OT: Why is Serena putting herself through this?????

[eebmg]

Serena may get through the 1st round but she is just not in a shape (I look better after a 1 mile walk) where she can be a serious threat. Fighting for her life in the 3rd set now.
5-7, 6-1, 6-6 into OT

 

[eebmg]

Mercifully, loses the tie break 10-7 (after a 4-0 lead). I would be worried about a severe injury. Her mind thinks her body can do things from years ago.

 

[TheFarmFan]

 

[LoboDays]

Serena may get through the 1st round but she is just not in a shape (I look better after a 1 mile walk) where she can be a serious threat. Fighting for her life in the 3rd set now.
5-7, 6-1, 6-6 into OT

I was glad to see she entered the tournament but thought she must have gotten herself in shape to compete. Don’t understand it. I started to worry that she was going to collapse on the court.

 

[Mdoggie]

I hear it’s sometime hard for the greats to know when to hang it up.

 

[topogigio]

Mother Time takes her toll on everyone!

 

[JellyBean]

Heart of a Champion. Mad respect for Ms Serena Williams for getting out there to play. She will know when it is time to step down.

 

[JordyG]

Watching Serena huffing and puffing her way through 3 sets was painful. I could see she was out of gas when only half of the 2nd set was over. What hurt her wasn't father time, but father mayonnaise. I remember Marvin Hagler once said, and I paraphrase, "When you reach a certain level its hard to pull yourself out of silk sheets and go train". Conditioning isn't a new issue with her, but a continuing one over the last 5 years. Unless she wants to continue being mediocre (which I'm sure she doesn't) she needs to either commit herself to hard training and sacrifice, or go live a good life with her husband and daughter.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Mercifully, loses the tie break 10-7 (after a 4-0 lead). I would be worried about a severe injury. Her mind thinks her body can do things from years ago.

Some greats know when to bow out. Some refuse to see reality. The later inflict pain on their fans and may diminish their legacies.

 

[Beemer]

She wants to break Court's record of Grand Slam titles but I think the time for that is past. She's 41 years old now and Father Time always wins that race.

 

[Urshurak]

"It's better to burn out, than to fade away....."

Highlander?

 

[LoboDays]

If she wants one more Slam title, she has a couple of months to get ready for the U.S. Open.

 

[Forego]

Of course Serena should only retire when she makes the decision that it is time. However, there is nothing dishonorable about retiring, in fact it appears to be the fashionable thing to do. Hingis, Clijsters and Tom Brady have all retired more than once.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

mebbe she's playing for her own reasons, like fun?
she's done everything already, including meeting everyone else's expectations.
mebbe she's doing it as an ad for her clothes, or gear, or sportsdrink. who knows? who cares? she's earned the right to do any dang thing she wants.
and please, don't turn the subject into another alta cocker fearfest around her potential for injury. she'll heal up right fine.

 

[and one]

Some greats know when to bow out. Some refuse to see reality. The later inflict pain on their fans and may diminish their legacies.

I think players going too long and diminishing their legacy is largely a myth. Remember Willie Mays playing for the Mets? Best not to and I don't think anyone voting to have him enter the HOF gave it any thought either. Serena has had a career that puts her among the very best to ever play tennis. Absent any PED revelations, which is very unlikely, her legacy is already written in stone. Did she look good in the Tan match? Nope. Can she do better? Probably. Can she win another tournament? Doubtful, but stranger things have happened. She is playing with house money, so let her have her fun.

 

[Florida Fan]

Mercifully, loses the tie break 10-7 (after a 4-0 lead). I would be worried about a severe injury. Her mind thinks her body can do things from years ago.

Once upon a time, and far away at the Australian Open, Serena played herself into shape and destroyed Sharapova in a lopsided final, that was one of the greatest beat-downs of all time. Not any more. If she does the work, fine tunes her serve and finishes points early, she has a chance, but not by taking a year off and backing into a major.

 

[JordyG]

mebbe she's playing for her own reasons, like fun?
she's done everything already, including meeting everyone else's expectations.
mebbe she's doing it as an ad for her clothes, or gear, or sportsdrink. who knows? who cares? she's earned the right to do any dang thing she wants.
and please, don't turn the subject into another alta cocker fearfest around her potential for injury. she'll heal up right fine.

I couldn't disagree more. Great players, players who were at the top of their respective endeavors, who dominated those endeavors, do not linger in their fields just to have fun. They've worked hard in their fields, most harder than all others, in order to become great. They became the best because they hate mediocrity, they hate losing, and the thought of being second rate is intolerable to them. These types of personalities don't enter major competitions because they think there is pleasure in losing. They enter because they think they can win. Serena's brand is already established. She could retire today and still sell sports drinks at the same rate as if she'd just won another Wimbledon or US Open.

The truth is in sports the of majority players don't retire because of age, but due to injury. Right now, as I've said, Serena's issues are due to commitment and mindset, not health. Her problem again is not father time, but more father mayonnaise. Those who don't retire due to injury retire because they are no longer willing to commit to what it takes to be the best. They're tired of the training (which Serena has stated many times in the past that she hates), the dieting, tired of the grind, tired of the press, and tired of the pressure of maintaining their position as the best.

Who knows, who cares? Yes, maybe you're right. Serena has earned the right to do as she wishes. Serena owes us nothing, but as with most fighters, they all think they have one good last fight in them. Serena knows that she lost not due to injury but rather to training, and like most fighters at her stage I'm willing to bet she believes there is at least one more good fight in her. I'm willing to think this isn't the last we see of Serena. I could be wrong, but I believe that she feels in her heart that she owes it, not her fans, but to herself to make the attempt. From my vantage, that's the way champions think. As I was watching the match I kept noting the shot making skills are still there, but she just couldn't get to the shot in time with her feet in position and her racquet ready to make the shot. Then she started to go for low percentage shots because of her fatigue. I kept saying to myself if she were 20-25 pounds lighter with better cardio she'd run Tan off the court. Some here on The BY think she'll never win another championship. I conditionally disagree. If she's willing to put in the work again I believe there could be multiple championships in her future. If not, then a beautiful daughter, a loving husband, with a legacy and brand lay in cement before her.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I couldn't disagree more. Great players, players who were at the top of their respective endeavors, who dominated those endeavors, do not linger in their fields just to have fun. They've worked hard in their fields, most harder than all others, in order to become great. They became the best because they hate mediocrity, they hate losing, and the thought of being second rate is intolerable to them. These types of personalities don't enter major competitions because they think there is pleasure in losing. They enter because they think they can win. Serena's brand is already established. She could retire today and still sell sports drinks at the same rate as if she'd just won another Wimbledon or US Open.

The truth is in sports the of majority players don't retire because of age, but due to injury. Right now, as I've said, Serena's issues are due to commitment and mindset, not health. Her problem again is not father time, but more father mayonnaise. Those who don't retire due to injury retire because they are no longer willing to commit to what it takes to be the best. They're tired of the training (which Serena has stated many times in the past that she hates), the dieting, tired of the grind, tired of the press, and tired of the pressure of maintaining their position as the best.

Who knows, who cares? Yes, maybe you're right. Serena has earned the right to do as she wishes. Serena owes us nothing, but as with most fighters, they all think they have one good last fight in them. Serena knows that she lost not due to injury but rather to training, and like most fighters at her stage I'm willing to bet she believes there is at least one more good fight in her. I'm willing to think this isn't the last we see of Serena. I could be wrong, but I believe that she feels in her heart that she owes it, not her fans, but to herself to make the attempt. From my vantage, that's the way champions think. As I was watching the match I kept noting the shot making skills are still there, but she just couldn't get to the shot in time with her feet in position and her racquet ready to make the shot. Then she started to go for low percentage shots because of her fatigue. I kept saying to myself if she were 20-25 pounds lighter with better cardio she'd run Tan off the court. Some here on The BY think she'll never win another championship. I conditionally disagree. If she's willing to put in the work again I believe there could be multiple championships in her future. If not, then a beautiful daughter, a loving husband, with a legacy and brand lay in cement before her.

nah, i've met plenty of professional champions, and more than a few but less than a big amount said stuff like 'i was having a blast,' or 'i needed the money,' or whatever we monkeys say to ourselves aboot why we do things.
'Apr 20, 1991 · Outweighed by 49 pounds, the 28-year-old Holyfield beat the 257-pound George Foreman on a unanimous 12-round decision in a bout that had all the energy and passion a boxing fan could want.'
it was a birthday present. hot dang, what a present. a relative with us, walked up to ali afterward (his boxing hero!), and shook his hand.
not seeing his early times, i still had a like and admiration for this guys whole package. years later, i went to a george fanfest, on the chance i could shake his hand. even better, no handshaking went down, but i stood in line, and actually got to talk with him, becuz i had a question aboot what happened there as firecrackers went off during the match, but never saw a report if it meant anything to the fighters. so i asked him, and he said he heard them. but he's george! friendly, approachable, mellow, a decent sort, so i asked another. 'i've read and heard a lot of stuff, and many say that u came back a third, fifth, whatever times, because of your family needs. was that it?'

the man laughs, and says 'i have a lot of kids.' he signed the thing, no handshakes went down, cuz the situation fit for no one getting their hand shook that day.

 

[Blakeon18]

Harmony Tan slammed by ‘very angry’ doubles partner after Serena Williams upset

Harmony Tan withdrew from the women’s doubles tournament a day after her upset of Williams in the first round of Wimbledon that took 3 hours and 11 minutes.

nypost.com

Harmony Tan...the winner over Serena in round one...drops out of playing doubles. Her partner is not pleased....not even a little.

 

[and one]

Not s class act in Tan's part and I really feel for her ex-partner. I'm thinking that they'll not ever be doubles partners and that one day they'll meet on opposite sides of the net, a match I want to see.

I have nothing against Harmony and know little about her. I have watched her play a few times and I knew what to expect in her Serena match. She has no real weapon - low-average serve, no power on fore or back hand, just ok quickness. What she is is a finesse player, otherwise called a junkballer. That's nothing to be ashamed of but isn't the kind of game that gets a lot of wins. Her high ranking is about 90 and she was 113 going into Wimbledon, which seems about right. In her hay day Serena beats this caliber player 6-0, 6-1.

So Tan is now going to get herself into the quarters just to make me look like a dope. A tip of the hat, Harmony, if you can pull that off. And buy something nice for that doubles partner you shafted!

 

[Cuango]

Heart of a Champion. Mad respect for Ms Serena Williams for getting out there to play. She will know when it is time to step down.

Apparently not! It would be one thing if she was simply playing for her love of the game but her stated reason is that she wants to break Courts record. That is clearly beyond her now. She simply is not capable of winning in any meaningful, sustained way and should simply announce that (if it’s true) that she still enjoys the game and will continue to play until she doesn’t!

 

[LoboDays]

Actually, she doesn’t have to do, say or announce anything. She plays when when she feels like it. She doesn’t owe an explanation. I see some past their prime golfers who enter a Major tournament with zero chance of winning. Is anyone demanding that they announce their intentions?

 

[eebmg]

and now Venus.

 

[Beemer]

Not s class act in Tan's part and I really feel for her ex-partner. I'm thinking that they'll not ever be doubles partners and that one day they'll meet on opposite sides of the net, a match I want to see.

I have nothing against Harmony and know little about her. I have watched her play a few times and I knew what to expect in her Serena match. She has no real weapon - low-average serve, no power on fore or back hand, just ok quickness. What she is is a finesse player, otherwise called a junkballer. That's nothing to be ashamed of but isn't the kind of game that gets a lot of wins. Her high ranking is about 90 and she was 113 going into Wimbledon, which seems about right. In her hay day Serena beats this caliber player 6-0, 6-1.

So Tan is now going to get herself into the quarters just to make me look like a dope. A tip of the hat, Harmony, if you can pull that off. And buy something nice for that doubles partner you shafted!

I don't know that I agree with you about her game not being the kind of game that gets a lot of wins. Right now tennis is a power game and a player with her game can drive a power player nuts. I see it a lot in baseball- guys who just murder high speed pitches tie themselves in knots when a pitcher throws off speed or knuckleballs. I think a junkball player can win a lot matches if she (or he) has better weapons than Tan possesses. I'd like to see someone try, I'm sick of the power game.

 

[Blakeon18]

Harmony restored: Korpatsch clears air with Tan

A day after Harmony Tan's would-be partner Tamara Korpatsch publicly expressed her outrage over Tan's last-minute decision to withdraw from doubles, peace has been restored between the pair.

www.espn.com

All is forgiven...according to her doubles partner.