2021 ATP General News

[Front242]

In my opinion Serena with 23 GS titles should retire 'on her own terms' full stop.Just like Federer who still loves the game of tennis and has nothing left to prove.

Absolutely.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Mallorca Championships ATP250 (first ATP grass tournament in Spain) 19th-26th June,1500 spectators per day.
Nick Kyrgios,Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco confirmed.

 

[Jelenafan]

Well, I'm sure he was asked and didn't say it blindly as it was an interview as per below.

Tiriac, an 81-year-old former Olympic tennis player and director of the Madrid Open, made the widely-condemned comments during a recent interview on Romanian television, saying: “At this age and the weight she is now, she does not move as easily as she did 15 years ago … Serena was a sensational player. If she had a little decency, she would retire.”

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...lown-for-swipe-over-her-age-and-weight-tennis

^ I agree with all the above and it's a fact she does not move as well as she did 15 years ago. So he's correct there. Same for pretty much any human being on the planet but more so when you're not only older but heavier but I don't think she should retire if she feels she's still in contention to win big titles. I don't think she is unless pretty much all the good opposition are knocked out or injured but I'm saying if she thinks she can win them, then she should play as long as she believes she can. All it would take is a bad final by Osaka, for example. The only part that I see as harsh is the part highlighted in red as when she chooses to retire is up to her and nothing to do with having decency. She looked the fittest I've seen her in years at AO as I already stated so maybe she'll use this as a catalyst to prove doubters wrong. She played very well against Osaka, who just played better but, like I said, all it takes is an off day from Osaka or whoever else is across the net and they all have bad days which may coincidence with a good day from Serena.

Here's the thing, Front242. It's bad enough that as an ex player himself, he's publicly berating someone who gets to finals and semi-finals of Majors that they should retire. Seriously, her record the last few years is better than he ever had; I think he won 1 singles title in his entire career. The expression "It walks like a duck.." applies to him because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the open sexism with how he's trying to body shame the women players.

 

[Fiero425]

Here's the thing, Front242. It's bad enough that as an ex player himself, he's publicly berating someone who gets to finals and semi-finals of Majors that they should retire. Seriously, her record the last few years is better than he ever had; I think he won 1 singles title in his entire career. The expression "It walks like a duck.." applies to him because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the open sexism with how he's trying to body shame the women players.

Never a fan of Tiriac's, but as much of a con man and crook he was as a manager and promoter, he's still the 1st and only tennis billionaire! Was it the FO or a Masters clay event where he paid $2M to set up a box for him close to the court to view play a few years ago?

 

[Moxie]

Mallorca Championships ATP250 (first ATP grass tournament in Spain) 19th-26th June,1500 spectators per day.
Nick Kyrgios,Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco confirmed.

So Nick IS going to show up for the clay season. Thanks for that, Margaret.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

So Nick IS going to show up for the clay season. Thanks for that, Margaret.

Yes green coloured clay it is his fav surface lol!

 

[Moxie]

In Estoril, Nuno Borges, a Portuguese player (#331) got a WC into qualifying and won his first 3 official ATP match, 2 in qualifying and his first round over Jordan Thompson in straights. He lost to Cilic today, but took the first set. 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 final score. He's barely 24, and maybe someone to watch?

 

[Jelenafan]

Djokovic has withdrawn from the Madrid Masters.

Champion Djokovic to miss Madrid Open

Defending champion Novak Djokovic pulls out of next month's Madrid Open.

www.bbc.com

Whereas Medvedev confirms he is out of Covid quarantine and ready to play

Daniil Medvedev to return at the Madrid Masters after recovering from COVID-19

Russian sensation Daniil Medvedev has had a terrific run since November 2020. We saw him lift the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals in successively to end

firstsportz.com

 

[Moxie]

Djokovic has withdrawn from the Madrid Masters.

Champion Djokovic to miss Madrid Open

Defending champion Novak Djokovic pulls out of next month's Madrid Open.

www.bbc.com

Margaret mentioned this earlier. He'll lose 500 points, not 1000. Seems an odd choice from him, since he does well there. Saving himself for Rome?

 

[Jelenafan]

He'll lose 500 points, not 1000. Seems an odd choice from him, since he does well there. Saving himself for Rome?

Could be, though I agree it's odd since he's defending champ. I dunno, isn't it an unwritten rule to defend your tournament wins short of injury or a pandemic? which leads me to suspect Novak might be nursing a slight injury...

 

[Moxie]

Could be, though I agree it's odd since he's defending champ. I dunno, isn't it an unwritten rule to defend your tournament wins short of injury or a pandemic? which leads me to suspect Novak might be nursing a slight injury...

I hate to be rude, but I think he's nursing his ego. He often bails out of the next tournament after upset. Obviously he would be too gracious to cite injury in his upset v. Karatsev, but he didn't look injured, and injury isn't a major feature in his professional life. I might be so bold as to say it's a calculated error to skip Madrid. He's rather putting a lot of eggs on Rome to find his form before Roland Garros. I think we've all said and agree that the tune-ups barely matter for the Big 3, when it comes to Majors. But Novak is risking leaving it a bit late to find his form.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I hate to be rude, but I think he's nursing his ego. He often bails out of the next tournament after upset. Obviously he would be too gracious to cite injury in his upset v. Karatsev, but he didn't look injured, and injury isn't a major feature in his professional life. I might be so bold as to say it's a calculated error to skip Madrid. He's rather putting a lot of eggs on Rome to find his form before Roland Garros. I think we've all said and agree that the tune-ups barely matter for the Big 3, when it comes to Majors. But Novak is risking leaving it a bit late to find his form.

Novak's reputation "dafakabitch" was been acknowledged by the tour ever since he has been on the tour in 2007. Roger and Stan doesn't allow him to play those "injured puppy" episodes during their matches.

 

[Moxie]

Yes green coloured clay it is his fav surface lol!

I didn't realize that was grass. So you're still right. Is there enough grass to bother with until June?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I didn't realize that was grass. So you're still right. Is there enough grass to bother with until June?

There are several grass tournaments before Wimbledon.Stuggart,Queens now renamed Cinch championships, Halle,Eastborne,,also the new Mallorca tournament.
It is about time the ATP made a Masters 1000 for grass,they have one for all other surfaces.

 

[Moxie]

There are several grass tournaments before Wimbledon.Stuggart,Queens now renamed Cinch championships, Halle,Eastborne,,also the new Mallorca tournament.
It is about time the ATP made a Masters 1000 for grass,they have one for all other surfaces.

I also didn't realize that Mallorca IS in June. Everyone keeps asking for a grass MS1000, but no one can solve the problem that there are minimum facility requirements for that, and, as I understand it, none of the current tournament venues conform. I always thought that Halle might be able to upgrade (Queens doesn't have the room, IIRC.) Then the ATP could downgrade one HC MS1000, if they don't want to just add.

 

[Jelenafan]

I hate to be rude, but I think he's nursing his ego. He often bails out of the next tournament after upset. Obviously he would be too gracious to cite injury in his upset v. Karatsev, but he didn't look injured, and injury isn't a major feature in his professional life. I might be so bold as to say it's a calculated error to skip Madrid. He's rather putting a lot of eggs on Rome to find his form before Roland Garros. I think we've all said and agree that the tune-ups barely matter for the Big 3, when it comes to Majors. But Novak is risking leaving it a bit late to find his form.

At the same time, Novak also has to factor in he's the 2 time defending Wimbledon Champion, and this year it's back to only a 2 week break between RG and W. I also suspect since it's the prize he doesn't have, the Olympics is on his summer plate. That is alot of tennis. So Novak knows his best shot of those two upcoming Majors is the grass one, so his schedule has to temper not overplaying to peak "just" for the FO when he has W ahead. My best guess is that his scheduling opted out of the Madrid Masters to also give him some breathing room.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I hate to be rude, but I think he's nursing his ego. He often bails out of the next tournament after upset. Obviously he would be too gracious to cite injury in his upset v. Karatsev, but he didn't look injured, and injury isn't a major feature in his professional life. I might be so bold as to say it's a calculated error to skip Madrid. He's rather putting a lot of eggs on Rome to find his form before Roland Garros. I think we've all said and agree that the tune-ups barely matter for the Big 3, when it comes to Majors. But Novak is risking leaving it a bit late to find his form.

Novak was not a 'happy camper' after losing in his tournament in the s/finals.,I wonder if he had won his tournament would he have withdrawn from Madrid?

 

[Moxie]

At the same time, Novak also has to factor in he's the 2 time defending Wimbledon Champion, and this year it's back to only a 2 week break between RG and W. I also suspect since it's the prize he doesn't have, the Olympics is on his summer plate. That is alot of tennis. So Novak knows his best shot of those two upcoming Majors is the grass one, so his schedule has to temper not overplaying to peak "just" for the FO when he has W ahead. My best guess is that his scheduling opted out of the Madrid Masters to also give him some breathing room.

This is an interesting point about Novak and Wimbledon and the Olympics. Though that nearly implies that Novak is doing what Roger has done in the past years, i.e., essentially to "concede" (?) RG to Nadal as to prioritize Wimbledon, and, in this case, the Olympics, too. Interesting speculation. I still think he would prioritize RG, because he's looking for the double-career Slam. (#bonuspoints) One more Wimbledon means less, and if he doesn't prioritize Wimbledon, he can be more in-form for Tokyo. If skipping Madrid is for breathing room for Wimbledon, I don't get it, based on the above. If he's gunning for RG, as I think he would, he skips Madrid and goes into Rome with 5 matches on clay and 2 losses. Not impossible, but not great. Oh, and he's defending Rome. Eventually points will fall off.

 

[Moxie]

Novak was not a 'happy camper' after losing in his tournament in the s/finals.,I wonder if he had won his tournament would he have withdrawn from Madrid?

I honestly don't think he would have. I've gamed all of @Jelenafan's speculations above, but I don't see the strategy for skipping Madrid.

 

[Jelenafan]

The qualifier Ilya Ivashka upsets the top seed Zverev 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 At the BMW Open in Munich.

Were the serving yips present? Answer: Zverev had 14 doublefaults....