I'm back! :D

But you are not really back are you? ;) :D

Bugger this, i'm leaving :angry: :angry: :angry:


roflmao roflmao roflmao :D

Nice to see you've finally been converted to a Serena fan Sam roflmao

she's after maria in the name roflmao

Hopefully i'll get to see one, the other, or both later this year :)

In person? :o

:whistle:


Everywhere I go
I see a face we used to know
I pass a place we used to go
when you were mine
since you went away
my heart's not free
it keeps raining down on me
will there be a day
when the sun will shine
I want to see the sunshine after the rain
I want to see bluebirds flying over the mountains again
sunshine after the rain
oh where is the silver lining shining at the rainbow's end
when I hear your name
I start to cry, each day's the same since your goodbye
it's like a game, forgetting you
every night I pray
tomorrow brings a sunny day and happy things
just like the way it used to be for you and me
I want to see the sunshine after the rain
I want to see bluebirds flying over the mountains again
sunshine after the rain
oh where is the silver lining shining at the rainbow's end
everywhere I go
I see a face we used to know
I pass a place we used to go
when you were mine
since you went away
since you went away
my heart's not free
it keeps raining down on me
will there be a day when the sun will shine
I want to see the sunshine after the rain
I want to see bluebirds flying over the mountains again
sunshine after the rain
oh where is the silver lining shining at the rainbow's end
I want to see the sunshine after the rain
I want to see bluebirds flying over the mountains again
sunshine after the rain
oh where is the silver lining shining at the rainbow's end

Maybe, but initially i'll see them at wimbledon hopefully ;)

I see, I wanted to go to Wimbers, but I couldn't as Im in Barcelona for most of it :lol:

Serena will be out first round anyway no doubt roflmao

Well you'd better hope so for Maria's sake roflmao

lol @ SW19 roflmao

Remember 2004? ;)

Remember :

61 61 and 61 62 roflmao :P B)

How many more months do you think serena will go on for before she semi-retires again? :P

12 more maybe? :shrug:

After she's done the Grand Slam :P

I bet it isn't 12, I think 6 maximum! roflmao

still enough time to do the Grand Slam though roflmao


Im obviously being very toungue in cheek here; and Serena's withdrawn from Berlin by the way, so I can't wait for people to start criticising her again :rolleyes:

But I think she wants to play for many more years, especially at the Grand Slams, which is why she pulls out of events, to streamline her schedule as much as possible and to make sure she's fully fit for her favourite and the big events.

I'm sure she does - doesn't mean I can't have a dig roflmao

I've been retiring people all weekend in picking our clubs teams for this summer anyway, so might as well semi-retire someone else roflmao

I see! roflmao

First year i've done the captaincy job - dropped one bloke from our 1st team into the 3rd team - he was not happy! roflmao

I know you get fed up with people picking on the Williams sisters - but I would like to know Serena's reasons for pulling out. This is a Tier 1 clay tournament and a contest between Serena and Henin on clay is probably the most eagerly awaited fixture in all tennis - there is an argument that it is more so than Fed v. Nadal.

If she is genuinely unfit - fair enough.

If she is not, but is picking and choosing the WTA Tour and its many generous sponsors have every right to be unhappy that someone who has said she will go, features prominently in the advertising, and is now resurgent once more has decided at the last minute to drop out.

Well official reasons haven't been released yet, but I assume it's because she's still injured, not sure which injury mind :rolleyes:

The thing is sometimes Serena has played when injured/in pain, but lately more often than not, she has decided to pull out and really zone in on the events she does play. Plus if she was playing Berlin/Rome it would mean two weeks in a row, and Serena hardly ever does that!

Plus unlike some stars who are more prone to upsets, Serena (scrapping 2005 and 2006) does stay in the events she plays until the last round or so, so I suppose you could say at least that when she does play the tournaments get their money's worth.

amazing how my re-emergence has turned into a mass debate over serena...

oops better rephrase that... maybe not :devil:

How soon before a tournament starts do players have to enter?

Im not fully sure on that Yorkshire, but players can enter in the last few days as late entries......

I do know that at the beginning of each year that players have to commit to a certain number of tournaments, even if it's more than they want to play, due to whatever reason. Lindsay Davenport mentioned this in 2005 I think, and had a massive blow out with the WTA over it.

Also Serena has withdrawn from Berlin this Monday, but they never officially announce high profile withdrawals until the day or two before a tournament starts, because it might affect ticket sales. So it always looks like the thoughtless player has withdrawn at the last mintue, when infact they have given the tournamnet organisers a week or more notice!

I do think the WTA tour needs some fundamental change again to be honest - the men's tour seems to be the only one capturing the imagination at the moment if i'm brutally honest, and even if all of the women are fit, the men's tennis is still exciting more for me.

Well I think the WTA is starting to recognise and adress the problems now which is good.

But I don't see any problems with women's tennis as a whole, apart from injuries. It's certainly doing as well for itself as men's tennis is at the moment imo.

I think, in fairness, women's tennis still has the one huge problem, which is lack of depth. Tournaments are predictable up until the latter stages, and it is not that easy for the public to connect. It's all a little bit faceless for me at the moment.

The ATP certainly doesn't struggle for depth, tournaments are worth watching from the early rounds, and of course, Men's tennis has a lot more variety going on. Women's tennis is still at the stage where everyone learns to go bosh-bosh-bosh and very little else. There are exceptions, but in the men's game the tennis is a lot more rounded generally and a fair bit more watchable! The men are also generally better with the press and actually keep people interested with what they say, unlike the countless faceless russians, dour Justine etc.

Sam I normally 100% agree with what you say about tennis, but I really don't know how you can say that there is predictability in the women's game.

I mean the whole unpredictability surrounding whether Serena will turn up or not alone is more exciting than the whole Barecelona tournament last week. Nadal winning...wasn't that a shocker! roflmao Ok Im going ott here to make a point. But I really don't think women's tennis is predictable, it doesn't have as much depth in the top 100 as the men's no; and men's tennis is further down the evolutionary line, (unsurprisingly considering it's been a proper sport for longer), but I mean Daniela Hantuchova winning Indian Wells who would've thought that? Lucie Safarova defeating Justine Henin, the fact that there are players in the quarter finals capable of beating a returning world number one shows how much more depth there in women's tennis these days.

You have to look further in men's tennis though - Yes I expect Rafa might well clear up everything on clay again, but goodness me, there are so many fantastic matches elsewhere in these draws!

A lot of women's tennis is still slugfest i'm afraid, and slugfest mismatch is even worse! If, when i'm at centre court on middle saturday, I have two mens matches and a women's match, I bet you i'll remember the men's matches, even if sharapova or Serena are playing the women's match!

The women's game, generally does not turn people on anywhere near as much as the men's - 80% of pro tennis conversations i've had with all kinds of people are about men's tennis i reckon - and thats talking with a spread of men and women.

And you'll be surprised how many women i've spoken to that think equal prize money is ridiculous! :o

Maybe women need to get a proper masters series going, who knows?

Well that's your personal experience and preference, but I expect in general a lot more people do agree with equal pay, and I can't think of any "casual tennis fans" that I know who would remember a match say withMalisse at Wimbledon over say a Serena match in the opening week.

I can see what you're saying, but I think it's largely comes down to personal preference; as I find a lot of the men's matches on clay slugfests, and quite boring to watch. Mind you I find clay a slugfest full stop :lol:

I'm not a massive fan of clay I have to say.
I like to think my experience does play a part, especially as it is a struggle getting girls over a certain age to play tennis in this country at the moment!

Obvious SW, I know you follow the women's game more than the mens and so have the prference, and that's why we're disagreeing. But mine's a balanced view, I have no reason to prefer one over the other and am not set in one camp permanently, but at the moment the men's tour is certainly doing a lot more than the women's tour to joe public - Ask your average person on the street who won wimbledon last year - i bet in the majority of cases people would get federer, but then struggle to name Mauresmo (who was actually a popular champion too!)

Well yes I am biased of course :D Although to be fair, you're no small Fed fan ;)

But Serena coming back should increase the popularity of the women's game again...hopefully, I do think in the last year or so perhaps women's tennis hasn't been as inspiring as it has been. The straight set Grand Slam Finals haven helped either :rolleyes:

Yet Fed has won three slams without breaking much sweat yet men's tennis keeps on being popular!

Not sure Serena coming back will be the saviour of the tour on her own roflmao

I'm a Fed fan, i'm a Maria Fan - probably more a Maria fan than a Fed fan roflmao

I'm a tennis fan in truth, with what I do I can't really discredit any players style in front of the people I coach, as they might have them as their idol. Therefore i'm open-minded!

Well my point was that at least Fed's Grand Slam Finals were exciting in that he dropped sets in them, watching Maria blow Justine away or watching Justine retire isn't quite as exciting really! roflmao

Watching Serena blow Maria away on the other hand :halo: (sorry I really couldn't resist :devil: )

Have to say, and i'm not having a dig here, but having someone such as Justine at the top of the tour doesn't really help (talking personality here). I mean, i'm sure a lot of casual tennis fans reaction is "stuck up bitch" with her roflmao

Hey, lay off Justine you fiend :angry: :D

I knwo what you mean, she does not ooze personality but she is a quiet and dedicate pro, that's how she is. And I lov eher playing style and think it's great we have someone who is not predominantly a huge power hitter at the top of the game. Anyway, she doe shave appeal in that she is tough yet nto as big as some fo her opponents. I know she isnt; short, but she looks nothing at the side of some players.

Hey I only said that's how it might look to the casual tennis fan (i.e. my dad, he hates her and Nadia Petrova, who he calls "the wrestling reject" roflmao )