ATP World Tour Finals

[teddytennisfan]

Definitely Moya is doing a good job with Raonic but this one still has to learn to have more control in the crucial points, otherwise he never will win a MS and less a GS . How he did let go away both tiebreaks?

IN PART -- the problem of raonic is the same as MOST ''MOST FEARSOME" SERVE dependent players --

it's when they ARE challenged in their serves by equally dependable servers -- not necessarily faster servers -- and to the point that it is now the serve itself that is the remaining weapon -- that they then get flustered.

and then a mental breakdown happens.

isner, raonic, karlovic all fall in that category. because the actual ''rest of the game" BEHIND the serves can not rise in quality to the level of the serving itself.

this is different for example from great servers like Roger federer hmself. in tie breaks,

pete sampras most famously of them - marat safin, del potro..and in today's case -- Nole...i noticed this week his serves are nice and CLEAN wtih some nasty bite to their placement..

BIG servers who had the quality of GAME BEHIND the serves which CONTINUED to back up the huge serves even in the tightest of times ( i mean of course when they were actually playing well on a given day)..

with THESE players -- not only did the SERVES come to the FORE as super weapons -- but the GAME behind the serves DIDN'T falter.

 

[Carol]

IN PART -- the problem of raonic is the same as MOST ''MOST FEARSOME" SERVE dependent players --

it's when they ARE challenged in their serves by equally dependable servers -- not necessarily faster servers -- and to the point that it is now the serve itself that is the remaining weapon -- that they then get flustered.

and then a mental breakdown happens.

isner, raonic, karlovic all fall in that category. because the actual ''rest of the game" BEHIND the serves can not rise in quality to the level of the serving itself.

this is different for example from great servers like Roger federer hmself. in tie breaks,

pete sampras most famously of them - marat safin, del potro..and in today's case -- Nole...i noticed this week his serves are nice and CLEAN wtih some nasty bite to their placement..

BIG servers who had the quality of GAME BEHIND the serves which CONTINUED to back up the huge serves even in the tightest of times ( i mean of course when they were actually playing well on a given day)..

with THESE players -- not only did the SERVES come to the FORE as super weapons -- but the GAME behind the serves DIDN'T falter.

He has also improved the game, he is not only a "sever" but maybe because his height (though he is not moving so bad ) or because simpletely his nerves/decisions are not under control in the crucial points he still is far to belong to the best players group, maybe one day but not yet.

 

[teddytennisfan]

He has also improved the game, he is not only a "sever" but maybe because his height (though he is not moving so bad ) or because simpletely his nerves/decisions are not under control in the crucial points he still is far to belong to the best players group, maybe one day but not yet.

oh definitely IMPROVED. enormously even.

and it is good that he continues so -- pays attention to the 'weakness' of movement - but also capitalizes on his size and power. it's the way it happens with anyone that wants to be well-balanced.

my main point really is that tendency of players like him where the ''rest of the game' is still somewhat lagging behind the 'main weapon' which is the serve which when it is brought to the ''battle of balls" - down there -- someone cracks ''up there'' -- ...and in this case -- since a NOLE is so well-balanced in his over-all game -- he is LESS likely to have cause from his own game to ''crack'' up there.
\
and of course there's just the undefinable qualities of personality, ''heart'' or whatever we like to imagine are the ''intangibles" of players -- sometimes we call it ''fighting spirit'' - courage, whatever...u know?

but MILOS has big room to improve so he should be OK in the coming yyears..and SHOULD NOT succumb to disappointment leading to discouragement. just KEEP AT IT -- in his whole game.

he'll get there one day and be on a quality like the current top guns.

 

[teddytennisfan]

u know what is so exemplary about NOLE?

IMO --

WHILE he of course has a natural talent like all greats MUST be -- without question (like to be a GREAT musician, truly and not JUST from training or experience, one MUST have an indefinable ''it'' for the world of sound, so to say) --

whatever ''lagging" aspects of his game -- he ASSIDUOUSLY worked on EACH one as much as he could -- to not just cultivate his over-all natural abilities -- but to BUILD just about every aspect he could in his game and shots and tactices, style strategy..

what was ONCE considered ''a weaker side" --and evne a 'liability" -- his forehand -- is just about a great as his backhand..what was ONCE considered ''a two-hander master" -- he NOW has a whole raft of slices and one-handers and drop shots and volleys, both forehand and backhand, overhead ..midcourt or behind the net -- etc...

what was ONCE 'a weaker second serve" - he now uses as A BACK UP and even surprise ACE or winner.

THAT is a complete player - who worked hard on his talent to cultivate hmself to BE

what he said years ago:

"someday i also want to be number ONE -- i also want to show that I TOO HAVE SOME quality"

and I DECLARE what QUALITY INDEED...

as athlete, tennis player, competitor, fighter, champion, number one and PERSON.

THAT is why he is EXEMPLARY.

 

[britbox]

2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat 4-Milos Raonic (Canada) 7-6(6) 7-6(5)
8-Dominic Thiem (Austria) beat 6-Gael Monfils (France) 6-3 1-6 6-4

 

[Billie]

I think he looked a bit better. And he improved and dug in as the match progressed, unlike last few I've seen where he has got worse after about an hour. Still not top form though but I felt the serve was smoother.I am so hoping he can do it, no secret here that I can't tolerate any of the Murrays and the press since he got No 1 has been so adulatory it makes me feel nauseous! Many negative comments now about Nole getting angry. Tim Henman commentating seems to have conveniently forgotten that he himself once injured a ball girl who had to go to hospital. Henman had to take her flowers and apologise. Amazing how holier than thou ex players get.

I feel the same Mary, but what are we to do. I just caught the last set today at 2:1 and I am glad that he somehow managed to win this one in 2. The attitude seems a bit better, there is a little edge to him, it seems, but we'll see. I like him a bit angry so we might thank that reporter at the end, who knows.

I didn't know that about Henman, thanks for the info.

Also Raonic seems to have some awesome healers in his camp. Less than 10 days from a torn muscle. Amazing recovery!

 

[Mary]

MARY -- but isn't murray quite respectful towards NOLE, though? personally i always liked andy - including his interviews. but we know how commentators and interviewers like to FEED AND sort of ''entrap" players to say stuff..

as for henamn -- i don't understand what HIS personal thing would be towards Nole...Henman was a fine, FINE player himself though of course not at the level of the likes that get to be greats...

even for people that didn't like NOLE -- what did HE really say that wasn't either true or proper for any young ambitious player that eventually DELIVERED BIG TIME on what he said..that was hurtful to anyone?

NOTHING inall his years -- except to DARE to declare during the height of the rafa'roger duopoly

"I think there's is room up there for another player --i'd like to try to be one..and i want to be number ONE someday TOO...I want to show that I have SOME quality TOO"

what was so BAD about THAT that NOLE in 2006 or soemthing said it in the CATHEDRAL of the HOLY ROGER empire and the GOD of BULLS RAFA

battle field?

that's where i started to look more keenly into WHY the press (and ONLY then notcied it ws largely a very western press that decided who is ''embraceable andwho is NOT") --

seemed to ''depict" a ''GATE-CRASHING OUTSIDER" - meaning NOLE...
and began to sort of trace BACK ''WHERE does he come from?'

and THAT's when i started to delve more deeply into BACKGROUND - - SLAVIC, serbia, history, etc, etc, etc...and all the ''history" told ABOUT" ''those easterners" --

and i began to realize -- it HAD Connections with the 'west versus east" paradigm

serbia, russians, slavs, orthodox..

IN NO different way than the \''incscrutable, untrustworthy chinese"...in the other side of the world.......

in other words -- ALWAYS inferior and 'OUTSIDER PARTY CRASHERS| ".

and any chance some DIG - some sly putdown of nole can be brought up - hey someone is going to do it.

in any case -- GO NOLE!!

Hi Teddy,

I think the anti Nole press here is because he usually beats Murray and because he is Serbian there is a strong racial element. Our press are notoriously vicious and untruthful, currently there are loads of campaigns against them, Nole is one of many victims.

If you analyse Murray's comments over the last 2 years he has on numerous occasions fuelled the rumours against Nole. After Australia final 2015, he overtly accused him of cheating, made sly digs at him when Nole basically said innocent till found guilty over doping, joined the sexism debate this spring even though he himself had done numerous interviews opposing equal pay in majors. There are loads of examples and being in the UK he gets massive exposure here so we see them perhaps more than those in other parts of the world do. My dislike of him is not based on his tennis which can be brilliant and he currently deserves no 1. But I find the whinging and whining and foul language and his anti English stuff very distasteful.

Like all Nole supporters I am sad to see him obviously off form and unhappy. And the game needs fresh faces badly. I have enjoyed seeing Zverev and others coming through. I am missing Nadal and Federer like we all are. But for me I have to say give me anyone but Murray as he himself said anyone but England!

 

[teddytennisfan]

I feel the same Mary, but what are we to do. I just caught the last set today at 2:1 and I am glad that he somehow managed to win this one in 2. The attitude seems a bit better, there is a little edge to him, it seems, but we'll see. I like him a bit angry so we might thank that reporter at the end, who knows.

I didn't know that about Henman, thanks for the info.

Also Raonic seems to have some awesome healers in his camp. Less than 10 days from a torn muscle. Amazing recovery!

''I LIKE HIM A BIT ANGRY"...

and THAT is just the crux of the matter FOR NOLE. Billie...

tennis as a global sport began as a universally popular and accepted sport in its more or less recognizable form as a ''western'' paradigm..like much else in our present world...

and under this paradigm -- ''acceptance" - not just in the definition and evaluation of the ''international" activity itself -- in this case the sport of tennis -

is decided by who ''created" the ''ctivity''. that is: the west. everything is wrappred around that -- beyond the actual sets of rules that create ''what the sport" is -- are the BEHAVIORAL , ETIQUETTE, and finally CULTURAL backgrounds of people.

thus -- it will be LESS acceptable for a ''mere outsider that has been GIVEN the PRIVILEGE of participating and become successful in " the ''activity" .that is to say ''someone from beyond the fences" -- someone from the ''uncivilized, not born to the manor OTHERS"

TO BEHAVE with the same emotions or displays of character and REACTION ..

SUCH AS ANGER, FRUSTRATION, COMPLAINT, CHALLENGE, DISPLEASURE, DISPLAYED BY A ''slav" -- ''some guy from some small country somewhere east of the west and south of the north"

by a NOVAK DJOKOVIC than an ANDY RODDICK or ANDY MURRAY is going to be less EASILY forgiven by the powers that be.

and the crux for someone like NOLE therefore is -- no matter what -- he MUST show ''good behavior at all times" -- that the LACK of it would be more easily ''understandable as just being human" FROM someone else -- say

from the USA, uk, belgium, france...etc...the others = if they commited something SIMILAR to nole -- such as being argumentative for five seconds - might more easily be seen as ''oh -- it's a momentary thing, in the heat of the moment>

someone like NOLE will have THAT SAME FIVE SECONDS of an exact same reaction -- say frustration or anger or argumentativeness -- as a MARK ON HIS FOREHEAD as if to prove that ''see? he's just like that -- THEY are just like THAT, uncouth and barbarians and unlearned in the PROPER decorum ".

so -- nole will have to be more diplomatic, more careful, more ''respectful" of the ''right way of behaving"...

NOT because of HIS personality -- but because a cursing from HIM will more readily be used as a way to MARK ALL THE PEOPLE that HE represents>

where a cursing from ANDY MURRAY will more readily be called "oh -- he's just a SINGLE bad apple in the barrel -- the REST are really not like HIM".

BUT if it's NOLE cursing "oh thats because SLAVS AND SERBS MUST BE LIKE THAT".

see the difference?

 

[Mary]

I feel the same Mary, but what are we to do. I just caught the last set today at 2:1 and I am glad that he somehow managed to win this one in 2. The attitude seems a bit better, there is a little edge to him, it seems, but we'll see. I like him a bit angry so we might thank that reporter at the end, who knows.

I didn't know that about Henman, thanks for the info.

Also Raonic seems to have some awesome healers in his camp. Less than 10 days from a torn muscle. Amazing recovery!

The Henman incident was a doubles match, he slammed the ball hard in temper and hit the poor ball girl on the ear. It knocked her down and clearly hurt her badly. Henman and partner were disqualified. He was very upset of course but one would think he would have a little more restraint in his comments and understand how frustrated players can get.

I think the crowd was getting to Novak too. Its a very noise and oppressive arena, Ive been tweice and hated the venue. He always has a tough ride here in the UK and the Murray support is at a zenith right now. I think he does play better when he's angry, you are right.

I suspect Raonic exaggerated the injury. He is injury prone and possibly panicked and thought it was a reoccurrence. Torn muscles just don't repair that fast. Or he is on strong medication. He played better than I have seen him play but he still has a lot of weaknesses - not much to his game apart from the serve and his power.

Anyway we can relax till tomorrow now!

 

[teddytennisfan]

Hi Teddy,

I think the anti Nole press here is because he usually beats Murray and because he is Serbian there is a strong racial element. Our press are notoriously vicious and untruthful, currently there are loads of campaigns against them, Nole is one of many victims.

If you analyse Murray's comments over the last 2 years he has on numerous occasions fuelled the rumours against Nole. After Australia final 2015, he overtly accused him of cheating, made sly digs at him when Nole basically said innocent till found guilty over doping, joined the sexism debate this spring even though he himself had done numerous interviews opposing equal pay in majors. There are loads of examples and being in the UK he gets massive exposure here so we see them perhaps more than those in other parts of the world do. My dislike of him is not based on his tennis which can be brilliant and he currently deserves no 1. But I find the whinging and whining and foul language and his anti English stuff very distasteful.

Like all Nole supporters I am sad to see him obviously off form and unhappy. And the game needs fresh faces badly. I have enjoyed seeing Zverev and others coming through. I am missing Nadal and Federer like we all are. But for me I have to say give me anyone but Murray as he himself said anyone but England!

THANKS for your very touching reply, MARY.

IT really adds a fresh perspective to my observing and much to learn from it and let myself be guided by .

of course we all have our perspectives that are always colored by how we are ourselves ''formed" -- but that's only part of it and other parts are what we DO learn from simply observing things outside of our own ''way of seeing" until that point..

maybe i partly also just was so excited all these years to also see someone like ANDY GET his day in the sun in the way he has - and not least because i DO and always thought that he IS very, very talented. just amazing abilities so obvious to anyone. and naturally as purely tennis fans - we DO want to support every player that we all know is trying to carve out a career with dedication , with commitment etc...we WANT them to be successful and hve their chance to show their talent and enjoy their success. because they give US so much pleasure in watching this beautiful sport.

so -- it's possible, now that you pointed out some thing that i MAY have ''subconsciously"" suppressed from ''seeing", that andy has made those sly digs at NOLE...

remember that time when NOLE was supposedly MULLING if he would request citizenship for UK as it might enhance the trajectory of his career more -- and then he somewhat denied it or something...preferring to represent his COUNTRY which we know - if anyone has been following him closely -- is A VERY, very big part of who he is as a tennis player and everything he has worked so hard for?

to SUCCEED NOT as an ''adoptive citizen" in countries that gave more ''chances" easily or more 'acceptance' in things BEYOND the career alone -- but perhaps even in ''public support" - such as publics ''rooting for OUR citizen"

NOT like , for example several other players -- poles especially , who go to belgium or france, or germany - quite typically , it seems -- and 'thrive" there flying the flags of their adoptive countries -- (for example, wozniacki, or in their cases, hingis, also wawrinka from czechoslovakia, etc) --

BUT FOR NOLE -- UNDER BOMBS by NATO growing up - "who i am today was founded by my teacher -- JELENA GENCIC -- who -- more than just a wonderful tennis teacher -- TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE and how to be a HUMAN BEING?"

AND SO SHOWED HIS CREDENTIALS to the world

as 'THE SERBIAN"?

whose country and people are ''supposed" to be ''bad, bad, bad ?" people according to western story telling in ALL affairs about ''those slavs"?

that's why for ME -- NOLE has NEVER been only about SHEER TALENT-- WHICH IS considerable against ANY era -- and in ANY sport --

it's also always been about WHAT AND WHO AND WHY AND FOR WHAT REASON and HOW -- humanity -- he represents

'''WHAT my teacher taught me -- she was like my second mother....."

to BEAR insults and disapproval, COLDNESS towards him and what he brings, which is -- ''MY PEOPLE -- i want to show the world that there is a DIFFERENT serbia than what the western press and stories have told the world about my people -- i want to show that i also have some quality">

that THAT quality -- in HIM -- represents the qualtiy of 'my people" .

DIGNIFIED, TALENTED, resourceful, sincere m, courageous.....

and -- now i begin to understand better wht i felt when i FIRST saw him in some small hardcourttourney...

when he was not yet a ''big name" - back in 2004, i believe...a us hardcourt...

and said to myself:

'''this young player - so slender, with real talent..where is he from///fine player..

but soemthing about him -- THE WAY HE WALKS and holds his head and shoulders erect like THAT -- SOMETHING that signifies MORE than just tennis".

AND only lter did I LEARN more about what this young man was about...

from a country VILIFIED by the west -- BOMBED to make them submit -- and whose STORY of their people was GROUND to a PULP through the western '''history of the world"............

and out comes -- 'BAD, BAD PEOPLE -- THESE SERBIANS"!!

so i began that 'journey" - so to say --as a fan of NOLE - to understand what their people HAD to go through and STILL are forced to go through -- which is -- from the west --


GREAT INJUSTICE to the truth of WHO THEY ARE -- a wonderful people really.

 

[Mastoor]

I wasn't under impression the crowd was against no1e this year. I thought they liked him.

I hope his service will improve, otherwise may be impossible to win next 3 matches with wta like first service.

 

[Tennis Fan]

Definitely Moya is doing a good job with Raonic but this one still has to learn to have more control in the crucial points, otherwise he never will win a MS and less a GS . How he did let go away both tiebreaks?

That's what I was thinking when I was watching the match. How is it that the big servers can hit bombs throughout the match, but get them in a tiebreaker and they seem to lose it most of the time. Total lack of control, it's like he gets ahead of himself? I can't think of any other reason why he keeps giving the mini-breaks back.

 

[Tennis Fan]

MARY -- but isn't murray quite respectful towards NOLE, though? personally i always liked andy - including his interviews. but we know how commentators and interviewers like to FEED AND sort of ''entrap" players to say stuff..

as for henamn -- i don't understand what HIS personal thing would be towards Nole...Henman was a fine, FINE player himself though of course not at the level of the likes that get to be greats...

even for people that didn't like NOLE -- what did HE really say that wasn't either true or proper for any young ambitious player that eventually DELIVERED BIG TIME on what he said..that was hurtful to anyone?

NOTHING inall his years -- except to DARE to declare during the height of the rafa'roger duopoly

"I think there's is room up there for another player --i'd like to try to be one..and i want to be number ONE someday TOO...I want to show that I have SOME quality TOO"

what was so BAD about THAT that NOLE in 2006 or something said it in the CATHEDRAL of the HOLY ROGER empire and the GOD of BULLS RAFA

battle field?

that's where i started to look more keenly into WHY the press (and ONLY then notcied it ws largely a very western press that decided who is ''embraceable and who is NOT") --

seemed to ''depict" a ''GATE-CRASHING OUTSIDER" - meaning NOLE...
and began to sort of trace BACK ''WHERE does he come from?'

and THAT's when i started to delve more deeply into BACKGROUND - - SLAVIC, serbia, history, etc, etc, etc...and all the ''history" told ABOUT" ''those easterners" --

and i began to realize -- it HAD Connections with the 'west versus east" paradigm

serbia, russians, slavs, orthodox..

IN NO different way than the \''incscrutable, untrustworthy chinese"...in the other side of the world.......

in other words -- ALWAYS inferior and 'OUTSIDER PARTY CRASHERS| ".

and any chance some DIG - some sly putdown of nole can be brought up - hey someone is going to do it.

in any case -- GO NOLE!!

That's what I absolutely detest about the commentators. They sway too many people's minds and opinions. Of course, it isn't their fault that people are so easily persuaded, but when fans start using "their reasonings" I'm out.

 

[Tennis Fan]

I feel the same Mary, but what are we to do. I just caught the last set today at 2:1 and I am glad that he somehow managed to win this one in 2. The attitude seems a bit better, there is a little edge to him, it seems, but we'll see. I like him a bit angry so we might thank that reporter at the end, who knows.

I didn't know that about Henman, thanks for the info.

Also Raonic seems to have some awesome healers in his camp. Less than 10 days from a torn muscle. Amazing recovery!

I'm still scratching my head on this one. Had that been Rafa we would've heard all kinds of garbage.

I agree also about the negative commentary on Nole and his anger problem and the tongue in cheek reporting of his guru. So what? He doesn't have to be at his top level to win. He's already proven that so it's best to ignore the silly chatter. No one can take away from Nole has done/ is doing. Wishful thinking won't get it done either.

 

[Mary]

I wasn't under impression the crowd was against no1e this year. I thought they liked him.

I hope his service will improve, otherwise may be impossible to win next 3 matches with wta like first service.

They were very pro Thiem, very quiet on Nole's winning points. He does have a lot of support here from true tennis fans but its going go be tough if he plays Murray in this arena. Another aspect of it is that the British love underdogs. Nole has never been an underdog!

 

[Mary]

I'm still scratching my head on this one. Had that been Rafa we would've heard all kinds of garbage.

I agree also about the negative commentary on Nole and his anger problem and the tongue in cheek reporting of his guru. So what? He doesn't have to be at his top level to win. He's already proven that so it's best to ignore the silly chatter. No one can take away from Nole has done/ is doing. Wishful thinking won't get it done either.

I totally agree but it's not easy to ignore the silly chatter. The BBC tennis commentators here like Barker, Castle and Henman repeat it constantly and the mainstream media are appalling. If you want to watch a match or read about it you cant avoid the negativity. And these media are where most people get their info. You have to look very hard to find accurate unbiased reporting and most people won't bother. I admire Novak's strength in rising above it most of the time but it must be tough to have to do so for so long. Not only Novak of course, Nadal is having a rough ride too.

 

[teddytennisfan]

They were very pro Thiem, very quiet on Nole's winning points. He does have a lot of support here from true tennis fans but its going go be tough if he plays Murray in this arena. Another aspect of it is that the British love underdogs. Nole has never been an underdog!

that could very well happen -- it's expected and really -- quite natural for home crowd to do that .

i think NOLE will be ready for that . he has enoughe xperience about it.

i mean -- we should remember how the NYC crowd in USOPEN have for years been rather the same way with him when paired against the darling Roger, and above all -- andy roddick.

remember THAT year sometime when andy got beaten by nole, badly too,

and if i remember correctly .

PRIOR to the match -- nole was of course entertaining crowds -- understanbly to also build up his own support or more open embrace - by doing what crowds everywhere hd begun to demand from nole every match -- which is to do his famous ''imitations' ?

let's remember that it was NOT NOLE who PUSHED HIMSELF that way onto audiences..it started BECAUSE some players in the locker room - in their banter discovered nole doing that with HIS friends - and they got entertained and then began PUSHING HIM to do it in public for added ''entertainment to spice up tennis for the crowds" and THEN the promoters and officials went with it --

and NOLE was a HIT...felow players understanding it was all for fun and nothing personal - maria sharapova habits, roger habits, rafa habits, -- ...

they had a CLOWN willing to do what people wanted him to do...

THEN from out of NOWHERE -- THIS andy roddick - probably getting annoyed --

quipped to reporters that ''it's getting stale " and that ''NOT every player is amused" being imitated by nole that way -- you know, THINK SKINNED people ...

including HIM ...
AND then NOLE BEAT HIM BADLY in their upcoming match...

and GRACIOUSLY said to the crowd who INSISTED he do more of his imiaations -- that 'maybe i shouldn't because not everyone will like it" - but did some anyway - MINUS the roddick one...

so -- what was THAT all about?

we learn one thing

where it comes to NOLE -- singularly so almost --

he'd be damned if he DID - damned if he DIDN'T!!

when ALL nole was really trying to do besides fighting for HIS VICTORY as honestly as he could -- was to PLEASE PEOPLE IF THEY SO DEMANDED...

but there are ALWAYS THOSE who are snippety about HIM - ..AND FIND CAUSE to point out that he committed a mortal sin -- when NONE of them could do what HE could do in the tennis AND to satisfy WHATEVER it is crowds all over the world DEMANDED from him...

whether being DIGNIFIED , ARTICULATE, PROFESSIONAL, RESPECTFUL, WITTY, SINGING, DANCING, CULTURED -- AND A CHAMPION...

but give it a smallest CHANCE -- HE'S SUDDENLY THE BAD, BAD ONE


and why really?

I THINK I HAVE THE ANSWER --


HE'S SERBIAN - HE'S SLAVIC -- he's from THAT placde somewhere over THERE....WHERE PEOPLE aren't/ as GOOD AS OURSELVES!!

even if he's got TEN MORE TIMES WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD than ANY of them worth LESS than a gram of nickel!

 

[teddytennisfan]

I totally agree but it's not easy to ignore the silly chatter. The BBC tennis commentators here like Barker, Castle and Henman repeat it constantly and the mainstream media are appalling. If you want to watch a match or read about it you cant avoid the negativity. And these media are where most people get their info. You have to look very hard to find accurate unbiased reporting and most people won't bother. I admire Novak's strength in rising above it most of the time but it must be tough to have to do so for so long. Not only Novak of course, Nadal is having a rough ride too.

oh definitely -- nadal is having rough, rough ride too =- not just in his tennis -- but BECAUSE he's ''no longer the great one he ONCE was".

EVEN IF AT 14 MAJORS etc etc etc -- that MORE than anyone other than roger -- and certainly MORE others besides -- above so many players considered so 'nice" and such FINE, FINE characters...

 

[Tennis Fan]

I totally agree but it's not easy to ignore the silly chatter. The BBC tennis commentators here like Barker, Castle and Henman repeat it constantly and the mainstream media are appalling. If you want to watch a match or read about it you cant avoid the negativity. And these media are where most people get their info. You have to look very hard to find accurate unbiased reporting and most people won't bother. I admire Novak's strength in rising above it most of the time but it must be tough to have to do so for so long. Not only Novak of course, Nadal is having a rough ride too.

As a Nadal fan we've dealt with this forever. The water bottles, the fake humility, the grueling physical style, etc. And yes, other fans will lap that up and repeat it as gospel, but a player's true fans are the ones who hold them up. All of their talk did not dissuade Rafa fans, and Novak fans will have to do the same thing. Now, Rafa gets a little credit from them, but it's all been on the downswing. The frustrating part is how easily people fall for kind of thing, but that's their problem.

Our commentators are the reason for it, IMO, because everything JMac says becomes talking points. I agree about the biased reporting, but here's how I see it. When my guy was on top I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not going to turn around and start dogging out others who reach the same pinnacle. That's not for us to worry about. I would just enjoy my player and ignore the foolishness, because in the end that's all we can do.

 

[Mary]

Our commentators are the reason for it, IMO, because everything JMac says becomes talking points. I agree about the biased reporting, but here's how I see it. When my guy was on top I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm not going to turn around and start dogging out others who reach the same pinnacle. That's not for us to worry about. I would just enjoy my player and ignore the foolishness, because in the end that's all we can do.[/QUOTE]

You have a great attitude. Normally I can ignore the rubbish but every so often I have to let rip! At present I am involved in campaigning against the UK main stream media mainly on political grounds and we are seeing some success so I am in fight mode!