Richard Williams plays race card

signonsandiego.com ^ | 8/05/03

[Jakarta ex-pat]

In an interview with the French magazine L'Equipe on Saturday, Richard Williams blasted the tennis world for racism and claimed no one will ever defeat his daughters, Serena and Venus.

Williams addressed critics who say that his daughters appearing in every final is making tennis boring.

"So women's tennis is getting boring. And you know why? Because two lovely black women dominate it. They're better than the white girls, and that's intolerable. It's downgrading, lamentable," Williams said.

Williams said his daughters were the victims of racist prejudice from within the tennis world.

"They're disturbed by our being there. They've tried everything they could to tame us, to recuperate (sic) us and, when they couldn't, they said I was a madman."

Williams also said he will never salute the flag because of racism in America.

"It has no meaning for me," he said.

Williams added that his daughters were dominating the game because they had stolen the best shots from their rivals.

"The whites have always said that black people were robbers. My daughters are robbers. They're going to rob you of your best shot and make it our best shot. My daughters are the best two robbers in the world."

[flyer182]

He has been a jerk from day one. I have not seen them act anything less than the great competitors then they are. Nothing as bad as Mary Pierces dad. He has a restraining order and she moved from the country to get away from him.

[cyborg]

Suffering from the terrible disease of 'success guilt'... it's terminal in Williams' case.

[Catspaw]

The Williams sisters are indeed a class act. They're so talented and so competitive, just a joy to watch.

[mabelkitty]

I do, too. I think they are phenomenal athletes and very smart.

Fun Fact: When Bill Clinton called one of them to congratulate them on winning Wimbledon, she went off on him for all the taxes she had to pay on her winnings! She was what, 16 years old?

How can you not love that!

[wardaddy]

He's probably angry because they don't get the babe raves that Anna (who is much less of a player than they are).

They have all (The Willimas Clan) acted a bit tacky before.

Celebrity sports folks could take a clue from Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods*....or even go back to the Roger Staubach days. Act gracious, the fans will appreciate it.

*Tiger could have shut up about the Masters actually.

[wardaddy]

They've been a bit tacky themselves on occasion have they not?

[Catspaw]

I just enjoy watching them play.

[wardaddy]

I'd like some of that success guilt myself.

[kcvl]

Venus Williams withdraws from German Open

AP[ MONDAY, MAY 05, 2003 12:02:35 PM ]

BERLIN: World No. 3 Venus Williams has officially withdrawn from the German Open.

Williams, who was forced to quit during the third set of the J&S Cup final on Sunday with an abdominal strain, was seeded second at the WTA clay-court event.

"The decision not to come to Berlin was very difficult for me, because I have always loved to play in Germany and the fans know and appreciate tennis very much," Williams said. "I will take it easy in the next few weeks and hope to be fit again soon."

Williams, who has won four major titles, was hurt in the first set on Sunday but didn't realise right away how badly.

"I thought it was a stomach ache," she said. "When I have an injury in the middle of a match I just don't believe it's happening to me. When I come back to reality I know I have to re-evaluate the situation and try and get some help."

Amelie Mauresmo of France, who lost all five previous matches against Williams, won the J&S Cup on Sunday in Warsaw, Poland. She was leading the clay-court tournament final 6-7 (6/8) 6-0 3-0 when play was stopped.

The injury could also force Williams out of the French Open, which starts in three weeks. "The injury isn't good," Williams said. "They've told me that an abdominal strain needs more time to heal than a regular strain, so I have to take advice and see how I'm doing."

Williams reached the final at the French Open, the only Grand Slam tournament played on clay, for the first time last year, losing to her sister Serena.

"My plan right now is to take each day at a time, have some rest and hopefully be fully fit again as soon as possible," she said.

Williams was set to make her second appearance at the German Open. She lost in the third round in 2001 to then No 18 Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium.

Her withdrawal moves a lucky loser into the main draw and bumps Henin-Hardenne up to the No 2 spot.

[mabelkitty]

That is ridiculous.

They don't have to excuse the behavior of others. It's her father, and it's their family.

Tell me about your family. Air your dirty laundry.

Notice that he left their mother after several years of marriage? That speaks for itself.

[wardaddy]

I confess....i have not watched Tennis since Henry VIII.

[kcvl]

Venus Williams uncertain for Pilot Pen

By Associated Press, 5/6/2003 15:18

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) Venus Williams plans to change her summer tournament schedule and may not return to the Pilot Pen to defend her four-time title, tournament officials said.

Williams has committed to play in the Canadian Open the week before the Pilot Pen a tournament she has never played.

Her sister, top-ranked Serena Williams, also is playing in Toronto. The sisters usually avoid playing the same tournaments, except for the four Grand Slam events.

Venus Williams lost to her sister in last year's U.S. Open, which is held right after the Pilot Pen. Serena Williams also won this year's Australian Open and last year's French Open and Wimbledon.

''Venus is accustomed to winning the Grand Slams, so she wants to change the way she gets ready for the U.S. Open,'' said Pilot Pen Tournament Director Anne Worcester.

Worcester said she has talked with Serena Williams about playing the Pilot Pen, but said Serena has been non-committal.

On Tuesday, No. 13 Elena Dementieva of Russia committed to the tournament.

Dementieva won the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Florida last month with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over No. 5 Lindsay Davenport. She was the No. 8 seed at last year's Pilot Pen, but lost in the first round to Angelika Roesch of Germany.

July 7 is the deadline to commit to the Pilot Pen, held from Aug. 15-23, but high-ranked players can still get wild card entries into the tournament.

[kcvl]

Doubts grow over Venus' future
May 6, 2003

VENUS Williams' tennis future looks more uncertain than ever after her decision to withdraw from the $US1.262 million ($2 million) German Open with a pulled abdominal muscle.

For the second time within a week the elder Williams sister has pulled out of a big money tournament - only a few days ago she withdrew from next week's Rome Masters.

That means that the former world No.1 has played in only four WTA Tour events all year, and has not won a title in more than eight months.

She may now go into the French Open in Paris in three weeks time less well prepared for a grand slam tournament than ever before - if, that is, she has recovered at all.

"It is not good when it is an abdominal strain," Williams said.

"It needs more time but it's not my job to sit at a desk."

This reference may well be an attempt to answer suggestions that the 22-year-old American is now more interested in her interior design business than in her tennis.

The rumours increased when, after suffering one of the worst defeats of her career, to compatriot Meghann Shaughnessy in Miami in March, Williams immediately announced she was taking a month off.

That increased perceptions that since Serena Williams took over from her as the world's leading player during the second half of last year, there has been a lack of drive by Venus to respond.

"My plan is to take each day at a time, have some rest, and be fit again as soon as possible, " Venus concluded, without creating a great sense of optimism.

Her absence means that Justine Henin-Hardenne, the titleholder from Belgium, moves up to second seed here and has a likely semifinal with Amelie Mauresmo, the former finalist from France who moves up to fourth.

It also caused Ai Sugiyama, the 13th seed, to be moved across the draw into the number nine spot - a change which brought ill-luck because she became one of two seeded players to go out on the opening day.

The Japanese player was beaten 6-1 7-5 by Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian, a 19-year-old Swiss player who broke into the top 50 for the first time last year and who now looks likely to make the top 30.

The other beaten seed was Elena Dementieva, the No.10, who only last month won the first WTA Tour title of her career, beating Lindsay Davenport in the final at Amelia Island.

Today, however, she ran into trouble against Dinara Safin, the hard-hitting 17-year-old sister of Marat Safin.

She suffered a strain in her left foot, eventually retiring after losing the first game of the final set.

Agence France-Presse

[Catspaw]

So it's been awhile, huh :-))

[kcvl]

BERLIN (AP) Kim Clijsters closed in on Venus Williams' No....

By Associated Press, 5/8/2003 11:53

BERLIN (AP) Kim Clijsters closed in on Venus Williams' No. 2 ranking Thursday, beating Fabiola Zuluaga 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the German Open.

Clijsters needed four match points to beat the 52nd-ranked Zuluaga in the $1.224 million clay-court event.

The 19-year-old Clijsters, competing for the first time after a five-week break, can claim the No. 2 ranking by winning the tournament. She can also move into the second spot by reaching the final, depending on the rank of the opponents she faces.

''I definitely felt better out there today than my first-round match,'' said Clijsters, who has two victories this season.

Jennifer Capriati also advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over 17th-seeded Nathalie Dechy of France. Justine Henin-Hardenne and Amelie Mauresmo were scheduled to play later Thursday.

Clijsters, who failed to win a match in the tournament in two previous tries, improved to 27-4 this year, with three losses coming against the Williams sisters.

Zuluaga charged to a 4-2 lead in the first set, but Clijsters rallied to tie at 4-all and allowed the Colombian just one point while winning three straight games to clinch the set.

Clijsters described the withdrawal of the Williams sisters from the event a mixed blessing.

''It's a bit of both you always want to play against the best,'' Clijsters said. ''But it's not as though some of us players haven't shown we can beat them.''

Clijsters was beaten in straight sets by each of the Williams sisters, but had Serena on the ropes in the Australian Open semifinals. The world No. 1 had to fight off two match points.

Clijsters has reached four finals and two semifinals in six events this year.

Capriati, who has reached the semifinals of four straight events, fired an ace to end the match against the seventh-seeded Dechy.

''The score didn't tell the true story she's a top opponent,'' said the fourth-seeded Capriati. ''But I can't complain about the way I played.''

Capriati, who has climbed back to No. 7 after a month layoff following eye surgery, is gearing up for the French Open.

''It's not like I've peaked yet. I don't think I'm close to peaking anytime soon,'' Capriati said. ''I've got a lot left in me.''

Capriati ran into trouble against Dechy only once, letting a 3-1 second-set advantage slip away.

Dechy tied the set at 3-3 and served for the win in the next game, but netted a volley. Capriati went on to close out the match easily.

[T Lady]

With all due respect, Mr. Williams is a raving idiot. Although I don't regularly follow Tennis, I haven't heard anything of anyone complaining the sport has now become boring because of his daughters' great talents.

...Richard Williams is just another product of the Cult of Victomology in Black America.

-Regards, T.

[joesnuffy]

There is another "ism" that is also the last refuge of a scoundrel...imo

[joesnuffy]

One of the William's girls sitting on Ole Glory draggin her in the dirt!

[wardaddy]

Good post and great homepage!

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The Williams sisters are great tennis players, but their father can't keep his mouth shut. I say, ignore him. Don't most people say, who is Richard Williams?