Venus Envy
Power Games, Teenage Vixens, and Million-Dollar Egos on the Women's Tennis Tour
Chapter One
The Land of Oz
A cross between a green room and a rec room, the players' lounge is the equivalent of backstage in tennis. With no home clubhouse or permanent locker room, it is here that the nomads on the WTA Tour while away downtime at tournaments and minimize their social displacement between matches. They shoot pool, gab on their cell phones, surf the Net, play Ping-Pong, nap on comically overstuffed couches, and nibble snacks as they await their next court call.
The 2000 Australian Open is the first major event on the calendar, and the indoor/outdoor, two-tiered lounge in the catacombs of Rod Laver Stadium percolates with activity, adrenaline, and anticipation. As though it were the first day back at school after a long summer hiatus, the players arrive on the Melbourne campus happy to see their pals -- exchanging hugs, showing off their new outfits, hairstyles, and tans, and telling tales of newly minted romances. Just as in a hig ... read full excerpt from Venus Envy ebook
