Newsday (N.Y.): Serena Williams survives tough match against Zheng

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

WIMBLEDON, England -- It happened three days ago to Rafael Nadal. It almost happened two days ago to Roger Federer. It seemed to be happening Saturday to Serena Williams, a star losing to a lower-ranked opponent on the All England Tennis Club's Centre Court.

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Copyright © 2012 Newsday. All rights reserved.

RealClearSports: For Roddick, It's Not Gender, It's Leverage

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

WIMBLEDON, England — It always comes down to money, doesn't it? Whether you're A-Rod or some kid just drafted into the NBA or a relatively successful and - herein lies the issue - relatively unknown tennis player named Gilles Simon.

Fame usually brings wealth. Wealth often brings fame. Everybody wants more of both, which is the reason there are holdouts and lockouts and player strikes in team sports, and there is jealousy in individual sports, such as tennis.

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© RealClearSports 2012

RealClearSports: Overcoming the Hurt at Wimbledon

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

WIMBLEDON, England — There’s no DL, disabled list, in tennis. As Venus Williams said once, if you’re play you’re not hurt, if you’re hurt don’t play. But what if you want to play and you’re unable?

Any athlete is beholden to his or her body, and so always there are worries and fears. And pain.

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© RealClearSports 2012

RealClearSports: Serena's Early Exit Simply Shocking

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

Even as it was unfolding, even as the balance tipped and Serena Williams went from winner to loser, it seemed unbelievable. Serena Williams doesn’t fall apart. Serena Williams doesn’t lose first-round matches in Grand Slams.

Serena is a finisher, not someone who gets finished.

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© RealClearSports 2012

RealClearSports: Serena Makes a Mess of Everything

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

NEW YORK – She was outplayed, and Serena Williams came close to making that concession in as many words. So in a way the other words, including the pointed, bitter ones she spewed at the chair umpire during the match, could be considered incidental.

Except nothing Serena does, from the way she sports those shredded shoulder T-shirts after matches to the manner she avoids direct answers to most questions is incidental.



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© RealClearSports 2011