Jump to content

2020 US Open Tennis


WilliamM
This topic is 1161 days old and is no longer open for new replies.  Replies are automatically disabled after two years of inactivity.  Please create a new topic instead of posting here.  

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 95
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Anyway, we are going to have a new GS champion on men’s side (finally!)

I was stunned by disbelief that Novak, who turned pro back in 2003, was defaulted. Holy ****! Smacking a line judge with a ball?? That's something a hotheaded 17-year-old does (and I would dare say it's stupid when a 17-year-old does it). Shocking stupidity for someone who's been on tour for coming on 2 decades.

 

BUT ... Novak's exit leaves the field wide open. And for the first time since the US Open 2016, a player outside of the Big 3 (Roger, Rafa, Novak) will win a Slam. Also, no one left in the draw is a Slam champion. Note that of the ~2,000 men with a current ATP ranking, only 7 players have won a Slam, mostly because the Big 3 are such hogs.

 

My head tells me Medvedev will win it now. My heart wants Vasek Pospisil to pull a rabbit out of a hat (his boyish face just melts me, he's the nicest guy on tour, and he's been playing great tennis since coming back from back surgery). And the horny depraved bastard in me wants Borna Coric to hoist the trophy. With the super-fast court, I just don't see Dominic Thiem winning it because his long backswings can't adjust to the speedy surface.

Edited by BSR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting thread. Tennis is the only sport I enjoy watching. Somehow until now I had missed Borna Coric.

 

@BSR put it very well in discussing Novak. He’s always seemed hot-headed but this and other recent events suggest he is no longer behaving in public in the appropriate way sponsors expect.

 

I recall one tournament where Novak exclaimed jubilantly in victory, as the Croat friend with me helpfully translated: Now you can all suck my dick!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Novak Djokovic defaulted for hitting a line judge with a tennis ball

 

The line judge was hit in the throat in pain and helped off the court

 

The ball was hit in anger

 

Djokovic was going for his 18th grand slam win

 

The line judge could potentially sue him for a lot of money ...

 

My vote is for Medvedev. He is not a hot guy to look at, but I like his style of play. Had to chance to see him up close last year as a guest in the Rolex lounge. Which has to be the absolutely best spot to watch the Open live. And if you get tired of Rolex lounge, they have 8 seats reserved for their guests, court side. Not bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was watching the match until just before the incident, and Djokovic was very frustrated, because he missed some shots, and then stumbled trying to get a shot and fell heavily on his left arm, wincing so noticeably from the pain that he had to stop and get a medical time out. When they continued the game, his lost his serve. He wasn't trying to hit the line judge--he wasn't even looking in her direction--he just smacked the ball in exasperation, and was obviously shocked that it hit her. If the trajectory had been a few inches different, he probably wouldn't even have received a warning. But the rule says that if a ball not in play is hit by the player with disregard for the result, and it hits someone, the player gets defaulted, regardless of the player's intent. It's not the first time I have watched it happen: Shapovalov hit a ball in anger during a Davis Cup match a few years ago, and it hit the umpire in the eye; Nalbandian hit a ball that hit a wooden surround at a linesman's chair, the wood broke and spiked the linesman's leg. In both cases, the result was unintentional, but each player was defaulted from the tournament. If Djokovic hadn't been defaulted, it would have been assumed that he was getting special treatment because of his status, which would send a very bad message.

 

But it does result in an earthquake in men's tennis. Someone is going to win his first major (slam) title, and the possibilities are intriguing. I watched Tsitsipas, who was one of the favorites, lose his five-setter to Coric the night before and react rather casually to the ending; I am sure he was banging his head against the wall yesterday at the realization of the lost opportunity. I doubt that it will be Pospisil, even though like BSR I have always rooted for him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.. I was watching the match until just before the incident, and Djokovic was very frustrated, because he missed some shots, and then stumbled trying to get a shot and fell heavily on his left arm, wincing so noticeably from the pain that he had to stop and get a medical time out. When they continued the game, his lost his serve ...

I was watching also. I found it interesting that Djokovic again needed a medical time out - when he was losing! Perhaps he was hurt, but he has used such gamesmanship before - always when he is losing. He wonders why he is "unloved"! :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was watching the match until just before the incident, and Djokovic was very frustrated, because he missed some shots, and then stumbled trying to get a shot and fell heavily on his left arm, wincing so noticeably from the pain that he had to stop and get a medical time out. When they continued the game, his lost his serve. He wasn't trying to hit the line judge--he wasn't even looking in her direction--he just smacked the ball in exasperation, and was obviously shocked that it hit her. If the trajectory had been a few inches different, he probably wouldn't even have received a warning. But the rule says that if a ball not in play is hit by the player with disregard for the result, and it hits someone, the player gets defaulted, regardless of the player's intent. It's not the first time I have watched it happen: Shapovalov hit a ball in anger during a Davis Cup match a few years ago, and it hit the umpire in the eye; Nalbandian hit a ball that hit a wooden surround at a linesman's chair, the wood broke and spiked the linesman's leg. In both cases, the result was unintentional, but each player was defaulted from the tournament. If Djokovic hadn't been defaulted, it would have been assumed that he was getting special treatment because of his status, which would send a very bad message.

 

But it does result in an earthquake in men's tennis. Someone is going to win his first major (slam) title, and the possibilities are intriguing. I watched Tsitsipas, who was one of the favorites, lose his five-setter to Coric the night before and react rather casually to the ending; I am sure he was banging his head against the wall yesterday at the realization of the lost opportunity. I doubt that it will be Pospisil, even though like BSR I have always rooted for him.

 

Coric for the title.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Coric for the title.

I was watching also. I found it interesting that Djokovic again needed a medical time out - when he was losing! Perhaps he was hurt, but he has used such gamesmanship before - always when he is losing. He wonders why he is "unloved"! :rolleyes:

 

I loved Novak Djokovic for his dogged perseverance against Roger Federer last year at Wimbledon. And, as always, in the Slams the crowd was against him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think some of the comments on here are a bit too harsh. Djokovic has his antics and gets too intense, but I think he's only fault is that he's the third leg in the rivalry. Throughout history there's always been two and with Federer and Nadal already at their full peak, no one wanted a third, and Novak willed himself into that equation. The comment of him calling for a trainer is completely uncalled for. He is always very gracious in his loses and credits the winner.

He definitely has some growing up to do, and tone down his outburst, but I've seen Federer break racquets and yell and be intense too. Especially when his loses started to creep up more after his peak years. And apparently Mirka is one of the worst at booing his opponents and distracting them. There's been a well documented screaming match between Federer and his long time friend Wawrinka, after a semifinal of the Year End championship some years ago about the Mirka factor/issue.

Out of the three Nadal is the only one that has constantly displays down-to-earth attitude. But all three of them are great champions and great role models. With greatness comes a great ego too and that needs to be kept in check at times. That's true of Serena, Graff, and many others. The only difference is that Djokovic is the least liked of the three, and that will stay that way regardless of his number of Slams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He wasn't trying to hit the line judge--he wasn't even looking in her direction

Thanks @Charlie for your detailed description of what led up to the incident. From the replayed part on TV here, ND does seem to aim at the line judge…but I accept what you say.

 

What was shocking for me was that Novak did NOT race over to the line judge to help and comfort her. He merely sauntered over.

 

I disagree with some of the comments by @manTOman. I’ve never met ND so I have no view on him, but I have met Roger Federer numerous times in NYC. RF is unfailingly nice and polite, in my direct experience, and I have seen him treating fans very politely…even when accosted on his way back from dinner or in the very early morning on his way to practice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks @Charlie for your detailed description of what led up to the incident. From the replayed part on TV here, ND does seem to aim at the line judge…but I accept what you say.

 

What was shocking for me was that Novak did NOT race over to the line judge to help and comfort her. He merely sauntered over.

 

I disagree with some of the comments by @manTOman. I’ve never met ND so I have no view on him, but I have met Roger Federer numerous times in NYC. RF is unfailingly nice and polite, in my direct experience, and I have seen him treating fans very politely…even when accosted on his way back from dinner or in the very early morning on his way to practice.

 

I've seen the same behavior from Novak. Going completely out of the way to deal with fans. Once' he stayed for three hours after the tournament he won until he signed every single fan's item. This was outside of the stadium, on his way to the hotel It was a security nightmare.

 

The comments I made about Federer are facts, not opinions. Mirka is a well known distractor at his matches, and that has been discussed by a lot of players in the press.

https://nationalpost.com/sports/tennis/roger-federer-stan-wawrinka-argue-after-semi-final-match-because-of-comments-from-federers-wife-2

 

Federer broke racquets and yelled and seemed frustrated on court on more than a few occasions.

 

Their behavior with the fans is the same. All of them are very appreciative and grateful. All three are very charitable and have done great things both for the sport and on the global level. As I said all three are great sports ambassadors. Novak is just not as beloved as the other two, and definitely has the least crowd support out of the three.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks @Charlie for your detailed description of what led up to the incident. From the replayed part on TV here, ND does seem to aim at the line judge…but I accept what you say.

 

What was shocking for me was that Novak did NOT race over to the line judge to help and comfort her. He merely sauntered over.

 

I disagree with some of the comments by @manTOman. I’ve never met ND so I have no view on him, but I have met Roger Federer numerous times in NYC. RF is unfailingly nice and polite, in my direct experience, and I have seen him treating fans very politely…even when accosted on his way back from dinner or in the very early morning on his way to practice.

.I disagree with the word "sauntered," and have watched the replay several times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.I disagree with the word "sauntered," and have watched the replay several times.

Thank you for pointing that out. The guy was deeply concerned and genuine. Yet for some no matter what he does he will always be vilified to no end.

He also was very honest in his apology for the incident, taking blame for his own behavior and saying he needs to grow as a player and a human being.

[MEDIA=instagram]CE0AzAOH2cp[/MEDIA]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...