Here's the website for the Indian Wells tournament:

http://www.pacificlifeopen.com/en/

In looking at the draw I was very surprised to see neither Williams sister playing the event. Any info?

They refuse to come back to Indian Wells because of the boo'ing they received a few years ago. I think that's the story. And supposedly the tournament directors are over trying to woo them back to the tourney.

I forgot that piece of history.

Yeah, back in 2001 Venus and Serena were supposed to meet in the semifinals. Venus pulled out at the last minute and it caused fans (and tourney officials) to basically go nuts. Richard Williams and Venus came to Serena's finals match against Kimmy Clijsters. Fans booed the entrance of Richard and Venus...then continued to boo Serena throughout the match. Serena won in three tough sets but later declared the fans racist, etc. This was all happening during the hype that suggested Richard fixed the outcome of his daughters matches.

And this is why Indian Well is not a stop for the Williams'.

I cant believe I remember all that...I thought vodka had killed most of my brain cells.

tennis lore brain cells are immune to vodka, but very sensitive to gin. you've been warned.

that was an ugly episode all the way around, and immediately after it happened, while the sisters were ruling the women's tennis tour, their boycott of the event probably hurt the tourney more than it did them. indian wells likes to consider itself the "fifth major", but how important can it be if the world's number one and number two choose not to play? it was a real blow to the tourney's aspirations, at the time.

but now, with the sissies mounting a comeback from what seems like an interminable series of injuries, and subject to the vagaries of the draw, like mere mortals, they are just two more faces in the crowd, who will be missed, but not MISSED. at this point, they both (but especially venus) could use the big points offered up by a tier one event, and i think they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

I really admire Venus and Serena for sticking to their word and to their principles on this one, despite the sacrifice of Tier I points. They said they'd never play again and they haven't. Good for them.

They're not really losing any points, as they have none to defend. Sure, they could add on, but since they passed the opportunity years ago, the points are irrelevant.

Did anyone see the Venus spread in Vogue Uomo? I'll try to post some this weekend when I go home.

I do remember this incident now.I have never been to Indian Wells and on reflection it was really surprising, and disappointing, behaviour from what I imagine was a knowledgeable and sophisticated crowd. South America,Italy and Spain perhaps but California?????

The only news from Indian Wells yesterday is that Clijsters played and won rather easily. A nice writeup on ESPN where she discusses the year off, growing up, getting out of Australia, etc. Why didn't she have a protected ranking/seed for this tourney? I still don't understand that process.

Yay Kim!

I think she and Justine both won't have protected rankings because they played tournaments here-and-there (usually just a match or two) over the duration of their time off. Therefore, technically, they haven't been away from the tour long enough to qualify for a protected ranking. How long that is ... I'm not sure. Some of the number crunchers on the board will know.

I think you have to be away for six months. Kim played in May and October last year so she was never away long enough. Justine hasn't been on the court since the U.S. open, though, so I think she will get the protected ranking.

But Justine did play in the Olympics, didn't she? I thought that was now included in all the WTA calculations. Or is that the men's tour only that is doing that?

The Olympics were before the U.S. Open. I always want them to be after, too. I don't know why. But Henin won Gold before losing early at the Open.

The relevant WTA rules begin on page 228.

[ March 10, 2005, 08:37 AM: Message edited by: JC ]

OH NO!!!!!!

Amelie had match point at 5-4 in the third, but lost three games in a row and was ousted by some Russian girl I've never heard of but who is the #30 seed, Evgenia Linetskaya.

Alas!
Alack!
Woe!

[ March 14, 2005, 06:05 AM: Message edited by: Gaga4Gaby ]

Yeah, what's up with Mauresmo's loss yesterday? She can be so sub-par it's frustrating.

Well, yeah, but upsets happen. Amelie is a really slow starter ... she loses the first set alot. And then it comes down to the third and this girl won 7-5. Amelie should have pulled it out but oh well.

Maybe Mauresmo will get it all out of her system before Paris this year! :cool:

I'm surprised you're not familiar with Evgenia, though. Wasn't she Amelie's 4th round opponent in Australia earlier this year? She's definitely and up and comer, having knocked off Zvonareva in Oz.

Still, even in awful conditions, Amelie should have been able to pull out a win. I like the way the draw is opening for Kim Clijsters.

She was Amelie's fourth round opponent in Australia, but somehow, I missed seeing that match or remembering her name. Too many Russians to keep track of, I guess!

Yeah, the only thing that consoled me about Amelie's upset was that Kim is in the same quarter ... would love to see her do really well.

Anyone know what happened to Martina and Svetlana? A 2/2 loss in the first round ??? :confused:

If you're asking about doubles, it's very difficult to find stories relaying the events, but the website itself i=might have something.

Does anyone think Mary can take out Petrova today?

I sure hope so Pajock! Should be an extremely hard hitting match to watch. Pierce has a good shot...looked like she handled Vaidsova somewhat easily. You never know with Mary.

Well she did it Clay! Next up Sharapova. Good for Mary.

Sharapova seems to have had a tough time with Zuluaga who took out Hantuchova. Maria finally won in the third after five match points. And Clijsters is still to be tested in this tournament--who knows, maybe she'll reach the final.

Very happy to see Mary win...2/2, wow! The Sharapova match could be interesting. I was at the US Open this past summer when Mary upset Maria. It was one of the best Pierce matches I have seen since her winning days in 2000.

I was there also at that match in NY and people around us were pissed we were cheering for Mary instead of Maria.

yeah, i cried when mary dropped to her knees. she has been my favorite player for many many years. you should have been sitting next to us Pajock

This year I will I met her after her practice session, she signed my tshirt and she put her arm around me and posed for a picture.

She is very nice! I worked at the tennis venue at the 1996 Olympics (in the players lounge). Before the event started, Mary was out stretching on stadium court and I went up to her and started chatting. She was very friendly....I was only 18 at the time so i am sure I sounded like an idiot She likes her gay fans!!

A Russian slugfest in the 3rd set. My live scoreboard isnt updating I cant tell if Elena pulled it out even with her 7 double faults!

yes, 7-5 for Dementieva in the third.

Actually seven double faults isn't bad for Elena. In a long match like that, she often hits double digits.

hey pajock and clay...I was in NYC cheering for mary over maria too, but in an area where there were plenty of others....could it have been you?

we still have a shot nicknamed after Mary...the swinging volley!

hey foredecker....i too was in an area that had lots of Mary fans. it was pretty much in the nose-bleed section.

hopefully Mary will pull out an upset today! maybe we should start a new subject about Mary

Clijsters beat Conchita in three sets, setting up a semi with Dementieva. I would love to see Kim make the final here!

Go Kimmie!

DAvenport is having a tough time with Dechy, and the first set has gone to a tiebreak. But Lindsay pulls it together and takes the first set.

hey clay....i was up in the nose bleed too, rarely spend time in arthur ashe, like to hang out by practice courts (no shirts...LOL)...on west side of stadium in line with south baseline.

shall we meet there this summer?

at 3-3 first set, this match is great, they are just beating the shit out of the ball. i loved the behind the back shot from mary.

I watched most of the match last night (Mary v. Maria). What a great match...especially the first set. I thought Mary looked and played wonderfully. Of course there wasnt much she could do against a smokin Maria. The behind the back shot was classic. Mary just looked like she was having fun out there....smiling and everything. Its good to see here in a better place....didnt realize that she recently turned 30.

Foredecker...I will definitely be going to the Open again this year. Hopefully we can scream for Mary again

Kim and Elena are on serve in the first set, with Kim leading 4-3. Kim has won five straight matches over Dementieva and holds a 5-1 head-to-head. I really, really want Clijsters to win this match!

Go Kimmie!

Kim owns the first set, 6-4. Woo hoo! Keep it up!

Kim is up 4-2 in the second. I'm nervous! Sometimes when I talk to myself on Outsports I wonder where everyone is, but then I bet you're all actually watching the match on television. Or really working. I'm somewhere inbetween ... it's like purgatory!

6-4, 6-2. Kim Clijsters is in the final!!! :cool:

Lindsay gave Maria a lesson and a whipping in the first set, 6-0. Maria is struggling with her first game in the second set. Could be very interesting.

A little later, Lindsay to serve at 5-0 for the match. Maria's serve has faultered. Her forehand is gone, she's moving sluggishly and moping. It ain't purtty.

And now Maria has a chance to break, to get on the board and continue the match. LIndsay has missed all her first serves this game. Duece. Now Lindsay has ad, match point. Down the middle miss. Second serve, return, hit, net. LIndsay wins double bagel and the Yuri camp is out of the house. 50 minutes.

[ March 18, 2005, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: shore ]

ouch! Ave Maa-ree-eee-aaa !

I have never seen LIndsay play such a high quality confident match like she did today. You know Maria will be gunning for her next time. But today, it was all Davenport.

WOW! It will be matches like this that prove that Lindsay has been the top player of the last 10 months or so.

I would have never thought that Maria would ever lose a match by this score ever in her career. She is just so competitive and hungry for every point.

I missed the match- was Pop-ova (Yuri) hollering during the match? Did Maria just give up or did she fight?

i'll see you there clay!

i cannot believe davenport...one of my fav's. would have loved to see that

I can't recall the last time a player of Sharapova's calibre was double-bageled. The fact that it apparently happened without her being injured or ill is mindboggling.

A very fine final here 'tween Lindsay and Kim. REally nice match, Kim coming back in the first, down 0-4 and winning the next six games to take the set. Now in the second, Lindsay serving for the set, going to a third. They are playing really good, high-caliber tennis. But suddenly Kim is about to break back, 0-30. 15-30. 30 all. Beautiful ace, set point Davenport. Rowdy crowd.

JC, Monica once lost to Hingis in double bagel, later revealed she had a foot injury.