The Tennis Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

The media has made it a big deal. They shouldn't even be having these games in a pandemic. The majority of Japanese people don't even want it held and the infection rate of COVID-19 in Tokyo is at an all time high.

[Fevuh]

I had to laugh at that when I heard this morning.

[Soapsuds]

I saw the match last night. It was a treat to watch!

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[DramatistDreamer]

It makes what Venus and Serena did over decades even more incredible. The fact that there are no Americans left in singles (are there any left in doubles?) makes it clear how much the Williams were carrying the U.S. tennis on their backs, even during the Olympics. Venus, at damn near 40, still managed a silver medal in MXD and might have gotten gold with a higher caliber partner.

[Fevuh]

I thought the same.  Actually I thought, I'll be really impressed with Naomi when she's 38, had a kid, and still in the serious discussions for slams.  And had 21 or 22 already.  Right now, she just Osaka'd.  LOL

[DramatistDreamer]

I don't see her playing to that age, but I could say the same of most of the WTA.

Venus has played with an autoimmune disease since being diagnosed in 2011 (undiagnosed since 2006). Wozniacki retired about a year and a half after being diagnosed with RA.

It's a bit unfair to all, to expect Osaka and the rest to live up to the standard that the Williams Sisters set. There is no one like either of them.

Ashleigh Barty took nearly two years off from tennis to deal with her mental health struggles. When Venus and Serena's sister was gunned down, everybody in the tennis pundit-sphere practically had an opinion on how they thought both should be managing their careers and personal lives.

 

I don't think Osaka asked the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Committee to make her the torch-lighter, but there was no way she was going to turn down what is essentially an honor. And Japan got plenty of buzz and to look less racist for a few days, when everyone knows what problems they have with xenophobia and monoculture.

Edited July 27, 2021 by DramatistDreamer

[Faulkner]

 

[DramatistDreamer]

After they had chair umpires (who are always right, haven't you heard?

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) tell players that they don't believe them when the player complains of health problems being caused by excessive heat.

After they throw players under the bus for 'poor performance', now they care.

Edited July 28, 2021 by DramatistDreamer
GIF feature seems glitchy for me

[ChitHappens]

The appreciation I currently have for Venus and Serena right now is immeasurable!  

I think Simone dropped out because she was making errors and didn't want to take the team out of medal contention.  A disgrace!  I'd rather she fall 100 times than to drop and then hop on the mental health bandwagon.  That will certainly shield you from accountability!  A [!@#$%^&*] Olympian quitting at the most crucial moment?  I'm disgusted...

[DramatistDreamer]

Did you hear her say that she didn't know where she was landing on her vault? She was flying blind. Having only done back walkovers, I am not in a position to judge someone in a sport where, if you land wrong, you can actually maim yourself. 

Speaking of accountability, Biles is the only gymnast on Team USA competing as a sexual assault victim for a gymnastics program that failed to take full accountability for wrecking tens if young girl's lives.

I am not comparing these women against each at all. Both Venus and Serena have had mental health episodes, that cost them big. They suffered in silence for years. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

I'm just saying appreciate these women. They are extraordinarily talented. They are also human, not robots.

[ChitHappens]

Simone went out of her way to come up with routines no other gymnast would dare to attempt so what does the abuse she sustained [at the hands of these people] have to do with this?  

I guess my problem is using "mental health" as a reason.  I would be ok if she just said "I was making too many errors so I needed to let someone else take the lead".  

Mental health concerns is now the go to?  

[Soapsuds]

So I thought family wasn't allowed in the Olympics yet there is Tsisitpas mother and father in the stands. Huh?

Gotta love Tsisitpas defeat and dramatic fall on court. Mary Carrillo and Rennae Stubbs trying to figure out what was going on was priceless. Tsisitpas making the funniest and weirdest faces was hilarious! Was he throwing up was he gagging.... Lord what a sight! The camera showing him looking up at someone while this was going on...

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[Fevuh]

I thought the same thing.  I'm hearing mental health a lot now.  I don't blame Simone, but I'd rather that mental health not be brought up.  Yes, it needs discussion, but not a reason for stepping down.  Her reason is valid enough - a lot of gymnasts have it happen.  Where you don't know where you are in the air or there's a mental lapse, and no one knows why it happens but it does.  And then it's in your head, that you didn't know where you were.  It's very similar to figure skaters who suddenly develop vertigo.  And I don't know but I also relate it to pilots who suddenly can't discern water from the sky with their vision or how your brain suddenly perceives things.  But I agree, I don't want 'mental health' as the go-to all of a sudden.  After and still during COVID, we all were in the same boat really as far as adjusting to life, maybe feeling more alone, taxing our mental health.  But I sure can't blame it for my job and say I'm not showing up today because of my mental health.  Just saying that you're flying blind, something happened, you're physically OK you think, but I couldn't tell where I was is enough.

I often think of Mardy Fish who brought this up years ago, and he wasn't a champion or anything really but it crippled him for about 5 years, and really people called him a wuss and a failure. No one rallied and understood.  I guess it helps if you're backed by Nike and suddenly use your popularity and clout to cop out.  He didn't get the Michael Phelps of the world coming to his defense, and MP got some huge breaks of his own that other people would not get when it comes to alcohol.

[DramatistDreamer]

Hopefully Smith, who is likely to be the weak link, comes through on this one.

[ChitHappens]

I was going to skip King Richard until I saw Anjanue Ellis as Oracene.  Should have started with that.  All of the black actors in Hollywood and Will Smith is the best they could do?  He must be financially tied to the project. 

 

Oh and Svitolina needs her head examined.  She is in a slump that is lasting a lot longer than it should.