WTA June 21-July 4 The ChampionshipsWimbledon GBR Grand Slam128 players - outdoor: grass Prize$: £4,277,190 (women's) - sched IBM Real-Time Scoreboard - Netcam Matches: order - current - completed Draws: mix. doub. - WTA draws, .pdf Women's: qual - singles - doubles Men's: qualifying - singles - doubles Y! news pics: US - UK - tourney photos videos $ - free highlight videos news - interviews - site map Audio: Radio Wimby - TV Sched London: forecast - radar - map # 3 Anastasia Myskina # 8 Venus Williams # 4 Amelie Mauresmo # 10 Serena Williams |
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Yes, she can topspin lob: On Saturday at Wimbledon, after Federer defeated Grosjean and Roddick defeated Ancic in the rain-delayed men's semis, 13th-seeded 17-year-old # 15 Maria Sharapova of Russia won the 2004 Wimbledon title, defeating top-seeded # 10 Serena Williams of the US 6-1, 6-4 (Maria is shown during the match and with the world's most desired pizza pan). |
The 7th game was the longest of the match. Serving for the set, Maria fell behind 15-40 with a couple of unforced errors. She saved the first break point with a net cord winner, then hit a good unreturnable serve to bring it to deuce. Another unforced error gave Serena another break point, but another good serve made it deuce again. The score then alternated between set point and deuce until Maria hit another serve Serena could not handle on the 4th set point, taking the 1st set 6-1.
In the 1st game of the 2nd set, Maria had Serena running again, but Serena held. Maria held also, hitting her 1st ace of the match at 40-40, then following it with a serve and volley winner. At 1-1, Serena held easily. In the 4th game, Maria started struggling on her 1st serve, hitting many of them into the net. She still held, bringing it to 2-2. Serena then held at love, her serve looking very strong, and broke Maria in the 5th game as Sharapova still struggled with her 1st serve. This made the score Maria 2, Serena 4, and it looked like a 3-set match. But it was not to be. Maria broke back immediately, to trail 3-4, on serve.
In the 8th game of the set, the question was whether Maria could get her 1st serve back on track. Maria started off with a service winner, then she double-faulted to make it 15-15. Another good 1st serve was followed by a brief rally which neither player dominated, ending when Serena hit a crosscourt forehand error wide. At 30-15, Maria fired another good first serve. Serena's topspin return landed just in and bounced very high. Maria, off balance, hit a forehand back to Serena, who plastered one into the corner that Maria could only dump back short. This brought Serena to the net, clearly controlling the point. On her way in she hit the ball to the opposite corner, and Maria scurried over to it. Maria hit a running backhand topspin lob over Serena who only had to watch it go up to know it was in, about 16 inches in front of the baseline. Serena applauded lightly. After a let, another service winner by Maria made the score 4-4, with her serve clearly working again. backhand lob animation 31 frames, 922 KB
The 9th game of the 2nd set was the 2nd longest of the match. Serena, serving, fell behind 15-40, but 2 unforced errors by Maria brought it to deuce. Ad Maria... deuce, ad Serena... deuce, ad Serena--Serena came to net and Maria hit another great running topspin lob winner, this one off her forehand, to take the game to a 4th deuce. Serena did not applaud this time, as she watched the ball land about 3 inches in front of the baseline. Then Serena volleyed the next point into the net, and on break point Serena slipped on the turf, hitting an error wide. The score was 5-4 for Maria. forehand lob animation 51 frames, 1.47 MB
After falling behind 0-15, Maria hit her 2nd ace of the day while serving for the match. A couple of errors by Serena took her to 40-15. After Maria hit the 1st match point wide, Serena hit the 2nd match point into the net. And Maria, 2004 Wimbledon Champ, ran to hug her dad, and tried to get her mom in the US on her cell phone (although she couldn't make a connection).
"There is obvious satisfaction in hitting an effective topspin lob. It is tough shot for your opponent to return, and it requires a high degree of stroking expertise, so that you'll feel pleased with your accomplishment. Unfortunately, the skill that's needed for an offensive topspin lob is difficult to obtain. I've been hitting it since I was 10 years old and I still muff the shot from time to time."
-- Rod Laver, in Tennis Strokes and Strategies
Maria said: "I never, never in my life expected this to happen so fast. And it's always been my dream to come here and to win. But it was never in my mind that I would do it this year... When I came off the court and I saw my name on that board already with all the champions, that was when I realized that I had just won. And I was trying to look at the trophy and I was trying to see, I mean, it's in my hands, I don't understand, but it's actually in my hands.
"...the first set was very tough, but I felt throughout the whole set like I was in control. I don't know how I got to that point in the first place. And in the second set, when I lost my serve and I was down 2‑4, I was, like, 'Okay, Maria, get yourself together.' But I pulled it out." interview
BBC Real Video postmatch interview with Maria Sharapova - BBC Real Video final match highlights
Serena said: "It's definitely good [for tennis] to see some different people [winning grand slams]... I like how [Maria] plays everyone really tough and not just a few players. When I see people that do that, then they definitely have a better look at being a champion." interview - BBC Real Video postmatch interview with Serena Williams
1977 Wimbledon Champ Virginia Wade said: "The thing I really like about Maria is she is so focused on court - this girl wants to play tennis... She hit behind Serena, hit short angles and down the line - it was a really mature performance... there is still room for improvement in her game - she did not get all that many first serves, though her second serve was very good. But her groundstrokes were fantastic, she moves well, she has great footwork - what else does she have to do? Maybe come to the net a few more times - but that's it. She is just great fun to watch - and her reaction at winning was so lovely."
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Serena converted only 1 of 6 break points, while Maria converted 4 of 10. Serena went to net 9 times, but won the point on only 3 of her approaches. Maria won the point on all 4 of her net approaches. Maria hit 17 winners against 11 unforced errors, while Serena managed just 14 winners, hitting 10 unforced errors. match statistics |
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Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams had played just once before, at the NASDAQ-100 earlier this year in Key Biscayne, where Serena won 6-4, 6-3.
She's got legs: Maria runs and runs without seeming to tire. She is fast; mobile like Venus Williams. Her legs are quick, but her arms are even quicker. Maria waits an extra fraction of a second before hitting the ball, giving her more time to hit it behind her opponent, which she does regularly. She knows where she wants to hit it, like Martina Hingis did, and her placement is excellent. Maria also makes good strong returns of opponents' shots that look like winners. Her serve is very strong, and even her 2nd serve is a weapon-- she hit a 2nd serve ace against Lindsay Davenport. TV tennis authority Mary Joe Fernandez (who spent about a decade in the WTA top 20) has ranked Maria's serve as the 2nd best amongst the Russians, after Nadia Petrova.
Le Machine: Serena was working at coming to the net more often in the earlier rounds at this Wimbledon, but her high-power baseline game is still all there. So is her serve. She hit a 126 mph serve against Tatiana Golovin in the 4th round on Tuesday, the fastest good serve ever hit by a woman at Wimbledon. But it should be pointed out that although Serena guns a big one sometimes, her average 1st serve speed in the semifinals was less than 3 percent faster than Maria Sharapova's average 1st serve speed-- and Maria's average 2nd serve speed was almost 7 percent faster than Serena's. (And, of course, service velocity is far from being everything.) Serena hits her groundstrokes so hard and so deep that she doesn't have to worry about hitting them behind her opponent-- they cannot return the ball anyway.
If the Serena that appeared on Centre Court for the final had been the invincible dreadnought, "Le Machine," that people were so fond of saying could not be defeated, then Maria's chances were slim. But the Serena that showed up played like a human being, and Maria Sharapova is the 2004 Wimbledon champion.
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17-year-old Maria Sharapova has now won 4 WTA singles titles in 4 finals Her other wins came 3 weeks ago on the grass at Birmingham, and last year in Tokyo (AIG Japan Open) and Quebec City (where her Final opponent, Milagros Sequera, unfortunately broke an ankle). Miss Sharapova is the 2nd-youngest ladies singles champion in open Wimbledon history-- Martina Hingis was 16 years, 9 months old when she won in 1997. Maria wears Nike and swings Prince MORE Attack S 920 bat. Maria was born in Nyagan, in the Siberian region of Russia, which has a population of about 71,000. Maria started playing tennis at age 4½, coached by Yuri Yudkin (Yudkin, 67, is currently coaching Maria's 9-year-old cousin Dasha Sharapova). Maria's skills did not go unnoticed--Martina Navratilova reportedly saw Maria playing in a juniors tournament when she was 6 years old. Maria and her father Yuri Sharapov flew to Florida (with $700 savings) when Maria was 7 years old, and went directly to Nick Bollettieri's IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida (yes, they were expected). Maria's mother, Yelena, stayed in Russia for two more years because she was unable to obtain a visa. |
 Nyagan, Russia |
Maria still has a Bradenton residence. She spends time in California also, where she is coached by Robert Lansdorp. Lansdorp coached Tracy Austin to her 1st US Open title in 1979. Tracy called him "...the most important force in my life for my young tennis career. He was part father, part brother, part tyrant. The perfect coach. He worked us hard, but we also had fun." Lansdorp later coached Lindsay Davenport, whom Maria defeated in their SF on Thursday. Earlier this week, Lindsay said: "He had a huge influence on my game, especially the years I was developing what shots and my strokes... he's been a very important influence on my life. I think he's been the same for Maria."
Maria Sharapova Wallpaper - MariaWorld (many photos) - 2003 interview of Maria
22-year-old Serena Williams has won 24 WTA singles finals, including 6 Grand Slam tourneys, two of which are the last two Wimbledons. But she has won only 1 tourney since she had surgery last August (to repair a partial tear in the mid-portion of the quadriceps tendon of her left knee). Serena has a huge new contract this year to wear Nike togs (she was formerly of the Puma persuasion) and she chops with a Wilson axe, not the H-Tour preferred by Davenport & Henin-Hardenne, but a Hyper Hammer 6.2 110". Serena, like her sister Venus, is coached by their father Richard Williams.
Serena & Venus Williams Wallpaper - VenusSerenaFans.com (photos & info)
Wimbledon:
The main draw for The Championships had 32 seeds, and as with all modern Grand Slam tourneys, there were NO 1st-round byes. There were 12 qualifiers and 8 wild cards in the main draw.
London time is GMT (UCT, ZULU) + 2 hours (US Pacific Daylight Time +9, EDT +6). Early round play began at 11am local time (2am PT, 5am ET in the US). Wimbledon has the very nice IBM live scoring by points, with statistics.
Weekday TV coverage in the US began at 7am ET (4am PT) on ESPN2, moving to ESPN at 1pm or Noon ET. Starting Saturday, June 26, coverage began on the ESPNs in the morning, then switched to NBC during the day, and back to the ESPNs again later. The women's final was be on NBC at 9am ET on Saturday, July 3; the men's final at 9am ET on Sunday, July 4.
Full US TV schedule
WTA SCOREBOARD: The Championships at Wimbledon
and Maria Sharapova & Anastasia Myskina practicing at Wimbledon on Sunday, June 20, 2004 |
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Wimbledon, 1st Rd Mon-Thurs June 21-24 loser: £7,230 ($13,212.83 US) 2 points #3 s2 Anastasia Myskina RUS d #66 Lubomira Kurhajcova SVK 7-5, 6-1  Anastasia Myskina
#5 s5 Lindsay Davenport USA d #98 Dally Randriantefy MAD 6-2, 6-1
 Sandra Kleinova
 Jennifer Capriati
 Venus Williams
#10 s1 Serena Williams USA d #48 Jie Zheng CHN 6-3, 6-1Tues  Serena Williams
#12 s10 Nadia Petrova RUS d #78 Flavia Pennetta ITA 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 Tues  Nadia Petrova #13 s11 Ai Sugiyama JPN d #235 wc Amanda Janes GBR 3-6, 6-2, 6-3  Ai Sugiyama
#15 s13 Maria Sharapova RUS d #120 q Yulia Beygelzimer UKR 6-2, 6-1  Maria Sharapova #16 s14 Silvia Farina Elia ITA d #107 Shuai Peng CHN 6-0, 6-4 Thurs #17 s15 Patty Schnyder SUI d #56 Akiko Morigami JPN 6-4, 6-1 Tues  Patty Schnyder *#63 Katarina Srebotnik SLO d #18 s16 Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi ISR 6-4, 6-3 *#84 Marion Bartoli FRA d #19 s17 Chanda Rubin USA 7-6(5), 6-3 Tues  Marion Bartoli #20 s18 Francesca Schiavone ITA d #73 Myriam Casanova SUI 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 Thurs *#229 Anne Kremer LUX d #21 s19 Fabiola Zuluaga COL 6-4, 6-3 Thurs #22 s20 Elena Bovina RUS d #173 q Edina Gallovits ROM 6-2, 6-1Tues #23 s21 Magdalena Maleeva BUL d #74 Vera Douchevina RUS 6-1, 7-5 *#83 Milagros Sequera VEN d #24 s22 Conchita Martinez ESP 6-4, 7-6(6) Thurs *#59 Gisela Dulko ARG d #25 s23 Jelena Dokic SCG 6-3, 6-3  Gisela Dulko *#69 Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP d #26 s24 Mary Pierce FRA 6-2, 7-5 Thurs  Virginia Ruano Pascual #27 s25 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #58 Anabel Medina Garrigues ESP 6-3, 6-4 Tues #28 s26 Lisa Raymond USA d #42 Shinobu Asagoe JPN 6-3, 7-6(4) Thurs #29 s27 Alicia Molik AUS d #80 Melinda Czink HUN 6-1, 6-4 *#124 q Tatiana Panova RUS d #30 s28 Emilie Loit FRA 6-1, 6-2 *#64 Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP d #31 s29 Dinara Safina RUS 6-0, 2-0 retired Thurs *#49 Magui Serna ESP d #32 s30 Eleni Daniilidou GRE 6-4, 6-2 Tues #33 s31 Amy Frazier USA d #88 Maria Kirilenko RUS 6-1, 6-4 #34 s32 Meghann Shaughnessy USA d #96 Marissa Irvin USA 7-6(3), 7-6(0) Tues  Meghann Shaughnessy #35 Karolina Sprem CRO d #70 Laura Granville USA 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 started Monday--rain--finished Tues #36 Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN d #68 Martina Sucha SVK 6-1, 6-0 Tues *#153 q Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP d #38 Petra Mandula HUN 6-3, 6-3 Tues *#186 wc Anne Keothavong GBR d #39 Nicole Pratt AUS 6-3, 6-1  Anne Keothavong
#41 Saori Obata JPN d #116 q Eva Birnerova CZE 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 *#94 Henrieta Nagyova SVK d #44 Lina Krasnoroutskaya RUS 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 Thurs #45 Kristina Brandi PUR d #51 Iveta Benesova CZE 6-2, 6-0 #46 Aniko Kapros HUN d #102 Mervana Jugic-Salkic BIH 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 *#104 Teryn Ashley USA d #47 Tina Pisnik SLO 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 #50 Tatiana Golovin FRA d #75 Alina Jidkova RUS 6-4, 7-6(4) Thurs  Tatiana Golovin *#76 Klara Koukalova CZE d #52 Jelena Jankovic SCG 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 Tues *#111 q Tian Tian Sun CHN d #53 Tathiana Garbin ITA 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 Thurs #54 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #91 Samantha Reeves USA 6-1, 6-4 Tues  Daniela Hantuchova
 Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo< *#72 Maria Elena Camerin ITA d #57 Anca Barna GER 7-5, 6-2 Tues #60 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA d #86 Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER 6-2, 6-0 Tues *#101 Silvija Talaja CRO d #61 Barbora Strycova CZE 6-3, 6-4 Thurs *#343 wc Elena Baltacha GBR d #62 Marta Marrero ESP 6-1, 6-3 Tues
#67 Jill Craybas USA d #81 Cara Black ZIM 6-4, 6-3 *#105 Rita Grande ITA d #77 Mara Santangelo ITA 7-5, 7-5 Thurs #82 Ludmila Cervanova SVK d #85 Barbara Schett AUT 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Thurs *#245 wc Jane O'Donoghue GBR d #90 Lindsay Lee-Waters USA 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 Tues
#93 Tatiana Perebiynis UKR d #242 q Christina Wheeler AUS 6-3, 6-2 Thurs *#140 q Stephanie Foretz FRA d #95 Stephanie Cohen-Aloro FRA 6-1, 6-3 Tues *#378 wc Emily Webley-Smith GBR d #97 Severine Beltrame FRA 7-6(2), 6-4  Emily Webley-Smith
*NR wc Martina Navratilova USA d #100 Catalina Castano COL 6-0, 6-1  Martina Navratilova
#112 Mashona Washington USA d #131 q Angelique Widjaja INA 6-2, 6-1  Gisela Dulko during Wednesday's rainout |
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Wimbledon, 2nd Rd Thur-Fri Jun 24-25 loser: £11,810 ($21,582.78) 32 points #3 s2 Anastasia Myskina RUS d #46 Aniko Kapros HUN 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 Thurs #4 s4 Amelie Mauresmo FRA v #149 q Jennifer Hopkins USA 6-3, 6-3 Fri #5 s5 Lindsay Davenport USA d #45 Kristina Brandi PUR 6-1, 6-0 Thurs #7 s7 Jennifer Capriati USA d #343 wc Elena Baltacha GBR 6-4, 6-4  Jennifer Capriati
 Karolina Sprem
 Serena Williams #11 s9 Paola Suarez ARG d #92 Els Callens BEL 6-2, 6-2 Fri  Paola Suarez #12 s10 Nadia Petrova RUS d #36 Maria Vento-Kabchi VEN 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 Fri #13 s11 Ai Sugiyama JPN d #76 Klara Koukalova CZE 6-4, 6-4 Thurs #14 s12 Vera Zvonareva RUS d #41 Saori Obata JPN 6-1, 6-4 Thurs #15 s13 Maria Sharapova RUS d #186 wc Anne Keothavong GBR 6-4, 6-0 Thurs  Maria Sharapova
*#115 Emmanuelle Gagliardi SUI d #17 s15 Patty Schnyder SUI 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 Fri *#50 Tatiana Golovin FRA d #20 s18 Francesca Schiavone ITA 6-1, 6-0 Fri  Tatiana Golovin *#54 Daniela Hantuchova SVK d #22 s20 Elena Bovina RUS walkover abdominal strain #23 s21 Magdalena Maleeva BUL d #67 Jill Craybas USA 6-2, 6-3 Thurs #27 s25 Nathalie Dechy FRA d #55 Maria Sanchez Lorenzo ESP 6-1, 6-1 Fri *#82 Ludmila Cervanova SVK d #28 s26 Lisa Raymond USA 6-4, 6-3 Fri  Ludmila Cervanova #29 s27 Alicia Molik AUS d #104 Teryn Ashley USA 7-5, 6-4 Thurs #33 s31 Amy Frazier USA d #378 wc E Webley-Smith GBR 6-2, 3-6, 8-6 Thurs #34 s32 Meghann Shaughnessy USA d #153 q Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 started Thurs--finished Fri  Meghann Shaughnessy *#117 q Virginie Razzano FRA d #40 Elena Likhovtseva RUS 6-1, 6-2 Fri #49 Magui Serna ESP d #245 wc Jane O'Donoghue GBR 6-3, 6-3 Fri #59 Gisela Dulko ARG d NR wc Martina Navratilova USA 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 Thurs  Gisela Dulko
*#71 Denisa Chladkova CZE d #63 Katarina Srebotnik SLO 7-6(5), 6-0 Thurs *#105 Rita Grande ITA d #64 Arantxa Parra Santonja ESP 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 Fri #69 Virginia Ruano Pascual ESP d #94 Henrieta Nagyova SVK 6-4, 6-4 Fri *#84 Marion Bartoli FRA d #72 Maria Elena Camerin ITA 6-3, 6-3 Thurs *#93 Tatiana Perebiynis UKR d #83 Milagros Sequera VEN 6-2, 7-5 Fri *#229 SR? Anne Kremer LUX d #111 q Tian Tian Sun CHN 6-3, 7-5 Fri *#124 q Tatiana Panova RUS d #112 Mashona Washington USA 6-3, 6-4 Thurs |
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Wimbledon, 3rd Rd Fri-Sun Jun 25-27 loser: £19,510 ($35,654.53) 56 points *#33 s31 Amy Frazier USA d #3 s2 Anastasia Myskina RUS 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 Fri  Amy Frazier
#7 s7 Jennifer Capriati USA d #27 s25 Nathalie Dechy FRA 7-5, 6-1 Sun  Jennifer Capriati
 Serena Williams
 Paola Suarez #12 s10 Nadia Petrova RUS d #93 Tatiana Perebiynis UKR 7-6(5), 6-2 Sun  Nadia Petrova #13 s11 Ai Sugiyama JPN d #84 Marion Bartoli FRA 6-1, 6-2 Fri #14 s12 Vera Zvonareva RUS d #59 Gisela Dulko ARG 6-4, 6-2 Fri  Vera Zvonareva #15 s13 Maria Sharapova RUS d #54 Daniela Hantuchova SVK 6-3, 6-1 Fri  Maria Sharapova
 Silvia Farina Elia #23 s21 Magdalena Maleeva BUL d #71 Denisa Chladkova CZE 7-5, 6-3 Sun  Maggie Maleeva *#60 Tamarine Tanasugarn THA d #29 s27 Alicia Molik AUS 6-2, 6-4 Fri  Tammy Tanasugarn *#35 Karolina Sprem CRO d #34 s32 Meghann Shaughnessy USA 7-6(5), 7-6(2) Sun  Karolina Sprem
 Rita Grande |
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Wimbledon, 4th Rd, Mon-Tues Jun 28-29 loser: £35,850 ($65,515.88) 90 points #4 s4 Amelie Mauresmo FRA d #16 s14 Silvia Farina Elia ITA 7-5, 6-3 Tues #5 s5 Lindsay Davenport USA d #14 s12 Vera Zvonareva RUS 6-4, 6-4 Mon  Lindsay Davenport
 Jennifer Capriati
 Serena Williams
 Ai Sugiyama #15 s13 Maria Sharapova RUS d #33 s31 Amy Frazier USA 6-4, 7-5 Mon  Maria Sharapova
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Wimbledon, QFs, Tues-Weds Jun 29-30 loser: £68,540 ($125,256.85) 162 points #4 s4 Amelie Mauresmo FRA d #11 s9 Paola Suarez ARG 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 Weds career matches: tied 2-2  Amelie Mauresmo
 Lindsay Davenport
 Serena Williams
 Maria Sharapova
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Wimbledon, SFs, Thurs Jul 1 loser: £135,560 ($247,735.90) 292 points *#15 s13 Maria Sharapova RUS d #5 s5 Lindsay Davenport USA 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 career matches: Maria leads 1-0
 Serena Williams
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Wimbledon, Final, Sat Jul 3 loser: £280,250 ($512,156.87) 456 points title: £560,000 ($1,023,400.00) 650 pts *#15 s13 Maria Sharapova RUS d #10 s1 Serena Williams USA 6-1, 6-4 career matches: tied 1-1
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Wimbledon, Qualifying Finals Thurs June 17 losers' prize: £4,600 ($8,406.50 US) *#153 Nuria Llagostera Vives ESP d #103 Roberta Vinci ITA 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-1 *#124 Tatiana Panova RUS d #110 Sofia Arvidsson SWE 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 #111 Tian Tian Sun CHN d #427 Barbara Schwartz AUT 6(3)-7, 7-5, 6-3 #112 Mashona Washington USA d #157 Vilmarie Castellvi PUR 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 #116 Eva Birnerova CZE d #125 Alexandra Stevenson USA 7-6(7), 7-6(4) #117 Virginie Razzano FRA d #147 Maret Ani EST 6-3, 6-4 *#140 Stephanie Foretz FRA d #119 Barbara Rittner GER 7-5, 6-2 #120 Yulia Beygelzimer UKR d #138 Antonella Serra Zanetti ITA 6-3, 6-1 #131 Angelique Widjaja INA d #154 Eugenia Linetskaya RUS 4-6, 7-6(8), 6-1 *#242 Christina Wheeler AUS d #135 Tzipora Obziler ISR 6-4, 6-3 #149 Jennifer Hopkins USA d #200 Jarmila Gajdosova SVK 6-4, 6-3 #173 Edina Gallovits ROM d #209 Mi-Ra Jeon KOR 6-1, 4-6, 8-6 Wimbledon, Doubles Final, Sun Jul 4 loser: £100,000 ($182,750.00) champ: £200,000 ($365,500.00) s6 Cara Black & Rennae Stubbs d s5 Ai Sugiyama & Liezel Huber 6-3, 7-6(5)  Cara Black & Rennae Stubbs Wimbledon, Mx Doubles Final, Sun Jul 4 loser: £45,000 ($82,237.50) champ: £90,000 ($164,475.00) Cara Black & Wayne Black d Alicia Molik & Todd Woodbridge 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4  Wayne Black & Cara Black Wimbledon, Girls Singles Final, Jul 4 s6 Katerina Bondarenko UKR d s3 Ana Ivanovic SCG 6-4, 6(2)-7, 6-2  Katerina Bondarenko Wimbledon, Girls Doubles Final, Jul 4 s3 Viktoria Azarenka & Volha Havartsova BLR d s4 Marina Erakovic NZL & Monica Niculescu ROM 6-4, 3-6, 6-4  Viktoria Azarenka & Volha Havartsova Wimbledon, Withdrawals/Non-entries #1 Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL rest and recovery #2 Kim Clijsters BEL left wrist tendonitis #87 Maja Matevzic SLO #89 Amanda Coetzer RSA rest and recovery #137 Iroda Tulyaganova UZB right elbow-- injured last year NR Monica Seles USA left foot stress fracture
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"Why don't my dishes ever get so clean?"
The Wimbledon women's singles trophy is known as the "Rosewater Dish" or the "Venus Rosewater Dish". It was first awarded when the Challenge Round (in which the previous year's champ would play only 1 match, against a challenger who played their way throught the draw) was introduced in 1886. Since women's competition at Wimbledon began in 1884, only Miss Maude E.E. Watson, who won in 1884 & 1885, but lost in the 1886 Challenge Round, missed out on it (the Challenge Round was abolished in 1922; since then all winners have had to play through the draw--although sometimes with early-round byes).
The trophy, a copy of a pewter original in the Louvre, was made in 1864 out of sterling silver, partially gilded. Stamped in the center a figure of Temperance, seated on a chest with a lamp in her right hand and a jug in her left, and other objects around her. Around this are 4 other classical gods, together with elements. Around the rim Minerva is shown presiding over the seven Liberal Arts: Astrology, Geometry, Arithmetic, Music, Rhetoric, Dialectic and Grammar.
It is not surprising that Maria would find these images ponderous; anybody would. There are no pics of Suzanne Lenglen or Helen Wills anywhere, and it is not autographed by Maureen Connolly. But all three of them held it for a while. Since 1949, the winner has been given an 8" replica to keep, which doesn't take up too much space unless you have 9 of them like Martina Navratilova.
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from Ladies of the Court by Michael Mewshaw, (pages 122-123): Years ago the Competitor's Lounge at Wimbledon had, in theory, been the sacrosanct preserve of players and their guests. But, in practice, it had always been a throbbing hive of hustlers, racquet dealers, clothing reps, agents, tournament directors, assorted groupies, gofers, and camp followers. Now journalists had access to this sanctuary. Flashing a special forty-five minute permit, I passed the guard at the door and, during yet another rain delay, climbed the stairs to the third floor and stopped at the Prize Money Office, where a woman cheerfully explained her job. Once a player lost, he or she popped in here to pick up a check. A player's agent or manager could collect prize money, but only with written permission. "Even though we know, for example, that Ion Tiriac is Boris Becker's manager, we have to have it in writing before we'll hand over Becker's money," the woman said. "What if the players want cash?" I asked. "Then they carry the check to the bank here on the grounds." "Do you deduct U.K. taxes?" Indeed she did. Foreigners paid a flat 25% on their winnings, but they received a £150 per diem exclusion before British taxes bit into their purse. The Prize Money Office also deducted WTA dues and fines for code violations. Although it sounded complicated, she assured me that "because of computers, we can get a player in and out in thirty or forty seconds. That's a lot different from the old days." She smiled sweetly. "Now I'm afraid I can't say anything else." "Do you ever get any strange requests?" The smile never faltered. "Lots, but I'm not allowed to tell you." |
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from Hard Courts by John Feinstein (page 306): Nothing in tennis can match the tension of day one at Wimbledon. Everyone is tight, nervous, and ready to explode with pent-up energy. The other Grand Slams are very important; Wimbledon is history... Only at Wimbledon does Centre Court stay empty from the day of the final until the Saturday before the tournament begins the next year. Only at Wimbledon do you walk underneath the huge sign over the door leading to Centre Court, which quotes Rudyard Kipling: "If you can meet with triumph and disaster and treat these two imposters the same."... ...The weather in England is almost always rotten. Rain cuts practice time, as does a lack of practice courts. At Wimbledon, practice time on the sixteen outside courts is limited to thirty minutes at a time--unless two seeded players are practicing together. Then, they can get an hour. The adjacent practice courts at Aorangi Park (so named because the land was once owned by the government of New Zealand) are not as tight, but still tough to come by. By the time the tournament begins, people are a little tired, a little homesick, frequently frustrated, and very, very nervous. |
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from Hard Courts by John Feinstein (page 306): Wimbledon's qualifying tournament is not played at Wimbledon, it is played at the Bank of England tennis club, at Roehampton, about eight miles from the All England Club. Everyone who has played there--and almost everyone has at some point--will tell you that the toughest tennis tournament in the world is the one at Roehampton. "There is nothing in the world farther from Wimbledon than Roehampton," John McEnroe once said. "You survive there, you're a hell of a tennis player." ...There are sixteen courts at Roehampton. Unlike the pampered, protected courts at Wimbledon, they are in constant use--and it shows. There are brown patches everywhere--or, to be accurate, green patches on the brown--and after it rains, players would be well advised to show up wearing cleats rather than sneakers. ...When the players arrive at Roehampton, they report to the referee's tent to sign in; then they await court assignments. Waiting for their matches to be called, most kill the time sitting on a large, grassy knoll serves as both the players' and the umpires' lounge. The P.A. system is the focal point of all life at Roehampton. Announcements calling players and umpires to their courts, paging people to the telephone, seeking drivers to take players back to hotels, or updating schedules can be heard around the grounds all day long. The P.A. is just one of a number of distractions players must deal with while they are playing. Admission to Roehampton is free; there are no ushers and no security... ...the atmosphere is not the kind tennis players are accustomed to--people talking and laughing while strolling past the courts... if one wants to qualify for Wimbledon, one has to earn it. Roehampton is both a launching pad and a graveyard... |
(June 16) The 32 singles and 16 doubles seeds (for the 128 player draw) for Wimbledon were announced on Wednesday. # 10 Serena Williams is seeded 1st in singles; # 8 Venus Williams is seeded 3rd; apart from the Williams sisters, the seeds follow this weeks rankings. Never before have players returning from injury been given such preferential treatment so long after resuming play (only rarely have any other players received advanced seeds).
Opinion: Serena has been playing since March, and has said she is healthy, and has lost to Jennifer Capriati twice and Nadia Petrova once. Venus has lost this year to Lisa Raymond, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Anastasia Myskina. The other players whose seeds are affected by the Williams getting favored should be quite irate.
Prior to the 2002 US Open, such advanced seedings were almost unheard of. At the 2002 US Open, # 9 Lindsay Davenport, who had been off the tour for 6 months with a knee injury, was seeded 4th. But, strangely enough, # 8 Martina Hingis, who had been off the tour during a similar period following surgery for torn ligaments, was seeded 9th. Martina had been ranked # 3 prior to her injury.
These advanced seedings are made at the recommendation of the WTA. It looks like they are favoring American players. The WTA should avoid this appearance of bias.
(June 16) - Martina Navratilova will play in the singles main draw at Wimbledon.
"I'd like to play another two years, through the Olympics in 1992. I need goals. I think as I get closer to another Wimbledon, a shot at the tenth one, I'll get more excited. It's really a question of whether the old body can hold up a while longer."
Martina Navratilova, September 1990
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The lob animations above were "fair-use" sampled from the NBC-TV coverage, which is of course copyright of the All-England Tennis and Croquet Club.
This page's URL is: http://tennis.quickfound.net/wta_results_2004/wimbledon_results_2004.html