Novak Djokovic Blames Hormones For Getting Involved In The Equal Prize Money Debate

Enough of this! Novak’s PR team looked at the damage from (unjustified) media attacks and decided to write the above. It’s like a not-guilty person making a deal to get out of prison. End of story.

March 22nd, 2016 at 10:05 pm

The issue is being framed as an issue of fairness, or a moral issue, when, I believe it is purely economic. As such, the men are in a worse bargaining position, and the result is this back tracking from Djokovic.

While I don’t agree with his original opinion, I also don’t agree that women “deserve” equal pay – it’s an economic question that the market should answer. As it stands now both parties benefit sufficiently, so they split the prize money down the middle.

The minute it’s of benefit for (who are we kidding) the men to make more on their own – for example if sponsors begin abandoning tennis regardless of gender – they’ll do it, and that’s as it should be.

This is, after all, not a social experiment, but a business.

March 22nd, 2016 at 10:32 pm

Vami – Quite right. Novak’s spin on the POW who did nothing wrong fighting for his side – pressured into making an apology tour. “Of course I am sorry for bombing the noble. peaceful people. (An aside to the guards “psst, I said what you wanted to demonstrate correctness, I haven’t eaten in 3 days, now can I have a rice ball and a smelly bit of fermented fish?? Please?”) Or said in the classic “I’m sorry what I said is construed by you as offending you somehow”.

March 22nd, 2016 at 10:34 pm

If I understood well, he basically just repeated what he already said, but in a PC way.

March 22nd, 2016 at 11:06 pm

When will the boo-ing commence during tournaments?

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:19 am

Ha ha ha ha… lol … just like I thought and said in a previous post. This is too good to be true. I knew his ‘hormones’ were acting up…..

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:10 am

Pity he can’t tell them what he really thinks and that is to FO..including some posters here..

March 23rd, 2016 at 3:46 am

Novak just can’t win. What’s up with this title?

March 23rd, 2016 at 9:24 am

sean, it’s the media though, don’t you think? they are so quick to vilify novak. i don’t think it’s equal treatment for all by the media.

and no one is acknowledging that novak didnt have days or even hours to clarify and measure his response. instead, his words are twisted, he’s the villain, and others are heroes.

it really freaks me out how things have changed. i mean, “back in the day” – lol – someone like sampras or davenport might’ve said something in a presser and you wouldnt hear about it for at least a day, and only then if you read the sports pages and/or it was a “big deal” and thus was run on television.

now, players presser comments are tweeted *during their press conference* itself, so that there is literally no time to digest or think or understand any nuances.

but it’s not just that. i find most of the reporters are ill informed. they don’t go to pressers with research or prepared questions by and large. they go the way the wind is blowing. their questions are baiting and controversial because they are looking for spin. they don’t even want to get “to the bottom” of an issue.

they also go as fanboys.

they fuel fires and conflict. or go with pre-conceived responses.

it’s a sad state of affairs imo.

players are PR’d extensively, or they have to be careful, or there are regular fires that flame up and then die away again. like match fixing. like sharapova. like a million other “controversies.”

and it’s not about feminists or PC or whatever (so please anti-feminists, stay away…)

it’s about the media and “instant news” with no consideration, filtering, etc. that’s what’s at issue imo, and yet no one talks about it.

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:09 pm

jane,

Times have changed. Technology did that. We along with it. It is what it is. There were judgments thrown out here both ways and sideways within hours when this thing was out. Oh the good old days ;)

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:17 pm

skeezer I am not a Luddite, not against technological change. I just think journalists should have to adhere to ethical standards and a modicum of objectivity

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:28 pm

Sean the outrage was immediate – on Twitter and articles
As for the model citizens that is debatable ;)

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:36 pm

Oh poor joker, getting some flack for a change? Boo hoo!

March 23rd, 2016 at 12:41 pm

Well…the media thing. At the end and of his career and afterwards, that will not matter much.
Victories are sweeter, when you have the feeling that almost everybody is against you.:)

March 23rd, 2016 at 1:17 pm

So does this make Nole a “daddy’s boy?”
Just askin’.

March 23rd, 2016 at 1:20 pm

@Sean Randall: Djokovic does not have history you think he does; his and his family behaviour was 100% fine. Just, you don’t get him. For you, he is lost in translation.

March 23rd, 2016 at 1:41 pm

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=118009

It seems to me he was asked about Ray Moore’s comments about the men carrying the women, and HE veered off into his contention that men deserve more prize money at the moment.

The whole thing about hormones came up to bolster his appreciation and respect for women playing tennis professionally, but again, he brought that up on his own. It’s not like somebody asked, “Hey Novak: do you think women’s hormones make it harder for them to play tennis professionally?”

When Tsonga made similar comments:

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=86132

He also got hammered:

https://www.google.com/#q=tsonga+hormones

But he wasn’t #1 in the world at the time. I don’t recall Federer or Nadal saying things perceived as badly as this, but I’m sure someone will have a long list at the ready.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think what he said was such a big deal.

March 23rd, 2016 at 1:44 pm

Winner: Potato

http://www.changeovertennis.com/whos-better-on-sexism-the-atp-or-a-potato/

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:02 pm

@Sean Randall: I don’t think that Djokovic said anything inappropriate, as opposed to Moore. He is just (deliberately?) misunderstood. I suggest that if Federer said exactly the same thing, he would be praised for supporting women.

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:16 pm

That’s shocking Jalep. TBH I was surprised at Andy’s “dig” at Stakovsky, but it’s clear now why.
Who got the “hot potato” you reckon? Hard to judge, but Gimmelgob?

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:18 pm

Novak has never been and will never be treated fairly by media.
As a young guy he was controversial in his behavior, not mean or anything, just different. That didn’t go well with super conservative tennis establishment.
Him coming from a pariah state and using every opportunity to proudly remind everyone of his roots (unlike let’s say Ivanovic) wasn’t helping his media image either. There was a reason why Adidas dropped him, he was perceived as a too high risk investment.
He didn’t and doesn’t care. All what he cares about is tennis. But tennis is a big business. He had to hire one of the world leading PR firms to clean up his image (nothing was wrong with him to start with, it was all about the optics). Before, his photos in papers used to show exclusively inhuman grimaces during the matches. That sticks with a casual reader. After he hired the firm suddenly you could see a more positive views on him, holding trophies etc. They know their business. Even “he deserves more love…” articles started appearing, like he started winning yesterday, not already being in the same position 4-5 years. Novak, or any other top player out there can’t often speak his mind as that would affect their sponsors
But people never look at circumstances surrounding the players, they don’t start from the same position and are never treated the same. Fans of other players (anybody but Novak camp) couldn’t wait for something like this this to happen. Right or wrong it doesn’t matter. Let’s hit him.

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:19 pm

@Jalep
Except for Moore’s comment almost everybody else beat the potato. But guess what, the judge was a woman!
The issue here is not sexisam; why do you keep bringing that back?

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:22 pm

Staks comment was really stupid…he should keep his daughter at home, if he will have one.

I will share a link with a beautiful song from Conchita Wurst, Eurovision winner:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvxvMcGa1uA

Tolerance and peace!

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:37 pm

Amy loves Delpo and loves tennis – she’s a good tennis fan and has a wonderful sense of fun. And a good point about the potato. 😊

Why so serious, Vami? I didn’t post that link with you in mind. My apologies.

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:58 pm

I’d say Gimmelstob, Margot. But that was years ago, I believe. You hope some of those thoughts grow up – he likely regrets those words by now in more than one way.

March 23rd, 2016 at 3:01 pm

i don’t mind amy f. overall, but she has said on twitter that she hates novak, so there’s that.

March 23rd, 2016 at 3:22 pm

There is no control for that anywhere, jane. She doesn’t seem obsessed about being anti-Nole, at least I haven’t noticed it yet. I post on Tenngrand – there’s a lot of anti-Noleism there from the comment section. But if they don’t go on and on…and on. I can co-exist with it. There’s a lot of anti-fedism. The Rafa fans for the most part are tennis fans and there’s enough balanced and knowledgeable fans to make it enjoyable. That’s all I can ask on the internet, I guess after all these years.

Sorry, I shouldn’t have posted the link. Again, I apologize. Thought is was interesting to see the comments from those ATP players in one place. And I’m a sucker for potato’s!

March 23rd, 2016 at 3:35 pm

@Sean Randall: You are excellent. Better than most of your peers.

March 23rd, 2016 at 3:48 pm

Let’s do the talking on the court eh Novak. Wish he would stop being kind to the media and put them in their place for a change.

March 23rd, 2016 at 11:33 pm

@anki says: “Let’s do the talking on the court”….well, he has been!!! I don’t see anyone who can beat him atm…..he is in beast mode. Plays just as hard as he has to, to win! I actually see him winning the other three biggies!! Only an injury can stop him imho…..I don’t mean that in a hateful manner……he is just that good right now….Who is capable of putting the stopper on him?? I can think of no one….. Milos couldn’t!

March 24th, 2016 at 12:15 am

If media want to degrade someone, it is easy. This is just what they have been doing with Novak most of the time. There is no justice and objectivity in this world.

March 25th, 2016 at 11:43 am