OPEN NOTES

USA Network’s Tracy Austin questioned the judgment yesterday of the parents of Serena and Venus Williams for not providing their daughters with better coaching.

Years ago, Richard Williams was criticized for keeping his young daughters off the traditional USTA junior tour, instead using practice sessions on the cracked Compton courts in Los Angeles to toughen them up.

Though neither Williams sister has won a Grand Slam event this year and Venus has slumped to the No. 11 seed at the Open, the Austin attack seems unwarranted. Their slumps are more because of injury and the murder of their other sister last year than anything technical.

“Both Williams sisters, their forehands break down,” Austin said. “And their parents – Oracene and Richard – are not real tennis players. But they have been their coaches, basically their only coaches, for the last five, six years. They’ve had plenty of hitting partners. But that’s something I am starting to question.”

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The Cal Ripken Jr. of Tennis, Wayne Ferreira, 32, retired yesterday after playing a record 56 straight Grand Slam events. Following his loss to Lleyton Hewitt, he said, “When I leave here, I’ve played pretty much everybody.”