Williams seeding unfair, says rival
Handing a Wimbledon seeding to Serena Williams would be unfair, according to former Australian Open semi-finalist Dominika Cibulkova, who sent a powerful message to the All England Club yesterday.
The strength of Cibulkova’s feeling can be judged by the fact that she came into a press conference after her defeat by Angelique Kerber, gave a tactful answer, and then returned to the media centre in Eastbourne 45 minutes later to say what she really thought.
“Why should I not be seeded if I have the right to be?” asked Cibulkova, who is ranked No32, and would thus be the woman who misses out if Williams (right) is given a discretional promotion into the ranks of the seeds. “It would be different if I was No6 seed and they put me at No10,” added Cibulkova, whose own ranking peaked at No4 in 2014. “But it’s just not fair if there is a player [who misses out] and it’s me now. I have the right and I should be seeded and if they put her in front of me then I will just lose my spot that I am supposed to have. I don’t know if something like this ever happened before.”
Cibulkova’s comments came on the same day that the All England Club’s seeding committee was due to meet. The club has come under pressure to give Williams a seeding on the basis of her seven Wimbledon titles, not to mention her performances at the recent French Open, where she looked to be making a deep run until forced to pull out by injury. The club’s decision is expected to be announced today.
In an interview this week, All
England Club committee member Tim Henman hinted that it was looking favourably on Williams’s case. Making a reference to the US Open, which revealed on Saturday it favours giving seedings to players returning from maternity leave, Henman said: “It’s interesting what the US Open have said and we would always take notice of that.”
Meanwhile, British No2 Heather Watson has claimed that pregnancy should not bestow special status on a player as it is “more of a choice than an injury”. Watson said she would support a seeding in this one-off case – but added that “Serena is the exception”, and that no other returning mothers should receive the same kind of support.
“I don’t think you should have a protected ranking if you have a baby because it’s your choice to have that baby,” Watson explained. “Injuries aren’t a choice.”