Pete, Venus Mowed Them Down

Whatever happened to “Nice guys finish last?” Pete Sampras and Venus Williams, that’s what.

LOWELL DABBS

Santa Barbara

If my son ever turns me down as his role model, I hope he turns to someone like Pete Sampras as my successor.

ART STANLON

Costa Mesa

*

At last Pete Sampras gets his due. It has been a long time coming, but now he’ll finally receive the accolades befitting a true champion for the ages.

When’s the parade?

ANDREW GRANT

Santa Monica

*

To Lindsay Davenport: Congratulations for being a class act. It was obvious that your back injury was restricting your mobility, but you never used it as an excuse. You’re a real champion.

To Venus Williams: I know you are self-involved, but would it have been too much to at least acknowledge Davenport’s presence on the court?

To Richard Williams: Buy a red nose and floppy shoes. The circus has a place for you.

HARRIS J. LEVEY

Santa Monica

*

What a wonderful sight it was to see the absolute joy on the face of Venus Williams after capturing the Wimbledon crown. Not only has she matured in her tennis game, but she is polished in her television interviews. If she is able to stay injury free, and continues to improve, she may become one of the best ever to play on grass.

ANTHONY MORRIS

Los Angeles

*

I heard some character from Rolling Stone say on “Nightline,” “Now that the Williams sisters have arrived in the world of tennis, the days of Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe are over.” He is, unfortunately, right. The days of humility, decorum and gentility are indeed over.

ZACHARY A. CHARLES

Burbank

*

Being one of many who was not able to watch Wimbledon live, I counted on NBC and CNN/SI’s tape-delayed coverage for the drama and excitement of this summer classic.

So how shocked was I when NBC, in promoting their evening news, showed video of a smiling Venus Williams, and then a dejected Serena Williams, right in the middle of the sisters’ match?

But that was nothing compared to what CNN/SI did next. After warning us in an earlier commercial that their Web site was posting the results of the women’s finals, they continued to promote it anyway with commercials, including one just before the match-ending tiebreaker that displayed the site’s front page: A picture of Venus in action under the headline:”VENUS VICTORIOUS.”

Is this unbelievable? Or am I just a fool to not expect TV networks to put self-promotion ahead of the fans’ enjoyment of the sports they televise?

JULIAN PARDO

Reseda