2022 ATP General News

[Moxie]

" I did stick up for Novak at the time of the Arida Tour and thought he was doing it in all good faith," Miss Margaret confessing to believe that there was once good intentions by Novak may prevent you from being eligible to the Rafa's side of Heaven. SMH2 jajajaj

I know you're teasing her, but her position at the time, to believe in the good intentions, so early in the pandemic, was not unfair.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I know you're teasing her, but her position at the time, to believe in the good intentions, so early in the pandemic, was not unfair.

Good Grief lady.. Were you the one who told they...'re hiding behind the neighbor's house when as a child you played Hide and Go seek with the kids on your block.. jajaja

 

[Moxie]

Moxie,

I have to agree with you now, as I did stick up for Novak at the time of the Arida Tour and thought he was doing it in all good faith,
Novak was just standing his ground,with really no protocols put in place at all,dancing in nightclubs shirtless in a crowded building?
It was like sticking their thumbs up at the pandemic..

I appreciate you here, and I am not trying to pull an "I told you so," at all. You were being generous, and I was the one who was seeing the nefarious, in part because of what I do for a living, which is not that different from planning events like a tennis exhibition. Everyone, around the world, was trying to figure out how to get safely back to doing what we do, early in the pandemic, and to establish best practices, in the new situation. Novak did not just call a few friends and have them come to the Balkans for a hit around over a few weeks, and give the money to covid victims. There are contracts to be made; lawyers and agents and managers are involved. I will not be convinced that there were no "grown-ups" in the mix who didn't counsel more caution. If there was one person who had the power to override this, it was Novak, and I also believe he had motivation. They didn't just go to a disco at the end of the first week. They did no racquet tapping at the end of matches...it was all kiss and cuddle. There were no masks, including in the crowd, and the crowds were dense. The players didn't just play tennis, they played soccer and basketball for fun, inviting more close contact. Paul Annacone, who was calling the event for Tennis Channel certainly tried to hide his surprise, but he did say, "It looks like 2019." Then, by the end of the 2nd week, everyone had COVID. And all Novak had to say was that he was following the protocols of Serbia. Once again, no responsibility of his own. I'm sorry, but I don't believe a lot of the choices weren't very, very specific, generating from Novak, and designed to shove protocols up the US Open's nose. (Ahem.)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good Grief lady.. Were you the one who told they...'re hiding behind the neighbor's house when as a child you played Hide and Go seek with the kids on your block.. jajaja

Leave her alone okay.....or you will never know the real time of the day,let alone what day it is.

 

[Moxie]

Interesting recap from The Guardian

Novak Djokovicâs propensity for self-sabotage has become a defining trait | Tumaini Carayol

The Serb is willing to pay price of being unvaccinated but is it worth missing the chance to be seen as the greatest ever?

www.theguardian.com

 

[Carol]

Well, at least Novak says that he son Stefan is Nadal's fan, he wish to take a picture with him and watching the final every point that Rafa was doing the boy was jumping and clapping, can you believe that? kids sometimes know better than older people. He also says his wife was cheering for Medvedev but he didn't have any preference....sorry but I don't believe this last part

 

[Moxie]

Hard to believe that Novak didn't have a preference in that final, for sure.

 

[kskate2]

Good point about the rankings slip potential. As it stands, as has been said upwards in this thread, that MC, and most of clay, including RG is still in the balance, if he remains unvaccinated. Wimbledon, for now, looks like he can play. IW and Miami are very much in question, but the USO is too far off to say.

All who played the AO, yes, including those who were stated or implied to be "disinclined." (See below re: Adria Tour.) Tsitsipas had stated disinclination, I believe, but he did it.

I know we discussed on here immediately after the Adria Tour, how they blatantly ignored whatever protocols were being done in the limited number of exhibitions previous, at that time. I was of the opinion, and I still am, that they made strong choices against the protocols, because they (at least Novak,) had already told the USO that he was against their strict protocols for putting on the then-coming USO. I think Zverev was a fellow traveler on this, probably Dimitrov and Thiem, as Thiem and Zverev were still playing fast and loose with protocols after Adria. I know you didn't agree with me, Margaret, because you are kinder and less cynical than I am. But given what we know now, I have to think that Adria was staged as it was to prove the lack of necessity for strict protocols, and it back-fired on them. But Novak is stubborn, and he's standing his ground, to whatever extent, even though he wafts and waves over being firm in his beliefs, and just trying to get around things because he's rich and powerful.

Has Wimby said anything about requirements to play there? I know they don't have to offer their reqs for another 60 days or so. I would think the USO will release theirs by mid June

 

[kskate2]

Hard to believe that Novak didn't have a preference in that final, for sure.

I'm surprised he even watched it. I can't imagine I would watch it after that PR debacle.

 

[Moxie]

Has Wimby said anything about requirements to play there? I know they don't have to offer their reqs for another 60 days or so. I would think the USO will release theirs by mid June

As it stands right now, the UK (not Wimbledon) has said it will allow people in with a negative test, regardless of vaccination status. Remembering that the first barrier is the country and the visa, that means that Novak should be able to play Wimbledon.

I'm surprised he even watched it. I can't imagine I would watch it after that PR debacle.

Personally, I doubt he did. But he will need to review it, and study it, eventually, or he'd be a fool.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Leave her alone okay.....or you will never know the real time of the day,let alone what day it is.

Okay, it's hard being Tennis Frontier Villian..every time I try to stay on the dark side someone is Always trying to get me to be NICE.

 

[Moxie]

Okay, it's hard being Tennis Frontier Villian..every time I try to stay on the dark side someone is Always trying to get me to be NICE.

Would it hurt so much?

 

[the AntiPusher]

Would it hurt so much?

I will Try.

 

[kskate2]

I will Try.

famous last words

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

ATP Acapulco 500 main draw wild cards

Feliciano Lopez
Fernando Verdasco
Alex Hernandez

Wild card doubles
Felicoano Lopez/Stefanos Tsitsipas

 

[the AntiPusher]

ATP Acapulco 500 main draw wild cards

Feliciano Lopez
Fernando Verdasco
Alex Hernandez

Wild card doubles
Felicoano Lopez/Stefanos Tsitsipas

I think Verdasco just win his first ATP match since 2019 ! I heard that he was very emotional afterwards

 

[Kieran]

Well, at least Novak says that he son Stefan is Nadal's fan, he wish to take a picture with him and watching the final every point that Rafa was doing the boy was jumping and clapping, can you believe that? kids sometimes know better than older people. He also says his wife was cheering for Medvedev but he didn't have any preference....sorry but I don't believe this last part

I think that’s to Novaks credit, that his son isn’t force fed a daily diet of cheesy anti-Ralph propaganda, impersonations, hatred, gossip. Just goes to show how great a role model Rafa is, but also how good a daddy Novak is…

 

[Federberg]

 

[kskate2]

RBA served up bakery products in Andy's Doha lesson.

 

[Carol]

I think that’s to Novaks credit, that his son isn’t force fed a daily diet of cheesy anti-Ralph propaganda, impersonations, hatred, gossip. Just goes to show how great a role model Rafa is, but also how good a daddy Novak is…

Yes, but look Novak's reaction watching his son cheering for Rafa