Australian Open 2025 [Men] - Grand Slam

[Vince Evert]

 

[Vince Evert]

I know it's irrelevant in this case, but in a hypothetical scenario had Djoker dropped out BEFORE the match, maybe they should enact a lucky loser-type mechanism where the defeated player progresses in their place. This has been discussed in the past. i.e.Nadal/Kyrgios SF at Wimbledon where some felt Fritz should have progressed after Nadal withdrew.

these tennis grand slams associations should look at it, I agree.

Otherwise, there should be a partial-refund for the sake of fairness, should there be another Djokovic-Zverev scenerio.

The first sf ticket reportedly costed AU $299. Imagine purchasing if you're a family of three paying $299 each and you get one set of tennis? In this circumstance , you can see how fans would be annoyed and booed Djokovic.

 

[Vince Evert]

Behaviour of Australian Open crowds comes under fire | 7.30 Report...

 

[Moxie]

these tennis grand slams associations should look at it, I agree.

Otherwise, there should be a partial-refund for the sake of fairness, should there be another Djokovic-Zverev scenerio.

The first sf ticket reportedly costed AU $299. Imagine purchasing if you're a family of three paying $299 each and you get one set of tennis? In this circumstance , you can see how fans would be annoyed and booed Djokovic.

I don't agree that anyone should be able to see how these fans were "annoyed and booed Djokovic." Complain to the tournament and demand a refund, but only a complete drunken boor would boo a player, particularly Djokovic, at this point in his career, for retiring injured, even if it did seem sudden. He said that, even if he HAD won the first set (which took 81 minutes to play,) he wasn't sure he had it in him to play for 2-4 more hours, as the pain was getting much worse. Not even to mention the final, which he didn't.

As to a lucky loser slotting back in and moving on: Interesting idea, and I think we batted that one around after Nadal beat Fritz, and then couldn't post for the SF v. Kyrgios, I think. So, that would be all through the tournament, not just late rounds, right? No walkovers, at all. Just play the loser (to the injured player) from the previous round?

However, as @britbox says, that doesn't apply to yesterday's match v. Zverev, because they played a set. You could keep a couple of players from the previous round on standby to play an exhibition, to give the crowd more tennis, but I don't see another option, except all/partial refunds, which you know they likely won't do.

 

[mrzz]

Behaviour of Australian Open crowds comes under fire | 7.30 Report...

Just watched this. Random thoughts:

Tournaments should enforce good behavior of the crowds, that's fine. Tennis is a sport that needs concentration, so you cannot play with people screaming at will. Having said that, I hate to see top players complaining like babies. They are payed well enough to endure whatever is thrown at them. They can complain later, ask for changes, whatever. Just don't play the victim.

The only thing out of line in the Ben Shelton interview was his reaction. It is obvious from context that the joke was about age. Those interviewers make bad attempts at humour since forever. Shelton out of the blue brought race into the conversation. Again, he is payed well enough to deal with questions from a guy he does not know. He is playing the victim. Grow up.

Same goes for the guy who made the Djokovic jokes. You can argue that it was a bad joke, fine. But if you cannot withstand that, your skin is so thin that you should live in a plastic bubble. Grow up.

Changing topic, about losers of the previous match stepping in for the one who withdrew ... Imagine if one this players wins the tournament... The "asterisk" conversation would never end.

 

[Vince Evert]

Moxie, if you had paid $AU 299 ticket to see one set (81 minute) would you not have been frustrated and booing too? I know i would.

The fact is Djokovic made up his mind he was fit enough to take the court and start his SF he should have been fit enough to continue to it's conclusion.

I believe that the Slams should look at having a rule that, in the event of a default in later round match lets say quarterfinal, SF and F. Fans should be entitled to a 50 percent refund.

I can see this Djokovic-Zverev scenerio happening again at some point in the future in the GS as tennis has evolved into a gruelling, baselining war of attrition and the likes of serve-volleying and keep the rallies short, champions McEnroe, Pat Cash, Stefan Edberg, Sampras and Rafter we will never see again.

 

[Vince Evert]

I might add Tennis Australia should also ban the supply of alcohol beverages to the tennis. Do the other GS serve alcohol ?

 

[Vince Evert]

Just watched this. Random thoughts:

Tournaments should enforce good behavior of the crowds, that's fine. Tennis is a sport that needs concentration, so you cannot play with people screaming at will. Having said that, I hate to see top players complaining like babies. They are payed well enough to endure whatever is thrown at them. They can complain later, ask for changes, whatever. Just don't play the victim.

The only thing out of line in the Ben Shelton interview was his reaction. It is obvious from context that the joke was about age. Those interviewers make bad attempts at humour since forever. Shelton out of the blue brought race into the conversation. Again, he is payed well enough to deal with questions from a guy he does not know. He is playing the victim. Grow up.

Same goes for the guy who made the Djokovic jokes. You can argue that it was a bad joke, fine. But if you cannot withstand that, your skin is so thin that you should live in a plastic bubble. Grow up.

Changing topic, about losers of the previous match stepping in for the one who withdrew ... Imagine if one this players wins the tournament... The "asterisk" conversation would never end.

If you're referring to Tony Jones who anchors the AO for Nine network then i agree with you.
Jones says he tried to offer an apology to Djokovic through private channels but apparently Novak wanted it made publicly - to him and his supporters. But that is Novak's right to do.

 

[Vince Evert]

only a complete drunken boor would boo a player, particularly Djokovic, at this point in his career, for retiring injured, even if it did seem sudden. He said that, even if he HAD won the first set (which took 81 minutes to play,) he wasn't sure he had it in him to play for 2-4 more hours, as the pain was getting much worse.

He actually said that if he'd won the first set, he would continue "for a couple more games"and see how he felt with his groin at that point, which means he still has the ability to compete, in that context he deserves the boo's. While I would not want Djokovic to make his groin injury worse and play on. But by the same token, it was insanely stupid to degrade the tournament and paying spectators by saying he would have played on the match if he'd won that set and it went his way.

If Djokovic was fit enough to start the match, he was fit enough to finish it, (said as much on yesterday's text).

 

[El Dude]

^Sorry, Vince, but that's just not true. Injuries are not static. It was probably feeling worse and worse. He (and Zverev) played all out for over an hour. Novak probably assessed the situation and felt that for him to have a chance to win, he'd have to play in such a way that would serious risk long-term injury - not to mention just be terribly painful.

Furthermore, it isn't like Novak didn't really want the trophy. I'm sure he didn't retire on a whim.

So you're essentially saying that Novak should have sucked up 2-3 more hours of significant pain and increase his chance of serious injury, just to make the "drunken boors" (lol, Moxie...I believe the Aussie word is bogan ) feel like they got their money's worth. He's not a gladiator in ancient Rome.

 

[Moxie]

Changing topic, about losers of the previous match stepping in for the one who withdrew ... Imagine if one this players wins the tournament... The "asterisk" conversation would never end.

I definitely thought about this. Sure, some folks would stick the asterisk on it, but would we have to divide up the results per this new era? Is it worse (for the record books) than when they go to Best of 3 for the first week of Majors, (which is much more likely to happen)? Personally, I'm not sure I'm for or against, but it's a "pro-fan" solution, if you see what I mean. No walkovers. Still doesn't solve the retirement problem. And there is the issue of match-ups, meaning some LLs might well do better if they get to play the next opponent. Anyway, ticket prices have gotten quite steep, and it's hard to send people home with little to no tennis.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I might add Tennis Australia should also ban the supply of alcohol beverages to the tennis. Do the other GS serve alcohol ?

Yes Vince thats how they make more money from the public and always expensive and over the top prices

 

[Moxie]

^Sorry, Vince, but that's just not true. Injuries are not static. It was probably feeling worse and worse. He (and Zverev) played all out for over an hour. Novak probably assessed the situation and felt that for him to have a chance to win, he'd have to play in such a way that would serious risk long-term injury - not to mention just be terribly painful.

Furthermore, it isn't like Novak didn't really want the trophy. I'm sure he didn't retire on a whim.

So you're essentially saying that Novak should have sucked up 2-3 more hours of significant pain and increase his chance of serious injury, just to make the "drunken boors" (lol, Moxie...I believe the Aussie word is bogan ) feel like they got their money's worth. He's not a gladiator in ancient Rome.

He actually SAID it was feeling worse and worse. He also said he's not sure he would have continued if he'd won the 1st set. It was the coming several more hours he was pretty sure he couldn't do. Novak has faked injury before, I am convinced, and he's gritted his way through it, too. There is no way he gave up on the possibility of #25 if he wasn't sure, IMO. So, as you say, how much more damaged is he expected to inflict on his 37-year-old body, for the entertainment of the crowd?

I looked up "bogan" and it seems to mean "working class, which is not what I meant." I meant obnoxious a-hole, and as we well know here in the US, that includes more than its share of rich people. Also, I believe the emphasis may have been on "drunken."

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

He actually SAID it was feeling worse and worse. He also said he's not sure he would have continued if he'd won the 1st set. It was the coming several more hours he was pretty sure he couldn't do. Novak has faked injury before, I am convinced, and he's gritted his way through it, too. There is no way he gave up on the possibility of #25 if he wasn't sure, IMO. So, as you say, how much more damaged is he expected to inflict on his 37-year-old body, for the entertainment of the crowd?

I looked up "bogan" and it seems to mean "working class, which is not what I meant." I meant obnoxious a-hole, and as we well know here in the US, that includes more than its share of rich people. Also, I believe the emphasis may have been on "drunken."

Aussies do refer to the people living in the Western Parts of Sydney for example as Bogans, which is a working class are of Sydney I dont quite frankly it is degrading.

 

[Moxie]

Aussies do refer to the people living in the Western Parts of Sydney for example as Bogans, which is a working class are of Sydney

So that's not what I meant, right?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

So that's not what I meant, right?

Yes but I was just clarifying that Aussies do use that word for working class people, when I came here I had to ask what does it mean as I had never heard of it before

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just at point on Shelton he needs to be disciplined more, Rune and Shapo are 2 other players that come to mine that also need more discipline in their game,
with Shelton he got very careless with UFE, which need to be addressed going forward.I understand his game is primed around being offensive, he has to find a balance

 

[El Dude]

He actually SAID it was feeling worse and worse. He also said he's not sure he would have continued if he'd won the 1st set. It was the coming several more hours he was pretty sure he couldn't do. Novak has faked injury before, I am convinced, and he's gritted his way through it, too. There is no way he gave up on the possibility of #25 if he wasn't sure, IMO. So, as you say, how much more damaged is he expected to inflict on his 37-year-old body, for the entertainment of the crowd?

I looked up "bogan" and it seems to mean "working class, which is not what I meant." I meant obnoxious a-hole, and as we well know here in the US, that includes more than its share of rich people. Also, I believe the emphasis may have been on "drunken."

Haha, no doubt - and I know it wasn't really the right word. I just like the word "bogan" -- it is so...Australian. Sort of like how "wanker" is so British.

 

[Moxie]

Haha, no doubt - and I know it wasn't really the right word. I just like the word "bogan" -- it is so...Australian. Sort of like how "wanker" is so British.

I just have to be careful, because my sort gets accused of being elitist over on the US Politics thread.

 

[El Dude]

The Shelton and Rune comps to Shapovalov are worrisome. I think they're both young enough them to break that association, but they both have the same quality of "maybe I can just rely on my natural talent." We're in the post-Big Three era, and it is no longer enough just to be really talented and athletic. Sinner, in particular, is taking up the Big Three mantle of pinpoint perfection and discipline.

In truth, I wonder if this is what is keeping Alcaraz to being a clear second best...I do think his absolute best level is better than Jannik's, but Jannik standard level is higher - he's more consistent, and overall just a better player than Alcaraz is. Right now, at least.