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THERE has always been an underlying feeling at recent Australian Opens that the women's game is flawed.
It's just that the grunt of Maria Sharapova, the artistry of Justine Henin and brute force of Serena Williams was enough to keep everyone distracted from the problems bubbling beneath.
With Sharapova and Henin missing this year, the weakness was exposed for all to see.
Throughout the first 11 days of the tournament, those still delusional about the women having as much pulling power as the men must have come to their senses.
Yes, the Jelena Dokic story was gripping, but too many women's matches were littered with unforced errors.
Then in the space of 24 hours, across Friday and Saturday, it all came to a head.
This was no ordinary wake-up call. It was like being slapped across both cheeks with a slimy mullet.
The gap between the quality of men's and women's game has never seemed wider.
Yet the gap in prizemoney has been closed. Both the men's and women's winners walk away with $2 million.
Equal prizemoney is a generous gesture, but it doesn't add up.
Anybody who sat through the Fernando Verdasco-Rafael Nadal epic on Friday night and followed up by watching the Williams-Dinara Safina cakewalk on Saturday night would have to agree.
The men who have busted a gut, playing best of five sets and at times sending the crowds into a frenzy, have every right to feel short changed.
Verdasco picked up the same pay cheque for his semi-final heroics as Russian Vera Zvonareva, who bowed out in the semis a day earlier in a forgettable two-set encounter.
And the loser of last night's marquee match walked away with the same as Safina, stoic throughout the early rounds but embarrassingly uncompetitive when it counted most in a 6-0 6-3 loss to Williams.
Safina's capitulation was excruciating to watch. Double-faults; nervous missed forehands; desperate drop shots . . . you had to look away.
Safina made 21 unforced errors in 59 minutes. A night earlier, Nadal made just 25 in 5hr14min.
The was some pleasure in seeing Williams at the top of her game, but as a contest it was a prime-time stinker for Channel 7.
Full credit to tournament boss Craig Tiley for backing a night women's final. It's a correct call -- and the event continues to thrive as Melbourne' best international event.
But what is out of Tiley's hands is the women's product he has to work with. The depth of quality, remembering Kim Clijsters and Lindsday Davenport are other recent retirees, just is not there.
There is a sameness about the women's game. As Seven commentator Tracy Austin often said during the past fortnight, few players have a plan B.
Where's the science and subtlety? Any chance of Safina starting to use slice, take the pace off the ball or (heaven forbid) even come to the net to put Williams off? Hell, no. Plan A is all she had.
And yes, too many women turned up looking out of shape. Anyone with two eyes could see that . . . you don't need a degree in physical science.
Marion Bartoli and Kaia Kanepi were obviously carrying extra kilos and why is everyone so sensitive about it? Imagine the flack Lleyton Hewitt would cop if he turned up with "excess baggage". He'd cop it far worse.
What Roger Rasheed said about women in general in his role as a commentator was spot on. Others in the hallways may have whispered but agreed.
Take away the Dokic story and it was not a great fortnight for the credibility of women's tennis.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24993682-3162,00.html
It's just that the grunt of Maria Sharapova, the artistry of Justine Henin and brute force of Serena Williams was enough to keep everyone distracted from the problems bubbling beneath.
With Sharapova and Henin missing this year, the weakness was exposed for all to see.
Throughout the first 11 days of the tournament, those still delusional about the women having as much pulling power as the men must have come to their senses.
Yes, the Jelena Dokic story was gripping, but too many women's matches were littered with unforced errors.
Then in the space of 24 hours, across Friday and Saturday, it all came to a head.
This was no ordinary wake-up call. It was like being slapped across both cheeks with a slimy mullet.
The gap between the quality of men's and women's game has never seemed wider.
Yet the gap in prizemoney has been closed. Both the men's and women's winners walk away with $2 million.
Equal prizemoney is a generous gesture, but it doesn't add up.
Anybody who sat through the Fernando Verdasco-Rafael Nadal epic on Friday night and followed up by watching the Williams-Dinara Safina cakewalk on Saturday night would have to agree.
The men who have busted a gut, playing best of five sets and at times sending the crowds into a frenzy, have every right to feel short changed.
Verdasco picked up the same pay cheque for his semi-final heroics as Russian Vera Zvonareva, who bowed out in the semis a day earlier in a forgettable two-set encounter.
And the loser of last night's marquee match walked away with the same as Safina, stoic throughout the early rounds but embarrassingly uncompetitive when it counted most in a 6-0 6-3 loss to Williams.
Safina's capitulation was excruciating to watch. Double-faults; nervous missed forehands; desperate drop shots . . . you had to look away.
Safina made 21 unforced errors in 59 minutes. A night earlier, Nadal made just 25 in 5hr14min.
The was some pleasure in seeing Williams at the top of her game, but as a contest it was a prime-time stinker for Channel 7.
Full credit to tournament boss Craig Tiley for backing a night women's final. It's a correct call -- and the event continues to thrive as Melbourne' best international event.
But what is out of Tiley's hands is the women's product he has to work with. The depth of quality, remembering Kim Clijsters and Lindsday Davenport are other recent retirees, just is not there.
There is a sameness about the women's game. As Seven commentator Tracy Austin often said during the past fortnight, few players have a plan B.
Where's the science and subtlety? Any chance of Safina starting to use slice, take the pace off the ball or (heaven forbid) even come to the net to put Williams off? Hell, no. Plan A is all she had.
And yes, too many women turned up looking out of shape. Anyone with two eyes could see that . . . you don't need a degree in physical science.
Marion Bartoli and Kaia Kanepi were obviously carrying extra kilos and why is everyone so sensitive about it? Imagine the flack Lleyton Hewitt would cop if he turned up with "excess baggage". He'd cop it far worse.
What Roger Rasheed said about women in general in his role as a commentator was spot on. Others in the hallways may have whispered but agreed.
Take away the Dokic story and it was not a great fortnight for the credibility of women's tennis.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24993682-3162,00.html
it's not coincidence
