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Williams Perfects the Double Bagel A True Champion, Williams Perfects the Double Bagel
(35 minutes later)
Not long after she had stormed past another hopelessly overmatched victim on Tuesday night at the United States Open, Serena Williams was asked if she felt compassion while administering the double-bagel beating also known as love and love.Not long after she had stormed past another hopelessly overmatched victim on Tuesday night at the United States Open, Serena Williams was asked if she felt compassion while administering the double-bagel beating also known as love and love.
“Well, you don’t really think about it,” she said. “You just think about winning the points and winning the games.”“Well, you don’t really think about it,” she said. “You just think about winning the points and winning the games.”
Williams had no reason to be defensive about the result, and she wasn’t. What she might have noted had she been furnished with the contextual information was that Carla Suárez Navarro, her vanquished opponent, had beaten a young American, Lauren Davis, by the same 6-0, 6-0 score in the first round.Williams had no reason to be defensive about the result, and she wasn’t. What she might have noted had she been furnished with the contextual information was that Carla Suárez Navarro, her vanquished opponent, had beaten a young American, Lauren Davis, by the same 6-0, 6-0 score in the first round.
No one enjoys being fed a double bagel along with a schmear. But it’s part of the game, or the tennis version of a perfect game. Has anyone in the history of major league baseball ever expressed sympathy or apologized after pitching one?No one enjoys being fed a double bagel along with a schmear. But it’s part of the game, or the tennis version of a perfect game. Has anyone in the history of major league baseball ever expressed sympathy or apologized after pitching one?
“I had no problem winning love and love,” Chris Evert said Wednesday while taking time out from her ESPN analyst duties. In her day, she and Martina Navratilova had their share of Grand Slam matches that could have used a mercy rule. “I had no problem winning love and love,” Chris Evert said Wednesday while taking time out from her ESPN analyst duties. In her day, she and Martina Navratilova had their share of Grand Slam matches that could have used a mercy rule. Evert even dropped a double bagel on Navratilova in the 1981 final at Amelia Island.
No rule, Evert argued, no mercy.
“I think that’s the streak you have to have if you’re going to be a champion,” Evert said. “If you asked Serena or any of the other great players, they’d probably say the same thing.”“I think that’s the streak you have to have if you’re going to be a champion,” Evert said. “If you asked Serena or any of the other great players, they’d probably say the same thing.”
More than anyone in recent tennis history, Serena Williams has to answer the compassion question, because she has made the one-sided match such a common occurrence — regardless of the round or opponent.More than anyone in recent tennis history, Serena Williams has to answer the compassion question, because she has made the one-sided match such a common occurrence — regardless of the round or opponent.
Suárez Navarro, seeded 18th, was brushed aside in a 52-minute quarterfinal. In the French Open semifinals in June against Williams, Sara Errani raised her arms in triumph after rallying to within 6-0, 3-1 before dropping the next three games.Suárez Navarro, seeded 18th, was brushed aside in a 52-minute quarterfinal. In the French Open semifinals in June against Williams, Sara Errani raised her arms in triumph after rallying to within 6-0, 3-1 before dropping the next three games.
In a first-round match last week, Williams so overwhelmed Francesca Schiavone — a dogged competitor and French Open champion — that Schiavone comforted herself in the arms of a ball boy. She managed to get a game off Williams in the second set.In a first-round match last week, Williams so overwhelmed Francesca Schiavone — a dogged competitor and French Open champion — that Schiavone comforted herself in the arms of a ball boy. She managed to get a game off Williams in the second set.
Those who fail to win even one can thank the peerless Bud Collins for introducing the bagel metaphor to the tennis vernacular during his long broadcasting career. Many men and women have tasted a double bagel defeat. Several men have endured triple bagels. For 39 minutes Wednesday night, it looked like it might be Tommy Robredo’s turn until he finally took a game from Rafael Nadal on the way to a 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 defeat. Those who fail to win even one can thank the peerless Bud Collins for introducing the bagel metaphor to the tennis vernacular during his long broadcasting career. Many men and women have tasted a double bagel defeat. Several men have endured triple bagels. For 39 minutes Wednesday night, it looked as if it might be Tommy Robredo’s turn until he finally took a game from Rafael Nadal on the way to a 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 defeat.
At the 2007 Australian Open, Andy Murray raced to a 6-0, 6-0, 5-0 lead over a Spaniard, Alberto Martin. Murray smacked his racket after a loose point, surrendered a game and complained afterward: “I didn’t want to lose a game if I didn’t have to. You probably get one chance in your lifetime to win a match, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.”At the 2007 Australian Open, Andy Murray raced to a 6-0, 6-0, 5-0 lead over a Spaniard, Alberto Martin. Murray smacked his racket after a loose point, surrendered a game and complained afterward: “I didn’t want to lose a game if I didn’t have to. You probably get one chance in your lifetime to win a match, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0.”
Actually, no. In July 2011, Murray triple-bageled Laurent Bram of Luxembourg in a 52-minute Davis Cup match in Glasgow. Actually, no. In July 2011, Murray triple-bageled Laurent Bram of Luxembourg in a 52-minute Davis Cup match in Glasgow. He told reporters afterward that even his grandfather — “a pretty strong critic” who was present — wouldn’t have anything to grouse about after watching that rout.
Players at or close to Murray’s level travel the tour with an entourage and tend to be less friendly with opponents than players were decades ago. Technology has also made tennis very much a power sport. The result, said Allen Fox, a sports psychologist and former pro tennis player, is that it has become “one of those games that are deeply personal and egotistical — like gladiators. And if you are the dominant one, it feels great.” Players at or close to Murray’s level travel the tour with an entourage and tend to be less friendly with opponents than players were decades ago. Technology has also made tennis very much a power sport. The result, said Allen Fox, a sports psychologist and former pro tennis player, is that it has become “one of those games that are deeply personal and egotistical — like gladiators — and if you are the dominant one, it feels great.”
To avoid falling into the trap of feeling sorry for an opponent, Evert has advised young players at her academy to “take the emotion out of it.” But she admitted that it’s not always easy to stay coldly focused in the process of humbling someone.To avoid falling into the trap of feeling sorry for an opponent, Evert has advised young players at her academy to “take the emotion out of it.” But she admitted that it’s not always easy to stay coldly focused in the process of humbling someone.
The opponent does have the ability to ease the awkwardness of a pending double bagel for everyone involved, including the crowd, as Schiavone did in the Williams match.The opponent does have the ability to ease the awkwardness of a pending double bagel for everyone involved, including the crowd, as Schiavone did in the Williams match.
It is when embarrassment turns into visible suffering — “humiliation is probably the word,” Evert said — that focusing can become difficult for the player inflicting the damage. The crowd can feel like it is watching a mugging and wants it to stop. “That was admirable what Schiavone did,” Evert said. “But not many players could.”
It is when embarrassment turns into visible suffering — “humiliation is probably the word,” Evert said — that focusing can become difficult for the player inflicting the damage. The crowd can feel like as if is watching a mugging and wants it to stop.
“I would become more aware if my opponent was really having problems,” Evert said. “Would I feel something? Yes, I would, but it wouldn’t stop me from going about my business.”“I would become more aware if my opponent was really having problems,” Evert said. “Would I feel something? Yes, I would, but it wouldn’t stop me from going about my business.”
The end of the match, she said, was the time to be nice. Or at least real.The end of the match, she said, was the time to be nice. Or at least real.
“I do remember going to the net quite a few times and saying, ‘I’m sorry’ instead of ‘good match,’ ” she said. “I mean, what else can you say?”“I do remember going to the net quite a few times and saying, ‘I’m sorry’ instead of ‘good match,’ ” she said. “I mean, what else can you say?”
Was she really sorry? Probably not. And why would she or anyone in her position ever have been?Was she really sorry? Probably not. And why would she or anyone in her position ever have been?
“In basketball, if there’s one minute left and you’re up by 20, you can say, O.K., there’s no possibility for the other team to come back,” said Tracy Austin, a two-time United States Open champion and now a Tennis Channel analyst. “But there is no time clock in tennis. We’ve had matches where those comebacks have happened. And Suárez Navarro had been to the quarters of a Grand Slam before.”“In basketball, if there’s one minute left and you’re up by 20, you can say, O.K., there’s no possibility for the other team to come back,” said Tracy Austin, a two-time United States Open champion and now a Tennis Channel analyst. “But there is no time clock in tennis. We’ve had matches where those comebacks have happened. And Suárez Navarro had been to the quarters of a Grand Slam before.”
In retrospect, it did sound ludicrous to suggest that Williams might have been threatened had she eased up enough to lose one game. But the psychology of tennis has been known to be tortured. One break of serve can set free the demons of doubt.In retrospect, it did sound ludicrous to suggest that Williams might have been threatened had she eased up enough to lose one game. But the psychology of tennis has been known to be tortured. One break of serve can set free the demons of doubt.
Compassion? “Maybe after the match,” said Williams, who struck a gracious and consoling pose with Suárez Navarro at the net.Compassion? “Maybe after the match,” said Williams, who struck a gracious and consoling pose with Suárez Navarro at the net.
What else could she do or say?What else could she do or say?