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Wimbledon Notebook Venus might skip Olympics if Serena isn't picked
Posted: Saturday July 08, 2000 07:38 PM
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Venus Williams might skip the Sydney Olympics if her sister, Serena, isn't chosen for the U.S. team. Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport and Monica Seles will receive invitations next week to play, based on their WTA rankings. Captain Billie Jean King gets the fourth pick. "I [would] have to talk to Serena to see how she felt," Venus said when asked what she'd do if her younger sister isn't chosen. "Being in the Olympics is great. We'd have the opportunity to win two golds, or I would at least. But if Serena wasn't happy, I don't think I would go. "But really, I want to."
Signs upset MartinaThe Williams' father, Richard, held up various handwritten signs during Venus' victory over Lindsay Davenport in the women's final Saturday. "The British fans are the best in the world," was one. "Hello Mrs. Williams. I love and miss you," was another. Nine-time singles champion Martina Navratilova wasn't amused. "In a Wimbledon final or any match, really, where one of his daughters is playing somebody else, I don't think there's a place for it," Navratilova said. "It's not fair to the opposition."
Aussies on RafterAustralian tennis greats John Newcombe and Tony Roche think they know what Pat Rafter into Sunday's men's final against Pete Sampras. "He's got this great fire down under," said Newcombe, putting his hands over his stomach. "When he gets into the battle, it's like, 'You're going to have to kill me to beat me.'" Roche, who has served as Rafter's coach, gave their nationality some credit. "They're tough to beat," Roche said. "You want an Australian in the trenches with you."
Royal watchThe Royal Box was full for the Davenport-Williams final. Among the notables: former prime minister Margaret Thatcher and her husband, Denis; Virginia Wade, the last British woman to win the singles championship, in 1977; 1972 men's singles champion Stan Smith; five-time women's doubles champion Rosie Casals; NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol; Ken Duberstein, a former White House chief of staff, and Betty Boothroyd, speaker of Britain's House of Commons.
Sampras triviaName the five players who beat Pete Sampras at Wimbledon heading into Sunday's final against Pat Rafter. Answer: Todd Woodbridge (1989), Christo van Rensburg (1990), Derrick Rostango (1991), Goran Ivanisevic (1992), Richard Krajicek (1996).
Legendary duoTodd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde won their sixth Wimbledon men's doubles title Saturday, beating Paul Haarhuis and Sandon Stolle 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of the French Open final. The victory gave the Australian pair -- known as "The Woodies" -- their seventh title this year and 60th overall. They're also just one Grand Slam title short of equaling the 12 won by John Newcombe and Tony Roche. The victory was particularly meaningful because Woodforde is retiring at the end of the season.
Youngsters take their turnFourth-seeded Maria Salerni of Argentina defeated Tatiana Perebiynis of Ukraine, the second-seeded player, 6-4, 7-5 in Saturday's girls' singles final. In the boys' final, top-seeded Nicolas Mahut of France defeated the fourth-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
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