Veterans Haas, Ferrer Favorites For Sunday ATP Titles

Happy to see Haas win. He was in great form today, though I think he’ll probably not have enough gas to make a run in Madrid. Makes it interesting in any case.

May 5th, 2013 at 11:43 am

The “other” swiss pulls the upset over the “other” Spaniard!

May 5th, 2013 at 11:51 am

The “other” swiss pulls the upset over the “other” Spaniard!
—
In a match between experienced chokers, the Best Backhand in Switzerland prevailed over the Eternal Challenger, The Umkempt One.

May 5th, 2013 at 12:30 pm

Tweeted by commentator Nick Lester after the Wawa/Ferrer match:

“As good as i’ve seen Wawrinka play on the dirt,only lost 6 points behind his serve all match,could play Djokovic in R3 in Madrid.”

I didn’t see the match so I’m unsure whether this is ominous or not.

May 5th, 2013 at 1:06 pm

Nice to see both Haas and Wawrinka get big wins.

May 5th, 2013 at 3:20 pm

RT @christophclarey: “MT @TennisReporters John Tomic allegedly arrested 3 days ago in Madrid 4 head butting/breaking nose Bernie’s French hitting partner ”

This is what happens when you let riff-raff into the gentleman’s game……disgusting people.

May 5th, 2013 at 4:40 pm

Somebody in Switzerland has a title this year, and somebody doesn’t.

May 5th, 2013 at 4:40 pm

Wait… I thought I was getting paid to play on blue clay this year!

May 5th, 2013 at 5:02 pm

@ nadalista – I saw that – horrible news. I hope this incident gives the ATP grounds to ban Tomic’s father from all tournaments (similar to Jelena Dokic’s dad). It might be a blessing in disguise and Bernie might realize his potential.

May 5th, 2013 at 5:33 pm

I don’t think this man, John Tomic, electricity in every floor in his head, and his son promptly bombed out of Madrid. Here is a link about headbutting.

http://m.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/coach-tomic-in-trouble-over-grand-slam-20130506-2j1yo.html

May 5th, 2013 at 5:54 pm

Why don’t we look at all this from a different angle, for once? Especially since the media most often than not don’t write/speak the truth, but create it.

Let’s say that you had to leave your country for another, distant land, where you know nothing, and that has a very different way of life. And you got a son, or a daughter, and your child started to like, better: to love tennis. You work 50 hours a week, you invest all your money in his apparel, lessons, coaches, travels, tournaments, and he has some success, so you work more, borrow money from time to time, don’t go on holidays, don’t change your car, just to afford your child a dream.

Meanwhile, you try to learn tennis, and when the first successes arrive, suddenly there are all those coaches, managers, the federation, everybody and everyone has a plan, an agenda, a vision for your child.

If you were in your homeland, where you know the habits, the way of life and thinking, where you have a numerous family to help you, it would be easier. You could have raise your children the right way, knowing what he does in school, where he goes with his friends, how the youth think.

But you’re 20 thousands miles from home, you are a foreigner that doesn’t speak English well, an outsider, and you see your influence — the influence of the only person that cares about him — dwindle, disappear. The media are here to write that your son is the next big star, the money has already turned his head, and your are very worried. Suddenly there are all this new friends you don’t know, and you lose your nerves, you become the villain.

Just to mention: when Dokic left his “abusive” father, her managers spend all her money and left her with nothing.

May 5th, 2013 at 5:55 pm

The press is now reporting that not only did he head butt and break
Thomas Drouet’s nose but he also struck Bernard.

I’m sorry but nothing excuses violence – nothing. If you become a danger to your own son/daughter and their colleagues or other players you deserve to be excluded from their life, no matter how many sacrifices you made. Aravane Rezai’s father not only abused her with a racquet but attacked Elena Vesnina’s father. He thoroughly deserved his ban. There’s a point where many close relationships become toxic.

As for paying back parents for their sacrifices, players could always send a stipend to them. Just keep away from the tour.

May 5th, 2013 at 6:13 pm

mat4,

You do have a point when it comes to Dokic, her father was behind her success and nobody else, no tennis Australia or anybody else, when she became #4 everybody started to give them advice and wanted piece of her. Damir became defencive and made few stupid things, she left him and that was the end of her career. All the money that she had had been sucked out by her boyfriend/coach his brother. She became chicken beetwen the eagles with nobody to protect her and I really feel sorry for her, she was great, great talent. At least she made peace with her father last year, she went to visit him on his property north of Belgrade, Fruska Gora, that is the best thing that happened to her lately. Damir never ripped her of for money, he invested all the money in that property and distillery, always said that he is going to leave that to his doughter Jelena and san Sava, even he hasn’t seen Jelena for a years and his wife left him and went back to Sydney.

With Tomic the story is very different. From the very young ages he was given everything by Tennis Australia, desperate to have top player again, what they asked for. His father was blackmailing them with everything including that he will take him to play for Germany (born there) or Croatia (their backround). If you take Milos Raonic for example who was in similar position in Canada but did the right thing. When he was. Asked few years back if he is going to play for Canada or Montenegro he said stright away Canada since he grew up overthere and Tennis Canada invested in him and helped him to became who he is. Don’t forget that his siblings went back to Montenegro, don’t know about his parents, and he is big overthere. His family is very big to, his uncle was vicepresident of the country and is mow ministar in goverment. He is just nice and fine young man who was guadied nicle through the life by his parents what you cannot say for two Tomic’s.

May 5th, 2013 at 6:24 pm

the DA:

You don’t obviously understand the pattern here: most of the time, the “abusive” parents are foreigners in a western country, usually from a country where the habits and culture are quite different. I don’t want here to defend Tomic, or Dokic, or Rezai, but to slap your child is an acceptable, normal thing in most world countries.

and your last remark makes me also believe that you don’t have children. You can’t pay parents love — because for a normal human been, there is no such love as the love you feel for your children.

To finish, the other day, I read an excellent work about the myth that the Western civilization is always right and has the duty to bring his values to the rest of the world. The world, its customs are different, and our vision of things is not always the only one. We don’t always have the right to condemn, not even to judge.

May 5th, 2013 at 6:30 pm

mat4,

I like what you said, but infortunately the world is at the point of no return, heading towards one world govermant where everybody is going to speak the same, think the same, dress the same etc etc … i wander if they are going let us have some varieties in bedrooms or they are going to put cameras inthere too, since we are all going to be microchipped:(

“To finish, the other day, I read an excellent work about the myth that the Western civilization is always right and has the duty to bring his values to the rest of the world. The world, its customs are different, and our vision of things is not always the only one. We don’t always have the right to condemn, not even to judge.”

May 5th, 2013 at 6:42 pm

Just checked about Arevane Rezai: before she left her family (she still has good relations with his parents), she was ranked 26 in 2009, 19 in 2010. Since then, she didn’t finish the season in the top 100.

Dokic had his best ranking in 2002 and 2003, before the rupture with his father.

It is not a proof that the fathers of Rezai and Dokic were good, but there’s enough material here to think about it.

May 5th, 2013 at 6:42 pm

@WB:

No, it isn’t. The evil will lose, justice and truth have to win! And, from my knowledge of history: no empire last.

BTW, why would they microchip us? No need, since we all carry mobile phones everywhere.

May 5th, 2013 at 6:49 pm

mat4,

I though you would like to read this from Damir Dokic, I am very aware of how he felt at that moment, trust me.

“Two days ago I made 20 000 liters of rakija ( Rakija is a Serbian national drink, similar to Vodka ) and I was dead tired, I went to my sofa, almost fell asleep while watching TV when all of a sudden someone knocked on my door. I opened and saw Jelena, Savo and Tin standing there. I was shocked, couldn’t believe it, I dreamt of our meeting for years and it happened now, all in one minute. I started crying and hugging Jelena, she started crying as well. She told me she missed me much throughout these years and how she wants me to coach her again on her way back on the top.”

May 5th, 2013 at 6:56 pm

@ Mat4 – yes I understand the pattern very well. I’ve lived in several (non-western) countries which has helped me to develop an appreciation and respect for the many differences compared to western culture. Those experiences have also turned me into a staunch anti-imperialist -not only in the colonial sense but cultural. On the other hand, if you emigrate to a western country I expect you to adapt to the societal norms of your host country.

Furthermore, we’re talking about more than a slap here. He broke someone’s nose and the guy required stitches. I’m sure they don’t tolerate this even in Croatia.

As for the money, you misunderstood. I was talking about repaying the financial burden and sacrifice of parents in the upbringing. Love can be shared away from the court and the tour.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:01 pm

@the DA:

It’s OK. Written words are so easy to misunderstand. I also think that Tomic is a controversial person, how would you tell it in English: “like father, like son”.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:10 pm

Little kids would be smart to leave their parent all together and head to Germany training camp. This is why we see no young talented like Your Great Davy in tennis today.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:13 pm

On a lighter note, Judy Murray just tweeted this LOL-worthyl reworking of the Big 4 as a string quartet:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BJiXRbkCcAEE2PB.jpg

May 5th, 2013 at 7:13 pm

Then, I do not completely agree with you that you have to accept all the norms of the country you live, be it your homeland or a foreign country. But, on the other hand, you have to respect them. If it is what you meant by “adapt”, then, of course, OK.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:15 pm

Adapt can mean respect the norms but you don’t necessarily have to accept or agree with them. OTOH if some of them are enshrined in law, then you must adapt. For example, in Sweden it’s illegal to hit your child. If you’re seen slapping or spanking them, people will report you to the police and then you’ll have to deal with social workers.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:27 pm

I know about Sweden. It reminds me more and more the communist states from thirty years ago.

Instead of “accept”, “embrace” was a better word.

Finally, I didn’t concretely have such cases on my mind, but about other things that happened in France a few years ago, e.g. But tx is not the right forum to discuss about such things.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:41 pm

Love the string quartet! :)

May 5th, 2013 at 7:42 pm

@jane:

Me too. Well made, too.

May 5th, 2013 at 7:44 pm

Great thread! thanks everybody… loved the discussion and the pic.

May 6th, 2013 at 1:29 am