Here we go again with a few apoplectic reporters goading Serena Williams into complaining about having to play, as defending champion, on Court 2.
One reporter even raised the specter of racism. Of course. That’s it. Serena Williams is playing on Court 2 because the All England Club is run by racists. This whole debate over Court 2 is so preposterous that for anyone who understands how Wimbledon schedules, it’s laughable.
I’ve covered this issue before, in 2008, so I’m going to haul out that old column and maybe a few more people will finally “get” it.
Here goes:
WIMBLEDON, England — It wouldn’t have troubled me if they’d shipped the Svetlana Kuznetsova-Agnieszka Radwanska match off Centre Court to No. 2 and put at least one of the Williams sisters on the Big Court. But, when you look at this on balance, it’s not that big a deal.
“I haven’t gotten an explanation,” said Serena Williams after she swamped Bethanie Mattek in just over an hour. “Granted, I do think it’s weird, especially having a female champ who has won this tournament four times,” she said, meaning sister Venus. “I’ve only won twice. But, hey, that’s not so bad.”
We all got a good laugh out of that, which is what Serena intended. She might have complained harder if she had lost, but she didn’t, so she frankly didn’t care deeply what court she was on. Maybe her ego was slightly fractured, but I doubt by very much.
The last time Serena Williams won Wimbledon was 2003. She came back as defending champion in 2004 and reached the final, playing six matches on Centre Court and one on the second biggest show court, No. 1. She never played on Court 2 that year.
That should excuse any suggestions that the Williams sisters don’t get a fair shake at Wimbledon. But let’s go over the list of returning winners since then, anyway.
2005: Defending 2004 champion Maria Sharapova reached the semis, playing twice on Centre Court and five times on Court 1.
2006: Defending champion Venus Williams reached the third round, where she was upset by Jelena Jankovic. She played on Centre Court once, meeting the tradition of the defending champion beginning on Centre. Her last two matches were on No. 1 and No. 2.
2007: Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo reached the fourth round, playing three times on Centre Court and once on Court 2.
2008: Defending champion Venus Williams is now into the quarters, having played twice on Centre and once each on No. 1 and No. 2. She’s also played one of her doubles matches on Centre Court, with her sister, of course. And it’s unusual for a doubles team this early to log Centre Court time.
Meanwhile, at this Wimbledon, Serena Williams has been, in order, on Court 1, Court 2, Centre and Court 2. OK, twice on Court 2, the overly-dramatized “graveyard court.” That might bruise her pride a bit. But, come on. She hasn’t even been in the finals here in five years.
There were 16 matches today for five show courts. It’s clearly not the easiest job deciding who goes where. I remember when Pete Sampras was cheesed off in 2002 because he had to play his second round match on Court 2. He lost to George Bastl, a career qualifier. He had won seven Wimbledons, but had gone out in the fourth round to Roger Federer the previous year.
Deal with it.
Evidently, the Williams sisters have. I’m glad they didn’t make as big a deal out of this as some reporters hoped they would.