Serena Williams, controversial but great for tennis!!!

[Lee James]

ok, after the past few threads on Serena and not really seeing many people having anything positive to say about her I figured I'd do the opposite. Serena is absolutely without a doubt great for womens tennis. Confidence and self belief are two crucial character traits to any champion. When can you remember MJ ever conceding to being outplayed? Although it may have happened every 5 years or so. Only difference was that he wasn't as arrogant about it as Serena is. I think her blatant disregard for her competition is what makes her great for the game. In America how many casual fans give a rip about someone with the personality of Federer. It's all about money/promotions/ and image. Serena clearly has the image to go far in the American market. She has clearly brought much more minority appeal to the sport and really helped broaden the fan base. So what if she is cocky, given her grandslam performance over the past couple of years I think she deserves to be.

[Nadal2]

Second in promotions only to Agassi in all of tennis. Indeed, what is important to athletes is image, and by far the most helpful feature to her is her race. In a sport where very few African-Americans succeed, she not only used this advantage to make herself loads of money but also to salvage the sport.
But I can't admire her as an individual nearly as much as what she meant to women's tennis. In fact, I can't admire her at all.

[jjames]

serena salvaged the sport? have u seen the audience at the womens season finale? nobodys there. they better thank god sharapova has emerged.

[alienhamster]

Originally Posted by jjames

serena salvaged the sport? have u seen the audience at the womens season finale? nobodys there. they better thank god sharapova has emerged.

I think this has more to do with the divide in appeal between casual and hard-core tennis fans. Casual fans--who channel surf-- like women's tennis because (1) they think the girls are hot, (2) they for some strange reason still think that women's tennis is somehow more artsy and strategic than bang-bang men's tennis (which is BS considering the lack of diversity in women's players these days), and (3) the Williams sisters draw an audience b/c of the sister and "breaking racial boundaries" stories.

Hard-core fans--who attend live events-- are less likely to want to shell out a bunch of money for error-ridden tennis. But some hard-core and casual fans are gonna show up no matter how crappy the tennis is if they recognize the names. It's called star power.

[Progressive10s]

I may not really like Richard Williams. I may not like the fashion statements made by the sisters, but they certainly have been good for the game. I thought that the emergence of Arthur Ashe in the late 60s and 70s would have opened the flood gate for black players, but I was wrong. Serena and Venus is your rags-to-riches story. Compton, CA to the plush resorts of Florida. I believe that the sisters have to leave the tutelage of their father to get back to the top. Hire a coach--you can afford it!! On another note, Serena was gracious in defeat in losing to Sharapova unlike when she lost to Henin-Hardienne in the French.

[baseliner]

"Salvage" the sport of tennis or "savage" the sport?

[Joe Average]

Those of us who remember, remember how controversial Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali was when he burst on the scene. He was a braggart, confident in a way that makes Serena seem like a shrinking violet. Of course he had more to say than Serena, who seems more focused on acting and promoting product. People rooted against him more than they rooted for his opponents. Remember Ali/Frazier? Ali treated him horribly. Called him unspeakable names. Now he's kind of an elder statesman. Ironically when he can't speak. I suspect that Serena will be regarded more highly in the future than she is now. BTW ... MJ was quite the trash talker on the court.

[jjames]

serena another ali. paleeaze. peolpe watch womens tennis mostly to see the babes. only partly for the tennis. and the tennis just isn't that great.

[mileslong]

Serena was gracious in defeat in losing to Sharapova unlike when she lost to Henin-Hardienne in the French.

yes, she was so graciousl that she said that she played to like 5% of her game in that match. so gracious

[Ronaldo]

Its hard to be humble when you are just that good, but Sharapova humbled Serena. The only comparison IMHO is the way Antonio Tarver silenced Roy Jones Jr.

[Bertchel Banks]

...but Sharapova humbled Serena.

Um, no. Sharapova won in straight sets, but it was hardly a humbling defeat. The only person to hand Serena a humbling defeat was Lindsay Davenport in the quarterfinals of the 2000 US Open. 6-4, 6-2 I believe.

[Aonex]

I don't think it's possible to humble Serena. Whenever she loses she still thinks she is better than the other player. This probably works to her advantage since she doesn't lose confidence or get in slumps like so many other women on the tour.

[speedofpain88]

Lee I completely agree with you - people watch more women's tennis than they ever have, even if it is just to see Serena lose or to check out her latest dress (some of which have been crazy.)