Too Thin for Tennis?

The new Anna Kournikova, Hantuchova can actually win a match or two. But is she too skinny for tennis? "Good Morning America" showed an awful picture of her this morning. She was playing in an outfit that wasn't more than a sports bra & boy briefs. It was sickening how skinny she was. Not in the "I'm fat and you make me sick, skinny chick" way, but the "Karen Carpenter" sickening way.

A lot of high profile female former tennis players are saying that she's too thin. That tennis is about power. And really, does she look like she could take on either of the Williams sisters? I think they could beat her with a sneeze.

What's not really being pursued, yet, is the link between sex & sports. We've gone thru it during Anna K's sucky play, but still #1 in recognition. The Chicago Suntimes has a section in the print edition where they use to print a picture of Anna K just for the hell (and lust) of it. Then in the last year, they've started to print pics of Hantuchova. When we let sports media focus on female players first as sex symbols and then as athletes, we're really doing them a disservice. These young women should be worrying about pumping iron and working the court, not if they look good.

I've heard sports folks say, if it brings more attention to the sport, so be it. Well, then, so be a skeleton playing at Wimbledon. Don't say it's ok for the LPGA to, firmly, ask their players to sauce it up, for Brandi Chastain to pose in the nude, and many other female athletes who put their looks before their game and then point your finger at Hantuchova for trying too hard to live up to the sexy standard.

A decision needs to be made and soon. Do we want to watch sex kittens on the court, playing field, and ice? Or do we want to watch athletes?