Well, I lost what little chance I had to watch - as well as comment on - the Venus Williams vs. Justine Henin semifinal today when Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze decided to play one of the all-time stinker semfinals at the US Open. In fact, this train wreck of a match is still on as I write this.
You know, I have no problem with 20-year old Chakvetadze choking, or being a little overwhelmed by this occasion, but I have no sympathy for the Kooz, even though I find her very personable. I don' t know, but something about her just makes you want to give her a big old hug, no? On the other hand, given her career history, experience, age and talent, I'm simply dumbfounded that she could come out and play such a sloppy, error-prone, miserable first set.
Okay, even great players have bad or tough days. But it isn't like Sveta pulled herself together, battled back, and gutted out a three-set win. Chakvetadze simply tried on the Champion Robe, looked in the mirror, and for some reason saw one of those sci-fi movie monsters with glowing ruby red eyes and glistening teeth of steel. She was so scared she dropped the racket and ran out of the room. From the onset of the second set, all the Kooze had to do in order to kruise into the final was keep the ball in the court (that she could, BTW, was not a given).
Kuznetsova is a physically tough, strong girl. A girl who can appear to be utterly out-of-condition and still battle her way to the US Open final. Today, that red top she had on looked more like a sausage casing than a high-tech playing garment, and how about that weird black patch, pinned below The Kooze's strap like the stick-on name tag at some cheesy meet-and-greet. Right up above that tummy, which so resembled some sort of inflatable belt. Have you ever seen a Grand Slam semifinal that appeared to be so. . . unprofessional, in a multitude of ways? This isn't about looks, either. It's about appearance, which is a very different thing, and it's about representing the sport (see "V" for Venus, or "J" for Justine) at one of its major moments.
I think Pat McEnroe really nailed it in the wrap-up, when he said: "We just saw why Venus, Justine and Serena can be part-time players who just come in and gobble up all the Grand Slams."
The Kooze is such a gifted ball-striker, that you have to give her a chance in tomorrow's final against either Justine or Venus. But it sure ain't a big 'un.