TennisGrandStand

Tennis Is Served

Author Archive

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

People are finding it hard to ignore French teenager Alize Cornet as she storms her way through the rankings. At last year’s US Open, she fought a tough 3 setter 3rd round match against top player Jelena Jankovic, and had the Serb praising the teenager with compliments: “she kept coming up with all these amazing [...]



Death of a Salesman

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

Tennis sensation Martina Hingis retired at 27 due to injured and allegations of drug abuse. The Swiss Miss tested positive for traces of cocaine after her loss at Wimbledon in June.
Like so many others, I was absolutely shocked when I get the news. Hingis had failed a drug test? Because of cocaine? The whole situation [...]



Hingis: The One Which Got Away

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

If I’ve always associated Hingis’ comeback to Train’s ‘Drops of Jupiter’, then I feel that what happens afterwards follows more the script laid out in ‘Away From The Sun’, courtesy of 3 Doors Down: ‘It’s down to this, I’ve got to make this life make sense… The feeling’s gone, there’s nothing left to lift [...]



Pironkova, the non-conformist

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

On a rainy day in Paris, American Serena Williams defeated Bulgarian Pironkova 5-7 6-1 6-1 in the first round of the French Open.

addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.teamwta.com%2Fpironkova-the-non-conformist%2F’;
addthis_title = ‘Pironkova%2C+the+non-conformist’;
addthis_pub = ”;



The Dark Side Of The Moon

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

Tennis has always been a rather impersonal sport, all things considered. We watch it played from a distance, with players we might admire but never really know. Henin may have the most beautiful backhand in women’s tennis, but you’ll have to wait a long time before she reveals an aspect of her personal life. [...]



And now she’s back in the atmosphere, with drops of Jupiter in her hair

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

‘And now she’s back in the atmosphere, with drops of Jupiter in her hair…’  (Train- Drops of Jupiter).
The song was made long before Hingis’ comeback, but I’ve always thought it describes her comeback rather accurately. It’s the story of a girl who comes back from a ‘soul vacation’, and the guy realizes she’s changed. [...]



Beauty and The Beast, thoughts on the final

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

Unconditional: not subjects to conditions or limitations. Absolute.
You could almost have portrayed the Miami 2007 Final as a Greek tragedy. It had all the necessary elements: two characters (Justine Henin and Serena Williams), with opposing philosophies on life, caught up in a controversial feud, both with their own ‘fatal flaws’. Pathos towards the two; one [...]



The Reluctant Rebel, Missing: brilliant player who wasn’t afraid of winning

By Claire • Jan 31st, 2008 • Category: Featured Columns, Umpire Chair

I’m writing this immediately after her loss to Radwanska, who I will affectionally label “Rad”, if only because it’s so long to write. And I’m feeling a mixture of emotions. I feel angry that she lost, even though I immediately recognize that’s irrational on my part- even Hingis can’t win every match. I feel annoyed, [...]