Opinion: WTA Championships and Year-end Champs Merger a Turkey

by Jeremy Davis | October 28th, 2011, 1:02 am
  • 46 Comments

I’m sorry but I’m going to be the one to say out loud what we’re all thinking. The WTA championships in Istanbul is a turkey (get it? ha!).
ADHEREL
No Serena, no Venus, no Kim. Now Maria Sharapova has pulled out. Caroline Wozniacki has still not won a Slam, but during the event she was recognized as the year-end No. 1 for the second consecutive year. Then she lost yet another round robin match and was booted from the tournament.

C’mon, this is the best of the WTA tour?

No, the best part is that the WTA says they are in negotiations to combine their year-end championship with the ATP.


Can you picture some ATP board meeting somewhere where executives are pounding their fists on the table screaming, ‘We’ve got to make this merger happen — and fast! It’s not enough that we have Novak, Rafa and Roger, we need Agniez-however-you-spell-it Radwanska and Li Na or Na Li and Petra Kvitova to get more fans in the gate! Our product is not complete until we merge our championships!”

I guess that is what WTA head Stacey Allister is thinking is going on across the table.

Are you kidding?

The WTA turkey is just in time for Thanksgiving in the U.S., and I’m giving thanks that this purple and lime green-courted nightmare on the Tennis Channel is almost over. Give the trophy to Victoria Azarenka or whoever is giving the loudest orgasm impression and put the 2011 season to rest. Hope for a return for Serena and Venus and Kim next year. That is your only saving grace.

As Serena Williams tweeted the other day, “OH MY GOD u can’t wait to start playing tennis again next season. I’m so ready!!!!”

As are we Serena.


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46 Comments for Opinion: WTA Championships and Year-end Champs Merger a Turkey

Chico Says:

Hey!

Are we not a bit tough on the girls now, show a bit of love. Waiting for Kvitsy to get over the wimbledon hangover and heat some fire soon.

Serena is still in the doghouse in my book. I think she’d do better with community service than a tenniscourt.


Colin Says:

Poking fun at the WTA is fine, but jokes about people’s names are less so. Does it not occur to you that “Sean Randall” might sound hilarious to a Chinese or a Pole?
Nothing to do with this topic, but I see Andy Murray has taken a wildcard to the Basle tournament, where both Nole and Federer are competing.


Fumus Says:

Grow a sense of humor Colin.

Bottom line is that the William sisters (and Kim?) are the WTA tour at moment.

What Sean whiffed on was the fact that the year end championships are a glorified exhibition for both men and women. The top players don’t care, it’s all about the Grandslams to them(and to fans). Seriously what’s Novak up to for points this year a million-bajallion and Rafa is just behind with a zillion-trillion.

That’s why the Williams sisters aren’t there and that’s Has-beenerer won it last year, Nikolay Davydenko (who?) won it the year before. The top guys just don’t need the points anymore…top 4 going for slams, the real top women are only playing for slams….

Year end championships =

GLORIFIED EXHIBITION MATCHES.


margot Says:

Yet another adolescent outburst.
Shame Serena isn’t there, is all.


margot Says:

Sean didn’t write this, unless Jeremy Davis is a pseudonym, but I think not.


Polo Says:

Serena and Kim I understand but why is Venus always included in this type of topic? She is just the same as, if not worse, than all the women players currently playing in Istanbul. Compare how she has done with the rest of the field this year. Quite badly as a matter of fact.


mmm Says:

We get it, you don’t like women’s tennis unless one of the Williams sisters are playing or that screeching harpie Maria is on court. If you don’t like it then just don’t watch. Some of us are fans of the rest of the tour, and we enjoy the competitive matches no matter who is playing.


Leon Says:

Can’t believe my eyes.
This is the most boorish and chauvinistic post from an official blogger. One more of such a kind, and I will never visit the site again.


margot Says:

No Leon, the previous one from Mr Davis, which you must’ve missed and which again Colin and I, completely lacking humour as we are, found extremely offensive, was actually worse.


Harry Says:

Im for…the competitors that…”show up”…struggling fighting..to make it..to promote the game of tennis itself. Using what travel money they have..to achieve their dreams. Im not a “celebrity” fan..of those who “cherry pick”. Some are more interested in “celebrity fashion” where their minions design a hatpin…that they take credit for..and sell for a bajillion more than its worth..to the drooling “celebrity worshipers”. Gimme the girls who show up..racket in hand..and take on whoever challenges….for the game of tennis.


Gregoire Gentil Says:

We don’t know the internals of Tennis-X team, but if Sean has not fired Jeremy for so-so-so long, it means that Sean owes Jeremy something SO BIG!


Kimberly Says:

margot Says:
No Leon, the previous one from Mr Davis, which you must’ve missed and which again Colin and I, completely lacking humour as we are, found extremely offensive, was actually worse.

well margot, you brits are often lacking humour, hahaha. That article Margot is referring to ad several others by Mr. Davis, regarding the all lesbian FO final in 10 and Nadal cheating his way to the sportsmanship award, were way worse! This is mild.

As I stated on another thread I have enjoyed the WTA thoroughly this year, partially because of the lack of predictability. The constistency of the Big 4 in the atp is great but no Cinderella stories, which all always kind of nice.


Jack Lewis Says:

I’m really curious to see what part of this article is supposedly offensive, unless reading opinions differing from yours constitutes some sort of an offense (and why should others care?). The one joke about the names? That would be a very thin skinned reaction… The part about the extremely annoying sounds that some of these players make… well that would be factually correct? The fact that the top players are not in the tournament… it would also seem to be correct.


mmm Says:

Does anyone know why Aggie can’t make the semis if she loses in straight sets? She and Vera will both be 1-2 in matches and 3-5 in sets, shouldn’t it go to games won then?


sar Says:

Djokovic hits with Federer
Ticker – Thursday, October 27, 2011

Djokovic arrived in Basel on Wednesday and reportedly hit with Federer.


Lulu Iberica Says:

Yes, mmm, I was wondering the same thing. I wasn’t particularly offended by this article, but I think these ladies deserve a bit more respect. I am a big fan of Serena’s tennis, and I miss Kim and Venus as well (though poor V is probably done for good), but I think the current top 8 deserve some credit. They are mostly either very consistent, or late bloomers performing admirably in the twilight of their careers. Kvitova is a potential star, and hopefully coming into her own soon. I would love to see her become a dominant force and take the #1 spot.


Colin Says:

Don’t you love it how, if you ever point out the crassness of an article, some “person” will always accuse you of having no sense of humour? For the benefit of that “person”, whose identity I have happily forgotten: I had an excellent sense of humour before you were a twinkle in your father’s eye, old chum.


jane Says:

sar, thanks, cool video. I didn’t see Fed and Nole hitting together much, but they do seem to be on good terms – am envious of their multilinguialism.. Nice to see Ljubicic there too. The lady announcer is a throwback to the new-wave 1980s with her hair and top. ha ha.


carlo Says:

mmm-

It did come down to # of games won. And it was close. I think Vera got 1 or 2 games more than Agie. Er, not sure how many exactly, but Vera won more games.

Kvitova is doing great!

About Serena not there. I like it. I have had enough of Serena for a lifetime with her tantrums. Venus? Much nicer person; great champion. But, not missing Williams sisters at all. They were dominant long enough, imo.


alison hodge Says:

no disrespect but not everybody thinks tennis begins and ends with the williams sisters,much as i admire what they have achieved in the womens game i have to agree with the majority of posts, and say im enjoying how open the ladies yec are,its always nice to see new talent arriving and making a decent run,imo i think having girls like li,stosur,kvitova as 1st time slammers has made the womens tour more interesting,hopefully they will all go on to build on there success,although only time will tell i suppose.


Colin Says:

“No disrespect”? I’ll respect Serena Williams when she herself shows some signs of respect for others!


Kimberly Says:

stosur, kvitova, and li na all have definite one slam wonder potential. I think Kvotova is most likely of the three to dominate and win multiple events.


sar Says:

Kimberly
I was saying the same thing about Kvitova last night.


alison hodge Says:

@colin when i said no disrespect i meant to the people sending in posts saying that the womens yec lacks excitement without her,i agree with you when you say her attitude leaves alot to be desired sometimes.


derek Says:

Could someone tell me what action if any the WTA will take against Azarenka,for the contempt she displayed towards her opponent Bartoli,the sport and more importantly the paying public her attitude in the match played yesterday the 28/10/2011,was the most arrogant,disrepectful and offensive petulent display I have ever seen,I will not be watching any more tennis when she is playing she is unsporting disrepectful and arrogant.And of course bigger than the game therefore untouchable.


alison hodge Says:

@derek i didnt actually see the game,however im sorry and dissapointed in her actions,as i think shes turning out to be a terrific player,grand slam meterial too,sometimes passions run high and players egos get in the way,its not as if shes even won a grand slam yet either,so heaven knows why she would think she is bigger than the game.


margot Says:

I didn’t see the match either, but as I really like Azarenka’s game, this sounds really off putting to a potential fan :(


alison hodge Says:

@margot yeah shame how one incident can put you off as a potential fan.


margot Says:

alison, will see how she goes from now on, perhaps there’s “history” between them?


jane Says:

Didn’t see it so it is tough to judge, but if Aza was tanking, what a lomg tank job: 3 sets and 7-5 in the third. Bartoli has beaten top players this year; might she have been playing well? Have to know more about this….


jane Says:

Okay I guess it was 7-5 in the first set. Still, it was a really long match at 2 and a half hours. I would love to hear more from someone who actually saw it.


John Says:

If the Williams sisters had performed hey would have been there. Losers!


alison hodge Says:

margot yeah maybe there is i dont know,i suppose its impossible for everbody to see eye to eye all the time,pretty much like this forum,however it wouldnt amount to much,if everybody were to agree on everything all the time,it would get pretty boring otherwise,and wouldnt make for much of a discussion,however i would like to think the players would behave a bit more profesionally,its not very nice for the people watching.


Kimberly Says:

what happened


Kimberly Says:

i mean with azarenka, what did she do? I tried googling it and couldn’t find any story? Did she pull a serena?


alison hodge Says:

kimberly i didnt actually see the match im afraid im just going by dereks comments.@derek can you tell us what actually happened.


carlo Says:

Derek-

Could you direct us to a link showing what Azarenka did? I missed the match. It wouldn’t surprise me if she was rude.

Go Kvitova!!


jane Says:

The only thing I could find about Azarenka was that she “didn’t try” in her match with Bartoli. But the scoreline of 7-5, 4-6, and 4-6 suggests otherwise. Also the match lasted 2.5 hours. Why would anyone take 2.5 hours to tank a match?! Lol. I couldn’t find anything else.


grendel Says:

the trouble is, this was a dead rubber, so no one will have wanted to watch it (apart from the mysterious derek) – or play it for that matter, apart perhaps from Bartoli.


carlo Says:

That’s just it. Azarenka tanked the match which I gather from poster comments on another site, was quite obvious. It was disrespectful and I hope Bartoli can win the next time they meet. I had already read the articles below a day ago and agree with Wozniaki. Also agree with Stosur about how difficult it is to watch players like Azarenka on TV. And I don’t watch Vika because I find her howling too annoying but when she is playing a favorite, she becomes unavoidable. Her remarks are haughty on the subject and I can’t support her/ wouldn’t pay to see her.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/victoria-azarenka-refusing-to-tone-down-her-grunting-on-court-despite-growing-criticism/story-e6frf4mu-1226179028350

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-27/interviews/30327693_1_victoria-azarenka-caroline-wozniacki-wta-championships


J.sa Says:

OK, I have watched it. And this is my HO. After 2nd set Aza wanted the matched to be finished faster /I guess she didnt count on 3 sets/ and since Marion was fighting she obviously decided to give up somewhat at the end to make it faster. But it did not help much, Marion had trouble to finish even so and Aza showed a little frustration and tiredness /next day semis/.
EUS commentators were a little shocked and basically right saying she could give it maybe 20 more min and win it herself /if not less time at all/.
I personally was not outraged by it, audience could be and there were some booos when she was leaving. I tried to get in her head – maybe she just had enough/and didnt need the win, difference was just some $$$/ and didn’t know exactly what to do about it and it just went this weird way out of her confusion….I guess
Well. I am Petra’s fan/my compatriot,I just cant help it/ even though she drives me insane sometimes with her wildness and UEs and I like other girls too, this time the fav was fighter Ag../what-the hell-is-her-name/.
Petra I see as the raw talent but I am a little doubtful about her willingness or ability to polish it and gain consistency to satisfy all the crowd that cries for “the-true-champ”. We’ll see.
Btw. I saw most of the games, enjoyed the whole event tremendously- and sorry -esp. the absence of SW. Just something different for change.. no offense. So long..


jane Says:

Re: Azarenka. I read she was nearly in tears today after beating Vera; I get the impression she is volatile emotionally. Maybe that’s part of the issue? Anyhow, still a good player.

Should be a good final.

I am leaning towards Petra but don’t dislike Vika.


margot Says:

jane, I saw the match and heard the interview, yes she was very emotional, said she’s had a bad day previously. Her voice is very high, squeaky almost, or perhaps it’s my computer, but would explain why the squawks are so high.
As I said to kimmi, hardly worth watching Vera these days…..eye candy has been sacked….:(
I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of this event too.


Polo Says:

When these girls stop screaming, I will start watching women’s tennis again. They rarely play well, most are mentally weak, and the noise level is too high. The cons outweigh the pros. So women’s tennis for now is not fun to watch and is only a waste of my time.


alison hodge Says:

@polo i think the womens tour has become more interesting lately, petra has brought in some class into the game,however like you say the grunting and screaming is iritating beyond belief,i think they are like a bunch of big, kids,a case of im going to do it because i can so there,and if someone tells me im anoying them then ill do it all the more,and if it puts my opponent off so what,what everyone should do is tell them to do it,the louder the better,theyd probably stop then,reverse psycology works everytime on big kids,sorry end of rant.

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