Sport All Things TENNIS

[Munich]

The 5th in line Australian might not be any good but if that is the case how about promoting some of the younger talent from other countries that aren't lucky enough to have an Australian, French, UK or US passport.

Give one to the winner of the junior girls from the previous year for example. Juniors are always hit and miss but you look at the honour roll and you have Tauson, Kostyuk, Pliskova, Pav, Azarenka, Jankovic as junior Australian open winners.

Give them a kick start instead of wasting it on a washed up 45 year old.

Wildcards are not just for young talent though, they never have been.

 

[Hamingja]

Wildcards are not just for young talent though, they never have been.

If Barty decided to come out of retirement, or another player X has had a kid or a serious injury or whatever, fair enough. Handing them out to 45 year old has beens is a joke.

Might as well give one to Lleyton Hewitt every year FFS. Top up his coaching contracts.

 

[Munich]

If Barty decided to come out of retirement, or another player X has had a kid or a serious injury or whatever, fair enough. Handing them out to 45 year old has beens is a joke.

Might as well give one to Lleyton Hewitt every year FFS. Top up his coaching contracts.

The fact you keep mentioning 45 and washed up is why she's been given one.

May as well roll over and die at 40 according to you?

 

[Hamingja]

The fact you keep mentioning 45 and washed up is why she's been given one.

May as well roll over and die at 40 according to you?

A professional sportspersons career is generally done by that age, at least in tennis or any physically draining sport, so have some class and give the next generation a go Venus.

If she could stay on tour on merit that would be another situation entirely. She can't. So move along.

 

[cats_09]

The 5th in line Australian might not be any good but if that is the case how about promoting some of the younger talent from other countries that aren't lucky enough to have an Australian, French, UK or US passport.

Give one to the winner of the junior girls from the previous year for example. Juniors are always hit and miss but you look at the honour roll and you have Tauson, Kostyuk, Pliskova, Pav, Azarenka, Jankovic as junior Australian open winners.

Give them a kick start instead of wasting it on a washed up 45 year old.

Or maybe Williams should have had to go down this pathway for a wildcard:

The USTA and Tennis Australia have a reciprocal agreement in which main-draw singles wild cards for the 2026 Australian Open and US Open will be exchanged.

Elizabeth Mandlik and Patrick Kypson clinched main-draw wild cards into the 2026 Australian Open by finishing first in the women's and men's Australian Open Wild Card Challenge.

Mandlik, 24, won the women's Challenge with 166 points, earned from winning the W100 in Edmond, Okla. (100), reaching the semifinals at the W100 in Irapuato, Mexico (39) and the quarterfinals at the WTA 125 in Austin, Texas (27). Mandlik—the daughter of four-time Grand Slam singles champion Hana Mandlikova, who won the Australian Open singles title in 1980 and 1987—previously played in the Australian Open singles main draw in 2023. She also made Grand slam main draw appearances at the 2022 US Open and the 2023 French Open.

https://www.usta.com/en/home/pro/pro-tennis-events/australian-open-wild-card-challenge.html

 

[cats_09]

Venus is loved by AO, she might not have won a singles title here but she's made the final a couple of times. She's still a star and that's marketable, plus still playing at her age is a first.

If you're basing twitter for your opinion then I've made my point.

Socials go well beyond Twitter and it's been pretty universal comments across all platforms

This will be Williams first visit to the AO in 5 years, so it's not like she's been a regular over recent years either

 

[Munich]

A professional sportspersons career is generally done by that age, at least in tennis or any physically draining sport, so have some class and give the next generation a go Venus.

If she could stay on tour on merit that would be another situation entirely. She can't. So move along.

There's a reason tournaments keep giving her WC's, why is that?

 

[Hamingja]

There's a reason tournaments keep giving her WC's, why is that?

The fact that they keep giving them to her doesn't mean it is right.

 

[Munich]

The fact that they keep giving them to her doesn't mean it is right.

Right to who, they're a discretionary system.

Why are tournaments giving them to her?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Well Azarenka missed out, do you mean her?

I think TA have chosen Venus for a few reasons, and no she's not Serena, who is pretending that. She has won 7 slams though and has personality unlike 85% of the WTA.

Among others Azarenka, Wawrinka another.

Hopefully this is the last we see of Venus and I mean that these WC’s are a joke have been for 12 months, least Serena has the grace to retire and not have a million comebacks.

We all know why TA have chosen Venus and it’s purely for Tiley and his quest to be the new US Open chair. Hopefully we get lucky and he goes this year been useless for a while.

 

[cats_09]

Right to who, they're a discretionary system.

Why are tournaments giving them to her?

Desperation

And the novelty factor of having a Williams in the main draw

1 win from 5 matches since the start of 2024, with just 7 wins from 32 matches since the start of 2021 gives a pretty clear indication she's not being selected with an expectation of going beyond the first round

 

[Munich]

Among others Azarenka, Wawrinka another.

Hopefully this is the last we see of Venus and I mean that these WC’s are a joke have been for 12 months, least Serena has the grace to retire and not have a million comebacks.

We all know why TA have chosen Venus and it’s purely for Tiley and his quest to be the new US Open chair. Hopefully we get lucky and he goes this year been useless for a while.

I hadn't looked at the men's.

CT also knows that she'll put bums on seats, I'm not a fan of his in general but this is a commercial decision.

Serena is training again...

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I hadn't looked at the men's.

CT also knows that she'll put bums on seats, I'm not a fan of his in general but this is a commercial decision.

Serena is training again...

Serena is doing it for her academy etc not the first or last time, has these clinics she sort of runs. She’s already ruled out a singles return.

Hopefully Venus gets double bagelled and then finally actually accepts retirement for good. Hopefully Iga draws her she loves bagelling players senseless.

 

[Voula]

Right, did you know who this even was before someone else googled her

Yes I was speaking about her with my brother before I read this. As she has a Greek name we took an interest in her.

 

[Munich]

Serena is doing it for her academy etc not the first or last time, has these clinics she sort of runs. She’s already ruled out a singles return.

Hopefully Venus gets double bagelled and then finally actually accepts retirement for good. Hopefully Iga draws her she loves bagelling players senseless.

I know she's said there's no comeback but I won't hold my breath.

 

[Voula]

For someone who follows tennis regularly you should be more aware of how wildcards work, and that they're not just given out based on young age.

The other people commenting only watch tennis once a year and it shows.

Why are you being so rude? It's just people's opinions.

FYI I've been going to the Australian Open since 1992. And I watch the other grand slams. I don't claim to be an expert.

 

[Munich]

Why are you being so rude? It's just people's opinions.

FYI I've been going to the Australian Open since 1992. And I watch the other grand slams. I don't claim to be an expert.

You can have an opinion without calling people old/washed up, past it, or using eyeroll gifs.

Articulate an argument if you want a proper response.

 

[Voula]

You can have an opinion without calling people old/washed up, past it, or using eyeroll gifs.

Articulate an argument if you want a proper response.

Let’s move on. It's getting boring.

The decision has been made. Hopefully she is competitive and plays great matches for the spectators.

I'll probably get her on my court . As long as it's a competitive match then that's fine.

 

[Kram]

Why are you being so rude? It's just people's opinions.

FYI I've been going to the Australian Open since 1992. And I watch the other grand slams. I don't claim to be an expert.

 

[cats_09]

Love Nick's response here

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Love Nick's response here

Agree to be honest can see him just playing doubles at the AO

He’s matured as a person especially the last two to three years