Should organizers of higher-tiered events be upset that Venus Williams spends a week dominating Tier IVs like the Korean Open? AP

I admire Henin's game as much as anybody, and think her dedication and talent warrant much merit. But why did she get a free pass for her ongoing dialogue with Carlos Rodriguez during her U.S. Open matches? The camera caught several shots of Carlos telling her when to challenge, to hit a top spin etc. She has repeatedly looked to Carlos in all of the Grand Slams.
-- Nancy, Bethesda, Md.

I don't think she got a free pass at all. Henin might be the worst flouter of the no-coaching rule of them all. And she's been called on this in the past. For a player who's otherwise so fiercely independent, it's curious why she would cheat like this. Then again, the WTA has blood on its hands, too. (Or blood on its frantically motioning fingers, anyway.) When the tour legalizes coaching at tour events -- a pathetic gimmick we'll rip at any opportunity we get -- what does that say about the severity of the offense at Slams?

For the record, I've always found you a balanced voice in the ongoing analysis of the Williams sisters, their motivations, actions and legacy. But is it productive for you to raise the issue of appearance money in questioning Venus' motivations in playing in Seoul? It wasn't appearance money that won her the title, her first post-U.S. Open title since 1999. I take her commitment to the tournament and her decision to add on Japan this week as strong evidence that Venus is committed to her profession and fans of this global sport are all the better for it. Let's appreciate that we are seeing a renewed commitment from her and place criticism of appearance money (if criticism is at all warranted in this marketplace) in the context of the system, not the circumstances of an individual player.
-- Peter K., Newton, Mass.

I think that's a fair point, particularly since she is piggy-backing Seoul with the Japan event. But it doesn't answer the question: What in the world (literally) is the Wimbledon champ and a top-five draw doing playing a Tier IV event? Those are usually the province of players outside the top 100 scrounging for points. (Check out the Tier IV results this year.)

When Venus plays Maria Kirilenko in a Tier IV final, Virginie Razzano plays Tzipi Obziler in a Tier III and Ana Ivanovic plays Daniela Hatuchova in a Tier II, something is clearly awry. If I'm the Luxembourg promoter, I am livid. If I am the Madrid promoter (i.e. the WTA Tour), I am livid. And if I am running the show at the future WTA Championships in Istanbul and Dubai, I am more than a little concerned. Here sits Venus Williams -- again, a top draw -- on a brink of qualifying for the year-end soiree and she is playing a Tier IV event in Korea?

You're right, though, that the system is really to be blamed. If most players were in Venus' position -- through a loophole, they were able to play a weak event and likely make a Kia-load of cash -- they would do the same thing. James Martin over at Tennis Magazine recently had a great analogy for describing the relationship between the WTA players (and , by proxy, their agents) on one hand, and the WTA brass on the other:

"Larry Scott must feel like many parents out there trying to control their children -- helpless. And no amount of reprimands and time-outs are going to do the trick, because Scott's 'kids,' like so many others, know that dad is bluffing and basically do whatever they want."

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