It's not just pretty; it's young and pretty. Serena did not play on the show courts last week because she plays doubles the same day. If she were to play on a show court, she would, most likely, not make her doubles match.
It's men, ladies, mens. Please don't suggest that change. It's not some form of seximsm, it's common sense.
Also, the host country of a slam, usually makes sure it's players play at least once on a show court. Most of the time these players are lower ranked and will be out the first week, unlike the top players.
I didn't hear either sister complaining when they were placed on the show courts when they did not deserve to be, but since they were "young and pretty" that's where they played.
Serena's Federer answer is her dodging the reporters' asking her how does it feel to be an older player.
Because this year's crop of women suck, no woman should be allowed to play on the show courts for 2010.
@Peggy:Beautiful, like a Llama!: lol aww, a few of them are ok! Agreed on your points about the home country, order of play, etc. I wonder if V&S get more show court matches when they're not in the doubles? I haven't paid a lot of attention to that.
@mwaussie: IIRC they usually play doubles, so at least one of them is effected. Remember that Wimbledon and the French Open have no night play.
I'm not making any excuses for the officials. Many of the women that played on Center Court should not have played there. It was treated by the crowd as break time.
Seriously, the women's tour is sad and should be forced to play at a youth center in 2010.
This isn't a new thing, happens quite a lot at more than just Wimbledon. What would you rather watch, a complete (and boring) Williams sisters drubbing, or a well-played COMPETITIVE match between two equally matched players? As a player and a fan, I vote for the more entertaining match. I'm not paying 300 quid to see Serena beat some unknown qualifier 6-0, 6-0 in 30 minutes. Waste of money. Also, by putting some of the bigger names (Venus, Serena, Dinara, etc) on the outer courts, people with grounds passes can actually get a chance to see them play. Which, if you read more than just tabloid coverage of the event, is one of the goals of the organizers. Not everyone can afford to see the top seeds on the show courts--putting them on side courts for a match or two makes them (and their amazing tennis) more accessible to fans.
And not to beat a dead horse but putting players like Azarenka, Cristea, Wozniacki, etc on center court means that more people get to see the new up and coming players (more people meaning the tv audience). Unlike US Open coverage, which if that's the only tennis you watch, would lead you to believe that the only players in the entire WTA tour are Venus and Serena.
Ugh. Sorry. The real travesty of this tournament is how little airtime my boyfriend Novak Djokovic is getting. Write about THAT and I'll be happy.
@mwaussie: I'm reading this - in tandem with your other comments - and thinking that you're blithely and blissfully missing about 66% of the point.
But I also am of the opinion that the Djoker is completely overrated, so I'll just note that we appear to have different perspectives on the issue and leave it at that.
@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: Gah. I should have known better than to even comment on a thread you were on, since you manage to be remarkably condescending to almost everyone who disagrees with you. I guess I'd have more time to find racism and sexism in EVERYTHING if I'd just spend less time commenting. My bad. I forgot about the groupthink on this site.
Anyways, back to enjoying some interesting tennis, and ignoring Suzy Kolber as much as possible.
@mwaussie: P.S. Hang onto this - you might need it just to make sure you aren't repeating yourself, since according to you NOTHING is EVER about racism or sexism
I just heard them quoting Serena's press conference on the radio: when she was asked about the 'controversy' she replied: "Well, I think Roger's hot but he's married, so…"
Not that I didn't kind of, sort of already know this about old Wimbly (anyone else remember all that nauseating crap about Rafa's "appeal of the noble savage" last year?) but I am suddenly much more sympathetic to Marat when he gets roasted in the British press for (loudly, bluntly) criticizing how they treat the players.
@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: Ugh, I missed that noble savage crap. Today before I read this I couldn't believe that neither Williams sister was on centre court. Especially because when they were playing doubles they kept mentioning how packed it was and how people were watching from other courts and that balcony for the fancy people.
I always found the Rafa/Roger stereotyping off putting, the precise swiss guy and the passionate spanish guy.
Also on ESPN they had some weird promo things for some players, Sherapova's was like a ballerina and Djokovic's was like jaunty eastern european music. I think they should just stick to showing/talking about the actual tennis being played.
@AmbivalentAlumna: I think your last sentence pretty much sums it up.
(I don't know what country you're in or network you watch, but of late I've taken to watching on ESPN Vivo. The commentary is in Spanish, which can be annoying if you don't speak it, and a touch Latin-centric, which can be annoying if you do and are not partial to the players, but since I would watch JMDP, La Mano Piedra, and the entire Armada stand there and read the phone book if they couldn't play tennis it does not bother me.)
I'm horrified by this, but I can't help it -- mostly I'm shocked that there's anyone alive who doesn't think both Williams sisters are turn-around-on-the-street-freakin'-GORGEOUS.
I don't think this is true. If you look at who is on the main courts today there's Safina, who is ranked no. 1 in the world on centre court, Venus, who is the defending champion, on court 1, and Serena is on court 2.
@lostinsainsburys: Well, yeah, that's today, but if you read the article it talks about a pattern of scheduling. So, for example, on Friday, Serena was on Court 2 while on Centre Court the more glamorous 8th and 28th seeds battled it out.
@That-Dude: I don't get your argument. People with piggish, sexist attitudes in general can't also be racist?
You're presuming that they would be fine with a black athlete as long as they were "hot" enough. I don't share that presumption. I think the Williams sisters' blackness is probably what makes them "unworthy" in the eyes of the AEC.
But even giving the AEC the benefit of the doubt, they're still pigs for keeping the top women athletes off the centre court because they've determined they aren't "good looking" enough for the TV audience.
*rolls eyes hard at you because sometimes you say crap just to "incite debate"*
The athletes the Daily Fail write racist articles about don't have to be American black.
It won't take a lot of digging to turn up the snide nauseating "noble savage" crap descriptions of more than one of the Spanish players last year (and not just Rafa, no).
@That-Dude: The fact that not all white athletes are considered "conventionally attractive" does not mean that "conventionally attractive" does not require you be white or have typically "Caucasian" features.
@Dodgergirl: Where did I claim to know their definition of beauty? The authors don't use the conventionally attractive terminology either.
If you have knowledge to the contrary, enlighten me. I am just pointing out that there may be other reasons for the Williams sisters exclusion. While racism may very well may be the root cause, the article doesn't lead me in that direction necessarily.
This roo character has obviously seen something, but I have not . . . I can take her word for it, but limited to the article at hand, I can't necessarily make the "its just because their racists call."
@That-Dude: I realize this is very late, but I did want to respond to this.
I don't think it's much of a leap to assume that when someone says "good looks are a factor" that their definition is "conventional good looks." I actually think the exclusion of the Williams sisters points quite plainly to that. Venus is the defending champ, and quite a beautiful woman on top of that, but she is not the right kind of beauty, apparently. What is the right kind of beauty? And why else would they be excluded from center court? Again-- we're talking two of the most famous players in the world, who played each other in the finals last year, and are currently the No. 2 & 3 players in the world.
I don't think it is a conscious choice to keep the black women off the center court, I think it's a symptom of the way we define beauty. And I don't think just because the spokesmen for the All England Club didn't say "We want to keep our center court white, thin, and blonde" that means there wasn't ingrained racism involved in the decision.
The Daily Mail is a British rag. Think our gossip mags are horrendous? So are theirs, with more nudity and wild accusations. I'd require a lot more evidence to believe the above statement rgarding their court placement due to "lookism". In any case, the Williams' sisters have a HUGE fan base that draw viewers because they are compelling and exciting to watch. And that's what broadcasters really want: viewers for ratings. And they are filmed and show on t.v. no matter their court placement. 'Nuff said.
@OneTwoPunch: That's not quite true. The terrestrial BBC channels tend to show matches on Centre Court and Court number 1. The other courts appear on digital and satellite channels which many people don't have access to.
@OneTwoPunch: The Williams sisters aren't that popular in the UK. I hear people complain about them all the time, saying they are too manly, they should be forced to play with the men because they have an unfair advantage over the women etc. And the BBC shows the matches on centre court and court number 1. The Williams sisters consistantly get less air time here than the "prettier" players which sucks.
It is really blatantly obvious what is going on here, you don't need an article to tell you if you pay any attention to the tv etc in the UK.
Venus can, I believe, tie Steffi Graf this year for having the second most Wimbledon wins to Martina Navratilova (I believe). She has FIVE TITLES. Serena has won twice and has won more titles in this decade than any other female tennis player.
I thought Centre Court placement was based on talent and ranking in the competition so that the best matches were played on the main stage (ie probably all of Roger Federer's matches are played on Centre Court). I know they were making an exception for Andy Murray because as a Brit his matches were going to be popular (and he's a great player). This is dissapointing. I hate that my two examples are men. The same standards should apply to the ladies. If people are shelling out for the best seats, they want to see the best tennis.
06/29/09
Serena did not play on the show courts last week because she plays doubles the same day. If she were to play on a show court, she would, most likely, not make her doubles match.
It's men, ladies, mens. Please don't suggest that change. It's not some form of seximsm, it's common sense.
Also, the host country of a slam, usually makes sure it's players play at least once on a show court. Most of the time these players are lower ranked and will be out the first week, unlike the top players.
I didn't hear either sister complaining when they were placed on the show courts when they did not deserve to be, but since they were "young and pretty" that's where they played.
Serena's Federer answer is her dodging the reporters' asking her how does it feel to be an older player.
Because this year's crop of women suck, no woman should be allowed to play on the show courts for 2010.
06/29/09
06/29/09
Remember that Wimbledon and the French Open have no night play.
I'm not making any excuses for the officials. Many of the women that played on Center Court should not have played there. It was treated by the crowd as break time.
Seriously, the women's tour is sad and should be forced to play at a youth center in 2010.
06/30/09
06/29/09
And not to beat a dead horse but putting players like Azarenka, Cristea, Wozniacki, etc on center court means that more people get to see the new up and coming players (more people meaning the tv audience). Unlike US Open coverage, which if that's the only tennis you watch, would lead you to believe that the only players in the entire WTA tour are Venus and Serena.
Ugh. Sorry. The real travesty of this tournament is how little airtime my boyfriend Novak Djokovic is getting. Write about THAT and I'll be happy.
06/29/09
But I also am of the opinion that the Djoker is completely overrated, so I'll just note that we appear to have different perspectives on the issue and leave it at that.
06/29/09
Anyways, back to enjoying some interesting tennis, and ignoring Suzy Kolber as much as possible.
06/29/09
But apparently it seems you just couldn't resist. Now what have we learned?
Anything?
06/29/09
img src="http://www.amptoons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/fictionbingo.jpg
06/29/09
img src="img src="http://www.amptoons.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/fictionbingo.jpg"
06/29/09
06/29/09
If you can.
06/29/09
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06/29/09
You go, girl. Classy and funny.
06/29/09
BLECH.
That is all.
06/29/09
I always found the Rafa/Roger stereotyping off putting, the precise swiss guy and the passionate spanish guy.
Also on ESPN they had some weird promo things for some players, Sherapova's was like a ballerina and Djokovic's was like jaunty eastern european music. I think they should just stick to showing/talking about the actual tennis being played.
06/29/09
(I don't know what country you're in or network you watch, but of late I've taken to watching on ESPN Vivo. The commentary is in Spanish, which can be annoying if you don't speak it, and a touch Latin-centric, which can be annoying if you do and are not partial to the players, but since I would watch JMDP, La Mano Piedra, and the entire Armada stand there and read the phone book if they couldn't play tennis it does not bother me.)
06/29/09
Don't get me started on that impeccable, healthy body either.
Wimbledon FAIL.
06/29/09
06/29/09
06/29/09
06/29/09
06/29/09
Where's the problem?
06/29/09
06/29/09
Venus is the DEFENDING CHAMPION. She SHOULD have been seeded first. Not Safina.
06/29/09
These guys are equal opportunity offenders.
06/29/09
You're presuming that they would be fine with a black athlete as long as they were "hot" enough. I don't share that presumption. I think the Williams sisters' blackness is probably what makes them "unworthy" in the eyes of the AEC.
But even giving the AEC the benefit of the doubt, they're still pigs for keeping the top women athletes off the centre court because they've determined they aren't "good looking" enough for the TV audience.
06/29/09
*rolls eyes hard at you because sometimes you say crap just to "incite debate"*
The athletes the Daily Fail write racist articles about don't have to be American black.
It won't take a lot of digging to turn up the snide nauseating "noble savage" crap descriptions of more than one of the Spanish players last year (and not just Rafa, no).
06/29/09
06/29/09
06/29/09
If you have knowledge to the contrary, enlighten me. I am just pointing out that there may be other reasons for the Williams sisters exclusion. While racism may very well may be the root cause, the article doesn't lead me in that direction necessarily.
This roo character has obviously seen something, but I have not . . . I can take her word for it, but limited to the article at hand, I can't necessarily make the "its just because their racists call."
06/29/09
I don't think it's much of a leap to assume that when someone says "good looks are a factor" that their definition is "conventional good looks." I actually think the exclusion of the Williams sisters points quite plainly to that. Venus is the defending champ, and quite a beautiful woman on top of that, but she is not the right kind of beauty, apparently. What is the right kind of beauty? And why else would they be excluded from center court? Again-- we're talking two of the most famous players in the world, who played each other in the finals last year, and are currently the No. 2 & 3 players in the world.
I don't think it is a conscious choice to keep the black women off the center court, I think it's a symptom of the way we define beauty. And I don't think just because the spokesmen for the All England Club didn't say "We want to keep our center court white, thin, and blonde" that means there wasn't ingrained racism involved in the decision.
06/29/09
06/29/09
We can do it in French and say that really, Roland Garros is the classiest tournament now.
06/29/09
06/29/09
06/29/09
It is really blatantly obvious what is going on here, you don't need an article to tell you if you pay any attention to the tv etc in the UK.
06/29/09
Who ELSE belongs at Center Court, pray tell?
06/29/09
06/29/09