Maybe they ought to just stop messing around and have the women's tennis players at Wimbledon compete in bikinis. When did women's tennis become beach volleyball, anyway?I missed it. But the evidence keeps pouring in. And in the past few days, we've seen Svetlana Kuznetsova (right), the French Open champ, complain that she wasn't placed on Centre Court while some young unknown women were. Even more strange, she thought, was No. 1 Dinara Safina playing on an outer court.
"Of course it's not fair," Safina said. "But, I mean, I'm not doing the schedule."
Turns out, Wimbledon officials say success alone doesn't earn women a spot on Centre Court, a court of honor. Wimbledon wants the best-looking women out there.
That's about getting TV ratings. And meanwhile, BBC officials said that yes, they would like Brits or babes, to use their words.
How hypocritical for Wimbledon, of all places, which portrays itself as the example of class in a crass world -- even forcing players to wear white -- to sell babes for these matches, as soft-core porn.
A few days ago, Maria Sharapova played Gisela Dulko, and on Wimbledon's official website, the report of the match said, "As Sharapova and Dulko ran and stretched and lunged, most of the male spectators could not have cared less about their topspin forehands and would no more have recognized a western grip from a western movie -- this match was about hormones, pure and simple."
Women's tennis is just hormones?
Silly me, I was actually watching tennis. Did I notice that many of these women were attractive? Yes. I'm not blind. But I was still watching for the tennis.
Sharapova Falters at Wimbledon
Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball to Gisela Dulko of Argentina during their match at the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London June 24, 2009. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh (BRITAIN SPORT TENNIS IMAGES OF THE DAY)
Reuters
Maria Sharapova of Russia plays a return to Gisela Dulko of Argentina during their second round singles match at Wimbledon, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
AP
Princess Michael of Kent watch Maria Sharapova of Russia plays Gisela Dulko of Argentina in their second round singles match at Wimbledon, Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)
AP
Former Australian rugby union player Michael Lynagh (Centre) watches a game between Russia's Maria Sharapova and Argentina's Gisela Dulko on Centre Court at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
British television entertainer Bruce Forsyth (Top L) and former Australian rugby union player Michael Lynagh (Bottom R) watch a game between Russia's Maria Sharapova and Argentina's Gisela Dulko on Centre Court at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
British television entertainer Bruce Forsyth (L) watches a game between Russia's Maria Sharapova and Argentina's Gisela Dulko on Centre Court at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Argentina's Gisela Dulko plays against Russia's Maria Sharapova at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Russia's Maria Sharapova gestures as she plays against Argentina's Gisela Dulko at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Argentina's Gisela Dulko celebrates after beating Russia's Maria Sharapova at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Argentina's Gisela Dulko celebrates after beating Russia's Maria Sharapova at the All England Tennis Club on the third day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, in southwest London, on June 24, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GLYN KIRK (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Wimbledon put Victoria Azarenka against Sorana Cirstea on Centre Court Friday. Guess why. And while Serena Williams was out on Court 2, and showing up late (protest?) Russian Maria Kirilenko was on Centre Court.
"Good looks are a factor," All England Club spokesman Johnny Perkins told London's Daily Mail. "It's not a coincidence that those [on Centre Court] are attractive."
The argument for this is that Wimbledon is a business, and it needs to put on Centre Court the best players for TV ratings and ticket sales.
So if that's all this is, then why not take it another step or two?
"Add fuel." That's what the p.a. guy was yelling at one point during the gold medal women's beach volleyball match at the Beijing Olympics, and there were dancing girls who would run out between points and move to bagpipe music, or "La Bamba" or "Sex Bomb."
I'm in a good spot to advise Wimbledon here, having been to the past two Olympic women's beach volleyball gold medal matches.Beach volleyball is a mix of sport, party and sex appeal. And it's fun.
But I thought tennis was holding itself at a higher level.
Surely, Wimbledon has. Maybe that was just pretend.
Women's tennis has had an uncomfortable mix of sex appeal and sport, especially over the past few years. Sharapova is on the cover of ESPN the Magazine, and has some sexy pictures inside. But in the interview, she also complains about players worrying too much about their appearance.
Anna Kournikova, who led the sex-appeal generation of women's tennis, talked about the balance last week in a teleconference announcing that she would play World Team Tennis this summer.
"Women are going to always probably get attention for that, for looking a certain way, pretty or whatever," she said. "I think it happens not just in tennis, but in all sports or anywhere. People kind of pay attention to the way women look.
"Whether it's an office or in some other environment ... But really at the end of the day, it's about the sport and it's about the game. But it's promoting it a certain different way. As long as it's classy and it brings more people in, why not?"
Meanwhile, former men's champ Michael Stich said just before Wimbledon that the women's game is just there to sell sex, and rather than refuting that strongly, we keep getting evidence.
When Dulko finished beating Sharapova, she was asked about that balance.
"I always said, I'm not only a tennis player, I'm a woman," she said.
So someone asked Venus Williams how she felt about Dulko's answer.
"When I'm on the court, I want the point," Williams said. "So it doesn't matter at that point. I'm not thinking about anything except that point, so that's all there's room for."
Look, tennis is the one women's sport that has broken into the American mainstream. No doubt, sex appeal has helped it to get there.
But playing on Centre Court, the sport's most important court, is supposed to be an honor of accomplishment, not of hotness. It is for the men. And Wimbledon shouldn't be here to dismantle the credibility of the women's game.
Wimbledon is a leader in sport. It's time not to just act like one, but to be one.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
6-30-2009 @ 12:59PM
FLOW said...
Double standard. The WNBA doesn't push women's sexuality and look at the state it's in. Nobody watches it but lesbians. Not that there's anything wrong with lesbians, it's just hard to have a league which only appeals to a select group. Anyway, I'd rather watch beach volleyball or women's tennis where the women are dressed in form fitting clothes or bikin's anyday than the WNBA where the women wear mannish basketball shorts, are tattooed up and ugly basketball shoes, or womens golf where the women are dressed like middleaged men or any other women dressed like guys sport. Women have been looking at guys butts in basketball, football and baseball for years and it's so cute, but when they are looked at in a sensual or sexual way, oh my God. How many women look at Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter or Oscar De La hoya and say, "he's so sexy". I think it's great when a woman can be athletic and sexy.
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7-01-2009 @ 11:01AM
neoclassicgirl said...
I partially agree with you...we are very visual creatures and we like looking at attractive 'specimens' of the opposite sex. I'm always checking out Federer and Nadal, and not only for their tennis ability. However, the point of this story is that the center court is being given to female tennis players of a lower ranking or ability while some of the top-rated players are being shuttled to a side court. That is specifically not the rules for the men. It is blatant sexual discrimination. For an event of Wimbledon's stature, I'm surprised it's allowed. It's a shame that it's all controlled by the crass and moronic media.
6-30-2009 @ 1:24PM
Michael gifford said...
so let me get this straight, Kuznetsova was disturbed by not getting to play on Centre court because a more attractive girl/woman was playing there instead? hmmm....let me follow this logic out a bit... so for Kuznetsova to take that stand, she's coming from a point of view of wanting attention vs. wanting to win. essentially saying that getting the attention was more important than being at the tournament to win. perhaps had she been more focused on the game she was playing instead of where she was playing she might have played better. ...unless of course she thinks that playing on Centre court equates to winning. In that case, all she'd need to do was keep winning and she'd be there, but she didn't. so, was it an outside court that cost her the win? I don't think so... this seems like an age old issue for women who are perceived as unattractive relative to others...there is always a gap in attention and they always feel they have to 'prove themselves' in order to get attention. by the way, it's the same in the men's world unless people haven't noticed...does anyone really know the rest of the team Ronaldo plays on? who's the most unattractive? bet you can't tell me because we don't see them feature on magazines or billboards like Beckham either...why? because nobody buys products on unattractive people...that's the fantasy of marketing...if you buy "X" you will be more attractive and that's what it's all about.
As for Wimbledon being a higher standard? no, they're actually just more traditional in their view of women...which is different...they still see women as lesser than in some ways except when they're hot...after all...look at their newspapers...that tells you what UK is still about...sex...and sex...sells....so, if the women want to keep getting the increased money that accompanies the extra attention to the sport generated by a crop of hotties who can play well...then the rest might consider being thankful that the dynamic has worked economically in their favor even if they don't always get the marketing respect they'd like.
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6-30-2009 @ 4:21PM
narniaozmasar said...
While I agree that being on an outside court did not cost Kuznetsova the win, there is an advantage to being on centre court. For one, instant replay is not available on all courts, so players who wish to challenge points on outer courts cannot do so and also cannot become familiar with the system. This becomes a factor later, when they actually do win all the way to earning a spot on the centre court, and they do not have much experience with instant replay. Roger Federer himself has admitted that instant replay is more of an advantage for those players who get to use it more often, so they know when and how to use it.
Another factor is the larger crowd. The larger the crowd, the more pumped up a player can become, especially if the crowd is behind you. Admittedly, this advantage can swing both ways, but it is a factor, especially as fans tend to root for players with whom they are familiar, and are well known. The more you are on centre court, the more familiar you become.
Thirdly, being on centre court is quite frankly a very different atmosphere from the outer courts, and the more you play on it, the more familiar you become with it, and thus the more likely you are to succeed when you actually DO play on it.
All of these are considerations which give a very real advantage to those players who play on centre court more often. However, in some ways it is all beside the point. I have looked with scorn upon some of the top ranked seeds in the last few years who complain about playing on outer courts while the Williams sisters get time on centre court. I rationalized that by saying that the Williams sisters have had far more success there in the past, and deserved the centre court, a place of honor, more. After all, Andre Agassi kept on getting courts above his actual seeding due to his past success. I also kept on saying to myself that the fans wanted to see the williams sisters more, not the new upcommer who just happened to be number one at that point in time, as opposed to the long present sisters.
This is something completely different. placing low seeded players on centre court in favor of more well known and more successful players is absolutely out of line. Already the better looking players are more likely to become more well known and more popular with the fans. And that is fine, but Wimbledon does not need to artificially create this discrepancy by placing only "babes" on centre court. Wimbledon should take into consideration which players are more well liked and famous and historically have had more success, as those are the ones that fans want to see more. But purely based on looks, that is disgusting, I had more respect for Wimbledon and women's tennis then that.
7-01-2009 @ 1:37PM
Lauren said...
She's not complaining because of lack of attention. She just won the French Open!! That's why she deserves center court.
6-30-2009 @ 3:50PM
chilly16 said...
The most popular woman's tennis player of all time doesn't even play tennis anymore but is more well known than current champs. Yes, Anna Kornikova. Sex sells, sorry ugly girls.
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7-01-2009 @ 11:58AM
psych nurse said...
we're talking about tennis PLAYERS thatPLAY. anna does not play anymore as you said, so whuy include her in this catagory. yes, she's attractive but that not what the article is about..whoever is the better player and wins is the maine fact. not there looks. i watch all the matches, male and female because i enjoy the sport...
6-30-2009 @ 4:44PM
obamaizamarxist said...
It's true. Serena, and Venus are the best players out there, but you couldn't pay me to watch them..
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7-01-2009 @ 8:56AM
lindaddavis6 said...
that's because you're a racist!
7-01-2009 @ 9:06AM
hamletopal said...
Yes, because you are a racist. I thought you were all patriotic Americans, who would back an American when they are against the rest of the world. Did not know it depends on there skin color. Very patriotic.
7-01-2009 @ 9:09AM
Sieben said...
Why not ?????????
7-01-2009 @ 9:56AM
mdesah said...
I would pay to watch Serena
7-01-2009 @ 10:50PM
grimslade5 said...
well if I wanted to watch men's tennis I would watch men's tennis, the Williams Brothers, I mean sisters....
6-30-2009 @ 4:56PM
debbs3365 said...
Boy do I feel like a fool, I just liked to watch the tennis! Mens, womens, whatever! The play has been making me tingly but I guess I had it all wrong! As for the Williams sisters...Rock On ladies! Sure I like to watch Rapha sweat but if he didn't have the talent then what's the point? I feel so dirty, I guess I need a bath!
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6-30-2009 @ 5:13PM
sheckyvegas said...
Can we get Angelina to play tennis? How about just do a bunch of jumping jacks at mid-court? (FAP-FAP-FAP-FAP-FAP!!!)
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6-30-2009 @ 5:23PM
mary said...
This insult to women's tennis ( honoring for looks rather than achievement) is disgusting. But I'm not that surprised that it should happen at Wimbledon - after all wasn't Wimbledon the last of the 4 Slams to give equal prize money to men and women and only did so after players continued to protest?. They are consistent in their chauvinism
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6-30-2009 @ 11:34PM
hello said...
only ugly women feel that it is insulting. and the men got short changed on the equal pay/prize The men play 5 sets while the women play only 3. that sucks.
If they want to play lumberjacks... they better start sawing the same amount of logs. The Williams sister play centre court because they are number 1 and 2. Otherwise they would be playing some place near the service entrance...
And NO, I am not a racist. (americans love to throw that label on to anyone who does not worship coloured athletes)
6-30-2009 @ 7:55PM
Joey said...
This is probably Bush's fault.
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6-30-2009 @ 8:13PM
nikin78 said...
I think people may watch women's tennis for hot chicks, but tennis is the main reason for the fans to watch. I doubt you would sell tickets to watch Playmates of the Year to play each other and suck at playing. Don't get me wrong I think playmates are hot, but we all know why us men watch playmates do anything. Tennis we watch for Tennis. Sometimes we get to watch somebody that is attractive and a good player.
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6-30-2009 @ 8:30PM
bemahuron said...
You could put 'em out there naked and I still couldn't take all that grunting, screaming, yelling, squealing and snorting most of them do. It's to distracting. And would someone tell Safina to take that giant Bee out of her @$$ and give up the 'tough guy' glare please? It's old, it's overdone, it's insincere and it's borish.
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