12/21/24
November 11, 2005
Maria Sharapova Defeats Lindsay Davenport at WTA: ...Sharapova, the defending champion, needed three match points before closing out the match after 2 hours, 8 minutes with a 107-mph ace. The 18-year-old Russian dropped her racket, raised her arms and soaked in the crowd’s applause. Davenport walked off the court, shook the umpire’s hand and had her back turned by the time Sharapova caught up to her on the sideline for a halfhearted handshake...
BTW, this is on ESPN2 -- see schedule.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:01 AM on November 11, 2005
After watching that match last night(partially) I think the lady tennis players should take a page from the women curlers.
posted by tron7 at 10:21 AM on November 11, 2005
So she wasn't the most graceful loser ever? BFD. I've always found it kind of ridiculous that the loser is supposed to be all graceful in defeat when there's such a ridiculous amount of money on the line in these events. I'd be like "Hell no, I'm not pleased to lose, that just cost me $250,000! Now get out of my damned face, I'm gonna go get drunk!" Hmm, maybe there's a reason I'm not a celeb-athlete.
posted by fenriq at 02:22 PM on November 11, 2005
Well, also, I don't see why Davenport or any other player who loses a tennis match should be compelled to stand at the net waiting for the winner to finish his/her victory celebration and come shake hands. I mean, I didn't see it so I don't know what the exact timing was, but from what's in the article I think it's equally likely that Sharapova kept her waiting as that Davenport simply walked off.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 06:29 PM on November 11, 2005
In other news SO WHAT!!!
posted by palange51 at 10:14 PM on November 11, 2005
yeah so what..lindsay is still finishing the year at number one. there was another quote i read elsewhere, lindsay said something to the effect of sharapova is "somemtimes so dramatic with her victories." lindsay's shown as much grace as anyone so i don't think it's such a big deal she walked way because her opponent was busy celebrating.
posted by nyknicks at 10:42 PM on November 11, 2005
Pics?
posted by StarFucker at 12:54 AM on November 12, 2005
I don't get what's the big deal. This wasn't a final or even a bracket; it was a match in round-robin play. The semifinal is Saturday (and Davenport, at 2-1, is still very much in it; in fact, they're still playing round-robin today so everyone's in it, even Clijsters at 0-2) and the final is Sunday. At that point, perhaps, there'll be some news. (oh, yeah...when quoting wholesale from an article, quote marks or something else indicating same are good)