Fran16
Apr 17th, 2005, 05:47 PM
... one of the most talked about matches took place.
Conchita Martínez d. Patty Schnyder 64 63
Semifinals, Charleston (USA)
http://i.cnn.net/si/2004/writers/jon_wertheim/04/19/0419.mailbag/p1_schnyder_all.jpg
Patty Schnyder refused to handshake with Conchita Martinez.
An Article
Martinez Survives Swiss Dis To Reach Family Circle Cup Final
By Brad Falkner
04/18/2004
The finale of the Family Circle Cup semifinal between Conchita Martinez and Patty Schnyder resembled a family feud. A contentious clash between clay-court veterans featured long games and head games, stares and glares and gamesmanship on both sides.
The match ended with Martinez scoring a 6-4, 6-3 victory, but the bad blood was just beginning to boil over as Schnyder turned the post-match hand shake into a hand fake — the ultimate Swiss Dis.
On match point, Martinez hit a forehand winner then celebrated by pumping both fists and unleashing a pelvic thrust reminiscent of the young Elvis in concert.
The Swiss stylist approached the net with her hand extended. The 16th-seeded Martinez leaned forward to shake hands and it was then that Schnyder showed her sleight of hand skills by suddenly pulling her hand back and leaving Martinez grasping for air. Instead of giving Martinez her hand, Schnyder gave the stunned Spaniard a piece of her mind.
On court observers heard one woman call the other “a bitch” as each took the other to task for what both believed was gamesmanship during the match.
"She didn’t shake my hand at the end. (It was) just what you saw," Martinez told the media after the match. " I’m open about it. I mean, I have no hard feelings. Obviously I don’t know what her problems were. We’re not the best of friends, but we’ve never had a problem. I’m surprised, and like I said, she’s gotta live with it. I’m happy I’m in the finals, and that’s all that counts for me."
In Sunday’s final, Martinez meets fourth-seeded Venus Williams, who ended Jelena Kostanic’s Cinderella run with a 6-4, 6-1 win in the first semifinal.
The 11th-seeded Schnyder said she resorted to the hand fake as a tactical ploy similar to the drop shot — she wanted to lure Martinez to the net so she could unload on her.
"I just wanted to look at her. I just wanted to stare into her eyes and say what I wanted to say to her," Schnyder said. "So I have to have the hand before and then I took it away."
Following the fake, Schnyder packed her racquet bag and stormed off the court. The Charleston crowd, which had been impartial in supporting both women for much of the match, booed loudly as Schnyder departed. Moments later, Martinez hit a few balls into the crowd then walked to the middle of the court and raised her index figure in the air as a gesture of triumph and the crowd exploded in a resounding roar.
It may not have been the gesture — or finger — she had in mind for Schnyder.
The Australian Open semifinalist said she was surprised by the crowd reaction.
"I like their (fans) support, but I don’t understand why they support a face like Martinez, who’s showing no respect to the umpires, to the ball kids," Schnyder said. "I don’t understand the crowd up there."
In their post-match press conferences each player pointed the finger at the other for the gamesmanship.
Blasting her opponent for "nasty play" Schnyder suggested Martinez was taking too long between points, behaving badly on court and openly disrespectful to the ball kids and the chair umpire.
" I don’t like (it). I mean she’s showing no respect to the ball person," a composed Schnyder said after the match. "She’s like walking around between first and second serves, letting everybody wait. I don’t think it’s the way you should behave, and especially she has such a great career. Why does she need it? I don’t understand why she’s doing it?"
A match that offered multiple momentum shifts began with Schnyder breaking serve. At two-all, the gamesmanship began. Martinez hit a forehand winner and Schynder responded by picking up the ball and putting it in her skirt pocket.
In keeping with a common superstition among many players is to use the same ball they just won the point with, Martinez, who was serving, wanted the ball back, but Schnyder didn’t want to give it up. Later in the same game, Martinez hit a drop shot winner and Schnyder picked up the ball and slammed it into the stands. The game was crucial to the first set as Martinez withstood seven deuce points to hold serve for a 3-2 lead.
The former Wimbledon winner broke in the sixth game to stretch her lead to 4-2. Martinez served for the set at 5-3 and was broken, but broke back to seal the first set.
"Yeah, there were some things today that they weren’t really nice, like you know how I like the ball when I win the point, and she held it obviously on purpose, and you know, I don’t really understand, but oh, well, that her choice," Martinez said.
Schnyder suggested she withheld the ball to retaliate for Martinez taking too long between points in what Schnyder believed was a deliberate effort by the Spaniard to frustrate her and control the pace of play.
" I mean she does it to everybody, and I don’t think she needs it because she has a great game," Schnyder said. "She’s a great player, and I don’t understand why she’s doing this. With all other players you can have really good sportsmanship, and with her it’s nasty play, and I don’t think it should be on the court."
Defending her slower pace of play as being well within the rules, Martinez said she was simply following her regular routine and was not trying to intentionally rile Schnyder, though she certainly got the job done.
"I can do with those 20 seconds what ever I want, you know, and I have a routine," Martinez said. "I like to do that, not to bother anyone. I think that she was acting a little weird doing those things. I didn’t try to do anything to bother her. I do with those 20 seconds what ever I can to be focused on the next point."
The truth is when it comes to gamesmanship, both women own a top 10 ranking. Martinez’s methodical preparation between points has upset other opponents, who have privately questioned some of her injury time-outs as well. Schnyder has had issues with other players — most notably Anna Kournikova. Schnyder, who made no secret of her dislike for the Internet Icon, once pounded Kournikova with a ball at near point-blank range during a doubles match.
When it comes to mind games, these two know virtually every ploy in the book. Still, it is unusual to see two veterans so openly disrespectful to each other.
Asked about the possibility of a reconciliation, Martinez said that was up to Schnyder.
"It’s up to her. I’m open," Martinez said. "I’m not going to go and say (anything to her). I tried to say what is your problem after the match right after she left, but obviously she had a problem today. You gotta ask her."
One thing’s for sure: today’s tense match makes next weekend’s Fed Cup tie between Spain and Switzerland a grudge match when these two meet again. It makes that first-round Fed Cup match must-see TV and when’s the last time you could say that about Fed Cup?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Martina Navratilova´s opinion:
The thing with the ball, everybody is superstitious, but when it affects your opponent, that's not good. And frankly, if I was playing her and she was doing that, I would put that ball in my pocket, too. Or what I would do I would have another ball on me and I would take that ball and I'd hit the two balls back and say, okay, which one do you think you won the point with. Really confuse her.
Navratilova :fiery:
LIVE THE DRAMA ON THE WTA TOUR!
Conchita Martínez d. Patty Schnyder 64 63
Semifinals, Charleston (USA)
http://i.cnn.net/si/2004/writers/jon_wertheim/04/19/0419.mailbag/p1_schnyder_all.jpg
Patty Schnyder refused to handshake with Conchita Martinez.
An Article
Martinez Survives Swiss Dis To Reach Family Circle Cup Final
By Brad Falkner
04/18/2004
The finale of the Family Circle Cup semifinal between Conchita Martinez and Patty Schnyder resembled a family feud. A contentious clash between clay-court veterans featured long games and head games, stares and glares and gamesmanship on both sides.
The match ended with Martinez scoring a 6-4, 6-3 victory, but the bad blood was just beginning to boil over as Schnyder turned the post-match hand shake into a hand fake — the ultimate Swiss Dis.
On match point, Martinez hit a forehand winner then celebrated by pumping both fists and unleashing a pelvic thrust reminiscent of the young Elvis in concert.
The Swiss stylist approached the net with her hand extended. The 16th-seeded Martinez leaned forward to shake hands and it was then that Schnyder showed her sleight of hand skills by suddenly pulling her hand back and leaving Martinez grasping for air. Instead of giving Martinez her hand, Schnyder gave the stunned Spaniard a piece of her mind.
On court observers heard one woman call the other “a bitch” as each took the other to task for what both believed was gamesmanship during the match.
"She didn’t shake my hand at the end. (It was) just what you saw," Martinez told the media after the match. " I’m open about it. I mean, I have no hard feelings. Obviously I don’t know what her problems were. We’re not the best of friends, but we’ve never had a problem. I’m surprised, and like I said, she’s gotta live with it. I’m happy I’m in the finals, and that’s all that counts for me."
In Sunday’s final, Martinez meets fourth-seeded Venus Williams, who ended Jelena Kostanic’s Cinderella run with a 6-4, 6-1 win in the first semifinal.
The 11th-seeded Schnyder said she resorted to the hand fake as a tactical ploy similar to the drop shot — she wanted to lure Martinez to the net so she could unload on her.
"I just wanted to look at her. I just wanted to stare into her eyes and say what I wanted to say to her," Schnyder said. "So I have to have the hand before and then I took it away."
Following the fake, Schnyder packed her racquet bag and stormed off the court. The Charleston crowd, which had been impartial in supporting both women for much of the match, booed loudly as Schnyder departed. Moments later, Martinez hit a few balls into the crowd then walked to the middle of the court and raised her index figure in the air as a gesture of triumph and the crowd exploded in a resounding roar.
It may not have been the gesture — or finger — she had in mind for Schnyder.
The Australian Open semifinalist said she was surprised by the crowd reaction.
"I like their (fans) support, but I don’t understand why they support a face like Martinez, who’s showing no respect to the umpires, to the ball kids," Schnyder said. "I don’t understand the crowd up there."
In their post-match press conferences each player pointed the finger at the other for the gamesmanship.
Blasting her opponent for "nasty play" Schnyder suggested Martinez was taking too long between points, behaving badly on court and openly disrespectful to the ball kids and the chair umpire.
" I don’t like (it). I mean she’s showing no respect to the ball person," a composed Schnyder said after the match. "She’s like walking around between first and second serves, letting everybody wait. I don’t think it’s the way you should behave, and especially she has such a great career. Why does she need it? I don’t understand why she’s doing it?"
A match that offered multiple momentum shifts began with Schnyder breaking serve. At two-all, the gamesmanship began. Martinez hit a forehand winner and Schynder responded by picking up the ball and putting it in her skirt pocket.
In keeping with a common superstition among many players is to use the same ball they just won the point with, Martinez, who was serving, wanted the ball back, but Schnyder didn’t want to give it up. Later in the same game, Martinez hit a drop shot winner and Schnyder picked up the ball and slammed it into the stands. The game was crucial to the first set as Martinez withstood seven deuce points to hold serve for a 3-2 lead.
The former Wimbledon winner broke in the sixth game to stretch her lead to 4-2. Martinez served for the set at 5-3 and was broken, but broke back to seal the first set.
"Yeah, there were some things today that they weren’t really nice, like you know how I like the ball when I win the point, and she held it obviously on purpose, and you know, I don’t really understand, but oh, well, that her choice," Martinez said.
Schnyder suggested she withheld the ball to retaliate for Martinez taking too long between points in what Schnyder believed was a deliberate effort by the Spaniard to frustrate her and control the pace of play.
" I mean she does it to everybody, and I don’t think she needs it because she has a great game," Schnyder said. "She’s a great player, and I don’t understand why she’s doing this. With all other players you can have really good sportsmanship, and with her it’s nasty play, and I don’t think it should be on the court."
Defending her slower pace of play as being well within the rules, Martinez said she was simply following her regular routine and was not trying to intentionally rile Schnyder, though she certainly got the job done.
"I can do with those 20 seconds what ever I want, you know, and I have a routine," Martinez said. "I like to do that, not to bother anyone. I think that she was acting a little weird doing those things. I didn’t try to do anything to bother her. I do with those 20 seconds what ever I can to be focused on the next point."
The truth is when it comes to gamesmanship, both women own a top 10 ranking. Martinez’s methodical preparation between points has upset other opponents, who have privately questioned some of her injury time-outs as well. Schnyder has had issues with other players — most notably Anna Kournikova. Schnyder, who made no secret of her dislike for the Internet Icon, once pounded Kournikova with a ball at near point-blank range during a doubles match.
When it comes to mind games, these two know virtually every ploy in the book. Still, it is unusual to see two veterans so openly disrespectful to each other.
Asked about the possibility of a reconciliation, Martinez said that was up to Schnyder.
"It’s up to her. I’m open," Martinez said. "I’m not going to go and say (anything to her). I tried to say what is your problem after the match right after she left, but obviously she had a problem today. You gotta ask her."
One thing’s for sure: today’s tense match makes next weekend’s Fed Cup tie between Spain and Switzerland a grudge match when these two meet again. It makes that first-round Fed Cup match must-see TV and when’s the last time you could say that about Fed Cup?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Martina Navratilova´s opinion:
The thing with the ball, everybody is superstitious, but when it affects your opponent, that's not good. And frankly, if I was playing her and she was doing that, I would put that ball in my pocket, too. Or what I would do I would have another ball on me and I would take that ball and I'd hit the two balls back and say, okay, which one do you think you won the point with. Really confuse her.
Navratilova :fiery:
LIVE THE DRAMA ON THE WTA TOUR!