Sports Then and Now

Jelena Jankovic won the tournament in Indian Wells and tops the Power Rankings this week.

The action is hot and heavy this week in Miami. It marks the end of the traditional hard court season in America before the world turns to clay in April.

The surprises on the women’s tour continue as Serbian Jelena Jankovic overcomes her slump to take the No. 1 spot in our Power Rankings this week after winning the tournament in Indian Wells.

You just have to wonder who will orchestrate the next big surprise as the women fight for positions in the quarterfinals at the Sony Ericsson Open.

The Top Ten

1. Jelena Jankovic (Last Power Ranking: NR; WTA Ranking: 8 )

Last Four Tournaments: Sony Ericsson Open Miami [R16+], Indian Wells [Winner], Monterrey [R32], Dubai [R16].

Power Ranking Points: 681

Just when everyone was erecting a tombstone to mark the passing of Jankovic’s career, the Serb came back and won it all at Indian Wells. Jankovic progressed into the fourth round in Miami, so things were definitely looking up for her. The question remained––had she found her form and her energy level which had been missing in action for so long?

She had some tough matches awaiting her in Miami that would demonstrate if the Serb had the right stuff to continue her upward path. Unfortunately for Jankovic, she lost her fourth round match to Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-1, 7-6.

As the tour moves on to the clay courts, counterpuncher Jankovic still hopes to climb back to the top of the WTA rankings.

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Venus Williams remains at the top of the women's tennis power rankings.

The Williams sisters are absent from the so-called “Premier Mandatory” event at Indian Wells as usual. (Not sure why? check out JA Allen’s recent article.) However, their absence did not prevent them from retaining the top two spots in our biweekly power rankings, though they are sure to lose their grip after the BNP Paribas Open concludes.

The Top Ten

1. Venus Williams (Last Power Ranking: 1; WTA Ranking: 5); Last Four Tournaments: Acapulco [Winner], Dubai [Winner], Australian Open [Quarterfinalist], Doha [Finalist]; Power Ranking Points: 426

Venus Williams has been on fire since Australian Open. In a stretch of about two weeks, she won back-to-back titles at Dubai (Hard) and Acapulco (Clay), and then captured the Billie Jean King Cup at Madison
Square Garden. One can not help but wonder what will happen if she participated in this year’s Indian Wells event. Read the rest of this entry →

At the Indian Wells Masters Series Tennis Tournament in 2001, Venus Williams pulled out of a semifinal match against her sister Serena Williams just 4 minutes before the match was scheduled to get underway. The enthusiastic crowd, assembled and anxious to see the dynamic duo take the court, were upset and booed the sisters.

The match was to be televised, carried nationally by ESPN2.  When Venus and her father, Richard Williams, entered the stadium the next day to watch Serena in the final against Kim Clijsters, they were booed, as was Serena all during her match.

Even as Serena held the championship trophy aloft, the crowd voiced their displeasure with the Williams sisters, feeling that Venus’ withdrawal was a contrived way out of a difficult match for the close-knit family.  The crowd felt deceived and let down.  They let everyone know the extent of their displeasure.

To view the subsequent crowd reaction click here.

Was the crowd wrong?  Yes.  Players retire due to injury all the time.  To accuse Venus of this action was unjust.  At the time the Williams sisters were a rarity in the world of professional tennis.  They were both top-notch exciting tennis players capable of beating anyone else on tour.

Venus accepts the runner up trophy while Serena wins the Wimbledon Championship Trophy in 2003

But their matches against each other often lacked the fire of their matches against other professionals. Venus seemed far too tender and she rarely defeated Serena in the big finals, except at Wimbledon.  In those days there were often subtle comments made in certain media quarters, hinting that the outcome of their matches was pre-ordained.

It was, of course, all stuff and nonsense with no foundation.  It is not even logical that the sisters would engage in such subterfuge because there was no compelling reason to do so.  Sisters compete. From the day they are born until the day they die, sisters vie for attention and the top spot.  It is human nature.  Most siblings are life-long competitors.

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Victory in the Mexican Open lifts Venus Williams to the top of the women's tennis power rankings.

The headlines in women’s tennis have, for the last six months, focused squarely on a certain Belgian duo and on Serena. In one fell swoop, the elder Williams sister has this week reclaimed the limelight with back-to-back titles.

At 30, Venus is looking and sounding like a 20-year-old: fit, healthy, and full of enthusiasm. She has made hay while injury has subdued the top two seeds—Serena and Dinara Safina—and while the two Belgians have disappeared to regroup.

Top of the Power Rankings, and now clear of Justine Henin in the list of active WTA title holders, she appears hungry for more: “Who wants to have a limit on titles? Not me!”

The Top 10

1. Venus Williams (Last Power Ranking: 10; Current WTA Ranking: 5)

Last four tournaments: Acapulco [Winner], Dubai [Winner], Australian Open [Quarterfinals], Doha [Finals].

Power Ranking Points: 871

Venus has hit a purple patch, and the most impressive part of her successes this last fortnight is that she’s managed them on the hard courts of Dubai followed, in short order, by the clay of Mexico. It’s some achievement, all the more so because she won both tournaments last year as well. She’s now reached 43 WTA titles, the highest amongst active players and two more than Justine Henin.

Venus was outstanding in Dubai, not dropping a set, though she did not have to beat a player above herself in the rankings. It should have been easier progress still in Acapulco, but in the quarters she fought back from 5-1 in the third set against qualifier Laura Pous, and dropped a set in the semis and finals against relatively lowly ranked opposition. It’s a credit to her current fitness and her will to win that she pulled through those challenges.

She misses Indian Wells, as last year, and heads straight to Miami. She will hope the draw is kinder to her this time: she met and was beaten by her younger sister in the semis.

Venus looks fit and eager, and there are few better sights in the women’s game than that. Does she have the desire to win? I think so. Can she make it to Miami’s winner’s podium? It may depend on that draw! Read the rest of this entry →

In the 2008 U.S. Open, Venus couldn't capitalize on 10 set point opportunities in losing to eventually Champion Serena in the Quarterfinals.

There’s a certain commercial for the 2009 US Open—one where Serena Williams has two dolls in her lap.

“I’m gonna beat you, Venus,” Serena says, marching one doll over her knee into the other one’s face.

“No, you not,” replies the second doll in an elevated, falsetto voice.

Near Misses: the canvas on which is painted ugly, bitter things, the scope of which contains hidden beauty that lingers in the mind like the aftertaste of a fine, aged Scotch.

The subject of this series is not the winner, but the so-called “loser,” the one whose exit is at first bitter and burning like the first note of a 30-year-old Glenmorangie, but for whom the second note is sweet, nuanced, and lasting, just like said 30-year-old Scotch.

Richard Williams, their notorious, old father and coach, announced, when Venus won her first title, that his two daughter’s would ultimately find that their greatest rival would be each other.

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It only makes sense that Serena Williams, who finally reclaimed the No. 1 WTA ranking, should also regain the No. 1 Power Ranking and end 2009 as the reigning top player.

She won the year-end tournament in Doha, which turned out to be an endurance contest rather than a tennis tournament. There was as much tape wrapped on legs, knees, feet, elbows, wrists, and fingers as there are miles of road leading to Doha.

It gives the debate about scheduling more teeth as the tour heads into 2010. Week after week in 2009, the top pros were pulling out of tournaments or trying to play hurt because of the impossible schedule imposed upon them.

This is a monumental problem for both the women and the men. It is hard to deliver when you have no legs to stand on. But some did. Regardless, the final 10 for 2009…

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