federer, on how he feels about being #2

Douglas Robson Calls Baby E Retarded

Just kidding.  He didn't.

But for a split second I thought he did.  That post has some interesting stuff on the Williams/Alves stuff.  I too was confused when I saw her umpiring a Serena match.

Here's a link to his second blog post from Doha, too, which is also loaded with interesting tidbits.

There's A Reason We Call Her The Queen

Coincidence or not, it's still pretty funny.

Well JJ continues to perplex everyone.  Lindsay picked her to win, they spent a good amount of time talking about how great her game is today, and then she goes and loses to Venus.  Now, as we all know, a loss to Venus is typically a "good loss".  But JJ will be kicking herself about this one because she had multiple chances to get that break back in the third set, but she just couldn't convert and Venus went on to win 6-2 2-6 6-3.

This match pretty much boiled down to the fifth game in the third set, which lasted for over 20 minutes and saw JJ fail to convert on any of her five break chances.  When Venus held and went up 4-2, she just tightened up her game and fought off the ever so peristent JJ, who to her credit, never gave up.

Meanwhile, The Destiny Train steams into the finals.

Bepa outgutted and outlasted Lena D., and booked herself a spot in to the YEC final after a three set headcasey nail-biter, winning 7-6 3-6 6-3.  There was much screaming, collapsing, head bashing, and almost rending of garments, but in the third set, Vera buckled down and held her nerve.  Well, held her nerve compared to Lena.  It's all relative.

And so it'll be Venus vs. Bepa, the final YEC qualifiers.  You have to put your money on Venus, but my heart will stick with Bepa. 

Reporters Are Idiots

Obviously a lot of us have doubts about the severity of Serena's ab injury, but dude, you don't say that shit to her face:

Yet the nine-time grand slam champion objected to a reporter's suggestion she should have played through the pain in the interests of the $6.62 million tournament, the marquee event on the women's tour.

"I think what I should do, I should make you work out for — how old am I?— for like 22 years and make you have a severe stomach strain, and then tell you to play for the sponsors, yeah. So, that's kind of how it works. You should try it," she said.

Reporter: "I think I would if I was here among the elite eight in the world." Williams: "Well, then you really should. And you should go for it. You should live your dream. I encourage you."

Totally bush league.

Also bush league?  Baiting the other players into more controversy:

Jankovic did not wish to become involved in the controversy, but said that "from my opinion, this is the last tournament of the year. I have also problems, but, you know, I'm willing to try my best and to finish the year in the best possible way. If it was some other tournament, you might pull out. You don't want to risk an injury that can be worse, and then you have to be off the court for a long time.

"But this is the last one. It's the Championships. It's a very big tournament. You know, I'm motivated to do well. So this is my opinion, and I cannot say about the other players."

I'm so sad the year is over.  It was just starting to get interesting.

I hope the bad blood continues in 2009.

Air Quotes: I Think He Doth Protest Too Much

"We're not dating."

-- Roger Federer, on whether or not he's sorry Rafa's not in Shanghai.

Welcome To The Hitman Convention. Please Pick Up Your Nametags.

Could you imagine if all the ladies had to wear the same thing during the Doha draw ceremony?  That would have been awesome.
 
Awww...look at the Gentle Giant on the right.

 

Umm...ok...umm...ithinkmuzzalookssuperhothere.  As for A-Rod, dude REALLY shouldn't have cut his hair.

Roger, dapper as always.

Cutie patooties.

Roger's just a little chatty Cathy, ain't he?

Did They Stuff A-Rod In A Trunk?

So much hilarity here.

What's with the Sopranos theme?  Why is Muzzah sitting like The Godfather.  Why is Hot Crazy Train sulking?  Does Roger know Jo is about to whack him?

*cue Journey*

Bar Banter: The Squeaky Glitter Train vs. The Queen

How's JJ's body holding up?  How will Vee bounce back after the day off?

Chitty chatty in the comments.

Bar Banter: Casper vs. Lena D.

Lena leads their head to head 4-1.  But let's face it, H2H stats haven't meant much this week.

Go Bepa!

Chat in the 'ments.

You Probably Shouldn't Giggle While While You're Surfing

Baby E on her winter plans:

Q. Just looking to next year, last December you came to London and went to Roehampton. Any plans to do the same again?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, not for this year. We're planning to go to Australia again earlier. I will spend some time in Belgrade with some friends and family, you know, just take it easy. Then start with fitness first. Then go to Australia, beginning of December.

Q. Where in Australia particularly are you going to?
ANA IVANOVIC: We're going to go to Noosa this year. I'm going to play Brisbane, which is the first tournament, and then we'll stay close to Brisbane. And after preparation, just drive down to Brisbane.

Q. You don't have family there, do you?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, not in Noosa. In Melbourne though.
My fitness coach is convincing me it's a good surf there. He wants me to surf.

Q. Is he teaching you?
ANA IVANOVIC: Yes.

Q. Are you any good?
ANA IVANOVIC: I can stand for two seconds, that's it. I get too excited then I fall off.

He's Not The Devil Incarnate. Give The Dude A Break.

More Shanghai Sausage

Don't you wish the ladies would be cool like this?  Like, practice together and be cool?  Meh. That's what makes them ladies, I guess.

AI Shant Be Supporting Tabasco in Argentina

Or so she says:

Q. In a couple of weeks we have Davis Cup final. Do you have any preference?
ANA IVANOVIC: Well, yes, I would like you guys to win. Yeah, I think it's going to be tough. You know, especially Spain playing in Argentina. But I think it's going to be a tough match, good match.

Q. Will you go?
ANA IVANOVIC: No.

Q. Another year, will you go?
ANA IVANOVIC: No, no, I need to rest. I need to go to home, you know, for my grandparents to take care of me to get better.

Boo.  It would have been really cute.  She could have been wooed by Rafa or Hot Crazy Train.   Ah well .  Sometimes you just need some grandparent spoilage.  She's only human.

"Silly Rabbit, Trix Are For Kids."

Pete has a really interesting post on the Yin and Yang that is the Sisters Williams.  It's been an interesting year for the two and I feel that this year, more than any other year, has really given them the opportunity to show their starkly different individual characters. 

Serena will always be the kid sister, and Venus will always be the big sister.  But clearly that psychology affects how they approach the game, their matches, their careers, and each other. 

As a big sister myself, I can really appreciate the mentality that Venus brings.  Thankfully my kid sister isn't the brat that Serena is, but trust me, she has her moments. 

All that is to say, watching the Williamses grow up and have to navigate their intersecting lives and careers is just fascinating from a personal level.

And as the big sister, I gotta say: Go Venus!

UPDATED: The WTA Officially Thanks Ana For Sharing Her Hotness With The World.

Baby E was given the Diamond Aces award by the WTA and Sony Ericsson.  The award is given "to the player who does the most to help promote the tour in the course of the year."  Hard to argue I guess, given her profile and how much publicity stuff she does for the tour.  After all, she did this, this, this, and this, just to name a few things.  And for a relatively shy girl like her, it's probably a pain.

But shouldn't they just call this the Maria Sharapova/Ana Ivanovic award?  Cuz...isn't it just going to change hands between those two for a while?

I'm just sayin'

ETA: Ok, I just looked it up.  Here is the list of past winners:

1995 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario
1996 Gabriela Sabatini
1997 Amanda Coetzer
1998 Lindsay Davenport
1999 Lindsay Davenport
2000 Martina Hingis
2001 Martina Hingis
2002-03 Not Held
2004 Anastasia Myskina
2005 Anastasia Myskina
2006 Svetlana Kuznetsova
2007 Jelena Jankovic

Apparently the Aces thing is determined by some quantitative measure that takes into account the promotional work you do at each tournament.  So it's kinda surprising JJ didn't win it again, because in case you haven't heard, she's played in a lot of tournaments.  

UPDATED:  According to AI's site, here's how the points ended up:

ACES Race 2008 Final Standings:

1 Ana Ivanovic (Srb) 595pts
2 Jelena Jankovic (Srb) 565pts
3 Serena Williams (USA) 345pts
4 Elena Dementieva (Rus) 315pts
5 Daniela Hantuchova (Svk) 315pts
6 Anna Chakvetadze (Rus) 315pts
7 Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) 265pts
8 Venus Williams (USA) 245pts
9 Patty Schnyder (Sui) 240pts
10 Nadia Petrova (Rus) 230pts

Dude.  What's up with the huge drop off after JJ?  All credit to the Serbs.  I didn't realize how much they did off court relative to the other players.  That might explain why it's so damn easy to find interviews and pictures of those two.

Introducing Bepa The Serb Slayer. You Have Been Warned.

In.  Tree.  Ging.

I'll be honest.  With Serena's loss yesterday I had already booked JJ into the finals.  But then Bepa the Serb Slayer showed up and somehow worked JJ over for a three set win, 26 63 64.  Now I know that some people might say,  "JJ was saving her energy and this was a dead rubber anyway."  But you have to think JJ's team knew that a loss meant playing Venus in the semifinals.  Though, given the fact that JJ beat Venus just a few weeks ago, maybe her camp is thinking that it would be better to play Venus in the semis than Serena (remember, word of Serena's withdrawal hadn't hit yet).  Maybe that's a good strategy.  But then again, if it was, JJ would have just lost in straight sets like Masha did a few years ago, in order to conserve her energy for the semifinals.

Once again though, congrats to Bepa, who is showing more and more mental fortitude with each match.  I've always liked the Bepster, so this is great.  Her reward?  A very winnable match against Lena D for a spot in the finals.

UPDATED: Sad Face. Serena and Ana Withdraw from Doha

Serena withdrew due to an abdominal injury.  Ana has withdrawn due to the now well-documented virus.

Man.  These Championships sure have been anti=climactic.

UPDATED:

Serena on her injury:

"I had zero pain last night," Serena said of her post-match experience. "But I didn't serve well and I think that's why I was doing that. I might have been over-compensating.

"When I got home I didn't feel pain. But when I woke up I was in pain. I have had this before and so when I felt this it was like a red flag. I went to see how I felt in practice yesterday, and it was hard when I was hitting ground strokes. I didn't want to risk it."

Ana on her virus:

"It's very hard for me because after the other night (against Zvonareva) it was very intensive and long and I started to feel worse.

"I felt bad yesterday and worse today. As long as I didn't move it was okay but after I started hitting harder it was impossible."

Sweaty Hot Frenchies

Gilly and Jo have been hitting the courts for the past two days.  Jo has apparently been partying so hard since qualifying, that he has failed to change or wash his shirt.

It's actually kind of a shame that these two are in opposite groups.  I can't think of two players that play more opposite styles.  A matchup between them would be fun.

Bar Banter: The Glitter Train vs. Casper

Loser plays Venus.  So...y'all should probably try and win this one.

Go to town in the comments.

Doha: Friday OOP

Last day of Round Robin play:

1. The Battle for #1 (of the White Group): JJ vs. Bepa
2. The Battle to Survive: Serena vs. Lena (the winner moves on)
3. The Battle for Pride: Ana vs. Sveta

Play begins at 9am EST.

Wait, Is This a Tennis Tournament or An Apple Convention.

I stumbled upon this article and I have to say, I was kinda shocked:

Silhouettes instead of photographs, and computer manipulation to conceal thighs: that is how Qatar promoted this week's season-ending WTA Championship.

For years the WTA has appealed to sensuality to sell its stars, but the first experience of a Masters tournament in the Middle East left it with no alternative but to moderate its presentations.

The tournament that brings together the season's eight best female tennis players arrived in Qatar shortly after the end of the Ramadan, the month of religious observance in which Muslims fast and generally abstain from worldly activities to meditate and get closer to God.

Qatar, which has experienced an opening to Western culture over the past few years, understood that change cannot happen overnight. So on the streets there is no sign of the WTA's classic advertising posters, showing off the beauty of Serbia's Ana Ivanovic and company.

"Since it was the month of Ramadan, we met and we decided that it was better to have silhouettes and not to show players' legs and arms. We thought we had to adapt to the country and respect its habits and religion," Moroccan Karim Alami, the tournament director, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Tournament organizers had previously sent photographs of the girls wearing tennis clothes to the only advertising agency in Qatar, which is state-owned, and they were rejected.

That is why the tournament seeks to promote itself through posters that only reveal the players' purple silhouettes, with nothing that could be found to have sexual connotations.

"This is their idea," WTA boss Larry Scott told dpa of the decision to run the campaign in this way.

The decision deprived the most visible angles of the Khalifa Tennis Centre, in which the tournament is played, of the photos of stars in mini skirts.

Some media went even further: just a few days ago, after the end of Ramadan, both The Peninsula - an English-language newspaper - and the Alarab - which is written in Arabic - changed media releases, which do show the players in tennis clothes, and used a computer to paint over them black leggings that concealed their thighs.

...

The WTA believes it could contribute to Qatar's opening.

"I'm firmly convinced that bringing women to play here we're going to help. We are going to bring an empowering message for young girls, not just in Doha, in the region, that girls can have the same opportunities as men," a convinced Scott said.

He added that Qatar wants to show the world that it is "progressive" by hosting such an important women's tournament.
...

Beyond good intentions, there is obviously business. The WTA is busy with the expansion of its product. It needs to open borders and enter new markets, a good enough reason to take the Masters to the small peninsula on the Persian Gulf until 2010.

"Tennis is very strong in Europe. It's kind of our big support. The Middle East, India are really the future," said the boss of women's tennis.

Doha rises in the horizon like a luxurious and futuristic oasis of metal and mirrored glass. Piles of rubble, cranes, huge construction sites and dust are everywhere - the future is coming, but it is not quite there yet.

Just like the full liberalization of women.

My dad was an ex-pat in the Saudi Arabia for a few years so I'm not shocked about the cultural, social, and religious practices.  I'm just really surprised that the WTA bent over so easily.  I'm sorry, but it just seems like a really awkward place to have a women's tournament not just once a year, but TWICE.