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Svetlana))) · Feb 17th, 2010, 10:38 AM

Sveta doesn't always travel with Larisa because of Larisa's personal commitments. She travels with Olhovsky too.

pwayne · Feb 17th, 2010, 05:42 PM

Fed Cup will be indoors on a fast hard court.

One local station saying they have a better chance to get Venus than Serena. Overall, expect the USA to stay with the overachievers 16 months running at that time.

Uranium · Feb 17th, 2010, 07:57 PM

Venus is not playing. She would have to go from Alabama to Stuttgart in a matter of days. And making the change from a fast indoor court to clay is just asking for trouble.

Craigy · Feb 18th, 2010, 02:28 AM

I can't really see Serena playing Miami, Marbella, Charleston and then Fed Cup.

hellas719 · Feb 18th, 2010, 03:08 AM

I just don't get the Williams Sisters when it comes to Fed Cup. They've ALWAYS been using the same excuse that it doesn't fit into their schedules. It's obvious that they don't want to play. Why don't they just say that they want to focus on their singles careers then? In my opinion, Venus had no excuse to skip last year's R1 vs. Argentina, while at least Serena had Paris Indoors. For the semis, Serena had an excuse (injury), but Venus didn't want to switch surfaces, which I guess was a decent excuse, but it's not like she was playing Stuttgart/Fes so I really don't understand why she couldn't take a week off from the clay...Most players base their schedules around Fed Cup/Davis Cup, but the Williams sisters clearly don't care

. Baghdatis for example skipped Indian Wells last year so he could play Davis Cup, which was on hard in his case, so that is one of the many examples out there.

nikita771 · Feb 21st, 2010, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellas719

I just don't get the Williams Sisters when it comes to Fed Cup. They've ALWAYS been using the same excuse that it doesn't fit into their schedules. It's obvious that they don't want to play. Why don't they just say that they want to focus on their singles careers then? In my opinion, Venus had no excuse to skip last year's R1 vs. Argentina, while at least Serena had Paris Indoors. For the semis, Serena had an excuse (injury), but Venus didn't want to switch surfaces, which I guess was a decent excuse, but it's not like she was playing Stuttgart/Fes so I really don't understand why she couldn't take a week off from the clay...Most players base their schedules around Fed Cup/Davis Cup, but the Williams sisters clearly don't care

. Baghdatis for example skipped Indian Wells last year so he could play Davis Cup, which was on hard in his case, so that is one of the many examples out there.

Unfortunately, Venus and/or Serena are only committed to the Fed Cup when it is time to qualify for the Olympics. I would LOVE to see one (Venus) or both of them come to B'ham, but I'm not holding my breath.

Uranium · Feb 21st, 2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikita771

Unfortunately, Venus and/or Serena are only committed to the Fed Cup when it is time to qualify for the Olympics. I would LOVE to see one (Venus) or both of them come to B'ham, but I'm not holding my breath.

What does that mean, are you unsure about that comment?
Venus has been committed to the team for years. 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007. Fed Cup has fucked up her singles at times, so not surprised that Fed Cup sometimes doesn't fit into her schedule.
As for Serena, yes it does appear she only plays to commit for Olympics, but at the same time most of the time around the times for the ties she is injured.

pwayne · Feb 21st, 2010, 03:11 PM

Expect the USA overachievers to come as the last one either of them played was Venus in 2007 against the Russians.

Uranium · Feb 21st, 2010, 10:24 PM

Because after 2007 they changed the dates of the ties to HORRIBLE times. After the Australian Open, the first slam of the year which after competing in you'd want a bit of rest. The SFs are now in April in the middle of the clay season, right after Miami and Charleston. Then you have the Finals in November after the YEC. So you have big events followed by Fed Cup, so no surprise it doesn't fit into their schedule. And Venus in 2005 won Wimbledon in a marathon emotional moment and then went to Moscow to play on clay for USA then was burnt out for Stanford. Venus won Wimbledon in 2007, played Fed Cup beating Chak, beat Nadia in a tough match and then loses doubles, then plays Chak in QFs of San Diego and is tired in the end. No surprise it doesn't fit in their schedule especially with the new horrible times of the Fed Cup.

hellas719 · Feb 22nd, 2010, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uranium

Because after 2007 they changed the dates of the ties to HORRIBLE times. After the Australian Open, the first slam of the year which after competing in you'd want a bit of rest. The SFs are now in April in the middle of the clay season, right after Miami and Charleston. Then you have the Finals in November after the YEC. So you have big events followed by Fed Cup, so no surprise it doesn't fit into their schedule. And Venus in 2005 won Wimbledon in a marathon emotional moment and then went to Moscow to play on clay for USA then was burnt out for Stanford. Venus won Wimbledon in 2007, played Fed Cup beating Chak, beat Nadia in a tough match and then loses doubles, then plays Chak in QFs of San Diego and is tired in the end. No surprise it doesn't fit in their schedule especially with the new horrible times of the Fed Cup.

It seems to work for other players though

There is NO reason why Venus should be tired during Stanford from Fed Cup, if anything she should be tired DURING Fed Cup from Wimbledon

Uranium · Feb 22nd, 2010, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellas719

It seems to work for other players though

There is NO reason why Venus should be tired during Stanford from Fed Cup, if anything she should be tired DURING Fed Cup from Wimbledon

Well other people aren't the Williams Sisters.
What? She was tired during Fed Cup leading to her then being tired for Stanford. Tired for Stanford because of both.

hellas719 · Feb 23rd, 2010, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uranium

Well other people aren't the Williams Sisters.
What? She was tired during Fed Cup leading to her then being tired for Stanford. Tired for Stanford because of both.

But Stanford is like 4 weeks after Wimbledon

Or was it different back then?

ys · Feb 26th, 2010, 06:27 PM

I'll be there..

nikita771 · Mar 13th, 2010, 04:27 PM

I bought my tickets yesterday, but there is still no word on who will actually be there. The tickets don't seem to be moving very fast, but hopefully they'll start moving once the players have been announced.

nikita771 · Mar 13th, 2010, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uranium

What does that mean, are you unsure about that comment?
Venus has been committed to the team for years. 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007. Fed Cup has fucked up her singles at times, so not surprised that Fed Cup sometimes doesn't fit into her schedule.
As for Serena, yes it does appear she only plays to commit for Olympics, but at the same time most of the time around the times for the ties she is injured.

I can accept 2003 and 2005 (and maybe 2004), but wouldn't the 1999, 2003, 2004 (?), and 2007 be around the time for the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympics. I guess I think about Andy Roddick (yes a comparison) and how much I really liked his Fed Cup commitment. He was one of the reasons why I went to the tourney last year. To be honest, I was stating an opinion (which I should have made certain to point out) that it seemed like the only time I really heard about them playing was around the Olympics. In the end, I love both of them and still hope to see at least one in Birmingham.