Williams Sisters Must Continue Boycott Of Indian Wells Event
The WTA Indian Wells event starts this week in Palm Springs California. The D list of the WTA tour such as Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Lindsay Davenport will be competing. The best players on the WTA Tour world number one Justine Henin and the Williams Sisters of course are skipping the event.
The only marquee player at Indian Wells is Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova. Sharapova is the new white “It” girl of the WTA. The WTA are attempting to market Sharapova but she is bland and boring. Sharapova has no personality she is aloof, arrogant, and has a haughty attitude.
The bottom line is, the only superstars on the WTA are the Williams Sisters. The organizers of the Indian Wells event have paid the ultimate price by not apologizing to Venus, Serena, and Richard Williams for the pernicious racism at the 2001 event.By contrast, the ATP Tour Masters event all the top male tennis players will be playing the event. Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal will be there. ESPN television is not even televising the Indian Wells or Miami Masters events this year. ESPN already has a full plate with the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball championships.
I will never forget watching ESPN television and being so angry and disgusted at the white lynch mob screaming at Serena Williams. Serena was only nineteen years old in 2001 she was competing against the Belgian Kim Clijsters in the finals and she won 4-6 6-4 6-2. Serena has incredible mental strength to be able to block out the racist crowd focus on her tennis and win the match. The incident was an ugly example of the bigotry against the Williams Sisters. The most disgusting aspect of this nightmare was it took place on American soil.
Also disconcerting was reading the covert racist articles by white American journalists such as Jon Wertheim and Greg Garber defending and attempting to minimize the racist incident. Wertheim and Garber are racists along with the lynch mob at Indian Wells. Since Wertheim and Garber are both the mythical norm I shouldn’t be surprised by their pernicious bigotry.
The incident was clearly an example of white supremacy it is easy to point out. The question has to be asked would a white female tennis player ever be treated so harshly and so unfairly? This kind of racist treatment would never happen to a white female tennis player. You have one black American girl Serena Williams on the tennis court the rich white crowd are screams at every single shot she hits.
Next, you have a packed stadium of several thousand rich white Americans going overboard cheers for her foreign born white opponent. The audacity and the perfidious attitude of the American media was also abhorrent. The United States has a long way to go in race relations and the Indian Wells incident was a perfect example of this. It is simply outrageous that anyone can actually deny this incident was not an example of white supremacy and white skin privilege. The Indian Wells organizers should be ashamed of themselves they don’t have an ounce of credibility. Sometimes I feel the Williams Sisters get more respect when they play internationally then when they compete in the United States.
The white upper class audience claps at every single mistake and error Serena made even though Serena is American. Serena may be an American champion but she’s not white and Kim Clijsters is. The whiteness was the unifying factor for the rich upper class crowd they have no respect for black people in Indian Wells. The white country club crowd claim that because Venus pulled out minutes prior to their semifinal match that the result was fixed. However, Venus consulted with the WTA and she was unable to play. The country club crowd unleashed their irrational anger at Serena. The incident was a perfect example of racism and sexism against black women. Although Richard Williams the father of Venus and Serena can be confrontational at times I believe him when he said he heard racist slurs during the match.The Williams family have kept their vow never to play Indian Wells ever again and it has now been seven years since they played the event.
The absence of the Williams Sisters weakens the women’s event in Indian Wells. It also underscores the serious issue of race relations in professional tennis. It is obvious to the discerning eye the WTA does not care about discrimination against non white tennis players. The WTA have refused to force the organizers of the Indian Wells event to make a formal public apology to the Williams Sisters and their father Richard in front of the world media.
The WTA’s president Larry Scott is actually attempting to force Venus and Serena to play Indian Wells in 2009. Does Larry Scott have any morals or class? However, Richard Williams has made it clear he might take the WTA to court if Larry Scott even thinks about trying to fine the Williams Sisters. The reason Larry Scott and the Indian Wells organizers want the Williams Sisters to play Indian Wells is because they are the only bankable stars on the WTA Tour.
Tennis fans flock to every single event the Williams Sisters compete in they are money makers. So instead of making a formal public apology the pathetic and racist Indian Wells event organizers are trying to upset the Williams family even more. The Williams family must never play Indian Wells ever again because the message needs to be sent that racism and sexism is unacceptable in professional sports. Some sports reporters are trying to say the Williams family are being a bit overtly sensitive. It is obvious to me these sports reporters they are just racist and refuse to see reality.
The racist attitude of the American sports establishment and their views of black women is the real issue here. If a white female tennis player was booed by an all black audience you better believe the white media would immediately support that white female tennis player. However, when a black woman tennis player is booed by an all white upper class privileged crowd there is only apathy and indifference. It just goes to show how racist professional tennis still is.
The status of the event is no longer tier I the event now has a lower status among the other top women. The WTA Indian Wells event is a complete joke nobody cares that Daniela Hantuchova beat Svetlana Kuznetsova in the women’s finals last year. Kuznetsova and Hantuchova are D list players they may be highly ranked but nobody outside the tennis world cares about them.
The Williams Sisters absence at the Indian Wells event has reduced the star quality of the event it now has a D list status. Most of the top women skip Indian Wells in favor of playing the more important WTA event in Miami at the end of March anyway. The white feminist Billie Jean King and Chris Evert the termagant former tennis player are part owners of the Indian Wells event along with the washed up former champion Pete Sampras.
Billie Jean King and Chris Evert are both a disgrace to women’s tennis. Both women pretend to be ambassadors of the game. Are Evert and King only against discrimination that affects rich and privileged white females? Black women encounter multiple layers of oppression in relation to their race and gender. Both Evert and King have been silent about the Indian Wells incident for the past seven years. Does Billie Jean King or Chris Evert have any class at all? Why are King and Evert still reticent after all these years? King and Evert have a responsibility to speak out against the discrimination against the Williams Sisters at Indian Wells. However, King and Evert’s silence speaks volumes about the kind of people they really are.
I applaud the Williams family for standing by their principles. The WTA Indian Wells event will be a complete bore this year just like last year and the previous years. I can’t wait until the end of March to see the Williams Sisters play the more prestigious Miami event.
Gayblackcanada 
I find it unnerving, that after all your criticism of the Indian Wells tournament & the lack of apology issued 2 the Williams sisters after the appalling & vile behaviour they experienced in the past, that u immediately point out Chris Evert is part owner of the event, & omit to bestow any other mention in your writing.
I may be wrong, & I admit I am a huge fan of Chris,ergo potentially over protective, but u seem 2 imply that she not only failed to act to stamp out the aggression aimed @ the sisters, but that her inaction suggests that, perhaps, she didn’t oppose it. If that is your intended inference then I would suggest that u r @ best ill-informed or @ worst harbouring feelings of race related hatred yourself,u appear 2 b drawn to someone’s shin colour rather than their personality . I trust,as stated B4, I’m mistaken.
I’d like 2 point out that Chris was raised Catholic & (@ risk of stating the obvious), she is female. It is also worth noting that when some female tennis players openly said they were gay Chris remained firm friends with them when many other members of the ladies tour ostracised them, I very much doubt if she is racist as she is a very intelligent lady & has never demonstrated publicly ant unpleasant traits or ignoracne. She has frequented areas in the USA where, for want of a better phrase, there r many WASPs, as she’s Catholic she 2 may have encountered bigotry, herself.
I concur that their is no room for racism anywhere in life. I know she was friends with Zina Garrison, so unless for some reason she failed 2 notice her lack pallour it seems unlikely that she is racist. As I’ve said several times if I have misinterpreted your writings then, I’m sorry, but if I have not then I didn’t feel I could allow such untruths 2 b spoken about a person that(with the exception of Ms Andrassy), I’ve never heard anyone speak ill of.
I believe Chris still 2 b a great ambassador for the sport, ergo, I assume others r 2, as I doubt if I stand alone on my feelings for her integrity, & sportsmanship. Rarely has the world encountered such a successful, dominant & gracious athlete.
I am genuinely livid @ the inference Chris failed to act against bigotry, racism, or sexism, particularly @ event which bears her name, (I know that not ought 2 make a difference).
Chris, once said in an interview that @ their age(the Williams), she lived only for tennis it was her lifeblood, & her spectacular record is testament to the fact she was the consummate professional. She merely said that they were enjoying the celebrity aspect their tennis prowess attracted, & this may affect their form. I interpreted this as her, & again, I’m sure I’m not alone, as her drawing a parallel 2 her time as a pro’ & how she waited ’til she was retired B4 enjoying & partaking in events most of us take 4 granted. I think she meant, ‘God, if they were as focused & determined as she had been’ :’that the tennis world would b graced with another 2 legends, but as they had not given 100% for a few yrs, for whatever reason, she was unsure if they had the drive or determination to become legends & have the degree of continuity & consistency players like her, Martina & Graf demonstrated year after year, with few, if any lapses in form.
I’m not sure if I like your use of the word ‘termagent’ to describe her, as I’m sure u know it has several meanings & your contexts lends itself, I feel 2 the sentiment that she was in some way shrew like. If, however, & I hope this is the case u mean that she was( & still is) looked upon ,almost as a deity. If the latter applies then u r correct as despite retiring in 1989, she is still remembered fondly as the formidable force on court that she was. At risk of boring u (2 late I hear u scream!)she still holds the accolade of having the highest winning ratio in the open era. I wonder if the Williams sister will still be debated on fora such as this 19 yrs after they retire.
We agree to disagree. Chris Evert has attacked the Williams Sisters for years she is no friend of the Williams Sisters. Evert is a part owner of Indian Wells I think Evert has the responsibility to help bridge the gap. Evert could of gathered the world media together and offered the Williams Family a formal public apology but she chooses not to. Evert knows about the Indian Wells incident and Evert has never made a public statement denouncing the pernicious racism Serena and Venus encountered at Indian Wells.
The Indian Wells event is a sore eye for the sport of tennis because it proves there are different standards for whites and blacks. It is perfectly acceptable for the white American tennis establishment to treat the Williams Sisters with disrespect and apathy yet expect them to support events where they are discriminated against. Its total bullshit and I applaud the Williams family for making the decision to boycott Indian Wells. The Indian Wells organizers are feeling the squeeze in their wallets and the tarnished reputation of this so called tacky event.
I think part of the reason the Williams Sisters don’t play Indian Wells is because Chris Evert has lost their respect. Why should Venus and Serena compete in an event that makes Evert money when Chris Evert has no respect for them? Evert also wrote a extremely pernicious public letter in Tennis Magazine criticizing Serena Williams in Spring 2006. Evert wrote in Spring 2006 that Serena has a lack of commitment to the game. Evert didn’t care about the turmoil going on in Serena’s life she just wanted free press. The Williams Sisters are sick of being the punching bag for the racist American tennis establishment.
Now during this time in Spring 2006 Serena wasn’t on court she was at the murder trial for her deceased sister Yetunde Price. Serena was under a lot of stress dealing with the murder trial and also her own injuries. Is Chris Evert human? Does Chris Evert have a heart? Evert’s classless and deleterious public letter speaks volumes about the kind of person she is. I bet Chris Evert didn’t give a damn about that! Serena also was dealing with chronic knee injuries. Why couldn’t Evert call Serena or speak to her agent? Why did Evert feel the need to attempt to humiliate Serena in Tennis Magazine?
Evert wanted some free publicity, to sell more copies of Tennis Magazine at Serena’s expense because Serena is a tennis superstar. Evert knew the world press would pay attention to her pathetic public letter. Also, I wonder would Evert write a public letter about the white American female tennis players Lindsay Davenport and Jennifer Capriati? I doubt it. Yet Evert has no problem writing and publishing a deleterious public letter about Serena Williams. Also nobody in the tennis world denounced Chris Evert for writing the public letter either the silence speaks volumes about the American tennis establishment’s treatment of black tennis players.
As I stated originally I’m an open book on this subject, but I DO NOT believe that Chris Evert is racist, nor do I believe she would deliberately pen a letter intended to harm or upset either of the Williams sisters, as I said I think her inference was that when she was @ the top of her game she may have behaved differently, a point she has made several times, that perhaps she, herself, was too robotic until her career was in its twilight. Chris did speak out about Capriati, if u remember. She also spoke out about Tracey Austin, neither of whom are black I sincerely believe her concerns were of a tennis not a race issue. I, like the Williams sisters, am human, & I know I would never come to terms with the death of a sibling, by any means, although murder seems more unbearable. I know that I would not be receptive to criticism of any form over such a matter either. I don’t think Chris needs to whore her opinions to get publicity, she retired in 1989 & we are still talking about her! I may be wrong but I read that letter & I don’t think it was judgemental of their person, rather, that they were not, perhaps, as driven as many players, & were therefore depriving the tour of potential brilliance. I don’t see that as a criticism. I am totally unable to offer any informed opinion on the tournament in question. All I can say, as I did originally is that racism no matter where, when or why is wrong, & that anyone on the circuit should be subjected to it is 100% wrong. I do remember Chris speaking out against the taunts players from former Eastern block countries received, as she felt politics, and opinions based on country of origin(ie race), had no place on the tennis court. If what u say is true then I’m surprised @ Evert, I can’t speak for her, all I do is form opinions on matters I’ve heard her speak out about. How does Zina Garrison fit into the equation, if, like u say Chris is racist? I’m confused. I can’t stress enough that I agree with u about racism I just think the object of your blame is misplaced. I hope, I’m right anyway, or Chris Evert sure has changed. Also, the Tracey Austin comments, unless I’m very much mistaken she would appear to be of the same racial background as your target, & she certainly spoke out about her. Anyway, as u say I have & am never likely to have any explanation about why nobody(of note) has spoken out about the incidents in previous Indian Wels events, & to surmise is only to add more ignorance to a platform already flooded in it so I shall say no more.
Good.
Chris Evert is already a whore she has a reputation for stealing other women’s husbands. She has boasted about her promiscuity for years. Evert owns tennis magazine and she did write the offensive public letter about Serena Williams in the Spring of 2006. Why don’t you go visit the public library and look for old issues of the Spring 2006 Tennis magazine? The evidence is there in the bold black print. Again, would Evert insult the white American female tennis players Davenport and Capriati in print? I doubt it. Evert didn’t care that Serena was at the murder trial for her deceased sister Yetunde Price all Evert cared about was creating publicity, selling more copies of her crappy magazine.
Jeesh, do you go to church with Obama much?
You Americans are racists.Black hate white,white hate black.You deserve that,because you are killing people everywhere.Djokovic played against Tsonga at Australia Open and the crowd supported black player.They didn’t care skin color.But they are not Usa.
For the record, this is, incidentally the last I will be communicating with “orvillelloyddouglas”. You have shown by your last remark that you display every trait you were accusing Chris Evert of. I thought this was a forum about tennis, not a canvas for mindless hatred, & judgemental errenous comments. FYI I’m not American, I can’t say I’m surprised that u jumped to a wrong conclusion. If you choose to judge Evert ie “Chris Evert is already a whore she has a reputation for stealing other women’s husbands. She has boasted about her promiscuity for years.” then decry her for being judgemental is that not some sort of wild hypocrisy? Or are you allowed to make vile comments, that are nothing to do with tennis, in order to vent your racism & hatred. Do you agree with the comments of Mr Williams, who, apparently hates all whites & the game of tennis, & the USA? It all seems a bit too messed up for me to get involved in. I believe there is only 1 law giver & judge & it is not me. I thought your gripe was with tennis, I was wrong. I know I ought not to delve further into this idiotic rant of yours, but just whose husband was John LLoyd, or Andy Mill, & if you did mean plural the ‘ would be after the word women. ie. womans’. I just love tennis & though t that was what the discussion was based on, I was wrong you seen to be unable to segregate your apparent hatred for a white woman who is the most consistent player in the open era won more events then the Williams have, thus far won collectively. She also cared about parity, & equality which is why she fought for better pay for women & higher recognition in corporate deals, the very harvest the Williams sisters, along with all other top female players now reap. I don’t recall her ever insisting that only white players should reap the benefits. I will say it again, & then close, as I am confident my comments will fall on deaf ears, a hatred as unfounded & deep as has been exposed above will not be changed by words of reason or valid questions to back up their “thoughts”, I can but try. Evert has never displayed racist behaviour, she has questioned the Williams devotion to tennis, never saying “It’s because they are black”, she has proven she is not judgemental as she refused to be party to the vile taunts from fans, and the behaviour of fellow players when certain players stated they were gay. I suppose someone like you who is so against racism, would also be against homophobic behaviour, so you should @ least applaud that, or does that merely add to the charge of her being a “whore”? I really hope her lawyers read the comments you “chose” to write about her, although, I fell confident she is too busy being happy getting on with her life to concern herself with someone whose cerebral activity appears to be similar to that of a banana! Over + out.
Case in point.
It is really too bad you can’t see the racism that the Indian Wells crowd displayed but that’s typical in the white community. They would rather find ANY other reason to say this happened. This refusal to acknowledge the racism that exists is the VERY reason why Obama’s pastor and many like him are so angry. But for those of us who have lived in that super white, super wealthy community we know that California may as well be the deep South because the racism there runs deep; they think their s%$t doesn’t stink but it does. I hope the Williams sisters never go back. If that happened to my children, I certainly wouldn’t let them go back and play. Some white people are “CRACKERS” and they give good white people a bad name. SO you really need to get rid of the “CRACKER” part of your race.
Williams is a cheating scum, Serena was booed because the father pulled Venus off last minute, then pulled the race card. Typical negro scums with minority complex.
fit’s your name perfectly
Ignoring the racist crap Billy’s spewing, I assure you, many of the pro’s names you mentioned in the beginning are not the bigots you are making them out to be. First, a few weren’t even there in 2001. Considering the lack of coverage of this incident, most of the other players were likely unaware. Keep in mind not all of these players are fluent in English, and some of them only know the basics. Not only does this mean they may not have read about it, if they heard it, they likely didn’t know what she was saying.
For example, Nadal wasn’t there in 2001. While his English has improved vastly, it was only over the last year or two. A translator isn’t attached to his hip, kinda hard to play that way. That’s not an excuse, it’s a statement of the obvious. Have some objectivity.
Before you accuse me of being racist for typing this, I’ve dealt with it most of my life. I was born in UAE, and my parents are both practicing Muslims. I know what racism is, and it sickens me when you blame individuals who weren’t involved in this for having the nerve to play the sport they love. Quite honestly, if you knew what I’ve been through in my life, you realize how minor this was. One person does not speak for the whole. Did you ask each player what they thought of it, or even if they knew? No, you didn’t. Prejudging everyone who attended makes you no better. Ignorance is ignorance, regardless of who happens to be spewing it.
Just as the American ignores things of importance in other countries as well as in our own, I assure you the European press does the same. How can someone ban somthing they’re not aware of, nor even around for when it happened? Oh, James Blake competes at this tournament, too, but you failed to mention that. Was he there for shits and giggles? I know for a fact if someone was spewing racist bullshit, he’d be gone in a second. Many others tennis pros which aren’t considered “white” by WASP standards compete there as well.
Adults are responsible for their own actions. They complete in tournaments to make a living. Everyone who competes in the tournament after 2001 cannot be held responsible for the ignorance of others. The only people who need to take responsibility for blantantly racist comments are those that made them. Would you blame a class of 30 children if one student is a cheater or a thief? No, that’s stupid. No one has control over the “race” label the world insists on giving them at birth, you don’t, and neither do I. No one deserves to be judged by it, regardless of the color of their skin. I can only take responsibility for what I’ve done, not for who I am. I suggest you do the same. I hope you will consider this a “good comment”, for I’m not about to tell you this does smell good, nor offer to flush it for you.
All the same, the ultimate cry of complaint rests on the ONES
who has the most to lose. The Owners.
Whether or not I agree or disagree will not be discussed, but calling Lindsay Davenport, a 6 times Grand Slam holder (3 singles, 3 doubles) holder of 55 singles titles and the year ending Number 1 four years of her career, not to mention the leader on the Toatl prize Money board, is a little out of line!
Racism?
Remember Katarina Witt and Debbi Thomas at the ’88 Olympics? The way the sportscasters gushed, and gooed over the Communist athlete? The East German? And how all they could say about their countrywoman, who held a substantial lead after the compulsory figures and the short program, was how “powerful” she was? This was after decades of ideologically charged, Cold War commentary. All Witt did was run around on the tips of her skates, as if she were channeling Sonja Henie. Dr. Thomas meanwhile, skated a much more difficult long program, nailed all her jumps, and had no major fault of any kind. The whole thing was fixed, and I haven’t enjoyed Figure Skating since.
I love Venus Williams, her sister is an …hole, never admitting any defeat and breaking down when her sister triumphed at Wimbledon. Get a grip, it’s also nice that both sister’s are playing at Dubai when an Israeli player is banned for her nationality. Simply selfish as usual.
Debi Thomas had some tripping going on.
Chris Everett is a whore a dirrty dirrty whore and anyone supporting her is a whore too, shes disgraceful and ugly
While I agree with some of your points, such as the Williams sisters having every right to continue their boycott of Indian Wells, that there was racist sentiment in the crowd there in 2001, and that portions of the tennis establishment are racist and classist, your post is oversimplifying a great deal.
You dismiss the catalyst for the entire situation as a cover story, but it clearly wasn’t.
I don’t doubt that the crowd hostility was amplified by racism; I’m sure the pullout in the semifinal was merely an excuse for some of them.
However, the withdrawal by Venus ten minutes before her semifinal match with Serena was regarded as outrageous by many at the time, and had they somehow been superstar white tennis-playing sisters there still would have been a lot of boos. Not as many, perhaps, and there probably would have been more sympathy for them–but people would still have been rather unhappy with them.
The crowd, primarily rich white people as you note, feel a strong sense of entitlement to the entertainment they pay for, and react quite poorly to situations where they perceive themselves as being unfairly deprived of it. I have no doubt that many of the people present for the final had tickets for the semifinal also, and that they figured one of the Williams sisters would win the tournament and that therefore the semifinal was the “real final”–which would make them feel doubly deprived by the pullout.
Further, the extent of Venus’ injury (and the WTA decision that it was a legitimate withdrawal) only started to come out later, and many in the crowd would either have been unaware of it or would have been convinced that it was merely an excuse. It was clear at the the time that the sisters had trouble playing against each other (which is completely understandable), and this fueled suspicions that they might not try quite as hard against each other.
Again, this was all clearly on the crowd’s mind that day. To bury this major issue and obvious catalyst for the crowd’s invective in two lines (!) in your post is misleading and turns a reasonable grievance into somewhat hyperbolic overreach.
P love tennis. I loved it even before The Williams Sisters were born. T must admit ,their levels of comittment and professional growth has kept me interested. i appluad The Sisters and their families for taking a solid stand against racism in any form. If you don’t take a stand for justic”e you will eventually fall for any thing.” AMeERICA”, yes those days are gone. Today, I am still standing because I took a stand in 2002. Life has not been easy for me as a single parent, but we are still in this race for justice. You are a class act for my two children and an inspiration fo all young folks.Keep on going as I along with so many others continueme to lift you and your family up in prayers. Perhaps some day I will get to see you play a live game of tennis. I could do the prayer at an event !!!!!…it would pay my enterencellha aa ha ha.
More power to the Williams family. There’s plenty of other tournaments to compete in. Obviously Indian Wells and its promoters dont care, so why should they. Done.Over.
I love tennis, more power to the Williams sisters. No one should tolerate racism. The Williams sisters are true AMERICAN tennis great. I applaud their decision to stand up against racism. Yes, it is obvious that Indian Wells and its promoters dont care and that is very smart of the Williams sisters refusing to be a part of these ugliness. There are a lot of other tournaments to attend. As a tennis spectator I will boycott these indian wells. GOD BLESS the Williams sisters and family.
Wow, now that’s a lot of tension in everyones comments… I really don’t think that we could label a tennis tournament as racist, because if that were the case, they would allow a certin race or nationality in them, sadly we cannot control the actions of a crowd, and it is sad when a person gets booed, there is a saying in my country that goes like this “don’t do good actions that appear to be bad, and don’t do bad actions that appear to be good” I thinks that was probably the case back in 2001 with the crowd, and after the damage was done, every statement of anyone was taken as a sign of support or disapproval of what happened, I really think the williams sisters should drop the ban, there are a lot of fan that would like to see them in action anywhere in the world, so i think they owe them to the fans.
It not about allowing negroes to play in a predominately white sport, It’s all about the Green.
We can call the experience at Indian Wells whatever we want.Bottom line is, the Williams family didnt like the treatment they received, so they decided not to return. It wasnt Larry Scotts decision, or whoever the owners of Indian Wells is. In this world, if you want the patronage of another person(s), or their participation, you’d better treat them right,from a business standpoint that is. So now Larry Scott wants to “force” the Williams athletes to play?? Oh yeah sure, now that
Indian Wells is being participated by 2nd rate atheletes that few care to watch or even pay to watch for that matter.
I totally agree that the organizers, especially Billie Jean King, is a hypocrite for trying to push aside principles to attain the “almighty dollar”. If I’m wrong, I strongly apologize, but I don’t think I am in this instance. I’ve been watching that woman for years, and I find that seems to be sort of treacherous for not speaking out. However, she has her own agendas I suppose. I had a bad inclination when Venus gave her the honor at a major tennis tournament ” you are the reason that we are here” that it would come back to haunt her. BJK seems to have a deep-seated passive-agressive nature. Sort of like a snake. I believe she is helping to sabotage the numbers game to keep those women (esp. Serena) striving after the wind, until there is nothing left……
There are comments that Venus pulled out “to give victory to Serena” then that would imply that Kim Clijsters was also a member of what would be a Tournament fixing attempt.
If that is true, then, did Nadal pull out of Wimbledon to fix the match for whichever male wins there in 2009.
Or could all that talk be a cover up for racism
Chris is estimated to have screwed over fifty different men..
I fully support whatever decision the Williams family makes to NEVER play at Indian Wells again!The Indian Wells organizers can get others to play and both they and the WTA should remember the old Army saying that “Every man(or woman) can be replaced.”
Indian Wells Tournaments should be about Chapter 11 BANKRUPTCY-NOT the Green-because of the way the Williams sisters were treated when they played there.Disgraceful!
I don’t know rich the Williams sisters are;but if they’re as rich as I suspect they are they can easily tell BOTH the Women’s Tennis Association and the Indian Wells organizers where to shove their fines and suspensions and also where to go-BOTH AT THE SAME TIME-when they retire from tennis PERMANENTLY!
The Women’s Tennis Association NEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED IF THESE PEOPLE ONLY REGARD SERENA AND VENUS WILLIAMS AS MEAL TICKETS! These are young women who deserve better treatment from the people who should care about something BIGGER THAN THE “ALMIGHTY DOLLAR”! Harsher penalties SHOULD BE IMPOSED FOR THREATENING LINESPEOPLE, but when these young women are on the receiving end of racial slurs IT IS TIME TO ALSO DEAL HARSHLY WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THROWING RACIAL SLURS AT THE WILLIAMS SISTERS! Like NO REFUNDS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO GET KICKED OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT FOR HURLING RACIAL EPITHETS AT THE WILLIAMS SISTERS!SOMETHING FOR THE IW ORGANIZERS TO PONDER.
I’m hoping to be able to read a magazine article saying “WILLIAMS SISTERS ANNOUNCE DECISION TO RETIRE FROM TENNIS FOR KEEPS”;Then a quote from one or BOTH of the girls saying “All You Phony Crackers AT Indian Wells Can Pound Sand-WE’RE NEVER COMING BACK!”
Sometimes taking a stand against racial slurs means NOT doing something.I applaud the stand that the Williams family is taking against the Indian Wells organizers,who failed to take action against the people who were making themselves objectionable-THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED AT ONCE, AND THEY WEREN’T! I WOULDN’T GO BACK EITHER!