Congrats to Kim Clijsters

[Raoul]

She will become the #1 player in the world as early as Sunday.

 

[redeus]

How many grand slams has Kim won? Let's try NONE. What sort of bizarre ranking system lets somebody who chokes in all the major tournaments go all the way to the top? Serena's missed out on one grand slam tournament in the last two years or so and yet she's overtaken by somebody who's won nothing in comparasion? How odd.
At least it's not Kim's uglier and incredibly annoying compatriot, the troll-like Justine Henin topping the lot. That would have been a lot worse.

 

[Raoul]

The trouble with the Williams sisters is that aside from slams, they don't play alot of tennis. Clijsters plays a full schedule and has done well in most of her tournaments and so shes acrued alot of points. I prefer her to Henin as well, and I think her time at the top will be quite lengthy since Serena will miss the US Open to injury. Kim might well stay at #1 until the Aussie Open next year.

 

[rOnaldo[7]]

very happy to hear that..i reckon clijster and capriati are the only one who can really match the man beast..

 

[Red15]

I'd be happy for Kim. She's supposed to be one of the nicest players on the tour. I read in one of the papers a few weeks ago...I think it was at one of the Grand Slam tournaments, that after a match she said she was going to go into the press area in case one of the Belgian journalists was looking for her to get a quote.

I had a good laugh. Can you imagine any of the United players voluntarily venturing into the press area after a match to help the journalists out?

 

[tine]

Originally posted by Redeus:
<strong>How many grand slams has Kim won? Let's try NONE. What sort of bizarre ranking system lets somebody who chokes in all the major tournaments go all the way to the top? Serena's missed out on one grand slam tournament in the last two years or so and yet she's overtaken by somebody who's won nothing in comparasion? How odd.
At least it's not Kim's uglier and incredibly annoying compatriot, the troll-like Justine Henin topping the lot. That would have been a lot worse.</strong><hr></blockquote>


Bollox.

She's played a lot and well and showed a lot the whole year through and fully deserves to be top.

Winning big tournaments once or twice or more a year but doing feck all the rest of the year does not make you deserve to be top more than playing a lot and well and showing a lot all year through.

 

[MrMarcello]

As long as it's not one of the William's sisters, I think it's great. Although I veiw women's tennis about as much as I watch Liverpool matches...never.

 

[Vinay]

Originally posted by MrMarcello:
<strong>Although I veiw women's tennis about as much as I watch Liverpool matches...never.</strong><hr></blockquote>

<img src="graemlins/nono.gif" border="0" alt="[No No]" /> Not true, you fat bastard! <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> You do watch Liverpool play us, don't you?

 

[Member 5225]

My Fav Women's tennis player!!
Excellent NEWS!!!

 

[The Red Machine]

Originally posted by Redeus:
<strong>How many grand slams has Kim won? Let's try NONE. What sort of bizarre ranking system lets somebody who chokes in all the major tournaments go all the way to the top? Serena's missed out on one grand slam tournament in the last two years or so and yet she's overtaken by somebody who's won nothing in comparasion? How odd.
At least it's not Kim's uglier and incredibly annoying compatriot, the troll-like Justine Henin topping the lot. That would have been a lot worse.</strong><hr></blockquote>

The ranking-system that prefers consistency to rare wins. A ranking system that prefers players that put in the effort in the smaller tournaments aswell and not only in the Grand Slams.

It's not all that different to the League Table in the Premiership: beating United or Arsenal twice won't win you the League. It's consistently beating the smaller teams that will.

Clijsters has done very well this year, reaching at least the semis in every single one of the 16 tournaments she's played in. Yes, she had a bad day in Paris during a really big game.

Then again: I remember a time when Newcastle trashed United 5-0 in a big game, yet I don't need to remember you who won the league that year, or do I?

I think it's great Clijsters is now No1. She a very nice person, lives only 10 miles from where I live, supports the same football club and all

Hope she wins the US Open so all of this nonsense can end.

 

[redeus]

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Kim, quite the opposite in fact. She seems a nice girl, which is something of a rarity in the bitchy, ego-bashing world of the WTA.
But the number 1 ranking should be based on the winners of grand slams, not on the number of tournaments a player plays (and since many of the big guns don't bother with the minor tournaments, an above average player like Clijsters can mop them up at a canter, thus boosting her points total).

Kim is the THIRD best player in the world. She's behind the Williams and even her awful compatriot, Horrible Henin. The ranking system is presenting an incorrect picture, Kim is NOT the world’s number 1, she merely garners more points than anyone else.

I don't like Kim's boyfriend much, though. It kinda disturbs me to see them together. Not because Kim's a sweetie and Hewitt's a prick, rather they LOOK THE SAME, and such a similar looking couple make me feel queasy. It's like Kim's a female version of Hewitt and that Aussie twat is a male version of Kim, only less pudgier.
They were identical when Horrible Hewitt had longer locks, which really made it weird seeing them together.

By the way The Red Machine, what team is it that you and Kim support? Anderlecht? Standard Leige?

 

[MelvinYeo]

Clijsters knocked out by Lisa Prokh-whatever

 

[MrMarcello]

But the number 1 ranking should be based on the winners of grand slams, not on the number of tournaments a player plays (

So when Liverpool won their version of the Treble, and United won the league while Bayern won the CL, and counting the winners of other domestic league and domestic cups, that would have made Liverpool your #1, based on total 'Grand Slam' wins? I suppose consistency means nothing versus one off events where anything can happen, including a lesser club, or player, prevailing.

 

[FresnoBob]

I have to disagree with your logic, MrM. The CL is a major, the league is a major, the UEFA and FA Cups are mid-majors, and the Worthless is right up there with the Greater Fresno Pro-Am Tennis Tournament. The tournaments that should count are like the football competitions that count, the ones where the very best congregate and do battle, not the various others that serve basically to fill the calendar, give the lesser lights a chance to win a few matches, and give the athletes something to do between significant events.

 

[The Red Machine]

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Kim, quite the opposite in fact. She seems a nice girl, which is something of a rarity in the bitchy, ego-bashing world of the WTA.
But the number 1 ranking should be based on the winners of grand slams, not on the number of tournaments a player plays (and since many of the big guns don't bother with the minor tournaments, an above average player like Clijsters can mop them up at a canter, thus boosting her points total).

Kim is the THIRD best player in the world. She's behind the Williams and even her awful compatriot, Horrible Henin. The ranking system is presenting an incorrect picture, Kim is NOT the world’s number 1, she merely garners more points than anyone else.

I don't like Kim's boyfriend much, though. It kinda disturbs me to see them together. Not because Kim's a sweetie and Hewitt's a prick, rather they LOOK THE SAME, and such a similar looking couple make me feel queasy. It's like Kim's a female version of Hewitt and that Aussie twat is a male version of Kim, only less pudgier.
They were identical when Horrible Hewitt had longer locks, which really made it weird seeing them together.

By the way The Red Machine, what team is it that you and Kim support? Anderlecht? Standard Leige?

That's rubbish.

You could also say that because the Williams Sisters focus on the Slams, they're fresher at the start of them and - more importantly - when during the crucial stages. This gives them a clear edge and in part explains why they often prevail.

I'm quite sure that if Clijsters and Henin would focus on the Slams as the Williams sisters do they'd win more of them, but is that really for the good of the game?

The way Clijsters and Henin approach it, is the way the former greats like Steffi Graff approached it: play tournaments and win throughout the year. It's tougher, it's harder but it certainly counts. Also: it gives tennis fans a chance to see their idols play for themselves, which is good for the sport.

As far as the football club we both support, it's Racing Club Genk, who were in last year's CL.

 

[Raoul]

Another pathetic straw clutch TRM. I like Clijsters, but there's no doubt that the Williams sisters would be 1 & 2 in the world had they played the amount of tournaments that Clijsters and Henin have. To be precise, Kim has entered exactly twice as many tournaments as Serena. If Serena and Kim entered the same amount of tournaments this year, you can bet that Serena would've been #1 by a country mile all year long.

 

[Elfie]

How many grand slams has Kim won? Let's try NONE. What sort of bizarre ranking system lets somebody who chokes in all the major tournaments go all the way to the top? Serena's missed out on one grand slam tournament in the last two years or so and yet she's overtaken by somebody who's won nothing in comparasion? How odd.
At least it's not Kim's uglier and incredibly annoying compatriot, the troll-like Justine Henin topping the lot. That would have been a lot worse.

I agree with you, someone who has never won a grand slam should not be number one.

Still, it doesn't give you the right to insult Justine Henin (and personally I think that Kim Clijsters is uglier, but that's not the problem) just because she's not Miss World. Her tennis is beautiful and she's a very nice person. I hope one day she'll be number one.

 

[cD]

How many grand slams has Kim won? Let's try NONE. What sort of bizarre ranking system lets somebody who chokes in all the major tournaments go all the way to the top? Serena's missed out on one grand slam tournament in the last two years or so and yet she's overtaken by somebody who's won nothing in comparasion? How odd.
At least it's not Kim's uglier and incredibly annoying compatriot, the troll-like Justine Henin topping the lot. That would have been a lot worse.

The grapes are sour.

 

[cD]

I agree with you, someone who has never won a grand slam should not be number one.

I honestly cant see why. Its the consistency that determines your ranking, not performances in Grand Slams. Kim Clijsters has been performing really well in all tournaments and although she hasnt won a GS, she always gets to the Semis or so at least. So I cant understand what ranking has to do with being a Grand Slam winner.

 

[cD]

Another pathetic straw clutch TRM. I like Clijsters, but there's no doubt that the Williams sisters would be 1 & 2 in the world had they played the amount of tournaments that Clijsters and Henin have. To be precise, Kim has entered exactly twice as many tournaments as Serena. If Serena and Kim entered the same amount of tournaments this year, you can bet that Serena would've been #1 by a country mile all year long.

C'mon Raoul, who's choice is it to play in fewer tournaments?

 

[cD]

Another pathetic straw clutch TRM. I like Clijsters, but there's no doubt that the Williams sisters would be 1 & 2 in the world had they played the amount of tournaments that Clijsters and Henin have. To be precise, Kim has entered exactly twice as many tournaments as Serena. If Serena and Kim entered the same amount of tournaments this year, you can bet that Serena would've been #1 by a country mile all year long.

You're just a sour yank cnut.

 

[tine]

Still, it doesn't give you the right to insult Justine Henin

(and personally I think that Kim Clijsters is uglier,

erm ... the latter sounds a bit like an insult as well to me

She's a nice person too.

As is Henin yes.

Altho their style is completely different, they both are very nice people, they both work very hard.

People get to the top in various ways.
I think it's harsh to judge that one way is more deservingly than another.

 

[Raoul]

You're just a sour yank cnut.

Facts is facts. The Williams sisters haven't played since Wimbledon. They play less tennis than anyone else. If they played in every tournament like Henin and Clijsters then they'd easily be #1 and 2. Deal with it.

 

[redeus]

Personally, I find both Henin and Kim physically repulsive, Kim less so because she's so sweet, and Henin more because she's a cranky, dwarfish little tart.
Her antics on court also count against her. Her feigning of injuries and her lack of respect for the Williams just goes to show what an unsporting competitor she is (in the French Open Henin disrupted Serena's serve by gesturing to her to halt her serve. Serena's serve was disrupted but rather than replay the point, the umpire called a double fault - and Henin stood silent. Bitch).

As for Kim, this is her best chance ever to win a grand slam. If she doesn't win the US, considering the Williams are out, she'll never win one.

Good luck to Pistol Pete by the way, wish him the best, even though he was such a boring bastard.

 

[Elfie]

erm ... the latter sounds a bit like an insult as well to me

She's a nice person too.

As is Henin yes.

Altho their style is completely different, they both are very nice people, they both work very hard.

People get to the top in various ways.
I think it's harsh to judge that one way is more deservingly than another.

People remember the titles, not the ranks.

Any champion will prefer to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon or the US Open than to be number one, although it is important too.

BTW, I didn't insult Clijsters, I think she's a nice person too, she proved it this year in Roland Garros. But she plays like most of the female tennis players now (she hits hard the ball), while Justine's style is unique.

 

[Sporty]

Well well well, it's been a while since I came here and I see nothing much has changed (except for the brilliant new look of the place that is ... looking smart guys ) I just have a few things to say on things mentioned in this topic

The reason why Kim is number one is very simple. She had a very bad season last year, therefore not a lot of points to defend this year. She has played semies at least in every tournament (except one), so she's been gaining loads of points all through the year. Combine that with Serena not winning the French Open and several other tournaments she won last year, therefore losing quite some points, and you have your new number one.

I have to admit that it was a bit of a disappointment for me that someone can become number one without winning a Grand Slam, but then, there you have it ... there's nothing we can do about it. I also think we can all agree, that it's only a matter of time before Kim does win a major, but let's leave that for now. As was pointed out already in this thread, rankings are about consistancy and not about what tournaments you do or do not win.

To those of you who say that Serena and Venus would be #1 and #2 if they played more tournaments, I ask, "why don't they?" I think it's because they would suffer a lot more injuries. They seem to be very injury prone anyway. Up to now, they could pull it off, playing only a few tournaments and keeping the top rankings, because every tournament they entered, they also won. But lately, especially Kim and Justine have been making life difficult for the Williams sisters, and therefore their little tactic doesn't work anymore. If the sisters want to compete for the top ranking, they will simply have to play more tournaments.

I do agree that Kim plays too many tournaments though. 5 straight tournaments to prepair for the US Open is a little over the top. And all her doubles matches on top of that. If you ask me, Justine Henin-Hardenne is the smartest player when it comes to scheduling her season. All the tournaments she does play are with a clear purpose, to prepair for the next major. If you can win those tournaments as well, it's great for the ranking position obviously.

Personally I do not understand the Henin (and Kim) bashing that is going on around here. I have nothing but respect for Justine, because she is physically less strong than the other top tennis players, and she still manages to beat them, because she is prepaired to put in some very hard work over the winter and during training 'breaks' and she compensates with her brilliant technique. I have no doubt in my mind that she will become #1 one day, and that she will win many more grand slams. I don't understand why people keep referring to that one single point in her semi final against Serena in this year's French Open. It was a match that lasted over two hours, I cannot believe that that one point made all the difference. I also refuse to believe that Justine did that on purpose. But obviously, people who didn't like her in the first place, will always hold that against her. It's a shame, because she deserves more respect than that.

I hope one day people will see what a brilliant tennis player Justine Henin-Hardenne really is. She has been getting more respect since her French Open win. I guess it will improve once she wins a few more majors.

I don't actually expect anyone to read my long post, I just wanted to reply to what a few of you have said. Have a nice day

 

[g4orce]

erm ... the latter sounds a bit like an insult as well to me

She's a nice person too.

As is Henin yes.

Altho their style is completely different, they both are very nice people, they both work very hard.

People get to the top in various ways.
I think it's harsh to judge that one way is more deservingly than another.

arhhhh. justin henin, justin henin, henin, henin, justin henin...