[Linton]

In the new rankings, Jen, Venus, and Marti are still 1-2-3.
Venus picked up 281 points and is at 4481, still a ways behind Jen at 4825. Marti will lose 215 points from Doha, and will be below Lindsay next time, which doesn't really matter as Lindsay will sink a lot more.

Serena was supposed to play Antwerp, and heaven forbid if the Willies have to face each other, but when Serena withdrew due to injury, Venus got a wild card to Antwerp. She has 113 points to defend from a SF finish in last year's Nice tourney, which was moved to Antwerp.

Meanwhile, Venus was quoted that tennis bores her, that she may go to fashion school in the fall instead of play tennis, and that getting to No. 1 is not important to her. She has the most bizarre attitude I have ever seen from a female tennis player. First it was being an insufferable "I'm the greatest" braggart, now it is "tennis is not important". She makes it sound like there is no compelling reason to go to fashion school (true) other than to relieve boredom.

She likes to compare herself to Tiger Woods, but Tiger has respect for his game and its history. I don't watch much golf, but did see a tourney where Tiger and Jack Nicklaus were paired for the final round. You could just feel the immense respect the two men had for each other. Jack set an incredible standard for number of majors won, and Tiger knows how huge that is, though if anyone can surpass the record, it is Tiger.

Venus seems to think she is some superior being and all the past greats of the sport don't matter. I have never heard her express respect for Court, Evert, Navratilova, or Graf. After an epic battle, most tennis players, even Serena at times, will greet their opponent warmly at the net, but with Venus all you get is a cold fish handshake.

If the sport bores her so much and she holds it in such contempt, she really ought to find something else to do.

 

[Williams Rulez]

She enjoys playing the sport, she has that before. It is just that she cannot bring herself to play so much tennis as it will bore her.

Right now, her schedule is quite full, it should add up to 16 tournaments I believe. That is quite a full schedule. She made it clear that she'll be getting her dipolma in fashion design this year, so there is no way she can play tournaments in fall.

 

[jomar]

It's Venus decision so we can't do anything about that. It's a free world after all. Whether it be bad or good for her tennis career, it's her problem not mine.

 

[Eric_tennis]

I also read the article. After seeing that, I found Venus is still a girl, not a woman.

I think that the biggest priority for Venus now is becoming a #1 player in the world, even if it lasts only one week though.

That's why she accepted WC for Antwerp,... two weeks in Europe and one in Middle East ( in a row).... If she were not gunning for #1 spot, she wouldn't do so. And this time is the biggest chance (or maybe the last chance in near future) to be a #1 player.

She just doesn't want to show her real anxiety for being #1 which has been her biggest wish in her career. I don't think she doesn't respect the sport. I think she respect much more than people think.
She has big ego,... she just doesn't want to say, "I've wanted to become #1 player in the world. I couln't achieved it yet, BUT I'll achieve it soon with my best effort."
If she got mature, she would have said so.

But I like Venus as she is now. Because I know she will try her best, no matter what she says to the media.

Go, Venus!

Good luck in 2002!

 

[All4Williams]

Linton


I do not think that you like Venus very much and now you have a good excuse to go at her: Distorted news.

Venus said " Tennis is my job and I enjoy playing it but if ALL I did was tennis I would get bored"
I think that most of us enjoy our careers but if that is all we did we would get bored!! Except for you Linton I assume.

Venus so admires Pete sampras that she named her dog Pete!!
Pete Sampras is not Court, Evert, Navratilova, or Graf but he is a tennis player nevertheless.

I think that you are judging Venus too strongly. She has always maintained that winning Slams is a her goal not being #1. Why would she want put so much effort to winning a tennis slam if tennis is not important!

Venus knows herself and what she has sent her heart on. Right now three weeks in a row in February its Tennis.
If come October she chooses college 3 weeks in a row good luck to her .

I think the best a young adult can do is choose to lead a balanced life. This is what shows maturity. I would never want to see Venus living for Tennis only. She does very well without having to sacrifice the spiritual, creative and loving side to her to the altar of fame.

I once read an interview of Hingis's in the ACE magazine of Jan or Feb last year in which she said that all she does is tennis. I felt so sorry for her! I am glad that she too now seems to be choosing more of a life outside tennis.

 

[Veronique]

Eric,

Isn't it so convenient for an Hingis fan to ignore all the improvement V. has made in the last couple of years and just focus on the bad to support his or her argument? V. is going to play enough this year to attain the #1 ranking. We would like her to play after the USO, but it's her decision to make. She should do whatever makes her happy. It's her life!

 

[Volcana]

Linton - Let me tell you a little story about Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Tiger tells a story about the first time they played together professionally. Tiger has immense respect for Jack. He also felt that Jack was one of the few people who could really imagine what his life was like. Tiger started to relate to Jack the ordeal of the constant press attention, the corporate stuff, the relentless fans. Nicklaus cut him off with "You could always give back the 40 million dollars".

BTW, Nicklaus was already married when he went out on the golf tour. He played less than the other players. Lee Trevino has often pointed out that he won the award for lowest average five times in his career. Everytime, Trevino also points out, it was because Nicklaus HADN"T PLAYED ENOUGH TOURNAMENTS TO QUALIFY.

DO bring up Jack Nicklaus. He's the perfect example of how Venus has molded her career. He had a family he put first. He had outside interests. He played less than everybody else. And virtually all of his peers acknowledged him as the best.

So tell me Linton, is your arguement that JACK NICKLAUS has no respect for the game of golf or its history? If that isn't your arguement, how do Jack and Venus's approaches to their respective sports differ? Jack Nicklaus approached golf the same way Venus approaches tennis. Except Venus has always been in good condition, while, in his youth, Nicklaus was ocassionally accused of 'not respecting the game enough' to get in good condition.

Don't you hate it when you pick the wrong example to bolster an arguement?

 

[brickhousesupporter]

Lol @ volcana

sarcasm at its finest

 

[Infiniti2001]

Don't you just love these Venus bashers??? I bet if their favourite approached tennis like Venus, it would be alllllllllll praise and this thread would NOT exist ... So what if she wants to go to school in the fall??? She has ABSOLUTELY nothing to defend then... It's her perogative... Live and let live already!!!!

 

[HAIL-VENUS]

originally posted by Linton

She likes to compare herself to Tiger Woods, but Tiger has respect for his game and its history.

Where did you get this from? Venus and Serena have never compared themselves to Tiger Woods, and they are constantly trying to disassociate themselves from this comparison which is mainly made by the media and sports commentators. I know this because I'm a Williams fan and I listen to what Venus and Serena says, not what commentators say about them.

Meanwhile, Venus was quoted that tennis bores her

That too has been misenterpreted. Venus did not say that tennis bores her. She did say that tennis is not her entire life, and she would become bored if that's all she had to fill her life with. Get your facts straight. I understand that you don't like her, but don't lie on her. It's been a long, long, long time since Venus has given you something to whine about. Now, you seem to be looking for anything in desperation, and still coming up short.

 

[anastasjoy]

I'm sorry, but I don't see where you get, from an offhand statement that she might go back to school in the fall,that she has "no respect" for the sport and past players or that she thinks she is a "superior being." That sounds like the same old, groundless anti-Venus party line to me. (And how on earth would YOU know she has a "cold fish handshake?" When did you last play her?) If she does go back to school in the fall, so what? She currently plans to play more than a full schedule up until then and she has nothing to lose, as she's defending no points in the fall. Anyway, every player has something else they do other than tennis or they go nuts. Look at Martina Hingis, the little tennis robot. Her focus on her sport seems to falter every time a promising guy comes her way- which is her privilige. All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl. Would you say she's holding the sport in contempt and it bores her so much because she'd rather play than defend her Doha and Dubai titles? I'd say that's a stretch, but that's what you're saying about Venus.

 

[TSequoia01]

Actually Linton, too much of any one thing would tend to bore Venus by her past comments. She loves variety and new challenges, this helps to maintain her focus on tennis. Venus has never been a braggart, although in her own mind is the best. Nothing wrong with that, in fact it is a prerequisite to be a champion. Remember when Venus and Serena went up against Navratilova for the first time in doubles, and how they stated their long time admiration? Remember how happy they were to have met and played with Everett and Seles? Even Jennifer! Yes both Venus and Serena dance to a different beat but always bear in mind they might have had to.

 

[Dawn Marie]

Venus just won TWO tourneys .. that is great. Get used to it Linton.. .. I mean you will only go bonkers if you continue to let Venus's success get to your head.

Fearless Venus(who is multi-dimensional by the way) RULEZ

My favorite is very creative.

 

[QueenO]

Someone is mighty close to #1 and people don't like it

 

[victory1]

Go Venus!!!!

 

[Volcana]

I'm going to agree with Linton about one thing.

IF. IF. IF. IF the sport bored Venus and she held it in contempt, she SHOULD find something else to do. I just as lief ANY player of ANY sport who found it boring and held it in contempt found something else to do. (For example, I wouldn't entirely miss Marat Safin. I'd miss what he could be, but not what he is.) However, the woman out there playing on one leg in the second round at OZ wasn't holding anything in contempt. And she wasn't displaying boredom.

 

[joao]

I think venus is handling her carreer like anyone else does! look at Her. She can combine tennis and school and still be one of the best out-there! In the last 2 years, she has played from January through september and won 6 titles (including 2 slams) each year. She then stopped tennis and went to school! She has having success doing what she does ..... I don't see any reason for her to change her schedule! When you have success, you don't change!!!

GO VENUS !!!! Keep playing and winning..... your titles will "eventually" shut your haters up!!!!

 

[Cybelle Darkholme]

someone please tell me whats up with all these haters? People like linton I just don't understand. Why all the animosity toward Venus?

What on earth has this girl done? I mean even the boasting part of being number one in the world when she had't won a tournament is nothing to hold against her. Ali was the king of boasting and he was loved for it. So please keep that crap to yourself.

I have never seen so many people groan about a person going to school than when so called "fans" get upset when Venus and Serena plan on attending fashion school. This is their life, their tennis careers, you people don't own them! How would you like it if the masses told you you shouldn't go to school but temp full time (or whatever it is you do).

Venus rocks. That's just the end of it. Go back and read her interviews from '97, '98, '99, '00, '01! The girl has known who she is and had her act together before she stepped foot on the tour. In fact compare her interviews with other girls from the same year. Note the difference? This is why the true fans love Venus Williams

And all this grace and humilty is once again crap. Sure its nice to be gracious when you win or lose but its not a requirement. Jordan when he lost a few times wasn't the most gracious person and I can name a few other atheletes in other sports and tennis who are the same way. Oh, and as mother taught if you can't say anything nice about someone dont say anything at all. To my knowledge Venus hasn't said a bad word about anyone on tour ( i can't say the same for serena heh).

I think the tennis world just wasnt' ready for such a strong willed individual with a personality and intelligence at such a young age. She and her sister blew stuffiness out of the tennis world and some people just can't stand it.

 

[Linton]

K K K I know where u all coming from. Its ok to put what u tihnk.

Just let me put this in review.

1 Im a marty fan i aint gonna exactly chair and rave, and root for Venus. She isint my fav.

2 Im only hsowing a view. I dont expect people to agree with me

3 No im not a williams hater

 

[Dawn Marie]

KKK and you think VENUS likes to consider herself some SUPERIOR being?