2023 ATP General News

[tossip]

Rune is very good

 

[Kieran]

Rune is very good

Rune is the real thing, whereas Rublev is just another talented kid who lacks that bit extra in the trouser department…

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I just found this translation of a Spanish Tweet, from Barcelona,

Some bikers steal a watch valued at 70,000 euros from tennis player Grigor Dimitrov in Barcelona. The athlete was assaulted when he returned from training.

 

[El Dude]

Every once in a while I scour the Challenger scores to see who is playing. I noticed that the Future of Tennis are still plugging along in challengers.

This guy and this one.

 

[Kieran]

Every once in a while I scour the Challenger scores to see who is playing. I noticed that the Future of Tennis are still plugging along in challengers.

This guy and this one.

Crikey those boys fell!

 

[tossip]

I just found this translation of a Spanish Tweet, from Barcelona,

Some bikers steal a watch valued at 70,000 euros from tennis player Grigor Dimitrov in Barcelona. The athlete was assaulted when he returned from training.

I hope it's insured...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I hope it's insured...

You would hope so Tossip, though Barcelona is know for it's gypsies and pick pockets, I love the city it is one of my favorite cities in Spain

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Crikey those boys fell!

While I was out on my run I had a 'memory flash' I remember Rafa and Uncle Toni invited invited Donald and his dad to train with Rafa in Spain, they reclined the offer, in hindsight I wonder if that was a good decision, seeing Donald is stuck in the challenger circuit

 

[El Dude]

Crikey those boys fell!

I was surprised to see them active at all. Young was fading out a few years ago, playing only 2 events in 2019, none in 2020, and 1 in 2021. But what I found is that he's been hanging out on Challengers. Similarly with Harrison. Young fell out of the top 100 in 2018, Harrison in 2019.

I guess they can theoretically earn a living scraping by on the Challenger circuit, which have total prize money of around $100K (plus or minus) each. Not sure what the winner gets - $10-15K, maybe?

 

[Kieran]

I was surprised to see them active at all. Young was fading out a few years ago, playing only 2 events in 2019, none in 2020, and 1 in 2021. But what I found is that he's been hanging out on Challengers. Similarly with Harrison. Young fell out of the top 100 in 2018, Harrison in 2019.

I guess they can theoretically earn a living scraping by on the Challenger circuit, which have total prize money of around $100K (plus or minus) each. Not sure what the winner gets - $10-15K, maybe?

They’ve both won more than $4.5m dollars each. I hope they both watched their expenses…

 

[Moxie]

I hope it's insured...

Almost certainly it's a sponsor's watch. You may remember someone once stole Rafa's $500,000+ Mille watch from his locker at a tournament.

I looked up the story in the Spanish press. Seems this motorcycle came up and a guy shut his sideview mirror, so he had to open the window to push the mirror back out. When he did, they stole the watch. No mention of injury, but it must have been rough, if they snatched it. That would be his left wrist, and he's right-handed, with a one-handed backhand, of course, so hopefully not that impactful on his playing.

 

[Moxie]

They’ve both won more than $4.5m dollars each. I hope they both watched their expenses…

Boy, if that doesn't tell you something about "careerists" v. Champions. That's a lot of prize money for guys who were never more than a glimmer in the eye of US men's tennis, and years ago. With a certain amount of talent, you can still make a lot of money, even if you lack the competitive fire.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

There will be 'Electronic Line Calling" in Madrid ( Clay) but only on the 2 biggest courts,
Manolo Santana and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario

There won't be any in Rome on any court.

 

[El Dude]

They’ve both won more than $4.5m dollars each. I hope they both watched their expenses…

I think that's an element of tennis that is under-emphasized - finances and how they impact overall performance and ranking. I remember reading an article a few years ago about how a relatively small number of players have the resources to compete at the highest level. This is not to say that a player couldn't get to #1 and win Slams without being rich, but that wealth gives an edge, such as how big your training staff can be (e.g. how many therapists you can employ). Things that a top player can afford, but you have to get there first.

Like the ranking system itself, it is harder to go up than it is to maintain. Capitalism 101, I guess. This is why we see "consolidation phases" after a player jumps up. Typically a player enters the top 100 after a good run at Challengers, but then enters the main tour and might just consolidate for awhile. Think of Pete Sampras in 1988-89, or Rafa in 2003-04.

But it makes me wonder how many players eventually give up on the quest to become a champion, and instead just see it as a paycheck and way to live. It isn't a bad lifestyle - traveling to different places, making 1-300K a year. While that income sounds like a dream to most of us, it is very limiting in terms of resources for a tennis player and what it takes to become an elite.

 

[El Dude]

Boy, if that doesn't tell you something about "careerists" v. Champions. That's a lot of prize money for guys who were never more than a glimmer in the eye of US men's tennis, and years ago. With a certain amount of talent, you can still make a lot of money, even if you lack the competitive fire.

This fits with what I said above.

I remember those two well, because they were among the few prospects when I started paying closer attention to such things. Young at first, reaching #100 at age 18 when he reached the 3rd round of the 2007 USO, although that mostly due to getting a wo vs Gasquet. But then he stagnated for years, and only really became a regular top 100 player in 2011.

I think of Harrison in the same breadth as Tomic and Dimitrov, as all three emerged around the same time. Obviously they didn't have similar outcomes.

 

[Jelenafan]

This fits with what I said above.

I remember those two well, because they were among the few prospects when I started paying closer attention to such things. Young at first, reaching #100 at age 18 when he reached the 3rd round of the 2007 USO, although that mostly due to getting a wo vs Gasquet. But then he stagnated for years, and only really became a regular top 100 player in 2011.

I think of Harrison in the same breadth as Tomic and Dimitrov, as all three emerged around the same time. Obviously they didn't have similar outcomes.

You know, as much as we all rag poor Dimitrov around here he's actually carved out a bonafide top tier tennis career, hasn't he? That's why players like him, Monfils, Gasquet, Isner and perhaps now someone like Shapavalov were not/won't be world beaters but it sure trumps working for a living.

 

[don_fabio]

There won't be Stan vs. Novak match in R2 of Banja Luka, because Stan went down to Van Assche.

Young Frenchman (18y old) played pretty well and fought hard in 2nd and 3rd set. Stan failed to convert 0:40 at 5:5 in 2nd set and had 3:1 lead in 3rd.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

There won't be Stan vs. Novak match in R2 of Banja Luka, because Stan went down to Van Assche.

Young Frenchman (18y old) played pretty well and fought hard in 2nd and 3rd set. Stan failed to convert 0:40 at 5:5 in 2nd set and 3:1 lead in 3rd.

I see the matches have been suspended due to rain at present
How his Novak's elbow I saw photo's of him with his sleeve still on, still a precaution?
BTW French have high hopes for the 18 year old Van Assche

 

[don_fabio]

I see the matches have been suspended due to rain at present
How his Novak's elbow I saw photo's of him with his sleeve still on, still a precaution?
BTW French have high hopes for the 18 year old Van Assche

I don't know what's going on with that sleeve and his elbow. I am surprised to see him play with that thing.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I don't know what's going on with that sleeve and his elbow. I am surprised to see him play with that thing.

Maybe it is just a precaution, let's see if he does play with the sleeve in his first match, you were right with your weather forecast for the tournament, sad to say it looks like matches due to rain will be stop and start.