cbvesna, you're not actually addressing me because all I did was ask more about what lzolumova is reading in the press. In fact, media here favors Ivanovic over Jankovic, regardless of achievements, and I question why.

Whoever holds number one "deserves" it because it's a purely mathematical construct. Some don't like the ranking system because it may reward those who play lots of tournaments over ones who play less but win big events. Well, I think 1000 points for winning a Slam is reward enough and I would not change the system--changing it opens the door to those who would like ranking determined (as in some other sports) by a few late-season & even post-season events. (Might as well just have an ESPY vote, lol!)

I don't really care much about who's number one or ends the year number one or any of that. Except for specific purposes, the top ten are pretty much interchangable.

paul_pipkin:

lzolumova:

I am sure that we are not the only one who think that Jankovic doesn't really deserve the No.1 spot. I've heard a lot of commentators talking about this, I've read a lot of articles...and I don't think people comment this topic just because she is not Maria Sharapova.

I've seen that too, and I'm interested that you're seeing that from Eastern Europe. Let me ask you: How do those same sources handle Ivanovic? I ask because, in the States, the two Serbs are treated entirely differently.

JJ gets hollow praise, skepticism--sorta amused condesencion. In general, three wins in a row probably won't buy her any greater credibility. While they don't seem to dislike her, they don't really take her seriously.

Ana, OTOH, was the next big thing. And it doesn't seem to matter how badly or often she flops. When she crashes, they just stop talking about her (similar to Williams coverage) until another opportunity to tout her as the next big thing again.

Me, I'm not strongly for or against either of them, but that contrast in press treatment is interesting.

Kind of the same here really...although the commentators try not to be biased it seems like they really like Ivanovic.  And not only compared to Jelena but to almost every other player. They talk of her as if she is the greatest player the world has seen and we all know it's not true. Jankovic is not so interesting for them but of course they give her credit for what she does and when  it comes to making suggestions about champions of tournaments they always mention her as a potential treat for the others... Obviously they like Ana more than Jelena (and not only) and they expect miracles from here. Miracles that we still haven't seen...

lzolumova, well of course JJ and Ana aren't the greatest players in the world... Ask anybody on this Forum, they will tell you that Maria is.  No question about it.

No other player has raised the testosterone level of Male fans and Sponsors since Anna K.

Philli:

No other player has raised the testosterone level of Male fans and Sponsors since Anna K.

Is this sentence incomplete ??? because you appear to have forgot maria :\ 

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~"The act of drawing alone makes you an artist..."

Ana is very beautiful, and maybe because that media loves her and her game is good too, but I really don't know what's happening with her??? Is she tired or what?? And Jankovic is good player, not the best, but good, she has those results because she is playing a lot tournaments....   Maria is not playing a lot tournaments, but on mostly she has almost perfect results!!

And maybe media loves Ana and Jelena, because is interesting fact of them, that they were playing tennis in horible conditions...and maybe is that very interesting to them....I mean, Serbia is unfortunetly poor country,country with a lot of wars behind her (we are always being the target of mistakes and problems and we are developing country...) and maybe it's interesting the fact that so poor country gave three top five players in male and female tennis....I really don't know....

And by the way, my name is SONJA, not cbvesna. "cbvesna" is my username...

Hi Sonja. I knew cbvesna was a username, but not how to address you otherwise. I agree with what you say and, BTW, I admire & sympathize with the Serbian nation. To you question:

The Western press will say Ana caved under "the pressure of number one", the expectations a home, etc. But I wonder if some small part may be the pressure from the Western press. They obviously want to employ Ana as a sort of symbol. They don't try that with Nole, because he's too quick to hold forth on politics they don't want to hear.  Not with JJ, either. However much time Jankovic spends over here, the media really don't try to co-opt her, and that tells me something about her.

But whenever Ana is winning in Oz, or the States, or Britain, or France, the local press go crazy trying to "adopt" her like she was a war orphan or something. I don't trust that sort of praise--the motives are bad. (Ana & JJ both got conned into investing in American real estate that they'll be lucky to get out of with half of what they probably paid for it.) Bottom line: it's more pressure she doesn't need. I feel sorry for her on that. 

Philli:

lzolumova, well of course JJ and Ana aren't the greatest players in the world... Ask anybody on this Forum, they will tell you that Maria is.  No question about it.

No other player has raised the testosterone level of Male fans and Sponsors since Anna K.

Again it's not always about Maria. Without her Ivanovic and Jankovic again are NOT the greatest players and they won't be! They are good but obviously not enough since the one can't even win a single GS title and the other since she finally got one has won 3 matches. This is NOT enough to call yourself  THE No.1 player!

Here's something to think about.. In order to win a Grand Slam, a player has to win 7 matches in a row over a two week period.  Is that what makes a Grand Slam tough?

Well, JJ Not only won 8 matches in a two week period, but she went to to make it 12 in a row over a three week period.  Doesn't that qualify as being good......... regardless of the fact that it was 3 different Tournaments?

I think you lot overrate the importance of winning a Grand Slam when it comes to player ability.

 

but a grand slam is still different.

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Philli:

Here's something to think about.. In order to win a Grand Slam, a player has to win 7 matches in a row over a two week period.  Is that what makes a Grand Slam tough?

Well, JJ Not only won 8 matches in a two week period, but she went to to make it 12 in a row over a three week period.  Doesn't that qualify as being good......... regardless of the fact that it was 3 different Tournaments?

I think you lot overrate the importance of winning a Grand Slam when it comes to player ability.

 

I can't believe I am gonna say this, but I agree with Philli!!   I have said it before but I will say it again - JJ does deserve the number 1 ranking!  I know she plays lots of tournaments and so people keep saying that she is only number 1 because of quantity, but it is not only quantity.  She has the quality too!!  You can't get to number 1 just by playing a lot of tournaments, you have to go deep into the tournament, and that is exactly what she is doing.  She just won 3 tourneys back to back which is just amazing, and she may win 4 if she can win in Zurich!  I really don't know what else she can do to prove to people that she is worthy of the number 1 ranking, apart from win a slam, and she won't have the chance to do that until AO 2009!!  Anyways, I can't think of anyone in the top 10 at the moment who deserves the number 1 ranking more than JJ does!!  So well done to JJ and I hope that she can win a slam next year and prove to everyone that she does deserve the number 1 ranking.

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MY NOLE!!!

but sometimes winning a slam with out following it with wins in the succeeding tournaments will not only make you seem undeserving of your ranking but also of winning a slam.

A....hem...na

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beni:

but sometimes winning a slam with out following it with wins in the succeeding tournaments will not only make you seem undeserving of your ranking but also of winning a slam.

A....hem...na

Hahahahaaha!!  Good one Beni!!  It took me a while to get that, but I got it now!!   And yes if we are gonna talk about the worst number 1 of all time, I think that that person is Ivanovic, not JJ!!

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MY NOLE!!!

I'm not sure about the 'worst of all time'. She still has many chances to prove that she is not. I kind of feel sorry for her. She just keeps on losing and losing and losing and losing....

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beni:

I'm not sure about the 'worst of all time'. She still has many chances to prove that she is not. I kind of feel sorry for her. She just keeps on losing and losing and losing and losing....

Hmmm well I can't think of anyone that has been worse than her.   Ahh well you are a nicer person than me, cos I don't really feel sorry for her - all the media kept making out like Ivanovic was this amazing and fantastic player that was gonna win loads of slams, and now they can all see what she is really like - not very good at all!! 

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MY NOLE!!!