2021 ATP General News

[MargaretMcAleer]

Lyon Tournament update,
OUT: Sonego ( good decision)
IN: Musetti

 

[Moxie]

Novak is scheduled to play in Belgrade 2 this week coming up, and I heard that his brother is tournament director. Will Novak scratch? Or maybe make a couple of appearances and lose gracefully?

 

[don_fabio]

Novak is scheduled to play in Belgrade 2 this week coming up, and I heard that his brother is tournament director. Will Novak scratch? Or maybe make a couple of appearances and lose gracefully?

I hope Novak pulls out, there absolutely no need to play after these 2 challenging matches today plus one more tomorrow.

What I don't understand is why Tsitsipas is playing next week. He played plenty of tennis this clay season.

 

[Moxie]

I hope Novak pulls out, there absolutely no need to play after these 2 challenging matches today plus one more tomorrow.

What I don't understand is why Tsitsipas is playing next week. He played plenty of tennis this clay season.

Completely agree on both. I rather expect that Novak will pull out after the final tomorrow, win or lose. I'm just scratching my head about Tsitsipas. He should feel primed and ready for RG, with a good rest to clear the head to be all that is needed now.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I think the real reason Novak decided to play Belgrade,was after he lost there,and said he needed more match play on clay.I would be very surprised he would play in Belgrade after making the final in Rome.
The Young Greek needs his head read he has enough clay practice before RG.

 

[Moxie]

I think the real reason Novak decided to play Belgrade,was after he lost there,and said he needed more match play on clay.I would be very surprised he would play in Belgrade after making the final in Rome.
The Young Greek needs his head read he has enough clay practice before RG.

I wonder if it's time from Stefanos' father to step away from coaching him. Based on nearly nothing, but most players do graduate from their parents at some point. As to Novak, I take your point. He's also got other reasons and obligations for participating in Belgrade 2. I'm sure his brother would let him off. There is no draw out yet, but he might just play a couple of rounds for the sake of the tournament and pick a time to lose, or bow out due to "fatigue" or some such thing.

 

[Moxie]

I was just working through the Geneva draw. Roger has some tough possible opponents. He could get Garin early, and if he gets through him, potentially Casper Ruud. It's always hard to pick against Roger, but these are quality clay players who are match-tough on clay right now. Shapo anchoring the bottom half of the draw. It will be interesting to see how Roger looks coming back, but his path is not easy. I'd like him to get enough reps to have a decent RG, anyway. Obviously want to see him come back in good shape.

 

[Moxie]

I already just gave up on trying to pick my way through the Lyon draw. #1 seed, Thiem. #2 seed, Tsitsipas. Firstly, I'm not going to get burned when Stefanos bails. Secondly, Sinner and Karatsev meet first round.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I wonder if it's time from Stefanos' father to step away from coaching him. Based on nearly nothing, but most players do graduate from their parents at some point. As to Novak, I take your point. He's also got other reasons and obligations for participating in Belgrade 2. I'm sure his brother would let him off. There is no draw out yet, but he might just play a couple of rounds for the sake of the tournament and pick a time to lose, or bow out due to "fatigue" or some such thing.

There have been rumors that Patrick Mouratoglou will take over as coach when Serena retires? he does train at his academy.,and Patrick is in his box at matches.He still is close to his dad,though he has to cut the ties sometime,find a coach who can take him to the next level.Same applies with Sasha,still he has had enough good coaches and has let them go.I have read he does not apply himself in training and there have been 'off court issues' coaches will only put up with so much.You could be right with Novak he might play a couple of matches and bow out.I agree I think his brother would understand due to the present circumstances.

 

[Moxie]

There have been rumors that Patrick Mouratoglou will take over as coach when Serena retires? he does train at his academy.,and Patrick is in his box at matches.He still is close to his dad,though he has to cut the ties sometime,find a coach who can take him to the next level.Same applies with Sasha,still he has had enough good coaches and has let them go.I have read he does not apply himself in training and there have been 'off court issues' coaches will only put up with so much.You could be right with Novak he might play a couple of matches and bow out.I agree I think his brother would understand due to the present circumstances.

I have seen Mouratoglou in his box. Of course he is close to his dad, but sometimes you have to get out from under that. (Sharapova did.) A bit too close. Sascha IS a whole different story, with the "off-court" issues. But I do think he should cut the apron strings with his dad. Uncle Toni was a very specific example of a family member who really did work well with his charge. First of all, Toni wasn't his father or mother, which is already a huge difference. For Rafa and Toni, I think the right amount of distance and familiarity worked perfectly. Plus, Toni turned out to have world-class coaching skills. Most of the parents don't.

 

[Jelenafan]

I have seen Mouratoglou in his box. Of course he is close to his dad, but sometimes you have to get out from under that. (Sharapova did.) A bit too close. Sascha IS a whole different story, with the "off-court" issues. But I do think he should cut the apron strings with his dad. Uncle Toni was a very specific example of a family member who really did work well with his charge. First of all, Toni wasn't his father or mother, which is already a huge difference. For Rafa and Toni, I think the right amount of distance and familiarity worked perfectly. Plus, Toni turned out to have world-class coaching skills. Most of the parents don't.

Yes, Toni was family but not the father figure.

The only genuinely successful coach/parents/player in which all sides graduated relatively unscathed IMO was Richard/Oracene/Wlliams sisters. (Though it's hard to argue with Yuliya Maleeva who coached three daughters to top 10 ranking in the WTA.)

With Sharapova, after the backlash from Yuri's throat slashing gesture after she beat Justine Henin at the AO, I always felt PR wise they had the dad step away publicly but he still called alot of shots behind the scenes (the 10 year use of Meldonium has his fingerprints ). Gloria Connors and Jan Murray both let their students sons branch out beyond them. On the other side of the spectrum you have the utter disaster of Donald Young and his parents/coaches, with the concept that only exclusively the parents can draw the best out of the student.

Sascha, Dennis and Stefano need to work things out for themselves, to at least spare Stefanos father further injury and himself the embarrassing spectacle of his mother at his press conferences.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I already just gave up on trying to pick my way through the Lyon draw. #1 seed, Thiem. #2 seed, Tsitsipas. Firstly, I'm not going to get burned when Stefanos bails. Secondly, Sinner and Karatsev meet first round.

Isn't that 3 weeks in a row for the players..my Lord it's must be nice to be so Young

 

[Moxie]

Isn't that 3 weeks in a row for the players..my Lord it's must be nice to be so Young

It's always nice to be so young, but as they say, "If youth only knew...." Working through the Lyon draw, Tsitsipas could very well make the final. So could Sinner, or Karatsev, whichever wins their opener. At least they have a week's break after Lyon before RG. Same with Geneva. For Roger, it's perfect, if he doesn't get picked off early by someone like Garin or Ruud. (Surely not Cilic.) But Belgrade is the week before RG. So if Novak wins that, he rolls straight into RG. And this year looks like it will have more dangerous floaters than there have been in many a year.

 

[Jelenafan]

Isn't that 3 weeks in a row for the players..my Lord it's must be nice to be so Young

It's nice to get some APPEARANCE FEES.

Just saying, not hating.

 

[the AntiPusher]

It's nice to get some APPEARANCE FEES.

Just saying, not hating.

Setup a go fund me for Novak's appearance fee..I got $5 on it

 

[Moxie]

It's nice to get some APPEARANCE FEES.

Just saying, not hating.

You make a good point. The prize money has been significantly lower since tennis resumed, and for at least 6 months no one made any money at all. It costs a lot of money to travel and play tennis, pay coaches, etc.

 

[Moxie]

Setup a go fund me for Novak's appearance fee..I got $5 on it

Surely Novak is doing it for his city and his brother. I'd wager he's not getting an appearance fee. I was referring to the other guys, in my post.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Roger Federer will play Pablo Andujar at 6pm tomorrow in Geneva.

 

[tented]

Roger Federer will play Pablo Andujar at 6pm tomorrow in Geneva.

Their head-to-head is ... 0-0! Even though they've both been on the tour for at least 18 years.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Their head-to-head is ... 0-0! Even though they've both been on the tour for at least 18 years.

Unbelievable lol!