Sharapova Return Triggers Angry Response From WTA Players

Scoop –
I hope you are right about Angie. I watched her post-match press conference and she didn’t seem too distraught, produced the usual bland replies – but what else can they say ? ‘I’m absolute ***** and desperate’ ? Not in any reporter’s hearing.
She’s often saying recently how in practice she’s ok but on the court – well. To me that speaks psychological logjam.
Maybe she can talk to Simona about being ‘present in the moment’. And borrow some of those psychology books.

It’s unfair to judge after suffering such a defeat but I thought Angie looked tired and drained – not the chirpy woman we usually see.
I don’t think it’s so much that players’ in a slump won’t face the truth – they just don’t want to face it in front of a lot of beaky media persons.
So all the best to Angie as she ploughs on.

Boucher v Sharapova ? You’re joking of course.
When would they ever meet ?

Andrew, I am curious where you are seeing all this stuff about Bouchard in the Canadian media. It is certainly not in the mainstream media which barely covers tennis at all, much less Bouchard. When the Rogers Cup rolls around there will be more but since the WTA event is in Toronto this year even that will be less than when the tourney is in Quebec.

The TV ads for Rogers Cup do feature Genie hitting shots, with the quote, “The journey towards success is not always easy or upwards,” which I think is very fitting. There are some great shots of Serena, guess they haven’t been able to change the commercial. The quote for her is “Luck has nothing to do with it.” The third player featured is Kerber, her quote is the rather pedestrian “Hard work pays off.”

Hartt maybe Genie isn’t a big deal in Canada. She’s usually all over the USA tennis media which is pretty amazing as a low ranked Canadian.

Recommend Jon Wertheim’s take in his mailbag this week. He basically said the players have zero grounds against Sharapova because she already served 15 months for a crummy offense, and he criticizes Sharapova and her agents for being so callous on Sharapova comeback, which has less to do with working her way back than grabbing cash wherever possible.

Everyone is looking petty. It wouldn’t be so funny if it weren’t so amusing.

Oh it’ll all be forgotten in a few weeks.
And Sharapova doesn’t have to ‘work her way back’ – she’s already there it seems to me.

Everybody in tennis grabs cash. Point me out someone who doesn’t.

I mean all petty cash grab. Sharpie cant play bexuase it’s less money for me. Or Sharpie says I want to get my appearance fee money because it’s mine
All these arguments look awful. They make the wta look like one big fight.

Sadly another reason to dislike WTA in a period where it’s hard to like them. Bad coaching, many uniform cookie cutter styles, on court coaching that sounds hideous. And then a few well meaning players. It’s true, they are becoming mean girls!

Makes me want to root for Konta. She’s at least a true professional. Or seems to be. And of course Venus Williams who has seen it all. Or Azarenka for coming back to the tour.

Andrew, remember Kerber beat Serena in Australia having defeated Vika and Konta along the way. In Stuttgart she won over CSN and Kvitova before beating Siegemund in the final. (And the way Siegemund is playing in the tourney this year shows she is not an easy out.) At Wimby Kerber won over Simona and Venus before losing to Serena in the final. At the USO she beat a red hot Pliskova for the title.

So no, she did not take advantage of a weak field in 2016.

Yes, it was good to see Simona calm and focused, no negativity if she lost a couple points. She simply got ready for the next shot.

Hartt Kerber excelled. She’s back to normal Kerber, not super Kerber. But where was Cornet? Bouchard? Domi Cibulkova did well while bashing Sharpie as often as possible. What I’m trying to say is some of the players at the microphone have the weakest arguments and to me if you’re going to as a player rattle on about a top player who has been out for almost 1.5 years, and it’s unfair to you, what are you as a player afraid of?

All I can dream up is money, easier draws, etc. Sharapova is an easy target. Most of the players criticizing her don’t stand a chance, even if Sharapova hadn’t practiced, which to her credit she did.

I find it all rich. And to me at least if players didn’t take advantage of the last five slams to make their move, knowing Sharapova was coming back, they have no one to blame but themselves for not achieving better rankings, etc.

Silly article from Simon Briggs in DT about how women are all going to start having babies – what would he know about it ?

Motherhood and playing pro tennis do not combine well -there are a few players who have done both but not usually for very long and only when their children are small or babies.

Flavia’s done it the right way around.

And I seriously doubt Serena will find it easy, whatever she thinks now. Your concentration is just not the same.

And I don’t look forward to a time when the WTA becomes a mobile creche.
Not sure why – just seems unprofessional.

Cibulkova baled out w supposed wrist injury. Translation: I aint being a clown in this Sharapova circus.

Scoop, I think Cibulkova bowed out because she doesn’t want to lose to someone she skewered publicly.

Yes I think Kerber stopped doing what she did last year. Maybe she didn’t know what it was. Maybe she cut back on practice. Too many talk shows. Love problems. Family squabbles. Who knows.

Whatever it is, players like Konta have a clear opportunity to get big wins. I don’t love Konta’s game but I appreciate her guts. Guts and glory.

Mladenovic let her racquet do the talking today and beat Sharapova in 3 sets.

Kiki just sparked out Maria in 3 sets. I was hoping for a handshake swerve but it was quite civilized. Those two can’t stand each other but are too ‘classy’ to let it show, at least in person. Kiki isn’t above dragging Maria in the press though, when she’s safely hundreds of miles away.

Scoop, only Cibulkova and her team know. To me it’s a pride and face saving thing, see if she’s out more than a week!

Simona has had a few good tournaments. She must be taking with her critics or something.

Maybe Cahill being there is bad for her. Maybe he’s better on the practice court.