[replrobin]

Safina said she wasn't asked. She was told by tournament officials. "They came to us at 9:10 p.m. and just told us to switch to Armstrong," she said. "Basically, that's it. It was very unfair. The best player in the world to put on Armstrong. Their answer was that they prefer a five-set match to a three-set woman match."

Turned out the men's match was three sets too, Blake went out without much fight and the men's match ended up 10 minutes after Safina's upset.

"That's it, they don't want to listen, just move to Armstrong," Safina said. "I keep asking why we're playing on Armstrong at 10. They tell us just play, go on, go on 10 on Armstrong."

After speaking about the match and about how she had a game plan to go on the court and make Kvitova move all around, she instead came on the court, stood still and let Kvitova dictate play. "It's my brain," she said.

But then she went back to the other subject.

"I'm No. 1 player in the world," she said. "Why move me? American Blake because they want five sets instead of three. I always look forward to play night session on Arthur Ashe, it's best thing in the U.S. Open."

Kvitova didn't complain at all. "Yeah, doesn't matter to me," the 20-year-old from the Czech Republic said. "I'm not a star."

The problem was that thousands of night session ticket holders had to stand outside until the Roddick match ended after nine.

Tournament officials said they didn't want to delay the Robredo-Blake match because the winner was slated to meet Roger Federer next. Federer had finished his match about 2 on Saturday.

U.S. Open spokesman Chris Widmaier said, "You've got to balance safety issues, a big crowd, but the No. 1 factor is competitive integrity," he said. "If we had not split matches, the women's match would have been started at about 10:30 and who knows what time Blake and Robredo would have finished?"


http://tinyurl.com/ntwf9r

[Meenepek]

Seems to me like a spoiled kid complain. They moved Rafa-Murray last year and I don't think either of them complained, of course they were not num-ber-one.

[Tusanoc]

Sour Grapes. Even though watching the Blake match was like watching paint dry. And she shouldn't refer to herself as the "best" in the world because she's not. I feel badly for her because Serena has fueled the fire,. But Safina knows that she is not the best in the world. Don't whine about direspect. Armstrong is a big enough venue. It's not like they sent her to Siberia.

[enurneAcourdy]

Dinara needs to switch the focus back to her game. She's letting everything else drive her crazy. I swear I could see a 100 pound #1 sign draped around her shoulders last night. The pain of it is written all over her.

[smifatv]

Was it disrespectful to put the No. 1 on Armstrong for Blake and Robredo? Yes.

But would most Ashe fans prefer to see Blake and Robredo? Naturally. And do they deserve the possibility of five sets over three given the money they've laid out? Yes.

I can see this from several perspectives, but in the end, I think the tournament officials did the right thing.

[kimaddison]

Was it disrespectful to put the No. 1 on Armstrong for Blake and Robredo? Yes.

But would most Ashe fans prefer to see Blake and Robredo? Naturally. And do they deserve the possibility of five sets over three given the money they've laid out? Yes.

I can see this from several perspectives, but in the end, I think the tournament officials did the right thing.

mte - my thoughts exactly.

[urbalatte]

Dinara needs to switch the focus back to her game. She's letting everything else drive her crazy. I swear I could see a 100 pound #1 sign draped around her shoulders last night. The pain of it is written all over her.

Agreed. Perhaps she needs a good break for couple weeks or so and just go somewhere away from all this (and her mean looking coach). She is way too stressed out on court.

[allvideO]

Dinara needs to switch the focus back to her game. She's letting everything else drive her crazy. I swear I could see a 100 pound #1 sign draped around her shoulders last night. The pain of it is written all over her.

I think it is an easy and unfair attack . She played well until this summer.

[enurneAcourdy]

I think it is an easy and unfair attack . She played well until this summer.

She acts like she would have played better on Ashe. I think what she was hoping was Kvitova would play worse on Ashe. But, it's not about Kvitova. It's about Dinara. The sooner Dinara realizes that, the better off she'll be.

[BamSaitinypap]

Dinara's running a class in "Not Winning Fans 101." It's particularly sad because some part of me still wants to cheer for the girl who made that fun, miraculous French Open run 2 years ago, but she doesn't make it easy.

[attackDoold]

How very annoying. Girlfriend needs an attitude adjustment.

[Speareerfug]

We shouldn't criticise players too much for what they say in press comferences after losing. She probably didn't have a chance to get a shower and smash a few rackets before she gets a microphone put in her face and gets asked for the 679th time this year how come she is number one when she plays like that and has never won a major.

But we can all agree that:
1) She is NOT the best player in the world (this is not a criticism of her, but of the ranking system)
2) As long as tournament organisers pay players to play, and not the other way around, the organisers get to decide on where the matches take place.

[Peretool]

Dinara made the argument all about her, but the people who got really screwed last night were the folks holding evening session tickets. Frankly, the USTA should have moved Roddick/Isner to Armstrong knowing full well how late that match was starting. They could have substituted a women's match, say Sveta/Peer onto Arthur Ashe.

Remember, one completed match on Ashe constitutes the fulfillment of the session. There was one year, due to a rain delay, a daytime session on Ashe was fulfilled with a 40-minute Serena beatdown. I believe it was the year of the catsuit.

Of course, when it comes to the USTA, they would much rather disrespect the fans, and players of any other country except their beloved Americas -- even if their beloved American in this case is one James Flake.

[attackDoold]

Of course, when it comes to the USTA, they would much rather disrespect the fans, and players of any other country except their beloved Americas -- even if their beloved American in this case is one James Flake.

At least Tommy made sure we won't have that problem again this year.

[SannyGlow]

Win a slam, and then you can complain.

[carfAball]

Yes, Dinara, more people needed to see you hit TWELVE winners in 2.5 hours. Honestly.

I understand wanting to play on Ashe and complaining beforehand, but to complain about wanting a bigger stage after you stink up the joint vs. a nobody? Delusional.

[sherrferris]

IDK, I keep going back and forth on this one. I can see where Dinara is coming from and personally I think since she was up first she should have been giving first preference. I get that James is American but considering he's coming back from injury and his 5 set record history, I doubt anybody in thier right minds really expected him to pull a rabbit out of a hat last night.

My issue is that Dinara kept emphazing on behind the best player in the world, the ranking and the court. If she is then I don't think the court should have mattered since it's still a large court.

Foxy

[Automobill]

Yes, Dinara, more people needed to see you hit TWELVE winners in 2.5 hours. Honestly.

I understand wanting to play on Ashe and complaining beforehand, but to complain about wanting a bigger stage after you stink up the joint vs. a nobody? Delusional.

Exactly!

Dinara is the saddest #1 player EVER. And that's saying a lot considering the recent history of WTA tour (and ATP too at certain points in late nineties)...

[SannyGlow]

Mainly, the USTA wants to make money and the casual American fan would rather see James Blake than Dinara Safina. The casual American fan would probably rather see Jesse Witten than Dinara Safina. If the grand slam was the Russian Open, this situation would undoubtedly be reversed.

[joanbertis]

Was it disrespectful to put the No. 1 on Armstrong for Blake and Robredo? Yes.

But would most Ashe fans prefer to see Blake and Robredo? Naturally. And do they deserve the possibility of five sets over three given the money they've laid out? Yes.

I can see this from several perspectives, but in the end, I think the tournament officials did the right thing.

I think so, too. But from what she said, it seems like the way the tournament officials communicated their decision made the situation worse: not asking her, not really explaining it to her either, but just telling her to go out and play.
I remember that at a GS tournament last year, a match between Venus and Sania Mirza was supposed to be moved to another court, so that the men's amtch could start on Center Court, but both players insisted on the original OoP. I am just bringing this up to show that this kind of thing really is a big deal to players, not just to Dinara.

One last thing: I understand how frustrated it must feel when more or less everyone treats you like some kind of fraud who cheated her way to the Number one ranking. Whether if it is Serena or Jankovic talking about why Dinara shouldn't be No. 1, the press not shutting up about it - seriously, what more can she say about that matter?- or the tournament officials moving her match without even consulting with her about the decision.
I knwo there are better ways to handle the situation, but I do understand her frustration.