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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:22:35 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Sept 13, 2009 20:22:35 GMT -5
Wow. Have been at a wedding all weekend, managed to catch the headline "CLIJSTERS WINS AS SERENA ERUPTS" this morning and had to spend 10 hours wondering what the hell happened. I'm glad that so much of Serena's bullshit backfired on her at last. The entitled, bratty, cunty behaviour that she tried to intimidate people with, and that she thought she could get away with again. (Shocked that she went so over the top with it, though.) Possibly even worse for her, the laziness which meant that her game wasn't tight enough to beat a renowned choker in her third tournament back from a baby break. Stupidity rife among the internets, I note. How anyone can defend Serena on this I have no idea. Foot faults, I guess, are seen as weirder than most because at amateur/unofficiated matches, you can't really call them, because neither server nor opponent is looking at the server's feet. But it's a rule which is obviously there for a reason and which isn't remotely negotiable. None of this is relevant, though, and nor is the question of whether it was a correct call. Oh god, the persecution complex rearing its head again...when will people get it into their thick skulls that bad calls and awful umpiring happen all the time, in every match, to every player, and these dramas only seem to follow Serena around because she makes such a song and dance about them. The press conference was surreal and this latest Serena statement completely pathetic. Interesting that she's opted for the defiant route. Latest stories are suggesting the possibility of an AO ban
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:28:01 GMT -5
Post by leelee on Sept 13, 2009 20:28:01 GMT -5
I see absolutely no reason why foot faults shouldn't be consistently called at any stage of the match. They could just as well be lenient with calling the ball out when the match is close. I see no difference, to be honest, and I don't understand why foot faults are so mystified. The problem is that foot faults are so rarely called, that players and everyone get angry when it is called. The biggest example with Safin from the US Open. He's been set up with his right foot across the middle line since forever, and 10 years later it's called in an important moment. And he STILL does it, and it's never been called again.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:32:28 GMT -5
Post by leelee on Sept 13, 2009 20:32:28 GMT -5
As I figured. The equivalent of a cup of coffee for me.
The only worthwhile suspension the ITF could do is ban her from slams. The AO is 4 months away, and nobody will remember this then. Whatever. As always, the top players can do what they want.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:36:10 GMT -5
Post by Calico on Sept 13, 2009 20:36:10 GMT -5
As I figured. The equivalent of a cup of coffee for me. The only worthwhile suspension the ITF could do is ban her from slams. The AO is 4 months away, and nobody will remember this then. Whatever. As always, the top players can do what they want. I still think Serena will face a supsension. We'll see. But if she does get suspened by the WTA Tour or ITF will the Williams sisters boycott more tournaments in the future?
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:37:12 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Sept 13, 2009 20:37:12 GMT -5
The story is getting a lot more coverage than I thought it would. Prominent stories outside the sports sections. But yeah, it will be forgotten about in a month. Serena is probably gagging for an official suspension for the next 3 months anyway.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:49:50 GMT -5
Post by Edna Krabappel on Sept 13, 2009 20:49:50 GMT -5
The problem is that foot faults are so rarely called, that players and everyone get angry when it is called. The biggest example with Safin from the US Open. He's been set up with his right foot across the middle line since forever, and 10 years later it's called in an important moment. And he STILL does it, and it's never been called again. Yes, that's totally true. I'm just wondering why we've come to a situation where not calling foot faults is virtually an unwritten rule. It's not like foot faults are any more disruptive or intrusive than regular out calls. And WTA and ATP had to realize this situation can be dangerous in the long run, as there was always going to be a linesperson who'd go by the actual rules and things could get ugly.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:54:10 GMT -5
Post by leelee on Sept 13, 2009 20:54:10 GMT -5
It didn't used to be that way. Edberg, he'd get called at least a few times per match. And it didn't faze him.
It's like this with so many things in tennis, though. The top players usually get away with it, and that's that.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 20:56:47 GMT -5
Post by R. Black on Sept 13, 2009 20:56:47 GMT -5
~CHINESE LINESWOMAN~ ruined Kim's moment.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 21:01:12 GMT -5
Post by Grarliner on Sept 13, 2009 21:01:12 GMT -5
I disagree. I think the officials will be even tougher on her now. It's like when you go after an umpire in baseball, you become a marked man by the fraternity of officials for a while. Thanks Sjengster. I also agree that this might have been the tennis of biting Holyfield's ear, and been a way to lose without having actually get knocket out, or without anyone remembering that you were pretty comprehensively beaten. Perhaps the call was a result of the effect you described in the first bit there. I don't think the officials have forgotten about Serena's second round staredown-with-linesman after getting the footfault call. Maybe that's why she got that call when she did. And will it stop now? I dunno. Serena's not helping her cause with her non-apology apology. Will this blow over? Yes. But it will be remembered at next year's Open and I'm sure people will have an eye out for Serena's behavior then. To my mind, beyond the incident, this was a humiliating loss for the self-proclaimed world #1. I'm sure she was totally expecting victory and probably figured they could just mail her the trophy and she'd go home right now. Losing to Kim in her third tournament back is a very humbling experience.
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 22:30:11 GMT -5
Post by The Chloe on Sept 13, 2009 22:30:11 GMT -5
After a day of sitting on this, I still think it's the most disgusting display of behaviour I've ever seen on court - and that includes Capriati yelling at a baby, though that one was a close contest which could have gone either way!
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Day 13.
Sept 13, 2009 22:31:53 GMT -5
Post by The Chloe on Sept 13, 2009 22:31:53 GMT -5
Okay, strike that - it's the worst display I've seen in women's tennis. I've seen worse clips from men in challengers/futures. And by worse, I mean more awesome. If anybody has something in women's tennis that they think rivals this, please post. I enjoy a good brat attack. I had one this morning, in honour of this event!
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 6:27:14 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Sept 14, 2009 6:27:14 GMT -5
The bonus of this drama is that it's totally overshadowing St. Kim F. Clijsters actually winning the thing Can't believe Serena has the audacity to be turning this into another tiresome me-against-the-world deal. The call, whether wrong or right, isn't even the issue. And her non-apology is only going to help keep this alive. She could have gotten away with yelling so much other stuff at that stage...cf JenFat at the AO, just cursing or even a straight insult would have probably been treated with leniency. But this was just so far over the line! And the lack of contrition isn't going to encourage the authorities to go easy on her. With a decent apology, a rap over the knuckles and the fine would have sufficed. Now, though, I really hope she gets hit with a Slam suspension. "Lines judges shouldn't be allowed to ruin matches." No, the lines judge didn't ruin the match. Serena Williams did. The doubles final should be interesting later!
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 6:34:40 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Sept 14, 2009 6:34:40 GMT -5
And the "other players get away with this sort of stuff all the time" line is such bullshit. Massive difference between calling someone a "fucking asshole" (which is the usual) and threatening to shove a fucking ball down their fucking throat. Just imagine saying either of those in a workplace, for example. People cite McEnroe, but...the point was that he DIDN'T get away with it, he got defaulted from the AO because of it! I honestly can't recall any Tour match in which the player has crossed the line of acceptability so egregiously. Did Tarango threaten violence? (If he didn't, his wife certainly provided it, lolz.) This is going to be Serena's equivalent of Hingis's RG '99. Not gonna get forgotten.
If the blow-up had occurred 10 minutes earlier, the point penalty would be a talking point but nowhere near this level of drama, though.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 7:44:39 GMT -5
Post by :rolleyes: on Sept 14, 2009 7:44:39 GMT -5
How long was Luzzi banned for punching crazy Dani? I think Serena should get banned for half the length. What Luzzi did was assault and battery. What serena did was assault.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 7:50:32 GMT -5
Post by Maeby Fünke on Sept 14, 2009 7:50:32 GMT -5
Massive difference between calling someone a "fucking asshole" (which is the usual). Thats what Wozniacki got defaulted for in 2006, which got her the Pottymouth nickname.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 8:34:42 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Sept 14, 2009 8:34:42 GMT -5
It's what Spirlea got defaulted for back in the day too, I believe.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 11:56:46 GMT -5
Post by leelee on Sept 14, 2009 11:56:46 GMT -5
Watching it again, another thing to look at is that this could have been much uglier.
If big Serena walks up to my face, ready to swing a racket, I'm up and swingin'. I don't trust that crazy bitch.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 12:09:22 GMT -5
Post by Calico on Sept 14, 2009 12:09:22 GMT -5
Watching it again, another thing to look at is that this could have been much uglier. If big Serena walks up to my face, ready to swing a racket, I'm up and swingin'. I don't trust that crazy bitch. You mean you would throw down with Serena if need be? She prides herself on being very intimidating to everyone around her and not just tennis players.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 12:14:38 GMT -5
Post by Brinyi on Sept 14, 2009 12:14:38 GMT -5
I want to see this dust-up!
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 12:40:51 GMT -5
Post by leelee on Sept 14, 2009 12:40:51 GMT -5
If anyone threatens me, I will attack.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 13:04:54 GMT -5
Post by Brinyi on Sept 14, 2009 13:04:54 GMT -5
This is hilarious. I swear to God, this is not a spoof or a satire!!!!
"I want to amend my press statement of yesterday and want to make it clear as possible - I want to sincerely apologise first to the lineswoman, Kim Clijsters, the US Tennis Association and mostly tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst," Williams said.
"I'm a woman of great pride, faith and integrity and I admit when I'm wrong. I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it's not the way to act - win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner.
"I like to lead by example. We all learn from experiences both good and bad. I will learn and grow from this, and be a better person as a result."
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 13:34:32 GMT -5
Post by Calico on Sept 14, 2009 13:34:32 GMT -5
This is hilarious. I swear to God, this is not a spoof or a satire!!!! "I want to amend my press statement of yesterday and want to make it clear as possible - I want to sincerely apologise first to the lineswoman, Kim Clijsters, the US Tennis Association and mostly tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst," Williams said. "I'm a woman of great pride, faith and integrity and I admit when I'm wrong. I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it's not the way to act - win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner. "I like to lead by example. We all learn from experiences both good and bad. I will learn and grow from this, and be a better person as a result." Serena's apology is better than nothing. But her apology should have focused only on the line judge since that is who she's abused verbally with that salty language and threatening to shove the ball down her throat. Apologizing to Clijsters and the others is unimportant. It's the lineswoman who needed a real apology for being sworn at and threatened by Serena.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 13:48:48 GMT -5
Post by Edna Krabappel on Sept 14, 2009 13:48:48 GMT -5
I like it how she turns the apology into an ode to herself.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 13:51:50 GMT -5
Post by R. Black on Sept 14, 2009 13:51:50 GMT -5
I like it how she turns the apology into an ode to herself. Quelle surprise!
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 14:06:21 GMT -5
Post by janie on Sept 14, 2009 14:06:21 GMT -5
I like it how she turns the apology into an ode to herself. Yes, she is a true champion at that. No one can touch her in this field. I'm actually starting to feel a little bit sorry for Serena. She's so grossly underdeveloped as a human being, yet she thinks she's mature and fascinating. And she's completely surrounded by people who back up these odd views. I wonder who finally got her to issue an apology, two days late. And who it was who allowed her to issue that sickening, self-praising ("I'm just SO PASSIONATE!") "statement" yesterday, which didn't even approach apology or remorse. Serena should take a page out of Obama's book and invite that poor tiny lineslady to sit down for a cup of coffee with her, and apologize to her face. Though the lady might still be too frightened to go.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 14:21:31 GMT -5
Post by Brinyi on Sept 14, 2009 14:21:31 GMT -5
The lineswoman should only go for a coffee with her if she is accompanied by Crazy-Dani Koellerer.
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 14:41:50 GMT -5
Post by janie on Sept 14, 2009 14:41:50 GMT -5
Excellent plan!
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Day 13.
Sept 14, 2009 20:32:19 GMT -5
Post by Calico on Sept 14, 2009 20:32:19 GMT -5
I like it how she turns the apology into an ode to herself. Yes, she is a true champion at that. No one can touch her in this field. I'm actually starting to feel a little bit sorry for Serena. She's so grossly underdeveloped as a human being, yet she thinks she's mature and fascinating. And she's completely surrounded by people who back up these odd views. I wonder who finally got her to issue an apology, two days late. And who it was who allowed her to issue that sickening, self-praising ("I'm just SO PASSIONATE!") "statement" yesterday, which didn't even approach apology or remorse. Serena should take a page out of Obama's book and invite that poor tiny lineslady to sit down for a cup of coffee with her, and apologize to her face. Though the lady might still be too frightened to go. One of your better posts Janie. Ever. Good one about Serena inviting the lineswoman for a cup of coffee. And good call about Serena being underdeveloped as a person. Most star athletes are.
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