Is Melanie Oudin committed to tennis anymore?

I ask the question "Is Melanie Oudin committed to tennis anymore?" because of her recent results, and what I witnessed today.

Melanie Oudin has fallen to 166th in the world rankings, she is no longer a regular participant on the WTA circuit, and is an afterthought of being chosen for Fed Cup duties.  This week Melanie is playing in the ITF 100k event in Midland, Michigan.  She lost her first round match on Tuesday evening to Stephanie Foretz-Gacon in straight sets.  I did not see her singles match, but I did get to witness her play doubles today with partner Jamie Hampton.  I could not believe what I saw when she took off her warmups.  She had a nice size tummy, and bigger arms that were not well defined.  She wasn't even close to looking as fit as I remember seeing her on television making a run at the U.S. Open, or even when she was a regular on the WTA tour.  There was one point during the match where it was an overhead lob on Oudin's side of the court she jumped to try a overhead smash, but came up about 6 inches short.  Her vertical leap rivaled my 77 year old grandfather's on his worst day.  Oudin and Hampton ended up defeating Kustova and Scholl, but Hampton carried the team.  Oudin looked extremely rusty and definitely overweight.

It seems that her recent misgivings have pushed her into a depression where she packed on some pounds, or she just doesn't care about getting back to where she once was, and doesn't want to put in the work to get fit and fulfill her lofty expectations. 

The expectations put upon her are not her fault.  I remember reading an article by a respected longtime tennis journalist saying, "America has found its version of Justine Henin".  This was right after her amazing U.S. Open run where she pulled off upset after upset in a surprising deep run.  This wasn't fair, even I knew that a few of them matches were pure luck and she was in the zone them few days.  She doesn't have an overpowering game and must use deception and consistency to win.  She needs fitness, which is severely lacking at this point in time.

So those of you wanting and waiting for Melanie Oudin will be back in the top 20, please don't hold your breath.  It seems like she is rock bottom right now.  She is not playing well, and she does not even look close to being in match shape.

She can only go up from here, will Melanie Oudin fight from the depths and make a charge at the top again?

NO WAY!! STICK A FORK IN HER, SHE'S DONE!!

Swine steals Djokovic shirt from little girl.

After Novak Djokovic's Australian Open final win over Rafael Nadal, Djokovic walked over to the side of the court to give his shirt to a 14 year old girl who had been cheering him the entire match.  When Djokovic threw the shirt in her direction a "lady" and I use that term loosely snatches the shirt in mid air before it could get to the intended recipient.

After catching heat the last few days, the asshole that stole the shirt has decided not to give it to the young girl, but to put the shirt up for auction and the money would go to "charity".  My gut feeling is that this charity getting the money will be the shirt snatchers bank account.

The shirt eventually was auctioned off for 6,000 dollars.  The high bidder and winner of the shirt happened to be the mother of the little girl who was robbed.  So in the end the little girl got the shirt, but it cost her mom 6k to get it.  Not the smartest of business transactions, but good job mom.

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My Outlook on Some Womens Player's "Fortunes" for 2012.

Women are much harder to read.  You know, with all them hormones and stuff.  Crystal ball is a little foggy.

Victoria Azarenka:  Shocked she didn't come down with an illness, or take a header into the pavement on a jog forcing her out of the tournament.  Not only did she avoid those things she showed a consistent power game that blew off the rest of the competition.  Azarenka will have her dips, and meltdowns still, but they will be less frequent and she will be a factor in all tournaments she enters.

Petra Kvitova:  Nasty serve out-wide.  Wimbledon favorite.  She just needs to work on consistency and fitness.  Fast surfaces fit her best and will be tough to beat while playing on them.  She'll underwhelm on clay.

Serena Williams:  "All eyes on me".  Body seems to be breaking down from what I would imagine is taking too many "roids" or "HGH".  For someone who hates the game and hates to work out or do anything athletic, she is built like a "brick shithouse".  This "I'm girly at heart" routine isn't fooling anyone.  "Girly girls" don't have fits of roid' rage at the U.S. Open 2 years in a row.  Unfortunately Serena will probably win a Grand Slam this year.  Either Wimbledon or the U.S. Open.

Venus Williams:  Like Andy Roddick, washed up.  But Venus has the bigger penis of the two.

Maria Sharapova:  Somebody take her vocal chords out.  She will continue to choke on the biggest of stages.  No Grand Slam titles for you, Maria.  Way too inconsistent on ground strokes.

Jelena Jankovic:  Supposedly she worked out extremely hard in the off-season.  I think she will make a comeback and be a threat to hang around in the Top 5.  She still doesn't have the power game, or mental toughness to win a slam, but she will hang in there and make the quarterfinals and a semifinal or two.

Ana Ivanovic:  Meh.  Improved from last year, but that isn't saying much.
Simona Halep:  Proof that smaller boobs is better for the forehand.  Still isn't any good though.
Vera Zvonareva:  Last 2 years were "her run".  Look for her to start fading and falling off.
Svetlana Kuznetsova:  Her days as a Grand Slam title contender are over.
Na Li:  When she isn't "choking" she is quite good.  She may contend for a Slam this year.
Kim Clijsters:  You are always injured because you are no longer committed.  Retire already.
Sabine Liscki:  Nice story, but a one trick pony with the serve. Stuck in the 3rd-4th round range.
Andrea Petkovic:  If she fully recovers from back injury she is very serviceable and good.
Dinara Safina:  Does she play tennis anymore?
Agnieszka Radwanska:  Put Lisicki's serve with Radwanska's ground strokes and you have a new #1.
Francesca Schiavone:  So fun to watch,  but her only shot to compete with the big girls is on clay.
Samantha Stosur:  Bi-Polar. I'm not sure if i'm more confused over her game or if she is a lesbian.
Caroline Wozniacki:  None more annoying.  From her laugh to her overconfidence.  Pusher's suck.

My Outlook on Some Mens Player's "Fortunes" for 2012.

Lets take a look at some of the top players and not so top players on the mens side and try to break down how their 2012 will shape up.

Novak Djokovic:  Guy is an absolute stud, and the Australian Open proved that he now has both the physical and mental stamina to dominate on all surfaces.  He'll win 1-2 more Grand Slams this season.

Rafael Nadal:  A grinder and a fighter, but he seems to be breaking down.  He doesn't have the serve to win easy points, and has to depend on his mobility to win long drawn out points.  He'll be the favorite at Roland Garros, but will come up short at all the other Slams.  He'll also continue to whine about the ATP schedule and drug testing the rest of the year.  Uncle Toni will also continue to think of the best means of getting away with "on-court coaching", and also finding the best steroids "masking agents" money can buy.

Roger Federer:  He basically needs the luck of the draw to make it to a Grand Slam final, and then win it.  No way can he beat 2 of the Top 4 in a slam anymore.  He need to hope for early upsets and weasle his way to a final and a win.  Skills are starting to diminish a little, but still is elite enough to beat anyone anywhere no any given day.  The consistency just isn't there anymore.

Andy Murray:  Besides Djokovic, Murray was the 2nd biggest winner in Melbourne.  He came away from his semifinal loss with a renewed confidence in himself and that he belongs with the best in the world.  New coach Ivan Lendl has really improved Murray's mental strength which reinforced Murray's belief in his own game.  Murray will break out with his first Grand Slam win this year.  Probably at the U.S. Open, still a little too much pressure on Murray for him to win Wimbledon.

David Ferrer:  A little grinder, who never gives up on a point in any match, whether he's playing a qualifier in the 1st round of a 250 event, or playing a top ranked player in a Grand Slam.  One of the most fun to watch players on the tour, who will show bursts of energy and anger.  Ferrer isn't against smashing a racket or two.  His game just isn't at the level as the previous aforementioned.  He'll hang in the 5-12 range as far as rankings go.

Juan Martin Del Potro:  I still don't think he's fully healed from his wrist injury yet.  It may be more mental than actually physical.  This is the year many people believed Del Po would get back to his U.S. Open winning form, but I just don't see it.  He isn't fully ready to take the next step yet.  He will be good, but he won't be pushing for a spot in the "Big 4" this year.

Andy Roddick:  Washed-up.  Stick a fork in this guy.
Milos Raonic:  Overrated.  North America's answer to Ivo Karlovic.
John Isner:  Still whining about playing so long at 2010 Wimbledon.  Crap for fitness.
Fernando Verdasco:  (See Andy Roddick)  but add in "Pretty boy" instead of "guy".
Janko Tipsarevic:  Meteoric rise to #9 in world.  Will retire from 80% of his matches.  He's a tool.
Tomas Berdych: Has the game to compete with the best, but is a choker and shades of a whiner.
Mardy Fish:  Poor man's Andy Roddick.  Had a lucky year last year.  He'll go back to being a scrub.
Richard Gasquet:  Needs to quit doing blow off stripper's asses.  Great backhand.  Mental midget.
Gael Monfils:  Least intelligent player in the game.  But also extremely athletically gifted.
Sam Querrey:  This guy still plays tennis?
Robin Soderling:  Needs to dump his girlfriend and go back to being a bad ass.  His game has suffered.

First Power Rankings of the Year.

The first Grand Slam event is finished, and my power rankings have been updated. My rankings unlike the ATP official rankings start over at the beginning of the season.  Everyone starts at zero and accumulates points throughout the year.  How do you get points you ask.

This is how players get points in my rankings:

GRAND SLAM EVENTS

3 points are earned for every win at a grand slam tournament up until the final.
5 points is earned by the player who wins in the final.

example: Juan Martin Del Potro won 7 matches to win the U.S. Open.
1st round defeated Juan Monaco = 3 pts
2nd round defeated Jurgen Melzer = 3 pts
3rd round defeated Daniel Koellerer = 3 pts
4th round defeated Juan Carlos Ferrero = 3pts
Quarterfinals defeated Marin Cilic = 3 pts
Semifinals defeated Rafael Nadal = 3pts
Final defeated Roger Federer = 5 pts

For a total of 23 points for winning a major.

Masters Series Events
There are about 8 Masters Series tournaments a year and they normally have a field of 64 players. Which means you must win 6 matches to be the champion.

Rounds 1st to Semifinals = 2pts each
Final = 3 pts to the winner.

For a total of 13 points for winning a Masters Series tournament.

All Other Tournaments
Most other smaller tournaments have 32 player fields, so 5 matches are needed to win.
Rounds 1-4 = 1pt
Final = 2 pts to the winner.
For a total of winning 6 points for winning any smaller tournament.

So with my system the bigger the tournament the more points there are to be earned. Kind of makes sense to me. Also the same system is used for both the men and women.


So here are the first rankings for the 2012 season


Women
1.  Victoria Azarenka (BLR)  34
2.  Petra Kvitova (CZE)  21
2.  Kim Clijsters (BEL)  21
4.  Maria Sharapova (RUS)  18
4.  Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)  18
4.  Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)  18
7.  Na Li (CHN)  17
8.  Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)  16
9.  Jelena Jankovic (SRB)  15
9.  Jie Zheng (CHN)  15
9.  Sara Errani  (ITA)  15




Men
1.  Novak Djokovic (SRB)  23
2.  Rafael Nadal (ESP)  21
2.  Andy Murray (GBR)  21
4.  Roger Federer (SUI)  18
4.  David Ferrer (ESP)  18
6.  Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)  15
7.  Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)  14
7.  Nicolas Almagro (ESP)  14
9.  Kei Nishikori (JPN)  13
10.  Tomas Berdych (CZE)  12
10.  Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)  12
10.  Milos Raonic (CAN)  12
10.  Bernard Tomic (AUS)  12

I may be making a comeback in the world of below average blogging.

It has been almost a year since I blogged last.  I am getting that itch again.  Look for my Australian Open wrap up blog and new Top 10 Men's and Women's power rankings in the next few days.

Like the facebook page, I will be keeping that up to date as well.