maccardel
Aug 1st, 2004, 10:19 AM
It will be consisted of players who are no longer in contention for any of the tour's main titles. On this tour, serena and venus will be the top two players and amelie mauresmo will be the number three player.
The Wta understands the need for match play and feel it is doing the players justice by adding them to the tour when they return from injury or pregnancy. Sandrine retains her number 11 ranking, but it translates into a number 5 ranking for this new tour. Monica Seles has a protected ranking and a gold exempt seed of number 6 in the new rankings also. A shocker is Anna Kournikova, who will receive a ranking of number 8. Amanda Coetzer will be the number 10 player.
This will increase the revenue of the wta and the winner or number one player will receive wildcards into the main draw of wta tour I grand slams. The wta has not commented on why Amelie Mauresmo was added to the list. Some speculate it is a fair trade off for Lindsay Davenport who was added, but removed in the last two weeks.
Because of the players inability to win tournaments anymore, the wta felt the need to create the secondary tour. Venus Williams, winner of 4 wta tour I grand slams and former number one, found herself added to this list when she withdrew from the Acura Classic currently being played in Carlsbad, California. She expressed dismay at the addition of her name, but added:
"There is nothing wrong with being number two, even if it is on a secondary tour, at least, I am still number two. I will try to win and return to where I was originally at."
The sisters have found themselves in a bind the last few weeks. What is viewed as an accomplishment to other players, is viewed as a disapointment when it comes to the Williams sisters. Two consecutive weeks, a williams sister was in the finals of a tier II tournament on the wta tour I level. Yet, the loss in the finals both times to Lindsay Davenport, was viewed as a failure.
Richard Williams, the once stand-out of the Williams family was more revealing when pressed for a comment:
"How many times do the girls have to win?" he asked outside the resort and spa club. " The girls are always winning, they are just not there to where they used to be, but they don't need the help of the wta tour, in creating a secondary tour for money purposes. My girls beat those other girls last two weeks, and they lose in the finals, now they are washed up, being sent to a farm system."
This is true. The Williams sisters have made it to the finals of Wimbledon, and also won Miami, and two other titles on the tour. Players who have been up and coming were finding themselves titleless for years before coming into their own again.
Amelie Mauresmo had no comment citing her performance this week in carlsbad. With an opportunity to secure the number two ranking, she lost in the second round. It is Lindsay Davenport who will reap the benefits of being number two come USopen 2004.
The Wta tour has not named Alexandra Stevenson to the roster of wta II and this has not gone unnoticed by her mother and coach, Samantha Stevenson.
"Alex lost once,ok maybe several times and she is going through a slump, but she is still a top 8 player"
When this reporter tried to speak with Alexandra Stevenson, the phone mysteriously hanged up.
Another player said to be mentioned for the secondary tour is Jelena Dokic, who is not enjoying the current drama from father Damir and it is showing with her results.
The Wta refused to include Dokic's name on the list citing commitment to the tour as the main reason.
"When you have a player who plays thirty to fifty tourneys a year and still have time to create intrigue and drama with her personal life, you owe that player the world. It is that player that keeps the casual fan coming back and wanting more, we would be stupid to pass up on such an opportunity. Dokic worked for the wta and she showed up each week and we now understand the lengths to which she went in helping us. When Serena and Venus and Amelie were injured and Daniela was not eating, we relied on Jelena and she came through for us, we will not do that to her."
When asked why add Serena and Venus to the list,they responded:
"Serena and Venus created their own schedule and planned things the way they wanted, why should we help them. There were times we needed them to play and all we got was a withdrawal, there is nothing we can do to help them now."
The Wta understands the need for match play and feel it is doing the players justice by adding them to the tour when they return from injury or pregnancy. Sandrine retains her number 11 ranking, but it translates into a number 5 ranking for this new tour. Monica Seles has a protected ranking and a gold exempt seed of number 6 in the new rankings also. A shocker is Anna Kournikova, who will receive a ranking of number 8. Amanda Coetzer will be the number 10 player.
This will increase the revenue of the wta and the winner or number one player will receive wildcards into the main draw of wta tour I grand slams. The wta has not commented on why Amelie Mauresmo was added to the list. Some speculate it is a fair trade off for Lindsay Davenport who was added, but removed in the last two weeks.
Because of the players inability to win tournaments anymore, the wta felt the need to create the secondary tour. Venus Williams, winner of 4 wta tour I grand slams and former number one, found herself added to this list when she withdrew from the Acura Classic currently being played in Carlsbad, California. She expressed dismay at the addition of her name, but added:
"There is nothing wrong with being number two, even if it is on a secondary tour, at least, I am still number two. I will try to win and return to where I was originally at."
The sisters have found themselves in a bind the last few weeks. What is viewed as an accomplishment to other players, is viewed as a disapointment when it comes to the Williams sisters. Two consecutive weeks, a williams sister was in the finals of a tier II tournament on the wta tour I level. Yet, the loss in the finals both times to Lindsay Davenport, was viewed as a failure.
Richard Williams, the once stand-out of the Williams family was more revealing when pressed for a comment:
"How many times do the girls have to win?" he asked outside the resort and spa club. " The girls are always winning, they are just not there to where they used to be, but they don't need the help of the wta tour, in creating a secondary tour for money purposes. My girls beat those other girls last two weeks, and they lose in the finals, now they are washed up, being sent to a farm system."
This is true. The Williams sisters have made it to the finals of Wimbledon, and also won Miami, and two other titles on the tour. Players who have been up and coming were finding themselves titleless for years before coming into their own again.
Amelie Mauresmo had no comment citing her performance this week in carlsbad. With an opportunity to secure the number two ranking, she lost in the second round. It is Lindsay Davenport who will reap the benefits of being number two come USopen 2004.
The Wta tour has not named Alexandra Stevenson to the roster of wta II and this has not gone unnoticed by her mother and coach, Samantha Stevenson.
"Alex lost once,ok maybe several times and she is going through a slump, but she is still a top 8 player"
When this reporter tried to speak with Alexandra Stevenson, the phone mysteriously hanged up.
Another player said to be mentioned for the secondary tour is Jelena Dokic, who is not enjoying the current drama from father Damir and it is showing with her results.
The Wta refused to include Dokic's name on the list citing commitment to the tour as the main reason.
"When you have a player who plays thirty to fifty tourneys a year and still have time to create intrigue and drama with her personal life, you owe that player the world. It is that player that keeps the casual fan coming back and wanting more, we would be stupid to pass up on such an opportunity. Dokic worked for the wta and she showed up each week and we now understand the lengths to which she went in helping us. When Serena and Venus and Amelie were injured and Daniela was not eating, we relied on Jelena and she came through for us, we will not do that to her."
When asked why add Serena and Venus to the list,they responded:
"Serena and Venus created their own schedule and planned things the way they wanted, why should we help them. There were times we needed them to play and all we got was a withdrawal, there is nothing we can do to help them now."