[thefreedesigner]

<font size= 3>Tauziat Still Sharp-Tongued After All These Years </font size><br /> <br />Capriati, Williams & Davenport All Come Under Fire <br /> <br />08 November 2001

By Francois Thomazeau

PARIS (Reuters) - Impending retirement has done nothing to muzzle outspoken French tennis stalwart Nathalie Tauziat as she proved with a sharp-tongued assault on the game's current leading names.

The experienced campaigner retires after this week's Fed Cup in Madrid, but proved she is sharper than ever when it comes to speaking her mind.

Americans Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati all came under fire but, by contrast, the 34-year-old was full of praise for Martina Hingis in an interview published by sports daily L'Equipe.

"I don't know if she (Hingis) would accept that we discuss it together, but honestly it bugs me when I see that she could fare much better ... and that she takes such beatings from the Williamses (Venus and younger sister Serena) or Davenport who, for me, do not really play tennis," she said.

Tauziat sealed her reputation as a merciless observer of women's tennis when she published a book called "Women's tennis stripped bare" last year.

Australian and French Open champion Jennifer Capriati was not spared either by Tauziat, who said: "When she came back on the tour, she was fat.

SOCIAL SKILLS

"I never would have thought that she could play the way she does today."

Tauziat said she thought that Venus Williams was currently the strongest player in the world, but said she doesn't think much of her social skills.

"Frankly today for me Venus is the strongest ... I'm not sure she respects a lot of people.

"But it's because she's the best and (thinks) that she must not be nice to others to stay the best," she said.

"Otherwise, she's not an unpleasant girl," she added.

Tauziat is far kinder to German Steffi Graf, whom she rates as the best player ever.

"Graf was too fast for me. She was my real bete noire. I never beat her in 21 matches and I didn't even win a set," she said.

"In the history of the game, I put her up there, in front of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert," she said.

<br />It might be old news and I guess it's not all that sensational, but you can read the whole thing at <a href="http://www.sport365.com/Tennis_news/page_9_38313.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.sport365.com/Tennis_news/page_9_38313.shtml</a>

 

[Scotso]

I don't see how anything she said is that sharp-tongued. The media is just trying to start something.

 

[saki]

I _like_ Nat. She may not be the nicest player out there, but she is completely genuine and sincere and I find that very appealing. She isn't bitchy, she's just honest and tells it like she sees it. She's no primadonna, she has no affectations or pretentions and I think she's really cool!

 

[Halardfan]

I think she's just great too. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

<img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

 

[thefreedesigner]

The thing I find most interesting is where Tauziat says... " I don't know if Hingis would accept that we discuss it". Is Natalie angling for some form of consultation with Hingis. A formal coaching capacity perhaps. LOL <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[HAIL-VENUS]

I don't see anything inappropriate in this interview. She's simply giving her opinions on the top players. It does kind of seem as if she'd like to be involved with the Hingosiva camp.

 

[marsha]

I must say that, althugh it is probably not fair to base a conclusion on just a few incidents, I did find Ms. Nathalie to be a bit of a prima donna -- at tleast relative to those around her. For some reason, she happened to be practising in the Grandstand Court at Ericsson twice before matches I wanted to see were beginning. And on both occasions, she was really not very nice to anyone who was around. And then I saw her after her doubles Finals victory and again she was very not nice -- you'd have thought she would've at least been happy then! But no! Crab, crab, crab... Someone was speculating that perrhaps she is the way she is because she felt she was never given the respect she deserves in tennis and with that I would have to agree.

 

[Lindsayfan]

poor jealous Nathalie!!! i feel bad for her,i feel ashamed for her.why she doesnt find a man and marry and have a lot of kids,instead to say a lot of bullshit????? <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

 

[saki]

Oh, so getting married and having kids is a cure for any problem a woman might have? We have come a long way since the 19th century haven't we?!

If a man made this comments, it would just be an expression of a personality. Just because it's a woman she's obviously not fulfilled. Bullshit.

 

[Martian KC]

Nathalie!!! <img src="graemlins/kiss.gif" border="0" alt="[Kiss]" /> <img src="graemlins/kiss.gif" border="0" alt="[Kiss]" /> <img src="graemlins/kiss.gif" border="0" alt="[Kiss]" /> Keep expressing yourself, but stay out of trouble. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[evaz]

I can't find anything wrong or sharp tongued in this article!

- Steffi Graf is one of the "all-time" best<br />- Venus is the best right now<br />- Martina Hingis could have won more this year<br />- nobody expected Jennifer having such a comeback

ok, maybe the "she was fat when she came back" isn't really nice, but that's the only thing in this article......

 

[Lindsayfan]

everyone has own opinions.how she can say "they do not really play tennis"??if they dont play tennis...which kind of sport they practise??

 

[bulgar]

lindsayfan, i do not agree with her about davenport,<br />but everyone is entiled to an opinion, and she doesn't mean "they do not really play tennis" in the way you think, she means it as they are all power, and no technique.

Everyone has there own opinions, keep on expressing yourself Nat, and i will really miss you in singles.<br />Hope she wins a doubles grandslam soon.

 

[Celeste]

I love the way she speaks her mind, but is it just me, or does she come off sort of pompous? She talks like she's some Grande Dame of the tennis world. Martina Navratilova she's not. She had one of the most modest careers of anyone to linger in the Top 10. And that part about Steffi Graf being her bete noir--yes, Nathalie, your bete noir and the bete noir of just about everyone else! And many more (several not even in the Top 100) were too fast for her! I'm not trying to trash her, but she comes off as very self-important sometimes, at least to me. That said, I can't wait for her next interview! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[apoet29]

I have to admit that I am disappointed in Natalie's final remarks at the end of her singles career. Instead of highlighting the best points of her long career, she instead chooses to denigrate other players. To say that the Williams sisters, Lindsay, Jennifer are all power and no technique is ludicrious. In the last three years, these players have won 10 grand slams combined. No player wins grand slams without any shot making skills or "technique" as Tauziat claims.

I also find it hilarious that Tauziat criticizes Venus Williams for her lack of social skills, but she chooses to describe Jennifer Capriati as "fat." To use "fat" to describe any person is to do so in a derogatory way. I think one can safely say that Tauziat lacks social skills not Venus who has never resorted to name calling.

All in all, the final interview with Natalie is disappointing. Instead of discussing her career, she chooses to engage in name-calling. While it is uncertain the nature of the article (in other words, what questions Natalie was asked, how she truly responded, etc), Tauziat chooses to make her last words bitter and disappointing. What a shame. Since until the end of her career, she was the last of the great serve and volleyers.

 

[Lindsayfan]

totally agree with you,apoet24!!! <img src="graemlins/wavey.gif" border="0" alt="[Wavey]" />

 

[saki]

This isn't her last interview! It's just random quotes from earlier in the year. Her interview after her last singles match was posted somewhere in general messages & is really sweet.

 

[malaye]

I read the whole interview in the newspaper, and I feel her remarks were taken out of context.

I don't think Nathalie intended to bash Jenny. She just said that she was completely surprised by her great results, given the fact that she was not fit when she came back on the tour. Granted, she used the word "grosse", which means fat, (when she meant and should have said "poor conditioning" ) but it was more to point out the true value of Jennifer's achievement.

Nathalie has never made a secret of her admiration for Martina's game. In the interview, she does not talk about coaching her, she just says it drives her mad to see her loose badly to the power players when she could do much better with some adjustments in her game. She also says that she would love to talk to Martina about it, but is not sure Martina would like it, or even listen to her (she then finishes by saying that Martina's mother told her Martina did not want to work anymore).

Last but not least, Nathalie also had some nice words for Lindsay (said she had the strongest, deepest strokes on the tour).

I am not a fan of Nathalie, but I see no reason for controversy here. Everything should not be black or white, let's have a bit of grey too <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

 

[thefreedesigner]

From my point of view, I came across this article and thought it might be inteteresting and solicit a few comments.

Which it has.

 

[Infiniti2001]

Opinions are like butt ***e*, we all have one-- so here goes--- Seems to me that Natalie only has kind words for the players who are down and out and seemed threatened by the winners. For her to call anyone fat in the media is so laughable, I mean, has she looked in the mirror at all lately???<br />Just my not so humble opinion of course <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="mad.gif" border="0"> <img src="graemlins/firey.gif" border="0" alt="[Fiery]" />