Aussie Tennis Star Sam Stosur Announces Birth of Daughter Genevieve

First and foremost, congratulations to 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur and her partner, Liz, on the birth of their baby girl.

The 36-year-old Australian tennis pro made the announcement of Genevieve's June arrival Monday on Instagram.

''Life in lockdown during coronavirus has been challenging in many ways but personally it's been one of the most exciting and happy times of my life,'' Stosur wrote. ''It has been a whirlwind time but we could not imagine life without her now.''

Indeed.

But now for my nitpicking. In addition to beating Serena Williams in New York in the final nine years ago, Stosur was the runner-up at the French Open in 2010, a semifinalist at Roland Garros three times and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the world in singles. And in doubles, she has been ranked No. 1 and won three Grand Slam trophies, most recently at the 2019 Australian Open.

That someone of her stature -- who is a current WTA player -- has never taken the time to come out publicly is extremely disappointing. Apparently she casually referred to her partner in a speech late last year, yet it wasn't treated as the news it should have been. (Shame on the journalists there that night. I just learned of this today.) Of course everyone has a right to their own way of handling things. But I can't help but think of the young gay boys and lesbians out there -- perhaps young tennis enthusiasts like I was -- who might be in dire need of someone to look up to. (Which is to say nothing of countrywoman Casey Dellacqua, who did come out and had to deal with nasty Margaret Court as if she were the only gay player on the tour.) Such a shame Stosur chose not to think of others. The suicide among queer youth is still way too disproportionately high to be so myopic, no matter what her personal situation may be. Wealth, privilege and fame go a long way to insulate people from what ever her issues may be.

P.S. Maybe if she had officially come out, we could have avoided this unfortunate headline. 

Weekend Tennis Roundup

I know things are already under way in Paris, but for the record:

Stan Wawrinka warmed up for the French Open by retaining his home Geneva Open title on Saturday, beating Mischa Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The top-seeded Wawrinka clinched by breaking serve with a fierce forehand crosscourt pass to beat left-hander Zverev’s advance to the net. Wawrinka’s first title in 2017 is the 16th of his career, and the seventh on clay including the 2015 French Open. The Swiss is the No. 3 seed at Roland Garros, and first plays the 152nd-ranked Josef Kovalik of Slovakia. 

In the Battle of the Might Have Beens: Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France won his first title on clay when he defeated Tomas Berdych 7-6 (2), 7-5 in the Lyon Open final on Saturday. Tsonga dropped just three points behind his first serve, hit 13 aces, and saved both of the break points he faced to down his third-seeded Czech opponent. Tsonga's victory came a day before the French Open starts in Paris. No Frenchman has won the Roland Garros title since Yannick Noah lifted the Mousquetaires Cup in 1983.

Samantha Stosur outlasted Daria Gavrilova in an epic all-"Australian" final in Strasbourg, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. I'd like to see Sam build on this in Paris -- she should have won her first Slam there in 2010 -- but I'm not holding my breath.

Sam joined a long list of people who thinks Margaret Court is an idiot.

UPDATE: And now Andy Murray has spoken out for equality. 

Oh, Sam

So great to see Sam Stosur end her nearly two-year title drought, beating top-seeded Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-3 to take home the title in Carlsbad. Stosur had lost all of her previous eight matches against Azarenka, winning only two sets. The title was Stosur's third in her career and the first since she won her only major, the 2011 U.S. Open. ''I think this is a huge boost for me,'' Stosur said. ''I haven't had great results for really all year, so to be able to bounce back and come away with this is really exciting and a good boost going into the last slam of the year.'' I don't know what to make of this one. She's so enormously talented, yet she's a bigger head case than Hana Mandlikova and Svetlana Kuznetsova put together. Would love to see her capitalize on this.