Philli posted:
[quote user="Philli"]
Next tournament ..Tokyo..starts on 26th Sept. Because JJ retired in the first set of the final, Maria will be defending 900 points. The Following week she 'should' be playing in the China Open where she made it to the third round, defending 125 points. Both tournys are laced with big players.
News from Tokyo: Starting from World’s Strong Tennis Queen, Serena Williams, World’s Top players will participate this Tournament including Top 10 Player Jelena Jankovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Elena Dementieva. In addition to Top 10 Player, Roland Garros Winner Francesca Schiavone, Finalist Samantha Stosur, Wimbledon Finalist Vera Zvonareva and Super Idol in Tennis World Maria Sharapova will gather at Ariake.
It will definitely be remarkable showdown to see Maria Sharapova to become consecutive winner at her lucky place Tokyo or Serena Williams to win in her first competition at Toray PPO. Another intriguing play will be next generation’s #1 player candidate Caroline Wozniacki and her best friends and good rivals Victoria Azarenka and Agnieszka Radwanska. Nonetheless, Japanese player Kimiko Date-Krumm’s winning of her first round gathers public expectation.
[/quote]
As always, Tokyo releases a list of everybody they hope MIGHT play. [:P] Don't take that roster to the bank. If I were Lenochka, I'd boycott it--last year Dementieva was personally targeted by the corrupt umpire Cramer while no less questionable WTA boss Alaster sat there and sneered. But Elena seems to enter everything now so I suppose she'll be there. Will Serena show? Dunno. Last year she was afraid to appear in Japan due to the famous USO picture. Her crew is gonna have to be sure that's blown over because the Sweathawg has as little tolerance for being booed as she does for the heat.
MASHA more or less HAS to play to defend points. Princess, now possessed by an arrogance that, if anything, exceeds that of Yankees, imagines she rules the Pacific Rim. While I suspect neither she nor Political Pete has a clue what it takes to SUSTAIN popularity out there, I'm looking for Caro to contend.
What's problematic with Tokyo is the LACK of ELECTRONIC CHALLENGE that permitted last year's official misconduct. Unless they've gotten Hawkeye in the Ariake, that's still an issue. OTOH, something HAS changed. I think last year they underestimated the number of viewers able to access the GAORA TV host. In fact, at least hundreds of thousands globally SAW the criminality go down. THIS year, they know better. We can be pretty sure there won't be blatant hanky-panky in the eleven matches shown by TennisTv.com (starting Sep 27) and that should shield Maria somewhat.
But Princess has become a global media promotion, so you never know. I tell ya what: I'll trust Beijing 1000% over Tokyo. [;)]
"That's the way the world works... right now." --Maria Sharapova at 17
