Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Quick but important update as play has already commenced: No Americans in the WTA Championships for the first time in its history
Read this! MSNBC with the AP story: No Americans at WTA Championships
Salient points (for those who still won't read):
- No Americans in the WTA Championship for the first time since its inception in 1972.
- Lindsay Davenport, at No. 19, is the only American in the top 35.
- There was no American woman in the semifinals or higher at any Grand Slam this year.
- Europeans won 30 WTA tournaments this year (19 of those by Russians), while Americans won only three.
- Pray for Venus and Serena's health.
Two more things need to be added to this lugubrious state from an overall women's sports perspective:
- No Michelle Kwan this skate season, and possible no more Sasha Cohen.
- We had to endure the indemnity of watching Team USA score not 60, not 16 but 6 points against Russia in the third quarter of the semifinals of the world basketball championship just a month or two ago. People have long memories of insults to their intelligence.
