Big shoulders. Tight buns. Unimaginable strength. Until a couple weeks ago, those phrases described the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena. In a complimentary way. As in, "These chicks are tough". That they had physical attributes many male players envied was just a testament to their unlimited potential on the world of women's tennis.

Amelie Mauresmo of France has those same attributes. She blasted her way into the Australian Open final by beating the No. 1 player in the world, Lindsay Davenport, and gave Martina Hingis a decent match before losing. "I thought I was playing a guy," Davenport said after her match with Mauresmo.

That comment can be taken many different ways. What Martina Hingis said can't. "She's here with her girlfriend. She's half a man already." Davenport issued statements explaining that she was, indeed complimenting Mauresmo on her play. She also spoke to Mauresmo and wrote a note to her as well. Mauresmo says there's no rift with Davenport. Hingis, on the other hand, refused to exchange the traditional kiss after the end of the title match. She hasn't recanted any of her comments, either.

Hey, I have to admit that Mauresmo looks nothing like the other teen sensations of the women's tour. Hingis, the Williams sisters and Anna Kournikova have at times referred to themselves as the Spice Girls. And it's hard to ignore the fact that while most men couldn't identify Davenport as the world's top player, they know Anna Kournikova's tan line like the back of their hands. Or is that the palm...

Do you know a guy who can name a member of the U.S. women's soccer team other than Mia Hamm? Well, she is the best player in the world, so let's try another example. Name a pro basketball player other than Rebecca Lobo. Good luck. Just like male athletes, the best aren't all pretty. For every Michael Jordan there's a Scottie Pippen. Now, I'm not ripping on Scottie. It's just that he's not pretty. Kind of handsome, perhaps, but not pretty. Mauresmo is handsome. Definitely not pretty. She's definitely a powerful woman. And we all know how some guys respond to strong women.

That's the thing about men and female athletes. The fact is that power, grace and an indomitable will are the things which make an athlete great. More often than not, these people are freaks of nature. Sometimes attractive, sometimes not. Me, I think Mauresmo is attractive. The way she moves. Hell, that's one of the reasons I watch athletes, male and female. I like to see people do things I could never dream of doing. And no, I don't think about what they do in their off time.

Apparently, a number of people do worry about such irrelevancies. And yet, as Mauresmo walked around Melbourne with her girlfriend, I get the idea that some walls are coming down. Even ten years ago, this would have been front-page news. Now, it's just a side issue. And she's got plenty of folks in the establishment on her side. Many commentators have openly criticized Hingis's ignorance. This little storm over Mauresmo's sexuality is nothing like that which engulfed Martina Navratilova. Except for one thing.

Without exception, my friends said, "I knew it" when they heard that Mauresmo was a lesbian. Just what they said years ago when Navratilova came out. They all said the same things about Martina (the elder). She looked like a man. She played like a man. She consistently beat the all-American girl, Chris Evert. And she paid for all of it. Almost no endorsements from sponsors. Players who shunned her. Death threats. Denunciations from pulpits. The whole mess.

Right now, all Mauresmo has to deal with are the catty comments of a few players. She does have a few things on her side. Admiration by many. Like me. I wish I had Mauresmo's physique. She's impressive. And because of people like Navratilova and Billie Jean King, she is able to live her life in relative peace. As peaceful as the life of a top tennis player can be, anyway.

Jon Worley can't understand why more people don't like watching Pete Sampras play tennis. The guy is kinda good, y'know.