Bali: Disestablishmentarianism

 

 

 

 

 

Admit it.

 

You struggled with Bali just as much as I did.

 

It is hard to care very much for an event that positions itself as a wannabe-SEC for the almost-but-not-quites of the WTA – especially when Aravane, the only reason I pretended to care about it, goes out.

 

And yet, at a certain level, it’s difficult not to admire the way it embraces its fugly, ‘have-not’ status. Not only that, but it appears to have found its calling as a comeback vehicle for former world #1-cum-starlets.

 

Or is that mostly starlets?

 

For any ground Bali made up was swiftly lost with this little stunt.

 

 

And now you’re just a badly run 70s beauty pageant.

 

I’m confused – did she win the event or is she “dolled up” to present the trophy?

 

Is this the so called ‘Tour of Champions’ or ‘Miss World’?

 

There’s a reason these things are considered dated ya know.

 

I didn’t watch it – did she give the obligatory speech on world peace and underprivileged children too?

 

Was the word “ambassador” mentioned? *shudder*

 

More importantly, was any of this ever meant to form part of the WTA roadmap? I assume BJK is ‘on board’?

 

Now the good stuff.

 

Ana’s back in the top twenty which, amongst other things, means she’ll be seeded in Melbourne. Difficult not to be pleased by this news whatever your opinion of her – she was always too good to sink as low and be out for as long as she was.

 

It’s good for another reason too: since she nosedived two years ago there’s been an implicit acceptance of the idea that it would be “bad form” to criticise (or even to draw attention to) the unfortunate habit she has of fist-pumping her opponent’s UFEs. Yes, I’m afraid that’s bad form too – even (or especially) when a Grand Slam Starlet does it.

 

But now, of course, it is (or should be) open season on all of that.

 

 

I’m not holding my breath. Starlets always get a free pass for bad form and there’s no reason to suppose that’ll change any time soon.

 

Though this is less about Ana (whom I really believe almost does it habitually) than it is about objecting to having a relentless media-machine foist its clumsy, establishmentarianist vision of “class” upon you.

 

As you well know, I have very strong opinions on exactly what constitutes class (see ‘Dementieva, Elena’) – being told how to think makes me especially queasy.

 

I’ve no axe to grind with Ana – she seems nice enough in other respects, and she’s not that different to countless other players in respect of the fist-pumps either (habitual or not). But then they’re not being lauded as “ambassadors of the sport”, are they now?

 

After all that’s preceded I hope you’re still able to believe that I actually enjoy watching her play and have missed having her around.

 

I’m even prepared to make her one of my top 128 picks for the Aussie Open.

 

Like I said, ‘Open Season’.