2021 ATP General News

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MargaretMcAleer

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Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from Cinncy tournament (these remours that have been circulating are true)
Novak confirms he will be at the US Open hoping to win the calendar slam
 

GameSetAndMath

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It may very well. But I'm guessing he does need a recharge of the physical and mental batteries more than he needs the match play.

I think skipping Toronto was a good idea but skipping Cincy is not a good idea. He need to wipe out the negative energy of Olympics with a win in Cincy so that he can go to USO more positively. He had two weeks time to recharge. That should be good enough.
 

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Stan Wawrinka has withdrawn from the USO,I would not be surprised if he retires this year,he has had numerous injury problems.,retirement is just around the corner I feel.
Andy Murray has moved into the main draw of the USO with Wawrinka's withdrawal.
Indian Wells announces that it will be a full two week,96 - player's men's event in October.
ATP confirms that Shanghai Masters is cancelled as are ATP250's in Zhuhai and Chengdu.
Additionally there will be a new ATP250 added for the week before Indian Wells in nearby San Diego.
Both of these are very interesting intel. You always have your ear to the ground on these things. Shame about Stan, but I agree with you...I don't see him coming back at this point. And very exciting about a new San Diego 250!
 

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I think skipping Toronto was a good idea but skipping Cincy is not a good idea. He need to wipe out the negative energy of Olympics with a win in Cincy so that he can go to USO more positively. He had two weeks time to recharge. That should be good enough.
I follow your logic, but I guess we'll see. We don't live in his skin, or his head. But he will be electing to start back at the site of a very ignominious exit last year. That could bring its own negative energy. (And yes, I'm hoping so. :lol6: )
 

Moxie

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That seems like a good decision. As @Moxie said he needs more to recharge than to play tournaments.
He seems to me to be in a place where both Roger and Serena have been in the past, i.e., that the game is there and he doesn't need the matches. I think he can play himself into the USO. Only pressure and maybe a dangerous floater/tough early rounds might bring a banana peel.
 
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GameSetAndMath

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I follow your logic, but I guess we'll see. We don't live in his skin, or his head. But he will be electing to start back at the site of a very ignominious exit last year. That could bring its own negative energy. (And yes, I'm hoping so. :lol6: )

Having said that Novak (like Serena) has the experience of often participating in Slams without a warm up and winning it. He has done that few times at AO and Wimbledon, I think (but, I must also admit that those are two slams with very short period to warm up to them).
 
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GameSetAndMath

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Not sure whether it is already mentioned in this thread (might have been). Starting next year, Dallas, TX will host an ATP 250 indoor event in the month of February. This will be replacing the NY event which is dying due to not much interest from people around there.
 
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Moxie

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Having said that Novak (like Serena) has the experience of often participating in Slams without a warm up and winning it. He has done that few times at AO and Wimbledon, I think (but, I must also admit that those are two slams with very short period to warm up to them).
Also a good point. Because that means that no one gets a lot of warm up going into AO or Wimbledon. Going into the USO, there are a) a lot of players with good matches and even tourney wins under their belts, and b) they'll be more used to playing in the hot, humid conditions, which is a problem for Novak. Even Canada is hot and humid this week.
 

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He seems to me to be in a place where both Roger and Serena have been in the past, i.e., that the game is there and he doesn't need the matches. I think he can play himself into the USO. Only pressure and maybe a dangerous floater/tough early rounds might bring a banana peel.
Last thing he needs is Kyrgios in early rounds.
 

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Not sure whether it is already mentioned in this thread (might have been). Starting next year, Dallas, TX will host an ATP 250 indoor event in the month of February. This will be replacing the NY event which is dying due to not much interest from people around there.
In defense of my local NY Open, it's played in Long Island, which is a schlep for most people. They probably thought they'd pick up rich people from eastern LI and CT. But Covid didn't help, since it was such a young tournament, and doesn't attract elite players. Still, I think Dallas is a better choice, if an indoor tournament makes sense there next winter, as Covid is so bad in TX.
 
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Moxie

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Last thing he needs is Kyrgios in early rounds.
Which could be said of basically everyone. :lulz1: I'm sure we'll get into the conversation of dangerous floaters, etc. before too long, but I was thinking of someone like Seb Korda, too. Young, up-and-comer with a good head, and he's US, so he'll have the crowd. And the likes of wily Frenchmen, such as Paire and Chardy are fairly low ranked, but will get in.
 

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Which could be said of basically everyone. :lulz1: I'm sure we'll get into the conversation of dangerous floaters, etc. before too long, but I was thinking of someone like Seb Korda, too. Young, up-and-comer with a good head, and he's US, so he'll have the crowd. And the likes of wily Frenchmen, such as Paire and Chardy are fairly low ranked, but will get in.
I mean, how about PCB again? :D He needs a little push with a favourable draw, actually everyone does, but I don't see him surviving something like this year RG. I think if he faces Zverev he will lose and the german will pocket a first top 10 win on GS.
 
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MargaretMcAleer

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I mean, how about PCB again? :D He needs a little push with a favourable draw, actually everyone does, but I don't see him surviving something like this year RG. I think if he faces Zverev he will lose and the german will pocket a first top 10 win on GS.
I will believe it when I see it,when Sasha defeats a Top 10 player in a GS :)
 

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I mean, how about PCB again? :D He needs a little push with a favourable draw, actually everyone does, but I don't see him surviving something like this year RG. I think if he faces Zverev he will lose and the german will pocket a first top 10 win on GS.
Haha, who knew PCB would become his bete noire like Stan was. That's not match-up, just talismanic bad juju. I do think that Novak needs some help in the draw at the USO. Not because of his tennis, but because of the pressure. It will come up in every press conference, and maybe that is partly why he's avoiding the tour by skipping Cincy. I could understand if he doesn't want to keep fielding the same question. I've brought up Serena when she was "this" close to the CYGS, and some people here poo-poo the comparison. I don't. I think it's valid. She was indomitable until she wasn't. Maybe it's better for Novak to limit it to 7 matches. Keep one foot in front of the other, and keep the mind as quiet as possible. Serena banned all talk of the CYGS in pressers. I think Novak should do that, too. (It didn't work for her, but she came really eff-ing close.)
 

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I will believe it when I see it,when Sasha defeats a Top 10 player in a GS :)
He's all of 24, and he was so far behind Novak at the Olympics. Set and a break down. Maturing is still possible. Confidence surely is better than it was. Let's see if he can keep the yips out of his serve.
 
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MargaretMcAleer

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He's all of 24, and he was so far behind Novak at the Olympics. Set and a break down. Maturing is still possible. Confidence surely is better than it was. Let's see if he can keep the yips out of his serve.
It is his mental concentration in 5 set matches....remember he had MPs against Dominic in last year's USO final? and should have won in 3 sets,then faded away.He can win finals in 3 sets matches,his mentality in GS is poor.Same at the Olympics they were 3 set matches.His serve of course is questionable.
Tennis to me is 80% mental.
 
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