Belgium Selects Clay, Will Andy Murray Play The ATP Finals?

Yes he will and he will lose before the semis
And it won’t be on purpose!

September 23rd, 2015 at 12:52 pm

Andy tweeted – “So Ghent on the Clay for the davis cup final…very pumped! Think clay is a good surface for us looking forward to it.”

As players in this sport try to navigate the rules and commitments OTHERS make of their time and mandatory appearances – that sometimes are impossible or potentially harmful to their career to obey fully. The options are:

1. To get out by polite fibs the ITF, WTA and ATP know are fibs but tolerate. Back spasms, sudden digestive problems blocking an Australian Open appearance. A knee that can “act up” at any time, but always it seems right before a hard court swing starts. On the gal’s side, mass female flu or nagging injuries before Fed Cup and Istanbul.
2. The Bernard Tomic/Nick Kyrgios “tanking method” to show that while they are here, they don’t want to be here and being forced to be here – display their discontent by minimal effort.
3. Honesty.
4. Salute the bosses, soldier on, risk injury or blowing the ability to compete by one tournament too many, hitting the wall, and not getting back to 100% for many months.

I prefer option 3, and for the integrity of the sport, it should be the preferable option to the players union and the suits.

September 23rd, 2015 at 2:00 pm

Andy tweeted – “So Ghent on the Clay for the davis cup final…very pumped! Think clay is a good surface for us looking forward to it.”

That’s my boy. Always so dry :) The schedule has given him lemons so he’s going to make lemonade (or should I say Irn Bru?)

@chris ford1 – good post. I also prefer honesty and, frankly, Andy can’t be anything but honest despite it having bitten him in the ass several times in the past. This small honest statement has escalated into a major thing now with countless articles. And fans of ‘other’ players are saying why all the whinging? LOL. It was only one statement made right after securing a final place. As usual, this has taken on a life of it’s own. He has moved on and reorganized his schedule to a minimum. As for now it looks like probably only Shanghai & Paris. Simple.

September 23rd, 2015 at 6:24 pm

prefer honesty too. just being straight up and making a decision transparently.

September 23rd, 2015 at 8:20 pm

Chris/DA & Jane – in complete agreement….as long as he doesn’t get suspended.

September 24th, 2015 at 3:13 am

There’s a lot to think about here for the ATP and ITF. If you punish players for playing Davis Cup, sooner or later they’ll just stop playing Davis Cup. The scheduling is a little crazy (as it was last year when the Swiss won). You have to wonder who’s working this stuff out.

It’s one of those rare moment when players get out of the loner mindset and play for their countries and their teammates. A good thing I think. If a player wants to play for his country but will be hampered from doing so because of a singles event, I think it’s the player’s prerogative to decide on which is best.

September 24th, 2015 at 12:39 pm

@ SG1 – I wonder which player currently represents “players” on both the ATP and ITF Boards. The “Player” must surely present the views of the majority of players – and pass on valid reasons given by the “Board” if found to be unacceptable – it ain’t rocket science. Nole made some excellent remarks at one stage – so what was the response?
Absolutely nothing?

No organisation should be allowed to operate without accountability – good lord it’s 2015!!!

September 24th, 2015 at 3:46 pm

None of this is new. It wasn’t new in 2013, either. The scheduling of Davis Cup has always been pretty crazy.

Suddenly we’re focusing on playing on clay after a week on hard court. What about playing on clay a week after 2 weeks and best of 5 on hard court (after the US Open)? Or on hard or grass after Wimbledon? Or any other point? I mean, it’s not ideal. But it’s difficult to change.

September 24th, 2015 at 3:53 pm

Agree

But because it’s not new, Ben, is why it needs investigated and sympathetically considered by both ATP and ITP Boards. An independent view which discusses/analyses the situation with all three groups (the third being the Players – the most important group).

…a loosening of the penalties?
…a reduction per annum of DC tournaments?
…DC matches every 2 years?

September 24th, 2015 at 4:18 pm

ATP Malaysian Open respect Gasquet’s withdrawal “….when his body and mind is not up to the task”.

September 26th, 2015 at 7:57 am

http://tenngrand.com/2015/09/17/facebook-chat-the-tennis-world-reacts-to-djokovics-u-s-open-title/

hilarious

September 26th, 2015 at 9:20 am

Mat4 hilarious,BTW sorry i didnt leave you a reply the other day on the poll thread,i have done now….

September 26th, 2015 at 9:24 am

Hi, GG!

September 26th, 2015 at 9:35 am

Hi Mat4,sorry i havent had time to post lately as im studying for my NVQ Level 3 in Social Care For The Elderly,all to do with my job role at work….

September 26th, 2015 at 9:41 am

Gypsy, left you a reply on the boy in a coma/world politics thread.

Simon v Tsonga final in Metz!
Sousa (Por) and Raonic made the final in St. Petersburg.

Jelena Jankovic won the Guanzhou, China Open.
Bencic v Radwanska final in Tokyo! Happy Aga’s back to playing so well. But it will be a good match, I think. Tennis Channel will show it live.

September 26th, 2015 at 12:20 pm