Women's tennis

Well, the Rogers Cup has just finished in Toronto and notwitstanding the best efforts of Venus, Serena and Maria to shaft the event, it came off with a degree of success and a wonderful final with the title going to Justine Henin. I have been a critic of Henin since she pulled out of the Australian final a couple of years ago, and she came close to pulling out of this one as well with a sore shoulder. But, to her credit, she gave a gutsy performance throughout the tournament and was full credit for the championship.

The women's tour has to act fast.

Make the players play a mandatory schedule of 10 tournaments a year, with the players setting out which tournaments they will play at the start of each year.

If a player has to withdraw from a tourmanent because of injury, they must not play any tournaments or exhibitions for a period of 21 days.

Failure to play in a tournament previously designated as one which they would play results in a 90 day suspension of their right to play in any tournament.

Failure to play the required tournaments results in a "no ranking" status.

After the U.S. Open, a tourmanent of champions is held for the best players throughout the year, followed by a 3 month "off season" for all players.

All woman must attend promotonal events at tournaments as designated by the tournament director.

Since the women can't seem to get it right, it's time to mandate what they must do. The failure to act in this fashion could kill women's tennis. It is on its death bed now.

Woman's tennis = scumbugs

The women are at it again - digging their grave a little deeper with the upcoming Rogers Cup in Toronto. With a field supposedly having the best players in the world (with most confirming), the withdrawals have begun. Mauresmo first and today venus Williams. No surprise there.

Venus Williams is too stupid to understand her role in the promotion of tennis. She is a great "taker" from the game but refuses to give back by appearing at as many tournaments as possible and selling the game when needed. I would have bet everything I had that she would not appear and I'm sure the list of withdrawals is just beginning to swell. Too bad for the tennis fans in Toronto, who should know better than to support women's tennis when the women themselves don't support it. The WTA seems to be toothless when dealing with their players and the women need a body with real strength because they don't have any idea of the damage they have caused to the sport. I have said it on many occasions - the Williams sisters are the most talented women ever to play tennis - and they have done the most damage to the sport. Perhaps barring them from the next "major" would be an appropriate punishment.

The men, on the other hand, continue to put on an impressive show in Montreal where most of the top players did appear and the matches have been very competitive (unlike the women who rarely have a match worth watching, unless you enjoy seeing finals end up 6-1, 6-2.) the men are bolstered by the fact that Federer and Nadal and Roddick understand the importance of showing up and selling tennis to the fans. Roger is the greatest of all time (I have said that in this Blog for 3 years) yet he continues to show up and play almost everywhere as well as provide interviews etc. He is a tremendous ambassador for the game, with class that few women have demonstrated.

I take take away equal money for the women. Pay them according to the walk up gate and let the players police those idiots who pick and choose when they want to play.

I hope Venus loses in the first round in the U.S. Open.