Robin Soderling. Will he ever return?

[brokenshoelace]

^
1) please, not the n-th edition of the old "injured or not" debate.
2) you're right though in that there's hardly a reason to call Rosol a (despicable) clown, even if his game isn't suited to your personal taste and preferences.

Jaded meaning in both instances Rafa suffered major injuries but lets be fair, the other player won the matches..Rosol behavior during that match was horrible, the spitting, the arm gestures/ taunting and etc. That's why I say he is a despicable clown who will get his clock clean by the Dirt Devil if they meet on Friday or Saturday.As for respecting other players, go back and reread my last post, I clearly state I do even if they defeat Rafa.I am fair but brutally honest.

A lot of people might interpret Rafa's over the top celebrations as taunting as well.

---

I read it and it doesn't seem any worse than Nadal's behaviour to me but eventhough physically bumping into your opponent like a thug is ridiculous, I still didn't call him a clown, just a scumbag and common thug because that's all that behaviour can be classed as.

LOL. This is silly.

You think Nadal is a scumbag for the same reason AP thinks Rosol is a clown: He wiped the floor with your favorite player (though in this case, it's again and again and again...and again).

 

[Front242]

^
1) please, not the n-th edition of the old "injured or not" debate.
2) you're right though in that there's hardly a reason to call Rosol a (despicable) clown, even if his game isn't suited to your personal taste and preferences.

Jaded meaning in both instances Rafa suffered major injuries but lets be fair, the other player won the matches..Rosol behavior during that match was horrible, the spitting, the arm gestures/ taunting and etc. That's why I say he is a despicable clown who will get his clock clean by the Dirt Devil if they meet on Friday or Saturday.As for respecting other players, go back and reread my last post, I clearly state I do even if they defeat Rafa.I am fair but brutally honest.

A lot of people might interpret Rafa's over the top celebrations as taunting as well.

---

I read it and it doesn't seem any worse than Nadal's behaviour to me but eventhough physically bumping into your opponent like a thug is ridiculous, I still didn't call him a clown, just a scumbag and common thug because that's all that behaviour can be classed as.

LOL. This is silly.

You think Nadal is a scumbag for the same reason AP thinks Rosol is a clown: He wiped the floor with your favorite player (though in this case, it's again and again and again...and again).

---

I actually mentioned this many times. I've no problem with Nadal having beaten Federer many times and largely blame Federer for that as he clearly should've won many more than he did. But how many other top players purposely nudge a player to get a psychological edge in a match they're having a hard time in? In all my years watching tennis I've never seen a player do that and it was a scummy moment and I'd say the same no matter who did it 'cos it was a scummy thing to do and I still fail to see how Rosol is a clown.

 

[brokenshoelace]

^
1) please, not the n-th edition of the old "injured or not" debate.
2) you're right though in that there's hardly a reason to call Rosol a (despicable) clown, even if his game isn't suited to your personal taste and preferences.

Jaded meaning in both instances Rafa suffered major injuries but lets be fair, the other player won the matches..Rosol behavior during that match was horrible, the spitting, the arm gestures/ taunting and etc. That's why I say he is a despicable clown who will get his clock clean by the Dirt Devil if they meet on Friday or Saturday.As for respecting other players, go back and reread my last post, I clearly state I do even if they defeat Rafa.I am fair but brutally honest.

A lot of people might interpret Rafa's over the top celebrations as taunting as well.

---

I read it and it doesn't seem any worse than Nadal's behaviour to me but eventhough physically bumping into your opponent like a thug is ridiculous, I still didn't call him a clown, just a scumbag and common thug because that's all that behaviour can be classed as.

LOL. This is silly.

You think Nadal is a scumbag for the same reason AP thinks Rosol is a clown: He wiped the floor with your favorite player (though in this case, it's again and again and again...and again).

---

I actually mentioned this many times. I've no problem with Nadal having beaten Federer many times and largely blame Federer for that as he clearly should've won many more than he did. But how many other top players purposely nudge a player to get a psychological edge in a match they're having a hard time in? In all my years watching tennis I've never seen a player do that and it was a scummy moment and I'd say the same no matter who did it 'cos it was a scummy thing to do and I still fail to see how Rosol is a clown.

---

LOL really?

Here's a video of the bump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJRubKbNJ7U

Watch it without any bias glasses on, and tell me that's a "scumbag" behavior.

 

[britbox]

^
1) please, not the n-th edition of the old "injured or not" debate.
2) you're right though in that there's hardly a reason to call Rosol a (despicable) clown, even if his game isn't suited to your personal taste and preferences.

Jaded meaning in both instances Rafa suffered major injuries but lets be fair, the other player won the matches..Rosol behavior during that match was horrible, the spitting, the arm gestures/ taunting and etc. That's why I say he is a despicable clown who will get his clock clean by the Dirt Devil if they meet on Friday or Saturday.As for respecting other players, go back and reread my last post, I clearly state I do even if they defeat Rafa.I am fair but brutally honest.

A lot of people might interpret Rafa's over the top celebrations as taunting as well.

---

I read it and it doesn't seem any worse than Nadal's behaviour to me but eventhough physically bumping into your opponent like a thug is ridiculous, I still didn't call him a clown, just a scumbag and common thug because that's all that behaviour can be classed as.

LOL. This is silly.

You think Nadal is a scumbag for the same reason AP thinks Rosol is a clown: He wiped the floor with your favorite player (though in this case, it's again and again and again...and again).

---

I actually mentioned this many times. I've no problem with Nadal having beaten Federer many times and largely blame Federer for that as he clearly should've won many more than he did. But how many other top players purposely nudge a player to get a psychological edge in a match they're having a hard time in? In all my years watching tennis I've never seen a player do that and it was a scummy moment and I'd say the same no matter who did it 'cos it was a scummy thing to do and I still fail to see how Rosol is a clown.

---

LOL really?

Here's a video of the bump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJRubKbNJ7U

Watch it without any bias glasses on, and tell me that's a "scumbag" behavior.

---

Can you put a warning on before linking through to depictions of such outrageous violence.

 

[Front242]

^
1) please, not the n-th edition of the old "injured or not" debate.
2) you're right though in that there's hardly a reason to call Rosol a (despicable) clown, even if his game isn't suited to your personal taste and preferences.

Jaded meaning in both instances Rafa suffered major injuries but lets be fair, the other player won the matches..Rosol behavior during that match was horrible, the spitting, the arm gestures/ taunting and etc. That's why I say he is a despicable clown who will get his clock clean by the Dirt Devil if they meet on Friday or Saturday.As for respecting other players, go back and reread my last post, I clearly state I do even if they defeat Rafa.I am fair but brutally honest.

A lot of people might interpret Rafa's over the top celebrations as taunting as well.

---

I read it and it doesn't seem any worse than Nadal's behaviour to me but eventhough physically bumping into your opponent like a thug is ridiculous, I still didn't call him a clown, just a scumbag and common thug because that's all that behaviour can be classed as.

LOL. This is silly.

You think Nadal is a scumbag for the same reason AP thinks Rosol is a clown: He wiped the floor with your favorite player (though in this case, it's again and again and again...and again).

---

I actually mentioned this many times. I've no problem with Nadal having beaten Federer many times and largely blame Federer for that as he clearly should've won many more than he did. But how many other top players purposely nudge a player to get a psychological edge in a match they're having a hard time in? In all my years watching tennis I've never seen a player do that and it was a scummy moment and I'd say the same no matter who did it 'cos it was a scummy thing to do and I still fail to see how Rosol is a clown.

---

LOL really?

Here's a video of the bump:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJRubKbNJ7U

Watch it without any bias glasses on, and tell me that's a "scumbag" behavior.

---

All depends on the camera really. The vid you posted was from a poor angle. This shows it to be much more deliberate. Rosol stopped so Nadal could pass and he intentionally nudged him. Nothing biased about plain as day looking at a video. Uncalled for and unsporting from Nadal. In any case I was simply defending Rosol, being called a despicable clown for no apparent reason but clearly he did nothing on this level in his match.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhk3x5Ez_7Y

 

[I.Haychew]

I may be wrong, but doesn't Nadal pretty well always let his opponent cross in front of him during change-overs? I always thought that was one of his OCD "things"/part of his "routine". If so, then you have to wonder. If not, then my bad.

 

[Moxie]

I may be wrong, but doesn't Nadal pretty well always let his opponent cross in front of him during change-overs? I always thought that was one of his OCD "things"/part of his "routine". If so, then you have to wonder. If not, then my bad.

It's so he can avoid the lines, I think, which is one of his "things." The "bump" could have happened because Rosol stopped to let Rafa pass, and he still had to avoid the lines. Only so much room to maneuver around that chair, when you're OCD about your tennis habits...LOL! And as Britbox sarcastically pointed out, should we post a warning before showing such "violence" on these threads?!

How many people wrote on that Gulbis interview thread that they want a little more 'attitude' in their tennis? Do you want it, or don't you? :angel:

 

[I.Haychew]

Looked to me like he (Nadal) made a b-line to his chair without hesitation, without consideration of avoiding the lines. Also looked like Rosol pulled-up to keep from bumping into Nadal. I don't care, either way. Not saying that the "bump" was intentional, but it looked to me as if Nadal made it a point to pass in front of Rosol, for whatever reason. Even if he (Nadal) did intentionally bump into Rosol, I personally don't see how that's intimidating, being that tennis is a non-contact sport. I can't stand Nadal, but from the matches of his that I've seen, he always lets his opponents pass in front of him during changeovers (Could be wrong, because I try not to watch too many Nadal matches.). So, it makes me wonder. If it wasn't gamesmanship of some sort, then fine. I it was, then it obviously didn't work.
Also...I'm not one who particularly wants more "attitude" from players.

 

[Moxie]

Looked to me like he (Nadal) made a b-line to his chair without hesitation, without consideration of avoiding the lines. Also looked like Rosol pulled-up to keep from bumping into Nadal. I don't care, either way. Not saying that the "bump" was intentional, but it looked to me as if Nadal made it a point to pass in front of Rosol, for whatever reason. Even if he (Nadal) did intentionally bump into Rosol, I personally don't see how that's intimidating, being that tennis is a non-contact sport. I can't stand Nadal, but from the matches of his that I've seen, he always lets his opponents pass in front of him during changeovers (Could be wrong, because I try not to watch too many Nadal matches.). So, it makes me wonder. If it wasn't gamesmanship of some sort, then fine. I it was, then it obviously didn't work.
Also...I'm not one who particularly wants more "attitude" from players.

As you say, if it was gamesmanship, it didn't work. And if I conflated you with those who want more attitude, I'm sorry.

For those who do, a blast, literally, from the past:

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7mFGIfznlI[/video]

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

dunno.

 

[special700]

Guys

Anybody knows what's going on with Soderling?

 

[Moxie]

RE: Guys

Not much news coming from him, though I found a piece in Swedish a couple of weeks ago. It appears he made his debut commentating for Swedish tv during the Australian Open. (I don't guess he went to Australia, or that should have made news, no?) I didn't post, because I could only read it through google translate, which didn't seem reliable, but since you asked…the article is here, in case anyone reads Swedish.

I don't know if that means he's officially done with tennis and has moved on, though.

 

[special700]

Wow that article was as clear as day.......LOL

 

[brokenshoelace]

He's done. We can stop speculating. Even if it's not exactly official. He's made no implications of coming back. Even if he changes his mind, it doesn't seem like he'll make that decision this year. Add the fact that he needs about 6 months at least to get back into proper shape. We're talking about at least one more year on the sidelines. He'd be verging on 31 and hasn't had a competitive tennis match in over 3 years. Yeah, he's done. Sad really.

 

[Moxie]

^TBH, this is what I think, too. If nothing else, I think it would cost him a lot of money to get back on the tour in a serious way. (Training, coaching, physio, travel, etc.) That's a lot of gambling with your nest egg, at this point. I'm sure tournaments would shower him with WCs, but he'd have a hard road to get his ranking back up.

 

[isabelle]

After Olivia's birth, he said he didn't want to travel anymore to stay with her and Jenny (his wife) so I suppose his retirement was scheduled a long time ago. Hope he can have a happy life with his family even if I miss him a lot (like daddy Nalby)

 

[Iona16]

He's announced a press conference for tomorrow. A few tennis journalists were discussing it on twitter. They all seem to think he's going to announce his retirement.

 

[Moxie]

Thanks for letting us know, Iona. Small chance he'll announce his return, I guess, but at least he'll break his silence.

 

[Front242]

Most likely the big R which if it is will be extremely disappointing but not surprising at this stage As recently as last month Jonas Bjorkman was interviewed though and said Soderling still really wants to come back. Guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Here's Bjorkman's interview.

http://www.thetennisspace.com/bjorkman-robin-soderling-still-wants-to-come-back/#.UwOW-YBp3PM.twitter

 

[Moxie]

^Interesting point from that interview if he pushed himself too hard and made it worse. Because it was clearly a bad case of mono.

As Broken strongly pointed out, there's so little chance of a come-back. (Actually, Broken says none.) He doesn't just reappear as the Soderling of 2009-2010.