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[dextrous]

For the first time in history, an Indian can be found in every event of the main draw at a grand slam..singles (M+F), doubles (M+F), and mixed.

Somdev has qualified in after beating three players!

Olga Govortsova(BLR) vs. Sania Mirza(IND)
=========

Somdev vs. Frederico Gil

[WicketView]

For the first time in history, an Indian can be found in every event of the main draw at a grand slam..singles (M+F), doubles (M+F), and mixed.

Somdev has qualified in after beating three players!

Olga Govortsova(BLR) vs. Sania Mirza(IND)
=========

Somdev vs. Frederico Gil

Congratulations to Somdev ... All hopes for his further progress through the rounds.

[keep-it-cool]

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

[dextrous]

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

It is a career-threatening injury. It won;t go away anytime soon

[vincent]

Ves, that is why Clijsters was absent for couple of years and now tries a comeback.

[sudzz]

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

[ramshorns]

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

[ramshorns]

B.T.W:-Is anyone of you watching the event here in person.

Let me know if you are coming to the big city.

A mutiple year dweller at the open I am not going this year.

But if someone of you is planning on going I can meet you up for a drink or two in the city.

[dextrous]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

[dextrous]

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Yes, she's lying. Her doctor is lying. Kim Clijsters is lying. But you know.

[ramshorns]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

All these things do not interest me.  Indians  making the list etc etc.   The hype and adulation she recevied for what she did on a tennis court in comparsion to some one at the top is not comparable and quite frankly I do not care.  How many tour events did she win by the way.   It is a pro-sport.   Not an Olympic event.  So the loyalties does not matter for most part though I will admit if an Indian does well I will be up for it.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

I accept my interest in Tennis has dwindled over the years compared to my own fanatical levels but am in general touch with it especially the mens and also the Williams sisters whom I just love.  I do go to the Open often in NY though I am giving it a miss this year.

[dextrous]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

All these things do not interest me.  Indians  making the list etc etc.   The hype and adulation she recevied for what she did on a tennis court in comparsion to some one at the top is not comparable and quite frankly I do not care.  How many tour events did she win by the way.   It is a pro-sport.   Not an Olympic event.  So the loyalties does not matter for most part though I will admit if an Indian does well I will be up for it.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

I accept my interest in Tennis has dwindled over the years compared to my own fanatical levels but am in general touch with it especially the mens and also the Williams sisters whom I just love.  I do go to the Open often in NY though I am giving it a miss this year.

Marketing deals are based on fan support. It is neither up to me or you to control whether fans like Sania because she's attractive or because she's Indian or whatever else. As such I find nothing wrong with supporting someone on the tour because of his/her nationality. It IS remarkable that Sania made it to top 50 for the country of India and her people. It is one of the finest achievements an Indian woman has made in physical sport and yeah, in a perfect world, we'd be celebrating only Indian slam winners...but she gives us something to smile about, which is more than most Indian athletes can muster. If she were to retire today without winning another match, her achievements will only be second when relative to the likes of PT Usha and Saina. She's not good enough to win a singles grand slam but she doesn't have to be to have fans. Ana Kournikova also made more money because of her looks rather than her tennis, but there too, she wasn't exactly a bad tennis player--just not a grand-slam winning type.

[teamindia]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

Hey... There was a conspiracy that she got chance ahead of VVS because of her looks. Had VVS been not kept out he would have won ONE grand slam in women's tennis... between year 2000-2009 on a certain court excluding some minnow women players...

[pieterSAN]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

All these things do not interest me.  Indians  making the list etc etc.   The hype and adulation she recevied for what she did on a tennis court in comparsion to some one at the top is not comparable and quite frankly I do not care.  How many tour events did she win by the way.   It is a pro-sport.   Not an Olympic event.  So the loyalties does not matter for most part though I will admit if an Indian does well I will be up for it.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

I accept my interest in Tennis has dwindled over the years compared to my own fanatical levels but am in general touch with it especially the mens and also the Williams sisters whom I just love.  I do go to the Open often in NY though I am giving it a miss this year.

Marketing deals are based on fan support. It is neither up to me or you to control whether fans like Sania because she's attractive or because she's Indian or whatever else. As such I find nothing wrong with supporting someone on the tour because of his/her nationality. It IS remarkable that Sania made it to top 50 for the country of India and her people. It is one of the finest achievements an Indian woman has made in physical sport and yeah, in a perfect world, we'd be celebrating only Indian slam winners...but she gives us something to smile about, which is more than most Indian athletes can muster. If she were to retire today without winning another match, her achievements will only be second when relative to the likes of PT Usha and Saina. She's not good enough to win a singles grand slam but she doesn't have to be to have fans. Ana Kournikova also made more money because of her looks rather than her tennis, but there too, she wasn't exactly a bad tennis player--just not a grand-slam winning type.

Sania and Anna are probably in the same category. I don't really care how she ranks because if in women's tennis if you are outside ranked between 20 and 50 it means you are not a terribly *ty player.

The fact is that the only reasons to follow her is that she is Indian and/or she is good looking.

[keep-it-cool]

Agree. I dont have any problem with the contracts she has and the attention she gets. If she can, why not? But, at the end of the day, she has been an average tennis player when you look at her career so far. It is silly to listen to some of the sports columnists hailing her as someone who has done India proud every time she wins a first round match. Yes, one can say that she is the best Indian woman tennis player ..but that is hardly saying much. It just shows how bad the others have been.

[ramshorns]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

Hey... There was a conspiracy that she got chance ahead of VVS because of her looks. Had VVS been not kept out he would have won ONE grand slam in women's tennis... between year 2000-2009 on a certain court excluding some minnow women players...

What does make Tendulkar?  Niether a man nor a woman.

[ramshorns]

Agree. I dont have any problem with the contracts she has and the attention she gets. If she can, why not? But, at the end of the day, she has been an average tennis player when you look at her career so far. It is silly to listen to some of the sports columnists hailing her as someone who has done India proud every time she wins a first round match. Yes, one can say that she is the best Indian woman tennis player ..but that is hardly saying much. It just shows how bad the others have been.

Exactly.  No one begrudges someone for making hay at the stupidity of others.  That is not the point here.  When talking about pro sports no one really cares much for a mediocre player no matter how tough it is nor how hard they tried or how good they are in comparision to their country men or women in this case who never really had a rich history.  And Sania has been a below average Tennis player to this point when measured up against her competition.  No two ways about it.

[dextrous]

Agree. I dont have any problem with the contracts she has and the attention she gets. If she can, why not? But, at the end of the day, she has been an average tennis player when you look at her career so far. It is silly to listen to some of the sports columnists hailing her as someone who has done India proud every time she wins a first round match. Yes, one can say that she is the best Indian woman tennis player ..but that is hardly saying much. It just shows how bad the others have been.

No, it shows that an Indian woman can still compete on the world stage. And why just Indian women, Indian athletes in general. It does make me proud that India is represented at a world event. It is up to the commentators to do hyperboles, but her performances are no less remarkable because some want to put her on the same pedestal as the Williams. But I'm tired of people begrudging her contracts (which you're not doing).

[ramshorns]

Indians

Sania says her wrist injury has flared up again ...why does it happen before every big event?

Bahane baaji, escape route....

Why even you guys bother to track her is beyond me.   She had her 15 min in the sun for doing nothing and in the process getting marketing deals enough to take of couple of generations!!!!!  Ridiculous.

If making it into top-100 of tennis is 'doing nothing' then I suggest you take a racquet and step on the court. I'm sure you'll also get quite a few deals.

Given that no Indian since Ramesh Krishnan has made into the top-50, I'm sure it is a walk in the park to play in the top-100 level.

All these things do not interest me.  Indians  making the list etc etc.   The hype and adulation she recevied for what she did on a tennis court in comparsion to some one at the top is not comparable and quite frankly I do not care.  How many tour events did she win by the way.   It is a pro-sport.   Not an Olympic event.  So the loyalties does not matter for most part though I will admit if an Indian does well I will be up for it.

Just because some of you follow only the grand slams, does not mean making top-100 or top-50 is a joke or 'nothing'..in cricketing terms, that's around top-3.

I accept my interest in Tennis has dwindled over the years compared to my own fanatical levels but am in general touch with it especially the mens and also the Williams sisters whom I just love.  I do go to the Open often in NY though I am giving it a miss this year.

Marketing deals are based on fan support. It is neither up to me or you to control whether fans like Sania because she's attractive or because she's Indian or whatever else. As such I find nothing wrong with supporting someone on the tour because of his/her nationality. It IS remarkable that Sania made it to top 50 for the country of India and her people. It is one of the finest achievements an Indian woman has made in physical sport and yeah, in a perfect world, we'd be celebrating only Indian slam winners...but she gives us something to smile about, which is more than most Indian athletes can muster. If she were to retire today without winning another match, her achievements will only be second when relative to the likes of PT Usha and Saina. She's not good enough to win a singles grand slam but she doesn't have to be to have fans.

See my above post.

Ana Kournikova also made more money because of her looks rather than her tennis, but there too, she wasn't exactly a bad tennis player--just not a grand-slam winning type.

Anna was a better tennis player than Sania for sure(based on a relative comparsion) and her sex appeal was next to none in comparision to any top model of her time which landed her the top dollar.   She knew that.  Good for her.

[dextrous]

Pleased to report that Somdev has won r1 of the US open!

Sania is also on the verge of winning

[diwanara]

good job somdev and sania..

Somdev never played in India. didnt he grow up in the US and win NCAA championship playing for UVA?

[dextrous]

good job somdev and sania..

Somdev never played in India. didnt he grow up in the US and win NCAA championship playing for UVA?

Quite the opposite. Somdev grew up in India and went to college in the US on tennis scholarship.

[WicketView]

Pleased to report that Somdev has won r1 of the US open!

Sania is also on the verge of winning

[WicketView]

Agree. I dont have any problem with the contracts she has and the attention she gets. If she can, why not? But, at the end of the day, she has been an average tennis player when you look at her career so far. It is silly to listen to some of the sports columnists hailing her as someone who has done India proud every time she wins a first round match. Yes, one can say that she is the best Indian woman tennis player ..but that is hardly saying much. It just shows how bad the others have been.

Exactly.  No one begrudges someone for making hay at the stupidity of others.  That is not the point here.  When talking about pro sports no one really cares much for a mediocre player no matter how tough it is nor how hard they tried or how good they are in comparision to their country men or women in this case who never really had a rich history.  And Sania has been a below average Tennis player to this point when measured up against her competition.  No two ways about it.

Rams,
Once again, I find myself agreeing with most of your statement (with some qualifications), but find some assertions very uncomfortable. First, I agree that she is a below average tennis player when talking about the people who have a chance to win grandslam events, or perhaps are even expected to make the semis at such events. And even though this is a pro sport, I am certainly happy to see some Indans enter the second round. It is perfectly fine to be not enthused at that (as you are saying), but why should you say no one in the statement  I bolded?

[keep-it-cool]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

[ganavk]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

it is better to go overboard that underplaying the achievements especially in India since there is higher chance of more people playing producing better players. I am sure Sania would inspire more junior players in India than someone like Lendl could.

[keep-it-cool]

well i dont know ...i like my news to be balanced

[dextrous]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

it is better to go overboard that underplaying the achievements especially in India since there is higher chance of more people playing producing better players. I am sure Sania would inspire more junior players in India than someone like Lendl could.

exactly...paes singlehandedly inspired me to pick up a tennis racquet

[WicketView]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

Maybe ... I have not read that many reports. I was happy to get news of their victories ... and don't look for more.

[keep-it-cool]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

Maybe ... I have not read that many reports. I was happy to get news of their victories ... and don't look for more.

Are you talking about football or Sania?

[WicketView]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

Maybe ... I have not read that many reports. I was happy to get news of their victories ... and don't look for more.

Are you talking about football or Sania?

Sania too ...

[keep-it-cool]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

Maybe ... I have not read that many reports. I was happy to get news of their victories ... and don't look for more.

Are you talking about football or Sania?

Sania too ...

if you havent noticed the media hype around Sania (not now ...some time back), you are not in India or you dont watch television

[WicketView]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

Maybe ... I have not read that many reports. I was happy to get news of their victories ... and don't look for more.

Are you talking about football or Sania?

Sania too ...

if you havent noticed the media hype around Sania (not now ...some time back), you are not in India or you dont watch television

Both are true ... added to the point that I might choose to not read obvious media hype about her.

[keep-it-cool]

Yes. I choose not to read too much of it either.

[sudzz]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

it is better to go overboard that underplaying the achievements especially in India since there is higher chance of more people playing producing better players. I am sure Sania would inspire more junior players in India than someone like Lendl could.

exactly...paes singlehandedly inspired me to pick up a tennis racquet

But Im sure you agree that Paes is in a different league when it comes to representing the nation...

Sania and her ilk have always thought of representing the nation as a additional burden.

[vincent]

Unfortunately Somdev has Kohlschreiber as his next opponent. Next round may be the end station. But if he wins or even produces a great match, hat would be an achievement.

[ramshorns]

Agree. I dont have any problem with the contracts she has and the attention she gets. If she can, why not? But, at the end of the day, she has been an average tennis player when you look at her career so far. It is silly to listen to some of the sports columnists hailing her as someone who has done India proud every time she wins a first round match. Yes, one can say that she is the best Indian woman tennis player ..but that is hardly saying much. It just shows how bad the others have been.

Exactly.  No one begrudges someone for making hay at the stupidity of others.  That is not the point here.  When talking about pro sports no one perhaps most won't really cares much for a mediocre player no matter how tough it is nor how hard they tried or how good they are in comparision to their country men or women in this case who never really had a rich history.  And Sania has been a below average Tennis player to this point when measured up against her competition.  No two ways about it.

Rams,
Once again, I find myself agreeing with most of your statement (with some qualifications), but find some assertions very uncomfortable. First, I agree that she is a below average tennis player when talking about the people who have a chance to win grandslam events, or perhaps are even expected to make the semis at such events. And even though this is a pro sport, I am certainly happy to see some Indans enter the second round. It is perfectly fine to be not enthused at that (as you are saying), but why should you say no one in the statement  I bolded?

You are right.  May be I should have said "perhaps most" which then would have have passed the generalization filter which was statement there equated to with a "no one".

[dextrous]

Oh I'm happy with these folks progressing - the natural national support comes in - just amazed at the media's tendency to go overboard.

Why this, I am also happy that India won the Nehru cup yesterday.

it is better to go overboard that underplaying the achievements especially in India since there is higher chance of more people playing producing better players. I am sure Sania would inspire more junior players in India than someone like Lendl could.

exactly...paes singlehandedly inspired me to pick up a tennis racquet

But Im sure you agree that Paes is in a different league when it comes to representing the nation...

Sania and her ilk have always thought of representing the nation as a additional burden.

Paes is in a different league--yes. But Sania has gone in all sorts of places to play Fed Cup and the Hopman Cup for India (where her and Bopanna beat quite a few top pairs). The perception only comes from that one tournament she decided to skip.

[WicketView]

Agree. I dont have any problem with the contracts she has and the attention she gets. If she can, why not? But, at the end of the day, she has been an average tennis player when you look at her career so far. It is silly to listen to some of the sports columnists hailing her as someone who has done India proud every time she wins a first round match. Yes, one can say that she is the best Indian woman tennis player ..but that is hardly saying much. It just shows how bad the others have been.

Exactly.  No one begrudges someone for making hay at the stupidity of others.  That is not the point here.  When talking about pro sports no one perhaps most won't really cares much for a mediocre player no matter how tough it is nor how hard they tried or how good they are in comparision to their country men or women in this case who never really had a rich history.  And Sania has been a below average Tennis player to this point when measured up against her competition.  No two ways about it.

Rams,
Once again, I find myself agreeing with most of your statement (with some qualifications), but find some assertions very uncomfortable. First, I agree that she is a below average tennis player when talking about the people who have a chance to win grandslam events, or perhaps are even expected to make the semis at such events. And even though this is a pro sport, I am certainly happy to see some Indans enter the second round. It is perfectly fine to be not enthused at that (as you are saying), but why should you say no one in the statement  I bolded?

You are right.  May be I should have said "perhaps most" which then would have have passed the generalization filter which was statement there equated to with a "no one".

Sure  ... I can fully appreciate that line of thought among many people.

[poondu]

Sania Mirza crashes out of US Open

NEW YORK: Sania Mirza's US Open singles campaign wilted in the second round with 10th seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta routing the Indian 6-0, 6-0 in 
a grossly lop-sided match on Wednesday.

The Indian could watch only helplessly as Pennetta blew her away, completing the 50-minute whitewash without any fuss.

Sania made as many as 28 unforced errors in the 12-game match, compared to just six winners, spread equally on both sets.

In the first set, Sania was broken thrice while the Indian squandered the only break point that came her way.

She made 16 unforced error in the 22-minute set, four times more than Pennetta.

In the second set, Sania made 12 unforced errors, twice that of Pennetta. Only twice she had a chance to break the duck but Sania wasted the game points she had on the first and fifth games.

Overall, Pennetta hit 20 winners, 13 in the second set alone.

Pennetta was in red hot form against her Indian opponent who has been mostly playing ITF events prior to the Grand Slam.

The match was Sania's one of the worst defeats of her career at a tournament where she achieved her big breakthrough with a run into the fifth round in 2005.

Sania was particularly errant on her normally reliable forehand side, spraying the ball long and wide.

"When you lose love and love there is not much you can say, but I felt I didn't play that badly," said Sania.   

"She played exceptionally well. Everything was working for her. There are days like that and you just have to move forward.

"I told her in the locker room afterwards that if she continues to play like that she will be number one in the world."

The 22-year-old from Hyderabad said that she still had the doubles and the mixed doubles to contest in New York and was confident she and Canadian partner Daniel Nestor could do well in the latter.

"After that I will play in Asia and just try to stay healthy for the rest of the year for once," she added.

Sania won the Australian Open mixed doubles title at the start of the year, teaming with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi to become the first Indian pair to win any Grand Slam mixed doubles title.