2011 Wimbledon News and Notes

Serena out. Venus out. Surprise, surprise? Not really. The Williams sisters are now as erratic as a windy day. You just never know. The media makes it seem like some Alfred Hitchcock mystery circumstance that they're gone, but us aficionados realize better.

Venus, accused of “cheating” (purposely faking a ball toss) by her second-round opponent, Japan's Kamiko Date Krumm, got her comeuppance. She lost 2-6, 3-6 to Tsvetana Pironkova.

Serena, who could be accused of her usual whining (complaining about playing on Court 2) during the third round, hung in better, but still got dusted in straight sets by ninth-ranked Marion Bartoli.

Speaking of Serena’s usual whining: Why should any professional complain about which court he or she is on? It's mind-boggling and immature. And doesn't she absorb that Court 2 is listed as a “show court”?

Not to mention that Serena's whine is divorced from reality—in that she is obviously not in top form having just returned. Wimbledon's top brass don't figure Serena to be an attraction in and of herself. In fact, no player today—man or woman—is. That sort of stature is reserved for the great players of yesteryear, such as Navratilova, Court, King, Lenglen and Evert. Or Laver, Ashe, Gonzales, McEnroe and Connors.

Further, here is some Olympic advice for Serena: settle down. Be happier with yourself. Don't take everything as an attack. Each little thing is not an intended wound to you. This is a truth. Believe it. And if you really don't want to lose, re-dedicate yourself full-time to the game and to hitting those “optic yellow” Slazenger Wimbledon balls.

Also, Serena: A little less roar on a “faraway” court is sometimes good for the nerves. It can cleanse the mind. It can make you whole again.

Instead of role-modeling for the women's tour as its most accomplished competitors, the Williams sisters continue to adopt an essentially us-against-the world posture. Or they use this posture whenever it is convenient. Perhaps a fragment of their fear is verifiable. But not nearly to the extent they project.

It can be assumed Caroline Wozniacki won't be as jolly about this loss as she was about her French Open defeat.

Perhaps she should be stripped of her No. 1 status on principle. Tennis officials should say: Ms. Wozniacki, we can't take it anymore. The question is killing us. It's not good for our WTA image. The No. 1 player in the world should be able to win at least one major after all of this time.

Ms. Wozniacki is becoming the James Brown of tennis. (Mr. Brown, for all of hits, never had a No. 1 record on the Top 40 charts.)

As well, Wozniacki's “major” failures are fast turning into the stuff of Freud. She can keep up a sunny exterior all she wants, but it is unavoidable that she is deeply disturbed by her lack of success in New York, London, Paris and Melbourne.

Seriously: Chris Evert, back in the broadcast booth here, would be a fine person for Caroline to consult.

Since his loss in Paris, breaking his incredible streak, things have quieted a smidgen for Novak Djokovic. So that distinguished persons such as Pete Sampras are picking others, like Roger Federer, to win. Rafael Nadal remains the absolute favorite. And hometown idol Andy Murray, playing exceptionally well all year, is of course the people's choice.

Despite this, in no way is Djokovic going to go quietly. Ten to one he can't wait to get to the semis to illustrate that he is yet what's happening in the men's game. To this end, he aims to crash beforehand any possible revival meeting between Federer and Nadal.

To wit additionally: Djokovic would devour he and Murray colliding. How satisfying (and fun) would it be to beat Murray in a final on his own turf? This indeed would the best match up for the tennis world as a whole. Tennis' Broadway.

At such a scene, would Djokovic light up things even more by doing one of his drop-dead impressions for us? Hopefully, yes. Then it really would be like Broadway.