(Stuttgart, Germany) The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix has the final the audience in the Porsche Arena was hoping for: Pretty Glamour Girl Tatiana Golovin of France is up against Worlds Best Tennis Player Justine Henin of Belgium. They are going to battle for the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet or the prize money of $98.500. Golovin was last year’s finalist and lost against Nadia Petrova of Russia. Henin was the finalist in 2001 and 2003 in Filderstadt, but she is making a debut…
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(Stuttgart, Germany) Justine Henin of Belgium was the third player to secure her spot in the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Friday. The World No 1 overcame Russia’s Elena Dementieva in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-4 in a captivating match in Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena. “I began the match strongly and played aggressively right from the start,” said the 25-year-old Belgian. “Elena put up some stiff resistance. When you play against…
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(Stuttgart, Germany) Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Serena Williams of USA in straight sets 6-3 and 6-3 in the final quarterfinal match on Friday. The world no 2 therefore earned herself a spot in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix semifinals. It is the third time Kuznetsova made it to the last four, the other two occasions were in 2004 and 2006. “I was very happy with my game today,” said Kuznetsova. “Serena hit the ball very hard. It was fun out there. I’m…
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(Stuttgart, Germany) Tatiana Golovin was the first player to advance to the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix after defeating qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine. The 19-year-old Frenchwoman won 6-3, 6-4 in Friday’s opening quarterfinal match. Bondarenko surprisingly defeated Ana Ivanovic, the Serbian world No.5, in the previous round. In the second match of the day, Nadia Petrova had to retire from her match against Jelena Jankovic with an injury. After…
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(Stuttgart, Germany) The favourites all made it to the next round in Thursday’s play at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, but there was also huge surprise. The world No 1 Justine Henin of Belgium, last year’s winner Nadia Petrova of Russia, Serbian Jelena Jankovic and Russian Elena Dementieva of Russia all moved into the quarterfinals. However, Ana Ivanovic of Serbia was unexpectedly knocked out by Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko. Favourite Justine Henin, the…
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(Stuttgart, Germany) Tatiana Golovin is the first player to defeat a seeded player at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Wednesday. The Frenchwoman knocked out Russian Anna Chakvetadze, 4th seed, and No.6 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour ranking, in straight sets, 7-6 and 6-1. Ana Ivanovic, the 19-year-old Serbian, had an overpowering victory against Swiss Patty Schnyder, 6-0 and 6-2. Golovin will meet the No.5 of the ranking Ivanovic, or qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko…
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NHL Suspensions Make Sense |
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Written by Alessandro Nicolo
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Monday, 15 October 2007 |
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The NHL suspended Jesse Boulerice of the Philadelphia Flyers for 25 games following his vicious cross check to the face of Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kessler.
It was the right decision and signals that the NHL is finally ready to deal with the issue. It only takes a few to bring bad (and sometimes overblown) press to the league. Ironically, compared to the other major North American sports, hockey players (on average) are a grounded and tame bunch. So I would not be quick to apply the "barbaric" tag on them.
The NHL is barely a couple of weeks old and already it has been confronted with a couple of violent incidences. The first one was when Flyers forward Steve Downie (who said the Broadstreet Bullies are dead?) for his hit on Dean "This is Ottawa, not Kansas" McAmmond of the Ottawa Senators.
The only thing needed now is to be more consistent. While Downie and Boulerice have had to pay for their stupid actions, there are plenty of players who are getting away with their own indiscretions.
Of course, not everyone will be happy. Whenever we're faced with this sort of stuff we're told "it's part of the game." I didn't realize head-hunting was part of the rules of hockey. If allowing for violent hits are to be tolerated under the guise that "it's part of the game" then the NHL has to radically rethink how it wants to shape its image.
For their part, traditionalists hark back to a time when players "respected" one another (except when Maurice Richard was on a rampage or Gordie Howe throwing an elbow) and would never do what is being witnessed today.
Is it wishful thinking to try and weed out dirty hits? How do you draw the line between intent to injure and a hard, clean body check with any consistency? We're about to find out but I don't think the NHL has been left with any other alternative.
The perception of what constitutes "physical play" is the key here. For most fans, physical play is a fair battle in front of the net as players jostle for position, a clean body check or the odd fight to let out some steam.
However, the NHL has strict rules in place when it comes to fighting and fans, players and commentators feel that players who deliberately peruse the ice like vigilantes do so without consequence.
With the instigator and third man rule no likely to be lifted, the best the NHL can do is keep handing out heavy suspensions and/or fines until these cement - er, ice heads get the message.
In the age of concussions and with athletes resembling Ivan Drago in their work out regimes, the head must be off limits.
To those who cite history, and I happen to be one of those people: it doesn't matter how the game was once played. History is history. It can play tricks on us. What matters is the present. In today's context what we have seen with Downie and Boulerice offends our sense of fair play.
People now instinctively and collectively feel that someone will one day truly get hurt if this persists. Some have said "do we have to wait until someone dies?" Until recently, the NHL was certainly acting like it was.
Judging by the recent suspensions ( an astronomic and unprecedented combined 45 games) to Downie and Boulerice, the NHL have taken the right steps towards ridding the game of needless ugly incidences that tarnish hockey. If the players don't get it then the next step is to suspend the coach and if the coach doesn't learn his lesson then the team should face the consequences in whatever form the NHL feels is appropriate.
The NHL needs to show leadership and be proactive. The integrity of the game and the health of its players are skating on it.
The margin of someone getting a concussion or becoming paralyzed (or worse) is way too thin now.
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