Finger-Pointing Begins at ATP Disaster Cup
Posted on November 16, 2005
Masters Cup Rips Agassi, Demands Injury InvestigationOrganizers at the Masters Cup in Shanghai were shocked Wednesday when not one player pulled out of the year-end championship, with currently five substitutes among what was supposed to be the Top 8 players in the world.
But that didn't stop Shanghai officials from unloading on one of the pull-outs, Andre Agassi, who felt the brunt of the Chinese frustration while same-day withdrawal Rafael Nadal was spared.
"I don't appreciate what Andre Agassi is doing," said Deputy Organizing Committee member Wang Liqun through an interpreter. "In 2000, when Agassi came (to Shanghai) for the Heineken (Open), he took an early exit in the first round. Two years later in the Masters Cup (in Shanghai), after two defeats, he cited a hip injury and took off. This year it happened again...I don't want to make any personal comment on Andre Agassi's decision (to pull out). However, I am certainly not appreciative of what he did -- particularly because he made the sudden announcement without notifying anyone."
Both the ATP and WTA tours have steadfastly refused to examine the touchy subject of injuries, which have plagued the top women for the last two years and spread to the men's tour in 2005. But now with their Chinese ATM backers up in arms over the flop of their newly-purchased Masters Cup product, look for the ATP to be forced to announce some kind of "injury task force" by the end of the year.
"We are talking to the ATP about the hectic schedule," said Masters Cup Shanghai Deputy Organizing Committee Director Qin Weichang. "We certainly hope they analyze the accidental incidents...in order to maintain the branded product."
After substitutes Mariano Puerta and Fernando Gonzalez took the respective places of Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi in the draw, sub-substitute and No. 14-ranked Thomas Johansson heeded the call to come to Shanghai in the event that any of the substitutes pull up lame.
Also on Wednesday, Shanghai officials were forced to save face with the tennis public over their defective product, promising fans large discounts on next year's tickets.
"The players ranked from No. 2 to No. 6 are absent, and this is certainly a pity to the fans here," Shangahi organizer Liqun said. "Those who have already bought tickets for this tournament will be able to enjoy a discount next year...We know that [maintaining] the mania in China surrounding tennis is not easy. China has started the tennis fever at a late stage, so it's not easy."
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY ACTION
A rusty, recovering-from-injury Roger Federer again proved himself the better of his contemporaries Tuesday at the Masters Cup in Shanghai, defeating Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(4) to win his second consecutive three-set match and clinch the first spot in the semifinals.
Ljubicic drops to 1-1 in round robin play, and now competes with David Nalbandian for the second semifinal spot from their round robin group.
Federer blew three match points in the third set at 5-3 and at 5-4 before closing it out with a total of three aces in the tiebreak.
"I thought I was the worst injured of all [the players entering the Masters Cup]," Federer said. "For me to play well is fantastic because this is like a Grand Slam."
The Swiss played with his injured ankle heavily taped, and brought gasps and groans from the Shanghai crowd who feared a sixth possible pull-out from the event when he called a trainer in the third set.
"I felt like my leg was starting to tighten up," Federer said. "I was never in doubt I was going to finish that match."
In the all-Argentine second match Tuesday, Nalbandian defeated Guillermo Coria 7-5, 6-4, raising his round robin record to 1-1 and dropping Coria to 0-2.
"I never really felt comfortable because of the late start," Nalbandian said. "If I can play like I played (against Federer) I have a chance this week."
With the win Federer extended his win streak to 33.
"I think criticism is allowed at this point," Federer said of the top player withdrawals from Shanghai. "(The tournament) signed a three-year deal. I understand the big disappointment from the government, from the tournament, from the fans...I think it's still great that (Agassi) shows up and tried. Maybe the other guys could have tried too."
In doubles results from early Wednesday, (3) Black/Ullyett came from a set down to defeat (8) Huss/Moodie, and Frenchmen (6) Llodra/Santoro eliminated (2) Bjorkman/Mirnyi from semifinal contention, securing the year-end No. 1 ranking for the Bryan brothers.
Scheduled for the Wednesday singles night session are Davydenko vs. Gaudio, and an all-lucky-loser match-up in Puerta vs. Gonzalez.
Richard Vach is a senior writer for Tennis-X.com.
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