2019 INDIAN WELLS: Serena Withdraws After Losing 7 Consecutive Games Against Muguruza

Bad news from Indian Wells! After playing brilliantly to win in straight sets against Victoria Azarenka on Friday night, Serena Wiliams had her 3rd round match against Garbine Muguruza on Sunday and while she started off well, winning the first 3 games (1 break). she ended up retiring. Something went horribly wrong around the 5th game and she started having difficulty keeping a ball in the court and was side-arming her serve into the court. She ended up losing 7 consecutive games and abandoned the match and the court down 3-6 0-1 when it became clear it was unlikely she was going to win another game.

This is sad because I will be spending all day Wednesday at the tournament and had hoped to see her in action. Oh well, it is still a great tournament, and I look forward to visiting again.

2018 WIMBLEDON: Federer Suffers Shock QF Upset Against Anderson

Atfer going up 2-0 in sets (after basically stealing the second set in a tiebreak) after going down 0-3 in games, Roger Federer had a break point that was a match point in the third set (on Kevin Anderson's serve) but failed to convert and then lost his own serve in the following game. He had multiple opportunities to break back to get to a 3rd set tiebreak but eventually Anderson held serve and won the third set 5-7. That was not any reason to panic but when Federer lost the fourth set 4-6 on one break of serve horrible memories of his similar 2011 loss from 2 sets up to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga started to creep into my mind and must have crept into his as well.

Eventually Federer lost 13-11 in the final set, despite serving first, he never got to a breakpoint/matchpoint in the final set, and finally in the 23rd game was broken himself and then lost the match in the very next game.

CELEBRITY FRIDAY: Maryam Mirzakhani, Only Female Fields Medalist, Has Died

Maryam Mirzakhani, Stanford mathematics full professor and Fields medalist, died last Friday July14 of breast cancer at the age of 40.  The Fields medal is the highest international honor in Mathematics (the equivalent of a Nobel prize) and Mirzakhani was the first (and only woman) to have received the award.

The loss of Mirzakhani (at such an early age) has stunned the mathematics community and resulted in a deluge of press. Here's an excerpt from the New York Times obituary:

Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian mathematician who was the only woman ever to win a Fields Medal, the most prestigious honor in mathematics, died on Friday. She was 40.

The cause was breast cancer, said Stanford University, where she was a professor. The university did not say where she died.

Her death is “a big loss and shock to the mathematical community worldwide,” said Peter C. Sarnak, a mathematician at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study.

The Fields Medal, established in 1936, is often described as the Nobel Prize of mathematics. But unlike the Nobels, the Fields are bestowed only on people aged 40 or younger, not just to honor their accomplishments but also to predict future mathematical triumphs. The Fields are awarded every four years, with up to four mathematicians chosen at a time.

She will be  missed!

SHOCK! Federer Out For The Rest Of 2016 Season (Will Miss Olympics & US Open), Returning In January 2017

Tragic announcement from Roger Federer today. He has decided to rehabilitate his knee for the rest of this year's tennis season and will skip the 2016 Rio Olympics, 2016 US Open and the 2016 Year-End Championships.

Federer was within one set of reaching the 2016 Wimbledon final earlier this month but lost to Milos Raonic of Canada. This will be the first year since 2001 that Federer will not win an ATP tour title of any kind. He only played 28 matches in 2016 and had a record of 21-7, although he reached the semifinals of both major tournaments he played in (lost to Djokovic at the 2016 Australian Open) this year.

Here's the official announcement:

Dear Fans,
I’m extremely disappointed to announce that I will not be able to represent Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Rio and that I will also miss the remainder of the season. Considering all options after consulting with my doctors and my team, I have made the very difficult decision to call an end to my 2016 season as I need more extensive rehabilitation following my knee surgery earlier this year. The doctors advised that if I want to play on the ATP World Tour injury free for another few years, as I intend to do, I must give both my knee and body the proper time to fully recover. It is tough to miss the rest of the year. However, the silver lining is that this experience has made me realize how lucky I have been throughout my career with very few injuries. The love I have for tennis, the competition, tournaments and of course you, the fans remains intact. I am as motivated as ever and plan to put all my energy towards coming back strong, healthy and in shape to play attacking tennis in 2017.

Thanks for your continued support.
 

I'm devastated! The opportunities to see Federer play live are becoming fewer and fewer...

Worst Mass Shooting In US History At Gay Nightclub in Orlando, Florida (50 Dead, 53 Injured)

The worst mass shooting in U.S. history occurred late Saturday night at an LGBT nightclub called Pulse in Orlando, Florida. Omar Mateen, 29, has been identified as the person armed with an AR-15 and a handgun who killed 50 people and wounded 53 others.

President Barack Obama delivered a live address to the nation on the tragedy:

This is an especially heartbreaking day for all our friends -- our fellow Americans -- who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together to be with friends, to dance and to sing, and to live. The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub -- it is a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds, and to advocate for their civil rights.  So this is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American -- regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation -- is an attack on all of us and on the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define us as a country. And no act of hate or terror will ever change who we are or the values that make us Americans. Today marks the most deadly shooting in American history. The shooter was apparently armed with a handgun and a powerful assault rifle. This massacre is therefore a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school, or in a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub. And we have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be. And to actively do nothing is a decision as well.

A very sad day indeed!

2016 FRENCH OPEN: 9-time Champion Rafa Nadal Withdraws With Left-Wrist Injury

14-time major champion Rafael Nadal is used to celebrating his birthday during Roland Garros, the major title that he has won a record 9 times. He was hoping to win the tournament a record 9-times and had won his first two rounds quite easily. However, when Nadal turns 30 next Friday, it looks like he will be celebrating this landmark at home, because he withdrew from Roland Garros today, citing a left-wrist injury.

He won his 200th grand slam match on Thursday and now sports an impressive 200-30 career record at major tournaments,

"This is one of the toughest press conferences of my career," Nadal continued, admitting he was playing through the pain barrier. "If it wasn't Roland-Garros, I probably wouldn't have taken the risks. It's the most important event of the year for me.
"We took the risks yesterday. To have won the tournament I would have had to play five more matches and the doctor told me that was 100 per cent impossible.
Nadal, wearing a wrist brace, said the injury first flared up during his quarter-final match in Madrid against Joao Sousa earlier this month, after which he underwent treatment in Barcelona before heading to Rome, where he lost in the quarter-finals to Novak Djokovic.
Having played on anti-inflammatories in Italy, Nadal said the pain began to return prior to his departure for Paris.
"When I arrived here, every day is worse," Nadal said. "I cannot play with my forehand. That's the real thing."
By withdrawing from Roland-Garros, Nadal hopes to avoid surgery to his wrist.
"For the moment I need a couple of weeks with the immobilisation. Then we're going to do the treatment, and we hope the treatment works well. We expect to recover quick, to be ready for Wimbledon. But at this moment, you know, it's not a moment to talk about that."
"I feel myself with the right motivation and the right energy to be back at Roland Garros the next couple of years," he added. "It’s a tournament that I love so much."

Read more at http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2016-05-27/rafael_nadal_withdraws_from_rolandgarros.html#BJAmlEpD26XSEMFb.99

He played his second-round match Thursday after getting an injection to numb his wrist. But he said that he began ''to feel more and more pain'' overnight and could not move his wrist much Friday morning, so went for an MRI exam.''The results,'' he said, ''are not positive.''Nadal added that he can no longer practice and wouldn't have been able to finish the tournament.''I cannot play with my forehand,'' Nadal said, referring to his best shot, a spin-laden uppercut.He said there is inflammation in the tendon sheath in his wrist and was told that there is no way he could be given five more painkilling injections - one before each possible match, were he to make it all the way to the final - over the next 10 days.

Only two players have ever beaten Rafa at Roland Garros, Novak Djokovic and Robin Soderling but it looks like a 3rd, more formidable opponent is going to also claim a victory: Father Time!

A major without both Rafaen Nadal and Roger Federer? I guess we better start getting used to it sooner rather than later...

2016 FRENCH OPEN: Federer Withdraws, Ending Record Streak Of 65 Grand Slam Appearances

Tragedy! The French Open draw was released today and for the first time in 65 major tournaments, Roger Federer's name was nowhere to be seen. The former World #1 is experiencing a 2016 season dramatically impacted by injury and has played very few tournaments. Now this has led to what has seemed unthinkable since the 1999 U.S. Open: a grand slam tournament without Federer.

He released a statement on his website explaining his decision to withdraw from Roland Garros 2016:

I regret to announce that I have made the decision not to play in this year’s French Open. I have been making steady progress with my overall fitness, but I am still not 100% and feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready. This decision was not easy to make, but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career. I remain as motivated and excited as ever and my plan is to achieve the highest level of fitness before returning to the ATP World Tour for the upcoming grass court season. I am sorry for my fans in Paris but I very much look forward to returning to Roland Garros in 2017.

As a Federer fan I'm devastated, but honestly the end of the road can be seen. If he doesn't recuperate now, there's no way he will be able to have results in the latter half of the season that will allow him to remain in the Top 10, and if he doesn't do that I'm convinced he'll retire sooner rather than later.

The defending champions of the French Open are Serena Williams and Stan Wawrinka an dthe tournament starts on Sunday May 22.

SHOCK! Music Legend Prince Found Dead At Age 57

Today is a very sad day! One of my favorite musical artists, Prince Rogers Nelson, was found dead at his home in Minnesota; he was 57 years old. The Internet blew up with the news and even the White House issued a statement from the Obamas on the passing of Prince:

Today, the world lost a creative icon. Michelle and I join millions of fans from around the world in mourning the sudden death of Prince. Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent. As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all. Funk. R&B. Rock and roll. He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer. 

“A strong spirit transcends rules,” Prince once said -- and nobody's spirit was stronger, bolder, or more creative. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his band, and all who loved him.

I'm so sad right now (all I can hear is that last 2 minutes of keening Prince does on the extended version of "Purple Rain" on loop in my head! )

CELEBRITY FRIDAY: Bill Rosendahl, Openly Gay LA City Councilman, Dead At Age 70

Bill Rosendahl, the first openly gay man elected to the Los Angeles City Council, died this week (Wednesday March 30th) at age 70 after a long battle with cancer. Rosendahl was a host of a local public affairs cable television show before entering politics, and was succeeded by his chief of staff Mike Bonin, who wrote the following obituary for his former boss:

Widely known for his beaming smile and a booming voice, Rosendahl befriended both the powerful and the downtrodden throughout his lifetime and during his eight-year stint representing the Westside on the City Council. 

Often called the “Conscience of the City Council,” Rosendahl focused on seeking solutions to the problem of homelessness, promoting mass transit, curbing overdevelopment, and giving neighborhoods a greater voice in city decision-making. He was the first openly gay man elected to the Los Angeles City Council, and served from 2005 to 2013, when he retired to battle a stage four cancer that was diagnosed in the summer of 2012. Toward the end of his tenure in office, he became an outspoken advocate for medical marijuana, which he used to combat the side effects of cancer treatments. 

He will be missed!

WHOA! North Carolina Enacts Statute Explicitly Enabling LGBT Discrimination Statewide

Wow! The North Carolina legislature passed and the Republican Governor signed into law HB 2, a measure which would ostensibly overturn a recently passed Charlotte, NC ordinance which provided public accommodations protections based on gender identity.

However the law enacted not only overturns the Charlotte ordinance but also ordinances that protected LGBT people in 7 other municipalities and allows discrimination in employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity anywhere in the state of NorthnCarolina.

The ACLU of North Carolina made the stakes around this legislation starkly clear:

“The manner in which legislators passed the most extreme anti-LGBT bill in the nation – voting hours after it was unveiled without adequate public debate – flies in the face of fairness and democracy. Legislators have gone out of their way to stigmatize and marginalize transgender North Carolinians by pushing ugly and fundamentally untrue stereotypes that are based on fear and ignorance and not supported by the experiences of more than 200 cities with these protections. Transgender men are men; transgender women are women. They deserve to use the appropriate restroom in peace, just like everyone else."

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God

SHOCK! Serena Announces End of Her 2015 Season, Withdraws from China Open and WTA YEC

Serena Williams announced today that she was withdrawing from the China Open in Beijing and the WTA Year-End Championships in Singapore, bringing her 2015 professional tennis season to an early close. Despite losing her chance to accomplish the career grand slam by losing in the semifinals of the 2015 U.S. Open, the World #1 still won 3 major titles (Australia, Roland Garros and Wimbledon) winning 53 matches and losing 3 (to Roberta Vinci, Petra Kvitova and Belinda Bencic).

Serena's statement in full is below:

"It's no secret I've played injured most of the year -- whether it was my elbow, my knee, or, in the final moments after a certain match in Flushing, my heart. 

"I'm a fierce competitor. And I want to compete as well as I can, for as long as I can. So I am taking a proactive step and withdrawing from tournaments in Beijing and Singapore to properly address my health and take the time to heal. 

"This is a very difficult decision but one ultimately made because of the love of the game. 

"I plan to return to practicing and participating in exhibition matches later this year. And when I do, l will focus and focus and focus so I can continue my journey in this beautiful game."

Serena's withdrawal could cost her financially. She will lose $450,000 in potential bonus money because she did not end up playing the four mandatory Premier tournaments in 2015.

Even by ending her season in September Serena's list of accomplishments in 2015 is impressive.  She will end the year at World #1 for the fifth time in her career and next week, Serena will rise to #3 in the all-time list of most weeks at #1 (behind Steffi Graf at 377 and Martina Navratilova at 332) when she enjoys her 261st week at the top. She currently has such a huge lead at #1 that she will be #1 at least through the start of the 2016 Australia Open, where she will begin her quest to match Graf's gaudy total of 24 major career titles.

2015 US OPEN: Upset Of The Century! Vinci Defeats Serena In Semifinal, Denying Her Grand Slam Bid

In one of the greatest upsets in sports history, unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci recorded her first ever victory over Serena Williams in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, where Serena had won three consecutive titles, denying the 21-time major champion her chance to win a calendar Grand Slam.
The score was 2-6 6-4 6-4. Serena was 25-3 in major semifinals before today and 43-1 against unseeded players a

With Flavia Pennetta winning the other semifinal the women's final will be an all-Italian affair between first-time finalists for the first time since the 2010 French Open between Francesca Schiavone and Samantha Stosur. Pennetta was a 150-to-1 shot and Vinci a 300-to-1 shot to win the title at the beginning of the tournament. Tomorrow one of them will be the 2015 U.S. Open champion.

SATURDAY POLITICS: Texas Sup Ct Tells Houston "Repeal Equal Rights Measure Or Place On Ballot"

The Texas Supreme Court issued a ruling yesterday handing opponents of Houston's Equal Rights ordinance (HERO) a victory when it said that the City Council must decide by August 24th to either repeal the measure or place it before voters for a vote on the November 2015 municipal ballot. The Houston City Council enacted HERO last summer with openly lesbian Mayor Annise Parker's strong support. This is a shocking ruling because earlier the religious extremists who opposed HERO had turned in double the number of signatures needed to pace the measure on the ballot but more than half of those petitions were deemed invalid by the City Attorney. However the City Secretary had certified that there were enough signatures and it is this certification that the Texas Supreme Court has said must be obeyed. The court suspended the non-discrimination ordinance, and gave the city counvil 30 days to decide to repeal the ordinance or place it before voters.

In response to the Republican-dominated state high court ruling, Mayor Parker issued a statement which said:

"Obviously, I am disappointed and believe the court is in error with this eleventh hour ruling in a case that had already been decided by a judge and jury of citizens. Nonetheless, we will proceed with the steps necessary for City Council to consider the issue. At the same time, we are consulting with our outside counsel on any possible available legal actions. Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance is similar to measures passed by every other major city in the country and by most local corporations. No matter the color of your skin, your age, gender, physical limitations, or sexual orientation, every Houstonian deserves the right to be treated equally. To do otherwise, hurts Houston’s well-known image as a city that is tolerant, accepting, inclusive and embracing of its diversity. Our citizens fully support and understand this and I have never been afraid to take it to the voters. We will win!"

Of course t's always a bad idea to be forced to vote on the civil rights of other people but if that's what the haters want, we will be ready!

Doh! HBO Cancels Gay Drama Looking After 2 Seasons

I just watched the finale of Season 2 of Looking with the Other Half last night and both of us were quite impressed. It was probably the best episode of the show in its 18-episode history.

Sadly, today comes word that HBO has cancelled the show and decided that there will be no more episodes of Looking, although there will be a final movie:

Looking was never a strong ratings performer. Last year, HBO executives proceeded with a second season renewal encouraged by the attention the show was getting in the cultural conversation and by its week-to-week ratings growth. Unfortunately, the second season couldn’t build on that, falling from the Season 1 highs and drawing 300,000 viewers for its last episode.

Hat/tip to Joe Jervis

FDA Proposes Reducing Lifetime Ban On Gay Blood Donors To One Year

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement today which indicates that it will propose changing the current lifetime ban on blood donations from any man who has had sex with another man since 1977. The proposed policy will be that gay men who declare that they have not had sex with another man in over a year shall be allowed to donate blood.

The reaction to the proposed policy change was decidedly mixed:

Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern wrote: “…the FDA remains trapped in the 1980s—terrified of gay men and their diseased, untrustworthy ways. Perhaps in another 31 years, we’ll see the FDA move to a sensible, nondiscriminatory rule. For now, we’re stuck with this embarrassing, unscientific half-measure. 

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) told her constituents, “Today’s announcement is a welcome step in the right direction. However, I am disappointed that low-risk gay men are still being discriminated against with this outdated policy. Healthy Americans who don’t engage in risky behavior, regardless of their sexual orientation, should have the opportunity to donate blood and help in the effort to save lives. I look forward to working with Secretary Burwell to build on the step taken today by removing this discriminatory ban while keeping our blood supply safe.”

I think my position is somewhere closer to Senator Murray's than Mark Joseph Stern's although I would agree that this is a half-measure. That being said, you can still acknowledge that a change has been made, and the change is in the right direction even if it is not as much change as one would prefer. I also agree that the proposed policy change would STILL be discriminatory and is unacceptable public policy, but it is still better than the current policy which was completely irrational and rooted in homophobia.

SHOCK! Serena Retires In 1st Set With Cornet For 3rd Loss Against Frenchwoman in 2014

Serena Williams retired from her 2nd round match against Alize Cornet up a service break 6-5 when she complained of dizziness and nausea on the changeover and was helped off the court by a trainer after she told the umpire she could not continue to play.

Her retirement from the match means that for the first time since 2007 Serena has lost to the same player three times in a calendar year. Earlier this year, Serena lost to Cornet in the semifinals of Dubai and then she lost to her again in the 3rd round of Wimbledon in 3 sets.

Some players just do not match-up well together and perhaps Cornet is Serena's kryptonite. Hopefully, Serena will recover from whatever ails her in time for her birthday on Friday and the China Open which begins in Beijing on Monday.

TENNIS TUESDAY: Serena Shows Up On Court Disoriented, Unable To Hit Serves In Play, Retires

Uh-oh! A few days after a surprising loss in the fourth round to Alize Cornet of France, Serena Williams showed up on court for her 2nd round doubles match with her sister Venus Williams looking disoriented and discombobulated, unable to catch balls thrown to her in the warm-up. After a 14-minute medical timeout before the match started, she played 3 games (in which she never hit a tennis ball into play) and then retired. That included four consecutive double faults (8 serves in a row that either hit the net or were multiple feet out of the service box).

Look at the video of the World #1 missing 8 consecutive serves in a row. It is quite disturbing. Have you ever seen Serena like this? What could cause such a sight?

2014 WIMBLEDON: Serena Upset By Alize Cornet In 3rd Round; Venus Lost Thriller To Kvitova

World #1 Serena Williams  was upset by Alize Cornet of France in the 3rd round of Wimbledon, 1-6 6-3 6-4. Cornet becomes the first player since Nadia Petrova to win two consecutive meetings with Serena, having beaten her earlier this year in the semifinals of Dubai. This is Serena's earliest exist at the all-England Club where she is a 5-time champion since way back in 2005 (although she has lost in the 4th Round to 2013 Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli in 2011 and Sabine Lisicki in 2013). More importantly, after winning 17 majors, Serena has now not reached the quarterfinals in 4 of the last 5 tournaments she has played, a troubling dry spell for the current World #1. This year she lost in the 4th round to Ana Ivanovic in Melbourne and to Garbine Muguruza in the 2nd Round of the French Open.

Her sister Venus Williams lost her 3rd round match also, in one of the best matches on the women's tour all year, 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitovabeat the other 5-time Wimbledon champion named Williams  5-7 7-6(2) 7-5. The Williams sisters are still playing doubles but I doubt that will continue as neither are in the singles draw any longer.

7th Circuit Grants Stay To Suspend Marriage Equality In Indiana

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has granted Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller's request for a stay of Wednesday's district court ruling that had brought marriage equality to the Hoosier State. The action means that the number of states where same-sex couples can get legally married returns to 19. In the most recent cases, federal judges have not issued stays on their ruling but thanks to the Supreme Court precedent in the Utah case of Kitchen v Herbert where the High Court did issue a stay in the lower court ruling from going into effect during the appeals process, many judges are placing stays on their orders after a brief period in which couples can get married. This happened in Wisconsin just a few weeks ago.

That being said, the states of Indiana, Oklahoma, Idaho, Utah, Wisconsin, Virginia, Texas, Arkansas and Kansas all have had their bans on marriage equality struck down and those ruling are not going into effect due to judicially ordered stays. If the Supreme Court upholds or decides not to rule on the pending appellate cases that are in our favor, there's gonna be a whole bunch of jurisdictions where same-sex couples can suddenly get married when those stays are suddenly dissolved!

Already some jurisdictions are using the fact that the 10th U.S. Circuit has ruled in favor of marriage equality to issue marriage licenses even though that appellate ruling is officially stayed pending appeal.

Hat/tip to Joe Jervis

TENNIS TUESDAY: Francis Tiafoe Upset As Boys #1 Seed At French Open

Francis Tiafoe, the 16-year-old African-American tennis phenom who went into the 2014 French Open juniors as the #1 seed due to his status as the top ranked Junior in the World, fell in the second round.

The result was a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory for Jan Choinski and a lesson in composure and resolve for Tiafoe, who’ll return to the courts Monday afternoon for a doubles match with fellow American Michael Mmoh.
What typically sets Tiafoe apart from other juniors is his on-court composure, his ability to bounce back from a poor shot or poor game and his even-keeled comportment. 

[...] 

All of that deteriorated in the second set and into the third, as Tiafoe shrugged his shoulders, looked repeatedly to his co-coaches in bewilderment and self-loathing and yelled, “SO bad!” after yet another forehand missed its mark. 

The junior Grand Slams are open to the world’s top-ranked boys who are 18 or under, which means Tiafoe will have at least two more chances to win the title. After his doubles campaign ends here, he’ll return to College Park to prepare for Junior Wimbledon, which gets under way later this month.

Hopefully Francis will learn from the experience an come back strong for Wimbledon!