icequeen
May 24th, 2005, 11:06 PM
Serena driven to compete but ankle won't cooperate
BY CHARLES BRICKER
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
PARIS - (KRT) - If there is one thing that has become evident about Serena Williams in the last week here, it is that she's not doing a good enough job of taking care of her injuries.
It's been fashionable for a few reporters to speculate that she's not really hurt and that she withdrew from the French Open because she fears losing. That's very weak conjecture.
WTA sources made it clear that she has indeed not fully recovered from the ankle injury she picked up at Amelia Island in early April and, on Monday, Lindsay Davenport spoke at length about Williams' passion for the game.
"We were having dinner one night during Fed Cup week and you could see how swollen her ankle was," said Davenport, gesturing with her hands. "But she really wanted to play."
The day before the tie against Belgium (April 23-24), captain Zina Garrison acknowledged Serena's injury by scratching her from the singles and going with Davenport and Venus Williams.
"Serena didn't take that very well," said Davenport. The incident spoke to Williams' drive to compete. She went home to Palm Beach Gardens to rehabilitate, but tried to come back too early.
At Rome on May 10, she lost her opening match in straight sets to Francesca Schiavone when, once again, she wasn't fully fit.
She then came to Paris with her older sister and they tried practicing here. On the second day, Serena reluctantly concluded she wasn't ready to play.
She'll continue therapy on the ankle, hoping to play at Wimbledon, where she has twice won (2002-03) and finished runner-up in 2004.
Trying to rebound
It hasn't been a great year for Sebastien Grosjean, but he got off to a strong start at the French with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 win over Juan Monaco of Argentina. Grosjean, who has a history of injuries, got hurt at the Australian Open but began a return to form at Houston, where he lost in the final to Andy Roddick. He next plays Davide Sanguinetti and, with a win there, probably Radek Stepanek in the third round.
Sanguinetti came from two sets down to win a five-setter for the first time in his 13-year career. He defeated Thierry Ascione of France.
Etc ...
Shenay Perry of Coral Springs, Fla., trying to work back from knee problems, went down in three sets to No. 69 Maria Parra Santonja of Spain. "There's still a little swelling in the patellar area," she said. But she was happy to be back on court. Her ranking has slipped from No. 69 at the end of 2004 to 102. She'll play doubles here with Amy Frazier and then, if her knee responds well, Wimbledon warm-ups at Birmingham and Eastbourne. ...
Davenport has been told the USTA's instant replay system is having problems, which explains why it will be testing even into July at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Tennis Center. That will leave about a month to fix the problems and install it at the U.S. Open. ...
Jerome Haehnel, the obscure French player who upset Andre Agassi in the first round here a year ago, went down in straight sets to Luis Horna.
BY CHARLES BRICKER
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
PARIS - (KRT) - If there is one thing that has become evident about Serena Williams in the last week here, it is that she's not doing a good enough job of taking care of her injuries.
It's been fashionable for a few reporters to speculate that she's not really hurt and that she withdrew from the French Open because she fears losing. That's very weak conjecture.
WTA sources made it clear that she has indeed not fully recovered from the ankle injury she picked up at Amelia Island in early April and, on Monday, Lindsay Davenport spoke at length about Williams' passion for the game.
"We were having dinner one night during Fed Cup week and you could see how swollen her ankle was," said Davenport, gesturing with her hands. "But she really wanted to play."
The day before the tie against Belgium (April 23-24), captain Zina Garrison acknowledged Serena's injury by scratching her from the singles and going with Davenport and Venus Williams.
"Serena didn't take that very well," said Davenport. The incident spoke to Williams' drive to compete. She went home to Palm Beach Gardens to rehabilitate, but tried to come back too early.
At Rome on May 10, she lost her opening match in straight sets to Francesca Schiavone when, once again, she wasn't fully fit.
She then came to Paris with her older sister and they tried practicing here. On the second day, Serena reluctantly concluded she wasn't ready to play.
She'll continue therapy on the ankle, hoping to play at Wimbledon, where she has twice won (2002-03) and finished runner-up in 2004.
Trying to rebound
It hasn't been a great year for Sebastien Grosjean, but he got off to a strong start at the French with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 win over Juan Monaco of Argentina. Grosjean, who has a history of injuries, got hurt at the Australian Open but began a return to form at Houston, where he lost in the final to Andy Roddick. He next plays Davide Sanguinetti and, with a win there, probably Radek Stepanek in the third round.
Sanguinetti came from two sets down to win a five-setter for the first time in his 13-year career. He defeated Thierry Ascione of France.
Etc ...
Shenay Perry of Coral Springs, Fla., trying to work back from knee problems, went down in three sets to No. 69 Maria Parra Santonja of Spain. "There's still a little swelling in the patellar area," she said. But she was happy to be back on court. Her ranking has slipped from No. 69 at the end of 2004 to 102. She'll play doubles here with Amy Frazier and then, if her knee responds well, Wimbledon warm-ups at Birmingham and Eastbourne. ...
Davenport has been told the USTA's instant replay system is having problems, which explains why it will be testing even into July at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Tennis Center. That will leave about a month to fix the problems and install it at the U.S. Open. ...
Jerome Haehnel, the obscure French player who upset Andre Agassi in the first round here a year ago, went down in straight sets to Luis Horna.