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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Argh! Tennis again.

Last year I was sure...I knew whom I liked and whom I disliked. It was pretty simple...I even wrote it down at the end of this blog. But then I had to take some disciplinary actions towards my fav #3...Djokovic because:

  • He was mean to Roddick at the US Open 2008. Not that I like Roddick...hell NO! But he should be treated like a sportsman. When Djokovic made fun of Roddick he expected him to take it in good spirits but when Roddick made a smart-alec comment he got mean to him on-court right after he defeated him...Bad Nole.
  • He really kept falling ill all the time on-court.
  • His family is annoying...Remember OZ 2008 his dad wanted Nole's entire entourage (bar his mom) throw their tee's to the crowd? Cheap. And then his mom's comment about King FED..mean!
So now Nole does not rank in my top 3. Well I don't have a top 3. Now it is just top 2...Rafa and Fed in that order...

I saw Verdasco play yesterday against Murray (can't stand him). I liked Verdasco's game and he is gorgeous (yes somehow this is important too!). So if he continues to be good then probably he can come to my #3...I still like Gonzalez...but not sure if he can make my #3 yet. I like Santoro, just for his spirit but then I don't know how much longer he is going to hang around the circuit...Oh! And there is Berdych...hmm...well now it is between Verdasco and Berdych. Lets see!

So the point of this blog? You ask? Of course is Tennis. Last night I saw Nole fighting Andy in temperatures like 132F (like some 62C). Can you imagine that? I was so surprised to see Andy playing it cool when Nole was obviously buckling down under heat. Now this cannot be held against Nole becuase these are really bad conditions to play in. I am surprised that the Rod Laver Arena did not close the top. Why would they want the players to suffer from a heat stroke? Andy or Nole or anyone for that matter?

And like last year
I ask again, how come the women get paid the same but get the privilege of early matches? And not to forget the 3 setters? I think it is unfair. And they should do something. For the next game Andy is going to be tired and so on and so forth. This is a test of talent and not a test of endurance. Not a test cricket match.

And last night for once I was torn between supporting my ex-#3 Nole or Andy who is on my "I cannot stand you no matter what" list. Because I could see Nole suffering and Andy trying to do what is fair.

Anyways your thoughts?

11 comments:

Chitra said...

Hey Anu, How u been? this post cud not have come at a better time...I have been following Tennis myself...Man, did you watch the one w/ Fed and Berdych, that was something...As much as i like Fed, i have never seen him sweat and run sooo much!!! Berdych had him going...Yes, The Djokovic and Roddick's match was something...Can you imagine the heat?? I mean, if it IS infact so HOT, why dont the roof the court....???? They's rather see the players faint??? Think people, Think!!!!!!
Well, Nadal is the darling...His outfit (Pastel) for the last match was totally retro...Add a disco Ball and give him roller blades and its is the 70's all over again!!! I am Rooting for him!!!!
Fed, well...what can i say, except, keep cool!!!!!
TC...

Anu Russell said...

Berdych was good...but that is where the difference between the master and the nots come in...

Fed can persist while the rest get complacent after beating Fed down for two sets...and that is when they start to loose...it is all in the mind...

I will always root for Nadal...a Rafa-Fed Game will be the ultimate as always...

Vamos Rafa!

Chitra said...

Amen and Vamos indeed!!! :)

Trevor Penn said...

I just love women who can talk sports. And know what they're talking about! Esp. cricket, basketball and tennis.

*Hugs*

Anu Russell said...

hehehe Trevor. Thanks. I know a lot about tennis and a little about cricket but I can pretty much watch all sports with equal enthu other than american football. Somehow everytime I see it all I can do is sit and pass mean comments...and totally irritate my husband and friends!

Hugs to u too :)

Anonymous said...

Hmm...Anu I usually agree with you on most things (which is why I have been a regular reader of your blog). But somehow when it comes to equal pay for women's tennis I disagree with you. I think we should be paid equally , perhaps Venus Williams can change your mind :

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article679416.ece

Anu Russell said...

Hey suchi thanks for coming by. I really appreciate it. And I am also happy that you are disagreeing with me because it brings out such healthy discussions...

To make myself clear, all I am saying is that men and women SHUD get paid equally in all fields not just tennis. But my only complaint is that both men and women should also work equal to earn their equal pay.

Now, in the case of tennis, women should also play 5 setters. Men and women should start the game times based on draws and not on the fact that women start before men and other logics like that.

That is all I ask for. If we want to go the feminist way then we should go all the way.

And I love the Williams sisters and I am rooting SW to make it on Saturday :)

Anonymous said...

I totally agree we should be playing 5 sets. I am sure, as Venus mentioned in her article, that most women are willing to play 5 sets.

But even under current circumstances, consider the case when men win in straight sets. At those times, they arguably played only as much as women would play - so would men accept payment lesser than usual and equal to women if they win a match in 3 straight sets?

Anu Russell said...

When games are decided by 3 sets it shows that they are better players. When the games go to 5 sets it shows that the players are matched in talent...but there is a max of 5 sets that they can play

Women go a max of 3 sets and can finish in 2 sets...

My point is, as long as there are common parameters then it is fair play.

If we want equality we should get equality and we should also perform equally...don't you agree?

Anonymous said...

All that you said above is true.

But the argument started out because you said men play more "number" of sets. So I was saying when they play less "number", they should get paid less. For the days they play more than 3 sets, they can go ahead and get paid more :)

Oh well! We can always agree to disagree..no? :)

But yes, overall I agree we should play 5 sets and that eliminates any such arguments.

Anu Russell said...

Agree to disagree is what some of us well behaved people can always use as an option :)

And I agree with what you said in the end...

such arguments shall never rise if we eliminated the source :)

Once again thanks for stopping by and more importantly for commenting. Appreciate your inputs and your views on the subjects.