Running tennis thread 2016 / 2017

Two of the classiest, most gracious sportsmen of our time, if not all time.

Who will never win SI Sportsperson of the Year because they don't carry American passports.

 

The good news is, who gives a flip about SI Sportsperson of the Year anymore ?

More attention is paid to the Swimsuit cover model....

Which is not very much.

 

The Ignorant States of America, never missing an opportunity to offend a foreigner:

 

Psych job! U.S. won, right?

 

Sarasota:

Twitter

(Loud sex heard during a match, confused a bit with grunting).

 

Welcome back, Maria.

Sharapova to play Roberta Vinci tomorrow as 15-month ban ends.

Because her ranking has vanished, she needs wild cards to get into the main draw of events. And many opponents say she shouldn't get them.

Maria Sharapova: Stuttgart opponent Roberta Vinci questions wildcard

Interestingly, the French Open won't give her a wild card into the main draw but is leaving open the possibility of giving her a wild card into qualifying.

 

There is not a tournament director in the world who wouldn't want a star player in the draw, especially coming off a lengthy and highly publicize suspension. This is a no-brainer and just good business. Other players shouldn't be surprised, nor angry, for that matter.

 

Well, they're obviously bothered by the reason she lost her ranking points.

Injury? No problem. Happens to all of us.

Drug ban? Well, uh . . .

 

I don't think Sharapova should get a wild card into the French, but I suppose I'm OK with getting one into smaller events. Frankly, she shouldn't want one into the French; it would be a better comeback story if she chose to work her way into the field through the qualifying.

 

What will be interesting is Wimbledon. She likely will not have the 650 or so points necessary to make the main draw and Wimby won't give her a main-draw WC if the French doesn't. So . . . that means she likely will play qualifying at the hell hole that is Roehampton.