Ah, Serena...

[Alma]

The humility.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=4135094

Once again, she reiterates she's never lost a match in her life.

 

[slappy4428]

Daddy's girl, for sure.

 

[Big Chee]

An athlete that believes they're the best.

Am I supposed to be surprised by that link?

 

[Double J]

An athlete that believes and loudly proclaims they're the best, in spite of the evidence.

 

[sportschick]

An athlete that believes and loudly proclaims they're the best, in spite of the evidence.

What's the evidence that she's not?

She shows up fat, out of shape, wins the Aussie Open two years ago. She plays the minimum number of tournaments, yet still manages to achieve a No. 1 ranking (for a while anyway) that she cares little about (otherwise she'd play more).

Only player who ever had her number was Henin, who's retired. Other people might manage a win a year against her, but nobody can beat her regularly, not even her sister.

 

[Alma]

An athlete that believes they're the best.

Am I supposed to be surprised by that link?

I dunno. Do you hear Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, two of the greatest players in tennis history by the time they're done, saying this kind of ****?

 

[Big Chee]

An athlete that believes they're the best.

Am I supposed to be surprised by that link?

I dunno. Do you hear Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, two of the greatest players in tennis history by the time they're done, saying this kind of ****?

Because athletes all don't say the same things. From time to time, many of them have voiced to the general public that they're the best. Is that new to you?

 

[Alma]

An athlete that believes and loudly proclaims they're the best, in spite of the evidence.

What's the evidence that she's not?

She shows up fat, out of shape, wins the Aussie Open two years ago. She plays the minimum number of tournaments, yet still manages to achieve a No. 1 ranking (for a while anyway) that she cares little about (otherwise she'd play more).

Only player who ever had her number was Henin, who's retired. Other people might manage a win a year against her, but nobody can beat her regularly, not even her sister.

I know you like tennis, so you oughta know better: The reason Williams doesn't/couldn't play more is because her style of game takes a whopping toll on her body. If she played the same number of tournaments as some of the others, she would have retired by now out of the sheer cost to her limbs.

Her style certainly works, but it comes at a cost. Injuries are part and parcel of the way she plays.

 

[Alma]

An athlete that believes they're the best.

Am I supposed to be surprised by that link?

I dunno. Do you hear Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, two of the greatest players in tennis history by the time they're done, saying this kind of ****?

Because athletes all don't say the same things. From time to time, many of them have voiced to the general public that they're the best. Is that new to you?

It's just a thread and a link. Nothing more. Move your schooner on the next campfire if you don't like the grub at this one.

 

[Double J]

An athlete that believes and loudly proclaims they're the best, in spite of the evidence.

What's the evidence that she's not?

She shows up fat, out of shape, wins the Aussie Open two years ago. She plays the minimum number of tournaments, yet still manages to achieve a No. 1 ranking (for a while anyway) that she cares little about (otherwise she'd play more).

Only player who ever had her number was Henin, who's retired. Other people might manage a win a year against her, but nobody can beat her regularly, not even her sister.

What's the evidence? Right now she's not ranked No. 1. I'm aware that Safina, the new No. 1, lost to Williams in Australia. I'm aware that Williams won Australia and is also the defending U.S. Open champion. But right now Safina has more points in the rankings, so she is No. 1.

If Williams cares so little about her ranking, why is she complaining that she's still the best?

 

[heyabbott]

This is nothing new, she's never been beaten by an opponent in her career. Just ask her. She only beats herself, which counts as a win since only Serena can beat Serena, and she's never had to face Tebow.

You stay classy, Serena.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

This is why most athletes refuse to say anything. Because, when they're honest, we rip them.

 

[ServeItUp]

Can anyone explain a ranking system that puts Safina ahead of Williams? How does winning four non-slams and playing in two finals in 12 months trump Williams winning a slam plus a couple other titles? Admittedly, all I know is the rankings are based on the past 12 months, and all I know is Williams beat Safina in the Aussie final.

I shake my head at Serena's comments but Elliotte's right. And we'll continue to rip athletes for being press conference robots, too.

 

[joe king]

I love the part about her off-court activities.

"I've been writing, but I haven't been writing. In my mind I've been saying I want to write, but I haven't actually physically picked up a pencil and started writing," the U.S. Open and Australian Open champion said.

 

[Alma]

This is why most athletes refuse to say anything. Because, when they're honest, we rip them.

So when some baseball player says "the better team just lost this series 4-0," like, say, that jackass from the Diamondbacks did a few years ago, the proper response is to make no comment on it out of fear that they'll never anything that stupid again?

And I'd quibble with your general sentiment anyhow. The tennis media treats Serena Williams quite well, especially the TV media. She gets a lot more of a free pass then Henin (or, for that matter, Hingis) ever did. (Hingis especially was villainized, deservedly so, for the "half a man" comment.)

 

[RickStain]

The really stupid thing about that D-backs statement is that they *were* involved in a sweep where the better team lost that year, and it wasn't the NLCS.

You don't get outscored in the regular season by being a better team than anyone in the playoffs.

 

[hondo]

An athlete that believes and loudly proclaims they're the best, in spite of the evidence.

What's the evidence that she's not?

She shows up fat, out of shape, wins the Aussie Open two years ago. She plays the minimum number of tournaments, yet still manages to achieve a No. 1 ranking (for a while anyway) that she cares little about (otherwise she'd play more).

Only player who ever had her number was Henin, who's retired. Other people might manage a win a year against her, but nobody can beat her regularly, not even her sister.

I know you like tennis, so you oughta know better: The reason Williams doesn't/couldn't play more is because her style of game takes a whopping toll on her body. If she played the same number of tournaments as some of the others, she would have retired by now out of the sheer cost to her limbs.

Her style certainly works, but it comes at a cost. Injuries are part and parcel of the way she plays.

Or, she could be injured a lot because she is frequently out of shape. The Williams sisters may be the most fragile athletes in the world. Their initials should be WD.

 

[Webster]

For two athletes who seem extremely gracious and not full of themselves, the Williams sisters usually come across terribly after a losing match, rarely giving credit to their opponents.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Padraig Harrington agrees wholeheartedly with this thread, because he was the 2008 player of the year so he is THE BEST, PERIOD, until the 2009 award. Let's all hope the Woods guy doesn't make an ass out of himself and claim to be the best.

 

[heyabbott]

Padraig Harrington agrees wholeheartedly with this thread, because he was the 2008 player of the year so he is THE BEST, PERIOD, until the 2009 award. Let's all hope the Woods guy doesn't make an ass out of himself and claim to be the best.

Rankings are stupid, you play the game and the winner determines who's best. Tennis can seed their tournements any number of ways but it's the result at the end that counts, not the seedings.

But respect for one's opponent is the hallmark of sports(wo)manship, Serena is a great player and an assclown.
Tiger learned this lesson with the infamous, "B Game" comment. Let your racket do the talking Serena, because everytime you open your mouth all the world smells is bilious contempt.