Elena Dementieva had to clarify a declaration she made after her semifinal loss to Venus Williams at Wimbledon about the possible up-coming family decision in the final. At the time of the press conference, Serena Williams was still playing in her semifinal. Dementieva blamed language difficulties for her initial comments being taken the wrong way.
What she said doesn’t matter. Whether she was right or wrong, meant it or not, is not the point here. The point is that Dementieva is fluent in Russian, her native tongue, French, which she learned in school in Moscow, and is capable of conducting post-match interviews in English, in all forms of English. English from the UK, from the US, from Argentina, China or Spain...
Marat Safin speaks Russian, Spanish and conducts his interviews in English. Roger Federer speaks French, English, German and Italian. Rafael Nadal has worked on his English as much as on his serve over the past few years but remains seemingly frustrated when he doesn’t understand a question.
Andy Roddick speaks English. Harvard educated James Blake speaks English. Venus and Serena Williams speak English. They all speak English and only English, whether they play in Paris or in Rome.
Until interviews, all interviews of tennis players after an historic win or a bad loss, are conducting in their native tongues I believe we should forgive them for a slip of the tongue.