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“Sometimes I think I'm from Russia”
Published: 23 June, 2009, 13:52
Serena Williams (AFP Photo / Carl de Souza)
Two-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams has conceded it’s difficult to remember who’s who on the women's tour as there are so many Russians in the sport, AP reports.
After a winning start at the year’s main grass event, Williams will face Jarmila Groth of Australia in the second round.
Williams and Groth had previously met in 2008 at the Australian Open, but when asked about her next opponent, who recently changed her name from Gajdošová, Serena really had to search her memory.
“I just know the standard: Everyone is from Russia,” Williams said jokingly. “Sometimes I think I'm from Russia, too. I feel like, you know, OK, all these new ‘ovas’… I think my name should be Williamsova.”
Groth is actually Czechoslovakia born and has no relation with Russia. However, Serena has reason to be confused as currently five of the 10 highest-ranked female tennis players are Russians, with Dinara Safina and Svetlana Kuznetsova being outright leader in WTA champions race.
22.06.2009, 18:40
Sharapova and Federer make successful start at WimbledonMaria Sharapova rallied from a poor start to get past compatriot Viktoriya Kutuzova in the first round at Wimbledon. |
23.06.2009, 20:48
Davydenko and Safina move on at WimbledonAfter Maria Sharapova’s victory on Monday, it was Nikolay Davydenko and Dinara Safina’s turn to shine on the grass of Wimbledon Tuesday. |
I found Serena' comment funny but sincere. She is a tough "custumer" on a tennis court but a very kind person outside of it. Her family life, consequently hers, in that crazy society was not very easer... As far as Alexis Jigalin' comments are concerned; I quiet agree with it. He should know, peraphs to excuse some virulent comments from US medias that those newsmen speak or write to the average US citizen who has, according to America' own researchs an average knowledge of 500 words (no more). If you had seen; back in the 1970-80s, the hockey matchs between the USSR and the USA or Canada. (I was living near Seattle). Sincerely... Jean-Claude Meslin
Granted some Eastern European and Russian last names are difficult to pronounce, but American commentators/ announcers at Wimbledon should at least learn or try to pronounce Slavic names. Most often they will give the full name of the American player and refer to their opponent as the "Serb" or the "Russian". How would a Mexican player or Mexican fans feel if their countryman was simply called "the Mexican" ? As usual there is a double standard here in the U.S., we don't dare offend minorities, but who cares about Russians or other Slavs, right?
I think its better not to mention the name of somebody, as the announcers are doing, than to mention it wrongly because, the wrong pronounciation may mean something else in that person's country..eg an insult.