Serena Williams, Last American Woman Standing

by tigerperson on Jan 26, 2007 6:07 PM CST

Serena Williams, ranked #81 in the world plays in the Australian Finals tonight at 8:30 CST on ESPN 2. Her match is against number one ranked Maria Sharapova. They both have a big game and you can count on them going for broke on every point.

Serena made an incredible run at the Open, coming in as an unseeded player. She looks a bit out of shape but her fight and determination are strong. And she will need it going up against Sharapova who won the US Open in September 2006. Expect the grunting to be loud and constant on both sides of the net.

The Men's Doubles follows the Sharapova-Williams match. The Bryan Brothers from the US face Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) and Max Mirnyi (BLR). If you've never watched Doubles before, this would be a good match to check out. Doubles at this level is fast paced with lots of hard balls going right at the players.

Federer plays tomorrow and continues to make history every time he steps on the court. He faces Fernando Gonzalez from Chile who has been playing out of his mind this Open. It should be a great match up.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Nice to see another tennis fan at BCB

Gonzalez could be considered this year's Marcos Baghdatis. If he weren't already ranked in the top ten, that is. Roger will still take him down.

Wrigley Field + crosswind = hilarity!

by Troop EY on Jan 26, 2007 8:45 PM CST reply actions

Wow!

I watched some of the match, and Serena just completely outplayed Maria.

Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?

by Keith on Jan 26, 2007 9:57 PM CST reply actions

Sheesh...

I thought Serena would win out, but 6-1, 6-2?

And here everybody was saying she's out of shape.

Wrigley Field + crosswind = hilarity!

by Troop EY on Jan 26, 2007 10:24 PM CST up reply actions

Wow.. talk about domination

It's all about the serve. It was the best part of Serena's game and the worst part of Maria's game.

The Federer - Gonzalez match is at 2:30 am CST.
I might have to wait for the rerun tomorrow. Federer will probably win but maybe Gonzalez will make him work for it.

Federer

It's like deja`vu all over again ....

by tigerperson on Jan 26, 2007 10:34 PM CST reply actions

I am having trouble keeping...

my eyes on the ball...

by DudeVf11 on Jan 27, 2007 12:43 AM CST reply actions

whoever coined the phrase...

..."junk in the trunk" had serena williams in mind.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Jan 27, 2007 11:41 AM CST reply actions

they had a poll on espn

on whether Tiger Woods, or Roger Federer is the more dominant member of their respective sports.

Federer won in a landslide (he has won like 8 of the last twelve grand slam tournaments while tiger has won 4 of the last 12 majors), but I think it's a more difficult comparison, because golf has a massive field, and playing at the highest level is much more elusive for golfers than tennis players. I think tennis is more analogous to basketball, where the better team wins the vast majority of the time, while golf is a lot more like baseball, where any team can win on any given day.

At any rate, I really can't say with conviction who the more dominant player is, but regardless, I really enjoy watching the true virtuosos of any given sport perform regardless of their nationality. Gretzkys, Pelés, Jordans, Woodses, and Federers don't even come along once per generation, and they are the kind of players that I will tell my children about if I ever accidently have some.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Jan 27, 2007 11:50 AM CST reply actions

That was really

tearful when Serena dedicated her win to her late sister.

COTTS!!!

by sue369 on Jan 27, 2007 12:12 PM CST reply actions

geez

the way you put it made me think she died or something.

TRAMMELL!

by Faith plus 1 on Jan 27, 2007 12:20 PM CST up reply actions

for once, I can't tell if this is sarcasm

but sue meant their OTHER sister, not venus. Her name was Yetunde Price, I think.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Jan 27, 2007 12:32 PM CST up reply actions

oh I thought

she was talking about Venus.

TRAMMELL!

by Faith plus 1 on Jan 27, 2007 12:54 PM CST up reply actions

Yes I did

mean her other sister. Sorry I should have stated it clearer.

COTTS!!!

by sue369 on Jan 27, 2007 6:46 PM CST up reply actions

Please, season start already

n/t

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 9:14 AM CST reply actions

I am confused

I understand the Bears discussions, as they are at least from the same town, but the tennis discussions seem to be turning this into an all-purpose sports bulletin board. Formula 1 on the horizon?

Having said that, I am glad to see that Federer won his 10th Grand Slam.

I don't believe in signatures. I just believe in me.

by TyWebb on Jan 28, 2007 9:23 AM CST reply actions

Actually

I completley agree.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 11:06 AM CST up reply actions

Junk in the trunk

Wow.. no kidding! But what a great win for her.
Before Serena won her match, there were no American women in the top 25. She moves up the ranks from #81 to #l4 (or something close to that).

Another win for Federer. He just continues to dominate the sport! It seems like the only major matches he looses are the ones on Clay against Rafael Nadal. I'm really looking forward to their potential match-up at Roland Garros. I think Federer is going to win the French and make this his first Grand Slam Year.

I'm pretty sure there isn't an issue with starting a Diary about something non-baseball related. If I am wrong on this, I'm very confident Al would delete it. I'm thinking he doesn't censor diaries unless they are abusive.

Federer

It's like deja`vu all over again ....

by tigerperson on Jan 28, 2007 10:55 AM CST reply actions

Here's the deal.

It's the offseason. There's not much baseball news to be had. I didn't think this was too far afield.

If something like this were posted in, say, July, I suspect it'd be largely ignored for baseball/Cubs posts. But I still wouldn't delete it.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

Well

I'll throw in my two cents, as always.

While I appreciate that tigerperson is a big tennis fan, there are many of us here who closely follow other sports. I personally don't post diaries about soccer here, even though I'm a huge fan, because I figure that people are here to discuss baseball and I don't want to foist my other interests on a baseball blog, don't want to force the proverbial round peg into a square hole. If we all start posting about our outside interests, the next thing you know, we just have an all-purpose sports blog.

Frankly, this is part of the reason I do the OBD--so that we can post all this stuff in one place without clogging up the diaries. I think this post would have been much more appropriate there.

Like I said, just my two cents, which I'm sure you are all sick of by now. Personally, I think SB Nation should start a tennis blog, and I think tigerperson would be an excellent host of that site.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

Your point is well taken...

... I think we can make an exception here for the Bears, because it seems that the overwhelming majority of us are Bears fans, and there's some little event the Bears are involved in next week.

I mean, certain people even changed their site logo to honor the Bears.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 11:26 AM CST up reply actions

The site logo...

is cool. I love it.

"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Jan 28, 2007 11:47 AM CST up reply actions

I think

You should be able to talk about whatever you want, as long as you maybe label the diary OT. Plus, there wasn't a weekend OBD and maybe some people are scared of starting one, so maybe that was the reason.

And I'd be all about a soccer post, as long as I could do a golf post.

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 3:52 PM CST up reply actions

Yabbut

What's the point of having a baseball blog then? Or even a sports blog? Why not just make it a general news blog, and everyone can post a diary about politics, religion, their daily life, etc, as long as they call it "OT."

I just don't understand why you would post a tennis diary on a baseball blog. Football is different, as the Bears are in some kind of game next weekend. But it would never occur to me to post a soccer diary here. Like I said, that's what the OBD is supposed to be, a "catch all" for all that stuff.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 4:17 PM CST up reply actions

The Bears are different indeed...

... as you can see by the logo. They're a Chicago team and pretty much the whole city is caught up in next week's little event, plus I think, as I noted somewhere else, almost all of us are Bears fans, and we've done Bears diaries for every game this year.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 4:25 PM CST up reply actions

I agree, but...

...I think the offseason is a little different. There just ain't much happening. There have already been several days when we have several OT diaries. It has been good that we've had those, otherwise things would be dead. I do think, though, that should be limited when the season is going. But that's just my 2 cents.

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 4:32 PM CST up reply actions

That...

... will probably be self-selecting, as once the season starts -- indeed, once spring training starts -- I think we will all be much more focused on baseball.

The Rogers Hornsby quote at the top of this site is there for a very good reason.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 4:43 PM CST up reply actions

Come on now

That's a little over the top, don't you think? I'm pretty sure no one's going to do that, plus, like I mentioned, there was no OBD this weekend. As we've seen on here before, people who try to start said OBD have been met at times with idiotic and out-of-line comments.
I'm not going to speak for tigerperson, but maybe that was the case for him.
People came on this diary specifically to try and control things, which was unnecessary, in my opinion, especially because I've seen many people here post diaries other than baseball, even with the OBD, myself included. With such a big community that we've grown here, it's not going to be baseball all the time, and that's one reason why I like coming here. We're like a bigger version of Little Miss Sunshine, and people just need to accept that.

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 6:04 PM CST up reply actions

No, I don't think it's over the top

If you had asked me last season what the odds were that I would see a diary on tennis or on a movie from the 1990s posted here, I would have laughed. The problem with all these OT diaries is that they smush down the really good diaries, like the Jack Quinaln diary and the ones actually discussing baseball. If people think the OBD is in the same camp with the tennis and Simon Birch diaries, I'll stop posting them. I don't want to be a hypocrite.

If this place is going to turn into an all-sports any topic free for all, it's going to lose a lot of posters, me included.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 6:40 PM CST up reply actions

I can assure you..

... that BCB will NOT turn into an all-sports free-for-all.

This is a Cubs blog, with an occasional tangent. I post movie and other pop culture reviews myself from time to time.

Note to everyone: if you see a diary that you really like, click the "Recommend this Diary" button. That'll put it in the Recommended Diaries part of the sidebar, and keep it on the page longer.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 7:10 PM CST up reply actions

OH GODDAMMIT JASON MARQUIS!!!!!!

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 7:13 PM CST up reply actions

Threats! Drama!

We're having our own little soap opera here. Julie, no one said or asked you to stop posting the OBD. I don't know where you got that. I mainly told tigerperson (who, I'm sure is thinking about limiting any posts on here again) to put it in the OBD. Everybody likes your pioneering OBD, but apparently, it's going to have to be where we need to make rules about it. Either that, or you (and anyone else, for that matter) can't get upset if one is posted.

Maybe something like this, and feel free to include it in Monday OBD: Rules of Engagement edition.

Cubbiejulie shall be the sole creator of the daily OBD.
If Cubbiejulie is indisposed or cannot create an OBD by a daily time of her choosing, someone else has the freedom to do so (feel free to select said people).
If you, as a BCB lurker/poster, don't like someone else's OBD for no apparent reason, keep it to yourself.
Please think about the subject before you create it as a diary. If it is non-baseball related, put it in the OBD. Exceptions can be made for things that are a big deal, like the NFL.

Anyone want to comment/make any additions?

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 8:20 PM CST up reply actions

Know what?

I couldn't care less about the freakin' OBD at this point. If it's going to be such a big f*cking deal, let's just forget it.

FWIW, my problem with diary had nothing to do with the OBD, other than suggesting that it would have been a better place to post something about who won the Australian open. How people here could get on other people's cases about their baseball diaries being not diary-worthy, but then think this kind of thing is okay, is beyond me.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 8:35 PM CST up reply actions

Point taken, again.

But please don't stop posting the OBD's.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 8:40 PM CST up reply actions

Why are you getting so defensive?

I've agreed with you on almost every aspect. Don't know how you're not seeing that.

And for the last time, YOU were not the problem when other people tried to create OBDs.

I'm not saying this is OK or not OK; my original point was just to give a suggestion, like you, and Al did, but we took different routes.

Also, if you decided to stop posting OBDs, people would blame me, then leave their computer lairs and come try to find me in order to complete my destruction. And while I certainly can hold my own, I have other things to do in life then constantly fend off people. Unless Morpheus finds me and offers me the red pill. Then all oncomers are welcome.

Come on, Julie, let's make like Ari and Vinnie and hug it out. I'll even let you be Vinnie.

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 8:48 PM CST up reply actions

Don't do it, Julie

Ari is way cooler. That's not a fair deal.

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 8:50 PM CST up reply actions

Counter-offer

a) I want to be Ari

b) I get to call you "bitch"

c) no hugging

d) we argree that you are a freak

e) no more calling me a "matriarch" or anything else that denotes me as old

these are my terms. take them or leave them

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 8:51 PM CST up reply actions

Counter-counter offer

A. Fine. But I was just trying to give you the person that currently has a job.
B. Just this once.
C. I'll settle for a cool handshake like they do in the Cubs dugout
D. This one won't do. I think you and I both know that I am of sane mind, if you read my posts on the OBD. We can agree that we have some obvious differences on certain subjects.
E. Does matriarch necessarily mean old? Sorry if it does, and you took it that way. I saw your pic from the convention photos, and you certainly are not old. There can be young queens/princesses in BCB land.

Fair offer, don't you think?

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 8:59 PM CST up reply actions

I apologize

Tennis is my passion, Serena is an American and Federer is on a tear making history. I hoped to share that with other people involved in sports. Obviously this is a baseball blog.

It's been fun and I'll keep my mouth shut in the future.

Federer

It's like deja`vu all over again ....

by tigerperson on Jan 28, 2007 11:17 AM CST reply actions

cubbiejulie has a good point above.

If you're that passionate about tennis, perhaps you'd like to be a SB Nation blogger about said topic?

SB Nation is branching out into other sports -- there's a soccer blog, and a boxing blog, and a golf blog, and even one about cycling.

If you're interested, email me and I can put you in touch with the right people.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 11:25 AM CST up reply actions

you don't have to apologize to me

I'm a big tennis fan.

Big soccer fan too. I don't get to talk about these sports with many people, because most americans have nothing to do with either of them (although a good friend of mine works for the chicago fire, and gets me in for free all the time + I'm friends with a spaniard and an argentine fellow, so I get enough soccer talk).

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Jan 28, 2007 1:28 PM CST up reply actions

Dude

Don't apologize. Absolutely no reason to. There's no written rule about what can and cannot be posted as a diary. Next time, perhaps just label it OT or put it on the OBD if there is one.

And definitely don't take some of these comments to heart.

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 6:06 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah

Ignore cubbiejulie. What does she know about posting successful diaries?

FWIW, I'm not the only person who has been complaining about the quality of diaries as of late. I've gotten a ton of emails complaining about some of the diaries. But, as usual, I'm the one who opens my big mouth while everyone else watches from the sidelines.

Did we not just have a big blow out on this board at the end of the season about people saying that other people's BASEBALL diaries weren't diary-worthy, yet we're going to defend THIS?!?!?! I don't get it.

I'm sorry if it bothers me to see baseball diaries scroll off so that people can post about movies that have been out for 10 years and tennis. I'm not saying these topics don't belong somewhere, I'm just saying that they don't merit their own diaries.

And again, if people think the OBD is in the same vein, I'll stop posting it. God knows it would be one less thing I'd have to worry about.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 7:19 PM CST up reply actions

I'm with Julie.

First of all, absolutely keep posting the OBDs. They are one place here which has really, truly helped make this a great community, and I wouldn't want to lose that.

I think the point is well taken here, and I don't think you're going to see this site "taken over", or change from its primary focus, which is baseball and the Cubs.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 7:25 PM CST up reply actions

Don't go threatening that now...

Remember when we all tried filling in for the OBDs while you were gone? Do you really want us all wandering aimlessly?

At first I was thinking "What's the big deal? It's the offseason, there's not much going on", but now I really see yours and Al's point, and I agree.

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 8:10 PM CST up reply actions

Look at me!!

OK, here's my other post, because, for some reason, you think I'm singling you out. I'm not, there were plenty of other comments directed to the subject.
And how are we, as middle-class BCBers, supposed to know that the royalty has been getting e-mails about the quality (or lack thereof) of diaries?
Sniff. There's a secret BCB clique, and I'm not a part!! What happened to all for one and one for all? Damn you Musketeers!

The opposite also holds true, you know. People don't need to post a "Trading Jacque Jones" diary every week. We get it. He's still a Cub.

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 8:25 PM CST up reply actions

"Royalty"...

... nice. I rather like that!

;)

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 8:30 PM CST up reply actions

Really?

I found it rather shitty.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 8:32 PM CST up reply actions

Why?

You are the ruling matriarch. How does it get any better than that?

Me? Well, I'm just the court jester, here for amusement.

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 8:36 PM CST up reply actions

Oh, shut up

n/t

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 8:37 PM CST up reply actions

Do I have to try...

...to break up another BCB quarrel?

I took nextyearcub's last few comments as tongue in cheek, and I almost joined in until I realized that you didn't. And maybe he isn't, I don't know, and it doesn't matter. Perhaps everyone should just drop this subject; it seems consensus has been made to leave OT topics in the OBD diary, so there's no sense continuing this nonsense.

Man, the baseball season can't come soon enough.

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 8:42 PM CST up reply actions

They pretty much

were tongue in cheek. Usually Julie is playful, but I think she took offense to my matriarch comment, which I didn't mean to imply that she's old.

But thanks for trying to be a mediator. You're our resident Dr. Phil!

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 9:42 PM CST up reply actions

Thanks

Im going to go kill myself now.

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 9:45 PM CST up reply actions

Ha

Man, I can't win with anyone tonight!

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 9:47 PM CST up reply actions

Well just put up...

...an iPod 5, and we'll be OK again.

PTBNL!

by gravedigger on Jan 28, 2007 9:51 PM CST up reply actions

OK

Hard to Say I'm Sorry (in honor of cubbiejulie and I burying the hatchet): Chicago
Never Be Lonely: The Feeling
Wolf Like Me: TV on the Radio
Running Up That Hill: Placebo
The Light: Common

I very excite about this upcoming season! Jenqui!

by nextyearcub on Jan 28, 2007 10:02 PM CST up reply actions

I was...

... kidding.

"[BCB] is much better than... well, everything." -- gravedigger, January 21, 2007

by Al Yellon on Jan 28, 2007 8:39 PM CST up reply actions

Do you want the number for my therapist?

Because, given this comment, it is clear that you have issues with acceptance/rejection/belonging. She's helped me a lot with my Dempster/Hawkins/Neifi issues, and I'm sure she would be a great help to you as well.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Jan 28, 2007 8:31 PM CST up reply actions