Circus (IPTL) - Act II

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxrAvoSw1eM[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dyYUcuevYM[/video]

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Novak, wise beyond ears, opts to drop out of circus. He probably already increased his expected # of slam wins in 2016 by 1 in view of this decision.

Andy and Stan Jump in to save Singapore Slammers (both are needed as their ranking points added together is still less than Novak's). Perhaps, the money released by withdrawal of Novak was enough to "buy" both Andy and Stan.

Read more here

 

[Kirijax]

Hearing a lot of negative stuff about the whole thing on Twitter from Japanese fans. Everything was announced in English, so half the time nobody knew what was going on, the rules were not explained properly and most had no idea who had won when they went home. They are also complaining about late ending time on a weekday. Sounds like a pure mess. I didn't get to watch any of it but not sure what the iptl wants to accomplish with this thing. Got to cater to the fans instead of just throwing out some hit and giggle nonsense.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

With Novak dropping out, I think Roger will cut his commitment short and skip Singapore. I think most probably Roger will play for one day in India and for two days in UAE and then call it quits.

His Singapore trip was primarily for a show down with Novak and now it does not seem to make sense for him to go there.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

With Stan being brought in to Singapore, there is an interesting situation developing. The Man who dates a Baby and "Sorry to tell you mate" are both slammers now. That will be a Big Bang

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The shot clock is not enforced by the umpire - it is enforced exactly as it says, by the shot clock, which makes a very loud noise and in effect starts an audible countdown (not a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - but equivalent in time: a 5-second alert and final). When it honks you're out of time, you're out of time.

Despite all the jokes and the derision, real or pretended in this thread, I for one am looking forward to the IPTL Exho. :clap I enjoyed it immensely last year, both the fun, the tangible camaraderie that emerged, and the unexpected intensity of many games as the team spirit and rivalry stepped in and was stepped up.

PS: Even quantum physicists are known to go on company picnics.

So what? Rafa will ask for a different shot clock in his matches.

 

[Fiero425]

With Stan being brought in to Singapore, there is an interesting situation developing. The Man who dates a Baby and "Sorry to tell you mate" are both slammers now. That will be a Big Bang

I barely pay this any attention! All I hear is kvetchin' about the long tennis season! What is this but a "money grab!" At least Nole was smart enough to not waste time and energy in this joke of a league! I'm sure it's entertaining if you go for that sort of thing, but I've been spoiled by so many meaningful events, exhibitions just don't get my juices going! Take me back to '76 and the WTT All Stars; that was worth watching! We're talking living legends in King, Evert, Wade, Goolagong, etc! :eyepop :clap :angel:

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv6An2oT1E8[/video]!

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bXNeCM3ujk[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUrH9zBXq5A[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vDYe3_SOd4[/video]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3lSi0mekYI[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGfaktS58z8[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWuDkqPANZw[/video]

 

[bajana]

With Stan being brought in to Singapore, there is an interesting situation developing. The Man who dates a Baby and "Sorry to tell you mate" are both slammers now. That will be a Big Bang

I barely pay this any attention! All I hear is kvetchin' about the long tennis season! What is this but a "money grab!" At least Nole was smart enough to not waste time and energy in this joke of a league! I'm sure it's entertaining if you go for that sort of thing, but I've been spoiled by so many meaningful events, exhibitions just don't get my juices going! Take me back to '76 and the WTT All Stars; that was worth watching! We're talking living legends in King, Evert, Wade, Goolagong, etc! :eyepop :clap :angel:

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv6An2oT1E8[/video]!

Funny - can't hardly find any other players complaining about the length of the pro season except notably Nadal, but I guess he must speak for the entire tour. As for Novak being smart enough to drop out - guess he was "unsmart" last year since he played it then, and committed before he had a year where he almost always reached finals. Hardly think he envisaged that happening, and since it did, I think one could reasonably expect he's now tired.

You lot remind me of the grouches and stick-in-the=muds who yowled and bitched and whinnied when Kerry Packer in the late 70's broke away from the old, comfortable establishment that was the ICC that ran crciket at the time. (Australian Packer was best known for founding World Series Cricket. In 1977 the Nine Network cricket rights deal led to a confrontation with the cricket authorities, as top players from several countries rushed to join him at the expense of their international sides.)

World Series cricket at that time was viewed in many traditionalist quarters much as IPTL is now being viewed by the upholders and staunch defenders of the status quo. Today as we all know, some 4 decades later, limited overs cricket has now become one of the most popular iterations of the game, while the traditional 5-day game has not died or gone anywhere.

IPTL may or may not turn out as Kerry Packer's iconoclastic intervention in cricket, but at least somebody has had enough nous to try something different and interesting in tennis. In the meantime, it's kinda fun, and kinda sad at the same time, to see the circling of the wagons going on here.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt3F-Iu_FsE[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNRsGkeNlOw[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-EgRDlDM6g[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glt4yJpWjgk[/video]

 

[bajana]

With Novak dropping out, I think Roger will cut his commitment short and skip Singapore. I think most probably Roger will play for one day in India and for two days in UAE and then call it quits.

His Singapore trip was primarily for a show down with Novak and now it does not seem to make sense for him to go there.

Wow, I never realised you were an integral part of Roger's inner circle of advisers, with enviable access even to the thinking that lies behind his decisions.

Of course, if after all your prognostications, Fed does turn up in Singapore, and does play the rest of the tour he committed to ........................

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fL4ZeIVkdg[/video]