Sporty Gals

Venus Williams + French Open Qtr Final...

Five-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams' (11) quest to take the French Open, ended in quarter final competition against 17 year old Nicole Vaidisova (16) of the Czech Republic.  6-7(5) 6-2 6-3.

The highest ranking American woman to compete in the French Open, Venus was also:

the sole American, man or woman, to make it to week two of competition
the oldest female quarterfinalist, at 25, and...
the last American standing!

"Obviously I'm disappointed," Williams said. "I would have loved to have done better." (photo and quote - AP)

In Nicole Vaidisova, Venus was faced with her own reflection less than 10 years ago... young, hungry and determined.

One consolation, Vaidisova is no young tennis wallflower. She defeated #1 seed Amelie Mauresmo 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-2 earlier on in the Open. So, while Venus was playing with an elbow injury, only played nine matches going into the Open AND while clay courts are her least favorite surface, Vaidisova earned the victory.

"I just kept fighting, you know, getting as many balls back as I could, try to move her around,
" Vaidisova said. "I kept hanging in there even though I lost the first set." (photo and quote - AP)

In other Williams news, sister Serena, who has played just four matches in the last eight months, chose not to play at all due to a chronic left knee injury.

Want more? Visit the Roland-Garros French Open.

Top 25 Women’s Sports Moments

The Orlando Sentinel talked to leading experts and voices on women's sports to put together a list of the Top 25 Women's Sports Moments of all time.  See if your favorite  moments made it to the.

1. Title IX becomes law

2. Battle of the sexes (Billie Jean King vs Bobby Riggs)

3. 1999 Women's World Cup championship game

4. The Boston (Marathon) Incident

5. Kerri Strug and the 1996 USA Olympic Gymnastics Team

6. Wilma Rudolph wins 3 golds

7. Babe Didrikson Zaharias sets 3 world records

8. True Summitt

9. Gertrude Ederle swims English Channel in 1926

10. Althea Gibson wins 1957 and 1958 Wimbledon singles titles

11. 2004 USA Women's Softball team wins 3rd straight gold medal

12. Sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner shatters world records in the 1988 Olympics

13. Martina Navratilova wins 9th Wimbledon in 1990

14. Gymnast Mary Lou Retton wins gold medals in the 1984 Olympics in

Los Angeles

15. ABL/WNBA form

16. Undefeated 35-0 UConn Huskies capture 1995 NCAA championship

17. Tennessee basketball team goes 39-0

18. U.S. hockey team wins inaugural ice hockey gold medal at 1998 

Nagano (Japan) Olympics

19. Cheryl Haworth wins weightlifting bronze at the 2000 Olympics in 

Sydney, Australia

20. Maria Pepe plays Little League baseball

21. Julie Krone becomes the first female to win a Triple Crown race

22. Janet Guthrie earns top rookie honors at the 1977 Daytona 500

23. In 1976, Shirley Muldowney becomes the first woman to win a  National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel event

24. Manon Rheaume becomes the first woman to play in an NHL game

25. Ann Meyers becomes the first woman to try out for an NBA team

 

Top Tennis Players to Miss Olympics

Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati are out of the Olympics! Bummer! I was looking forward to seeing both of these amazing athletes compete.

The medal hopes of the U.S. tennis team went from strong to suspect. The pressure's on defending singles gold medalist Venus Williams, who could face top-seeded Justine Henin-Hardenne in the quarterfinals. ESPN