2015 ATP General Tennis News

[Kieran]

OK, you guys abused enough this thread with the debate about which master event is more prestigious than the other

Time to get back on track, so here is a real news:
Tommy Haas will return only after RG, for the grass season:
http://www.si.com/tennis/2015/04/27/novak-djokovic-withdraws-madrid-open-2015-atp-masters

Good idea for him, and a longer grasscourt season it is, too. Could be his last one, so I hope he has many deep runs and a productive Wimbledon...

 

[isabelle]

There really is no point on focussing on others when you are trying to win an event.

Novak needs to win 7 matches this year at RG. Maybe he will face Rafa maybe not. He needs to be ready physically and mentally. If skipping Madrid helps with that, then it's a good decision. Considering his match time already this year I was certainly hoping he would skip Madrid.

Then I guess we agree.

Other than I don't think it was a tough choice because of Rafa.

Any news on Del Potro? Will he play Madrid?

No Delpotro before RG at best

 

[nehmeth]

He still has to give a reason though. Anyone knows?

Buried further down in the article is this:

"While the Madrid Open is a mandatory ATP event, Djokovic has earned an exemption under the rules given his length of service and is allowed to skip one mandatory event without any penalties. The ATP rules allow a player to skip one mandatory event if he has (1) played more than 600 matches in his career, (2) been on tour for 12 years, or (3) reaches the age of 31. If a player reaches all three milestones, as Federer has, he may skip any and all Masters without penalty."

It is amazing how long nole has been around and how far he has come.

While no "reason" is necessary, the ugly trophy, the even uglier owner of the event, and the clay on cement surface should be reasons enough. (Not to mention it lacks prestige) :snicker

It would be nice to see Nadal and Nishi battle it out again, with the samurai looking to finish what he started last year. At this point in the season, it looks as though Kei may be the bigger obstacle to Novak's RG aspirations.

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/12773199/tennis-kei-nishikori-leading-candidate-foil-rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic-french-open-hopes
(interesting observations)

 

[Front242]

Coric hires Thomas Johansson as coach. Interesting. Yet another slam winner hired as coach.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/04/coric-hires-thomas-johansson-coach/54780/#.VUEnYJNm50I

 

[Fiero425]

There have been so many upsets in these smaller tournaments; with withdrawals! No wonder not too many points are given out with an easy path to the final for most top seeds! Lopez is the first one gone in Estoril though! :cover :eyepop

 

[tented]

Coric hires Thomas Johansson as coach. Interesting. Yet another slam winner hired as coach.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/04/coric-hires-thomas-johansson-coach/54780/#.VUEnYJNm50I

Awesome. Thanks for sharing this, Front.

I have high hopes for Coric, and it speaks to his ambition to have switched coaches at this stage. (I'm not sure who he was with, but given how young he is, I suspect it's someone he has been with for a while, so it may have been a difficult decision.)

 

[Moxie]

Completely anecdotally, I drove past the BJK Tennis Center today, and got a good view of the progress on the roof. It seems pretty far along, and it is MASSIVE.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

just glanced at del potro's farcebook page, not much info but a pic of him with bits of pasta over his hands..:dodgy: i cooked pasta for my mum and me and I don't recall making such a mess as that. :exclamation:

 

[Fiero425]

Completely anecdotally, I drove past the BJK Tennis Center today, and got a good view of the progress on the roof. It seems pretty far along, and it is MASSIVE.

Is it expected to be done for play this year or next? I really thought they were going to find another location rather than to upgrade this place! :cover uzzled :angel: :dodgy:

 

[herios]

ATP announced today, Vienna (indoors) will become a 500 event, replacing Valencia, which will be dumped down to a 250.
This move was following a request by both tournaments, according to the article.

 

[Moxie]

Completely anecdotally, I drove past the BJK Tennis Center today, and got a good view of the progress on the roof. It seems pretty far along, and it is MASSIVE.

Is it expected to be done for play this year or next? I really thought they were going to find another location rather than to upgrade this place! :cover uzzled :angel: :dodgy:

2016, it sounds like: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/sports/tennis/long-sought-us-open-roof-at-arthur-ashe-stadium-is-taking-shape.html?_r=0

 

[isabelle]

ATP announced today, Vienna (indoors) will become a 500 event, replacing Valencia, which will be dumped down to a 250.
This move was following a request by both tournaments, according to the article.

I was expected since Valencia lost one of his sponsors (and a lot of money). Happy for our member Johnsteinbeck

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

^ yes! and thanks for thinking of me. i wonder how that'll influence a) players and b) ticket prices ... last year, w/ Murray, was quite a draw for vienna, of course. i suspect it won't make that much of a difference, although it'll be even more likely to become a factor for guys trying to make it to London. i also hope it'll draw an (even) better field for the qualifying, cause that's always free and quite fun to watch.

 

[tented]

^ yes! and thanks for thinking of me. i wonder how that'll influence a) players and b) ticket prices ... last year, w/ Murray, was quite a draw for vienna, of course. i suspect it won't make that much of a difference, although it'll be even more likely to become a factor for guys trying to make it to London. i also hope it'll draw an (even) better field for the qualifying, cause that's always free and quite fun to watch.

What is this word "free"? We don't have that in the US.

 

[herios]

^ yes! and thanks for thinking of me. i wonder how that'll influence a) players and b) ticket prices ... last year, w/ Murray, was quite a draw for vienna, of course. i suspect it won't make that much of a difference, although it'll be even more likely to become a factor for guys trying to make it to London. i also hope it'll draw an (even) better field for the qualifying, cause that's always free and quite fun to watch.

What is this word "free"? We don't have that in the US.

Isn't your country the richest in the world? Makes sense to me to be no freebies

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Are Vienna and Valencia exchanging the times in the calendar as well?

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

anyone know if Christian garin had an injury ?.

..I didn't see him around on the challengers recently and according to atp site he didn't play for 5 or6 weeks from march 9th-apr 20th or so.

 

[Moxie]

anyone know if Christian garin had an injury ?.

..I didn't see him around on the challengers recently and according to atp site he didn't play for 5 or6 weeks from march 9th-apr 20th or so.

He lost yesterday in a challenger in Sao Paolo. No injury mentioned.

 

[isabelle]

Are Vienna and Valencia exchanging the times in the calendar as well?

I don't think so

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

that usa kid francis diafoe (??)..won a wildcard into French open main draw by doing stuff in some challengers.

was it mentioned elsewhere on here ?..might have missed it tho.