It's barely been 3 days of the start of the final Grand Slam of the year, but the goings-on in the Ladies' singles draw make for some seriously unhealthy reading ( much like the daily musings of a certain Ms.Mirza; after you've spent the better part of the last few years injured or married or injured again; durable is probably not the best word to describe yourself). This might just have been the only Slam in history where the defending champs from the last two Slams haven't lasted 2 days - let alone a week; and with Kim Clijsters not defending her crown, we have none of the current Slam holders in the 2nd round. Adding to the chaos is the fact the Caroline Wozniacki seems more interested in following the illustrious footsteps of Dinara Safina. Which is why, when Serena at the age of 30, barely back from a year's absence, is considered to be the favorite for the crown, it isn't a surprise at all. Seriously, the only question I dare ask is how much worse is it going to get for the Ladies' game.
If you have your reservations, then ask yourself; when was the last time you truly saw a great Ladies' Singles match - one which was evenly contested and had more winners than errors. The last I go back to is Venus Williams vs Kimiko Date at SW19 this year. Which is all the more remarkable considering that it took a 31 yr old and a 40 yr old to show them how it's done. The Ladies' seedings and draws don't paint a pretty picture - players like Roberta Vinci and Julia Goerges in the top 20! And a total of 6 grand slam winners - which is a decent number no doubt, but when you have luminaries like Ana Ivanovic amongst them...you get my drift. Contrast this to 10 years ago, when the top 20 were heavyweights in a much truer sense - I get that my contrast is flawed in that a lot of the women then hadn't won anything but went on to later; but, honestly, Henin/Clijsters/the Williamses in 2001 seemed far brighter prospects than Wozniacki/Zvonareva/Petkovic today.
I'm trying to explain the apparent decline in quality in tennis, and there are a few "contenders" that come to mind. The more I think about it, the more I feel that "sexing-up" Women's tennis has been one of the worst ideas in a long time. Most of the players today are glammed-up-pretty faces, who seem more concerned about "Who're you wearing today" than their actual game. And it's not just Sharapova I'm talking about. Lets have a test, then. Tell me the first thing that pops into your head when I say...Daniela Hantuchova..."The best pair of legs in tennis"? Or, Nicole Vaidisova ...."someone who looked amazing on court - and it's not her game I'm talking about - who cares that she reached a few semis here and there"....Simona Halep? Ok, I had to get that or those out of the way.
But, though the glamming-up might make sense from a purely "selling tickets" point of view, but how can it be good for the players? I mean, what credibility do you have left when the only thing people can remember about you is some little black dress you wore on court? And if it's the "skin-show" that people pay to see, what does that say about the game and the level it is played at? I get that the game is , and has been, very error-ridden - and the winner is more often the person making the fewer errors, but, personally, the glamour doesn't take away the attention from those error, it highlights them.
But, though the glamming-up might make sense from a purely "selling tickets" point of view, but how can it be good for the players? I mean, what credibility do you have left when the only thing people can remember about you is some little black dress you wore on court? And if it's the "skin-show" that people pay to see, what does that say about the game and the level it is played at? I get that the game is , and has been, very error-ridden - and the winner is more often the person making the fewer errors, but, personally, the glamour doesn't take away the attention from those error, it highlights them.
Another thing which has always bothered me is the great lack of determination - both, to get to the top and also, to stay there. The careers of a lot of players today follow a very familiar trend: Get noticed early - be dubbed the "next big thing" , win a few games and a minor title on the side, rise up the rankings, lose to Serena in the semis/finals, slide down the rankings, vanish into obscurity.Waves upon waves of Russian "sensations" have threatened to blow us away but the resulting impact has been hardly more than a pebble. Which is probably why we've had some of the most undeserving world no.1s the past few years. Ana Ivanovic started it all, Wozniacki looks slightly better, but not by much - but the one that takes the cake is Dinara Safina. It takes a lot for someone to make Marat look the cooler head in the family. Whether it's a lack of determination or just simply burnout from too much exposure I don't know, but that might be why players like Li Na, Schiavone and Stosur have "peaked" so late in their careers.
One area the Women's game has always trumped the Men is where a lot of the top Singles' players were also equally proficient at doubles. This resulted in a lot more net-play, drop shots and volleys - which made the game a lot more pleasing to the eye. Of today's lot, hardly any of the top players are known for a doubles game, which makes baseline play the only way to go about things. True, the Williams sisters got the power game into Women's tennis, but Venus is terrific at the net and no one can say that Serena wins by her power alone, without having any other skill to back it up.
Which brings me back to Serena. When the Sisters came onto the scene, I hated them with a fury that I reserve only for the likes of annoying, butt-scratching Spaniards. I felt, and I'm not completely wrong here, they outmuscled rather than outplayed poor little Hingis out of the game. I felt that power over skill wasn't the way to go. Anyone who could knock them off their perches would get my support. Growing up has changed this, however. I still don't have to like them on the court, but there is a level of respect that I have for the both of them. You know Serena's right when she says "she's the rightful No.1". Serena's pushing 30, and at an age where most others retire - even on the Men's side, she's still the favourite going into most tournaments - irrespective of what the rest of the field is. She's close to a lock for the USO title, unless there's a big surprise, and might just dominate the scene for a few years more, provided she's fit.
So, looking ahead means looking at the post-Williams era. Honestly, of the current crop of players doesn't inspire much, but a man can still dream, can't he?
Changes I would suggest - 1. More emphasis on the game, and not on everything else. 2.Stop the era of the pretty princesses and get down and dirty. 3. More doubles, better for the game. 4. Better scheduling, so that there are fewer injuries, and longer careers.
So, here's to a better Women's game and a better Women's champion! I really hope I'm surprised.
Loved the article. The women's draw is about as shallow as the kiddie pool for dwarfs. And your reasons are spot on as well. Why would a player like Ana Ivanovic concentrate on her game when she can make more money selling chocolate milk? The Williams sisters aside, only Sharapova and Clijsters can really claim to be anywhere near consistent enough to be talked about a few years down the line purely for their tennis ability.
ReplyDeleteComing back to your point about Li Na, Schiavone and Stosur, the reason they've achieved success so late in their careers is because they're tennis players first, fashion models second, quite a rarity these days. They weren't precocious teenagers by any stretch of the imagination, but just by keeping their head down and constantly working on their game, they've managed to reach a level they never should've really, if any of the hundreds of talented "princesses" had the slightest desire to succeed purely as a tennis player.
Serena and Venus have had my greatest respect over the years. I've never hated them, probably partly because they're American, but mainly because their power game isn't anything new to women's tennis. And if anything, they can play the power game because they've worked on it. Longer hours in the gym and lesser hours at the photoshoot in the early part of their careers. And they've got more about them than just bulldozing through opponents. When they've got 20 singles GS titles and 48 GS titles in all, not to mention 5 Olympic gold medals between the pair of them, as you correctly pointed out, it's not just thundering aces and powering forehands.
Although you're suggestions are what's needed right now, they're not necessarily what will be implemented. In fact, I can see quite the opposite happening, with an even more fragmented pool with a high turnover rate, with players barely lasting in the spotlight (as tennis players) for more than a couple of years.
Wonderful article .. i could not remember the last great rivalry which aroused interest
ReplyDeleteThanks, Yash...brilliant insight as always. Spot on about Li Na and Schiavone. Looking at them, they're not the kind of players who stand out - they're not the ones anyone ever bet on to win the big ones. Which is probably why their respective French Open wins were all the more special.
ReplyDeleteAbout the "princesses", how can anyone add anything more? When you "google" them, there are more pics of their SI swimsuit covers than tennis shots, let alone pics of trophies ( What are they, really?)
When all is said and done, Serena will go down as one of the true greats of the game. Wozniacki will be the tennis player who once dated Rory McIlroy, but a footnote in Tennis history.
The points about the power game are true. I mean, yeah if you work hard enough, who says you can't use the fitness to your advantage. And it's not just power. Venus on grass is sublime. She's probably the most difficult player to hit a passing shot against. Again, with the two of them, their doubles game has added so much to their singles game.
And yeah, I don't see any of those suggestions implemented. In fact, with the crazy "deuce" rule and the "super-tie-break" - another ridiculous contraption - they're messing up the doubles game too. Pity!
And Sahil, you're so right! Even 3-4 years ago, we had the Belgians vs the Williams. Not one rivalry of note since
ReplyDeleteGreat Article. I have to say after Justin retired there isnt ay lady in the womens draw whom i would like to see just for her skill and ability. She was a great example of its not just about power.
ReplyDeleteJustine's another great example of a dying breed of tennis players. Phenomenally talented - with possible the best backhand in the game
ReplyDeleteI was a Hingis fan. Lately, I haven't been following any sport on tv (ironic, considering my interests in general); but loved the post for the hingis remark! haha.
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