3.14.2007

It's a Women's Match!!

By Haruka

a bit of a rant


Before I start, I think I should put it out there. Though I do not think I am a feminist, I think I can confidently say: a woman has to fight much harder for respect, equality, and opportunities. And in a game like tennis when the first professional women tennis players had to fight to establish the WTA and the acknowledgment by ATP and the world, the state of women's tennis is a bit disheartening. And the fight still continues, it was not until this past year, that men and women were finally given the same amount of prize money in Wimbledon. So why is it, when there are real competitive, consecutively winning champions on the WTA tour, is Maria Sharapova the poster girl for women's tennis.


Maria Sharapova, due to her loss at the Pacific Life Open, will no longer be number 1 in the world. But she has already been number 1 once before. Both slams she has won, Wimbledon and the US Open, there was a noticeably lacking field of other top ranking players especially in her draw. She has been obviously coached during games, a plain, and overly aggressive (which is a good trait for a tennis player). So why, when I am trying to watch tennis, am I subjected to a Maria Sharapova commercial? Repeatedly.


Maria Sharapova is the highest paid female athlete in the world.

The WORLD.

HUH?

At 19 years old, winning debatable slams and questionably number one, there are more established female athletes in the world. In ice-skating, basketball, swimming, skiing, etc. Somehow she is still the most paid female athlete in the world. And this figure is not from prize money but from sponsorship money.


Maria Sharapova is making money. And through tennis. But more money is made by sitting pretty, in some air conditioned studio, and single handily destroying any legitimacy of tennis and female played sports, that women have fought to be respected for something other than butt shots, and pin up ads in magazines.


Yes, there are other females that have used their looks to get ahead. There is nothing wrong with that. But when she is more known for being the girl in the magazine who happens to play good tennis rather than the girl who plays good tennis and happens to be in a few ads; who can honestly respect this still budding part of tennis?


I AM SICK OF SEEING THAT DAMN COMMERICAL!!

Hubris is Never Good

By Haruka



Though tennis has been happening since the end of the Australian Open, most of it has reaped unsurprising results aka Roger Federer winning more titles So what is it about the Pacific Life Open that just has the expected winner packing his bags with no trophy to carry?


My theory? Federer's pride has finally done him in. Finally. A comfortable ruler is often nearsighted, thus never seeing the danger down the road. Federer could not have expected to lose when he did. Could Federer's last loss coming from Andy Murray in 2006, possibly lulled him into a false sense of security? Federer when faced against a relentless Canas never seemed to get worried. Was it because, Federer is just that calm of a person? Were his oddly placed injury time-outs his passive aggressive way to throwing a fit? Or was it because, he somehow, even during Canas' s match point, felt he could win the match? Though this may seem a little mean or condescending we are talking about the same man that said Andy Roddick was tougher to play then Rafael Nodal. A little bit...incorrect, especially considering the statistics. When reading his many of his articles, though rightfully confident, you can wonder: maybe he has taken it too far.


And he is not the only player whose fame has perhaps gone to his head. Sharapova, so upset with her loss, refused to give her press conference. And James Blake tried to use his connections, to undermine rules that he was supposed to protect.


What is going on?