I am the best.I am power. I am history. I am smarts. I am beauty.
I am intimidation. I am determination.
I am unstoppable. I am limitless.
Just working on a Serena Williams shoe commercial here. The only one of these things she has actually said was the first one. "Quite frankly," she said, "I'm the best in the world."
It's true. She is. The best. All of those other things are true, too.
How about this one?
I am Tiger Woods.
No, she's not. But she should be. Every last thing you see in Woods, every reason we watch him and love him, she should be, too. In fact, she should be more.
Serena Williams should be bigger than Tiger Woods. Why isn't she?
"Honestly, I think I lost because of me and not because of anything she did."
That's what Williams said Wednesday after losing 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 7-5 to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals of the French Open.
And that says everything about Williams. Why isn't Serena bigger than Tiger?
It's because of her.
She has grumbled about her ranking, which is No. 2. When Dinara Safina moved to No. 1, that's when Williams made her quite-frankly statement.
And her fans have grumbled about race. You can't ignore the relationship between her race and her sport. Maria Sharapova, a gigantic Barbie doll and the ideal white tennis playing stereotype, gets more endorsements than Williams, who is beauty in a different, less traditionally tennis way. She is thick and muscular. And black.
I'm not sure she realizes how important she can be. But the biggest problem is Williams herself. She has done this to herself through lack of commitment, lack of fitness.
Serena Williams Snapshots
Serena Williams reacts during her quarter-final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris June 3, 2009. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS IMAGES OF THE DAY)
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PARIS - JUNE 03: Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia hangs on the net after missing a point during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Serena Williams of USA on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Svetlana Kuznetsova
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PARIS - JUNE 03: Serena Williams of USA hits a forehand during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams
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PARIS - JUNE 03: Serena Williams of USA serves during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams
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PARIS - JUNE 03: Serena Williams of USA serves during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams
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PARIS - JUNE 03: Serena Williams of USA hits a backhand during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams
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PARIS - JUNE 03: A dejected Serena Williams of USA heads towards defeat during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams
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PARIS - JUNE 03: A dejected Serena Williams of USA heads towards defeat during the Women's Singles Quarter Final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia on day eleven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 3, 2009 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Serena Williams
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US Serena Williams reacts to play against Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Kuznetsova won 7/6,5/7, 7/5. AFP PHOTO / BERTRAND GUAY (Photo credit should read BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images)
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Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova jubilates after winning against US Serena Williams during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Kuznetsova won 7/6,5/7, 7/5. AFP PHOTO / BERTRAND GUAY (Photo credit should read BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images)
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Williams is one of the greatest tennis players of all time, but her career is a failure so far because she could have been so much more.
I am out of shape. I am enjoying my celebrity. I am fully committed and prepared to win four to six weeks a year, during the majors.
This tournament was a typical mess for Williams. She arrived carrying a little too much weight, nearly lost to a nobody -- Klara Zakopalova? -- while moping through her first match.
She was booed. She accused another player of cheating. She only decided to turn it on in the fourth round. Serena Time, someone called it. And she didn't argue. And then she lost, "because of me."
That's the whole problem.
Tiger Woods is the picture of fitness. At the TPC a few weeks ago, the question was whether he was too muscular for his own swing. Serena Williams showed up maybe her heaviest ever at the Australian Open two years ago and won anyway.
Tiger Woods skips plenty of tournaments, but when he's there, he's there to kill. Serena Williams showed up the tournament before the French, played one set and left. She said she was too hurt to come at all, but came because the tour mandated that she play. If she hadn't, she would have been fined $75,000.
"I don't know about you, but $75,000 is a lot of money to me," Williams said. "I'm redecorating a house, and $75,000 is my furniture budget, some stairs ... I can't just go writing checks for $75,000 in this economy."
I am eyeing a chaise lounge.
Williams has won 10 majors, but she could dominate this game, dominate the sports world. She could win everything, be the best ever, like Tiger, and wipe away Sharapova. And she could mean so much more.
Consider not only her talent, but also her marketing edge. Think about American pop culture and what draws people, advertisers. Be honest: If Williams were fit and focused, this is what you'd have: A beautiful, strong woman dominating a sport where everyone is a fit woman in skimpy clothes.
That sells.
Tiger wears slacks and plays a slow game against a bunch of middle-aged guys. This is not meant as a rip job on Serena, but as a plea to her. Five years. Just give it five years of commitment for your legacy, for your sport, for young girls.
True, this isn't all her fault. Not 100 percent.
The pressure of sex appeal is on a woman much more than a man. When I've mentioned Sharapova and Barbie dolls before, in contrast to Williams, I've inevitably gotten e-mails from black women telling me that Williams' curves are not just diet, that this is about an African-American woman's body type.
There is something galling about Sharapova being the richest female athlete in the world when she has accomplished so much less than Williams. A few years ago, Forbes Magazine said that Sharapova made $23 million, and Williams $14 million.
"That's totally a black thing," said Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe company rep who created the Shoe Wars by pitting sneaker companies against each other to get athletes to represent them. "If Serena and [her sister] Venus would have been named Chrissy [Evert] and Steffi [Graf], they would have made $100 million, no question. These girls, in my estimation, probably made less of their fame financially than anyone I have seen."
Bob Williams, CEO of Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing, Inc., a Chicago-based company that matches celebrities with advertisers, disagrees.
"If you look over the last 15 years of the top endorsers, you see at least half of them are African-Americans," he said. "So I don't think you can make the argument that it's racial at all. Fortunately for Maria and unfortunately for Serena, most people consider Maria's looks to be at a model-type level.
"But part of it is the international factor in Europe; Serena does not have that. But also, there's no doubt that Tiger is the best golfer to carry a club, or second best to Nicklaus. MJ was no doubt the greatest player of his era, maybe the greatest of all time. With Serena, you can't make that argument. She doesn't play for a while because she wants to do other stuff, and her game kind of suffers, and then she comes back. She wins majors, but she doesn't win enough other tournaments to be No. 1."
She won one non-major last year.
Yes, black athletes get endorsements, but those are black men. But appearance and the white ideal are a much bigger issue for women. Serena Williams shouldn't have to come in behind Sharapova as tennis' It Girl. Instead, she can change the model.
I am that good.
If she stayed fit, and fought hard the way Woods does, she would win everything, and create a new ideal.
For years, she listed herself as 5-9, 134 pounds. Now, she says 150. And she weighs way more than that. Why lie? Why play into the false ideals, telling young girls out there that the ideal is blonde and thin?
You don't have to be 5-9, 134 to win Wimbledon. But that's the message she pushes.
Come on Serena. This kind of talent doesn't come around often. We don't see too many Serena Williams. Fight hard, get fit -- and you still won't be anywhere near 134 pounds -- stay committed, bypass Woods and get out the word:
I am the best possible me. I am better than a Barbie. I am stronger than a Tiger.
Latest Tennis Images
French player Gael Monfils returns a ball to Swiss Federer Roger Federer during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. TOPSHOTS/AFP PHOTO / PATRICK KOVARIK (Photo credit should read PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images)
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Serena Williams reacts during her quarter-final match against Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris June 3, 2009. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS IMAGES OF THE DAY)
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Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina celebrates winning his quarter-final match against Tommy Robredo of Spain at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris June 3, 2009. REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE SPORT TENNIS IMAGES OF THE DAY)
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Swiss Roger Federer returns the ball to French player Gael Monfils during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Federer won 7/6,6/2,6/4. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)
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French player Gael Monfils returns the ball to Swiss Roger Federer during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Federer won 7/6,6/2,6/4. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Swiss Roger Federer returns the ball to French player Gael Monfils during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Federer won 7/6,6/2,6/4. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Spanish player Tommy Robredo looks on during play against Argentinian player Juan Martin Del Potro during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Del Potro won 6/3,6/4,6/2. AFP PHOTO / BERTRAND GUAY (Photo credit should read BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
French player Gael Monfils serves a ball to Swiss Federer Roger Federer during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Federer won 7/6,6/2,6/4. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Swiss Roger Federer returns the ball to French player Gael Monfils during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Federer won 7/6,6/2,6/4. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Swiss Roger Federer returns the ball to French player Gael Monfils during a French Open tennis quarter final match on June 3, 2009 at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. The event, the second Grand Slam tournament of 2009, runs from May 25 to June 7, 2009. Federer won 7/6,6/2,6/4. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL BONAVENTURE (Photo credit should read LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 18)
6-05-2009 @ 3:14AM
Mark Freeman said...
I would like to ask you,is everyone in your family beautiful.I truly doubt it,when you go to be judged by whatever God you believe in i hope that you truly find remorse for the insulting,hurtful and racist comments you made.
Try spreading acceptance and tolerance for your fellow Human Beings.There is enough hate in this World. re: Its never to late to say i'm sorry.
6-03-2009 @ 8:31PM
James said...
She's terrible. Only 20 grand slam titles, 10 single, 8 doubles and 2 mixed. Only Female player since Graf to win all 4 majors. Ranked #1 in the World 4 times. Awful. When is she going to get her game together.
Reply
6-04-2009 @ 4:27PM
twillis730 said...
She needs to stop talking about how good she is and start walking it. whining is not pretty no matter what color you are! be quiet and play......or go home in the quarters!
6-04-2009 @ 7:48PM
scotch43 said...
you've got that right james...she can claim everything you said and more in tennis alone, while she juggles several business' including a perfume line, designer clothing line, several charities, one of which she travels around the country helping children financially and giving them a show...just think what her and her sister would have accomplished had they devoted their time to only their sport...they are the best...
6-04-2009 @ 9:43PM
Rasu said...
She really should stop talking and start "doing".
If she did concetrate on her game from the start and never left to pursue "other careers", she probably COULD have been the best "ever". But, she's not. She left tennis only to come back expecting the same level of fame before she left.
Wake up and smell the coffee. Your only getting older and time won't fly back to the "good-ol'd days"
6-04-2009 @ 9:56PM
Lannie said...
James you don't get it, this is a "right on" article. Respectfully, this could have been the greatest athelte of all times, man or woman black or white.
She has not been dedicated like Tiger Woods, nor has she physically taken care of herself. That of course is her choice, but wow wouldn't that have been a great story. I being a woman would be so proud,and I still like Serena ......... but your email should have said,
"She's terrible. Only 32 grand slam titles, 25 singles, 4 doubles and 3 mixed. Only Female player since Graf to win all 4 majors. Ranked #1 in the World 12 times. Awful. When is she going to get her game together."
6-04-2009 @ 10:17PM
God's Chosen 1 said...
That was the most ignorant, idiotic comment made. Stop tripping on this girl. You all do not like to give credit where it is due. These sisters are bad.Everyone knows when it comes to championship when Serena or Venus focus it's all theirs. Let us not forget when Serena came in unranked just 2 years ago and beat the crap out of Sharapova to win the Australian Open LEAVE THE WILLIAMS SISTERS ALONE AND STOP HATING!!!!!
6-05-2009 @ 5:36AM
sandyfeetinla said...
"her career is a failure so far because she could have been so much more"...Greg Couch, you are a moron. How many tennis players do you know who are more successful than Serena? Failure would define your knowledge of the game. Serena did not "accuse" another of cheating, she spoke the truth as proven on instant replay. Please go back to poetry or the year book committee. You are failing miserably as a sports reporter.
6-05-2009 @ 12:49PM
lydialindquist said...
The Awake! magazine of April 2009, has powerful admonition for young people. 'Under Pressure in and Out of School'. The first article; 'Stressed Out Students. The second article; ' I Have Too Much to Do", highlights the fact that no matter how strong you are, there is a limit to what you can do in a day. Trying to do too much is counterproductive. The latter article features a black; female, tennis player, who is distressed. The articles give wise counsel to all young people. However, if we neglect to take this knowledge in and apply it, we can not expect to grow spiritually. Therefore, we can expect to suffer the full recompense due for our error. On the other hand, if this is a strategic move on her part..., then wisdom is proved by its works.
6-03-2009 @ 8:41PM
Yohncc said...
Greg does have a point, however Serena (and Venus's) attitude gets in her way of winning more. If she did totally focus on tennis she might burn out. You never know.
Reply
6-03-2009 @ 10:48PM
jdbreeze1 said...
I think it's time for the Williamses to retire. Tennis is obviously not the No. 1 thing in their lives. If your heart's not in it, why are you there? Why do you let the WTA milk every dollar possible out of your images if you're not committed?
6-04-2009 @ 2:43PM
WHAT'S UP? ROSIE said...
EVERYONE WANTS TO SAY ITS ATTIITUDE OR LACK OF FITNESS. V AND S HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH ALOT OVER THE YEARS. SERENA IS HEALTHY. AND YES IT IS A WHITE MANS WORLD. SERENA HAS WON 10 GRAND SLAMS AND NUMEROUS OTHER TITLES. FOR MARIA TO HAVE ONLY WON ONE MAJOR IN LIKE 2004-3 ALL TOGETHER. THEY AUTOMATICALLY STARTED GIVING HER BIG TIME DEALS. OVER TIME V AND S HAVE BEEN HURT,PARENTS DIVORCED AND SISTER MURDERED. MARIA WITH 3 GRAND SLAMS IS GETTING MORE MONEY THAN SOMEONE WHO HAS ONE 10.THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHAT SO EVER.DINARA DOESN'T DESERVE #1 RANKING B-CAUSE SHE PLAYS MORE OFTEN. SHE HASN'T WON GRAND SLAM ONE.AND AS FAR AS THEM SAYING MARIA IS THE MODEL TYPE,WELL I NEVER GOT THE APPEAL.BEING #1 SHOULD BE ABOUT TALENT&GRAND SLAM TITLES.NOT ABOUT HOW MANY TOURNYS YOU PLAYED OR HOW MUCH MONEY YOU MAKE. THAT DOES NOT TURN YOU INTO A TOP PLAYER. MOST OF THE TOURNYS ARE PLAYED BY SUCH LOWLY RANKED PLAYERS IT'S NOT HARD TO WIN AGAINST THEM.AND NO ONE SAID THAT YOU COULDN'T HAVE OUSIDE INTEREST EXCEPT PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SMART ENOUGH, TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN TENNIS. AND NOW THEY'RE JUST JEALOUS THEY DIDN'T THINK OF IT FIRST.
6-06-2009 @ 8:46PM
Tracey said...
It is that attitude that helps a black woman fight and or ignore the prejudice of this world.
6-03-2009 @ 8:56PM
Puck said...
As far as body type it's not purely a racial thing, there are plenty of fat, skinny and in-betweeners of all races. As far as Serena is concerned I've been amazed that she hasn't "bottomed out" yet if you will; Serena favoring the mother's type, Venus the father.
What "bottomed out" early in regard to endorsements was the "defiant race card" played by the father (Richard?), it can be a great "me against the world" motivator, but the Angry Black American is just as ugly as the Angry White American; well, maybe not(see Middle East), though they're both pathetic. Regardless, both of the Sisters could have done better endorsement wise if their persona was more of a post-Mecca Malcolm X then a pre-Mecca Malcolm X. Yeah, staying fit and focused to tennis, and presenting themselves as ambassadors of racial harmony could have sky rocketed their endorsements to the stratosphere...but, here we are...looking for, hoping for, a messiah whereever we can conjure one up.
Reply
6-03-2009 @ 10:20PM
Lydia Lindquist said...
That's the problem. Look to Jesus.
Reply
6-03-2009 @ 10:32PM
jzz3skys said...
I haven't read the entire opus yet, but:
"She was booed. She accused another player of cheating. She only decided to turn it on in the fourth round. Serena Time, someone called it. And she didn't argue. And then she lost, 'because of me.' That's the whole problem."
In the first set this morning, when Serena questioned a line call, the umpire (or some other official; I don't know who because I was listening to the match on the radio), went onto the court, inspected the mark on the clay, and reversed the call, and so they played the point over. I didn't know that they did that because I'm not a huge tennis fan. When Kuznetsova (pronounced "Kuz-nyet (as in nyet)-sova" questioned a call, she was booed by the crowd for pressing the objection a tad too long.
According to the Radio Roland-Garros broadcaster, "R-Fed" rarely talks to the chair, however, I'm not sure about "Raffa" (the winner of 6 whole Grand Slams as compared to Serena's 10+8 I think :) but I hear that Ben Stiller may revive his character from "Zoolander" in an all new reinterpetion of Raffa's Tom Cruise-like balletic impressions (was it a "glissade" or a "chasse"?).
Oh, you've got to see this phot of "Raffa":
http://orvillelloyddouglas.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/rafael-nadal-hitting-one-handed-backhand.jpg
I don't condone any type of bad behavior including Serena's or Roddick's, but I don't see a great deal of comparison to John McEnroe's ballistic on-court tirades in the 1980s. No one is booed more by "the French" than my other favorite athlete, Lance Armstrong.
Personally I love "the French" (not all but most), however, Pam Shriver, in her Los Angeles Times piece last week, said that Serena (like Lance perhaps?) just does not get the love from "the French" and I have no reason to doubt her "validation" of what seems "obvious and unreasonable."
Here's the short Pam Shriver piece:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sports-media29-2009may29,0,1357901.story
Reply
6-03-2009 @ 11:00PM
murph said...
Selfish, arrogant, narcissistic, spoiled, petulant , what’s Madison avenue thinking? This woman is so bankable. I have said the same thing Couch said here many times. There is nothing to like about this woman. She is an even poorer winner than she is a looser. It’s never the talent of her opponents its always she didn’t play well. Never her lack of preparation or lack respect for the game she plays but referees or the crowd or the fact that we don’t understand how hard it was for her growing up in Compton. there is no need to ever watch a post match interview wit this women because its always the same.. waah waah im the best don’t you see that blahh blahh no one can compete with me waah waah the man is keeping me down!
p.s. someone please send this blog to Blackistone
Reply
6-04-2009 @ 5:18PM
Idiot said...
Great post Murph. I can't agree with you more. I can't stand her just because of her attitude.
6-04-2009 @ 7:29PM
louzieann said...
The guy who wrote this article is a jerk. My gosh, give her a break!!
Serena has been around for years and she has definitely proven herself. I'd
like to see this idiot (writer) get and do what she's done. I'll say it again,
Mr. Couch, you are a jerk!
6-04-2009 @ 10:23PM
God's Chosen 1 said...
Murph: YOU ARE JUST PLAIN STUPID!!! SHUT THE