ATP Ranking Points for Rio Olympics? ITF says Nada

[bajana]

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/ITF-c...-Olympic-Games-in-Rio-2016-articolo27978.html

The Rumour was given by MARCA, and it was confirmed to Site Tenis News by ITF President David Haggerty: 'We can confirm that there will be no points in ATP at Olympic Games. However we believe that players will be honored to play Olympics and points in the rankings will not influence their presence', said the American, who was elected more than one month ago.

 

[Frode789]

What the...? Must be a joke..

 

[Kieran]

Sounds like tennis at the Olympics has found its proper level...

 

[Kirijax]

The Olympics is a whole different set up with qualifying and then getting chosen and as a whole it's very unbalanced and maybe even unfair (depending on your point of view) in how each country chooses their representatives. Maybe it would be a better idea to have the Olympics stand alone with no points for the winners. But we might see players skipping out of it more now. And that could lead to the end of tennis in the Olympics.

 

[Fiero425]

Tennis should never have been included in the Olympics! Millionaires kvetchin' about money, points, and accommodations; been too hard to watch for years! I only saw the final one because it was on Wimbledon grass in '12! That was the last time I rooted for The GOAT!" This is Nole's time, regardless if you're a fan or not! I'm so over the glorification/deification of Roger and Rafa! :cover

 

[Carol]

Anyway it's a big honor to win the Gold Medal :celeb:

 

[tented]

Sounds like tennis at the Olympics has found its proper level...

Exactly. There never should have been ATP ranking points associated with it anyway, especially considering players had no way of defending them the following year.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Anyway, this whole thing is not principle based. This 0 point business is a way by means of which ATP is punishing ITF for not paying them money (to be given to tourneys, such as Toronto, where attendance and revenues will go down due to Olympics)

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

not bovvered about rank points, doubt players are either. they are playing for potential Olympic medal glory.

 

[Great Hands]

Becoming an Olympic Champion is the most prestigious honour outside of the 4 grand slams, in my opinion. It's not about ranking points, it's about prestige.

And I am not alone in my view. Murray still says it is his proudest moment, even more than becoming WD champion and USO champion. Del Potro said winning the bronze medal meant more to him than his USO win, and that was the bronze. These are extreme views, but it's definitely the fifth biggest title in tennis. I mean, ask any player if they'd rather win a Masters/WTF or be an Olympic Champion, surely they'd say Olympic Champion. I know I would.

Henman was asked a year or two ago: which is the more prestigious, Olympic Gold or WTF. He thought long and hard before answering. He was asked the question at the WTF, so he could have been forgiven for biggin it up. But he said that although it was very close, the Olypics was bigger, now. He said in his day he'd defnitely have said wtf. but now all the top players play in the olympics and they all want to win it badly. and as he said, olympics is the pinnable of sport, and if a sport is offcialyl in the olypmiocs, and all the top players are playing in it and really want to win it, then it becomes a very prestiogious honour.


yes, novak's been domiant, and yes, rafa's had a tough year, but still: