[mn73]

You know I am a great Venus Williams fan as well and I am so tired of people criticising Jennifer for being #1 over Venus. Venus is a great, fantastic player and when she is on top form she is UNBEATABLE, but the bottom line is VENUS WILLIAMS HAS PLAYED ENOUGH EVENTS THIS YEAR TO BE WORLD #1. It is true, you cannot deny it.

If she had won the French Open instead of losing in the first round, she would have been #1. If she had prepared adequately for the Australian Open there is no way she would have crashed 1-6 1-6 to Hingis and she would have been #1. She had her chances, Jen had hers. Jen is #1, Venus Williams will be in the future.

That is the fact that gets me most of all. Nobody is in ANY DOUBT that Venus Williams will be #1 in the future, so why not congratulate Jennifer. I will certainly congratulate Venus when she gets there, even if it is Jennifer she knocks off the top.

Let's have some positive, friendly comments here.

Jennifer is great and worthy of #1.
Venus is great and worthy of #1.

 

[QueenV]

I agree with your whole post. They both deserve to be #1. Venus had many chances more than Jennifer and didn't cash in. Jennifer had her chance and did. Jennifer did the most important things that a player has to do to get to #1. She played enough tournaments and she won important tournaments. Usually players only do one of two. Making it hard to get to the top. So I congratulate Jennifer on her superb effort and as the new #1 player.

But I am a Venus fan and I happen to think Venus is a better player. Not necessarily more deserving of the #1 spot because she didn't do what it takes, but I think she is the best player. I hope people don't take that as a knock to Jennifer. I've been on tennis boards long enough to know that some posters take it as an insult if you don't give their fav. player complete and utter praise. Or if you think that your fav. is better. You can't win for losing.

 

[Barrie_Dude]

Mark, I concur with you. Venus will be #1 soon enough. Jennifer is now and it caps a great comeback for her. I view it as much a testament to her playing well and a great personal triumph for her as well. Now she can say that she has ostersized her "Demons" and living up to her potetial! What a great example Jennifer is for the rest of us!

 

[Jovon]

Jen is not one of my favorite players, but I am still happy for her at reaching the number 1 spot and fully believe she deserves it!

I look at it like this, Jen got to number 1 before Venus because this year Jen only gained points in the tournaments she played in this year, because she performed MUCH BETTER compared to last year and therefore she gained tons and tons of points. But, Venus even though she won more then Jen, she was defending points and sometimes when she won tournaments players still passed her because she was defending those points. For Venus to become #1, I believe, she is going to have to work harder then Jen did. She will have to do better in the AO and FO, defend her points in the tournaments she won, and play in tournaments she did not play in this year.

I am like Venus on this, when she gets there then she deserves it, but until then she will just have to keep trying harder! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

This is JMO but I think mostly all of Venus fans gave Jen her props and at the same time a little disappointed because we (well, I) felt that for the second year in a row Venus was the best player and she still hasn't reached the #1 spot. But it has nothing to do with Jen and what she has accomplished and I do not believe anyone has taken it out on Jen. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

 

[brickhousesupporter]

How can the posted be expected to get along when the two players themselves don't get along. Am I the only one that notices the hostility between Jennifer and Venus.

BTW I think most of the hostilility is coming from Jennifers end. It is a matter of insecurity. She knows that she can not call her self #1 when there is part time player that she can't beet or better yet hasn't beaten yet. That is just the way I see.

Venus is always stealing her thunder.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

brickhousesupporter: not to be a smart ass...but seeing as I am always one anyhow, why stop now..
How do you KNOW how Jenn feels, or Venus feels, and what they are thinking?
Of COURSE there is a competitive edge between them! There usually is between top tennis players.

I'm sure Jenn is perfectly happy knowing that at some point in her carreer, she was number 1. With that knowledge, I can't imagine that she is worrying about Venus.
Then again, I dont read minds either. <IMG SRC="smilies/berzerk.gif" border="0">

 

[brickhousesupporter]

Becca,
Now i am going to be a smart ass, because i never said that it was true. It was only an observation. My statement was simply to say that whenever jennifer plays venus she always seems to have a problem with her. Whether it is the i'm not quite ready yet staredown or the bad line call incident at the pilot pen, which btw was a correct call. It is my observation that jennifer truly wants to beat venus, and when things are not going her way she throw a tantrum. Those Becca are the facts. From those facts i was able to come up with the above conclusion that jennifer has some animosity towards venus. That is a logical conclusion. So you go ahead and try to make post based on your prognostication, i will make mine based on sound deductive reasoning

[ October 15, 2001: Message edited by: brickhousesupporter ]

 

[LucasArg]

First of all, Jen is not one of my favorites players, so I am not happy she is n# 1, and after the French Open, her game came badly.

And what a said about Venus is that whatever her ranking is, SHE IS THE BEST PLAYER RIGHT NOW.

IS IT CLEAR??????? <IMG SRC="smilies/kiss.gif" border="0">

 

[Crazy Canuck]

brickhousesupporter: thankyou for providing your reasoning. I was simply curious as to what it is, as I wanted to know where you came up with the conclusion. It makes perfect sense when you put it that way.
However animosity on court, does not mean that Jenn has that towards Venus as a person...none of us know that. So I don't see how their on court rivalry can be carried out in to lame fan wars. <IMG SRC="smilies/confused.gif" border="0">

 

[Dawn Marie]

I think Brickhouse made an accurate statement. It is so obvious that Jennifer wants to beat Venus badly.. anyone who has a losing record against a top player would. Although I do think that even though Jennifer wants to beat Venus badly doesn't mean that tennis fans of both can't get along. Venus I am sure felt the same way towards Hingis. I also think Jennifer does throw lil tantrums on the court, but that doesn't mean that she shouldn't be #1. Also I feel that most Jennifer and Venus fans do get along anyhow. Actually I don't see many fans of Venus even critising Jennifer on her new rank. I am glad Venus didn't take the rank from Hingis anyway because imho all hell would have broke(excuse the pun) loose. Venus imho would have been crucified all week with the way the #1 rank panned out.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Agreed Dawn: the garbage being dished about jenn would certaintly haven been handed down to Venus if they were switched positions <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">

I agree, that most of Jenns and Venus' fans in here are getting along. It just seems like a fan war, cause so many people are aruging for "their" player.

Some of the people making comments are Venus fans who feel she is the legit number 1 or whatever, but most are just unrelated people who are player hating on Jenn.
Such is life <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

 

[jomar]

I seem to disagree Dawn. Had Venus clinched the No.1 ranking instead of Jenny, nobody would question that because Venus is really the best player right now. It's just that at the moment, her best is not good enough to get there.

Vee, don't waste time, you gotta start earning those quality points now. <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

 

[Dawn Marie]

hiya, Becca and Jomar <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

I agree with Becca and disagree with you Jomar. Imho If Venus overtook Hingis the way Jennifer did .. Venus fans would really be hearing it. But then again I may of been surprised who knows.

Well It's night night for me.. getting sleepy

<IMG SRC="smilies/kiss.gif" border="0"> smoochez to you both. <IMG SRC="smilies/kiss.gif" border="0">

 

[jomar]

hmmm...now i may have to agree with you Dawn. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"> Although Jenn deserves the ranking, it was not so much of a great feeling because normally all those who have reached the No.1 ranking ACHIEVED it on a WINNING NOTE!!!!

Sweet dreams. <IMG SRC="smilies/angel.gif" border="0">

[ October 15, 2001: Message edited by: jomar ]

 

[HAIL-VENUS]

Well, JCAP, the fact is YOU just criticized the Williams Fans.

Anyway, I don't have a problem with Jen's fans, but I do have a problem with Jen. I dislike her extreme on-court attitude which often borders insanity. She's also made several unsettling comments about both Williams sisters unjustly. I agree totally with BrickHouse. I can't read her mind but I certainly can read her statements in the press and her body language on court and during interviews. She obviously dislikes the Williams for some reason. I don't know of anything behind the scenes since I don't have personal access, but I've never read or heard where one of the sisters have said anything negative about her.

Jen is #1 right now because she's worked very hard and it's paid off for her. She's won more this year than she has in her whole career. Yet, so did Venus last year, but that's the way things go I guess.

 

[Dawn Marie]

JCapFAN just mocked himself/herself ,now your statement was bias and you criticised a whole fanbase. When it was you who made a rude remark <IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Hail Venus: the difference is, Venus played the best tennis of her life (maybe some of the best tennis ever) over a three month stretch.
Jenn has been playing the best tennis of her life (though not as dominant), for ten months straight and running. She starts ONLY reaching the semi finals, and everyone says she is in a slump. That speaks for her results.

Anyhow... my point is, that if Venus played like that all year round, or most of the year while making semis and quarters during off periods, she would have the ranking. But unfortunately, she was injured for the eary part of 2000, and totally out of form for a good part of 2001.
When Venus is ready to play consistently well ALL season, she will be the run away number in the rankings. Till then, she'll just have to settle with knowing she can beat anyone anyday rankings be damned. Poor her <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

 

[cheeky]

i'm sorry but i'm tired of everyone saying that venus had a bad first half of the year,venus won 2 titles and made it to the semi of three other tournaments,yes venus' success came mostly in the second half the year but venus's succes during the first half of the year,is exactly what,s happening to capriati,
capriati was amazing during the first half of the year and venus wasn't so great,venus was amzing during the second half of the year and capriati hasn,t won a title in the second half of the year,so i'm sorry becca but saying the capriati is consistent 10 months while venus is only consistent 3 months is not a right way of saying things(and you can't only look at the results from grandslams) <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

 

[HAIL-VENUS]

Cheeky, I most certainly agree. Becca, your theory of doing well most of the year can also be said for Venus. Before her injury in 2000, she had reached at least the quarters most of her career. She also had consistantly won other titles. Venus' and Jennifer's year are basically in reverse right now. Venus out for 6 months, starts win streak at Wimbledon, go on a 35 match win streak, including US Open title. Jennifer wins Aus and French Open, reaches at least quarters rest of year, has only won about 3 titles this year. To me, this doesn't add up. Venus then turns around in 2001, and successfully defends Wimbledon and US Open titles, plus 2 out of 3 tourneys after Wimbledon, the Ericcson, and Betty Barclay Cup (Hamburg). I still see where Venus has had a better year. I can see where Venus couldn't knock Martina out of #1 spot because Martina played a lot more, but how Jen got to #1 before Venus, still puzzles me. It seems that Jen got rewarded for a good season and Venus did NOT. I'm sure Capriati hasn't played as much as Hingis either.

 

[moon]

Hail, I think the main difference is Jen's record last year compared to this year was mediocore. She had LOTS of room to improve, as for Vee, she couldn't improve on her summer of 2000. It was impossible. Throw in that bomb at RG and there you have it. Capriati at #1. Jen also had a little help with Venus not playing anything since 9/11 and her bum knee problems from earlier in the year.