2022 ATP General News

[Carol]

If this is true it would be great because it seems the injury at the end is not so bad

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

If this is true it would be great because it seems the injury at the end is not so bad

Thanks Carol, on Twitter I saw a picture of Sasha with one of those 'moon boots' on his ankle, lying in bed, though there was no further news on how long he would take to recover.

 

[Moxie]

I am talking overall in the match that was just one set.His face at times looked shattered and his body language especially at the end of the match...told it all.He was the defending champion who took Rafa off the court in the s/final last year, you would think mentally he had an advantage,.also given his dream draw to the q/final.The game is 80% mental, Goran of all people should know that,so should the No 1 player, he won Rome, he found his game on clay, so no excuses full stop.

I've only just caught up to Carol's article from Goran, (which seemed full of excuses,) and this from you. I only saw the last set, but I don't buy any excuses. Goran, and others, seem to think that Novak should have an advantage, or have done better than he did. Little acknowledgement as to Rafa and his dominance at RG. (In fairness, Novak did say that.) But Goran sweeping up after him is cheap. Did Novak not request the night match? And if he isn't really fit yet, why?

 

[kskate2]

I've only just caught up to Carol's article from Goran, (which seemed full of excuses,) and this from you. I only saw the last set, but I don't buy any excuses. Goran, and others, seem to think that Novak should have an advantage, or have done better than he did. Little acknowledgement as to Rafa and his dominance at RG. (In fairness, Novak did say that.) But Goran sweeping up after him is cheap. Did Novak not request the night match? And if he isn't really fit yet, why?

Well I don't think he's fit for BO5 and we've been talking about it for months. He was gassed in the 3rd set of those early tournaments (Dubai, MC. Belgrade, Madrid). Finding some semblance of his form in Rome and rolling over 4 rounds of tomato cans isn't going to prep him for BO5 against a top 10 player let alone the KOC on Chatrier. In fact, that Rome victory and his easy draw likely gave him a false sense of security in his level.

I mentioned this during that match: He was expecting to perform better in the first set and when he wasn't at the level necessary to dual w/ Nads he got extremely agitated, thus the bad body language.

 

[Moxie]

Well I don't think he's fit for BO5 and we've been talking about it for months. He was gassed in the 3rd set of those early tournaments (Dubai, MC. Belgrade, Madrid). Finding some semblance of his form in Rome and rolling over 4 rounds of tomato cans isn't going to prep him for BO5 against a top 10 player let alone the KOC on Chatrier. In fact, that Rome victory and his easy draw likely gave him a false sense of security in his level.

I mentioned this during that match: He was expecting to perform better in the first set and when he wasn't at the level necessary to dual w/ Nads he got extremely agitated, thus the bad body language.

I agree with everything you say here. I know some folks say, (and I'm not just talking about AP) that Novak rolls out of bed ready to compete at the highest level. But that hasn't been true this year. Could be lack of matches and lack of fitness. Could be Covid. Could be that times waits for no one. I hear that he's not planning to play a grass tune-up. Could be a mistake.

 

[rafanoy1992]

I agree with everything you say here. I know some folks say, (and I'm not just talking about AP) that Novak rolls out of bed ready to compete at the highest level. But that hasn't been true this year. Could be lack of matches and lack of fitness. Could be Covid. Could be that times waits for no one. I hear that he's not planning to play a grass tune-up. Could be a mistake.

It is why I do not like when experts say that Djokovic will surpass Nadal in Slam count due to Djokovic more poised to play longer than Nadal at this point of their career. In sports (and sometimes in life), playing more years does not automatically make the player win A LOT more titles than a player who played fewer years.

 

[Fiero425]

It is why I do not like when experts say that Djokovic will surpass Nadal in Slam count due to Djokovic more poised to play longer than Nadal at this point of their career. In sports (and sometimes in life), playing more years does not automatically make the player win A LOT more titles than a player who played fewer years.

You'd be in denial not agreeing with those statements! It all balances out when Novak has a super season like '11, '15, & '21, there's nowhere else to go but down after winning 3 Majors! Most experts believe when all the dust settles, Novak will own all the records with Rafa only having the advantage of 2 majors at this moment and not much else! He's behind in Masters, weeks @ #1, and so many others records! Rafa shouldn't hint at leaving due to injury if he's still able to compete! He does this to himself and looks like a tool IMO!

 

[kskate2]

It is why I do not like when experts say that Djokovic will surpass Nadal in Slam count due to Djokovic more poised to play longer than Nadal at this point of their career. In sports (and sometimes in life), playing more years does not automatically make the player win A LOT more titles than a player who played fewer years.

Especially when you have the likes of Med on HC, Carlito on HC/Clay and a plethora of big servers on grass that could claim his scalp.

 

[rafanoy1992]

And it is not like I do not believe Djokovic can not surpass Nadal in the slam titles count (I will not be surprised one bit if he does it), it is just that I believe that it will be extremely hard for him to accomplish the feat.

Just think of this way, Djokovic won 3 slams last year at age 33/34. However, winning those three slams only allowed him to tie Federer and Nadal at 20 slams a piece.

Now, at the very least, he has to win another 3 slams at age 35/36 or higher just to surpass Nadal.

In addition to winning 3+ slams at an older age, like Kstate mentioned, he has to contend with Medvedev, Alcaraz, FAA, and other young players that can potentially defeat him. Before I forget, the player that won the 1st two slams this year is still playing.

 

[Fiero425]

And it is not like I do not believe Djokovic can not surpass Nadal in the slam titles count (I will not be surprised one bit if he does it), it is just that I believe that it will be extremely hard for him to accomplish the feat.

Just think of this way, Djokovic won 3 slams last year at age 33/34. However, winning those three slams only allowed him to tie Federer and Nadal at 20 slams a piece.

Now, at the very least, he has to win another 3 slams at age 35/36 or higher just to surpass Nadal.

In addition to winning 3+ slams at an older age, like Kstate mentioned, he has to contend with Medvedev, Alcaraz, FAA, and other young players that can potentially defeat him. Before I forget, the player that won the 1st two slams this year is still playing.

Only tying? Why is it no one can seem to credit Novak for not only surpassing Fedal in many catagorical records, he did it in less time/age?

 

[Kieran]

You'd be in denial not agreeing with those statements! It all balances out when Novak has a super season like '11, '15, & '21, there's nowhere else to go but down after winning 3 Majors! Most experts believe when all the dust settles, Novak will own all the records with Rafa only having the advantage of 2 majors at this moment and not much else! He's behind in Masters, weeks @ #1, and so many others records! Rafa shouldn't hint at leaving due to injury if he's still able to compete! He does this to himself and looks like a tool IMO!

Great point, the stuff in the red ink. I hasn’t noticed this that Novak suffered a let down the season after. The rest of it is open to dispute, though I agree to a degree about Rafa and all the yapping about his injury. Sometimes it feels like he uses them as a comfort blanket in the press, to deflect the pressure - even though they are obviously a serious thing. I get bored hearing about them too…

 

[Kieran]

Only tying? Why is it no one can seem to credit Novak for not only surpassing Fedal in many catagorical records, he did it in less time/age?

You’re overlooking Rafa having 22 slams out of only 64 played. Out of only 30 finals. Novak has played 67 slams and got to 20 on his 65th.

Roger has played 81 slams and got to 20 on his 72nd. And at the end of the day, MS titles records mean diddly. No player prioritises them over the slams. The slams are the big deal. The rest of everything revolves around them…

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Goran also said Djokovic was stupid for choosing the night match thinking it was going to change things.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Goran also said Djokovic was stupid for choosing the night match thinking it was going to change things.

If Goran actually said "stupid" he will be watching Novak on TV just like the rest of his fandom.

 

[Fiero425]

You’re overlooking Rafa having 22 slams out of only 64 played. Out of only 30 finals. Novak has played 67 slams and got to 20 on his 65th.

Roger has played 81 slams and got to 20 on his 72nd. And at the end of the day, MS titles records mean diddly. No player prioritises them over the slams. The slams are the big deal. The rest of everything revolves around them…

The slams have become the big deal, but only much later in the Open Era! If all majors were that important "way back when," Connors, McEnroe, & Borg would have gone "down under" more! They didn't since the only 2 majors that mattered were Wimbledon and The USO! Borg made The FO relevant by owning it in his day winning 6 of 8 championships! He was defeated by only one player twice; sorta like Djokovic to Nadal! Rafa's achievement of 22 majors is undermined IMO when he's hogging mostly FO's and other clay events over the more balanced resumes of Fed & Djokovic! Their names are all over the record books including all their YEC's and the fact that Nole's won the Double Golden Masters & a Nole-Slam! Rafa's claim to glory is winning the FO for the most part and not much else besides the rivalries he has with Fedovic! Nuff said!

 

[Fiero425]

If Goran actually said "stupid" he will be watching Novak on TV just like the rest of his fandom.

To me nothing was more stupid than traveling to Japan to compete for that OGM! It didn't help his quest to complete a CYGS!

 

[Fiero425]

Great point, the stuff in the red ink. I hasn’t noticed this that Novak suffered a let down the season after. The rest of it is open to dispute, though I agree to a degree about Rafa and all the yapping about his injury. Sometimes it feels like he uses them as a comfort blanket in the press, to deflect the pressure - even though they are obviously a serious thing. I get bored hearing about them too…

That's saying something as Novak broke all kinds of records in 2015 winning 3 majors, 6 Masters, & the YEC! His best "down year" was a career achievement for many as he defended his AO, won his 1st FO (completing CGS), & took 4 Masters titles only to be YE #2 behind Murray who won Wimbledon, a bunch of 500 level events, & The YEC! How does that happen? Novak's had 2 YE #1 taken away by flukes that seem to happen when he's had a great season like '11, '15, & '18!

 

[Kieran]

The slams have become the big deal, but only much later in the Open Era! If all majors were that important "way back when," Connors, McEnroe, & Borg would have gone "down under" more! They didn't since the only 2 majors that mattered were Wimbledon and The USO! Borg made The FO relevant by owning it in his day winning 6 of 8 championships! He was defeated by only one player twice; sorta like Djokovic to Nadal! Rafa's achievement of 22 majors is undermined IMO when he's hogging mostly FO's and other clay events over the more balanced resumes of Fed & Djokovic! Their names are all over the record books including all their YEC's and the fact that Nole's won the Double Golden Masters & a Nole-Slam! Rafa's claim to glory is winning the FO for the most part and not much else besides the rivalries he has with Fedovic! Nuff said!

Well wait! I think you’re mistaken. If the slams weren’t important back in the day, then what was? The Grand Slam Cup? The WCT? Shanghai? Of course the slams are important. Now, we all know that Australia fecked up by situating it’s slam at the most inhospitable time of the year, so players didn’t want to travel, but once they corrected that, it retrieved its previous status.

The thing I think you’re referring to is, what was a priority if a player wanted to be considered “great”, and I always cite Bjorn Borg on this one: when I was young Borg always said he wanted to win the CYGS, so he could be considered the best of all time. This in itself implies that all the slams were important. He’d have travelled Down Under if he bagged the other 3 first. Another stupid reason for Australia holding its slam last.

It was Pete Sampras who changed the criteria for measuring things, when he started to chase Emerson, then everyone talked about Roger chasing Pete. The CYGS seemed out of reach (though I agree with what you wrote elsewhere, that Novak was dumb to play the Olympics and use up his battery before the USO last year). This generation are getting slams too easily so maybe the CYGS became more accessible.

But really, nobody ever counted MS titles in the 70’s or 80’s - or even the 90’s. They didn’t even exist in their current form. Nobody counted the WTF. A great player was always proven to be great in the slams…

 

[Fiero425]

Well wait! I think you’re mistaken. If the slams weren’t important back in the day, then what was? The Grand Slam Cup? The WCT? Shanghai? Of course the slams are important. Now, we all know that Australia fecked up by situating it’s slam at the most inhospitable time of the year, so players didn’t want to travel, but once they corrected that, it retrieved its previous status.

The thing I think you’re referring to is, what was a priority if a player wanted to be considered “great”, and I always cite Bjorn Borg on this one: when I was young Borg always said he wanted to win the CYGS, so he could be considered the best of all time. This in itself implies that all the slams were important. He’d have travelled Down Under if he bagged the other 3 first. Another stupid reason for Australia holding its slam last.

It was Pete Sampras who changed the criteria for measuring things, when he started to chase Emerson, then everyone talked about Roger chasing Pete. The CYGS seemed out of reach (though I agree with what you wrote elsewhere, that Novak was dumb to play the Olympics and use up his battery before the USO last year). This generation are getting slams too easily so maybe the CYGS became more accessible.

But really, nobody ever counted MS titles in the 70’s or 80’s - or even the 90’s. They didn’t even exist in their current form. Nobody counted the WTF. A great player was always proven to be great in the slams…

That's the thing! In those early days of Open Tennis, it was a mess where importance of events went all over the place! You meantioned the WCT where it was more highly regarded because of the money Lamar Hunt threw at the sport of tennis! His tournaments started giving away $50 K to $100 K when the majors barely paid expenses! The WCT final was bigger than the actual YE Masters way back when! The GS Cup was a joke and never got any respectability IMO! One year (2004), The Tennis Masters bumped Agassi out of the event due to the FO champion, Gaston Gaudio dropping out of the top 8 by year's end his results outside of clay were so bad!

 

[Carol]

Great interview of Rafa on CNN

VIDEO: Rafael Nadal isn’t obsessed with Grand Slam record

In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Monday, Rafael Nadal reflected on his record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title, the race to be the greatest, achieving his dreams and Wimbledon…

rafaelnadalfans.com