The Tennis Thread

[umgaynow]

OK, I am picking Amelie to win the whole thing...because as the old saying goes "In women's tennis always bet against the heterosexual" Whew, it's been a long time since we've been able to say that...thank God we finally have a fabulous sistah to watch again...I love how similar her style of play is to my perennial favorite, Gabriela Sabatini (except without the deer-in-the-headlights-lose-concentration-and-blow-the-match thing) tons and tons of wicked spin on the ball and killer angle shots and a deadly backhand...I was watching and watching today...as much as one can when they only show 3 and a half games out of the whole match...but try as I might I could not tell what Amelie's tattoo is...does anyone know? Go Amelie!!!

Sandi

[Artemis]

try as I might I could not tell what Amelie's tattoo is...does anyone know?

According to commentators and, I think, some webpage I saw a while back, it's an angel. She really does have a beautiful game - not just power, but the ability (when she's handling her shots well) to place a really powerful shot exactly where she wants it to be. And she actually comes in to the net! She probably wins a few points now and then just by her opponents stopping in confusion, never having realised that you're allowed to set foot past the service line in singles.

[kimmy_s]

i thought it was the olympic rings. i seem to have heard somewhere that she had it done when she first competed in the olympics for france....maybe i'm wrong..usually am!!
kim xx

[kimmy_s]

ignore my last post...
you were right chris its a guardian angel. very cute
kim xx

[taraforever]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AMELIE MAURESMO!!!

27 today


GO AMELIE!!!

[WillowsGirlXX]

Happy Birthday Amelie

[Artemis]

France over Portugal 1-0: Happy birthday Amelie!

Now rally darn it! Three more games!

Here We Go Again With The Edits: Ack! Break back! Break back!

Beginning-of-the-third-set Edit: Okay, put it behind you - now, smash Sharapova good and hard

Hopefully-triumphant Edit: Yes! Now hold that break!

Three-love-up Edit: Okay. Wouldn't hurt to break her a second time...

Happy Edit: What do you know, she took my advice.

Very Hasty Edit: I strongly advise holding the break!

Grumpy Edit: Nerts.

Looking-at-the-big-picture Edit: Okay, just close it out, nice and steady.

Mortal Kombat-style Edit: Finish her!

Edge-of-seat Edit: Go go go! One more point!

Paranoid Edit: Was it because I forgot to use a smiley?

Deja Vu Edit: I guess she likes smileys

Reusing-the-Mortal-Kombat-thing Edit: Fatality! 'Wimbledon finalist Amelie Mauresmo' has a nice ring to it. For a couple of days. After that 'Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo' would be a worthwhile alternative.

[dynigirl]

Amelie just got through to the final Yippee

[sabina]

Yay, Amelie is in the final

I was watching that point tracker thingy for the first two sets... And then I decided to throw a fit over Amelie losing the second set and decided to actually go and try to study, lol. But then I came back and Amelie was winning and, hey, she won, she actually won

(And I didn't break the chair from all the jumping around, rooting for the green line not to be returned and for that little message to appear on the bottom of the window: "Mauresmo wins the point with a winner"... eh )

Go Amelie

[WillowsGirlXX]

Really pleased to hear Amelie is in the final for the women, great news and overjoyed for her. Really hope she wins it too.

Go for it Amelie

Rachel

[xita]

go Amelie!

[Artemis]

For the last time before a match this Wimbledon: go Amelie!

[Candleshoe]

Woo Hoo!!!!

Edited to explain: Mauresmo won....

[Artemis]

Woo Hoo!!!

[xita]

So freakin sweet!! Amelie!! In your face Henin! She wouldn't give Amelie this pleasure at Australia, I am glad she took it from her!

[tarawhipped]

Good God, that was tense. I was reaching for my Gameboy every other game 'cause I was too nervous to watch. It's always nice to see a final go to 3 sets, and SO cool that Mauresmo got the chance to put the choke reputation to rest and really deservedly won out there.

Vive la Amelie!

[sabina]

Damn that was good.

I read an article from some idiot that said that this final between Amelie and Henin-Hardenne was going to be almost two for the price of one because the Australian Open final ended the way it did. As if saying that Mauresmo's win at the Australian Open wasn't deserved... Blech! So now take that!!

I have to confess that there were a few moments during the first set that I seriously doubted Amelie could win
But she came back stronger, ready to fight and took charge of the game and won. And this time she had her match point

Congratulations Amelie

[dido]

finally she is the wimbledon champ .nobody will dare to call her a default champion .finally she will get the respect she so truly deservs .very happy for her,hopefully more to come

[urnofosiris]

I went outside to paint my windowframe during the last set to spare my poor nerves, I got back just in time to watch her win match point. What a sweet victory this is.

[kimmy_s]

OMG she actually did it!!!!!!!!

i was so nervous i had to keep coming in and out of my room cos i couldnt bear it! i was watching power rangers SPD during most of the first set (my nephew was watching it in his room) because i couldnt stand watching.
wasn't she amazing though? its the best tennis i've ever seen her play and she really showed her critics what she can do.
did you see her mum in the crowd? even after all the animosity she was crying because she was so proud of her daughter.
amelie was so humbling at the end as well even my mum said she deserved to win because she was thanking the fans, the spectators, the BBC (and because she knew i would be in a bad mood if she lost!!!
anyway, i'm glad she won (can you tell?)
CONGRATULATIONS AMELIE!!!
kim xx

[WillowsGirlXX]

Really pleased for Amelie she so deserved to win Wimbledon, overjoyed to see her take the title she deserves.

Well done Amelie.

Rachel

[xita]

Oh yeah, I couldn't watch it live. Besides the fact that it was way too early on the west coast, I couldn't handle it. I recorded it on my computer and watched later on! How sweet it is.

[Lucian]

A little late here but it was amazing to see Amelie finally win 'the big one'. Now I can't wait for the US Open.

[taraforever]

After winning Wimbledon...

[kimmy_s]

omg shes gorgeous
*runs off to have a cold shower*
seriously though she looks amazing in those photos. thanks for sharing
kim xx

[xita]

*ooh edited to add, thank you for the pictures! Mauresmo looks great!! And if someone hasn't seen a picture of her gf, they're starting to float around!

Gabriela Sabatini got inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame yesterday!! Yay! I am so happy for. Even better? She was introduced by Steffi Graf! My favorite pseudo couple in tennis ever! If only. Reports from the event said they first played each other when they were 12. So cute. An attendee said: "Steffi basically said that while she admired Gabriela for her tennis and athleticism, it was her personality, character, and charitable/admirable deeds that left a lasting impression on her; she reminisced on their first meetings as teenagers, and how they first learned to communicate via a common language of tennis before they both felt confortable coversing in English. Both women have a mutual respect for each other that grew to a great friendship, and both commented on how great a challenge it was to play against one another and together...times that they both cherish, will never forget, and that shaped each of their tennis careers."

Here's what Gaby said:

I always enjoyed playing Steffi," Sabatini said of the 2004 Hall of Fame inductee. "I always admired Steffi. She's always been a very important person in my tennis career. I always thought this would be a great way to end my cycle at the Hall of Fame."

[urnofosiris]

First I should say that those pink elephants are hypnotising and that Amelie looks lovely in that dress, but those and all other sentiments must make way for Steffi and Gaby, make that Staby or should it be Geffi? Ah if only indeed. Sorry, but that last pic is just too much, I have dibs on it as my new avatar.

[taraforever]

Same event... Gabriela and P.Rafter, new members of the IT Hall Of Fame

You see what I see...

[Artemis]

Here we go again... According to the schedule I've got (and assuming I've figured out the timezones right), Amelie is going on court at the US Open (where she's seeded #1, naturally) in about ten minutes, up against Kristina Barrios in round one. Go Amelie!

(And of course none of the local channels are showing it They're all far too busy showing moronic phone-in quiz shows, having discovered - like spam emails - that they can afford to utterly insult 99% of their audience while the other 1% dumbly hands over money for nothing. Ah well, another Grand Slam spent watching the scoreboard online...)

Edit: well apparently I did get the timezones wrong. Or it's raining in New York. Or the website's busted. One of these things...

[umgaynow]

Well, I saw part of Amelie's 1st round match today then the damned rain came...so they showed the Agassi/Pavel match yet again...although Miss Steffi looking good in the stands I must say...first time I have looked at this thread in a while...Amelie cleans up nice...but I have to say I prefer her all athletic-y with her muscles showing in that little tennis outfit...as for the pictures of Gaby...Oh my! Still drool-worthy after all these years...damn I've missed her...the most major tennis babe of all time...I wonder if I could get that photo blown up poster size for above my bed...hmmmmmm