After Atalanta

Ok so I have decided to address the Serena Williams incident in the context of all the other interesting gender stuff that occurred at this year's US Open. We had all the "women's game sucks" comments from the print and television media. Commentators of course were not saying such things--preferring to highlight the interest that comes with not knowing who is going to win any given match. The men's game, at times in the not-so-distant past, have been subject to similar criticisms. But much of the "lousy women's game" discourse entailed some problematic blaming on fragile minds (and a little on fragile bodies). The Serena situation and Melanie Oudin's amazing run quelled some of that talk. But it has re-emerged with Kim Clijster's win last night. In the end, though, this was not--obviously--the big issue. Which I will get to--hold on. First, let's talk about smiles. I heard a lot about them this tournament. In addition to the usual talk ab...

I love me a post about sport and language. Diane over at Women Who Serve has an excellent post about how tennis commentators demean their own sport by continually using non-tennis metaphors (one-two punch, out of the gate, etc.).

...some of the history of African Americans and especially black athletes in the United States. Because maybe if he knew the history that included the equation of black athleticism with African Americans' "animal-like" natures, allegedly honed in the jungles of Africa, he would not have used the words "primal" and "thoroughbred" (as in the horse) when talking about Serena Williams during her win over Nicole Vaidisova. He meant to be complimentary and certainly not offensive, but his comments reflect a level of ignorance that continues to perpetuate the various myths that still exist about the black athlete.

The only reason I know Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario is getting inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame this year is because I read feminist blogs. In fact I knew about her induction long before I found out Pete Sampras was getting inducted, too. Problem is that most are reporting Sampras's honor first and Sanchez-Vicario's as an afterthought--if at all. During coverage of the Australian Open last night, Sampras gave a live interview which was boring, drawn-out and filled with inane questions like the oft-repeated: who would win Wimbledon if you and Federer were playing in the final, both at your prime? [Sampras is not the most articulate man, either. Lot of stock responses; lot of repetition.] Oh, yeah, by the way--Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario is being inducted in the recent player category too, we hear after the interview ends. At least Cliffie and Patrick gave mention to her honor. On the ESPN ticker last night under tennis: "Pete Sampras to be inducted into Hall of Fame." That...