2018 ATP General News

[Mastoor]

There was an announcement several days ago that Federer is moving from Nike to Uniqlo. If this ever happens to be true, we should really discuss it in separate thread because that will change it tennis as we know it.

There are couple of things around this news that I noticed or just crossed my mind.

Firstly, I was surprised to learn that Nole has been paid twice as much as Federer for his apparel commitment. That's money wise, I am not counting in intangibles, such as preferences in draws, scheduling or in media, that Nole never had. Federer did.

Next, I was convinced once Fed's contract with Nike expires, they will offer him lifetime contract, but it hasn't happened since March and now he threatens to go to Uniqlo.

If Federer really quits with Nike, Nadal will become their first player. I don't know if his average service time will go from recent 32 seconds to 2 minutes and 32 seconds, but what we can certainly expect is that from then on, all the Nike players will vote for Nadal to get Stefan Edberg fair play award. Regardless of the service time violations

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Firstly, I was surprised to learn that Nole has been paid twice as much as Federer for his apparel commitment. That's money wise, I am not counting in intangibles, such as preferences in draws, scheduling or in media, that Nole never had. Federer did.

Stop your paranoia. Draws are made by well defined rules and players don't get preference based on their clothing sponsor.

Scheduling is done by a committee of the tournament. Whatever they decide some will say it is unfair. But, even if they show actual preference to a player, it won't be due to their clothing sponsor.

 

[Mastoor]

Stop your paranoia. Draws are made by well defined rules and players don't get preference based on their clothing sponsor.

Scheduling is done by a committee of the tournament. Whatever they decide some will say it is unfair. But, even if they show actual preference to a player, it won't be due to their clothing sponsor.

If that was true, there wouldn't be such huge discrepancy in opposition stats between Federer and Djokovic in their best seasons.

As for the scheduling, many people noticed that it consistently favoured Nike players than Novak this year. How biased someone has to be to claim that "it won't be due to their clothing sponsor" ?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Yes, the draw ceremony is essentially a "witch hunt" to get Novak.

Get a grip on reality dude. Consult a doctor or take STAT 101 at your local university.

 

[Mastoor]

Yes, the draw ceremony is essentially a "witch hunt" to get Novak.

Get a grip on reality dude. Consult a doctor or take STAT 101 at your local university.

Sure, sure. You should actually check for yourself before sending others to doctors which is too rude for which reason I'll ignore you from now on.

 

[britbox]

Mmmm... I'd always thought this stuff was baloney until I read a lot of stuff that happened in world football draws (not really proven) but the head of FIFA said UEFA were fixing European draws by using hot and cold balls. I'd still sway toward the unlikely argument but it wouldn't surprise me if it happened, at least in some instances. It's a business at the end of the day and where you have dollars, you often have corruption.

 

[Horsa]

Mmmm... I'd always thought this stuff was baloney until I read a lot of stuff that happened in world football draws (not really proven) but the head of FIFA said UEFA were fixing European draws by using hot and cold balls. I'd still sway toward the unlikely argument but it wouldn't surprise me if it happened, at least in some instances. It's a business at the end of the day and where you have dollars, you often have corruption.

It's all a load of balls at the end of the day, though. Lol. Seriously though, it really makes you think & challenge all those things you took for granted.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Mastoor, your allegations are highly unfounded and so I had to use harsh words (nothing personal). Before you, "tossip" used to constantly come up with conspiracy theories about draws. "tented" and others tried to educate her, but she was not buying it. It looks like you are now in the "tossip" camp of wild conspiracy theories.


How the draw works is clearly explained in the rulebook and we know that those rules are being followed. Further, the person who draws is typically the champion of the tourney in the previous year. Finally, they show the draw ceremony live and we are able to see it. If they don't show it live, then may be we can be paranoid and say they are fixing it up behind the scenes so that it is consistent with the rules.

Of course, nothing is certain life. There is always a possibility that the draws are fixed despite all these. But, I think me dying due to lightning probably has better chances than that.

 

[Moxie]

Mmmm... I'd always thought this stuff was baloney until I read a lot of stuff that happened in world football draws (not really proven) but the head of FIFA said UEFA were fixing European draws by using hot and cold balls. I'd still sway toward the unlikely argument but it wouldn't surprise me if it happened, at least in some instances. It's a business at the end of the day and where you have dollars, you often have corruption.

Let's face it, FIFA has had a bad record for corruption over the last while. And I don't know how they do their draws, but the tennis ones are still rankings dependent, too, so there's only so much they can fiddle w/re: the top guys.

As to clothing, (I may as well post this here): it has been noted, of course, that Roger is wearing Nike atm. Also, someone pointed out in a comment on tennis.com that if Roger leaves Nike, that "RF" brand doesn't go with him...supposedly Nike owns it.

 

[atttomole]

Mmmm... I'd always thought this stuff was baloney until I read a lot of stuff that happened in world football draws (not really proven) but the head of FIFA said UEFA were fixing European draws by using hot and cold balls. I'd still sway toward the unlikely argument but it wouldn't surprise me if it happened, at least in some instances. It's a business at the end of the day and where you have dollars, you often have corruption.

It happened in Italy with 'Calciopoli' not long ago. Juventus were getting the referees they wanted by using balls that were soft and hard. They would draw the balls they wanted by just feeling them. The corruption resulted in Juventus being relegated to Serie B, with many people thinking that the punishment was lenient, considering the level of corruption.

 

[britbox]

Let's face it, FIFA has had a bad record for corruption over the last while. And I don't know how they do their draws, but the tennis ones are still rankings dependent, too, so there's only so much they can fiddle w/re: the top guys.

As to clothing, (I may as well post this here): it has been noted, of course, that Roger is wearing Nike atm. Also, someone pointed out in a comment on tennis.com that if Roger leaves Nike, that "RF" brand doesn't go with him...supposedly Nike owns it.

Yes... Nike does own it, but I'm guessing it would become part of a settlement if he jumped ship. Not much point them owning it if he ain't wearing it. It'll either be part of a new deal with Nike or a golden handshake deal if he heads to Uniqlo.

I reckon this gets done one way or the other before Wimbledon.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Yes... Nike does own it, but I'm guessing it would become part of a settlement if he jumped ship. Not much point them owning it if he ain't wearing it. It'll either be part of a new deal with Nike or a golden handshake deal if he heads to Uniqlo.

I reckon this gets done one way or the other before Wimbledon.

Uniqlo does not make shoes. If the agents are good at "the art of the deal", they could milk Uniqlo for some clothing while simultaneously milking Nike for shoes.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Did anyone notice that the RS aka the worm got remarried to Nicola V again..this time he knocked her up with a baby boy due.hopefully the child takes his looks afterwards his mother.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Another druggie caught.

LONDON -- Cesar Ramirez, a professional tennis player from Mexico, has been suspended provisionally, pending a hearing, after testing positive for steroids.

The International Tennis Federation announced the penalty on Friday for the 28-year-old Ramirez, who has been ranked as high as 105th in the world in doubles and 391st in singles.

Ramirez was given a drug test in April during an ATP Challenger tournament in Mexico City.

The sample contained various prohibited substances, according to the ITF, including metabolites of nandrolone and stanozolol.

 

[Moxie]

NYTimes did a piece on the one-hander today. On the young players using it, and also the point, from Mourataglou, that sometimes people focus on it too much. Anyway, enjoy!

 

[Moxie]

"Strokes of Genius" on now. I'm guessing that some won't be interested.

 

[kskate2]

Sir Andy TOLD the Truth..Good Grief.Man..i dont think Rosol can get a better happyending at a massage parlor than what you do for that forgettable tennis player. .

Speaking of Rosol. He lost today at a HC challenger event in Recanati, Italy.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Bad news for Nadalites. Rafa's chances of defending USO went down considerably (not that he has ever defended a title outside of clay). The USO tried out shot clocks in qualifying tourney last year. They feel that it went well and very few complaints about it and so beginning this year, USO will implement a shot clock to enforce the 25 second rule in the matches of the main tournament also. While not yet announced, usually the other slams follow the changes that get initiated at USO soon after. This would also mean that Rafa's chances of surpassing Roger went down considerably as well.

 

[Moxie]

Bad news for Nadalites. Rafa's chances of defending USO went down considerably (not that he has ever defended a title outside of clay). The USO tried out shot clocks in qualifying tourney last year. They feel that it went well and very few complaints about it and so beginning this year, USO will implement a shot clock to enforce the 25 second rule in the matches of the main tournament also. While not yet announced, usually the other slams follow the changes that get initiated at USO soon after. This would also mean that Rafa's chances of surpassing Roger went down considerably as well.

The shot clock is not going to prevent Nadal from winning another Major. How do you honestly think it would?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The shot clock is not going to prevent Nadal from winning another Major. How do you honestly think it would?

Come on, he takes an hour before serving when he needs to save a BP. When rushed, he is going to cough up a break. A break in time will totally change the dynamics of the match. I am just surprised that you were asking the question so innocently.