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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be pleased that Serena and Venus are both out?

121 replies

grovel · 27/06/2011 17:09

I was getting bored with their dominance.

OP posts:
forehead · 27/06/2011 22:31

Why all this negativity? These girls made womens tennis watchable. Before they came onto the scene, people were beginning to tire of womens tennis.
These girls are hardworking determined girls, who love tennis, but have a life outside tennis. Both are astute businesswomen.
You must also remember that Serena has not played for a while as she had had a clot and nearly died.
You can bet your bottom dollar that she will be back next year and will probably win.

learningtofly · 27/06/2011 22:32

if we are recalling so called boring players my mum used to adore Stefan Edberg and Chris Evert, both (so I understand being far too young to remember Wink considered the Ice Queens of their day

learningtofly · 27/06/2011 22:32

or Kings i should say

trixymalixy · 27/06/2011 22:44

I just don't think they have the likeability factor. And before I get accused of being racist, sexist or classist, neither does Andy Murray.

Georgimama · 27/06/2011 22:45

creighton if your browser works properly your post will appear instantly. It may or may not be deleted later but the fact you posted will still be there. If nothing comes up the problem is at your end, I'm afraid.

I find the dominance of any one player boring - Sampras was dull as ditch water, Federer is getting that way. I like things to be shaken up a bit. I doubt the Williams are finished, but they are not on form this time.

creighton · 27/06/2011 22:49

My point about racism is correct. When the Williams sisters first came to Wimbledon they were treated like a nasty freakshow by the tennis establishment who hoped they would quickly fade away. It is touching that they always make an effort to come here. The racism shown by posters is self evident. You don't like them because they are boring? are you all going to cheer when all the other boring players go out? they are too dominant, Navratilova won over 20 titles, are you all glad that she has cleared off? bad clothes? do you all hope that Nadal will lose because of his repeated use of illfitting clothes?
Navratilova could start an argument if she had to. Time may have mellowed her so she is now an acceptable senior member of the tennis world. When she came out she was treated badly and could not get sponsorship of any kind. Mauresmo was called a 'half man' by a female tennis player.

My points have been made in response to the comments made by other posters. Maybe I am older than you all and have a different view as to what has gone on at Wimbledon over the years.

As for the changing of the guard, that is inevitable. When I heard that both sisters and the number 1 seed had gone out, I was surprised but I feel that it may make an interesting end to the competition, no sneering, no punching the air.

trixymalixy · 27/06/2011 22:51

Worra Lorra shite

Nancy66 · 27/06/2011 22:52

What racism shown by posters....?

MarioandLuigi · 27/06/2011 22:54

I agree that women's tennis was getting a bit stagnant before the WS came on the scene, But the problem was they were in danger of making it boring again because they were so good no-one could beat them, except each other.

I dont wish them any harm, its just its nice to have a bit of a change from them dominating games.

vess · 27/06/2011 23:02

YABU, I like them. I like their style and I find them interesting to watch. It's kind of dull without them.

forehead · 27/06/2011 23:03

If our players were a bit more 'arrogant' we would probably win something
I have to agree with Creighton, i do think that they have faced racism. However, they have proved that sheer brilliance is the best revenge.

creighton · 27/06/2011 23:05

which bit is 'shite' Trixymalixy? everything i said in the last post is correct. the reactions to the Williams sisters, the treatment of Navratilova and Mauresmo. You prove my point about people denying the truth because it does not suit their world view. Nancy66 why did the mention of the Williams bring such vitriol and joy at their losses? no mention of the top seed who also lost.

Georgimama · 27/06/2011 23:06

So anyone who denies being a racist is just proving that you are right about them being a racist? This is Kafkaesque.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 27/06/2011 23:09

Creighton - my opinion of the Williams sisters has nothing to do with their skin colour. Frankly, I would judge anyone who wore that ridiculous romper suit - especially if they were admitting to having designed it. And I also judged Venus's opponent for her stupid skirt.

The main reason I didn't want them to win was because I felt they had dominated Wimbledon for too long (as MarioandLuigi said), and I wanted to see someone else win it. I felt the same way about Sampras, and Agassi, and feel the same about Nadal (who also seems bad tempered and somewhat arrogant).

creighton · 27/06/2011 23:13

Navratilova, Graf and the Williams sisters changed the way women played tennis. It was no longer enough to turn up in a nice dress and hope for the best. These women trained hard and seriously and it paid off. That the Williams have dominated Wimbledon is down to their determination to do well and lack of spirit of some of the other players. They have always been beatable, but what does it say about the other players if they can take time off and come back and beat the top players in a variety of tournaments?

creighton · 27/06/2011 23:19

Georgimama I was responding to Trixymalixy saying that my previous post is shite. The points I made are correct about the shabby way people have been treated. As I said, I was around when these things happened. I heard Navratilova herself say that she could not get sponsorship when she came out. Trixymalixy dismissed this. She did not hear Navratilova say this, so she dismissed it. I posted later asking which bit of the post was shite but she has not responded.

trixymalixy · 27/06/2011 23:32

So because I'm not here to respond you put words in my mouth? RL called.

"the racism shown by posters is self-evident" where? I believe that is shite.

You believe because you are older, your view is more relevant. Shite.

I agree that Navratilova and the Williams sisters were treated badly, but what has that got to do with thinking an all Williams sisters final is boring to watch.

I don't want to watch Lenny Henry on tv. I think he's boring and has had his day. Does that make me racist?

I don't want to watch Dawn French on tv because I think she is boring and has had her day. Does that make me sexist, or sizeist?

Why does having an opinion automatically make us discriminatory in your eyes?

trixymalixy · 27/06/2011 23:37

And I do hope that Nadal will lose, and Federer. Not because I'm racist or sexist or xenophobic, but because I think it's boring when there's a foregone conclusion that one of those two will win, as with the William's sisters. I like an underdog story.

creighton · 27/06/2011 23:57

I did not put words in your mouth. I think the racism is self evident, the joy at the loss of the Williamses. Will there be threads about everyone else who loses with everyone punching the air in joy and ridiculing the loser?

As for my being older, I pointed this out because I have seen/heard the whole trajectory of the Williams sisters' story and the way they have been treated. This thread sounded like a bit more of that sneering. Being older on its own is no guarantee of anything other than having stuck around awhile.

I don't watch Lenny Henry as he is boring (but I let him off a bit as he and I share the same birthday), I don't watch Dawn French as she and her sidekick are boring, although I liked her in the Vicar of Dibley.

I have never said that having a different opinion from mine is automatically discrimatory. I judged what I read and felt the joy at their Wimbledon demise to be ugly.

As I've said, tell the other tennis players to pull their fingers out. The Williams are not unbeatable, as shown today. I said that I have no problem with anyone in particular being in the final.

Your sentence 'worra lorra shite' was rude and dismissive, now you are indignant at the way I responded to it.

JoySzasz · 28/06/2011 00:01

As I said earlier,I am mainly glad to see the back of Serena.

That foul mouthed rant she gave last year was enough for me.

Longtime · 28/06/2011 00:22

creighton, I don't understand the direction in which you seem to be pulling this thread. YOU are the only one talking about racism, no-one else. The OP stated "AIBU to be pleased that Serena and Venus are both out? I was getting bored with their dominance." How is this racist? Other posters here have just agreed with this sentiment and given other examples of boredom with players. I'm sure if I were the slightest bit interested in football I would say that I was bored with Manchester United winning everything. Would you conclude that this was racist too?

A foregone conclusion IS boring and OP I don't think UABU to be pleased they are out.

cloudydays · 28/06/2011 02:15

Well, it's not unreasonable to have an opinion about a sporting competition, so obviously YANBU.

But I don't like the negativity about the Williams sisters, and I think it's ridiculous that people would say they prefer to cheer for an underdog. Black, female, from Compton is about as 'underdog' as it gets in the U.S., and both Venus and Serena deserve a hell of a lot of respect for having achieved such phenomenal success, in a rather elitist sport, despite having everything stacked against them.

I disagree with creighton 's assessment of the reasons behind people's apparent distate for them; I don't think it's fair to jump to cries of "racist!" because someone doesn't like their style of play or their style of dress or whatever.

But there is a bit of a backlash against them (not referring specifically to anyone on this thread) that smacks of the really unpleasant tendency of the privileged to cheer for an underdog until they succeed - and then accuse them of arrogance and want to put them back in their place.

CaptainBizarro · 28/06/2011 02:20

DH will be punching the air when Andy Murray gets knocked out. Does that mean he is racist towards the Scots?

Come on - any sports fan is happy to see their wo/man win, and the person they don't support get knocked out. You can't just call 'racism'. And of course if they were two home counties girls, everyone would be watching them endlessly - for the chance of an English win!!!

I do have to agree though, that if UK tennis players had a bit more arrogance, they'd probably fare better. Tennis is about as competitive as it gets and you have to be a bit arrogant (borne out of having totally faith and confidence in your abilities to beat your opponent) to have a hope of getting anywhere.

So the Wlliams sisters have dominated - well, it just goes to show how good they really are. Their opponents were welcome to beat them any time - as Federer's are, as Nadal's are.

I think theirs is an amazing story - two sisters, very much from outside the tennis inner circle, who've made it to the top and stayed there through sheer hard work, focus and an incredible talent.

CaptainBizarro · 28/06/2011 02:23

"Black, female, from Compton is about as 'underdog' as it gets in the U.S."

Perfectly put. And the irony missed by so many.

Want2bSupermum · 28/06/2011 02:56

Manners cost nothing. Both girls have done very well considering where they came from. Tennis is not the cheapest of sports to excel in and it takes a person with a certain drive to succeed. It must have taken balls of steel for both girls to have made it from Compton to grand slam champions.

Having said that, I admire Venus but Serena lost all of my respect after her behaviour at the US Open. I don't care what colour you are or where you come from. It is never acceptable to behave like she did.

I also lost respect for Henman when he hit a ball girl in the head with a tennis ball. I never rated him after that. Same goes for Serena.