2022 ATP General News

[Moxie]

Anyone know why Andy Murray is still playing? Is it for love of the game, money, or because he thinks that, somehow, he'll pull out a final, magical big title or even Slam? To be honest, I keep forgetting that he's still playing, yet he actually played in 16 tournaments this year so far.

A crazy stat: He hasn't won a title since 2019 (an ATP 250) and before that in 2017 (an ATP 500). Since his last title, he's played in 34 tournaments with no titles...34!

I'm reminded of latter-day Lleyton Hewitt or Mats Wilander. Hewitt's last big title was in 2003, but he remained a top 10 player for a few more years, slipping out of the top 10 for good in 2006. But he kept plugging along, ranking in the top 20 as late as 2010, and then winning two improbably titles in 2014. But from 2005 to 2016, he won only 7 titles, one 500 and six 250s, among a total of 150 tournaments played. Gotta respect his tenacity, I guess.

Wilander, of course, had that great 1988 season in which he won 3 Slams and finished #1, and then never won even another Masters. He finished 1989 at #12, and then never ranked within the year-end top 40 again, despite playing until 1996.

Just wondering why Andy is following in the Wilander-Hewitt path. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

You haven't been on the forums enough if you haven't noticed that Andy is still playing, because Fiero complains about it, endlessly.

Not to put the dagger in, but Roger hadn't won a title since 2019, either. It has been tough for Andy since his ranking went to basically zero. He's had some really bad draws. But your bigger question is: why is he still playing?

Who can know? One answer is that Kim has thrown him out of the house, because 4 kids is enough, for right now.

On a more serious note, likely answer is love of competition. You mention Hewitt's late victories, but you glide past that 2 were finals at Halle over Federer in 2010, and in Brisbane over him in 2014. Those must have been sweet.

Also, why does it have to be a Hewitt-Wilander path? What about Agassi's path? If Andre could have a late-career renaissance, why not Murray? 36 is the new 29, and Andre won a Major at 32 in 2003. Hope springs eternal. I respect Andy for continuing to believe.

 

[don_fabio]

BTW, @don_fabio, I didn't get a snapshot of it, but you won the Astana draw challenge outright! Not always easy with all of those weird people we never heard of who anyway play in our group. Congratulations!

Thnx. Got lucky this time with Novak around. Was doing pretty good on Tokyo draw until Fritz won against Shapo and Tiafoe.
Some of those draws people make are unreal and luck plays a big part in it too.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Florence Update,
OUT: Goffin
IN: Zhang ( LL will play against Passaro)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Stockholm Update:
OUT: Fritz
IN: Wolf, Kwon

 

[El Dude]

You haven't been on the forums enough if you haven't noticed that Andy is still playing, because Fiero complains about it, endlessly.

Not to put the dagger in, but Roger hadn't won a title since 2019, either.

No dagger, because the situation is very different. Roger was hurt for much of 2020-21 and only played 6 tournaments total in that span. As I said, Andy has gone 34 tournaments without a title, but Roger only 7. It would be like if Roger played another two years (2023-24) relatively healthy without winning a title, and continued playing into 2025.

Meaning, Roger quit when he came to terms with the fact that he wouldn't be able to return to close to peak level (or at least, felt like the work involved wasn't worth it). Andy either is delusional or is playing for other reasons.

It has been tough for Andy since his ranking went to basically zero. He's had some really bad draws. But your bigger question is: why is he still playing?

Who can know? One answer is that Kim has thrown him out of the house, because 4 kids is enough, for right now.

LOL, so sort of like Tom Brady, but in reverse? (Seems like Brady un-retired to get away from Gisele)

On a more serious note, likely answer is love of competition. You mention Hewitt's late victories, but you glide past that 2 were finals at Halle over Federer in 2010, and in Brisbane over him in 2014. Those must have been sweet.

Also, why does it have to be a Hewitt-Wilander path? What about Agassi's path? If Andre could have a late-career renaissance, why not Murray? 36 is the new 29, and Andre won a Major at 32 in 2003. Hope springs eternal. I respect Andy for continuing to believe.

That would be great and I'd be happy for him, but it just seems unlikely. Agassi's path isn't a great comp, because A) he was a lot younger when his second peak started in 1999 (28-29 years old), B) his down period was much shorter, and C) his problems had more to do with lifestyle and maturity.

Again, I'm not saying that Andy shouldn't play, just wondering what his motivations are.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Patrick Mouratoglou has announced, while Simona Halep takes time to recover, she encouraged me to seek a new collaboration.
Today, I'm pleased to announce that I'm joining Holger Runes team, for the rest of the season..I'm excited to start working with Holger. We've had a special bond since the day we met, when he was just 13.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Thank goodness I wasnt live to see this match in Florence it was bad enough watching it on my TV
Spanish player Carballes Baena ranked 80 defeated Matteo Berrettini 57 76 (5) 75, Baena's defense was a highlight and his grit, unlike my Italian whose game has gone to the dogs lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

After 8 years as chief executive of Tennis Hall of Fame, Todd Martin is to join Beemok Capitol, owned by Benjamin Navarro. It runs and owns Charleston Open and just brought ATP 1000 in Cincinnati.

 

[Kieran]

Anyone know why Andy Murray is still playing? Is it for love of the game, money, or because he thinks that, somehow, he'll pull out a final, magical big title or even Slam? To be honest, I keep forgetting that he's still playing, yet he actually played in 16 tournaments this year so far.

A crazy stat: He hasn't won a title since 2019 (an ATP 250) and before that in 2017 (an ATP 500). Since his last title, he's played in 34 tournaments with no titles...34!

I'm reminded of latter-day Lleyton Hewitt or Mats Wilander. Hewitt's last big title was in 2003, but he remained a top 10 player for a few more years, slipping out of the top 10 for good in 2006. But he kept plugging along, ranking in the top 20 as late as 2010, and then winning two improbably titles in 2014. But from 2005 to 2016, he won only 7 titles, one 500 and six 250s, among a total of 150 tournaments played. Gotta respect his tenacity, I guess.

Wilander, of course, had that great 1988 season in which he won 3 Slams and finished #1, and then never won even another Masters. He finished 1989 at #12, and then never ranked within the year-end top 40 again, despite playing until 1996.

Just wondering why Andy is following in the Wilander-Hewitt path. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I think it’s a mix, that he still feels he’ll get a breakthrough run at something, and also that he loves playing, and remember, retirement is a long time for athletes. Plus his missus prolly nags him to pick up his socks and so he likes to get outta the house now and then…

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Matteo Berrettini has received a wild card into Naples, he will need it after his poor performance in Florence, Matteo stay away from the pizza's, Naples is the home of Pizza, my favorite place to eat pizza.

 

[Tennis_Steve]

I’ll always hold it against Korda that his dad was a drug cheat. Strange grudge, you may think, to hold the sins of the father against the son, but let me give some backdrop. Daddy Korda, him of the ridiculous scissors kick celebration, played Pistol Pete in the 4th round of the US Open in 1997, and I finally had to sleep after the fourth set, which Pete won 6-3. I woke the next morning and Princess Diana had died, so the news was block-booked, sports bulletins were cancelled, and there was no internet. No bush telegraph. No rumours, scant knowledge that day that the US Open even existed.

Eventually other tennis fans arose from their slumber but there were no mobile phones. Not for me, anyway. In pubs, I’d had to borrow a pals giant Motorola mobile, the one with the bendy long antenna, when I loudly sauntered by the women, to impress them. “HELLO! YOU’RE BREAKING UP!!” Fidget with the antenna, like a truly important man. But even that antenna couldn’t pick up news of Pete. He’d struggled in the same round at Wimbledon, against the same pesky player, winning the first two sets but still going to 5, from memory.

I didn’t see or hear from anyone until near dinner time, when my mate Deco called in, and asked if I’d heard the score. Unbelievable. Shocked. I was in a state of frenzy before Deco arrived, so imagine my condition when he told me. About 8 months later Korda was done for drugs. Of course, they couldn’t backdate the ban to put Pete in the quarters (and maybe replay the rest of the tournament, I don’t know!), and he even got to keep the Australian Open title he won in early 1998, presumably because the result was so one-sided against Rios, the authorities concluded that even without drugs, Rios might still have gone down in straights.

So the name “Korda” has been banished for generations, far as I’m concerned. Persona non grata. Evil One. He Who Shall Always Bring Out The Worst In Me.

My blood pressure is rising. I’m going into the dark room, to open the windows slightly, and lie still on the floor for the rest of the day….Korda

I kinda let this one slide at the time, but watching The Expanse series 3 (author of the book series JAMES F. MCGRATH), I was reminded of your 'outpouring' on Sebastian Korda.

Whilst I am not a religious person
This is so appropriate;

A quote from character the ordained Doctor Anna Volovodov, circa 2350 AD.

"Visiting the sins of the father on his children? You know we've had a whole other Testament since then, right?"

Perhaps you should work on NOT expressing the "worst of you" on open chat fora?

Seb is playing some nice tennis.

 

[Kieran]

I kinda let this one slide at the time, but watching The Expanse series 3 (author of the book series JAMES F. MCGRATH), I was reminded of your 'outpouring' on Sebastian Korda.

Whilst I am not a religious person
This is so appropriate;

A quote from character the ordained Doctor Anna Volovodov, circa 2350 AD.

"Visiting the sins of the father on his children? You know we've had a whole other Testament since then, right?"

Perhaps you should work on NOT expressing the "worst of you" on open chat fora?

Seb is playing some nice tennis.

Who says that’s the worst of me - that’s the best of me!

But I loved the first two seasons of The Expanse, they were on Netflix a few years ago. Might have to borrow the DVDs from the library to catch up, I think they’ve finished filming it? Thanks for reminding me!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I kinda let this one slide at the time, but watching The Expanse series 3 (author of the book series JAMES F. MCGRATH), I was reminded of your 'outpouring' on Sebastian Korda.

Whilst I am not a religious person
This is so appropriate;

A quote from character the ordained Doctor Anna Volovodov, circa 2350 AD.

"Visiting the sins of the father on his children? You know we've had a whole other Testament since then, right?"

Perhaps you should work on NOT expressing the "worst of you" on open chat fora?

Seb is playing some nice tennis.

Hi Steve,

I know you are a fan of Seb, reading that his dad dosent want to coach a lot anymore, Seb has added Radek Stepanek to his coaching team.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Andreas Seppi has announced his upcoming retirement...Seppi age 38 will end his career in the Ortisei challenger.
Seppi had a career high of No 18 in 2013. He became the first Italian to win a title on all 3 surfaces.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Congrats to Medvedev on becoming a dad!

 

[Carol]

Congrats to Medvedev on becoming a dad!

Congrats a Monfils too!!!!!!!!!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Congrats a Monfils too!!!!!!!!!

Hi Carol I just read the news, they have named their baby daughter Skai!

 

[Andy22]

Congratulations to all new dads Monfils, Nadal and Nadal Jr/ Monfils.

Also Medvedev.

 

[Carol]

Hi Carol I just read the news, they have named their baby daughter Skai!

Three players and three babies almost at the same time, wow!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Three players and three babies almost at the same time, wow!

I did the maths, it appears the babies were conceived around or after the AO this year lol!