Vika

Sharapova

The Australian Open Ladies Final has been set. Victoria Azarenka, the third ranked player, will meet Maria Sharapova, the fourth ranked player for the Aussie crown. Also, the number one ranking is up for grabs after it was wrested from the eternal grip of Caroline Wozniacki. No more comment is needed regarding that. The woman who wins the match will be the top ranked player, so there’s the guarantee that a Grand Slam winner will finally occupy the top stop.

The head to head is 3 to 3, they play a similar style of game, they are both loud grunters. VERY LOUD. There’s really not much between them on paper. It’s going to be the intangibles that count in this match. Sharapova has a ton of Grand Slam experience. Azarenka is undefeated so far this year. This match is going to be won by the woman who wants it most and who is willing to fight for it.

Personally, I’m rooting for Azarenka. She’s a total badass and a worthy candidate to enter the Big Babe Tennis Brigade.

Good luck, Vika.

Christina McHale, Irina Falconi, Sloane Stephens, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Vania King, Jamie Hampton, Madison Keys, Vavara Lepchenko, and Alison Riske.

All American; all entered in either the Men or Women’s Singles; all have been eliminated. Except:

Serena

She’s 30, she’s got a gimp ankle, she doesn’t know how she became an athlete, but she’s now the lone American left in the Singles draw. Why is that? Well here are some other facts about Serena. She’s won the Australian Open five times. She’s won the Doubles Championship four times. She’s never lost a first round singles match in a Grand Slam in her entire career. She might not win the title. There’s no denying however, that she has and continues to be the standard-bearer for American tennis. Reviled by some, Confusing to others, yet no one can deny that fact.

Some comedian on Tumblr quipped that she didn’t know they allowed men to play women’s tennis. It was an obvious dig at Serena Williams. The funny thing is, she’s lasted longer than the Men’s Singles players too.

To that I say, HA!

Frannie S.

After Samantha Stosur’s shock exit the day before, Italy’s top ranked female and last year’s French Open finalist, Francesca Shiavone was ushered out by her compatriot. Sad to see her go. Frannie’s a ton of fun to watch. She’ll be missed.

Mardy Fish

Not to be outdone, the top ranked American, Mardy Fish was dismissed by Alejandro Falla in straight sets. The pile on the by ESPN bobbleheads was immediate. I do think Mardy still has problems keeping it together emotionally when he’s not playing well, though. Although Falla is a great player, this is a match that Fish should have won. Instead, he was listless and temperamental. A distressing trait that we are seeing more and more often. Let’s not forget his very recent dust-up at the Hopman Cup between him and his opponent. Falla reported that during the match, Fish said something less than charitable to him. C’mon now. Even the best players have bad days, Mardy. You just gotta suck it up, tug ‘em down and play. Well, maybe he’ll think about that on his plane ride home.

Then again, he didn’t get as mad as this guy:

Smashing!

Marcos Baghdatis did not take his bad play against Stan Wawrinka well at all. As you can see from the picture, he made quite a job of smashing his racket. He didn’t stop there, he smashed four rackets in succession. There’s a YouTube video of the carnage. I like a good racket smash as much as anyone, but it didn’t seem to help. He lost in four sets and was fined $800. Poor little tink tink.

But what’s a Grand Slam without a questionable call from an umpire? Picture this: It’s the fifth set of a grueling men’s match. The score is knotted at 8 a piece (there are no tiebreakers in final sets). Player one serves and it’s called wide. The crowd erupts. In the confusion, the Umpire overrules the call and says the serve was in. Player two is aghast and asks what the hell is going on. He checks the mark, he asks Player one what he thinks, and then decides to challenge. The Umpire says no. His call stands. Player two is livid, Player one is befuddled but goes on to win the match.

You cannot be serious?

Poor David Nalbandian got hosed for sure. A replay of point showed that the serve was wide. The linesperson was right. Tough break for sure. Although Nalbandian said that the point wasn’t the deciding factor in his loss, we all know it kind of did.

The heat did bring some good things, though. Like this:

Tommy Haas

And this:

Now is the time where I’m supposed to congratulate Cristea for gutsy play. In her brief career, the by-line on her was that she has a ton of talent, but she’s been unable to close out the big matches. She did just that yesterday. She was fearless and yet kept it together when it counted. Her screaming forehand at deuce point during the final game was the perfect combination of guile and bravery. A very good effort on her part.

Back to Sam, shall we? Her post match press conference was heartbreaking. Kudos to her for keeping it together and handling the loss with grace. I know I couldn’t do that. I’ll admit it right here and now, I’m a sore loser and a worse winner. Hmmm,  maybe that has something to do with why I was always picked last for kickball. Anyhoo, that sense of sadness turned to anger when I saw the pictures of the headlines blaring in the Australian newspapers. “This is how you do it, Sam!” they screamed while having a picture of a despondent Stosur placed next another Australian (well, this year at least) Jelena Dokic. “Stosur’s Meltdown!”, “Sam Sunk!” and on and on. Even though I’m not a huge fan of Stosur, I felt horrible for her because I’m human and Stosur is human too.

Sometimes I think the sports press forgets that the athletes they follow relentlessly are indeed carbon based organisms. To place so much pressure on an athlete has a price for both parties. For the athlete, it entails constant scrutiny and for the press it means possible overkill and dashed hopes. The remedy however, is to not make matters worse by making fun of the athlete. I know that Australia hasn’t had an Australian citizen win the championship in decades, but they might want to chill with the hype. Lleyton Hewitt was the top ranked male player and winner of the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, but he couldn’t quite get it done in Melbourne. Now there’s Sam Stosur who probably hasn’t even had to polish her U.S. Open trophy yet, succumbing to the expectations of her countrymen and women. There might be a lesson to be learned there.

I can only imagine how the players from the U.K, France, Australia, and the U.S. feel. To win a slam on the home front is a monumental achievement and yet so few have been able to do so. Although I love the Grand Slams for their drama, I can’t help but cringe a bit for Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet, Marion Bartoli, The Williams Sisters, Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick, Bernard Tomic, and Casey Dellaqua. That’s because I knew the heat of the spotlight is just a bit hotter for them and the defeats are just that much more bitter. It’s not the kind of feeling you want at home.

However, the most important subject of the day was the fashion. It’s the first Slam of the year, so everyone’s watching to see what the clothing sponsors were going to inflict upon us.

Adidas gave us this:

Fernando Verdasco

Was it something he did in a former life? No one deserves this kind of punishment no matter how much money is dished out. To make matters worse, his entourage was decked out in this monstrosity as well. Nothing bands together a bunch of men like sharing the shame of a horrible outfit. He lost his match in five sets. If he was smart, he’d toss the entire outfit in the trash bin. But Adidas wasn’t finished. For the ladies…

Caroline Wozniacki

Maria Kirilenko

This tangerine/pink combo is simply a crime against the non-colorblind. Horrific. I’m sure many tennis fans were hit with a craving for a Big Mac and some fries.

Let’s see what Nike had for us:

Petra K.

Vika A.

I’m digging the teal/purple/light green combo. Vika’s shorts are quit natty and a nice departure from the regular tennis skirts and dresses. The focus is definitely more gym babe than Victoria’s Secret model.

Let’s look at the custom kits, shall we?

Federer

I have to say, Nike always does Federer well. This year is no exception. The red and white combo is simple and stylish. The white initials are needless I think considering everyone knows who “RF” is.  Good job.

Rafa

Rafa’s Nike kit follows the same tradition for him: Bright colors. The shorts are slightly shorter this year than in previous ones and the knee bandage isn’t available for purchase. It took a while to get used to the light green, but now I like it. It suits him. He also has the best custom shoes in the game.

And as for Fila:

Kim C.

Black/White/Lime Green combo. One word: Boring! I’ve always loved Fila’s simple, color blocked style but this is unimaginative. Oh but wait..

Jelena J.

Here’s Jelena Jankovic’s custom Fila kit…You know what, nevermind.

Li Ning is bringing the Canary Yellow.

Ivan L.

Lacoste is bringing the White (as usual) with a little bit of tan.

John Isner

Alize Cornet

This divide isn’t new. For months, the rift between the two most recognizable and respected athletes in tennis had been reported. When the ATP was in search of a new head, Nadal wanted tour veteran Richard Krajicek to take the helm whereas Federer wanted someone with more business experience. Nadal favors a two year ranking system, Federer does not. Nadal wants a shorter season with less play on hardcourts, Federer is fine with the schedule as is. The two even met during the World Tour Finals to hammer out some of their differences. From Nadal’s comments, not much was accomplished. For now we are left with a frustrated No. 2 , a complacent No. 3 and a tour in flux.

Nadal says he’s not alone in his stance and there is evidence to show that. No. 4 ranked player, Andy Murray has complained in the past as well as American stalwart, Andy Roddick. Former players, coaches and commentators have all stated that the season is too long and the injuries are too numerous. Tennis fans all over the net have railed against the wonky decisions from the Powers That Be. The failure of the ATP and the ITF to address these issues have indeed become a mountain instead of a molehill.

The reactions I have read are split. Nadal fans are in full support of their man. Federer fans think their guy is right. The tennis press in a rare attempt to seem neutral have attempted to outline both sides of the argument, but they can’t help themselves from making this another chapter in the FEDAL wars. The thing is, Nadal’s concerns run deeper than a tiff with Federer. Depending on how you feel, this is really about the tennis tour as it is now versus how it’s going to be in the future. It’s more than just a multi-millionaire athlete speaking from a place of self interest. This is about the long term survival of the tour. Nadal is addressing a wide range of problems: from the length of the tour, to revenue sharing, to player representation, to the opportunities of lower ranked players to make a living.

That’s not to say that I agree with everything Nadal says. I’m no blind stan. I do support his right to say whatever he feels though without making himself or the tour look bad. I do wish that the other players who feel the same will support him and turn all this talk into action. I’m also interested in Federer’s response to all of this. Yes a Grand Slam tournament is about to start but this shit is important. I don’t give a damn if there’s a ripple in the Federer/Nadal bromance, these issues need to be addressed.

In short, the Emperor is losing his jacket and nobody puts Baby Rafa in a corner.

Fight the Power!

REPEAT!!!

In honor of the Australian Open starting this weekend, I wanted to post an old school clip of one of my favorite players, Gabriela Sabatini. A two-time Australian Open Semi-Finalist, Sabatini was a top 10 mainstay, a Grand Slam singles and doubles champion,  an Olympic Silver Medalist, and a Tennis Hall of Fame inductee. She retired in 1996 at the age of 26. This clip is from 1985, when she made her very first final at the Family Circle Cup at the 14 years of age. Her opponent was the great Chris Evert. Sabatini lost in straight sets, but what an unforgettable debut.

Some background: That week the tournament had been rained out and there was a horrendous back up. The day of the final, Sabatini had to play Pam Shriver and Magdalena Maleeva back to back. It’s understandable that she wilted in the last set of her third match of the day. Remember this is back in 1985, players had much less say in terms of scheduling and television network demands. It’s hard to conclude that Sabatini wasn’t taken advantage of big time.

Some other observations. You can see the foundation of Sabatini’s all court game. In one particular rally, she pins Evert to the baseline. Evert sends a desperation shot that lands short. Instead of staying back, Sabatini rushes the net and sends a forehand half volley down the line. Even at such a young age, she had the court sense of a veteran and yet her use of topspin was unique in the women’s game. And that one-handed backhand? Wonderful. Guess who Amelie Mauresmo modeled hers after?

However, she was playing against one of the legends of the game. Chris Evert’s clay court stats are better than Bjorn Borg’s and Rafael Nadal. There was no way she was losing that match. She exposed Sabatini’s main weakness, her second serve by either hitting an untouchable return or putting Sabatini on the defensive early on. Good work from one of the game’s best tacticians.

Oh and one more thing I noticed, No screaming.

Those were the days.

“That’s been an image that people have tried to paint of me since, you know, the day Barack announced, that I’m some angry black woman,” She said when asked about her thoughts on the book’s description of her. Her statement is nothing but the truth too. I’ve heard it and read it myself about the FLOTUS.

“Why doesn’t she ever smile?”

“She looks so mean!”

“She seems like a Grouch!”

“She looks angry because she’s not proud of her country.”

I know the instinct to protect precious brain cells prevents most people from subjecting themselves to the Yahoo comments section or the message boards of FoxNews.com, but just stop by one day if you are in doubt. There is some serious First Lady hatred going on and it has yet to let up in the three years since the election. For black women, it is par for the course and I could just sense a collective head nod occurring when she talked about the criticism that has been aimed at her.

“The Angry Black Woman” meme has become the gold standard stereotype leveled at African American women. It’s as if people think it’s been imprinted on our DNA to mean mug and roll our necks. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially in the case of Michelle Obama. She’s one of the most photographed women in the world. There are plenty of pictures out there of her smiling, laughing, and hugging people. But the critics of the administration and thirsty journalists aren’t trying to put that bit of fact out there.

Then again, even if they did who would believe them? Even if a picture of Michelle Obama was published on the cover of USA Today that had her cheesing like a Cheshire cat, it still wouldn’t make that much of a difference. Some people would still find something wrong, just like they do with the rest of us. How many sistas have been pulled aside and told by a boss or a co-worker and told that they have a bit of an attitude? When was the last time some random stranger veered out of their lane and directed one of us to, “SMILE!”? I have a dozen examples, and those are just my own. It’s tiresome to say the least.

Maybe the focus should be on , “The Tired Black Woman”. She’s real and she’ll tell you that she is sick of the lies. Black women are as diverse in their dispositions as they are in their body types. It’s too damn sad that the First Lady of the United States has to defend herself for being who she is, like so many of us have had to do.

You can look at these victories in two ways. One, Romney is on his way to becoming the Republican nominee even after the fickle attention given to Herman Cain, Michelle Bachmann, Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich along the way. He has more money, more connections and he’s slightly less right of right than the other candidates. Or two, even after 4 years of trying to be President, that 40% is the highest number he has achieved so far. I’m guessing that Republican voters are still trying to get used to the fact that Romney is now a real contender. That sentiment isn’t hard to understand considering Romney’s history of policy switches, playing loosey-goosey with the truth and his general likeness to a Ken Doll. I’m sure some of them are hoping that a late comer will sweep in and make them all feel good about being Republicans again.

That’s not looking too likely. Ron Paul might stick around just to annoy Romney. The die hard Social Conservatives might keep Santorum sniffing around for a few more weeks, but the money is on Romney. It was predicted before the Republican race even started. Far from an ideal nominee, he has a while to go before he’s ready to engage in a national campaign against the greatest political candidate in Presidential history. He’s their man though.

Good luck with that.