[cynicole]

I don't mean for this to be jumping on the Let's Pick Apart What Players Say bandwagon but I want to highlight this comment made by Serena:

I've been working really hard at home. I'm on a mission. I have some goals that I set for myself. I have to reach those goals. I'm tired of seeing people ranked ahead of me that just shouldn't be.

I understand what she means...but that last line looks like something that could be taken out of context and used to bait certain players ranked ahead of her. Imagine a reporter posing that to Martina! At least I'm confident that Kim, Justine, Amelie and Jelena are intelligent and more importantly tactful enough to avoid responding stupidly.

BTW - That's the only "possibly bad" part about Serena's interview. It's a pretty nice read. At least, I enjoyed it.

 

[Williams Rulez]

I supposed they could use it to bait Martina, but right now Martina is not playing, so this won't happen. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

 

[Adrian]

It was a stupid and arrogant statement in the first place, I wouldn't worry about the other players responding publically, but it's nice fuel for them in private.

 

[Raisin]

Great win for Serena yesterday. The interview was interesting but I must admit that remark was arrogant. <img src="graemlins/bounce.gif" border="0" alt="[Bounce]" />

 

[LucasArg]

Adrian, You re always here to critic Serena or Venus. Why don't u read Jennifer's interviews???

Serena mean she can do better if she plays more tournaments, cos' If she is a Top Ten playing 9 tournaments and Jelena is 8 playing a lot lot lot more, there's the point. OK?

Please, it is real a shame to attack the Sisters just because.

I am sick of it.

<img src="graemlins/firey.gif" border="0" alt="[Fiery]" />

[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: LucasArg ]</p>

 

[The Crow]

I don't think this is a really arrogant remark. She recognises the fact that she has much more potential than her rank shows AND instead of whining about it (like some of the Williams fans always seem to do <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> ) she knows she has to do something about it!

 

[Infiniti2001]

Personally, I thought Rena's interview was first class humility. She was being confident, as everyone should be... If she can be ranken the top 10 by playing ONLY 9 tournaments, imagine if she played at least 4 more... What is it with some posters who are always on the Williames case??? They're in "every" thread like dogs after a bone <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> If they were adding constructive criticism then it would be okay, but to be so consumed with hatred for them is really SICK IMNSHO... <br /> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: Infiniti2001 ]</p>

 

[Adrian]

Hey, I'm sorry there are a few of you that constantly set yourselves up to be baited, which you rush to take.....call it a sport if you like <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Hey do you spell Maleeva again Lucas?

 

[StevenM]

everyone knows the fact that Serena is BADLY underranked at the moment.....

but who's to blame? herself...

the other girls including Dokic <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> , Hingis? , Kim , JuJu etc who are ranked higher than Serena may DESERVE to be there! theyve worked harder and backed it up..

I just think adrian has a point here , Rena did over step the mark IMO. It would be ok for Serena to say she wants to move up the ranks , but to say there are players who shouldnt be above her is wrong.

 

[moon]

what's so wrong about it? Juju, Kim(esp), and Jelena all have losing records against Serena. They've all played more, that's why they're ranked higher, but I think everybody knows that the player with the most points is not necessarily the best player. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

 

[supremeross]

I agree with Moon. I think what Serena was meaning to say is that her ranking does not reflect her ability. How else do you analyze the fact that Jelena D. is ranked just above Serena and Dokic has played in 3 times as many tournaments. I don't think Serena is pointing the finger of blame at anyone but herself and understands she needs to play more than 9 or 10 tournements a year if she wants to be ranked higher. It's not a matter of working harder but just playing more. Don't you think most players wish they could get the same results by playing in just 9 tournaments.

 

[Volcana]

I see nothing wrong with it. It's the truth, IF you feel the rankings reflect the ABILITY of the players. Serena's ranked where she is because she doesn't play enough. If she backs up her words in 2002, no sweat. If she ends 2002 ranked around #9 again, THEN I'llsay those words were arrogant.

As the saying goes, 'It ain't arrogance if you can back it up".

Let's see if Serena can back it up, THEN talk about 'arrogant' or not. By the way, ever notice no one expects guys to engage in false humility? It's a less remarked form of sexism. A guy who says, "I'm the best in the world and it's time I started playing like it" is just stating a fact. If a woman says it, it's 'arrogance'. If Guga said it, it wouldn't bother me. Why should it bother me if Serena says it?

 

[tesha]

Serena was not being arrogant , she was just speaking the truth. Lets be honest it not an upset if she beats Dokic, Henin, or Clijsters.

 

[Guest]

What is wrong with people these days?

Arrogance, what ever. Didn't Cocktail just say a fews days ago, "if Venus is supposed to No. 1, then why isn't she?"

Where was everyone then, saying that was arrogant? Paleez, the truth hurts. Serena knows her butt should ranked at least in the top 5. And now that Hingis bingis is finally out of the spot, undeservably, a the best player can get there, it sure isn't Cocktail. I have no choice in realizing that big teeth has the points right now, but that is just for now...

<br />Cocktail and Dump truck need to focus on making up those points next year. Because both sisters are pledging to play more next year. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

 

[Becool]

She is nothing but, RIGHT!<br />I agree with all words, and pontuations!

 

[cynicole]

I just read this and I just had to add it!

From the mouth of Justine Henin...

Of course, she [Serena Williams] has played nine or ten tournaments. She's No. 6 or No. 7 in the world. She has extraordinary talent. She's in top shape. She can show this even if she hasn't played a lot of events. I have to be very, very self-confident, take my opportunities. Since the US Open, I have been playing a lot of matches. Let's play some tennis and see who wins. The better one will be in the semifinals.

- SNIP -

She's behind me in the ranking, but I've got nothing to lose.

So, basically, Mlle. Henin just said that Serena's approximate ranking should be around no.6 or 7...which is where Justine has been ranked these past few weeks. Are we going to jump on her for praising Serena like this? (Or it could be that Juju is terribly uninformed. <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> )

Regarding the original Serena quote I started this thread with: I don't see anything wrong with Serena's statement other than her choice of words. I'm sure she didn't mean to say that those ranked ahead of her were undeserving by any means.

After all, Serena did say the following after walloping Justine at the U.S. Open:

Well, she's a great player. She's doing well. She's No. 6 in the world now, I think. She played a good match today. She did her best. I just happened to play a bit better. I know whenever I play her, I'm going to have to make sure I'm ready because you don't get to that spot in the finals of Wimbledon - I haven't even been in the finals of Wimbledon - you don't get there easy. You go out there by working hard. She's definitely doing great.

I'm sure she'd say pretty much the same thing about Kim reaching the French Open final.

BTW - Justine's interview is beautiful...but I'm biased.

[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: cynicole ]</p>

 

[Keita]

How do you get to the Serena's interview.<br />could someone be so kind as to print it or put out<br />the URL?<br />thanks

 

[cynicole]

Keita - Go to the Sanex Championships site:

<a href="http://www.wta-wm.de/" target="_blank">http://www.wta-wm.de/</a>

Warning: The website makes noise!

 

[Rollo]

Serena has obviously had a better year than the likes of Mauresmo and Dokic-so what's the big deal with her saying what most people(and players) think? <br />The part of her interview that made me laugh was Rena saying she would play more. She said that in 1999, last year...earlier this year, at the US Open........ Thats canned-like Hingis saying she knows she has to improve her serve or listening to Chris Evert say she was going to come to net more. I'll believe it when we see it <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

 

[StevenM]

If she has has had a better yera than Henin, Dokic and Kim , then its almost impossible to be ranked substantially lower.