Peer's problem is similar to a lot of the young players. Yes, they're capable of reaching the semi in a tourney but can rarely do this on a consistent basis. Another hot and cold player who can't put together a string of strong performance, more like Oudin than Caro who is the most consistent and the best of the young WTA players. But good luck to her.

Forgot to add when Serena was asked which player would challenger her and Vee, she named only one, Scandinavia's #1. She didn't name anyone else.

I truly admire Peer's courage in dealing with the Dubai situation. Making the semis was an astonishing result IMO considering the strain she was under.

Shahar has played well since the USO last year capturing titles in consecutive weeks to qualify for Bali. She has continued that success in 2010 so far leading the WTA in wins with 15 highlighted by her semifinal run in Dubai and being in a final at Hobart.

Samantha Elin,
I do not think Shahar is hot and cold. IMO, her best weapon is her competitive spirit but what is going to keep her from winning Slams and Premier events is the lack of an offensive weapon and serve.

"Bitter or better" is a really cool turn of phrase - I'll try to remember that so that I can come out with it at an appropriate time in the future.

I'm surprised that Pe'er's coach was free to walk around Dubai. Didn't security realise that the vigilantes might have killed him to get to her?

Given the fact that there were other concurrent tournaments, i.e. Memphis, where Peer has played before and would be welcome without qualification, I would like to have asked Peer, or her coach, whether her determination to play in Dubai was: 1. to make a political statement by forcing the tournament to obey the WTA rules; 2. to seek the bigger paycheck; 3. to be closer to home; or, 4. none of the above.

Nice to see Tennis.com picking up on this very important story. If anyone wants to see another recent Q&A with Pablo Giacopelli about Shahar's trip to Dubai, feel free to check out www.protennisfan.com.

In the present political pressure cooker, I think Peer's performance was quite remarkable and maybe not to be duplicated by her again. On the other hand, there are enough players who keep improving as they get older that she may emerge as a top player yet. From the brief interviews I've heard, she seems not to be complex, and to speak from the heart, which is a positive attribute. Also, praise to the Williams sisters who have been the most supportive publicly for her.

scrap the dubai tour.Hold it in a country where it's safe for everybody

Shahar peer's visit to Dubai might be the "most" memorable story for you Steve but it was the tennis and the way venus halted the slup that she had since wimbledon last year that is way more important and memorable for me. Shahar peer was allowed to play in Dubai great, she made it to the semis that is even better but i guess you have written enough on this topic. The unnecessary harping around on this topic and expressing your politically motivating views over and over again is totally uncalled for and unwarranted. I like your tennis related articles but your personal issues and views against Dubai (like your issues with Federer making Dubai a second home) leave a bad taste in the mouth.

That Shahar Peer was not allowed to play in Dubai was very unfortunate but the tournament was fined and she was allowed to play this year. Can we please move on.

Shahar peer's visit to Dubai might be the "most" memorable story for you Steve but it was the tennis and the way venus halted the slup that she had since wimbledon last year that is way more important and memorable for me. Shahar peer was allowed to play in Dubai great, she made it to the semis that is even better but i guess you have written enough on this topic. The unnecessary harping around on this topic and expressing your politically motivating views over and over again is totally uncalled for and unwarranted. I like your tennis related articles but your personal issues and views against Dubai (like your issues with Federer making Dubai a second home) leave a bad taste in the mouth.

That Shahar Peer was not allowed to play in Dubai was very unfortunate but the tournament was fined and she was allowed to play this year. Can we please move on.

@ Sam. Amen. Very, well said.

We're so happy for Pablo and Shahar! Don't forget to check out Pablo's full blog at www.itusatennis.com/pablosblog

Shahar Peer was the story because of what she had to go through! Even Venus said before she played Shahar she was trying to imagine what she must be feeling. I agree with Phil, time for the tours to chose another venue for this tournament! Venus and Serena are the only players who supported Peer who were slammed; I wonder why all of the other players who played last year were given a free pass! Venus was eventually given credit for her support of Shahar.

I'm with Sam on this one.

Lets never forget that Sergeant Shahar Peer is hardly a neutral here - she a member of the Israeli Army. And it's not just "British officials" who suspect that Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was murdered by Israeli agents using foreign (mainly British passports). It's the entire world.

Please Steve, you're a thoughtful, vivid, perceptive writer when it comes to tennis.

When it comes to Israel and the Middle East, you're cliched, ignorant and wear huge blinkers.

Do us all a favour; stick to tennis.

to go there after the murder of hamas leader by Israeli soldiers after blessing of prime minsiter of Israel blessing and when in fact she is a soldier gives them all the right for the very tight security arrengments.
Duabi is very open welcoming place but next time you want comment on political that some how connected to tennis,have some precpective she is a soldier not civilian!

Much as I'd like to think this is all about Shahar's strong character, you have to keep in mind that we Israelis have pretty much gotten used to it. Her opponents, who also had to play early on outside courts, don't have that "luxury". This was even more so in Auckland, where other players had to contend with the heckling directed at Shahar.
Lina, she was a soldier, under law, from 18 to 20. As an athlete, her service was basically showing up once a week. She currently is not a soldier.
roGER, I'm pretty sure she was a corporal, and not a sergeant.

Quite frankly I don't understand all the criticism about Steve's article, he simply posted a clean interview with a tennis coach whose player was all over the headlines last week. Nice to read Pablo's words and his opinion about the whole experience - an opinion from someone who was so deeply involved in the situation. As a tennis fan I wasn't really emotionally affected by Peer's run in Dubai, her admirable determination to play the tournament definitely showed a lot of courage and temperament, but at the same I believe she wanted to make a political statement and cause headlines. And I didn't like that. There are more than 60 tournaments on the WTA calendar, why insisting on playing a tournament where you are clearly not welcome and you may also cause serious danger not only to yourself, but also to other players, tournament directors, spectators etc.? No matter how tight the tournament's security is, it doesn't take much to commit an attack in a public place... We've already seen a spectator jumping off the stands and stabbing a player on a tennis court in half a second. And that time political issues weren't even involved. Thank goodness nothing crazy happened in Dubai last week.

@Samantha I'm a huge Caroline fan, but I think your vision about Caroline being the biggest threat to the Williams sisters is not realistic at the moment. Right now Caroline is a good top ten player, nothing more. And this year she's lacking her usual consistency too, she lost early in every tournament she played. She'd better start winning matches soon, otherwise her ranking will start dropping pretty quickly... like it happened to Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic.

Thanks roGER, your comment just make any israeli and person that knows something about Shahar and the IDF that you have no clue what you are talking about .
first Shahar is not in the army anymore, second i suggest you read more about what is the israeli army before you say anything about what we do.. tv propaganda is not the most accurate source, if you consider yourself intelligent - propaganda works both ways, check youtube.... and about the Hamas guy.. so far no one could prove it was done by israel and as much as you hope we was ... sorry ... there is no real evidence to that so far... otherwise someone would be arrested right?! but i also suggert you go and understand who that person was this Mabhuh guy... before you say anything.

about this article i think it was done mostly because there were no cover of shahars games in dubai by the tournament web so its in place and should be done ... i though it was very interesting !
thanks

Larry - money + ranking points that aren't available elsewhere. That's why. Dubai is a big tournament with big prize money. Plus, it is her right as a WTA player.

I'd like to see the outrage if Sania Mirza was told "Don't play in an Israeli tournament because of security concerns because you're a Muslim" and we don't know how an extremist would behave by the Israeli authorities.

Peer could have just boycotted the tournament. Instead she showed courage and determination to go into a country whose animus and religious hatred is legal. Not only that, she played well, despite being "kept" isolated from everyone and everything during her stay. It would be interesting to find out if the news there reported whether she won,lost or even played.

Hey guys, this is why they say politics and sports don't mix. Hopefully this is over with and we can talk about tennis and not who was kill by Hamas. Larry, Caro is just in a bit of a slump like all players go through and will work her way out. Glad your a fan with the way this girl is never given credit for being so good.

Samantha, Caro's a nice player with a nice backhand (which, in slow motion, kinda looks like a left-handed forehand) and an ugly forehand.
kinda reminds me of Kimiko Date (in her pre-Krum days), and I can't see her being more than that

Larry, thank you very much for what you said that exactly what i wanted to say,she is using this tournment as a podium to make a statement,even when she was banned last year she made a big scene as if she is a top 10 player, there was a war in the region last year and the situation was hectic you cant blame them for protecting thier event in the most difficult times (she got a great compensation that 10 times what she had earned her whole career)this year things were better away from the incident to (reut, israel) there were headlines in the israli news papers that it was planned by Israeli commandos after meeting with the prime minister i dont know if this source is reliable enough for you!
Sure tennis should be away from politics and she should be free to play every where but Dubai is niether a GS nor a master and there is a lot of tournment in places where people could be happier to have her than UAE maybe she should try to act as a pure athlete as she expecting this tournment to treat her.and they did and dont think for a minute that is an easy mission for them,
think of it as an athlete that realated to Bin Laden playing gainst an american in NY!do you think that would be easy! i dont think so

I thought Steve's last article on Dubai was stupid and imbued with casual prejudice. But this seemed a straightforward interview. I don't understand the point about Peer being part of the Israeli army. Even a tourist with an Israeli stamp in his/her passport is not allowed to enter Dubai. My parents used to live in Kuwait and Dubai and when I visited Israel I had to ask at the airport that the authorities not stamp my passport.

I'm also a little surprised at Or's Sania Mirza analogy. Mirza is Indian. Dubai refused to admit Peer into the country because of her nationality, not her religion. And it's perfectly legitimate for countries not to have diplomatic relations with other countries. Of course, as a member of the WTA, Peer, representing herself and the Tour and not Israel, should have been granted a visa. Luckily, the Dubai tournament saw sense.

Oh Lina, so much nonesense.

A) Shahar got 44,000 $ last year. She made almost 3 million dollars in her career. She didn't get 10 times the amount she made in her career. She was a top 15 player, reached two Slam Quarters.

B) Shahar made no political statement what so ever, and went overboard saying she felt she was treated warmly. She never slammed the tournament or Dubai, just said she was happy to be given the chance to play and do well.

C) No Israeli newspaper reportd such thing about the Mossad. The Israeli papers conveyed the publications in the forigen press, which speculated it was the Mossad. The only person to blame Israel and the Mossad in anything was the Dubai police captain, without a single proof, too.

d) Your comparison between Shahar and Bin Laden is idiotic, to say the least. The Plus, as far as I know, Bin Laden actually had next of kin living in the USO.

Lina... you're talking rubbish. Peer was awarded $44,250 for not being allowed to play Dubai last year. This figure was calculated from her average earnings from tournaments in 2008. Fair compensation.

Your comparison of Peer, a citizen of Israel, with a relative of Bin Laden would have been merely provocative if it did not also reveal how little you understand the issue. A professional athlete related to Bin Laden should have every right to play in New York. If your cousin robbed Bank A, would you expect to be fired from your job at Bank B?

sorry Or... didn't see your comment...

Yeah, I get that the Sania Mirza comparison was a bit weak, but there aren't really tennis players on the women's tour from the middle east.

But lets just say that I have every reason to believe than a Syrian player on the WTA tour would be welcomed to enter Israel, if she wanted to play a tournament here.

They just won't come, so Israel doesn't really hav a chance to prove that.

LOL, I wrote "living in the USO" rather than the US.

Another thought re: Sania Mirza etc. On second though, not sure my example was THAT far fetched.

The Dubai tournament organizers didn't say 'we don't want her in the country because she's an Israeli and there are no political ties'

Had they said THAT - there wouldn't be a tournament right now.

What the tournament organizers said (last year, and a little this year) was 'because she's an Israeli, and due to the political situation, we can't protect her'. They basically said "We can't protect her due to who she is"

Does it really matter whether it is because she's Jewish or because she's an Israeli? Basically they said that they can't defend her against people who hate her for something that can't help and isn't her fault.

If a tournament says THAT - should there be a tournament in this country? Isn't that basically saying "We're letting terrorist run amok in the country, no one is safe".

Hell, the only thing was really know about the asssasination story, is that Dubai let a confessed terrorist and a murderer into the country, and not for the first time.

I imagine that made SO many players feel safe.

I don't know Or. Many countries struggle to separate politics from sport, or art. The US, for instance, refused visas to a Cuban baseball team until President Bush intervened. In India, there's been much controversy over allowing Pakistani cricketers to take part in the lucrative international Indian Premier League tournament. A famous actor was (idiotically) taken to task by right wing politicians for suggesting that individual sportsmen be judged as individuals rather than representatives of an 'enemy' government.

Security is an issue. Dubai was wrong to bar Peer last year and they rectified that this year. Of course, this time the security was criticised as excessive. I see no reason to take the tournament away from Dubai.

I'm not going to argue about the assassination. You're right, we don't know if Mossad was behind it. But I don't agree with the rest of your argument. By that token, let's take Wimbledon away from England because we know "terrorists" and "extremists" have been allowed to enter and even live in London.

Yet another Lurker -

The difference is, that Wimbledon/UK aren't saying they can't allow people to participate because they fear terrorism in the country, while Dubai had.

Israel is forever struggling to host forgien teams in various soccer tournaments, for example, and is forever fighting against the assumption in the world that it isn't safe in Israel. Tournaments in Israel had been canceled none-stop over the years due to the problems in the region.

We are forever declaring that yes, there may be problem in place X, but place Y, where the tournament is suppose to be, is pefectly safe, the army/police are securing the site, we're very good at security, athletes, please come and feel safe.

And yet, in 2002 due to the second Intifada, blowing buses, suicide bombing etc, Israel wasn't allowed to host soccer matches in one of the European cups an Israeli team happened to participate in that year - even though we contantly said the site would be safe.We had to host in greece, I believe.
A tennis tourament in Israel was canceled in 2006 due to the war with Lebanon (even though it was suppose to take place in Tel Aviv, where nothing bad happened)

So, how come a country *declaring* that her tournament isn't safe from terrorists is allowed to host them?

I'm not being clear.

I imagine there are situations where Israel may claim that X player from a certain hostile country can't enter the country because he's suspected of terrorist activity. Theoratically, it can happen. It probably won't, because most athletes aren't terrorists.

What I can't imagine Israel (or any sane country who want to host sporting event) declaring, is that a player from Iran who want to play in Israel isn't safe from terrorist/extremist activity going on in Israel. I try to imagine a scenerio where Israel is saying "Nope, a mad fanatic settler may do you harm, so don't come/come but we're going to lock you up in your hotel room".

That's insane. A country whose saying that basically saying that the entire tournament isn't safe, because if there are terrorists in Dubai who want to hurt Shahar, the same terrorist probably isn't that crazy about Venus and Serena Williams, or Andy Roddick, either.

It is the tournament that should be protected, no player X.

Or... Israel hosts plenty of soccer matches in Tel Aviv, no? Palestine is a member of FIFA. Do they get to play any matches at home? Isn't there a problem even getting a team together for training sessions because Israel doesn't grant exit visas easily, because there are so many restrictions on travelling between Gaza and the West Bank?

Dubai is widely recognised as a generally safe place to host tennis tournaments. Of course, there is a special problem with regard to Israeli players. The tournament made the wrong decision, paid a price, and have now rectified their mistake. Indeed, Andy Ram played the men's event the same year that Peer was barred. Peer was kept safe this year and did very well. Why should Dubai not be allowed to host the tournament in the future?

Must do some reading, will get back to you on that...

"The only person to blame Israel and the Mossad in anything was the Dubai police captain, without a single proof, too."

Aw, c'mon Or, you know that is not true. :)

Wasn't part of the problem last year that an Israeli man was freely admitted into Dubai the following week?

Don't mix politics and sport

What a beautiful sentence. But people, we're talking about one the biggest political problem of the past 60 years, how can you avoid it ?

@ roGER

'When it comes to Israel and the Middle East, you're cliched, ignorant and wear huge blinkers.

Do us all a favour; stick to tennis'

This is exactly what I wanted to say to Tignor.

Geez even Bin laden is in a tennis forum.

well at least this isn't the typical roger vs. rafa argument...

It is sad that Lina and Sam have such a problem with Shahar Peer. It is immoral to deny a professional tennis player the opportunity to play in a tennis tournament solely because the player is from Israel. It would be equally wrong to do the same thing to any other player because of his or her country of citizenship. The only criteria for being invited to a tournament is ranking. If you are ranked high enough, you get an invitation. Dubai thought that because of its billions of dollars from oil, it could bully the WTA and bully Barclays. Larry Scott deserves lots of credit for punishing Dubai for its conduct last year and preventing Dubai from getting away with that in 2010. Andy Roddick deserves lots of credit for being the only player to boycott the Dubai event in 2009 because it discriminated against Shahar Peer.
To the detractors of Shahar such as Lina and Sam, I can only that if you got to know Shahar, you would find that you like her very much as a person and that will change your view. So keep an open mind.

Sam, Syd and Roger and people of your ilk, you make me shake my head in sad disbelief that you equate the importance (or results) of a tennis tournament with human rights and human decency. Evidently lost on you is that sports is supposed to be about decency, hence the term "sportsmanship." And surely if you weren't so one dimensional you would realize that it wasn't Ms. Peer who politicized the event but the government of Dubai. By turning a blind eye to prejudice and discrimination or minimizing its deleterious effects, you support it and allow it to continue. If the tennis world was more concerned about human rights and decency than about money, it would have followed Andy Roddick's lead and boycotted the tournament. Unfortunately, there are too many like you that are willing to stand idly by as long as their necks are not at risk.

philgee... the human right to play in a tournament worth several hundred thousand dollars? From my comments earlier in this thread, it should be clear that I support Peer's right to play in Dubai and think that the UAE made a terrible decision to deny her a visa last year. But your cant about "human rights and decency" is just that -- cant.

Your campaign to combat "prejudice and discrimination... its deleterious effects," and support "human rights and human decency" in Dubai is truly admirable. Pity "the tennis world" doesn't share your noble sentiments. Shahar Peer's rights are clearly important to you; I wonder if you apply that standard to Palestinians. Maybe it's you that stands idly by, making sonorous pronouncements on straightforward, trivial affairs while ignoring the grave injustices taking place under your nose.

@...Lurker--I agree with your perspective. Its hard to equate the right to play professional tennis with human rights, and the issues between Israel and her Arab neighbors are way too complex to be characterized as simple discrimination against an athlete.

Its relatively easy to admit an athlete, or a team of athletes into a country where the other citizens of that country are not allowed to travel. Its been done in the US (w/Cuban baseball players for example), and many other countries. In these circumstances, the athletes must decide for themselves whether or not they should use their special status as international sports figures to circumvent the political barriers in place, or whether they would use a boycott (i.e. the one against apartheid S. Africa, when African Americans were not allowed to enter that country) to bring down the barriers.

If Peer's admission and on-court successes in the Dubai tournament were to lead to a warming of relations between Dubai and her country (sort of a cultural exchange, I guess), then all of the attention and efforts would not be in vain. Otherwise, it to me, it highlights the fact that athletes are treated differently than the rest of us when it comes to international restrictions on travel. I wonder how those in Israel viewed this affair? Was it a matter of Peer standing up for her rights, or would the average Israeli ever be interested in going to Dubai at all?

Any tournament that disallows players based on their racial political or religious background should be boycotted out of existence. It would be a discrace to humanity for people to sanction such racial and religious discrimination.

If there isn't already one, there should be created by the WTA and ATP etc. a zero-tolerance policy against religious and racial discrimination. No professional players should compete in or even attend such festivals of racism and antisemitism as previously existed in Dubai. Same would be true of similar festivals of anti-islamism.

Yes... Sarnka... leave it to Europeans and Americans to tell Semitic peoples that they're anti-semitic. I wonder if the UAE has political reasons to cut off diplomatic relations with Israel other than religious hatred.

Anna... Baghdatis wins... 6-1 second set... score belies the intensity of the set... great play by Baghdatis... should give Djokovic all he can handle...

Lurker, The Palestinians, aren't they the ones who have lobbed 10,000 missles into Israel since being given Gaza lock, stock and barrel (after the displacement by the Israeli government of hundreds of their own citizens who have lived there for many years) to begin the formation of their own state which they say they so desperately want? Aren't they the ones who waged a civil war between their leadership organizations - the horribly corrupt PLO/Fatah and the terrorist Hamas, killing many of their own people (which, incidently, did not provoke a peep of protest from the UN)? If any injustice is being visited on the Palestinians, the greatest injustice has been from their own leadership who keeps them constantly at war with Israel and among themselves, and their arab brethren who expelled them from the existing Palestinian state of Jordan (whereupon they went to and destroyed Beirut) financed by the UN and Israel (who still provides them with medical care, water and other services). But of course a bigot as you have shown yourself to be could never acknowlege this or look at things fairly. Obviously human rights and decency are alien to your warped way of thinking.

Jay - you are too funny. The complexities of the issues between Israel and the Arab nations are justification for denying an athlete a visa? And you say it so seriously too. We know, of course, that you are joking by your next statement that "Its relatively easy to admit an athlete, or a team of athletes into a country where the other citizens of that country are not allowed to travel." And what difference does it make re: granting an athlete a visa whether any other Israelis would care to visit Dubai? Not as amusing as your first statement but droll due to its irrelevance.

philgee... how can one argue with the historical truths you have laid down in so concise, controlled and disinterested a fashion? You are clearly on the side of justice. Everyone reading this thread should look to your post as a model of decency and concern for human rights.

gee turkey lurkey, you actually do have a shred of sense in that usually sarcastic, bitter head of yours - glad to see it. Sarcasm though is a pitiably poor substitute for a rebuttal based on facts or reasoning - but, if that is all you're capable of, well, we understand.

btw, lurkey, just wondering if the PLO or Hamas are paying you or are you just a pro bono shill? Also wondering, since you seem so sympathetic, whether you think the 9/11 terrorists were acting on legitimate gripes and therefore justified in their actions. Ditto for those who bombed the busses and subways of London - who immigrated of their own free will, were given an education and opportunities to work and practice their faith yet sought the jihadist way to thank their hosts. And the shoe bomber and underwear bomber who sought to bring down commercial planes for their cause...the list goes on and on... all justified according to you?

philgee... are those what you meant by "facts" and "reasoning"? "Turkey lurkey" is brilliant, by the way. Your spoof is spot on. Or wait. Are you actually Glenn Beck?

Who knows, maybe this thread will entertain Steve's regular readers tomorrow. Or maybe the mods will get to it. What a depressing end to what had been a reasonable discussion. Anyway, good night philgee. I'm assuming you need sleep before you go off to fight your own jihad. Presumably, you're not just -- what was it? -- standing idly by but actually putting your neck at risk defending your beliefs. Or are you just another idiot with a mouse?

Lurkey, No facts, no logic, no answers, no reasoned arguments, in fact, nothing of substance at all - just cheap shots, name calling and snide remarks seems to be all you are capable of. Me an idiot? maybe, maybe not but I do feel a bit foolish wasting my time going back and forth with such an intellectually superficial and morally hollow and insincere individual when I actually knew the kind of person (and I use the term loosely) you are by your first comment in this thread. If I were likewise insincere, I'd wish you a good night too.

philgee... it's all really quite simple (though nothing it would seem is too simple or reductive for you). To argue with you, to attempt debate would suggest you had a point of view worth debating. Anyone who reads your posts can see they are full of lies, fantasy and invective. Anyone who reads my discussions with Or any of my other posts on this thread will understand my position with regard to Shahar Peer.

You talk about cheap shots and name calling. Read your own posts. Though I imagine irony and self-awareness are not among your chief strengths. You enjoy using specious, sonorous phrases like "intellectually superficial" and "morally hollow" -- again, my only response is, read your own posts.

lurkey, so self-inflated and self-congratulatory - it's truly nauseating. Of course you are the only one that has valid points - those of others are fantasy and lies - you self-righteous load of excrement. Answer this so you can have the last word - I'm done.

philgee... thanks for the last word. Everything I said about fantasies and lies applies only to you, not others. Again. Read my contributions to this thread. I have disagreed with others, they have disagreed with me. Our conversations have been civil.

Your lack of self-awareness is alarming but I guess, in a peculiar way, also impressive. You suspect that I am in the pay of Hamas and believe 9/11 was justified. Based on what? And you say I can't engage with the dissenting opinions of others? Forgive me for not taking you all that seriously.

Of course, it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that I apologize to all other posters and Steve for aiding and abetting the hijacking of this thread.

Andy Roddick's boycott was lame because he was never going to make it to that tournament anyway because he was playing Davis Cup that week.