Sunday, July 8

Cause you know you got it...

We'd be remiss here at Subsumed without noting the recent Wimbledon accomplishment of -- and shouting out a hearty congrats to -- Center Court Lady Venus Williams. I love strong women. Winners too.

Williams, 27, joined the company of Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Billie Jean King as the only players in the Open era since 1968 to win at least four Wimbledon titles after a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Marion Bartoli. The six-time Grand Slam champion from Palm Beach Gardens committed just 12 unforced errors against 29 winners in an hour and 30 minutes. She became the lowest ranked player, at No. 31, to win the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament after sitting out several months with a left wrist injury.

Dating myself, but while I don't remember the Chris-and-Jimmy tennis days, I do remember America worshipping, in a sweet way, Chris Evert Lloyd. My friend Tonya played tennis. Her family was into the game during the years of the two women's "rivalry" where their records were about evenly matched for a time with Martina's game eventually coming to dominate. We liked Chris Evert and her classy cuteness, but you couldn't deny early Martina Navratilova's skills and serves. She was the better. When you shut off the t.v. and went out to play your own game, it was Martina you wanted to be. Her game was just more solid in the clutch -- on the court, rather -- when that frustration wasn't on display.

Now you look at this Venus. Her build, her game. And young. Been down so she's probably not taking any Grand Slam wins as fluke, not that she ever did but you know how it is when you're young...

Enough looking back. But don't you wish that more young American women either played tennis, or hung out with friends that did, so they could be following Venus Williams the way we did Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova? Family career management issues aside, it would be nice to hear more about her than Paris Hilton, and the young movie star and singer gals.
WIMBLEDON, England — It was more than appropriate that Venus Williams won the first women’s prize money equal to men’s at Wimbledon, $1.4 million. No active player took on a more prominent role to help bring it about.

Venus kept up the pressure in press conferences here last year and wrote guest editorials. She thanked the All-England Club, along with pioneer Billie Jean King, after winning her fourth Wimbledon title today.

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I just really love this quote:
Undercover for much of the past two years with injuries, No. 31 Venus reemerged from Palm Beach Gardens serving thunderballs to become the lowest-ranked Wimbledon champion since computer rankings began in 1975.

"I feel fantastic," Williams said. "My sixth Slam. I want some more."


Remember Martina's career record though... Number 9, number nine:
Today, Navratilova made history when she became the first player to win nine Wimbledons. Hitting 32 winners and committing just nine unforced errors, Navratilova rolled to a 6-4, 6-1 victory in the final over Zina Garrison, who had upset Graf in the semis.

"I knew I had one more in me," said the 33-year-old Navratilova. "There were no glitches this time. Everything came up nines." The victory improved her Wimbledon singles record to 99-9.


Here's what Navratilova said of Williams after the win:
"With her reach, I'm glad I never had to play her. She's too long."

At 6-feet-1, Venus towered over the 5-6 Bartoli, who was playing in her first major final.

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Best, it sounds like everybody had fun playing the game.
Perhaps because the sun finally emerged from the clouds and the temperature was suddenly in the 70s -- ball kids held umbrellas at changeovers to provide shade -- both finalists needed medical timeouts with Williams up 3-0 in the second set.

Bartoli had her left foot treated, while Williams got down on the court to have her left leg worked on. The American played the rest of the way with a thick bandage under her white spandex shorts, which she began wearing in the second round because the skirt she planned to use was too big.

"She's a fighter," said her boyfriend, golfer Hank Kuehne. "She's one of those people that definitely has the ability to elevate her game. ... If that's on one leg, then she's going to do that."

As the break stretched to 10 minutes, Bartoli went to the baseline, then noticed that bored fans were doing the wave. Clearly enjoying her first Grand Slam final, she joined right along, raising her arms.

After the next point, a fan shouted, "Come on, Tim!" -- the familiar rallying cry for Tim Henman -- and Bartoli, who was about to serve, dropped her arms to her side and laughed. Then she turned and wagged a finger.

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