|
Post by philknj on Mar 8, 2016 12:25:30 GMT
Jennifer Capriati was not. She tweeted that “i didn’t have the high priced team of drs that found a way for me to cheat and get around the system and wait for science to catch up”… This burnout has no standing to open her trap. From thesmokingun.com - Jennifer Capriati was arrested by Coral Gables, Florida police in May 1994 and charged with possession of marijuana after cops went to her hotel room in search of a runaway girl. The tennis star settled the misdemeanor charge by agreeing to attend drug counseling.
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Mar 8, 2016 14:02:05 GMT
Jennifer Capriati was not. She tweeted that “i didn’t have the high priced team of drs that found a way for me to cheat and get around the system and wait for science to catch up”… This burnout has no standing to open her trap. From thesmokingun.com - Jennifer Capriati was arrested by Coral Gables, Florida police in May 1994 and charged with possession of marijuana after cops went to her hotel room in search of a runaway girl. The tennis star settled the misdemeanor charge by agreeing to attend drug counseling.
You make a great point. I will say, somewhat in Jenny's defense, that athletes tend to make a distinction between PED use and recreational drug use. Let's not forget that Martina Hingis once left the game for awhile after a positive cocaine test...which she denied but retired instead of facing a suspension. A lot of people feel she was guilty but nobody ever brings that up. Had it been a positive PED result, her success now might be met with a raised eyebrow or two. Here is the great Christine Brennan on Sharapova.
|
|
|
Post by philknj on Mar 9, 2016 0:15:40 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Mar 10, 2016 8:11:39 GMT
Masha wrote a letter to her fans thanking them for their support: I woke up yesterday morning with an inbox, in full capacity of love and compassion.
The first email I immediately opened was from my best friend, you know, the type of person who can make you smile and cry with only one word and who I spent the evening on the phone with, checking up on me, how was I doing?
On average, I love the mornings. New day, new start. It is fair to say that this day was not average. Nothing came to mind at 6am except that I am determined to play tennis again and I hope I will have the chance to do so. I wish I didn’t have to go through this, but I do – and I will.
I needed to sweat, to push through and grind as I have done most of my life, so I made my way to the gym. That’s when I realized a bunch of tinted windowed cars were following me. The good old paparazzi, back on the trail.
I have not been online much except the odd search for a new antique coffee table (random, I know), but my friends made a collage for me with all your beautiful messages and hashtags that you created (#IStandWithMaria and #LetMariaPlay). I spent the afternoon reading them next to my dog, who couldn’t quite understand why this was more important than the walk he was expecting to take.
In this moment, I am so proud to call you my fans. Within hours of my announcement, you showed me support and loyalty, which I could only expect to hear when someone would be at the top of their profession.
I wanted to let you know that your wonderful words put a smile on my face. I’d like to play again and hope to have the chance to do so. Your messages give me great encouragement. This message isn’t anything else but to say thank you. Thank you very much.
-Maria SharapovaFull press conference with follow up questions:
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Mar 12, 2016 4:45:58 GMT
blog: Maria Sharapova Rebuts Media Reports Concerning Her Failed Drug TestMaria Sharapova continues to trainIn the wake of her announcement concerning the failure of a drug test at the 2016 Australian Open, former world #1 Maria Sharapova sought to clarify some of the reporting that has followed. In a letter posted online, Masha rebuts some of the details being forwarded in the media. Here is her open letter: To My Fans: I want to reach out to you to share some information, discuss the latest news, and let you know that there have been things that have been reported wrong in the media, and I am determined to fight back.
You have shown me a tremendous outpouring of support, and I’m so grateful for it. But I have also been aware that some – not all, but some – in the media distort, exaggerate and fail to accurately report the facts about what happened.
A report said that I had been warned five times about the upcoming ban on the medicine I was taking. That is not true and it never happened.
That’s a distortion of the actual “communications” which were provided or simply posted onto a webpage.
I make no excuses for not knowing about the ban. I already told you about the December 22, 2015 email I received. Its subject line was “Main Changes to the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme for 2016.” I should have paid more attention to it. But the other “communications”? They were buried in newsletters, websites, or handouts.
On December 18, I received an email with the subject line “Player News” on it. It contained a newsletter on a website that contained tons of information about travel, upcoming tournaments, rankings, statistics, bulletin board notices, happy birthday wishes, and yes, anti-doping information. On that email, if a player wanted to find the specific facts about medicine added to the anti-doping list, it was necessary to open the “Player News” email, read through about a dozen unrelated links, find the “Player Zone” link, enter a password, enter a username, read a home screen with more than three dozen different links covering multiple topics, find the “2016 Changes to Tennis Anti-Doping Program and Information” link, click on it and then read a page with approximately three dozen more links covering multiple anti-doping matters. Then you had to click the correct link, open it up, scroll down to page two and that’s where you would find a different name for the medication I was taking.
In other words, in order to be aware of this “warning”, you had to open an email with a subject line having nothing to do with anti-doping, click on a webpage, enter a password, enter a username, hunt, click, hunt, click, hunt, click, scroll and read. I guess some in the media can call that a warning. I think most people would call it too hard to find.
There was also a “wallet card” distributed at various tournaments at the beginning of 2016, after the ban went into effect. This document had thousands of words on it, many of them technical, in small print. Should I have studied it? Yes. But if you saw this document (pictured below), you would know what I mean.
Again, no excuses, but it’s wrong to say I was warned five times.
There was also a headline that said, “4-6 Weeks Normal Treatment for Drug in Maria Sharapova Case.” That headline has been repeated by many reporters who fail to tell their viewers and readers what the rest of the story says. The story quotes the manufacturer of my medicine as saying: “Treatment course can be repeated twice or thrice a year. Only physicians can follow and evaluate patient’s health condition and state whether the patient should use meldonium for a longer period of time.”
That’s exactly what I did. I didn’t take the medicine every day. I took it the way my doctor recommended I take it and I took it in the low doses recommended.
I’m proud of how I have played the game. I have been honest and upfront. I won’t pretend to be injured so I can hide the truth about my testing.
I look forward to the ITF hearing at which time they will receive my detailed medical records.
I hope I will be allowed to play again. But no matter what, I want you, my fans, to know the truth and have the facts.– Maria Wallet Card part 1 Wallet Card part 2
|
|
|
Post by don on Mar 15, 2016 1:00:02 GMT
That's what they all say.
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Mar 20, 2016 20:30:48 GMT
With some of her sponsors distancing themselves, Head has doubled down for Maria Sharapova. I get their argument about Meldonium being questionable as to its level of benefit, but that seems beside the point. If WADA for some reason banned chocolate, then you can't have chocolate! You can't complain AFTER you fail a test. Nonetheless, here is part of the second statement Head has released defending Masha:
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Mar 21, 2016 2:44:09 GMT
more pics and video on my blog: Victoria Azarenka Wins 2016 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Hands Serena Williams Second Straight Finals LossVictoria AzarenkaForget the 13 next to Victoria Azarenka’s name at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open. Yes, she was the 13th seed. But that is only due to taking an extended period of time to come back to form from injury. There are, in my opinion, four players who currently, if playing their best, separate themselves from everybody else regardless of where they happen to be ranked; Serena Williams (of course), Maria Sharapova, Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka. With Petra unable to find any kind of consistency outside of Wimbledon and Masha on an extended vacation due to a failed test for meldonium, the best matchup possible in terms of marquee value was Serena vs Vika. Venus vs Serena probably has more star appeal, but at this point in her career Venus isn’t quite what she once was. Victoria AzarenkaSo it was fortuitous that women’s tennis was blessed with a match to take its mind off the controversy swirling around the game the last few weeks. Vika showed why she has given Serena all she could handle in past years, win or lose. For all of her great skills, Azarenka is perhaps the only player right now, other than Venus, that looks Serena in the eye and doesn’t blink. Vika is not intimidated by anybody. Serena had Vika under constant pressure in the final, recording 12 break point opportunities. Vika only cracked once, while converting 3 of 4 break chances against Williams. Azarenka fighting off 11 of 12 break chances is as much about poise and heart as talent and ability. Vika was down double break point (15-40) in the final game of the match before rallying back to finally close out Serena in straight sets, 6-4 6-4. Victoria AzarenkaAny time a player can defeat Serena, it’s a great win. For Vika, the fact that it occurred at Indian Wells, arguably the “fifth Major” (the attendance for Indian Wells last year equalled that of Roland Garros), gives it even more significance. If Azarenka can stay healthy…and that’s a big if…the tennis season gets a lot more interesting on the women’s side. We can’t just pencil in Serena as the winner in every event she plays. This was Williams’ second consecutive loss in a final. To show how consistently dominant she’s been, that hasn’t happened since Sharapova beat Serena at Wimbledon and Los Angeles…way back in 2004!!! And we know what Serena has done to Masha since then. We’ll see if Serena takes this loss to Azarenka as a similar challenge. 13 VICTORIA AZARENKA d. 1 Serena Williams, 6-4 6-4
|
|
|
Post by mr3putt on Mar 23, 2016 18:38:13 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Mar 24, 2016 1:22:18 GMT
I have no words to waste on Mr. Moore.
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Apr 3, 2016 10:49:59 GMT
more pics and video on my blog: Victoria Azarenka Completes Sunshine Double With Title At 2016 Miami OpenVictoria AzarenkaLet the sunshine in! There is no doubt who is shining brightly early in the 2016 WTA season. With her win at the 2016 Miami Open, former world #1 Victoria Azarenka became only the third female player, following Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters, to accomplish the Sunshine Double, winning Indian Wells and Miami back to back in singles. Azarenka took out fellow 2-time Major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-2 in the final. Sveta had upset Serena Williams earlier in the tournament but had no answers for Vika on an error-plagued day. With the win, Azarenka will move back into the top 5. She had fallen out of the top 10 in recent years due to injury. Now she seems back to her former glory, already capturing 3 titles in this young season. She is 21-1 overall and, with all due respect to Serena, currently looks like the best player on tour. Clay is not her best surface, so it remains to be seen if she can continue this hot play into the clay court season coming up. Maria Sharapova overcame an aversion to the dirt to become a Roland Garros champion. Perhaps Vika can do the same. 13 VICTORIA AZARENKA d. 15 Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-3 6-2
|
|
|
Post by 18majors on Apr 3, 2016 12:24:36 GMT
Bobby, I envy you that you have tennis to keep your golf anxiety at bay!
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on Apr 3, 2016 15:18:10 GMT
Bobby, I envy you that you have tennis to keep your golf anxiety at bay! Trust me, if a certain player from a certain country wins ANA, I'll have plenty to say...after I wipe away the tears of joy. But since I don't want to jinx her, I'll simply go Voldemort and treat her as "she who must not be named" until after round 4 is over. In case that wasn't an obvious clue, she's the only one in my avatar who actually made the cut...and then some!
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on May 22, 2016 20:26:41 GMT
more pics and video on my blog: Petra Kvitova Survives Scare, Lucie Safarova Rolls On Day 1 Of Roland Garros 2016Petra KvitovaBefore I get to Roland Garros 2016 day one, let me congratulate Serena Williams on her win last week in Rome, Jiyai Shin for her win last week on the JLPGA and Ai Suzuki for her win this week on the JLPGA. Normally, I would have covered all three but I’ve been really swamped the last 7 to 8 days. But now it’s tennis Major time! Czech mates Petra Kvitova and Lucie Safarova took disparate routes to first round wins. After an easy breezy first set, Petra found herself in a struggle against 21-year old Montenegrin Danka Kovinic. It took all the fight in Kvitova to escape with a 6-2 4-6 7-5 victory. Meanwhile, Petra’s great friend and countrywoman Lucie Safarova had no trouble with Russia’s Vitalia Diatchenko, winning 6-0 6-2. Lucie didn’t need to be spectacular as Vitalia practically gave things away with 7 winners to 27 unforced errors. Safarova is starting to find her game in the nick of time. She was the singles runner-up at Roland Garros last year and won the doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Lucie also recently won in Prague on clay at the end of April. Serena is the favorite in any tournament she enters, but after her and perhaps Victoria Azarenka, Lucie has as much of a chance as anybody else if she’s healthy. Keep an eye out the next couple of years for young American Louisa Chirico! 10 PETRA KVITOVA d. Danka Kovinic, 6-2 4-6 7-5 11 LUCIE SAFAROVA d. Vitalia Diatchenko, 6-0 6-2
|
|
|
Post by bangkokbobby on May 24, 2016 4:18:47 GMT
more pics and video on my blog: Garbine Muguruza, Simona Halep Open Roland Garros 2016 Campaigns With WinsGarbine MuguruzaTwo players looking to make their mark at Roland Garros 2016 won the first of a necessary seven matches needed to claim Major glory. #4 seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain (via Venezuela) overcame 53 unforced errors in 27 games to finally put away Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia, 3-6 6-3 6-3. Muguruza has all of the talent that makes a champion and I love her aggressive play, but averaging 2 unforced errors per game will not be acceptable moving forward. Eventually, someone will make her pay for spraying so many shots, even if she also comes up with 44 winners as she did on this day. It feels like the 22-year old Mugu is on the verge of something really big. We’ll see if it comes on the terre battue this year. Simona HalepRomania’s Simona Halep had an easy go of it against Japan’s Nao Hibino, 6-2 6-0. The 6th seed Halep won six of the seven matches necessary to claim Roland Garros 2014, losing an epic final against Maria Sharapova, who isn’t in the field this year due to her meldonium suspension. There isn’t really much to extrapolate from this match going forward for Halepeno. With all due respect to the up and coming 21-year old Nao Hibino, at this stage she has nothing to bother Simona. It would take an off day from recent Madrid champion Halep to give Hibino a chance. Maybe a year or two down the line with more experience Hibino might have something for Halep. Not now. 4 GARBINE MUGURUZA d. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, 3-6 6-3 6-3 6 SIMONA HALEP d. Nao Hibino, 6-2 6-0
|
|