2016 ATP General News

[GameSetAndMath]

Stan might skip Cincy also. If so, Cincy takes huge hit with Roger, Novak and Stan out.
Who knows what Andy / Rafa will decide considering they are going deep in Rio?

Tsonga'll be there (source l'Equipe) and our dear Paire who''ll do his best 'cause this time, Cincy offers a lot of monet and point (unlike Rio) !!

If Rafa and Andy also skip, the Cincy will have none of the top five player. Finally, we will have an outsider win an ATP Master's tourney. :cover

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Stan has arrived in Cincy. So, Cincy can at the most miss Big Four (and not Five ).

 

[isabelle]

Thierry Champion is new Paire's coach

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Bad News for JMDP. He is not in the Cincy draw. Moreover, his protected ranking status expires on Aug. 22nd. As his current ranking is 141, he is pretty much at the mercy of tournament organizers to play tour level events.

In particular, this applies to USO as well. If the USTA does not give him a wild-card he just cannot play at USO (although he would make the cut for the qualifying event there and can qualify). Hopefully, USTA would have some sense and give JMDP a wild card instead of making him play in the qualifying.

Same story for all the remaining masters events and 500 events. The ranking of 141 often does not make the cut even in a 250 tourney. Also, the south American swing of the tourney is already over (where you can expect generous wild card awards for JMDP) and so JMDP will have tough life ahead until end of AO 2017, just to enter tourneys. :cry

 

[the AntiPusher]

Bad News for JMDP. He is not in the Cincy draw. Moreover, his protected ranking status expires on Aug. 22nd. As his current ranking is 141, he is pretty much at the mercy of tournament organizers to play tour level events.

In particular, this applies to USO as well. If the USTA does not give him a wild-card he just cannot play at USO (although he would make the cut for the qualifying event there and can qualify). Hopefully, USTA would have some sense and give JMDP a wild card instead of making him play in the qualifying.

Same story for all the remaining masters events and 500 events. The ranking of 141 often does not make the cut even in a 250 tourney. Also, the south American swing of the tourney is already over (where you can expect generous wild card awards for JMDP) and so JMDP will have tough life ahead until end of AO 2017, just to enter tourneys. :cry

JMDP has no worries.. he will be given a WC for almost any tournament he wants to enter.. He is a fan favorite and the ATP needs him with Federer out, Djoker and Rafa not 100%. Andy is playing well be he isn't the DRAW as the other members big 4 guys are.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Bad News for JMDP. He is not in the Cincy draw. Moreover, his protected ranking status expires on Aug. 22nd. As his current ranking is 141, he is pretty much at the mercy of tournament organizers to play tour level events.

In particular, this applies to USO as well. If the USTA does not give him a wild-card he just cannot play at USO (although he would make the cut for the qualifying event there and can qualify). Hopefully, USTA would have some sense and give JMDP a wild card instead of making him play in the qualifying.

Same story for all the remaining masters events and 500 events. The ranking of 141 often does not make the cut even in a 250 tourney. Also, the south American swing of the tourney is already over (where you can expect generous wild card awards for JMDP) and so JMDP will have tough life ahead until end of AO 2017, just to enter tourneys. :cry

JMDP has no worries.. he will be given a WC for almost any tournament he wants to enter.. He is a fan favorite and the ATP needs him with Federer out, Djoker and Rafa not 100%. Andy is playing well be he isn't the DRAW as the other members big 4 guys are.

I am almost positive that USO would give him a wild card as he is a former champion there. But, I am not so sure about other tourneys. I hope they do give wild cards and support him. JMDP should be able to get into top 30 be the end of South American Swing of 2017, if not before.

 

[isabelle]

Delpo is probably too tired to play Cincy, both Nadal and Murray shoud have pulled out, they need some rest before USO

 

[Carol]

What is going on with Novak?

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2016-08-10/23797.php

 

[GameSetAndMath]

What is going on with Novak?

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2016-08-10/23797.php

There seem to be the following four general theories on Novak.

1. He has some undisclosed injuries preventing him to play good.
2. He has no physical injuries, but has some personal/life problems that is preventing him to focus on playing good.
3. He has no physical injury or personal problem, but is suffering from mental fatigue that comes from being expected to play again and again and expected to win all the time.
4. He has no physical injury or personal problem or mental fatigue; his level of play has simply dropped as nothing ever lasts forever.

I don't know which is the case as I am not privy to his secrets. Perhaps, some Novak fans (Billie?) can shed some light based on what Serbian Media says about this.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Good news for JMDP. He was given a wild card into the US Open by the USTA. The complete list of wild card recipients will be released later today. :clap :clap

Now, let us hope Winston-Salem gives him one too to warm-up for the USO.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Tommy Haas and Kevin Anderson have been given wild-cards into the Winston-Salem tourney, the only tennis tourney in the week before USO. No word yet on JMDP. Of course, we don't even know whether he wants to play there or go straight to USO. He could not have asked for a wild card before today as he needed to play in the qualifying for USO (which is in the same week as WS) in case USTA did not offer him wild-card into USO.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The USTA has announced all wild cards except for the Australian Reciprocal Wildcard that will be decided by Australian Tennis Association. JMDP tops the list.

Rajeev Ram, a silver medalist in Olympics mixed doubles, also got one.

Other notables who got are Francis Tiafoe , Bjorn Fratangelo and NCAA singles champion McDonald.

Of the 8 wild cards, only five are really open. Australian reciprocal exchange wildcard, USTA Pro circuit winner, USTA Boy's18 National Champion are the four wild cards which are given based on a process instead of discretion by USTA.

They used to have a French reciprocal exchange wildcard. Either they discontinued it or they just overrode it this year due to JMDP.

Tall Opelka got wild card into qualifying.

 

[Backhand_DTL]

What is going on with Novak?

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2016-08-10/23797.php

There seem to be the following four general theories on Novak.

1. He has some undisclosed injuries preventing him to play good.
2. He has no physical injuries, but has some personal/life problems that is preventing him to focus on playing good.
3. He has no physical injury or personal problem, but is suffering from mental fatigue that comes from being expected to play again and again and expected to win all the time.
4. He has no physical injury or personal problem or mental fatigue; his level of play has simply dropped as nothing ever lasts forever.

I don't know which is the case as I am not privy to his secrets. Perhaps, some Novak fans (Billie?) can shed some light based on what Serbian Media says about this.

If I remember correctly I read that he told Serbian media after the loss at the Olympics that he had to adjust his movement because of the injury which had a negative effect on his defence but wasn't hindered in any other way because of it during the match.

In genal I think a combination of 1 and 3 is likely. That he mentioned a recurring injury in his facebook post about skipping Cincinnati indicates that the rumours of him having some problems since the clay season might be true and there are small issues with neck, shoulder, elbow or wrist. It's certainly nothing too bad as apart from Rome he played quite well in at least all the semis and finals he reached but since April he clearly seems to have more off days than during the 18 months before and is less reliable in reaching these stages.

But whatever problem it is probably affects his practice routines so his base level is not as great as before at the moment and playing at a high level in matches requires a bigger effort than normal. In combination with Novak not being used to competing while not being 100% healthy that could also be an explanation for the signs of mental fatigue and sometimes bad mood he has shown recently.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Djokovic is probably both mentally and physically fatigue from all the tennis he has played in the past year and a half. Also, he is 29 years old so he is probably feeling the physical effects more than ever. The good thing is that he is in the point of his career in which he really only have to focus on Slam count and maybe Masters 1000 titles count. He does not need to play well week in and week out.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Djokovic is probably both mentally and physically fatigue from all the tennis he has played in the past year and a half. Also, he is 29 years old so he is probably feeling the physical effects more than ever. The good thing is that he is in the point of his career in which he really only have to focus on Slam count and maybe Masters 1000 titles count. He does not need to play well week in and week out.

He was not playing small tourneys already for a while now. So, not playing small tourneys is not going to be anything new for him and so would not improve whatever is the problem he is having.

 

[Front242]

Here's another scenario for you. He's playing clean since Wimbledon and what you're seeing is his true level back to 2009/2010.

 

[herios]

Here's another scenario for you. He's playing clean since Wimbledon and what you're seeing is his true level back to 2009/2010.

That is not a theory. Just an obsession of yours and no one else.

 

[isabelle]

Bjorkman is the new Cilic's coach

 

[Fiero425]

Djokovic is probably both mentally and physically fatigue from all the tennis he has played in the past year and a half. Also, he is 29 years old so he is probably feeling the physical effects more than ever. The good thing is that he is in the point of his career in which he really only have to focus on Slam count and maybe Masters 1000 titles count. He does not need to play well week in and week out.

Believe me; that's been the case for a while! He's been playing just well enough to get by since Qatar! :nono :angel: :ras:

 

[Kieran]

Bjorkman is the new Cilic's coach

It's like driving a Merc onto a sandy beach, revving her up and watch it spinning its wheels...:cover