Serena to play Indian Wells again

[Sundaymorningguy]

Either she will or she won't play, but this is one of the few options she has left to earn a lot of points if she is still interested in earning points to pad that ranking aside from Wimbledon. Everywhere else she defends a lot of points.

Serena does not chase points.

Maybe, but then again maybe not. I think Serena has changed her tennis mindset and now that she has the number 1 ranking I don't think she is giving it back that easily. This tournament is certainly easier than playing 3-4 tournaments to equal this one tournament's points. It is hard to say what Serena is or isn't going to do. If you told me she would play as many tournaments as she did last year, I would have laughed at you. I think she will play Indian Wells this year. I definitely didn't really think it meant as much to her until she started crying when she got the ranking back. Out of everything I have seen from Serena, I would have figured tears would come at the French, but they came from reclaiming that number 1 ranking.

 

[Moxie]

Either she will or she won't play, but this is one of the few options she has left to earn a lot of points if she is still interested in earning points to pad that ranking aside from Wimbledon. Everywhere else she defends a lot of points.

Serena does not chase points.

Maybe, but then again maybe not. I think Serena has changed her tennis mindset and now that she has the number 1 ranking I don't think she is giving it back that easily. This tournament is certainly easier than playing 3-4 tournaments to equal this one tournament's points. It is hard to say what Serena is or isn't going to do. If you told me she would play as many tournaments as she did last year, I would have laughed at you. I think she will play Indian Wells this year. I definitely didn't really think it meant as much to her until she started crying when she got the ranking back. Out of everything I have seen from Serena, I would have figured tears would come at the French, but they came from reclaiming that number 1 ranking.

That's a good point, but Special700's one is also valid. Serena has been willing to let her ranking fall, and then swan in and win a Major. Frankly, I find her incredibly hard to predict, beyond, if she's playing, she's likely to win. Maybe she'll play IW, maybe she won't. The current great mystery of the tennis season. However, at this point, she's chasing history. I doubt she has weeks at #1 in her sights. It's all about Majors.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Accumulating points would be the lost reason Serena would play at IW. I have said this
so many times in this thread itself.

Over the last 12 years, there were many times at which playing in IW would have
helped her ranking. She rejected in all those times.

Now, as many have observed already (see thread titled "can't believe this"
by Spcieal700) the point difference between her and #2 is quite high. She
almost has double the points of #2. In other words, she needs IW the least
in comparison to any one of last 12 years. So, why would she want to play
in IW just for points sake? I don't understand why so many people are saying this.

The last time I said this in this thread, someboyd replied saying
"are you her agent?". They have no idea both about the history of
Serena incident with IW and also about how much Serena cared about
ranking points over the years.

 

[special700]

Either she will or she won't play, but this is one of the few options she has left to earn a lot of points if she is still interested in earning points to pad that ranking aside from Wimbledon. Everywhere else she defends a lot of points.

Serena does not chase points.

Maybe, but then again maybe not. I think Serena has changed her tennis mindset and now that she has the number 1 ranking I don't think she is giving it back that easily. This tournament is certainly easier than playing 3-4 tournaments to equal this one tournament's points. It is hard to say what Serena is or isn't going to do. If you told me she would play as many tournaments as she did last year, I would have laughed at you. I think she will play Indian Wells this year. I definitely didn't really think it meant as much to her until she started crying when she got the ranking back. Out of everything I have seen from Serena, I would have figured tears would come at the French, but they came from reclaiming that number 1 ranking.

You know people think that when Serena cried after she got the ranking back that she was crying because of that, but that was not the case...remember Serena almost died and her crying was mainly because of that --- that she was alive to be at that stage again --- believe me it was not because she got the #1 ranking back it was because she was alive. Just like when she made it to the 3rd round at Wimbledon after she came back from near death she busted out crying. She said "all she wanted to do was make it past the first round" and she was able to make it a couple rounds further and she was so thankful for that. Take it from me it was not because she got that #1 ranking it had everything to do with her surviving that blood clot that almost killed her.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Either she will or she won't play, but this is one of the few options she has left to earn a lot of points if she is still interested in earning points to pad that ranking aside from Wimbledon. Everywhere else she defends a lot of points.

Serena does not chase points.

Maybe, but then again maybe not. I think Serena has changed her tennis mindset and now that she has the number 1 ranking I don't think she is giving it back that easily. This tournament is certainly easier than playing 3-4 tournaments to equal this one tournament's points. It is hard to say what Serena is or isn't going to do. If you told me she would play as many tournaments as she did last year, I would have laughed at you. I think she will play Indian Wells this year. I definitely didn't really think it meant as much to her until she started crying when she got the ranking back. Out of everything I have seen from Serena, I would have figured tears would come at the French, but they came from reclaiming that number 1 ranking.

You know people think that when Serena cried after she got the ranking back that she was crying because of that, but that was not the case...remember Serena almost died and her crying was mainly because of that --- that she was alive to be at that stage again --- believe me it was not because she got the #1 ranking back it was because she was alive. Just like when she made it to the 3rd round at Wimbledon after she came back from near death she busted out crying. She said "all she wanted to do was make it past the first round" and she was able to make it a couple rounds further and she was so thankful for that. Take it from me it was not because she got that #1 ranking it had everything to do with her surviving that blood clot that almost killed her.

We will have to agree to disagree. She won slams well before she reclaimed number 1 and after returning from her blood clot ordeal. She certainly didn't display any tears during Wimbledon 2012, the Olympics or the US Open 2012. If you listen to her speech, she does make mention of her ordeal with the blood clot, but she doesn't start crying until he brings up the number 1 ranking, so I think it meant a lot to her to reclaim the number 1 ranking.

 

[kskate2]

Technically Sunday, she did cry at Wimby 2012. It was the first major she won after her return. She climbed in the stands and hugged her Mom and sister and she was very emotional. I think I even remember her thanking her sister for being at the hospital during the dark period.

 

[special700]

When she loss in the 3rd or 4th round at Wimbledon I think it was her first match back from her illness....she busted out crying that was very sad I cried myself when I saw that. She said all she wanted to do is to get past the first round. Serena had more to cry for than for a darn #1 ranking...She came back from almost dying, now that's something to cry about. Certainly not the #1 ranking after what she went through.

 

[special700]

Told ya all

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/News/Tennis/2014/Pretournament/Entry-List-Update.aspx

There's no way Serena is going back to that place. Maybe she had a senior moment when she made that statement at the AO. Glad she realized it in time..lol

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

RE: Told ya all

I respect Serena's decision withdrawing from Indian Well's tournament.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/News/Tennis/2014/Pretournament/Entry-List-Update.aspx

There's no way Serena is going back to that place. Maybe she had a senior moment when she made that statement at the AO. Glad she realized it in time..lol

So, finally much ado after nothing.

There is no reason stated. Also, the stament says, she is not playing there
"this year". Does it mean she is agreeable to playing there in principle
(meaning she is willing to frogive), but due to some other issue not playing
this year?

If that is not the case, she would have been much better off by simply
remaining quiet and maintaing status quo, instead of letting her name stay
in the entry list for so long.

 

[RJD11]

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/News/Tennis/2014/Pretournament/Entry-List-Update.aspx

There's no way Serena is going back to that place. Maybe she had a senior moment when she made that statement at the AO. Glad she realized it in time..lol

So, finally much ado after nothing.

There is no reason stated. Also, the stament says, she is not playing there
"this year". Does it mean she is agreeable to playing there in principle
(meaning she is willing to frogive), but due to some other issue not playing
this year?

If that is not the case, she would have been much better off by simply
remaining quiet and maintaing status quo, instead of letting her name stay
in the entry list for so long.

Top-ranked Serena Williams withdrew Friday from the Qatar Open and the Indian Wells event because of a back injury sustained last month in the Australian Open.

The Qatar Open begins Monday in Doha, and the BNP Paribas Open is March 3-16 in Indian Wells, Calif.

In a statement released by the Indian Wells event, Williams said: "After careful consideration, I will not return to the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open this year. I send my best wishes to everyone involved with the tournament."


Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press

 

[RJD11]

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/News/Tennis/2014/Pretournament/Entry-List-Update.aspx

There's no way Serena is going back to that place. Maybe she had a senior moment when she made that statement at the AO. Glad she realized it in time..lol

You called it Special

 

[Calvy]

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/News/Tennis/2014/Pretournament/Entry-List-Update.aspx

There's no way Serena is going back to that place. Maybe she had a senior moment when she made that statement at the AO. Glad she realized it in time..lol

So, finally much ado after nothing.

There is no reason stated. Also, the stament says, she is not playing there
"this year". Does it mean she is agreeable to playing there in principle
(meaning she is willing to frogive), but due to some other issue not playing
this year?

If that is not the case, she would have been much better off by simply
remaining quiet and maintaing status quo, instead of letting her name stay
in the entry list for so long.

She was the list a short time, not "for so long" as you put it, and she pulled out of Doha.

It's just possible she's learning from how exhausted she was at the end of last year how to be a little better and smarter with her scheduling. She's not 26 you know.

 

[special700]

No it's just possible that she decided not to play in that racist tournament again. Or maybe she got cold feet and just scared about playing there again. I don't think Serena would ever feel comfortable playing there again that was a very bad scene and one no one would ever want to experience again. I don't think Serena could ever imagine herself walking back out on that court again even though she may feel she wanted to try. In any event I am as happy as a lark that she's not playing there.

 

[10isfan]

In my opinion, Serena fans should be concerned rather than happy. It is possible that she did intend to play at Indian Wells, but had to pull out because her back injury is more serious than she had initially thought.

 

[Calvy]

In my opinion, Serena fans should be concerned rather than happy. It is possible that she did intend to play at Indian Wells, but had to pull out because her back injury is more serious than she had initially thought.

Exactly! She was having an issue with her back during the China Open last October.

 

[10isfan]

This back problem (and other injuries) is quite disconcerting. Serena is on the brink of matching or exceeding the record American GS count, and her body is betraying her. It is sad to see an aging athlete. Talk of "finding motivation after a loss" etc no longer applies. She can still beat anyone when healthy, but how long before the injuries mount and prevent wins no matter how motivated she feels? She has to be very judicious about scheduling and training.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

This back problem (and other injuries) is quite disconcerting. Serena is on the brink of matching or exceeding the record American GS count, and her body is betraying her. It is sad to see an aging athlete. Talk of "finding motivation after a loss" etc no longer applies. She can still beat anyone when healthy, but how long before the injuries mount and prevent wins no matter how motivated she feels? She has to be very judicious about scheduling and training.

I think you are crying prematurely. She has not even deteriorated to the extent
of Federer yet and you have already started crying.

I think she will get to at least 19. She will probably never win FO again, as that is
one tournament that requires lot of physicality (and which can mute her serve).

But, I don't think she will come close to Steffi's count though.

While she does not have a true rival, it appears that she is prone to sporadic
upsets by random folks and also it looks like this phenomenon will continue.

 

[Moxie]

This back problem (and other injuries) is quite disconcerting. Serena is on the brink of matching or exceeding the record American GS count, and her body is betraying her. It is sad to see an aging athlete. Talk of "finding motivation after a loss" etc no longer applies. She can still beat anyone when healthy, but how long before the injuries mount and prevent wins no matter how motivated she feels? She has to be very judicious about scheduling and training.

I think you are crying prematurely. She has not even deteriorated to the extent
of Federer yet and you have already started crying.

I think she will get to at least 19. She will probably never win FO again, as that is
one tournament that requires lot of physicality (and which can mute her serve).

But, I don't think she will come close to Steffi's count though.

While she does not have a true rival, it appears that she is prone to sporadic
upsets by random folks and also it looks like this phenomenon will continue.

I agree with too much crying. She had an outstanding 2013. No reason to think 2014 won't be also fruitful.

 

[RJD11]

Sain Petersburg (United States) (AFP) - World number one Serena Williams has withdrawn from next month's WTA tournament at Indian Wells, an event which she entered last month after boycotting it since 2001.

The move came only a few hours after the 17-time Grand Slam singles champion withdrew from next week's $2.4 million WTA event in Doha, Qatar, due to a back injury she suffered at the Australian Open.

Williams, however, did not cite her injury as a reason for deciding against playing at Indian Wells in March.

"After careful consideration, I will not return to the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open this year," Williams said. "I send my best wishes to everyone involved with the tournament."


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/top-ranked-serena-doha-back-injury-224429285--ten.html