Serena Williams was a guest of today's morning talk
shows following her U.S. Open championship on Saturday.
Williams became the first African-American to win a major
women's singles title since '58, when Althea Gibson won
Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Williams appeared on the
"Today" show and had a lengthy interview with NBC's Katie
Couric 10:00 minutes into the broadcast. The two later hit
tennis balls to one another on a court set up outside
Rockefeller Center. Couric, to Williams: "I have to tell
you, I have been admiring your physique. Your shoulders are
amazing." Couric also taped an interview with U.S. Open
men's champion Andre Agassi ("Today," NBC, 9/13). Williams
later appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" and was
interviewed by Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts. Williams, on
reports in the papers that she would play in the men's draw
next because she could "take on the men": "Who knows? If I
keep winning, I might be able to play in the men's draw"
(ABC, 9/13). Williams did not appear on "CBS This Morning."
In NJ, Al Picker writes that Serena is "taking the sports
world by storm." WTA Dir of Promotions Jim Fuhse: "There's
been nothing like it before" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 9/13).
END OF TENNIS AS WE KNOW IT? In a front-page feature in
Sunday's WASHINGTON POST, Rachel Alexander wrote that
"support" for Venus and Serena Williams "has not nearly been
limited to any particular ethnic group. When Serena won,
... fans of every race, age and gender were screaming,
waving their fists and jumping up and down. Several of the
stadium's food service workers also had come from behind
their stands to watch the match." Alexander added that
Serena has "galvanized the sport with her bravado and her
pounding, unrelenting game" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/12). In
N.Y., Mike Lupica wrote that near the end of the Serena
Williams-Hingis match, "[Y]ou saw people who work at the
Open, so many black faces mixed in there, coming to get a
look at Serena Williams as she tried to win the Open. This
would have been [Arthur] Ashe's vision of the place" (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 9/12). In Hartford, Greg Garber wrote that
Serena's future is "limitless" (HARTFORD COURANT, 9/12). Bud
Collins, on the Williams sisters: "They're going to have an
impact on everything; on TV ratings, on kids playing, and I
don't mean just black kids, I mean everybody" (ST. PETE
TIMES, 9/13). In Newark, Mike Vaccaro wrote that the
Williams sisters are "sure to change the way the women's
game will look for now and forever. Better, their appeal to
the masses, two beautiful black faces smiling through a
lily-white game, is sure to make it more of a people's sport
than it has ever been" (Newark STAR-LEDGER, 9/12).
A GREAT SUMMER FOR WOMEN'S SPORTS: In N.Y., under the
header "A Significant Summer for Female Athletes," Neil
Amdur wrote, "From Women's World Cup soccer to U.S. Open
tennis, from the world track and field championships to the
Pan-Pacific swimming meet, the message has been unmistakably
clear: Women can hold their own on any stage, with or
without men" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/12). In Boston, Cindy Shmerler
wrote in a front-page feature that the U.S. Open "belonged
to the women" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/12). In Philadelphia, B.G.
Kelley wrote that tennis "has had a resurgence in the last
two years -- due to the women's game" (PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER, 9/12). Also in Philadelphia, Bill Fleischman
writes that following Serena's victory, "interest" in
women's tennis "will likely soar even more. ... The Williams
sisters are doing for women's tennis what Tiger Woods did to
stimulate interest in golf. ... Now, many casual fans are
likely to watch the Williams sisters" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY
NEWS, 9/13). Also in Philadelphia, Bill Lyon: "If this is
the future of women's athletics, then folks, it is fairly
awesome. It is laced with muscle and speed and stamina."
More Lyon: "Not only are women's sports enjoying an
unprecedented surge of success and popularity, women's
tennis has become more popular and entertaining than the
male version" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 9/12). But in
Chicago, Carol Slezak wonders, "Will you still love [the
female athlete] tomorrow? ... For as long as anyone knows,
social acceptance of female jocks has come and gone,
dictated by the whims of a fickle public. So will this
latest resurgence be any different?" (SUN-TIMES, 9/12).
FAMILY TIES: CBS cut to shots of Serena Williams'
parents, Richard and Oracene, 22 times during her U.S. Open
final match against Martina Hingis (THE DAILY).
A LOSS FOR WORDS? Richard Williams, on his daughters:
"They've already taken [tennis] over. You can't take anyone
besides Andre Agassi who can sell popcorn and seats the way
Serena and Venus can. Tennis was dead before we came along."
NEWSDAY's Shaun Powell: "He's right" (NEWSDAY, 9/12).
FEMALE FELINE: Serena Williams, during the trophy
presentation after her win: "I would like to ... thank ...
Puma for letting me wear the Puma clothing. They're great.
You should get out there and get some too" (CBS, 9/11).
Puma runs a full-page ad in the News section of USA TODAY
congratulating Serena. A "Got Milk" ad featuring the two
sisters also appears in USA TODAY (THE DAILY).
