Friday, July 05, 2002

I think I've watched more of Wimbledon this year than I have at any time since Borg and McEnroe were champions - mind you that wouldn't be difficult as I had long ago given up any semblance of an interest in the game on the premise that life was indeed too short. But this week, with time on my hands and the worst summer weather in Ireland since 1985 putting paid to my tentative plans to dig the garden, I’ve managed to catch maybe all of three complete sets of the game. Two of those sets involved each of the players who together constitute one of the sporting phenomena of our age –the Williams sisters of course. Yesterday morning Venus was ranked World No. 1 with Serena ranked as No.2. Today, the order is reversed with Serena ranked as No.1 and both are set to face each other in the Wimbledon Ladies final. It’s an incredible achievement for two African-American sisters from a rundown area of LA with no tradition of tennis in their family or community, coached by their father who learnt everything he knows about the game from tennis books. I think it’s a great story. Yes, there is some controversy around them of course; but there always is around non-establishment figures who come to dominate their sport. For now the question is who to support tomorrow. I’ll be rooting for the blonde.

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