Ciyaaryahanka loo yaqaan 'astaan jiil
Venus Williams, oo 46 sano jir ah, ayaa qaadanaysa kaar marti-degel ah oo 12-aad xilli-ciyaareedkan si ay ugu ciyaarto US Open. Iyadu waxay haysataa darajo 611-aad adduunka, waxaana laga badiyay 14 kulan oo isku xigta tan iyo markii uu bilaabmay guuldaradaadii dhowaan.
Taariikhda iyo xaaladda ciyaaryahanka
Venus Williams waxay ku guuleysatay shan horyaal oo keliya ee Wimbledon, waxaana ay xirfad ciyaareed ku jirtaa ku dhowaan 30 sano. Iyadu ma aysan u qalmin Grand Slam iyada oo ku dhigan darajada tan iyo Wimbledon 2021, taas oo ah meesha ay ka heshay guushii ugu dambeysay ee Grand Slam.
Kulankeedii ugu dambeeyay ee 14-ka kulan ee isku xigta ayaa dhammaantood guuldarro ku dhammaaday. Bishan Cincinnati waxay 6-4 6-1 kaga badisay Kamilla Rakhimova, taas oo ahayd kii 18-aad oo laga badiyo 19 kulan ee u dambeeyay.
Kaararka martida iyo qiimaha ganacsi
Sideed ka mid ah 128-ka boos ee Grand Slam ayaa loo qoondeeyaa kaararka martida, inta badanna inta u dhaxaysa afar ilaa sideed ayaa loo siyaa dhacdooyinka WTA iyo ATP. Ma jirto xadka tirada kaararka uu horyaal Grand Slam ah qaadan karo.
Agaasimayaasha tartamada New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, Canada iyo Maraykanka ayaa rabay Williams sanadkan. Karl Hale wuxuu yiri: 'Waxaan u maleynayaa inay fiican tahay teniska inay jiraan astaamo jiil'.
Doodda ku saabsan xadka ciyaarta
Hale wuxuu aaminsan yahay in Williams ay weli awood u leedahay inay kulanada badiso, laakiin marka aysan tartan-gal ahayn, iyadu go'aamin doontaa inay joojiso. Katie Boulter waxay ku tilmaantay 'astaan buuxda' markay la ciyaartay Madrid.
Tusaale ahaan, Navratilova waxaa la siiyay kaar marti 2004, iyadoo 47 jir ahna guuleysatay kulan. Golf-na wuxuu xaddiday soo-noqoshada horyaalada 55 sano, laakiin tenisku xad ma lahan.
At 46 and ranked 611, Venus Williams has won 11 wildcards this season, with the USTA offering her a 12th to compete at the US Open against Sofia Kenin, renewing discussion about how long generational icons should be allowed to play.
A Legacy Built on Five Wimbledon Titles
Venus Williams has won five Wimbledon singles titles and has been a professional for nearly 30 years, yet her last 14 singles matches have all ended in defeat. Her most recent major singles win came at Wimbledon 2021, where she pushed 11th seed Karolina Muchova to three sets before losing.
She narrowly lost in three sets to Olga Danilovic at the Australian Open in January, and her only win this season was over Peyton Stearns in Washington last July. Her defeat by Emiliana Arango in Cincinnati this month marked her 18th loss in 19 singles matches.
Tournament Directors Defend the Decision to Offer Wildcards
Karl Hale, the tournament director who offered Williams a wildcard for the WTA 1000 event in Toronto, said her legacy is phenomenal and that her presence adds commercial value. He noted that wildcards always play first-round matches and that having a Williams sister on site drives ticket sales and media interest.
Tournament directors in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, and Canada, as well as the United States, have wanted Williams at their events this year. Eight of the 128 spots in a Grand Slam singles draw are assigned to wildcards, and usually between four and eight are given at WTA and ATP events.
The Question of When to Stop Playing
Hale believes Williams is still capable of winning matches, noting that she lost 6-4 6-1 to Kamilla Rakhimova but the first set was competitive. He said that when the time comes that Venus is not competitive in sets, she will make the call to stop playing.
Martina Navratilova was given a wildcard for both the 2004 French Open and Wimbledon and won a round on grass when she made a comeback aged 47. British number one Katie Boulter described Williams as an absolute icon after partnering her in the Madrid doubles in April.
Ilaha iyo xuquuqda sawirka
Sawir: BBC Sport Xigasho
