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In praise of the fighting spirit of Marion Bartoli
2 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Marion Bartoli is not your typical athletic tennis player. Her body type is a little thicker than most all WTA players and her double-handed strokes off both wings suggest violence more than artistry. On the court, during a baseline rally, Bartoli resembles a person feverishly chopping down an oak tree.
Bartoli’s weird looking serve with the specially modified lengthened Prince racquet is also odd – it looks like something you might see at the public park courts. Despite her herky-jerky service motion, Bartoli regularly hits her targets, earning plenty of free points.
Everything about her seems unique – the shadow swings before waiting to return serve, her three ball bounces before serving are perfectly synched with three knee bends. The only supporter in her player box is always the same figure – her father and coach Walter Bartoli, a retired doctor.
But with her eccentricities, 26-year-old Marion Bartoli keeps on winning professional tennis matches. The French #1 has won five WTA singles titles, three doubles, and stunningly made it all the way to the 2007 finals of Wimbledon.
Bartoli has conquered two reigning world #1s – Justine Henin and Jelena Jankovic – and also has scored wins over Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Dinara Safina, and Ana Ivanovic during her career, which also includes a U.S. Open junior title.
Bartoli played Ivanovic today in the Indian Wells quarterfinals and had the Serbian star scratching her head in bewilderment. “I feel like I’m dominating the court and I’m down a break,” Ivanovic said to her coach at 4-5 in the first set.
You could sense the dumbfounded aggravation in Ana’s voice. When you just know you can beat a player and you find yourself somehow losing, it’s incredibly frustrating.
Bartoli, the #15 seed in Indian Wells, served out the first set, smashing an overhead to close it out, evoking a racquet smash from Ivanovic. Bartoli capitalized on the momentum flow and rolled on to a 2-0 lead in the second set.
It just goes to show what a remarkable player Bartoli is. With her limited athleticism and the handicap of towing a few extra pounds around the baseline, Bartoli makes up for her deficiencies with clean and consistent ball striking and a tenacious fighting spirit.
An admirer of Roger Federer and an avid painter in her free time, the unsung Marion Bartoli is not a fan or media favorite, but she is quite an interesting player to watch.
Bartoli has bested two WTA #1s
2 comments
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Dan Markowitz · March 17, 2011 at 11:48 am
Bartoli is an interesting player. To tennis purists, they scoff at her figure and the way she goes about playing the game. She is an example of a female player who is not in the best of shape, and doesn’t have a proto-typical tennis figure, but I wouldn’t say she
s a complete odd duck. She’s pretty tall, probably at least 5-7, and even though she’s carrying extra weight, she’s strong and seems to move pretty well.
I applaud her, she’s a unique player with a very strong temperament.
Scoop Malinowski · March 17, 2011 at 7:02 pm
You watch her play and she does not appear to be a great athlete but obviously she is to be in the top 20 and once in the top 10-15, and a finalist at Wimbldon. Think of all the talented players all over America who never come close to making the top 100. There’s so much tennis talent all over the globe. A lot of respect for Bartoli and how mentally tough she is to be where she is now. She is one of those players that does not get much publicity or respect, you rarely hear her talked about. Even the match yesterday, the two commentators seemed to speak 90% about Ana.