Well, most men who have played and commented say anywhere between 200-700. And McEnroe did mention that unlike a low ranking male tennis player, Serena is more used to playing in big games, whereas a 500th ranked player might be a bundle of nerves.
The strange thing is, McEnroe was NOT looking to insult Serena Williams. He was on NPR raving about her, calling her the greatest female tennis player of all time (which she almost certainly is). The problem was that the hostess couldn’t let it go at that- she pressed McEnroe to state that Serena was, simply, the greatest TENNIS PLAYER of all time.
Obviously, he couldn’t say that, since MANY male players are better than Serena.
So, all his compliments were for naught! No one remembers all the great things he said about her, only that he said she wasn’t good enough to compete with the men.
I will say this- women’s tennis has come a long way. Both the men’s game AND the women’s game are much faster and better than ever. Serena couldn’t possibly beat Nadal, Federer or Murray… but if she stepped into a time machine and came out in 1975, I think she could give Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors a run for their money (just as current women swimmers could trounce Johnny Weissmuller or Don Schollander).
I would say 1930’s probably is a better example. Someone like Don Budge or Bobby Riggs (legitamatley World No 1 in his prime) would have a very competative match with Serena, and I think they would lose.
When the truth offends…
Not a chance, unless the opponent suffers and injury and withdraws or tanks it.
Williams actually did play a man once.
During the 1998 Australian Open, sisters Serena and Venus Williams boasted that they could beat any man ranked outside the world’s top 200. The challenge was accepted by Karsten Braasch, a German player ranked No 203 (his highest ranking was No 38). Before the matches, Braasch played a round of golf in the morning, drank a couple of beers, smoked a few cigarettes, and then played the Williams sisters for a set each, one after the other. He defeated Serena, 6-1, and Venus, 6-2. Serena said afterwards “I didn’t know it would be that hard. I hit shots that would have been winners on the women’s tour and he got to them easily.”
In 1999 when Serena Williams was 18 and ranked 4th in the world, she re-opened the debate on whether women can compete with men in professional sport. The US Open champion believed she could take on and beat the best players in the men’s game - she even applied for a wild card entry to take part in a men’s singles event, the Eurocard Open, but this did not eventuate, mainly because she could not compete as she was not a man.
The best part about this was Serena’s response of basically “Quit talking about things you don’t know about and leave me alone in my pregnancy thank you” as if it were his idea and he just randomly came at this out of the blue.
I swear, people who get offended (Especially celebrities) have no idea what the concept of “context” is.
It’s a big turnaround from when Serena was talking trash about how she could beat top rated men.
She was about half her current age. Immature. And probably less secure as a young and up and coming player then she is now, as 23 time Grand Slam winner.
Sounds like she’s a different kind of insecure now. Really, McEnroe was actually talking about something he knew about, and he was being truthful. It wasn’t insulting, anymore than it would be insulting to say that Muhammed Ali would get his ass kicked if he tried to fight a grizzly bear.
And the Huffington Post, of course, furthers the fake uproar: Serena Williams Handles John McEnroe’s Sexist Insult Like The Boss She Is
Oh come on. Serena barely responded.
But she DID respond. Why, if she wasn’t bothered, or isn’t insecure? It was a silly response. Does she think she is off-limits to discussion? Sorry, part of the bargain when you are a pro athlete is that people will discuss your talent and rank you against other players.
I think this is what McEnroe is angling for.
Or guns. AFAICT, women are comparable to men and the pool of male competitive shooters is much much deeper than the pool of female shooters.
ninja’d
I forgot about archery, mostly because there are even fewer female archers (at least until the Katniss kids get old enough to compete).
Whaaaat? The Huffington post is overblowing a story and putting unneeded feminist underones behind it purely to pander to its readership?? I don’t believe it!
Wow, I don’t remember that. When did she do that?
She’s human, and she had a thought and tweeted. Big deal.
I’m not so sure about archery. A woman is going to need a lighter-draw bow than a man, and while that will be a smaller disadvantage in some archery events than others, it’s never going to be an advantage.
Sure, if she had a big enough stick. I’m not sure they would even have to be tied up, she seems pretty tough to me…