Decision to accept more money is now called nightmare? Strange.

February 21st, 2013 at 12:46 pm

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/rebecca-marino-quits-tennis-because-bullying-social-media-175955476–ten.html

This is just awful news. Tennis fans are seriously the worst.

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:12 am

I wonder if they’ve considered adding money/value to the tourney by lowering or not raising ticket prices for fans. Instead, I hear they’ll be requiringthe purchase of tickets for stadiums that used to be accessible on a grounds pass type of basis.

February 22nd, 2013 at 3:11 pm

Sorry off topic, kinda of;

This is how you start down the road to get pro athletes to stop using illegal PED’s

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-74528394/

February 22nd, 2013 at 4:50 pm

Fed talks of blood passport for doping, etc.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1534071-roger-federer-tennis-icon-right-to-call-for-biological-passports

February 22nd, 2013 at 5:03 pm

^excellant article!

February 22nd, 2013 at 5:08 pm

Like everything else, inflation will factor into ticket prices. It’s become so expensive to see a GS match that it’s more or less only those with money to spare can buy those tickets. I’d rather enjoy a weekend at a resort and watch the match on TV than pay for those very expensive tickets.

February 22nd, 2013 at 5:10 pm

I don’t know about other GS tournaments but I dont think paying $130 for two QF matches (men&women) at AO in Rod Laver Arena is to much money, not at all when you consider what do you get for the money, just watching Federer/Tsonga even without ladies QF was more than you paid for. When you consider that you are probably looking at 4-5 hours of world class tennis I think it is actually cheap, most importantly you don’t have to be reach to afford that, it is ones a year treat. One day work is $150-$200 on average. People spent more money in one night in Pub drinking and playing poker machines not to mention dogs and horses betting!

February 22nd, 2013 at 5:41 pm

should say “rich” and not “reach”

February 22nd, 2013 at 5:44 pm

With ticket prices what they are, I am surprised there are so many people still willing to shell out that much!

People should save and see on TV. these paying fans are all (not all, most of them) going to be bankrupt in retirement!

February 22nd, 2013 at 6:07 pm

Actually I agree that most of us, most likely, are going to be bankrupt in our retirement, but not because of tennis but because of goverment and superannuation funds mismanaging our superannuations. In a last couple of years I lost almost half of my superannuation money that I worked my guts out for in a last 20 or so years, since they introduced superannution scheme, talking about Australia. That is 10% of my salary every year for a last twenty something years, don’t blame tennis for that. I know people who lost much more thanks to companies who were investing their superannuation and the worst thing you cannot pull out that money until you are 65 or you are terminally ill all you are moving out of the country for good … and that is your hard earned money!

February 22nd, 2013 at 6:48 pm

@WB:

I didn’t make those mistakes: I don’t use my credit card, I don’t put my money in the bank, and when I have some I buy real estate and rent it. I advise you to do the same, or to invest in… gold, of course.

In less than 15 years we will have a major economic crisis, and we will all be bankrupt.

February 22nd, 2013 at 7:19 pm

mat4,

The problem is we don’t have a choice, that is the law that your emloyer has to pay 10% of your earnings in the superannuations of your choce (it is not really choice, they are all crooks, it is not their money they are spending, it is yours).
You don’t have any control over it, you can change a fund but that doesn’t make any difference. If you are are selfemployed, like I am in a last ten years, you don’t have to contribute to your own super but you have to do it for your employees. I did what you said from the moment I managed to put some money aside as soon as I arrived in Australia, typical for the wogs, and I am happy where I am now, that was my guts instinct as somebody who arrived in this country with $300 dollars in my pocket and $1500 borrowed from my aunty for airfair from Belgrade to Sydney that I had to pay back, but I know quite a few elderly Australians that lost most of their supperanuation and I feel sad for them.
I have one more child with me that I cannot get rid of, she said she is not moving anywhere so we are stuck with her;) and my life aim was not be burden to my kids ones we get old and I think we achieved that, I mean to have enough money for the hospitals and nursing homes … I think the youngest one is going to choose nursing home for whoever stays last out of two of us so it is better if I am good with her;) … I want waterwiev from my room in nursing home:)

February 22nd, 2013 at 7:42 pm

Ironically, tickets to tennis, while expensive, are still below other sports often. Tickets to the BCS national championship (notre dame bama) game were over $900 for nosebleeds and over $1500 for decent seats. I was shocked. I never tried to go the Super Bowl but I can only imagine. But then again tennis matches don’t features Beyonce!

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:05 pm

@Kimberly:

What’s the Superbowl? Who is Beyonce?..

On the other side, $1500 is… well $1500… ;-)

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:11 pm

wow!! petra kvitova at this form is great to watch. Good to see her playing well again. Hope she can win tomorrow.

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:14 pm

What is “nosebleeds?”

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:16 pm

@WB:

You just made me remember Croesus evoking the name of Solon on his pyre. I hope I shall die from the noble death — a stroke, before I get too old.

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:19 pm

Hi, Kimmi. Glad you’re here.

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:20 pm

Don’t worry, I found what “nosebleeds” means, as I thought it is American slang, they are those on Arthur Ashe stadium in the upper rows who cannot see the players, neverteheless the tennis ball.

mat4,

I am not as rich as Croesus, but by following my family history I might be able to beat him with that noble death wish, we don’t die in bed for one reason or another.

February 22nd, 2013 at 8:48 pm

Hi mat4, thank you…

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:01 pm

Wog boy, exactly. I am a somewhat seat snob, I generally will not attend an event where I cannot see the game. But when you look up at the nosebleed section it is generally full. I think a lot of people go for the ambiance ofnthe event and there are always several big screens.

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:25 pm

IMO, tickets are priced according to geographic destinations, cost of likving and how the tournaments are rated.

I’ve never been to a tournament in Miami or IW, but I’d imagine that IW seats would cost more as compared to Miami due to the high cost of living for that state.

For example, NYC, London and Paris are very expensive cities to live in due to the cost of living in those cities. Most of those tournaments are patronized by the wealthy, and/or corporations. Very few locals attend the QFs and onwarsds, except for those who are rich, are given free tickets and/or can use their company’s box. It’s not the norm or economical for a tennis fan who earns $10 per hour to buy tickets for those tournaments.

Some of the people who attend those matches are vactionersalso, and save their hard-earned dollars for the vacation of a once in a life-time, but cannot or will not do so on a regular basis.

I’ve never seen a tournament in Miami or IW, but I’d imagine that IW seats would cost more as compared to Miami due to the high cost of living for that state. for me to go to either one would mean purchasing plane tickets, hotels, food and cost of the ticket. That would add up to more than $5,000. Which poor person who’s scraping to put food on the table for their family has that kind of money to blow on a tennis match or matches? I don’t.

nosebleeds are seats way up high close to the sky and which makes the players look like ants. Iwas given two tickets to shea stadium, for which I was happy, only to find out that they were nosebleeds when I arrived at the stadium. I walked up so many steps that I had cramps in my legs for days after..

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:29 pm

Kimberly,

What I like about USO and New Yorkers is that it looks to me when I watch them at USO like they are having big party on the stands, so I guess you are right … They might be just happy to check result and game on the big screens and continue with party.
When ever I had New Yorkers as customers I noticed they are extrovert, sharp and quick thinking and different than other Americans I worked with (just different not better or worst, please), I like them and they remind me on where I grew up, you have to be streetwise to succeed in life. My friend who lived in New York told me that to succeed in New York you have to be really good in whatever you do.

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:46 pm

This retarded blog is a nightmare!

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:48 pm

@WB:

Croesus probably died on the pyre. He wasn’t that lucky.

But let’s write about Novak. I managed to rewatch most of his matches from the AO, and to compare with the previous AO.

First, a few words about the final: I feel that both players were extremely tense, although not at the same moments: Murray more in the beginning, Djokovic after his missed BPs.

Despite this, and a certain monotony due to their stronghold on their serve games, the overall level of the match was, IMHBPBO, very high. They both have improved since last year.

The mystery for me remains Djokovic’s serve. The match against Wawrinka excepted, he was broken only once in 6 matches, although I don’t see what he is doing better, what is really different.

February 22nd, 2013 at 9:58 pm

I think the ticket cost on the primary market are driven by cost of living and on the secondary market by who’s playing.

Let’s say on the primary market the Miami semifinal is going for 150 a seat if you buy it from the tournament directly. There is an industry of buyers that will then go and sell their seats on stub hub for triple the price. This works out great if it is federer nadal (their matches can go to $1000 a seat in the fedal heydays) but if it’s Juan Monaco v. Andy Murray the dealers will be lucky to get their $150 back.

I had tix to nadal Murray last year at $200 a seat and rafa pulled. I made the dealer comp me with heat tix since he got to use the rain check policy. But for decent seats for a semi with two good players I thought it was reasonable. Of course perhaps the price was drive. Down by whispering a that nadal was injured.

The nose bleeder seats I believe are all about the beer and the party. As a non-drinker it doesn’t do anything for me.

So in summary, I think the cost of tennis seats are driven by the cost of living on the primary market and a combination of cost of living and the players playing on the secondary market,ll

February 22nd, 2013 at 10:12 pm

mat4,

I was waiting for Nole thread to come up so I can talk to Nole fans and the others, it was no Nole thread for more than 30 last threads. I was trying not to contaminate other highly respected and languagewise sophisticated threads (Federer, Nadal …) with my retarded posts so I thought this was neutral thread since it doesn’t mention any of the players but I was wrong so I will talk to you when Nole thread comes up, sorry for any inconvenience.

February 22nd, 2013 at 10:15 pm

On another note what is everyone’s thoughts on Rebecca Marino cyberbullying retirement?

February 22nd, 2013 at 10:20 pm

@Kimberly:

It is never simple to make such a decision. I believe that she could have other problems too.

February 22nd, 2013 at 11:08 pm

According to the radio interview that I heard with Marino AND the majority of the press coverage I’ve read, she did NOT retire due to the cyber-bullying. She stated outright that she has been battling depression for years, and that she felt that the grind of the tour caused her to neglect who she is as a person and prohibited her from dealing with her mental illness. Moreover, she didn’t see herself getting to the top or to where she wanted to be with these issues plaguing her. The cyber-bullying was a side issue that she mentioned in the interview. She said it certainly didn’t help matters (obviously, if she was already depressed) but at no time did I hear her say that it was the *reason* for her retirement. Only the article Ben posted seemed to state that outright in the title.

February 22nd, 2013 at 11:50 pm

Thanks, jane.

February 22nd, 2013 at 11:55 pm

Actually you can get “General Admission” tickets for all day on the outer courts, so you can wonder around court to court, which are cheap and a great way to get pretty close and see a plethora of great matches. The GA includes the grandstand, but they are nosebleed seats. If your a hard core fan the GA is the way to go. Seen some great matches with Delpo, Roanic, Tipsy, Wawa, and seen some Rafa and Fed doubles action on the OC. Also gets you to where they practice, where I found the most enjoyable above the matches. You can also purchase multi day and week packages, which are the way to go if you are there for an extended stay.
(My Indian Wells experience).

February 23rd, 2013 at 1:21 am

WTF at the O2 is a brilliant event. Full of “ordinary” fans from all over the country as well as London. Cost of seats varies from £50 a session early in the week to £150-£200 for the final.
The arena is fabulous, like an amphitheatre, and u can see the players clearly, even in the “nosebleed” seats!

February 23rd, 2013 at 2:51 am

@Wog Boy;Hi, I was for a week travelling so not much time for writing…Regarding the your previous post about Kusturica-I saw ‘No smoking orchestra ‘ also that night.Quite good.
Regarding New Yorkers-absolutelly agree.But generally Americans are OK.I was working in restaurants and clubs in Londons West End, so I meet lots of Americans ( and New Yorkers ).I use to look Americans slightly suspicious before, but then I meet lots of them ,I finded them very easy and honest-straight foward.
Europeans can be very sarcastic, not straight fowards (English ), rude (French ),miserable (most East Europeans including our beloved Serbs ) and what we all like to do?Take a piss out of Americans!How ironic…Talking about generalisations.What about your Australians?Every Australian I meet loves Bungy Jumping, wears Hawaian shirts and drinks beer-It’s like all being ‘cloned’ in the same factory!I bet you wear hawaian shirt, talk loud and drink beer…
BTW-Thank you for ‘classy’ video other day.

February 23rd, 2013 at 3:57 am

Heading back to Indian Wells for the 3rd year in a row. It is tennis heaven. Nearly all the top men and women are there. The facility is large, but manageable and you get to see the players up close. No tennis would be disappointed.

February 23rd, 2013 at 6:46 pm

Should say No tennis fan would be disappointed in the last post.

February 23rd, 2013 at 6:47 pm

@Matt

Was probably there when u were! Totally agree about IW :-). Met another TX poster there, fun times. Great tourney for a fan. Can’t make it this year, next year for sure!

February 23rd, 2013 at 10:46 pm

I don’t really think it was such a nighmare ;) Although I’m so happy for it. More prize money means more players and better quality of the tournament :D

February 24th, 2013 at 4:47 am

Is this justified ? Well, the players earn it through sheer hard work and perseveration. So there is no room for any grievance. Only the best will earn it. The only thing the Tournament organizers need to take into consideration is not only to hike the winner and loser purse but also simulatenaously hike the consolation prize for the early round losers. I think Roger as ATP Players President is only fighting for these. I do hope that is taken care of.

February 25th, 2013 at 2:16 am