There was a little tense moment at French Open’s 3rd round match between Serena Williams vs a Spanish player, Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez: first set (2:2), Serena was serving at 30:40. Martinez Sanchez charged the net and was hit by Williams’ return. The ball first bounced off Sanchez’s right arm (she’s lefty) .. and the chair umpire awarded the point to Sanchez (she took it!) who ultimately won the first set at 6:4. But lost the match. And her name.
In tennis, when the ball touches the player, the point is over and he/she loses the point.
It’s totally unsportsmanlike.
It’s totally against the spirit of tennis.
Here is what I’m thinking: Martinez Sanchez may have an impressive long name, but she isn’t going to be anything in tennis, other than a 40-something ranked journeyman. She will never win a slam. The only high point of her career – her moment under the sun or 2 seconds of fame, might have been this one, playing against a multiple grand slam winner Serena. IF I were Sanchez, I’d tell chair umpire that the ball hit me and it’s Serena’s point. Play it fair and you’ll be remembered for it, for the rest of your life. Instead, she cheats: took the point without blinking her eyes.
I knew the feeling being hit on the court: for the first second, I feel angry (not at the player, more at myself), after all, you’re hit. But the next second, I congratulate the player: not being a sucker but for a job well done. And telling myself to move, and to be agile – IF I were quick or light on my feet, I wouldn’t have been hit in the first place. The hit sometimes can be painful and often leaves bruises. But rule is rule. Fairness is the name of the game.
She’ll be forever remembered as the cheating girl – and a loser. Any wise girl would behave and play it right and fair. What’s so telling was at press conference, she denied the ball had hit her. When a reporter called out that the video showed clearly the ball had bounced off her right arm, she dismissed it as “A Stupid Question.”
Oh ya right. Dumb people are everywhere, even in tennis.
Anyone still remember that white turkey .. who bumped into Venus? What happened to her? I’m sure she’s no body .. still ..
And how about the final Pete Sampras against Andre Agassi when Pete wasn’t feeling well and Andre graciously agreed to delay the match .. very classy, even he ultimately lost it to Pete.
Ok, fess up: I cheat. Since Serena’s match was delayed, so I checked the score after the hitting incident because I really could not bear to watch injustice .. .. I felt great whenever Serena lashed out her powerful shots at that cheater: beat her and pound her to the cheating hell.
Serena offered her hand to the cheater and chair umpire at the conclusion of the match. Nice and neat. I’ll hate to repeat myself .. I don’t care about Richard Williams but he and his wife surely brought up two very well balanced, happy girls. Serena’s outfit/color is pretty, far better looking than Venus‘, Ana (Ivanovic)‘s and Maria (Sharapova)‘s .. .. Some girls just don’t know how to dress..
Rafael Nadal is pounding the earth with Hewitt, taped delayed. He wears yellow bands, pink shirt and grey short. And he still fudges with his G-string. Might be it’s time to introduce him to C-string? Raf hasn’t changed much over the years, still very humble and energetic; a small town boy, intense but donw to earth. 
I thought of Tiger who’s bit sneaky, in a way: he’d look around without turning his head and has that kind of smirk on his face just telling everyone else in his vicinity that he’s just that tad better then the rest of us.
This country appreciates talent, color of skin comes second or third, if it comes at all. Ya, we all see colors, but that stops there pretty much. See how much courtesy this country is bestowing on Michelle Obama? 
