2021 Tennis

[RichC]

I'll be surprised if he doesn't make it No1 and win some majors. Not sure who else is coming through at the moment

[labourRed]

Zverev seems like the new tennis superstar, i wonder if he'll have the same competition that the likes of Federer and Nadal had.

[RichC]

Good on him

Rafael Nadal opens his tennis academy centre to Majorca flood victims

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/45820609

[Shaggy]

Lost to Verdasco ffs. Season over.

[Buzzo]

Britain's Andy Murray beat world number 11 David Goffin - his highest-ranked opponent since returning from hip surgery - to reach the Shenzhen Open quarter-finals.

[Buzzo]

One thing with Tennis, the almost pugilistic nature of the sport is often overlooked, so in some ways it is amazing that these flash points dont happen more often.

Of all the sports I watch (and it is the only one I still play) it is also probably the one which is the most sporting, and has moments of great humanity given the high stakes.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irEIoJEM6bU"]Inspiring Moments Of Respect In Tennis - YouTube[/ame]

[Buzzo]

I guess it's up to Osaka whether it's forgivable. As bad a taste as it leaves for spectators, I guess it's really an issue for the two individuals to reconcile. I expect Serena will attempt to make amends privately.

Yeah, Osaka idolises her.

It’s a bit of a **** sandwich really. It’s cliches but tennis is the loser. I hope Osaka gets another chance.

[Zapater]

There are some good articles which explain the fight Serena has had since being a little girl to get to where she is.

Even now The French Open banning her from wearing her catsuit is incredibly sexist, and that’s without going into the racism’s she has and probably still does experience.

She’s an incredible woman and athlete.

In the heat of the moment, could she have handled things better? Yes. Definitely. Could the umpire have managed the situation better given what was at stake. Yes, definitely.

Is there sexism towards woman’s tennis? Yes, definitely.

Indeed. Females play 3 sets (which doesn't differentiate a major from any other tournament) and rarely play much more than an hour but earn the same prize money as men who slog it out in5 hour 5 setters. The TV coverage difference is vast, but 'parity' is required, apparently.

[Red_Polo]

I don't think so. The trope is caricature Historically, black features have been caricatured to dehumanise and ridicule. But that doesn't rule out caricature as an art form ever representing black people again. I don't think anyone could have drawn a cartoon in a caricature style and avoided the claims of racism that have been made, and I don't think a professional caricaturist has to avoid a topical story because it centred around a black person having a tantrum.

All of that is half-true in general, but it fails to address the cartoon itself and ignores the fact that if someone genuinely can't make a caricature of a black person without recalling Sambo or placing them in a simian pose, maybe they ought to try a little harder. The fact Osaka is depicted as a little white blonde girl says it all. I don't doubt there was no racist intent. But there's more than a smidge of unconscious bias in it.

[Kenneth]

Yep, she chose the wrong moment to make the point.

I suspect there is a pent up frustration, but it definitely wasn’t the time to bring it up, nor was it relevant because the umpire was within his rights.

Ruining Osaka’s first slam is unforgivable, and she can’t even back down and apologise now.

I guess it's up to Osaka whether it's forgivable. As bad a taste as it leaves for spectators, I guess it's really an issue for the two individuals to reconcile. I expect Serena will attempt to make amends privately.

[Kenneth]

There were definitely some racist tropes in that cartoon at the very least. Unconscious bias.

I don't think so. The trope is caricature itself. Historically, black features have been caricatured to dehumanise and ridicule. But that doesn't rule out caricature as an art form ever representing black people again. I don't think anyone could have drawn a cartoon in a caricature style and avoided the claims of racism that have been made, and I don't think a professional caricaturist has to avoid a topical story because it centred around a black person having a tantrum.

[Buzzo]

Are the two issues connected in the way she has tried to imply, probably not.

Yep, she chose the wrong moment to make the point.

I suspect there is a pent up frustration, but it definitely wasn’t the time to bring it up, nor was it relevant because the umpire was within his rights.

Ruining Osaka’s first slam is unforgivable, and she can’t even back down and apologise now.

[Kenneth]

Are the two issues connected in the way she has tried to imply, probably not.

[Buzzo]

There are some good articles which explain the fight Serena has had since being a little girl to get to where she is.

Even now The French Open banning her from wearing her catsuit is incredibly sexist, and that’s without going into the racism’s she has and probably still does experience.

She’s an incredible woman and athlete.

In the heat of the moment, could she have handled things better? Yes. Definitely. Could the umpire have managed the situation better given what was at stake. Yes, definitely.

Is there sexism towards woman’s tennis? Yes, definitely.

[Red_Polo]

Any thoughts on the Serena cartoon published in the Aussie paper? Racist and sexist, or just a bit of humour? Myself, I'm firmly on the humour side of it, its just a comedic caricature of Serena having a toddler tantrum.

I also think she has disgraced the woman's game a little, took it too far and rather than apologise, is now spouting some bull about blazing a trail for other women to be able to do the same as her...well, guess what Serena, I don't think they will be.

This isn't the first time she's had an on court meltdown, I doubt it will be the last and it's telling how very few female players (still playing) are coming forward in her defense.

There were definitely some racist tropes in that cartoon at the very least. Unconscious bias.