Ivan Lendl Says He Wants To Ruin Novak Djokovic’s Chances At A Calendar Year Grand Slam

What is with all this trash talking? I would rather he would keep quiet. Well, good luck anyway to Andy and Lendl in dethroning Novak. Lendl, is smart. Chose the perfect time to come back, Roger and Nadal almost irrelevant. Novak is coming off such a high point in his career that can make him be a bit unmotivated for the upcoming slams this year. Murray will not have a better chance than this and Lendl saw it.

June 16th, 2016 at 10:18 am

Lendl must have penis envy. Why would he say such a thing. Ok, he wants the best for Murray, but to say that he’s out to stop Djokovic is a very classless thing to say and it just makes me want to see Murray NEVER win another MAJOR.

June 16th, 2016 at 11:16 am

Obviously with Roger subpar and Rafa out of commision, Murray’s chances have improved, but to think that Djoko will not be motivated? I wouldn’t bet on it. He got that huge French monkey off his back- that is true, but Djoko has other goals and one of those goals is to catch Federer at 17 although he doesn’t talk about it much. Djoko knows that he’s got 2 or 3 good years left at the top, and believe me, he will take advantage of it…

June 16th, 2016 at 11:20 am

He could have worded it more nicely/subtly, but it’s probably same thing every other guy in the top 100 is thinking. However, saying it this way is likely to motivate Novak even more.

June 16th, 2016 at 11:20 am

RZ, if Djoko catches wind of what Lendl said he will take it as a challenge and will be highly motivated. And I’m sure that Djoko would love to get revenge and beat Murray at Wimbledon to prove a point. Lendl challenging Djoko like this is really not a good idea…

June 16th, 2016 at 11:22 am

@Ronn – definitely adding fuel to the fire. Then again, I’m not sure how much more room there is for Novak to become even more motivated.The guy seems pretty happy to keep winning.

June 16th, 2016 at 11:43 am

Has Novak even started practicing? He is still enjoying in Monte carlo. Anyway I expect Novak to be more motivated after reading about Lendl’s so called plans. Distasteful IMO. He could have said it in a different manner.

June 16th, 2016 at 11:45 am

Too bad that Edberg is no longer working with Fed. It would have been cool to have Lendl, Becker, and Edberg all coaching the top 3 players at the same time.

June 16th, 2016 at 12:25 pm

Contrary to most here, I love the message Lendl is sending. This isn’t a message against Novak. It’s a message to Andy that he has the ability to stop to Novak freight train. Besides, it’s nice to see someone speak their mind. PC crap be damned.

June 16th, 2016 at 12:31 pm

I guess I missed the hip surgeries……the reason he stopped coaching Andy in the first place…..alrighty then. If that crossed my reading on tennis news I forgot that was the reason…..and a darn good one! I am told bad hips are not easy to deal with. Me being a youngster…I would have no idea??? 😋😋😋 lol!

June 16th, 2016 at 12:43 pm

@SG1 – Good point about the message to Andy.

June 16th, 2016 at 12:44 pm

BTW……-C’MON ANDY!!!!! Give some 💜 2 Wimby…..by winning!!!

June 16th, 2016 at 12:45 pm

‘just makes me want to see Murray NEVER win another MAJOR..’

Well, who would have thunk it?!
As if this was the only reason of course. Fresh air would be enough of a reason for you, no doubt.
But you best get ready to cry us all a river here, beyotch!
Because Andy is coming for your idol.

;)

June 16th, 2016 at 1:03 pm

I would love to see Andy win Wimbledon again but don’t think it is going to happen. He simply is not playing well enuf…at least at the moment. OK. So far he’s won but only just convincingly.

Think Milos will win Queen’s.

June 16th, 2016 at 1:27 pm

Huh?
winning or losing in Queens has NOTHING to do with Wimbledon JK
And he’s only played two matches won both in SS.
Strangely doom laden comment from you there!

June 16th, 2016 at 2:09 pm

What is the haste to dethrone Novak? Nature will do it anyway in a couple of years. Why is Andy or Lendl in a hurry to do it now? I can’t recall similar talks when Fed was getting his grand slams. I thought Lendl had more class…..

June 16th, 2016 at 2:28 pm

@emillia
They are the same age Einstein!
therefore both will be ‘old’ in 2 or 3 years
Andy has a lot to catch up with also
And i want a goddamn competition
So bored of this dominance now.
Like Andy or not he is the only one with a chance now to keep things intersting
Otherwise the weak era shall continue.
You do understand how sport works right?

June 16th, 2016 at 2:32 pm

Come on, Lendl is not that classless. He has to motivate Andy and it is not like the players should hand the Golden Slam to Novak. I am sure that Ivan appreciates Novak.

June 16th, 2016 at 2:33 pm

Twinge per chance? Is it possible? Just a shot in the dark. That would be incredible.

June 16th, 2016 at 2:34 pm

It would be hilarious if Lendl would say: “I wanna see Novak achieve the Calender Golden slam by watching him as Andys coach”

June 16th, 2016 at 2:36 pm

emalia nothing to do with dethroning Novak or any other player, but some of us are actually fans of players other than Novak, or Roger for that matter, if thats alright ? ….

June 16th, 2016 at 2:40 pm

Trash talk backfired against Roddick big time at US Open.

Just makes Novak even more focused.

June 16th, 2016 at 2:53 pm

Who said that Andy will play final at Wimbledon? I think he has to reach final first, then talk if he can’t beat Novak. And if someone think Nole will miss his chance for Calendar Slam, well, that someone is very wrong. Plus there is 126 is other players in the mix too. One is called Federer and you simply can’t count him of at Wimbledon no mater what form he’s in.

June 16th, 2016 at 2:56 pm

Lendl from what I hear was a great trash talker in his day, “i vill crush Wilander like a bug”….
Novak will get a chuckle, let Boris lord it over Ivan if he wins Wimbledon or does better than Andy there.
Interestingly, yet another Djokovic stat from the last French Open not mentioned much if at all in the media is that Djokovic moved past Ivan Lendl into a tie for 2nd with Rafa at 20, for most Slam Finals achieved.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:03 pm

I am not a fan of either men. May the best Player win.
I am of the opinion that in Novack’s camp, winning at any
cost is the order of the day. Lets hope the playing field
will be equal, with HONESTY PREVAILING.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:08 pm

van persie, i understand what you’re saying, but i guess it would be another thing to just saying we’re focusing on improving x or y in andy’s game, or we want to get better and fight for the biggest titles.

why say “we want to ruin novak’s dreams”? how awful.

i honestly don’t recall novak and BB saying “we want to ruin rafa’s/fed’s/andy’s dreams”. it was always more like “We brought boris on to help with the mental aspect” or “We are focusing on shortening points”.

so it was about their own goals, not ruining someone else’s.

i just find that odd, and indeed, “smack-talk-ish.”

June 16th, 2016 at 3:08 pm

CF1, I highligthed the Slam final second place the minute Novak won hos semis.

SG1,

Also liked this comment, will add some fire if they are to meet in finals.

Don’t remember if somebody did the math but if Andy loses QF and Fed wins Halle does Fed still amgave a chance at #2 for Wimbledon after they apply their seed rule?

June 16th, 2016 at 3:11 pm

Jane, that’s also true. I am not that bothered, because I know, Novak will not be very bothered by that comment. Now that I think about, it will add pressure on Andy.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:25 pm

Did any of you see the Murray-Bedene match? The first set contained some high quality tennis, and the Slovenian/Brit got close to winning it, though he fell away somewhat after that.

I would have posted earlier, but after watching the match I went to the shops, and on my way back the rain started and I got soaked. That was nothing to the downpour that followed the Isner- Raonic match. This storm was accompanied by impressive crashes of thunder, and I didn’t fancy using my computer (a mains connected PC). It’s fun chatting here, but it ain’t worth getting fried!

Next up for Andy is another Brit, Kyle Edmond, who rather unexpectedly beat Gilles Simon.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:28 pm

Van Persie – ”
It would be hilarious if Lendl would say: “I wanna see Novak achieve the Calender Golden slam by watching him as Andys coach”

===================
EXACTLY!! And you yourself cut to the point in the most hilarious way!!

BTW, though it is a whole lot better as a tennis athlete to have post retirement joint problems than end up as a brain damaged boxer or American football player – it concerns me how many top players with long careers in tennis on the mens side end up with chronic medical conditions later in life, requiring surgery. Back surgeries, knee cartilage mends, hip replacements, elbow & wrist reconstructions. Lendl took good care of himself, but had to deal with the same hip issues as fellow Ironman Jimmy Connors, Becker, etc., etc.
I think the Big 4 will also pay down the road for all the demands they placed on their bodies.
It will be quite interesting to see how style of play, weight for KE=mV^2/2 considerations, post match trauma mitigation by massage. ice baths, anti-inflammatory drugs all plays out. And low impact style of play, flexibility exercises, advanced conditioning affects the futures of Roger, Rafa, Nole, and Andy (and of course other great players careers who have been forever near the top and playing 20 or so more matches a year than 2nd tier players – like Berdych, David Ferrer)
I think Roger will be least affected aside from back issues he always had. Then Novak – who seems a special case as a physical specimen, but also has a sliding technique to dissipate energy that would be absorbed in joints into frictional heat on his tennis shoes and surface instead. Andy and Rafa have high impact, high stress ways of moving, and more KE to deal with because they outweigh Roger and Novak by a considerable amount.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:40 pm

Becker will make sure that Nole hears about Lendl’s comments. This will make him more focused then ever. Also, Nole also gets big motivation from a new challenge. Never beating Murray on grass will make him even more motivated as well. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to win the Calendar slam. Nole is going to go for it for sure. If Raonic is on Murray’s side, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he beats Murray. Raonic was in control of their match in Australia before he got injured. And this was on a surface that easily favored Murray. Grass is a surface more suited to Raonic. Federer can still beat Murray on grass as well. So Murray is no guarantee to be in the final.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:41 pm

van persie, true. i think novak is pretty focused on his own goals and game. he probably can’t be bothered by outside noise.

i have no idea what the rest of the year will hold for him, but to me he has nothing left to prove. he already did something this year that hasn’t been seen in tennis since 1969. that in itself must have been a huge dream fulfilled already. :)

colin, i missed it but have seen bedene before; he’s very good.

June 16th, 2016 at 3:55 pm

Calmdownplease

Yes, I am a bit off-colour in line with Andy being off-colour. He even had to tell himself today to concentrate. He may even lose to Kyle tomorrow.

Lendl must be engaged in a pyschological contest. I imagine Nole won’t be in the least bit bothered. Think Lendl having a go at Boris….some unfinished business between them – not really relevant to Andy or Nole….a game of chess understood only by the two of them.

Never really wanted him back. But as Andy did, who am I to decide. Zilch.

June 16th, 2016 at 4:00 pm

@Van Persie – good one!
@Emilia – all the top pros are in hurry to dethrone Novak because they want to win the big titles and they want to win them now.

June 16th, 2016 at 4:08 pm

People seem to be talking as though the Calendar career gold slam is a foregone conclusion ! ….

June 16th, 2016 at 4:12 pm

Daniel Says:
CF1, I highlighted the Slam final second place the minute Novak won hos semis.
================
I remember. And your post triggered a discussion about writers and fans comments about if RUP is an accolade, or somehow disgraceful and a FAILURE because only the Big Win matters and anyone who falls short in a final is an unworthy player….

I was on your side, saying that people who sneer at RUPs or silver medals likely have little experience competing in the final of a major event themselves. Or suscribers to that trite phrase “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing that matters.”
And I said all due praise to Andy Murray for the high achievement, once again, of doing better than 126 of 128 players, having to have had six wins in a row against world class pros to make a French Open Final.
No shame losing earlier than a Final, either, if you play your best, your team plays their best. The better you are, the higher you go in athletics, the more likely you are to lose.

June 16th, 2016 at 4:17 pm

SG1 @12.31 pm, great post indeed ….

June 16th, 2016 at 4:25 pm

sg-1 ” This isn’t a message against Novak.” – debatable imo. “we want to ruin his dreams” sounds more against someone than, for example, “I will do my best to help him reach his goals and I am sure we can achieve great things together” (BB).

“It’s nice to see someone speak their mind. PC crap be damned.” – interesting. i wonder if people will feel the same the next time novak or boris are accused of saying something un-PC? :)

June 16th, 2016 at 4:42 pm

How dumb is Djokovic to miss the valuable grass court prep time before Wimbledon and better his chances for real life’s joy and the tennis immortality of 5 Sacred Slams in a row?? Not to mention the sheer excitement of playing in Aegon in lovely weather?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClF0D0iWYAAdQuS.jpg

Instead, look at Djokovic aimlessly involved in trivial things on vacation. He must be burning up at Lendl’s remarks and eager to get back at it on the courts and make better use of his time – as all the other Top Players are now doing!!

Or maybe not:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClFr4ayWAAAeNqg.jpg

June 16th, 2016 at 5:24 pm

^ that’s the sweetest family photo cf1. <3

June 16th, 2016 at 5:51 pm

Jane: What a lucky kid. Two lovely adoring parents. Jelena is a star in her own right.

June 16th, 2016 at 6:06 pm

I can only imagine what would have happened if Boris had said, either last year or in 2014: “We know that Roger wants to win a record #18 Grand Slam. Obviously Novak and I would love to ruin those plans…”
There are different rules for different players and different teams. At this point in time, the Murray team oozes privilege.
Novak goes about it in a different way: he does yoga, he meditates, he practices “mindfulness”, he relaxes with his family.
He probably knows he’ll be in trouble the moment he arrives in England for some past or present misdemeanour, for some word out of place in a langiage that’s not his own… I’m sure he’s getting ready for the many battle he’ll have to win.

June 16th, 2016 at 6:16 pm

Yolita

OK. Yolita. But you will recall the mocking Boris got when he started with Nole. It took a long time for people to settle down and see it as a professional arrangement that eventually worked very well (possibly now a friendship).

Don’t really think this involves Nole and Andy as much as it involves the past with Lendl and Boris.

You will also remember that despite Andy being British, he is less loved by the English (as opposed to the Scots) than one might assume he is. They always preferred Roger over Andy in the past. Reluctanctly they are accepting that without Andy the “British” are no longer renowned for having a real tennis star.

June 16th, 2016 at 6:41 pm

J-Kath

I recall the comments about Boris when he was hired: not only dismissive and mocking, as you say. But we had a lot of mind readers too, who knew exactly why Novak had hired him: his incessant quest for popularity. As if the #1 player in the world was so unprofessional. Such lack of respect, even after 2 years as #1 was astonishing to me. :)

Never did Boris get the hype that Lendl is enjoying now: #thelendleffect is a thing on Twitter. And everything he does is perfect in the eyes of the adoring British media.
Maybe this trash-talk will work…I don’t know… Personally, it doesn’t convey strength to me, quite the opposite…But we shall see.
I know about Andy not being so popular: I’m married to an Englishman whose family prefers Roger a million times. :)

June 16th, 2016 at 7:00 pm

Yolitatennis
will it be nubs this time or abusing ballkids?
Match fixing, spelling his name wrong?
Cannot wait.
😱

June 16th, 2016 at 7:46 pm

@Django:

Does sar mean anything to you?

June 16th, 2016 at 8:25 pm

Guess not. Sorry for asking.

June 16th, 2016 at 8:52 pm

@Django

My guess is that they’ll bring up his “sexism” again. So, as preventive measure, I started asking on Twitter whether Murray is paying Lendl the same as Mauresmo, seeing that he is such an advocate for equal pay. I wondered if journos would ask him… I’m hoping that will keep the conversation away from those issues. :)

June 16th, 2016 at 9:18 pm

I can’t believe there’s a kerfuffle over Lendl’s comments. They were perfectly respectful and blunt, and, frankly, funny. How will they motivate Djokovic? He already knows it’s true. I would hope that all 127 players hope to upset Djokovic’s quest. Otherwise, give your spot to someone else.

But I guess this is why Lendl wasn’t so popular as a player.

June 16th, 2016 at 10:43 pm

Yolita, I laughed at that one!! I like Andy, but if someone asked him about that feminist mantra equal work for equal pay at a presser, vis a vis his pay for multiple Slam winning coaches Lendl and Mauresmo back to Lendl, I think Andy would go sheet white, freeze, go catatonic, have to be carried out still sitting in his chair.

PC is just so darn hard to get right!!

June 16th, 2016 at 10:49 pm

“How dumb is Djokovic to miss the valuable grass court prep time before Wimbledon”?………He is the smartest player on the circuit……I have never seen so much slipping, sliding and falling……I foresee somebody getting seriously hurt…..very treacherous this year…..

June 16th, 2016 at 11:40 pm

IMO It wont matter one bit, Novak and Andy will let the tennis do the talking, much ado about nothing ….

June 17th, 2016 at 1:22 am

Okie i dont think its anything to do with the grass, more the weather thats the problem, and i wouldnt count on W been any better, the whole summer in Britain has been a wash out :(( ….

June 17th, 2016 at 1:24 am

@Willow….yes, the weather is the culprit…..I should have mentioned that in my comment…..don’t want to give the wrong impression about the green green grass of home! Lol…….Great song, btw……glad you’re back!! 🆗

June 17th, 2016 at 3:10 am

Yolita

Interesting what you say about Lendl and the reaction on Twitter.
Lendl more popular than Boris is surprising.

Great to know you’re living in the UK. We’re an endangered species on these threads.

Okie: My grass is yellow. It looks overcast this morning so maybe it will be sunny at Queens. At least at Wimbledon there’s a roof in case the wet weather continues in the south.

June 17th, 2016 at 4:14 am

@Yolita

Really good point…i am curious to hear what he would say about it.

June 17th, 2016 at 4:29 am

@JK…..don’t know how much tennis you watched this week, but I am really surprised that there wasn’t some sprained ankles and hurt groins…..lots of spills…..

June 17th, 2016 at 5:21 am

Regarding Lendl wanting to help Andy knock Jokerman off his perch…..who doesn’t?? Novak being number one has a target on his back just like former number ones Roger and Rafa did…..nothing new……Maybe he can give Andy good coaching and new insight to do it…..but it will be a tall order. Not saying it can’t happen…..in sports, anything can happen! But I think Lindl is a good match for Andy. He can seem to keep Andy calmer than anyone else….glad he’s back in the picture…..

June 17th, 2016 at 5:29 am

Chrisford1 @10.49pm
“I think Andy would go sheet white, freeze, go catatonic, have to be carried out still sitting in his chair”.

Andy wouldn’t get to his chair. He’d have to be carried out in his bath.

June 17th, 2016 at 9:54 am

Okie

Saw quite a bit tennis…mostly in the evening (on our red button). They are still sliding even though it’s dry today.

From what I’ve seen of Andy this week, he won’t get to the final at Wimbledon. Lendl will leave. Will he return, me asks myself.

June 17th, 2016 at 10:00 am

Murray is playing quite well. What a difference in his on court behaviour and mentality when Lendl is by his side

June 17th, 2016 at 10:10 am

@Anki

No.
Andy Murray is not playing well at all….
(But unlike JK, I don’t think it matters yet)

June 17th, 2016 at 10:46 am

‘Lendl will leave. Will he return, me asks myself.’

I simply don’t understand this point
if he left again he wouldn’t ask to come back and Andy wouldn’t want him to either, who would?
That’s common sense…

June 17th, 2016 at 10:50 am

All i can say is if Novak aint interested in playing GC warm up tennis then thats his perogative, theres still plenty of other players that are, and plenty of fans of other players that are still enjoying the tennis ion between the rain, rain, shine, ice, wind, snow whatever i would love to go to Queens to get that close to the players ….

June 17th, 2016 at 10:58 am

J-Kath

I’m not living in the UK. I’m married to an Englishman, but we live in Mexico. We visit the UK once or twice a year, depending on our finances. 😀

June 17th, 2016 at 11:34 am

Jane,

Ivan Lendl may be American but I think there’s still a bit of language barrier. I think Ivan meant that he wants his guy to stop Novak’s run at the majors. I don’t see anything wrong with what he said. It’s direct and to the point. He believes he can work together with Andy to win a major…and as a incidental consequence…end Novak’s shot for the calendar slam. If Novak wins the calendar slam, Andy’s not winning any majors this year. The goal for Ivan is to help Andy win majors….RIGHT NOW!

As for the issue of not being PC, it’s refreshing. In today’s world of sellouts and packaged celebrity images, it nice to see someone be direct. One of the reasons Muhammad Ali is and was so revered is that he did things his way. He stood up for what he believe and said what he felt needed to be said. Often at tremendous cost to himself. Lendl was censored as a Czech athlete so it’s nice to him speaking up and pumping up his charge. Good on him.

As for Lendl’s words giving Novak more motivation? Not buying it. Novak doesn’t need more motivation. He’s chasing down history. If Andy had said that he wants to ruin Novak’s chances, that may have caught Novak’s attention. The truth is, every player on tour wants to ruin Novak’s chance for a calendar slam. Just because they’re not saying it doesn’t mean they’re not thinking it.

June 17th, 2016 at 12:50 pm

Btw didn’t joker say that he would do all he can to stop Rafa’s La Decima?

June 17th, 2016 at 1:46 pm

Calmdownplease

Lendl came over specifically for the grass season. In brief, Andy stated he hoped the initial commitment will be continued. The number of days/weeks to be ironed out. There were articles that explained Andy made a phone call; Ivan said he’d consider; Ivan made a phone call and said he’d be there for the grass season…..the rest was to be discussed.

Makes sense for me. Hope the above helps

June 17th, 2016 at 1:52 pm

Yolita

Hope your stay is long.
Cheers
K.

June 17th, 2016 at 1:56 pm

SG1 – Navratilova has said that Czech is a very direct language, and she thinks problems in popularity for some Czech players (herself, Lendl) stem from that. I’m not doing justice to the way she explained it, but that’s the gist of it.

If Lendl wanted to insult Djokovic, he wouldn’t have remarked on the slam at all, or he would have dismissed it.

June 17th, 2016 at 1:57 pm

@JK

A-ha JK!
Got it (although have heard other reports but it makes sense)!
I was going to advise you to pop a xanax there
Let’s wait till Wimbles really gets going before we start to wrry huh?
;0)

June 17th, 2016 at 2:17 pm

@BBB:

No language is direct, very direct, not so direct. It’s nonsense. People are direct.

With press conferences, interviews, the way the press works now, it’s important to read the text as a whole.

June 17th, 2016 at 2:46 pm

I disagree, mat. Look at any Canadian government press release. The French version is typically twice as long.

June 17th, 2016 at 2:52 pm

exactly mat4. it’s subtext. it’s rhetoric. and that works in every language. it’s about the person and what his/her intentions are.

June 17th, 2016 at 2:52 pm

“Wait for Wimbledon” Hope you are right CDP. PS: Did rather like his sterling performance in 3rd set vs Kyle today when he played like “s-it” in 2nd set.

June 17th, 2016 at 3:53 pm

Languages are different, but the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis — a complicated way to repeat what Martina has said — has been theoretically disproved decades ago. Language by itsef doesn’t translate a certain vision of the world.

What does Lendl betray by his formulation, and the press too: that the focus is not only on Andy’s success — which is quite legitimate, but also on Novak’s demise.

This is also visible when we compare with the way Lendl, just a few years ago, described the potential Rafaslam (I already gave links here at the request of Madmax): what was a “Grand Slam” in Rafa’s case, becames a “four in a row” in Novak’s case.

Just food for thought.

June 17th, 2016 at 7:28 pm

Mat, I don’t think anyone here is saying that language translates into a certain vision of the world. Does your native tongue encourage you to use 50 words to say something, or fewer words because getting to the point itself is more important than the process of getting there? As there can only be one winner, Lendl is being more direct. Tennis is a zero-sum game if you’re trying to win majors.

We always say we want authenticity, and then we clutch pearls when someone states the obvious, and didn’t do enough to disguise his meaning. *shrug*

June 17th, 2016 at 9:09 pm

BBB:

Sorry to answer so late.

First, what Martina has said IS the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis in its purest form. I stand correct here, although, from the definition, one could think otherwise.

Then, French is my mother tongue. Morpholo-syntax and graphical forms — that’s mostly in question here — don’t translate into semantics.

Then, I also stand correct also about what Lendl has said. jane underlined it above: it’s rhetoric, and it’s in direct link with psychology. This is all well known for a long time, Freud even wrote a book about it — perhaps the only one that is worth anything.

June 18th, 2016 at 2:07 am

BBB – “I disagree, mat. Look at any Canadian government press release. The French version is typically twice as long.”

I think it is the other way around. Due to the “blessings of diversity”, Canada, birthplace of PC, has to issue all government paperwork and communications in English, then Francais.

Not that I am laughing, in 20 years, the US will have to have all its government stuff done in English and Spanish. And several European nations in 20 years may have to add Arabic to official posts, or at least have its government doings endorsed by national Islamic Councils as proper for Muslims to heed.

June 18th, 2016 at 2:13 am

Buy a new printer, new oven even a kettle and you have instructions in 5/6 languages…….we are already doing it.

June 18th, 2016 at 4:20 am

There is no chance for Andy to beat Novak. I said before and I stand by my statement that Novak gave the Rome Masters to Andy. If he wanted to, he could have forced a Set 3 and would have taken it. However, due to the rain and slippery court conditions, Novak did not want to take the risk of rolling his ankle before the French Open (Watch the video when berates the umpire over the court condition).
What I am trying to say is, Andy hasn’t beaten Novak since Wimbledon 2013 (except for the 2015 Rogers Masters where Novak was visibly just exhausted and still pushed Andy to 3 sets). It’s not magic, Novak has gotten better and better and even though Andy has a 2-0 record against Novak on Grass, the Djokovic now and the Djokovic 2013 are completely different animals. Novak will beat him in 4 sets again if Andy can even make it to the final. Coupled with the fact that Novak thinks Wimbledon is the most important tournament, and the fact that he has reached the final 4 of the last 5 years, Andy will have a serious problem when facing him, No matter what Lendl says or does.

June 18th, 2016 at 11:10 pm

I seem to recall an earlier thread where Sharapova said she was surprised that other professionals were “hoping” that Serena won the calendar slam last year? Why is this so offensive? Aren’t they supposed to NOT want to lose?

June 29th, 2016 at 5:55 pm

MMT’s comment drew me back to this thread, and I’m just now seeing Chris’ comment.

I think it’s bizarre to attribute to “PC”ness the notion that a country acknowledges that a sizeable portion of its population – a founding population, no less – speaks a different language. My nieces and nephews live in Montreal and are fluent in three languages. This is a good thing, in terms of their global marketability.

Quebec has actually never succeeded in securing enough votes to pull out of Canada. Perhaps Cameron should have consulted more closely with the Canadians.

June 29th, 2016 at 6:04 pm

As to MMT’s comment, I see what you mean, and Sharapova said nothing wrong. However, I think players like Halep said “I want to win, but if I can’t, then I’m rooting for Serena.” I can see that as well. It certainly shows how much Serena has evolved, as she used to be about as popular as Sharapova in the women’s locker room.

June 29th, 2016 at 6:06 pm