2020 ATP General News

[Jelenafan]

There is NO fair solution to the ratings Clusterf**k due to COVID. NONE.

Top 3::

Didn't Djokovic accumulate the most points in the year, regardless? He won 1 Major, reached the finals of another, and won 2 Masters. So I can't dispute he's the year's #1 player even if admittedly this is an asterisk * year. Of the top 3 players he's the only one who enter the 3 Majors that were played. However... it sucks that he wasn't challenged more, because I am not one of those who think he would have won Wimbledon automatically. Even the USO, both Rafa and Feds were missing and he still screwed that one up.

Rafa won 1 Major, reached the Qtrs of another and skipped the USO as defending champion. However in the midst of a pandemic the ATP understandably didn't want to penalize players for their safety protocols. The tour HC TO calycourt transition was unprecedented because of the revamped rescheduling. However, In hindsight, Rafa's choice was probably the best for him, his FO prep would have not have been ideal ; as none of the semifinalists of the USO reached that far at the French Open it sort of proved his point. Theim who I thought was the greatest threat at Roland Garos was spent by the time they played Paris, as was Zverev. Novak probably did as well as he did at the FO because he was defaulted at the USO and exited early.

Not Federer's fault, but let's be real , out of everyone he got the MOST benefit of the computer rankings decision because not playing for 13 MONTHS and counting, he will still be in the top 10. You don't play for a friggin year and there is virtually no change to you ranking. Fed not playing had absolutely nothing to do with the COVID but because he had injury issues. Again, he didn't create the COVID though I suspect some of his uberfans had something to do with it......

Agan NOBODY could have figured out an equitable solution, hell, we bitch about the computer rankings even when all the tournaments are played...

 

[Moxie]

There is NO fair solution to the ratings Clusterf**k due to COVID. NONE.

Top 3::

Didn't Djokovic accumulate the most points in the year, regardless? He won 1 Major, reached the finals of another, and won 2 Masters. So I can't dispute he's the year's #1 player even if admittedly this is an asterisk * year. Of the top 3 players he's the only one who enter the 3 Majors that were played. However... it sucks that he wasn't challenged more, because I am not one of those who think he would have won Wimbledon automatically. Even the USO, both Rafa and Feds were missing and he still screwed that one up.

Rafa won 1 Major, reached the Qtrs of another and skipped the USO as defending champion. However in the midst of a pandemic the ATP understandably didn't want to penalize players for their safety protocols. The tour HC TO calycourt transition was unprecedented because of the revamped rescheduling. However, In hindsight, Rafa's choice was probably the best for him, his FO prep would have not have been ideal ; as none of the semifinalists of the USO reached that far at the French Open it sort of proved his point. Theim who I thought was the greatest threat at Roland Garos was spent by the time they played Paris, as was Zverev. Novak probably did as well as he did at the FO because he was defaulted at the USO and exited early.

Not Federer's fault, but let's be real , out of everyone he got the MOST benefit of the computer rankings decision because not playing for 13 MONTHS and counting, he will still be in the top 10. You don't play for a friggin year and there is virtually no change to you ranking. Fed not playing had absolutely nothing to do with the COVID but because he had injury issues. Again, he didn't create the COVID though I suspect some of his uberfans had something to do with it......

Agan NOBODY could have figured out an equitable solution, hell, we bitch about the computer rankings even when all the tournaments are played...

You're completely right. Also, the ATP rankings, however confusing at the moment, don't really reflect much different than reality. Medvedev pushed Roger out of the top 4, depriving him of a good slot down the road, but that looks fair. Checking the rest of the top 10 and on down, would you really have Roger below most of those guys? I wouldn't. Yes, he was the big beneficiary of this frozen ranking, but it's not terrible that he sits above lesser-lights, either.

Here's a question: what if Djokovic got knocked out of the AO first round this year? (And I won't pretend that I haven't fantasize that option.) Does he still keep his 2000 points? How long does this go on for?

 

[Jelenafan]

You're completely right. Also, the ATP rankings, however confusing at the moment, don't really reflect much different than reality. Medvedev pushed Roger out of the top 4, depriving him of a good slot down the road, but that looks fair. Checking the rest of the top 10 and on down, would you really have Roger below most of those guys? I wouldn't. Yes, he was the big beneficiary of this frozen ranking, but it's not terrible that he sits above lesser-lights, either.

Here's a question: what if Djokovic got knocked out of the AO first round this year? (And I won't pretend that I haven't fantasize that option.) Does he still keep his 2000 points? How long does this go on for?

Honestly I would have Federer below these guys, simply because he would not have played in 13 months at the least. With banged up knees and close to 39 Federer would have to wade through draws and play some of the big boys early. This isn't 2017 (which was a crazy anomaly I admit , kudos to Fed) . Playing through injuries is part and parcel of the tennis calendar. So literally Skipping an entire year at 39 and still being in the top 5 is huge, so no I wouldn't put him at top 5 now just because.

Novak keeping his AO points would be annoying, however, if say , Theim, Rafa, Medvedev or Zverev win the AO they add a bucketload of points so it still doesn't stop whatever is played in 2021 to count for the victor.

This year Rafa was screwed out of the claycourt season , where he could have won a bucketload of points. 2019 he did not have a particularly (by his standards ) great clay court season so he could have added some. Then he doesn't get to defend his USO because it's scheduled within 30 days of the FO. It's just so crazy, *if* they play the FO in May and say Rafa loses early, that means he only has his FO champ points for 8 months if they allow the points slide off by them. How "fair" is that?

 

[Moxie]

Honestly I would have Federer below these guys, simply because he would not have played in 13 months at the least. With banged up knees and close to 39 Federer would have to wade through draws and play some of the big boys early. This isn't 2017 (which was a crazy anomaly I admit , kudos to Fed) . Playing through injuries is part and parcel of the tennis calendar. So literally Skipping an entire year at 39 and still being in the top 5 is huge, so no I wouldn't put him at top 5 now just because.

Novak keeping his AO points would be annoying, however, if say , Theim, Rafa, Medvedev or Zverev win the AO they add a bucketload of points so it still doesn't stop whatever is played in 2021 to count for the victor.

This year Rafa was screwed out of the claycourt season , where he could have won a bucketload of points. 2019 he did not have a particularly (by his standards ) great clay court season so he could have added some. Then he doesn't get to defend his USO because it's scheduled within 30 days of the FO. It's just so crazy, *if* they play the FO in May and say Rafa loses early, that means he only has his FO champ points for 8 months if they allow the points slide off by them. How "fair" is that?

I get everything you're saying. I don't think any of it is particularly "fair." But I get why they had to figure something out, and go with that.

 

[Jelenafan]

I get everything you're saying. I don't think any of it is particularly "fair." But I get why they had to figure something out, and go with that.

I don’t think other than the Federer thing we disagree at all. Nothing sits right. Sort of like discussing politics ,

Personally I think that we are going to have to wade through all of 2021 to get a half way decent computer rankings

Sporting events are taking place without crowds for the most part so now at least there is a template for tournaments. Post AO my gut reaction is that if vaccines are available the players are going to have to take them to play ATP events sooner than later so things can get interesting.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In regards to Indian Wells tournament which was cancelled (March 8-21).The tournament is working with the ATP and WTA Tours as well as BNP Paribas to confirm dates later in the year.This decision was made after thorough consultation with state and local health authorities and owner Larry Ellison.(It could be postponed after US Open).

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

ATP Update 2021 First Quarter Calendar 2021.

20th - 28th February Cordoba ATP 250 Cordoba Open
21st - 28th February Montpeller ATP 250 OPEN Sud De France
27th Feb - 7 March Rotterdam ATP 500 Abn Amro World Tennis Tournament
27th Feb - 7 March Buenos Aires ATP 250 Argentina Open
6th-13th March Doha ATP 250 Qatar Open
6th - 14th March Santiago ATP 250 Chile Dove Men-Care Open
7th - 14th March Marseille ATP 250 OPEN 13 Provence
13th - 20th March Acapulco ATP 500 Abierto Mexicano Telcel
13th-20th March Dubai ATP 500 Dubai Duty Free
22nd March-4th April Miami ATP 1000 Miami Open.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has withdrawn from AO 2021 (still not able to play in competition)
Andreas Seppi in the main draw.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

ATP has announced ATP Player Council through to June 2022.President and Vice President to be elected at first meeting in 2021.

1-50 Singles: Felix Auger-Aliassime,Roger Federer,John Millman,Rafael Nadal

51-100 Singles: Pablo Andujar,Gilles Simon

1-100 Doubles: Marcus Daniell,Bruno Soares

At Large: Kevin Anderson and Andy Murray

Alumni Representative: Colin Dowdeswell

Coach Representative: Daniel Vallrerdu

 

[Front242]

Good to see Big Kokk hopefully healthy (for how long though?!) and get a wild card for the AO. Almost as unlucky as Brian Baker at this stage. Always injured.

 

[Moxie]

Good to see Big Kokk hopefully healthy (for how long though?!) and get a wild card for the AO. Almost as unlucky as Brian Baker at this stage. Always injured.

TBH, I'd completely forgotten about Kokkinakis. I do hope he can stay healthy. Very curious to see how Kyrgios comes back after laying off so long, too.

 

[Moxie]

In regards to Indian Wells tournament which was cancelled (March 8-21).The tournament is working with the ATP and WTA Tours as well as BNP Paribas to confirm dates later in the year.This decision was made after thorough consultation with state and local health authorities and owner Larry Ellison.(It could be postponed after US Open).

They are right to think they probably won't hold it until after the USO. LA county is a disaster at the moment, with COVID, and Riverside co., which includes Indian Wells, and is very close to LA, has a high number of cases. A friend of mine who is an anesthesiologist in an LA hospital says that his hospital has just cancelled all surgeries.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has withdrawn from AO 2021 (still not able to play in competition)
Andreas Seppi in the main draw.

Damn. That's not good for JoWillieTs

 

[Moxie]

Damn. That's not good for JoWillieTs

I wonder how long before he hangs them up.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good to see Big Kokk hopefully healthy (for how long though?!) and get a wild card for the AO. Almost as unlucky as Brian Baker at this stage. Always injured.

Thanasi has been playing a few local tournaments in Melbourne of late and won a few.He said it's the best he has felt for over a year now.Fingers crossed....he has had too many injuries and illness for such a young man,

 

[Moxie]

Thanasi has been playing a few local tournaments in Melbourne of late and won a few.He said it's the best he has felt for over a year now.Fingers crossed....he has had too many injuries and illness for such a young man,

That's good to hear. He seems rather snake-bit like delPotro. Hopefully the injuries are behind him.

 

[El Dude]

I don'

You're completely right. Also, the ATP rankings, however confusing at the moment, don't really reflect much different than reality. Medvedev pushed Roger out of the top 4, depriving him of a good slot down the road, but that looks fair. Checking the rest of the top 10 and on down, would you really have Roger below most of those guys? I wouldn't. Yes, he was the big beneficiary of this frozen ranking, but it's not terrible that he sits above lesser-lights, either.

Here's a question: what if Djokovic got knocked out of the AO first round this year? (And I won't pretend that I haven't fantasize that option.) Does he still keep his 2000 points? How long does this go on for?

I don't know for certain, but my interpretation is that 2020 AO will still be included because the rankings include four Slams, and because 2020 Wimbledon was cancelled, the last four Slams will be 2021 AO, 2020 FO, 2020 USO, 2020 AO. Once 2021 Roland Garros is played, theoretically 2020 AO will drop off as it will be outside of the four Slam span.

Not 100% on that, though.

 

[rafanoy1992]

I don'

I don't know for certain, but my interpretation is that 2020 AO will still be included because the rankings include four Slams, and because 2020 Wimbledon was cancelled, the last four Slams will be 2021 AO, 2020 FO, 2020 USO, 2020 AO. Once 2021 Roland Garros is played, theoretically 2020 AO will drop off as it will be outside of the four Slam span.

Not 100% on that, though.

The 2020 AO will still be included not because it includes four slams, but because 2020 AO is still part of the best 24 month ranking. 2021 French Open will be different though because if Federer doesn’t play 2021 French Open then he will lose 720 points unless of course it gets cancelled.

By the way, the best 24 month ranking system will only be until the week of March 1st. By the week of March 8th, players can start losing points unless the tournament is cancelled like Indian Wells. So, Federer actually has to play Miami Open or else he will lose 1000 points from 2019!

 

[Front242]

Thanasi has been playing a few local tournaments in Melbourne of late and won a few.He said it's the best he has felt for over a year now.Fingers crossed....he has had too many injuries and illness for such a young man,

That's great news that he's playing well enough to win local tournaments as he's been good to watch the few times I've seen him. Fingers crossed he stays healthy now. Terribly bad luck alright for such a young guy.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Months after Sam Querrey fled Russia after testing positive for COVID-19,the ATP has given him a suspened fine of $20K,which will be lifted should he not breach any health and safety rules over the next six months.Taking into consideration Mr Querrery's many years of otherwise good standing with the ATP and other mitigating factors.The player has five days to appeal the decision,should he choose to do so.