Across the Net: Issue 21
A shortened version of our weekly newsletter: a round-up of the best women's sports coverage from across the internet. To get the full version of Across The Net every week, complete with fun GIFs and bonus chat, straight into your inbox, sign up at the bottom of the page.
Tennis
Wozniacki Transfixes in her First Grand Slam Win
Even if you're not a tennis head, you'll likely know by now who took the Australian Open title – it's been well covered. But this piece by Kate O'Halloran beautifully breezes through the tournament as a whole, and what it took for Wozniacki to [finally!] get that Grand Slam trophy. Her relief was evident in the full body collapse moments after the win – which was maybe actually just straight up dehydration since her opponent Simona Halep was hospitalised that evening for it...
Read more here
Gymnastics
Beyond Larry Nassar & the Culture of Abuse That Enabled Him
Author Joan Ryan has been discussing the abusive environment that surrounds gymnasts for a long time – in 1995, she wrote Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters – which exposed the abusive coaching, eating disorders, and high stress that accompanies training for so many young women.
This incredibly important piece following the abuse scandal isn't long but gives incredible insight into the toxic culture in female gymnastics, as well as what will and won’t change after the Nassar scandal, and America’s weird relationship to female athletes. Vitally, Ryan discusses that this isn't just an abuse of their bodies, but in fact a culture of abuse of all kinds.
Read more here
Athletics
18 Russian Athletes Cleared to Compete as Neutrals at Indoor Track Champs
The IAAF has renewed permission for 18 Russians, all of whom competed last year as neutral athletes because Russia has been suspended for doping. The federation says it has received 80 applications from Russians and is still working through them, with priority for athletes who want to compete at the world indoor championships in early March.
Many Russian athletes have now been cleared to compete as independents in the Winter Olympics too. Like a lot of athletes. 169 in fact. Sooo not so much a ban after all?
Read more here
Img: High jump world champ Mariya Lasitskene, one of the cleared athletes
Curling
Think You Could Be an Olympic Curler? Er... Not So Much
Couldn't end a newsletter without mentioning curling once, could we? We loved this piece on what makes a curling athlete, and why no actually, not anyone could do it. We're not the only ones to be celebrating the brush-and-stone sport – it's even making it in sunny Tampa, Florida.
Read more here
Img Credit: Wang Bingyu competing at the World Curling Tour, Basel
WHAT'S ON? : FEB
2nd | RUGBY UNION
Six Nations Begins: Wales v. Scotland
Watch Live in Colwyn Bay
9th – 25th | WINTER OLYMPICS
Pyeongchang, South Korea
Watch Live on BBC
17th – 18th | ATHLETICS
British Indoor Champs
Watch Live in Birmingham
17th – 18th | GYMNASTICS
British Champs, Acrobatic
Watch Live in Stoke
