[Mad-About-Venus]

As a matter of fact I think I am going to enjoy this top ranking swap situation. NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING motivates both sisters more than beating players ahead of them. The rankings can say whatever the hell they want to say, the Willies will show the world one more time who the best players in the world are.

Justine and Kim are great players, no doubt about it. But if they become 1 and 2 in the world they will have double pressure on them:

1 - Beat a Williams sister
2 - Make justice to the rankings.

Will they be able to cope with this? Beating players ranked higher than them is all the sister have been doing since they joined the tour. This is no new task to them, it's no pressure to them. The Belgiums have to live with the burden of not being able to beat the Willies on a regular basis, but being ranked ahead of them. From now on, more than ever before, every time they face a Williams all they will tell to themselves is: I HAVE TO BEAT HER, I HAVE TO BEAT HER.

Will the pressure bring them down? Stay tunned.

 

[DA FOREHAND]

No it won't bring them down, but they will realize that no matter how much they've improved. Serena and Venus are still the two best players out there. A win over either sister would be an upset.

World number one Kim Cljisters, upsets #5 seed Venus Williams...LOL

 

[Cybelle Darkholme]

I could really care less if the belgian duo gets the two top spots. Im happyas long as my two favorites are doing well and bonus points will be nice too. Also it will be good for them to be the underdogs once again. :lol:

 

[Mr. Man]

I could really care less if the belgian duo gets the two top spots. Im happyas long as my two favorites are doing well and bonus points will be nice too. Also it will be good for them to be the underdogs once again. :lol:

eheheh I second that. And we all know Venus and Serena are better then Kim and Justine anyways.

 

[ßcoene]

I don't think Kim will feel much pressure. She will have reached the number one spot. So that pressure will be gone. Maybe Henin will feel pressure because she could think it's the perfect moment for her to reach the number one position.

Henin already has won a slam, so their is not much pressure on that department, but maybe Kim will feel a little pressure if she becomes number one without a slam.

All in all I think they will both cope very well with the pressure.

 

[lizchris]

Venus and Serena ranked lower than either Belgian or Davenport means liekly bonus points against all three players because all three have losing H2H against Venus and Serena. Peolpe think Venus' injury will hurt her. If she is 80% healed, she could beat these three players. I an convinced of that after what I saw at Wimbeldon.

 

[BigTennisFan]

I could really care less if the belgian duo gets the two top spots. Im happyas long as my two favorites are doing well and bonus points will be nice too. Also it will be good for them to be the underdogs once again. :lol:

True Cybelle.

I know that some are obsessed with the #1 ranking. I enjoyed the days when Serena was ranked around #8 or #9.

It was sweet irony when she would land in some higher ranked players draw in the round of 16. :lol:

Consider this:
Venus does not play ANY tournaments before the Open.
Venus' ranking falls to about 6 or 7 (I don't think that can happen but let's pretend)
Venus goes to the Open REALLY healthy.
My, my, my what WOULD the reaction be?


Would the higher ranked players cry foul because she might be in their quarter or round of 16?

The plot thickens.

 

[Infiniti2001]

True Cybelle.

I know that some are obsessed with the #1 ranking. I enjoyed the days when Serena was ranked around #8 or #9.

It was sweet irony when she would land in some higher ranked players draw in the round of 16. :lol:

Consider this:
Venus does not play ANY tournaments before the Open.
Venus' ranking falls to about 6 or 7 (I don't think that can happen but let's pretend)
Venus goes to the Open REALLY healthy.
My, my, my what WOULD the reaction be?


Would the higher ranked players cry foul because she might be in their quarter or round of 16?

The plot thickens.

I would love this scenario :lol:

 

[shap_half]

I don't see how the "plot thickens". When the Belgians get to the no. 1 and 2 spots, they got legitimately. Stop trying to undermine their abilities by building up the Williams'. Serena was DEFEATED by JUSTINE twice this year - count that, one more thatn she beat her. So as long as there are clay court tournaments and as long as there is room for improvement in Justine's part, Justine will defeat Serena. Serena's golden year was last year up and including the 2003 Australian Open, after that tournament, she was defeated 3 times. And only won 1 tournament where she had to face those who defeated her. Justine on the other hand has won 2 tournaments were she had to defeat Serena on the way and 2 tournaments where she had to defeat Kim on the way - both are ranked above her. Venus has won a single tournament in the last 52 weeks where she had to defeat a player who is ranked above her.

 

[Infiniti2001]

I don't see how the "plot thickens". When the Belgians get to the no. 1 and 2 spots, they got legitimately. Stop trying to undermine their abilities by building up the Williams'. Serena was DEFEATED by JUSTINE twice this year - count that, one more thatn she beat her. So as long as there are clay court tournaments and as long as there is room for improvement in Justine's part, Justine will defeat Serena. Serena's golden year was last year up and including the 2003 Australian Open, after that tournament, she was defeated 3 times. And only won 1 tournament where she had to face those who defeated her. Justine on the other hand has won 2 tournaments were she had to defeat Serena on the way and 2 tournaments where she had to defeat Kim on the way - both are ranked above her. Venus has won a single tournament in the last 52 weeks where she had to defeat a player who is ranked above her.

You clearly missed the point, but that's okay

 

[BigTennisFan]

I don't see how the "plot thickens". When the Belgians get to the no. 1 and 2 spots, they got legitimately. Stop trying to undermine their abilities by building up the Williams'. Serena was DEFEATED by JUSTINE twice this year - count that, one more thatn she beat her. So as long as there are clay court tournaments and as long as there is room for improvement in Justine's part, Justine will defeat Serena. Serena's golden year was last year up and including the 2003 Australian Open, after that tournament, she was defeated 3 times. And only won 1 tournament where she had to face those who defeated her. Justine on the other hand has won 2 tournaments were she had to defeat Serena on the way and 2 tournaments where she had to defeat Kim on the way - both are ranked above her. Venus has won a single tournament in the last 52 weeks where she had to defeat a player who is ranked above her.

I'm not one of those who questions the legitmacy of rankings. Everyone knows what has to be done to move up in the rankings and everyone gets the same deal. So you have to go and sell THAT woof ticket to somebody else.

You are correct about the clay court scenario. It clearly is Venus' and Serena's weakest surface but it seems to me that you are completely discounting the possibility that Venus and Serena also have room for improvement.

Perhaps you think that Venus is now unable to beat players who are ranked above her on a consistent basis? Do you honestly think that a healthy Venus is no longer to be taken seriously. :lol:

Hope springs eternal.

 

[shap_half]

I'm not one of those who questions the legitmacy of rankings. Everyone knows what has to be done to move up in the rankings and everyone gets the same deal. So you have to go and sell THAT woof ticket to somebody else.

You are correct about the clay court scenario. It clearly is Venus' and Serena's weakest surface but it seems to me that you are completely discounting the possibility that Venus and Serena also have room for improvement.

Perhaps you think that Venus is now unable to beat players who are ranked above her on a consistent basis? Do you honestly think that a healthy Venus is no longer to be taken seriously. :lol:

Hope springs eternal.

Is that what I said? And sure yes, clay is where Justine gets a lot her wins at, but Venus is not even getting ANY WINS on ANY SURFACE where she would have to defeat those ranked above her along the way. And if there is room for improvement in the sisters' games then bring it on. Because after winning RG last year, Serena still doesn't want to implement patience in her game, like in the Charleston final against Justine this year. These two have been pro since they were 14 but it wasn't until Venus was 21 and Serena was 20 that they reached the semifinal of a clay court Grand Slam. And Serena has won a GS in 1999 but it wasn't until 2002 when she would win her next title. But when it comes to Justine, she has reached the final of two GS within the span of 2 years. And she would reach the semifinals of three different slams in the span of a year and a half. If there is room for improvement in anyone's game I would bet in the Belgian's.

 

[BigTennisFan]

Is that what I said? And sure yes, clay is where Justine gets a lot her wins at, but Venus is not even getting ANY WINS on ANY SURFACE where she would have to defeat those ranked above her along the way. And if there is room for improvement in the sisters' games then bring it on. Because after winning RG last year, Serena still doesn't want to implement patience in her game, like in the Charleston final against Justine this year. These two have been pro since they were 14 but it wasn't until Venus was 21 and Serena was 20 that they reached the semifinal of a clay court Grand Slam. And Serena has won a GS in 1999 but it wasn't until 2002 when she would win her next title. But when it comes to Justine, she has reached the final of two GS within the span of 2 years. And she would reach the semifinals of three different slams in the span of a year and a half. If there is room for improvement in anyone's game I would bet in the Belgian's.

I guess that this is somehow supposed to denigrate Venus' and Serena's accomplishments?
The funniest line to me is the one about Serena winning in 1999 but not winning again until 2002. :lol:

How many GS titles does Serena have? How many does Venus have? How many GS finals have Venus and Serena reached in the last 2 years?
I suspect that the Belgians will improve but you seem to be the only one who (it appears to me) who thinks that they can improve but that V&S can't improve.

As for the "bring it on remark" can you say whistling past the graveyard? :lol:

 

[i_like_tennis]

I guess that this is somehow supposed to denigrate Venus' and Serena's accomplishments?
The funniest line to me is the one about Serena winning in 1999 but not winning again until 2002. :lol:

How many GS titles does Serena have? How many does Venus have? How many GS finals have Venus and Serena reached in the last 2 years?
I suspect that the Belgians will improve but you seem to be the only one who (it appears to me) who thinks that they can improve but that V&S can't improve.

As for the "bring it on remark" can you say whistling past the graveyard? :lol:

typical worshippers.......
guess some still cant accept the inevitable...
oh well........GO KIM....

 

[XMan]

I don't doubt that the Williams sisters will be motivated to beat the players ahead of them but either will be every other player who gets the chance to play a top seed. There is of course a difference between motivation and reality, you don't win when you want but when you can. And certainly, Kim and Justine will try everything to beat the sisters and anyone placed below them. But why would they feel more pressure if they play a Williams?
If people talk about the Williams then it seems as if they are not just tennis players but some allmighty super women. Not only many fans believe(d) it, I don't doubt that many players believe(d) it as well. Maybe it has to do with the fact that they are two black strong women and sisters at the same time with an aura of power and invincibility. Their appereance is not close to the average tennis player. But if you look closer to their results and their gameplay then it seems to me that a lot of this aura is only artificial. It is a difficult task to beat a Williams but for a Williams it is also a difficult task to beat a player as Clijsters, Henin or Capriati. I also doubt that the Williams can play 17 tournaments a year and it seems that this will be necessary if they want to keep the top spots. They are very injury prone, their current problems are proof of that. If they want to be there on top year after year as a Navratilova or a Graf then they need an excellent physical condition. Actually, I don't believe that the Williams will still be on top for the next five years, their era could be short-lived. But maybe the future will prove me wrong.