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Venus speeds past Marion Jones
Sports Illustrated staff writer Jon Wertheim will answer your tennis questions weekly. Click here to send a question.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Sports Illustrated has declared Venus Williams Sportswoman of the Year. I'm a tennis aficionado, so I very much want this award to go to a tennis player, and Venus has played exceptionally well the second half of this year. However, she's not even atop her sport -- Martina Hingis is blowing the field away on ranking points. This award belongs to Marion Jones. No one even comes close. Of course I could be wrong. What is your opinion?
Sports Illustrated for Women did indeed select Venus as the Sportswoman of the Year. Your question is valid, but, as a loyal employee, I'll defend the good folks who sign my check. After missing the first four months of the year, Venus won two Grand Slams titles, a Grand Slam doubles trophy, two Olympic medals and strung together 35 straight wins on a variety of surfaces. She did it after suffering the indignity of having her sister beat her to punch at the 1999 U.S. Open (pathos points), and she also did it without a sniff of controversy. With apologies to Cynthia Cooper, Marion Jones was the only other viable choice. Her problem: She was so hyped to begin with that winning a "mere" three gold medals in Sydney somehow seemed to be a letdown. I also think, fair or not, in the eyes of many her husband's drug flap sullied her achievements.
What's the latest on Gabriela Navratilova, that tennis legend from the Czech Republic? Have you heard of her, and if so what's her game like? I kid you not, I actually saw this name in my local sports section; she lost in the doubles of some tournament recently. You have to admit, she's got a great name!
I have to confess that I thought you might gave been the sniffing the silage at the Corn Palace with that question. But you're right, Gabriela Navratilova did indeed play at an event last week. A satellite player who's never made it close to the top 100, I know little about her game. Judging from the name, my scouting report would go like this: "Belying her massive shoulders, she spins in serves at 39 miles an hour but still attacks the net at every opportunity." Speaking of names, the Libertarian candidate for a state representative post in Oregon is a Portland barkeep named John McEnroe. If he wins, will there be a vacancy for the Davis Cup captaincy?
Is the renewed pairing of Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova a temporary one, or do they intend to be partners all next year?
Hingis goes through doubles partners the way Kournikova goes through men, but this is more than a fling. The two were arguably the team of the year in 1999 but parted ways when Kournikova hired the controversial Eric Van Harpen to be her coach. Once he was out of the picture -- and Hingis' erstwhile partner, Mary Pierce, went AWOL with a shoulder injury -- the duo reunited (and it feels so good).
I've noted how critical you are of the Williams sisters' perceived lack of fundamental technique. But hear me out on this one! Are you game to the notion that with the combination of their athleticism, power and speed -- not to mention their youth -- Venus and/or Serena may take a crack at the Grand Slam singles titles record of 24 by Margaret Court Smith?
I don't recall being particularly critical of their lack of technique, but particularly because you are a fellow Hoosier, I've heard you out. Having done so, I stridently disagree with your speculation. Venus is 20 years old and she's won a pair of Grand Slams. For her to make a play at Margaret Court, she would have to win three a year for the seven years. For a player who has to battle injuries, a slew of rivals (including her sister), a deep field, bouts with malaise, and a father who's encouraging her to retire in a few years, it's a nearly impossible order.
I've noticed that in the past couple Mailbags, you were short on top-five questions, so here goes nothing. I have heard it said that Venus Williams has the biggest serve on the WTA Tour, but I believe it is her younger sibling, Serena, who has the best serve on the tour. Who are the top five servers on the women's and men's tours? Not just power, but their ability to produce aces, bend the ball or flatten it out.
WOMEN
MEN
Right now, the sport of cricket is mired in a betting and match-fixing controversy. What is the history of betting and fixing in the sport of tennis, if there is any?
Call me the village naïf, but I know of no match-fixing. In his entertaining book, Short Circuit, tennis muckraker Michael Mewshaw details tanking pre-arranged outcomes in the men's game 20 years ago. But as I recall, this was done so Player X could get the hell out of Bratislava to make another exhibition in Moscow the following night, not because there was pressure from the punters. I think I've written before that it's a little disconcerting a few tournaments, including the Australian Open, have a betting parlor on site. But in a sport where gossip flows like beer at a Dartmouth frat house, I haven't heard one rumor of match-fixing.
I do not see Augustin Calleri from Argentina playing any tournaments these days. He was impressive in his loss to Pete Sampras at the U.S. Open. Where is he now?
Good question. For a clay-court virtuosi (many of you object to the word "specialists," so I'm groping for alternatives), the fall is not the time to make hay. My guess is that Calleri, a wonderfully fluid player -- who, I agree, is well worth following -- is laying low, ostensibly done for the year. I know he played Davis Cup for Argentina a few weeks ago, but I don't believe he has played any of these recent European indoor events.
A few years ago, there was a WTA tournament in Chicago. Are there any plans to bring another tournament to the Windy City?
Chicago is certainly an obvious choice for a tournament. With the exception of a Tier III in Oklahoma, there is no significant women's event between either coast. What's more, with the imminent death of the Philadelphia event and the Chase Championships at Madison Square Garden, there will be even fewer American events in 2001. The problem is that there are a finite number of weeks on the calendar, and the WTA Tour is trying to penetrate several international markets. Despite bids from a number of American cities, the most recent Tier II tournament was awarded to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Can you give us an update on tennis' great hope, Andy Roddick? He was going to try to get into some of the indoor events.
Haven't heard much Roddick lately -- no surprise, given that these indoor events have small draws and high cut-offs. The Great American Hope (no pressure or anything) reached the semis at the Las Vegas challenger last weekend, but lost in the semis to Neville Goodwin, not the last of the world beaters. Roddick will need some time to both build his entry-system ranking and smooth out an iffy backhand. But I don't think it's hyperbole to say he has definite top-10 potential. Just don't expect immediate results.
Who are the top five tennis analysts/commentators/pundits/talking heads on TV? Would you be brave enough to list the five worst?
I am too big a coward to give you my five worst. (Remember, I sometimes have to drink free beer with these people in the press lounge.) This will be a little biased since I seldom watch tennis overseas, but if I were an American network head, in no particular order, I would be sure and hire:
1) Mary Carillo: Knowledgeable, razor-sharp and unafraid to throw some elbows.
Click here to send a question or comment to Jon Wertheim's Tennis Mailbag.
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