Foot Fault!

Calling all the lines of professional tennis

Category Archives: Dramz

Video Vault: A Disgusted Pam Shriver Dispatches On Yulia Putintseva

I’ve been shouting it out from the rooftops for years now. Whilst many knickers have been in a twist over Azarenka, Serena, Maria and anyone else with just an ounce of attitude, there has been a player by the name of Yulia Putintseva slowly appearing on the horizon. A player who threatens to usurp and destroy everything we know and love. She’s angry, she’s mean and she eats little children for breakfast. This is all factual information.

This week she finally arrived, qualifying for the Australian Open main draw before taking American sweetheart Christina McHale as her first victim. Aunt Pammy was on-hand to cover the final games of their contest, and the utter repulsion and disgust in the tone of her voice whilst recounting but a few of Putintseva’s innumerable antics is incredible, hilarious and only a sign of things to come. Don’t ever say I didn’t warn you, tennis world.

Bernard Tomic proclaims himself the future GOAT

Yesterday, it was announced that Bernard Tomic would be unceremoniously dumped from Australia’s next Davis Cup tie following a year of poor results, widely panned tanking and off-court incidents that will forever live in tennis infamy. Today it was – as per usual – Tomic’s turn to “hit back” at the allegations, this time essentially branding Pat Rafter and Tennis Australia as liars. More interestingly still, he also suggested that he would one day be the greatest player to ever walk the planet, a prediction that will undoubtedly have Roger Federer shaking fearfully in his boots for years to come.

Read more of this post

How To Fend Off Anti-Grunters – By Maria Sharapova

After her quarterfinal loss to Victoria Azarenka yesterday, Agnieszka Radwanska took aim at Maria Sharapova, calling her grunt “annoying” and “too loud” despite having no problems with her friend Azarenka’s grunt. Needless to say, the Russian didn’t take too kindly to her comments when informed of them a day later and bit back in true Sharapovian style.


Q. A lot of players this week have made comments talking about how they think the noise that you and Azarenka in particular make is excessive.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Who?

Q. Radwanska was one player that said she thinks the noise you and Azarenka make is excessive and she’d like to see the WTA change the rules to prohibit that.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: Isn’t she back in Poland already?

Q. Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: When did she get a chance to say that?

Q. After she lost her quarterfinal.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: She lost the match?

Q. Yes.
MARIA SHARAPOVA: You’ve sure obviously asked me this question before. I’ve heard it a few times over my career. You’ve watched me grow up, you’ve watched me play tennis. I’ve been the same over the course of my career. No one important enough has told me to change or do something different.
I’ve answered it many times before. I’m sure I’ll answer it many more times ahead. I’m okay with that.

As always, brilliant stuff from Maria “More Effortless Shade Than A Willow Tree” Sharapova. It’s no secret that she and Radwanska aren’t particularly fond of each other, and that coupled with Radwanska’s comments a couple of days ago having more to do with her liking Azarenka and disliking Sharapova, make it even more comical. A figurative knockout uppercut from the 24 year old.

Speaking more generally, the recent obsession about grunting has been absolutely astounding to watch. Usually, the tabloids at Wimbledon are the ones who make a massive deal over the grunting for two weeks, and aside from that, nobody cares.

But this year, there are suddenly commentators openly broadcasting their disgust during matches, writers are dedicating an obscene amount of space to it, and press conferences are being bombarded and hijacked on that one subject. Meanwhile, Nadal is getting away with receiving some of the most blatant illegal coaching in the history of tennis (even Carlos Rodriguez and Justine Henin would never!), while Nadal and countless other men are bending the rules to the limit in the amount of time they spend between. Double standards and hypocrisy are fun!

Tomas Berdych Feels The Wrath Of A Drunk Australian Crowd

Late in their titanic four-set battle, Tomas Berdych and Nicolas Almagro found themselves in an entertaining exchange which finished with Almagro drilling a ball so hard at his opponent that the seventh-seed ended up in a heap on the ground. The incident was not quickly forgotten by Berdych, and after clinching the match he made his thoughts on Almagro’s body-blow clear by refusing to shake the Spaniard’s hand at the net.

To say the crowd didn’t take kindly to Berdych’s actions would be the understatement of the century.

This whole incident was the epitome of overreacting. Did Almagro need to smash the ball straight at Berdych? Probably not. Should Berdych have shaken Almagro’s hand? Of course. The biggest overreaction, however, came from the clearly intoxicated crowd who put Roland Garros to shame as they booed mercilessly during Berdych’s on-court interview. Even worse still, as he attempted to carry out his Eurosport interview, a man nearby interrupted the interview, repeatedly shouting at Berdych and calling him a “prick”. An appalling overreaction for what was still a relatively minor incident.

Bernard Tomic pays tribute to Justine Henin in Melbourne

Only four days after happily admitting to the press that he had used gamesmanship as a main tactic to come back from two sets to love down against Fernando Verdasco, Tomic decided to take things even further while fighting for his life in a fifth set against Dolgopolov.

This time, he decided to channel Justine Henin by stopping mid-point and putting his hand up to issue out a challenge. When Ramos appeared to have not seen Tomic’s gesture and Dolgopolov hit an error after assuming that the point had been stopped, Tomic made the decision to act like nothing happened, before flat-out lying when asked on-court.

After clinching the fifth set and match, his take on the incident afterwards was very telling;

Q. What happened at the end of the first game in the fifth set.

BERNARD TOMIC: Yeah, it was a long rally, a slice rally. Four, five slices and he hit the ball long. I knew the ball was long called, but I looked to the umpire’s chair because I sort of had my head down. I knew where the shot was. So even though I liked to the ref to see what his reaction was, because I didn’t hear him, I didn’t say a thing.

I knew I got the slice back. It was on my frame. I was looking at him whether he was going to say “out,” but I continued to play. He thought I was going to challenge it. Got lucky I didn’t say anything.

Q. So in your mind you didn’t challenge?

BERNARD TOMIC: No, I didn’t challenge but I looked ‑‑ sometimes before the ref says “out” and overrules, he lifts his arm.

At that time when he didn’t say “out,” I continued to play. So I went like that. Alex thought I was challenging, and I didn’t focus on that shot.

After Henin’s ‘Hand’ incident, Serena Williams later described her actions as “lying and fabricating”. If this isn’t the very Oxford dictionary definition of lying and fabricating, I don’t know what is.

Umpire Sergio Ramos has to shoulder sine of the blame after completely missing Tomic’s gesture, but Tomic’s actions both on and off-court were abhorrent at best. The Australian came into this event as one of the most polarizing players in tennis, but at this point it is fairly clear that he is going to leave it simply as one of the most hated. And for good reason.

Marion Bartoli Discusses Her Exclusion From London Olympics

After spending the last couple of months appealing to the powers-that-be for a reprieve to the FFT’s ruiling that Bartoli would not be participating in the Olympics, it appears that Marion Bartoli finally all but admitted defeat while addressing the issue after yesterdays victory over Jelena Dokic.

“It’s really heartbreaking for me. Honestly I really do feel I have a chance to make a medal over there and especially at Wimbledon, on grass, where I had so much success in the past, and can’t go there just for some stupid reason [...]”

The “stupid reason” Marion is referring to, is one that requires teammates to train together as a (*gasp*) team during the week of the tie. Rather than training with the team, Bartoli has always requested for the rules to be changed in order to allow her father coach her during Fed Cup weeks.

This issue is also one that has actually been previously visited. Back in 2002, then-Fed Cup Captain Billie Jean King made the decision to exclude Jennifer Capriati – her number one player – after she was caught receiving illegal coaching from her notorious father on the evening before the first match.

Capriati learnt her lesson however, and she didn’t ever attempt to challenge the rules afterwards. On the other hand, four years after facing her first Olympic snub in Beijing, Marion is still complaining and refusing to comply with the rules. If she really wanted to represent her country at the Olympic games, then she only has herself to blame.

Hot Shot: Petkovic Claims First Racquet Smash Of 2012

Judging by the mangled remains of Andrea Petkovic’s racquet, doubles isn’t always fun and games for top players. According to an eye-witness, quite a bit went down when the two entertainers teamed up for the first time earlier today;

Apparently (Andrea) & JJ believed that the ball they hit in a net exchange or rally just slightly touched Spears’ racquet frame, but the umpire didn’t agree. That’s how it kind of started, both got really pissed off & even Andrea went over to Abigail & asked her if her racquet touched the ball and Abigail said nothing which made both Andrea & JJ even more annoyed.

Plus both weren’t too happy with some line calls in the MTB. Crowd booed the ump & really got into it.

Both Jelena and Andrea have both had their fair share of drama over the years (*cough* understatement of the century *cough*), so I guess it’s only natural that when they come together as a team, their very first match should apparently involve cheating opponents, incompetent linespeople and a rowdy crowd to top it all off. Bless.

Dear Tennis Federations, How You Should React To Departing Players

The last couple of weeks of the off-season have been ripe with news of players deciding to change their nationalities ahead of the 2012 season. First came Bogomolov who changed from USA to his motherland Russia in order to compete in the Davis Cup after a breakthrough 2011. Despite publicly admitting that they had no intention of using Bogomolov in their squad, the USTA essentially threw their toys out of their pram upon hearing the news, eventually issuing Bogomolov an invoice for $75k compensation.

A few weeks later, it was the Russian Tennis Federation’s turn to throw their own tantrum following Ksenia Pervak’s decision to play under the Kazakhstan flag in order to fulfil her dream of competing in the Olympics. For most of 2011, the 21 year-old has spoken openly about the possibility of changing flags ahead of the olympics. Even so, after the decision was finalized Shamil Tarpishev immediately went on a media rampage, stating that Pervak had no right to do so, among other things.

This week it was the turn of little-known Kiwi Sacha Jones to make a move, ditching the practically non-existent Tennis NZ in favour of Australia and all of the funding and help. Steve Johns, CEO of Tennis NZ, reacted slightly differently to the aforementioned federations:

“It was totally out of the blue. We were very surprised, a bit shocked, disappointed – all those emotions. There’s been a reasonable amount of money invested in Sacha’s career, but we quickly realised that she’s a professional athlete and, yes, while we’d like New Zealand to feature in her plans, at the end of the day she’s looking after the best interests of her career. She believes – and rightly so – that she can get better assistance playing under the Australian flag. She’s a Kiwi at heart. If it doesn’t work out for her in Australia then, absolutely, we’d welcome her back with open arms. If it does work out over there and she achieves her goals and goes onto great things then, rest assured, we’ll be claiming her as a Kiwi forever and making it pretty clear that this is where she got her start.”

It’s funny, we all know that – with the omnipresent foursome of Roddick, Fish and the Bryan Bros around – Alex Bogomolov meant absolutely nothing to the USTA until he decided to change his nationality. Similarly, with Russia overflowing with big names above Pervak and young prospects rising below her, there wasn’t much hope for the middle-of-the-road Pervak to ever really be a regular fixture in Fed Cup and Olympic campaigns. Even so, members from both federations have managed to blow things completely out of proportion.

Meanwhile, New Zealand have lost a young and fairly talented player in Jones, leaving them with only one player in the entire top 700. And yet, after their initial disappointment, Tennis NZ were able to maturely accept and respect Jones’ decision, even wishing her luck as an Australian. Hmmm.

Transsexual Player Andrea Paredes Gets First Ranking, Announces herself As The World’s Saviour

Remember Andrea Paredes, the first transsexual to ever compete in a professional event since Renee Richards? This week, she will finally pick up a ranking for the first time after being awarded a wildcard into three tournaments and notching up an impressively atrocious 0-4 record in matches, 0-8 in sets and 1-48 in games in them.

Despite only participating in a handful of events over the last couple of years, interesting stories of the Chilean are slowly making their way to the internet. Most notably, an article dating back to around 2004 was published of the 37 year-old discussing the end of the world and how she has been personally recruited by God to stop it.

The tennis player calls herself to be “one of the leading thinkers of the Chilean economy”, believing herself to be sent from heaven to save the world from a “motorola-type” chip which will eventually be incrusted beneath the skin of every human being, making every human instantly trackable. She says all money will soon be electronic, ruled by a worldwide government led by the Antichrist.

Her best quotes:

“I’m one of the main Chilean thinkers of the new economy. Besides, I’m very mystical and esoteric; I’ve studied about the profecies and the Antichrist”,

“The worst part is that if anyone tries to take (the chip) out he could die, and even if you managed to do it, the police of the world will arrest you. We’ll all be forced to wear the chip”.

“Here in Chile they’re already putting it in animals. With that chip no one will be able to avoid paying taxes, because it’s a GPS system”.

“The Bible says “neither the poor nor the rich, nor slaves nor the free, no master and no serf, no one will be able to shop if they haven’t got the 666, which is the internet protocol and the chip. An evil dictatorship is going to be imposed through it.”

“The Antichrist will become the president of the European Union and will establish a worldwide goverment that would allow him to control everything, not just the economy but our souls too.”

“In 2012 Jesus Christ will come and find a world that allows everything… the world will be a field of black magic, everybody will have sex with everybody. We’ll live in an apparently happy and perfect world and that’s how the devil will get our souls and when God confronts him, the devil will answer that we belong to him because we have his mark, -the chip-.”

Lovely.

I may not be one of the leading thinkers of the UK, but as far as I know, this hasn’t yet happened and won’t ever happen. But then again, moments ago news just broke that Andy Murray has pulled out of the World Tour Finals, meaning that Janko Tipsarevic will take his place and make his debut in the event. Thus, both stranger and more sinister things have already happened.

(translation via TF)

Spanish Sportspeople React To Yannick Noah’s Doping Accusations

Yesterday saw former French Open Champion Yannick Noah launch a shocking attack on Spanish sport as he accused all of its leading ambassadors of doping, as well as suggesting that the various prominent Spanish doctors and officials have worked together to keep this doping conspiracy a secret.

Today was the turn of the accused to reply to Noah’s statements, and needless to say, they were not impressed.

David Ferrer:
“(When) your son plays in the NBA, where there is no doping controls. You are not the best person to talk,” said the tennis world number five, which will debut on Monday at the Masters in London, referring to Joakim Noah, who plays the Chicago Bulls.

“I think it’s total ignorance. That a person who has played tennis and knows the sport says that (with) genuine outrage… Like I said without reason or thought,”

Four-time Grand Slam Champion Manolo Santana:
“I find it incredible that an athlete like Noah, who won Roland Garros almost thirty years ago, playing good tennis players but not our current goal is not only tennis but all sports. It seems out of place. Spain is now the leading power of sport and statements (like that) are not good for him and not for sport in general.

“The Sports Council has done significant work towards the subject of doping and, personally, I have a certain respect and admiration for Contador. It has been shown that there is nothing. I find it outrageous, but when people want fame, the only way to have is by messing with a person or an entity as large as Spain in the sport. In basketball, soccer, tennis, Formula One, athletics … In all sports Spain is at the forefront and these haphazard statements. makes a dent in some athletes do.

Spanish Olympic Committee president Alejandro Blanco:
“It’s very difficult for the ignorant to understand the explosion of Spanish sport. The work has been the key to success,”

“Spain makes 11,200 doping tests per year. That’s the best answer we can give,” he added.

President of Spanish Basketball Federation, José Luis Sáez:
“In matters as sensitive as the doping is, it’s not about accusations without proof, but to expose without casting unnecessary doubt.”

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 4,394 other followers