Novak Djokovic Prepared To Miss More Grand Slam Events

This is what integrity looks like people. This man like ALI has sacrificed his career for what he believes in (the right to have the final say of what goes in your body). This is what heroes look like in everyday life. Good luck to Novak.

February 15th, 2022 at 4:36 pm

He is testing the water.. He will either get vaccinated in Serbia or will get covid in his country and recover just few weeks before the French open. To make it more reliable, there will be a news of his family members getting covid one by one and recovery update in Apr/May

February 15th, 2022 at 4:55 pm

He loses either way, vexxed or not. I would guess he can afford to make a public stance right now about it as he knows along with the rest of us the Virus is starting to go down. As Sean says, a lot can happen as far as vaccination requirements for Slams between now and let’s say summer time ( Wimby time ). But it will be interesting if variants continue to threaten the populations what his stance will be then.

February 15th, 2022 at 5:26 pm

Maybe it’s just the circles I move in but I am sensing that people are heartily sick of the whole thing.

If they try to drum up another bulldust variant I think it will be largely ignored.

The fockers tried to paint the so called Omicron variant as deadly but just couldn’t pull it off.

I’m pretty sure we’ll see Novak at Wimbeldon. The French Open is less likely but not impossible.

February 15th, 2022 at 5:47 pm

Siddy – This is what integrity looks like people…

Respectfully disagree. Novak has dabbled in alt medicine a long time and lives in sort of a bubble where his alt quackers and wife’s gurus may cause old Novax to make mutton-headed decisions like back in the days of Pepe and the Love Bug . Now he discusses how he can purify water with his mental energy and shit about tainted blood.
I hope his Dad, who almost died in the past (circa 2012) of lung disease – is at least vaccinated.
Shame when he was THIS CLOSE! to being GOAT! But he gives up Australia, gives up his GOAT milestones in weeks at #1 of going 7 years as #1 and exceeding Fed at 362 weeks by a full year and Rafa by 3 if he had ever reached 365.

February 16th, 2022 at 1:18 am

Couldn’t be more proud of Nole, one of a kind, not a corporate lapdog like the the other two are!

Way to go Nole!

February 16th, 2022 at 1:49 am

Zed,

As you said, you can’t really trust the person who married his grandmother, can you😉

February 16th, 2022 at 1:52 am

Siddy

Djokovic hasn’t sacrificed his career! Having watched the interview, his thinking process is that he would be risking his career if he were to get vaccinated and then suffer the consequences of adversely affecting his finely tuned health and performance. He’s made a judgement that his health (and consequently performance) primarily comes from good health. I think he’s right – the science has already started turning on the vaccinations, more and more scientists are pointing out that the risk/benefit calculation has been completely changed by Omicron. We now just need for the Governments to wake up to that fact.

Raj

It’s highly unlikely that Djokovic will get vaccinated in the next 6 months – doctors advise against vaccination in the months following a SARS-COV-2 infection, look it up if you don’t believe me.

He’s very unlikely to get infected – His June 2020 infection gave him the protection against severe forms of the disease, while the December 2021 infection from the very transmissible Omicron variant, gave him a “booster” – he himself said in the interview that he was asymptomatic during the 2nd COVID-19 episode, so his immunity and protection levels are as good as they could possible be.

One of his uncles recently stated that he and several other members of the family have been vaccinated some time ago. Yes, they could catch it again (as I said Omicron is highly transmissible), but why should that affect whether Djokovic gets the vaccine, as he already has the best possible levels of immunity?

Whatever makes you think that Djokovic is testing the waters? Use your brains, that interview was pretty clear cut – he seemed pretty determined not to get vaccinated now, unless there is major new scientific information which persuades him otherwise.

Instead of using your brains, you’re dishing out prophecies! Get yourself a less pessimistic crystall ball! Your outlook on life, the universe and everything might improve.

Skeezer
His choice – risk permanent damage to his health and performance, or skip a few tournaments and wait for the Governments to catch up to the science on natural immunity.
If I were in his shoes, I’d probably make the same choice, BUT THAT’S EXACTLY THE POINT that Djokovic is making, health, medications, treatments, operations, vaccines – they should be personal and private choices, because not everyone is the same!

Zed,
Are you surprised?!? So many Governments have really cocked it up by oversimplified public health information and overly authoritatian policies. Even school-children can see that so many governments haven’t got a clue, and have destroyed the economy in their hubris and ignorance. I’ll never understand why they couldn’t provide us with an Inactivated Whole Virus vaccine in the first place (fewer side effects, fewer adverse effects, greater resilience and efficacy against emerging variants). They’ve lost the trust of the voters – doubling down isn’t helping them or the health of their populations, they’ll have to accept consequences of their choices too.

chrisford1
I don’t think you know what “intergity” means. Not “dabbling in alternative medicine” has nothing to do with integrity – just look it up in a dictionary.

You’re pretty poor on statistics too. Djokovic already is the GOAT, and has been since 2015.

February 16th, 2022 at 2:23 am

Tennispompom – Please see below for the ABS stats for here in Australia. I don’t know about other countries but here in Australia we suffer from a complete lack of competent people in government. I include not only politicians but also our public servants. None of these people can compete in the private sector, all are as useless as teats on a Bull.

WogBoy – Welcome back ‘Bro! I’ve missed you. I’ve been trying to keep the people on here honest all by myself and it’s hard going. Your old mate has been crying like a little girl because I offended him :)

In any case, here are the official Australian Bureau of Statistics figures just released. If there was ever a clearer example of ineptitude and stupidity with any government I am not sure if I have seen it.

This data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics

* Deaths where people died with or from COVID-19 that occurred by 31st Jan 2022 in Australia since the beginning of the Pandemic – 2,639

* The average annual number of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia between 2015 and 2019 – 2,908

* The median age of males who died from COVID-19 in Australia – 81.2

* Average Male Life Expectancy in Australia – 81.2

* The median age of females who died from COVID-19 in Australia – 86.0

* Average Female Life Expectancy in Australia – 85.3

************** FOR THIS WE HAVE WRECKED OUR ECONOMY, EXPLODED OUR NATIONAL DEBT TO UNMANAGEABLE LEVELS AND THE GREATEST TENNIS PLAYER OF ALL TIME WAS EMBARRASSINGLY EXPELLED FROM THIS COUNTRY BY WEASEL POLITICIANS BECAUSE THERE IS AN ELECTION THIS YEAR AND THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD WIN VOTES *********

February 16th, 2022 at 2:44 am

PR stunt at best!
Bog Boy comes out of the woodwork when he thinks he has back up! What an ass! Lolol

February 16th, 2022 at 4:38 am

Wogboy,

Do not let Giles bait you!

You know and everyone knows that Giles is a Master-Baiter !!

February 16th, 2022 at 6:10 am

Novax is a selfish git. He has no consideration for the welfare of his colleagues and the people around him. He wants to walk around freely unvaccinated. That doesn’t sound right at all. If he’s so against the vaccine is it not best he stay home ? The answer to that question is a resounding “ yes”! It’s all about him and no one else! I do hope Wimbledon change their stance although I’m not counting on it.

February 16th, 2022 at 7:07 am

Master Baiter Giles, You’re a Master Baiter

February 16th, 2022 at 7:33 am

goat since 2015?..lol.. When cat closes its eyes, it thinks the world has become so dark..

There is no integrity from drama queen.

February 16th, 2022 at 10:33 am

I fully support Novak.

I saw today that France is ending most of their mandates and Britain already ended theirs. I suspect Novak will be playing the French and Wimbledon.

February 16th, 2022 at 11:28 am

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/Rafael_Nadal/109367/-my-son-stefan-supported-rafael-nadal-in-australian-open-final-says-novak-djokovic/
ROFL. Novax is a cheap creep. I heard him say this in his interview. As flattering as it sounds towards Rafa this is nothing more than a backhanded appeal to the Rafa fans for support! JMO. Lol

February 16th, 2022 at 11:43 am

Giles,
Its very common that children of a particular star in any field are big fan of the other star who is their fathers rival. It’s very natural.

February 16th, 2022 at 11:58 am

Raj. Lol. Maybe. It’s like when Messi’s son was rooting for Real Madrid to win.

February 16th, 2022 at 12:46 pm

Rafa wins the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Vamos Champ!

February 16th, 2022 at 12:48 pm

Giles, in all seriousness, I used to simply dislike you but I am now having feelings of sadness and pity for you.

You are a sad little man.

February 16th, 2022 at 5:17 pm

Raj – “Its very common that children of a particular star in any field are big fan of the other star who is their fathers rival. It’s very natural.”

Agree, very natural and Novax is totally supportive and understanding. It’s finding the Rafa poster in his wife’s closet is what Novax is p-o’d about.

BTW – true story. His 5-6 years ago his son was watching a Slam final between his Dad and Andy, when Andy starts losing it – and they show a closeup of the Giant Ginger Monster screaming on screen – at which point, the scared Stefan screams and runs from the room.

Rafa just has that look and guiless smile. That makes people think he either has Down’s Syndrome, which he doesn’t – or is just nice, guileless outside gamesmanship in big matches, and trustworthy, which he basically is.

February 16th, 2022 at 5:21 pm

Zed,

Don’t worry mate, I can handle Gisele, she is on the spectrum.

Another beautiful morning here, enjoying my native birds, I wish I know how to download short clips of them feeding on my apples and native trees of my veranda.

Even more proud of Nole when I woke up this morning..if that’s possible. His stand worth more than any slam.

February 16th, 2022 at 6:22 pm

Wog Boy,

Beautiful day in Melbourne as well, it has cooled down a little bit which is a welcome relief.

I am old enough that I have learned about the power of the long game, time has a way of sorting things out.

I can’t imagine that anyone honestly and sincerely believes that Novak will not be the one holding the most Grand Slams.

The Master Baiters like Giselle will talk because talk is cheap but if they were forced to bet real money on which of the big three will have the most grand slams when all are retired they would quietly and secretly put their money on Nole.

The man has stated clearly that he will keep going, he’s not going to lie down and die like they want him to. Having established that he will continue playing, then the inevitable outcome is more Grand Slams, no question about it.

I will say again what I have said many times before: The Only Tournaments Rafael Nadal Will Ever Win From Now On is the Tournaments Where Novak Djokovic is Not Playing.

I will also restate that Roger Federer is done. If he risks playing again then he will be beaten soundly by anyone in the top 20 or even the top 50. It’s nothing against him personally, we all get old, he had his time.

Novak has about 3 or 4 years left I think. In those years he will accumulate more Grand Slams, more ATP 1000’s, more ATP 500’s. I don’t know how many but will watch with enjoyment to see how it works out.

February 16th, 2022 at 6:50 pm

Awww!…Soo sweet!…Vamos Stefan!..Hope Rafa will be able to meet him soon!…Knowing Rafa,he would love to meet this special fan & take a pic!..

Sorry Giles!…the idea of Rafa meeting Stefan & take a pic together already melting my heart!!😁

February 16th, 2022 at 7:06 pm

The mention of Down’s Syndrome as a comparison…. really?? Pitiful…. can’t be
believe that comment was allowed……

February 16th, 2022 at 11:21 pm

“talk is cheap but if they were forced to bet real money on which of the big three will have the most grand slams when all are retired they would quietly and secretly put their money on Nole.”

Classy statement, everyone loves to be forced to do something.

“I will say again what I have said many times before: The Only Tournaments Rafael Nadal Will Ever Win From Now On is the Tournaments Where Novak Djokovic is Not Playing.”

How many times have you said it before, and when did you start? It’s not like an eternity ago that Nadal managed a big win against him in a final, and it’s not a given it will never happen again. You might wish it to be so, but for all Novak’s prowess since 2011 he has not won it all, at all times. Close, sure, but he’s not infallible. Your absolutism on his excellence won’t always look good, especially given your man’s propensity towards reckless implosion and self-sabotage. For a great champion, he’s something of a disaster at times, isn’t he?

You might be right about total slams etc, and you might not. Nothing’s over yet. But you should probably be aware that there was a published article here (by a Djokovic-loving freelancer) claiming Nadal would never be #1. Obviously that didn’t age well. If Rafa’s career hasn’t hit all the same notes as Djokovic’s, then it’s only fair to say Djokovic’s career hasn’t hit all the same notes as Rafa’s. The big difference between the two men is really down to class. Djokovic is a hot mess and Rafa isn’t. That some fans seem to love Novak fervently to the degree that Rafa’s excellence needs to be trashed and denigrated is surprising, given that Rafa’s excellence isn’t muddied by scandal and idiocy. Djokovic, on the other hand, has muddied his own excellence over and over with inane decisions and worrying lapses of judgement. I’ll mention again that one of his ‘training methods’ has been morally torpedoed by WADA. He might end up being the greatest, but he’s also likely to end up being the greatest dumpster fire too. That’s really one hell of an achievement that surely won’t be equaled.

February 17th, 2022 at 1:04 am

What is your problem old lady from Oklahoma?

Are you the one that have never put the foot in the plane nor left your village in Oklahoma, yet you were lecturing Nole how to fill immigration papers?!
Which foreign country have you visit old lady, what immigration papers have you filled?

February 17th, 2022 at 1:12 am

@Wog Boy…,,Yep I’m the old lady that’s never flown the friendly skies! 🤣🤣🤣

February 17th, 2022 at 1:24 am

ChrisM,

“Classy statement, everyone loves to be forced to do something” – first of all it’s a figure of speech (which you well know and are being facetious) second of all, weren’t you one of the a-holes arguing that it’s OK to force people to be vaccinated against their will?

“How many times have you said it before, and when did you start?” – I think I’ve said three or four times on this site and I started saying it last year.

“for all Novak’s prowess since 2011 he has not won it all, at all times” – of course not, but it’s quite interesting that you have opened that Pandora’s box. Since that year Novak has won 20 Grand Slams, Rafa & Roger combined have won 17, Novak has won 31 ATP 1000’s (maybe 32 now) and Rafa & Roger combined have won 28, Novak has had 360 weeks at number #1 Rafa & Roger combined have had 132 weeks. So Chris you are right, he has not won it all but Wow! I mean WOW! He has done well!

“claiming Nadal would never be #1. Obviously that didn’t age well.” – do you mean most slams? Yes he has that for now but surely you don’t think Rafa is ranked number #1 in the world do you? It would take you 1 minute to check and see he’s number #5.

“He might end up being the greatest” – according to the exhaustive list of all variables on ultimate tennis statistics he is that right now, has been for a long time and you can bet your family jewels he’ll stay there:
https://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/goatList

“You might be right about total slams etc, and you might not” – What’s your bet?

The rest of what you said is opinionated twaddle, nothing there to disprove because it’s just fluff.

February 17th, 2022 at 1:31 am

^^^
…and yet you are lecturing others how to fill immigration papers?!

I would suggest to you, old lady, to pay the visit to certain specialist, I suspect that the German dude, whose name starts with “A” is living in your head, rent free.

February 17th, 2022 at 1:34 am

^^^
For the old lady from Oklahoma.

February 17th, 2022 at 1:35 am

Wogboy,

I understand your point about people without a clue criticising others but I can’t help but remember the words from the song by “Three Dog Night” (and later covered by Elvis):

“Well, I’ve never been to heaven, But I’ve been to Oklahoma”.

Based on that, I’m guessing it must be a beautiful place to inspire such words.

Maybe she has never left because, well why would you?

February 17th, 2022 at 1:49 am

Pathetic souls still couldn’t get over the number 21..hahaha..

February 17th, 2022 at 1:50 am

Zed,

According to people from Oklahoma, it’s most boring place in America and I will explain to you how I know it.

I’ve been in charter/tourist industry in the last 30 years, I was doing “people to people student ambassadors” for 20 years, that was American program sending American students (10-18 years old) to Australia July/August, to spend around week or two and learn Australian way of life, that includes farm staying, learning bush dancing, visiting inland towns and barrier reef, Australia Zoo etc.
I enjoyed doing it for a years until it became too demanding since I had to stay away from home for around two months changing the groups (from Sydney – to Brisbane, than Bundaberg, Mt Isa, Simpson desert and so on.

I thoroughly enjoyed it particularly learning from American students and their teachers/minders about their themselves and their habits.
To cut the long story short, I was really surprised how different they are, depending upon which state they are coming from. The kids from San Diego and San Francisco were the most lay back kids I met, the kids from Chicago were very extrovert and rough on the edges, the kids from NY were also extrovert but more sophisticated, the kids from midwest you don’t make jokes about America (too patriotic), to finish, the most subdued kids were from Oklahoma and when I asked their teachers how os Oklahoma his answer was exactly this:

“Very depressing, very flat, nothing to see and I am born in Oklahoma “!

I was given so many souvenirs (fridge magnets too) from those American groups but the favourite one was dream catcher from Oklahoma that I was given by Oklahoma group and told it’s original by their native people, that was more than 20 years ago and my youngest daughter had it above her bed and even now as a grown woman she keeps it.

Here is the link of the job I was doing with Americans for 20 years and I thoroughly enjoyed it:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_to_People_Student_Ambassador_Program

February 17th, 2022 at 2:28 am

Wogboy, no problem, I was just going by the lyrics of the song.

I enjoy the USA but it’s so damned huge that I only get to see a few places when I am there, Oklahoma has not been one of them.

However, whilst in Nashville I did get very drunk with a couple from Oklahoma and we had a magnificent time. They were good people and wanted to know as much as I could tell them about Australia. I have to admit I played up the sharks, spiders, snakes and crocodiles thing a bit but they loved it. I think if they ever come here they’ll be very nervous for the first day or so :).

The “people to people student ambassador” thing sounds great, my kids enjoyed a similar thing but with China not the USA.

I am torn on the USA. “Magnificent” doesn’t cut it, it’s awesome, mind boggling, I will be going back many times before my final rest. However, it’s being torn apart and I think it is being done deliberately.

If the good people in the USA (who are 95% of them) can just wake up and see clearly what is being done to them then maybe, just maybe, they can turn it all around. However, they’re going to have get a lot of rope and a lot of trees to set things right again.

If they don’t wake up then we’ll be seeing yet another societal collapse, something we have seen many times in history. If you are aware of the Tytler cycle, my guesstimate is that the USA is somewhere between Stage 7 (Apathy) and Stage 8 (Dependence). If they can’t turn it around they’ll be entering the final phase sometime between 20-40 years from now.

If they collapse then we’ll all be affected.

February 17th, 2022 at 2:56 am

Zed, the most Americans I have ever seen in one place was few years ago in Ireland during Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet, that’s must experience if you are visiting Ireland, but you have to book it year in advance.
After the banquet when we went to local pub (after we sent wives to hotel) you couldn’t hear anything but American accent, I guess they are coming to look for their roots in Ireland.

February 17th, 2022 at 3:21 am

Thanks Wogboy, I’ve filed that away in the “will visit” list.

The Wife and I are now empty nesters, we’re just waiting until near the end of this year and then we’re pulling the SMSF pin.

Once that river of gold starts flowing we are free to spend much of each year exploring the world. We’ll remain free until the first grand kid arrives, after that I think we’ll be travelling less.

I reckon we’ll get a good 5 years of travel in before we’ll want to be back to help raise whoever we are blessed with.

In those years I think I’d like to attend at least one Wimbeldon, maybe a French Open as well. Who knows, I may be lucky enough to see Nole play live and in person!

February 17th, 2022 at 3:30 am

One more thing Zed, don’t watch the TV, don’t listen the news go and visit Russia, you won’t regret, I did it few years ago and I was blown away, I did St Petersburg, then caught fast train to Moscow, my next trip will be Volga cruise.

February 17th, 2022 at 3:47 am

Yep, definitely, definitely. The history is amazingly rich. We have been through some of Eastern Europe but didn’t get that far east (time is always the limiting factor when you’re still a working man).

When we travel now we won’t have the time restrictions.

Without kids in tow there’ll be so much more time to enjoy churches, museums, galleries etc, all the things the kids were bored by thereby limiting my ability to enjoy such things.

February 17th, 2022 at 4:13 am

Zed. You really are pathetic! What’s your beef with Oki eh? She rarely comes here and you choose to insult her, why? You sound like a woman hater! And don’t try to pull the wool over our eyes giving us a picture of the life of grandeur you lead. You prolly live in a bed sit ! Lol.
Anyway back to Novax. Wouldn’t it be unfortunate for him if he caught Covid while playing the slams. He is after all unvaccinated with very little protection against Covid! Will be interesting to see how things unfold!
Best of British! Lol

February 17th, 2022 at 5:24 am

What did I say to Okie?

Come back after you’ve taken today’s pills Giles, ask your Mum for them.

February 17th, 2022 at 5:59 am

Bog Boy and Zed. I pity your poor wives. What a pathetic duo you are. Just keep talking, after all talk is cheap like the pair of you!

February 17th, 2022 at 6:30 am

Zed, https://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2008-03-29/409.php

As I wrote, you might be right, you might be wrong, but if you have the gumption to make absolutist statements, put it in writing at your peril, as your fellow Djokovic stan did in this article.

Don’t recall writing that I think everyone should be ‘forced’ to take vaccines, but for sure I think people who don’t are paranoid idiots who deserve zero access to health care which would be unnecessary if they’d taken the vaccine. Public health is one thing which trumps most other considerations.

And yes, I did mention 2011 purposefully. People who aren’t enthralled to Djokovic’s cult of personality will recognise that as the year he started using the CVAC (as I mentioned earlier, cited by anti-doping as being against the spirit of fair competition). I view results since 2011 as being quite a bit tainted! If you don’t, that’s because you have zero critical judgement and just love your man above all else. That’s noble in a sad way, but this is sport, not religion.

February 17th, 2022 at 9:12 am

ChrisM. Great post.

February 17th, 2022 at 10:44 am

Great match going on atm between Tsonga and Felix. Tiebreaker first set! Love it! Felix…. first set.
@Giles….. Too old to engage….get my drift??!😩😩🤣🤣

February 17th, 2022 at 11:16 am

Oki. You may be but I’m not! Lol. I’ve got your back!

February 17th, 2022 at 12:01 pm

https://twitter.com/buggywhipfh/status/1494281913380573187?s=21 Thank you Stan.

February 17th, 2022 at 12:52 pm

Novak tried to get slick in the AO and got what he deserved and if he chooses to miss other grand slam events that is up to him but if he allows Rafa to get too far in front,he may not be able to catch him.GO RAFA!!!

February 17th, 2022 at 1:28 pm

@Giles….. I knew I could count on a loyal Rafa fan to have my back. I’m thinking Wog doesn’t like old people….. especially if they’re from the GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA! He got his “panties” in a twist when I said Novak should have filled out his own paperwork…. and not one of his team members… (regarding the guy that checked the wrong box) I thought it was a reasonable suggestion….
Thanks a bunch! 😊😊😊

February 17th, 2022 at 2:45 pm

Looking fresh and relaxed (though little skinny for my liking), very strong field in Dubai, it’ll be interesting to see if he is going to be able to bounce back after everything what happened:

https://youtu.be/3hVSAqsfvoU

February 17th, 2022 at 2:49 pm

According to Italian sport minister Nole is welcome in Rome:

It is an outdoor sport and the tighter green pass is not required,” Vezzali told Italian newspaper Libero on Thursday.

“So if Djokovic wants to come to Italy to play, he will be able to do so. Maybe without visiting hotels and restaurants.”

February 17th, 2022 at 3:36 pm

“Bounce Back”. Lolol. Bet he hasn’t stopped bouncing around in his Chamber!

February 17th, 2022 at 3:53 pm

Oki. Please refer to him as Bog not Wog. Thx. 👍

February 17th, 2022 at 3:57 pm

@Giles……Okey dokey…..Bog Boy it is!! 😂😂😂

February 17th, 2022 at 4:01 pm

ChrisM,

How is CVAC any different from sports massages, health spas, or any other form of preparing athletes’ bodies?

If people were using illegal performance enhancing drugs then I’d be in full agreement with you, that cannot be allowed.

This thing however seems like a way to regulate the amount of oxygen you take in and the air pressure you are under.

I just don’t see that it’s any different from any of the other pampering that elite sports people get. Back in my day it was mud baths and cucumbers on eyelids and the occasional vigorous rub down.

February 17th, 2022 at 5:25 pm

ChrisM, by the way. I think you’ll also find Novak benefited from changing his diet.

He (like a lot of people) was being affected by food allergies without even being aware of it. He started addressing it around the 2007/8 period but it takes a long time to determine what (if anything) is affecting you.

Over the years he slowly determined what was detrimental, what was beneficial and what made no difference. Thus he now has a mostly vegan diet with fish every now and then (I think the term is pescatarian).

A close friend of mine spent the first 40 years of his life being hamstrung by low energy levels, tiredness and things like skin irritation etc.

He gave up on medicines and eventually started to methodically track everything he ate or drank and what all the ingredients were.

Then he’d remove one thing and not consume it for a few months to see what happened. Then if no change, he’d reintroduce it and see what happened, and once that was over he’d remove something else. Everything was recorded carefully.

I think it took him many years but eventually he knew what was affecting him and now he feels better, has less illness and has more energy.

I saw a video by Jordan Petersen who did the same thing and he found remarkable advantages through removing the foods that were affecting him.

I think Novak changed his life and changed the tennis world when he started addressing anything and everything that was holding him back from being the best he could be. Since he did those things he has totally dominated (as you saw in the figures I gave you earlier) but there are some (people like you) who hate him for it.

Basically, you can whine as much as you want because you are free and live in a free country. But your moaning means nothing, absolutely zero. History won’t remember your sniveling but it will remember Novak Djokovic.

Sounds to me like we could all learn something from the man.

February 17th, 2022 at 5:51 pm

”Basically, you can whine as much as you want because you are free and live in a free country. But your moaning means nothing, absolutely zero. History won’t remember your sniveling but it will remember Novak Djokovic.”

Look at the idiot in the room everybody.

February 17th, 2022 at 5:54 pm

WHEN Daniil Medvedev passes Novax as the #1 player, soon, hope it will be a big thing to Sean and TX. 18 years in a sport with more frequent changes, typically, only the Big 3 + Andy have been #1. On the womans’s side , 14 have held #1 , including many years of the “Queen'” domination,.
Medvedev has earned the privilege of being the player that ends the reign of the 4 Hall of Famers.
Novax loses a few months at #1 , and 3 truly GOATY time at #1 milestones due to his vaccination phobias.
==========================
If there was a list of the best 30 states to visit, and a list of the best 30 states to live in, Oklahoma, IMO, would be on neither list.
Not the worst state on either list, though. And it beats countless dozens of 3rd world crapholes as a place to visit or live. Sort of like a Swiss complaining they live in a lousy Canton. How bad could that be??
People in Haiti, ISIS brides, and Mississippians DREAM of getting to Oklahoma.

February 17th, 2022 at 6:10 pm

Zed, “How is CVAC any different from sports massages, health spas, or any other form of preparing athletes’ bodies?”

Assuming you genuinely have no clue, which I doubt:

A. Because it simulates the effects of altitude training without the athlete needing to *actually undertake* the altitude training.

B. Because this effect is equivalent to the effect of blood doping.

C. Because WADA evaluated the technology and wrote that it was against the spirit of fair competition in sport.

Three very good reasons why athletes with integrity for fair competition would avoid this tech.

In Djokovic’s case, the use of this tech (starting prior to the 2011 season) appears to have spurred a massive increase to his fitness and recovery abilities. It’s had a clear impact on the history of the sport.

Undoubtedly he made the other, well-documented changes to diet, not forgetting his ability to clean dirty water with his mind, but only a naif would downplay the impact of being able to blood-dope without consequences. I mean, really. If you don’t know what blood-doping is, fingers crossed I haven’t lost you. Your man has behaved in a manner not distinguishable from a cheater, without question. This is not opinion, it’s fact. He has used the machine and this has been documented on many occasions. It’s just that the sport has decided not to push back. It happens. It doesn’t mean that he’s clean.

You might not like reading this, but it’s true. You might think I’m whining and sniveling, but I am not stating anything untrue. It’s just that many of Novak’s fans don’t accept that he’s not played well by the spirit of the rules. CVAC might not be banned, but blood doping is, so anything that has the same effect can’t be part of honourable competition. He has enthusiastically operated outside the bounds of honourable competition for quite some time. It’s a shame for our sport.

If you want to know more about the why rather than the what/how of Djokovic’s technological blood-doping, look no farther than some of his early results. He was, from the off, an extremely gifted player with great potential and some great early wins, but he certainly found it hard to compete at the highest level of exertion against fitter men with similar abilities. He was gassed in some big matches and had to quit (without any class in one notable instance, I should add). The impact of the CVAC — equivalent to altitude training without the fuss and bother, and with the effect of blood doping (without the fuss and bother AND without the illegality) meant he could close the gap on the guys he chased with a dishonest gain in fitness and recovery. This isn’t a knock on his tennis. He was always going to be a great player.

The CVAC issue has always been my biggest beef with Novak’s career. I feel substantially buoyed knowing WADA expressed their thoughts on the tech quite clearly. It’s not considered honest competition by those who care about integrity in sport. That’s enough for my peace of mind as a fan. Djokovic might break all the records that exist, and in the eyes of fans who love fair sport, he’s not a champion for honest play.

To say that Djokovic has, on other occasions, made huge errors in judgement would be an understatement. This should explain my use of the terms ‘hot mess’ and ‘dumpster fire’ in previous writing, but the CVAC issue is first and foremost among my concerns as a tennis fan (and as a player). Everything else he messes up just seems to reinforce his bad judgement on that major issue.

Thanks also for the Jordan Peterson name-drop. That’s two pseudo-psych crackpots you follow, anyone else we should know about?

February 17th, 2022 at 7:04 pm

ChrisFord, I believe Medvedev will get the number #1 spot in 3 days time.

Novak drops 2,000 points on the 21st of Feb because he was prevented from playing in the Aus Open. He will drop to 8,875.

Daniil is sitting on 9,635 and there will be no change because he achieved the same position in the Aus Open this year as last year.

Therefore he will be 760 points ahead of Novak and holding number #1.

From that point on it will be question of how many tournaments Novak will be prevented from playing in.

He won Dubai last year. If he plays and wins the tournament then no change. If doesn’t win, or doesn’t play, then he will drop some points, 500 drop being the worst case scenario.

Even if Novak plays in the French and wins, even if he plays in Wimbeldon and wins, he gains no net points so those won’t allow him to pass Daniil (unless Daniil has a bad year).

In other words, it’s going to be quite some time before Novak can regain the number #1 spot.

February 17th, 2022 at 7:19 pm

Chris, interesting that you speak in a derogatory fashion about Jordan Petersen as well. That discloses a lot about you.

I think I have you pegged my boy, I think I pretty much can guess what your opinions are on any number of issues.

What we have here is an ideological divide it seems.

February 17th, 2022 at 7:25 pm

Zed, you’ll relax as soon as you realise every single person on planet earth will have ideological differences with other people. It’s not a revelation to observe this in others or ourselves. Critically, however, I don’t stan conspiracy theorists and quacks. That does disclose loads about me, but in a good way. I don’t really care that you love these guys with wiffle balls for brains, but on the importance of cheating and dishonesty in sport…crickets? No further thoughts? Convenient for your ideology, I’m sure. Your man is unfortunately a dishonest competitor, and I know that’s a brutal pill to swallow. Novak might have a glass of water ready if you need it.

February 17th, 2022 at 7:42 pm

^mic drop.

February 17th, 2022 at 8:12 pm

Chris, which country do you live in?

February 17th, 2022 at 8:39 pm

P.s. It looks like at least one vaccine cheat has been caught (if it’s true)

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

p.p.s this guy was one of the most vocal critics of Novak

February 17th, 2022 at 9:29 pm

p.s. note that it is a Spanish hospital that has been shown to have been involved in giving fake vaccine certificates.

Spanish hey? Makes you wonder doesn’t it?

February 17th, 2022 at 9:31 pm

Chris M
You must have had a fit when you found out Michael Phelps uses a similar device. Maybe that “cheater” should hand back his medals.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2012/05/16/why-michael-phelps-is-sleeping-in-an-altitude-chamber/

February 18th, 2022 at 1:38 am

Chris M
Another story on Phelps
https://www.denverpost.com/2012/02/08/phelps-using-hyperbaric-chamber-to-aid-recovery/

February 18th, 2022 at 1:48 am

Django, you are going to trigger ChrisM. You know what these guys are like when they’re triggered by facts.

He’s going tweet all his mates, they’ll pull on their black skinny jeans, put on face masks and go tip over a statue or something.

February 18th, 2022 at 2:21 am

Hi Zed,
I think you’ve slightly miscalculated the ranking points, by my calculations, Djokovic will still be No.1 on Monday. He will drop 2000 points, but Medvedev will drop 1200 points, from last year’s Australian Open, making their respective point totals 8875 and 8435.

The reason for this anomaly is that it hasn’t quite been 52 weeks since the 2021 AO final. All players earned their 2022 AO points already and had them added to their totals, but 2021 AO points haven’t dropped off yet, and will only be deducted on Monday.

Then, next week comes the interesting bit – Djokovic will drop 500 points (from 2021 Dubai win), while Medvedev will not drop any, as he didn’t play in the same week a year ago. That will make their points 8375 for Djokovic and 8435 for Medvedev on the following Monday, plus whatever points they gain during that week. If neither of them play, then Medvedev will be No.1 by 60 points.

But, as we know Djokovic will be playing in Dubai, and Medvedev will be playing in Acapulco, both are 500 events. To stay number 1, Djokovic needs to earn more than 60 points more than Medvedev. If they both win their tournaments, Medvedev will be the new No.1.

Medvedev will have to fight off Zverev, Tsitsipas, Nadal and Berrettini, while Djokovic will have to fight off Rublev, Felix AA and Sinner.

The third week, nothing much happens for Djokovic and Medvedev, as they’re not playing (as far as we know, but that could change).

The 4th week gets interesting again, because Medvedev will drop 250 points from his 2021 win in Marseilles while Djokovic won’t drop any. These 250 points could bring Djokovic back to No.1, depending on how poorly he performs in Dubai.

I know it sounds complicated, but let’s pretend that neither Djokovic nor Medvedev play any more matches for the rest of the season, so that the only points changes are those which arise from points dropping off, well in that case, Medvedev would gain the No.1 spot for two weeks from 28th February, and Djokovic would regain it from 14th March.

So it’s all there to play for! It’s possible, but unlikely, that Djokovic could maintain his unbroken stint at No.1.

By the way, there’s something really odd going on with Medvedev – he was really upset when the AO crowd shouted xenophobic comments at him during the AO final, e.g. “Go back to Russia”, and he said he would choose Russian tournaments in preference over Majors and Masters, i.e. he would choose to go and play where he is appreciated, as opposed to being insulted. He immediately cancelled Rotterdam, which would have clinched his No.1 spot by now. I think he’s really pee’d off, and I’m not surprised.

It’s a really bad time in tennis when the best player in the world isn’t being allowed to play, while the 2nd best player in the world is treated so poorly by the public that he decides to avoid some tournaments.

I guess that 3rd raters will do well out of it.

February 18th, 2022 at 7:55 am

Django, yeah absolutely, doping is doping whether it’s tech, drugs, or hemoglobin. My views certainly extends to all other athletes in this boat. Just because they’re celebrated and successful doesn’t mean I think they should avoid being held accountable for dishonest competition. This wasn’t me just piling on Djokovic, but to be fair, this is a tennis discussion primarily so of course I’m going to talk about what I think about his approach to his career. To confirm: yes, I believe dopers should hand back their medals/championships. To confirm: yes, I know this is unlikely to happen in all sports, but we have seen it happen from time to time in various ways (Lance Armstrong famously, or Barry Bonds not likely making it to the Hall in a sideways snub). Phelps and Djokovic? Sure. Same to any athlete using CVAC, or blood doping, or performance-enhancing drugs. If I was an athlete and was tempted to use CVAC, at the first sign of disapproval from WADA I would have backed off. Any further investigations I would have undertaken after being warned off by WADA would have revealed the similarity to blood doping in the effects, and almost everyone (except Zed and Novak Djokovic) seems to know that’s unfair advantage. There’s a reason blood doping is banned as a drug-free performance enhancement method, because it’s amazingly helpful to athletes, especially really good athletes. With a machine like CVAC out there giving those same benefits, there’s no difference in the advantage gained and in both methods the athlete avoided the effort and strain of altitude training.

I hope I’ve made it ABUNDANTLY CLEAR that I loathe unfair competition and I do not support athletes who make the decision to pursue unfair competition, drug-based or otherwise. I competed as a nordic skier when I was younger, and blood doping was rife in the sport at the higher levels. Some skiers at my level moaned about not having the resources to do it themselves. This kind of drug-free manipulation to gain sporting advantage is something I’ve loathed for many years. Djokovic is only part of this story for me. Obviously the man has fans: his unique style of play, his charming repartee with ball boys when he’s not screaming or throwing racquets near them, his interesting views on cleansing water with his emotions. I get it, what’s not to love? But yeah, he’s one of many athletes who’ve cheated to get a competitive edge, and in our sport it’s rewritten the history books. Not a great thing to those of us who want competition in sport to be fair.

And Zed, speaking of facts and being triggered by them: you’ve never responded to the explanations you requested from me re the CVAC and its effects. I could have asked to refer to Google but I gave you the layman’s version. Instead, you’ve decided to try to insult me by calling me anti-fascist. Here’s a fact for you: fascism is actually a bad thing and if anyone out there is fighting fascism, I’m cheering for them. That doesn’t mean I’m in a left-wing paramilitary group, but I don’t get the feeling nuance is your strong suit.

February 18th, 2022 at 8:34 am

TPP, he is allowed to play, just get vaccinated like the rest of the players. Both of the guys you mentioned have not treated the fans very nicely either. It goes both ways, just sayin.

February 18th, 2022 at 8:39 am

Tennispompom, thanks for the detailed breakdown. I was going by the Drop dates and didn’t realise that this year’s AO points had already been added.

Also interesting that the 2021 Dubai points are dropped before the 2022 tournament is completed.

With regard to AO crowd, I can tell you from living here that the local media have always been anti-Novak, especially that Rothberg journalist (huge Federer lover).

When Daniil gave his speech at the 2021 tournament saying how when he was a young upstart Novak was the only one who treated him with respect and the only one who took time with him, that was a red rag for Australian journalists, he was marked by them for revenge.

I have said here before how utterly beneath contempt Australian politicians are, and I hold to that, we have the worst scum in our government. However, I may not have added that our journalists are pretty much at the same level, these people are all sewer dwellers.

So, since the 2021 Aus Open speech, Daniil has been the subject of media attack just like Novak has been. The Australian public like to think they are original thinkers but most of them are simply parrots.

The public broadcaster is called the ABC. I often ask people if they want to give their opinion on a subject or would they rather wait until the ABC tells them what their opinion is, that’s how bad it is.

They can say what they want, they can turn people as much as they want, but history will record results, not opinions.

We have saying here that “opinions are like a-holes, every body has one”. Well here in Aus, the “opinions” people have for the most part are the ones they saw on last night’s ABC news broadcast.

February 18th, 2022 at 8:50 am

https://twitter.com/cristinancl/status/1494438362106765313?s=21 Huh? No shame. Totally thick skinned! Geez. He really didn’t get the message. 🤡

February 18th, 2022 at 11:46 am

Hi Zed, points normally drop off 52 weeks after last year’s tournament finishes, but because of the schedule changes, and the pandemic extensions, there’s been a lot of confusion.

Here’s how you can find out when the points drop off:-
https://www.atptour.com/en/rankings/singles
Click on the number in the Points column, and that will take you to a detailed breakdown of the selected player’s points, with individual dates when the points drop off. It’s 28th Feb for 2021 Dubai. This year’s Dubai starts on 21st Feb, so it will finish in time for points to be deducted and added on the same date.

There’s another interesting site, full of useful info, e.g. live rankings, rankings by age, e.g. under 20=year old players, but you might like to see this one – the five week rankings forecast:-
https://live-tennis.eu/en/forecast-atp-ranking

But on that page, they’ve already deducted the points which drop off at the end of the week, so they don’t quite agree with the official rankings. They only do it to make the live calculation easier.

I share your opinion of politicians worldwide, no one with any integrity goes into politics nowadays. The same – and worse can be said of journalists and reporters, well, most of them anyway.

As for “tennis experts”, they’re no such thing, being neither tennis fans nor experts. Rothenberg illustrates the principle quite well, he’s not driven by love of Roger or hate of Novak, his sole interest is clicks, and that’s why he’s so deliberately provocative. Best ignore him. There’s one good tennis pundit, the guy loves and understands tennis – Steve Flink. Worth reading his comments.

February 18th, 2022 at 12:49 pm

Zed, yuou might be interested in this article:
https://www.ubitennis.net/2022/02/the-six-scenarios-where-daniil-medvedev-can-become-world-no-1-on-february-28th/

It’s a blow by blow account of scenarios… I won’t blame you if you choose to skip it :-)

February 18th, 2022 at 2:12 pm

Is hyperbaric oxygen chamber illegal? No it is not! If it is not illegal why not use it if it helps?

Does it give you unfair advantage? No it does not since any top50 player (possible top 100) can afford it in his spare room, but it doesn’t guarantee you GS, you need more than that to win one. You can find them as cheap as cheap Korean cars.

How do we know who else is using them, do we have access in their spare rooms even it’s perfectly legal to use them?

Some people can’t get over their man losing 7 consecutive finals in 2011. which never happened in the history of tennis and talking about ethical things, there were rumours that their man was using nonethical medical procedures to fix his knees at the time. The same knees that we were told that are so buggered that he will retire, ten years later his knees are perfectly fine?!

Around same time Spanish court ordered that all spare blood samples that Dr Fuentes had from his “customers” were to be destroyed so that we will never find out who Dr Fuentes doped, he was sent few years in prison. All documents and coded blood samples (he knew each every and each one which sportspersons it belonged) have been destroyed by the order of Spanish court?! Maybe his blood sample was there too?

There is hyperbaric clinic in Melbourne that lot of players are using during AO for a years after big matches, nobody is making a fuss about it, it’s perfectly legal, here is the link:

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/tennis-players-get-an-oxygen-fix-1454023796

February 18th, 2022 at 3:10 pm

BOG BOY. Let it go, let it go! 21 was achieved by none other than the Great Rafael Nadal.
Ever since your man started using the Chamber all the slams he won thereafter will have a big fat Asterisk ext to it.
He is a cheater . He was deported from Australia! False paperwork for which he blamed his team.
Cheap cheat!

February 18th, 2022 at 4:28 pm

Gisele, good on him, he deserved it….though he didn’t have to face Nole.

February 18th, 2022 at 5:57 pm

The World Anti-Doping Agency classifies altitude training in hypoxic chambers as violating the “spirit of sport,” although they are not banned.

In 2006, the WADA considered banning altitude training chambers, but ultimately decided not to add it to their list of banned methods, partly in light of their inability to find a reliable way to test for the usage of those chambers.

“It doesn’t mean we approve it,” head of the WADA, Dick Pound, said at the time.

— from https://www.606v2.com/t62060-the-controversial-cvac

February 18th, 2022 at 9:00 pm

Zed 17/2/2022 @ 7:19 PM
Agree with your post, you just have the week off. Tennispompom is right on when the AO points drop.
She holds hope for Djokovic to keep #1, I don’t think he will.
Not even sure if he wanted to keep that much, at least compared to his “pure blood”.
Interesting everyone on his team was vaccinated.
Going from 2,000 points to zero and defending the next two Slams with no new points makes it unlikely he regains it. Rafa and Medvedev are going to Indian Wells..can’t find any player lists for Miami in a month – but the US wants no Novax Djokovic. They want a vaccinated Novack Djokovic. Maybe Rafa figures this might be the year to play Miami. He’s never won there, Djokovic has foiled him, several times.

Also up in the air is the future of Djokovic’s endorsements. I think he will keep all or most, but get some admonitions from the sponsors that they are paying him millions to be a great tennis champion in the public eye, not Mr. Globally Famous Vaccine Foe.
He has an ongoing image problem related to his anti-vaxx gamesmanship.

February 18th, 2022 at 11:48 pm

CF1
You write “US wants no Novax Djokovic. They want a vaccinated Novack Djokovic.”

Why do you think they want Djokovic vaccinated?

February 19th, 2022 at 12:45 am

Tennsispompom, my thanks for such thorough information.

In the article they say “Medvedev wins the Acapulco title, regardless of Djokovic’s results in Dubai” as one of the scenarios where Daniil will take the number #1 spot.

As you pointed out above “Medvedev will have to fight off Zverev, Tsitsipas, Nadal and Berrettini, while Djokovic will have to fight off Rublev, Felix AA and Sinner”.

I don’t have the draw but I think if Daniil is hungry enough for the number #1 spot I don’t see Zverev, Tsitsipas or Berrettini stopping him. As we saw in the AO, Nadal can beat him in a 5 setter, maybe a 3 setter is more to Daniil’s liking but gut instinct tells me Nadal is more likely to beat him again.

The next scenario “Medvedev reaches the Acapulco final and Djokovic does not win the Dubai title”. I don’t see Novak not winning the title. Yes Sinner and FAA are rising amazingly fast and yes they are world champs in the not too distant future but today, given all the variables, I think Novak is the more likely one to take Dubai. Rublev is a hell of a player but, again, he’s not ready to take out Novak.

If there is no further impediment to Novak playing then I think we’ll get back to business as usual with him dominating. Is that acceptable to the people who seem him as a threat to their agenda? Probably not. How will the cards fall? I have no idea.

It’s interesting to me how some people take delight in him being impeded. Obviously it stems from they being fans of other players but to wish him removed from competition so their favourite will benefit is not doing their player any favours. Sure, their favourite wins tournaments in his absence, sure they get more prize money, but to wish ill on the all time great says a lot about how slimy these people are. I think even people who support the same player will not want to be associated with such low-life people.

I still remember Monica Seles. She would have gone on to an even greater career but a knife was plunged into her shoulder and (God forgive them) there were Steffi fans who cheered! They actually loved that a young woman had been stabbed by a psycho!

There are people here on Tennis-X like that. We all know who they are.

February 19th, 2022 at 1:24 am

TPP –
Meaning they (the USA) government doesn’t want him coming into the country unvaccinated, and the general population is upset with “special exceptions” to vaccination for illegals, to rich and powerful people exempt from mask regulations.
I don’t think Djokovic will catch any breaks or special deals from the Americans – he will miss Indian Well and Miami Masters 1000s in March.

February 19th, 2022 at 4:16 am

Zed,
Yep, that article almost went into too much detail – I put it very simply, if Djokovic doesn’t earn over 60 points more than Medvedev, then Meddy becomes the 27th No.1 for the next two weeks.

I’m not expecting Djokovic to win the Dubai trophy – he’s been through the wringer recently and it’s taken a lot out of him – but I will be enjoying every match that he plays and celebrating every single match win. I also really like Medvedev (and Felix and Monfils, etc. etc. etc.) and will try to watch some of his matches too! :-)

Whatever happens, it’s fine as long as it is the quality of tennis and performance which decides the outcome, and not the politicians.

Djokovic has many interest groups aligned against him; you have identified one of them:- fans of other players. It’s worth listing the others, whom you have labelled as “people who seem him as a threat to their agenda”, roughly in the order in which they arose:-

1) The sponsors of Roger Federer, and to a much lesser extent, the sponsors of Nadal. These companies have invested literally billions into Federer especially, they sell the most elite products in the world – Rolex, Mercedes,Moet & Chandon, Credit Suisse, etc. Their profitability isn’t enhanced by the slogan “the second best tennis players endorses our products”. They have to protect their unimaginably large financial investments through the media slurs, yes they pay for the press and TV articles, and when these aren’t enough, they make their own adverts along the lines of the Rolex advert for Federer that “Numbers don’t matter”.

2) Sports bodies of the Western nations do the same. England tried to buy Djokovic by offering him and his family a British passport, but he didn’t value it as much as he values the one he was born with. In addition to this perceived snub, Djokovic’s success grates on their own image:- here’s a guy from a poor country who learned to play tennis while bombs were dropping around him, and who had no financial support other than what his parents could earn, beg or borrow from loan sharks. Compare that with the results of multimillion pound investments which AELTEC annually invests into young English players and tennis facilities, and their motivation becomes clear. By the way, that same “motivation” caused young Andy Murray a lot of similar “bad press” problems. He too emphasised his Scottish origins and achieved his results financed mostly by his own family.

3) Then came the Governments of the Western Countries, to whom local champions create a huge feel-good factor when their sportsmen and women win. Yes, Governments have Sports budgets and Sports Ministers precisely for that purpose – to make their voters feel good, and to a much, much lesser extent to improve the health of the nation through playing sports. It’s been like that since well before Emperor Nero and his Coliseum and Circus Maximus which maintained his popularity. Actually, all Governments use elite sports to generate the feel good factor and their own popularity, it’s just that the Western ones are far richer and dominate the English speaking press and TV.

4) Then came the Tennis Tournaments, Federations and regulatory bodies, such as ATP and ITF. Djokovic became a thorn in their side long before the creation of PTPA, even when he was on the ATP Player Council, he stood up for the rights of lower ranked, poorly paid players. There is a huge conflict of interest between players and the tournaments, in terms of how the profit is shared out. Tennis as a sport is one of a handful of richest sports globally, in terms of how much money it generates globally. Yes, football and basket ball top tennis in terms of global revenue, but tennis is not far behind. Then compare that with how many sportsmen and women are able to earn a living out of that sport: in football it’s hundreds of tousands, in basketball it’s tens of thousands, and in tennis – barely top 300 to 400 are able to make a living out of it, and that number includes men, women and doubles players – roughtly the top 200 men, top 100 women and top 30 or so doubles players. That contrast puts it all into perspective – it’s clear who gets 99 percent of the profits of this enormously rich industry.

The inequity is obvious, and Djokovic, by giving the lower ranked players a voice, is a huge threat to the hugely greedy tournaments and tennis bodies, which DO NOT want to be forced to share that pie more equitably. They really don’t care that 98% of tennis players are unable to support themselves, let alone families, even though without them, there would be no tournaments or the sport.

4) Most recently, some Governments which tend towards authoritarianism have found yet another massive incentive to attack Djokovic, the coronavirus pandemic. It’s not about being anti-vax or pro-vax, it’s not about health – it’s ALL about obedience and subservience. The greatest threat to these anti-democratic politicians are not Anti-vaxers (they serve the convenient purpose of being the “fringe other”, the “crazy and evil enemy”), it is the people who think for themselves, who don’t blindly accept what they’re told without thinking about it, who support the fundamental human right to choose for themselves what is injected into their bodies. Thinking people are the real enemy, and – as we have seen – the Governments are lumping them together with the Anti-vax group, which they are not.

These same Governments are now willing to go far beyond mere slurs through the faithful obedient press, they are actively censoring this tolerant and thinking middle, (ab)using their own laws and justice systems, using extraordinarily heavy-handed censorship, depriving people of their livelihoods, and depriving them of their freedom (jailing, detaining, deporting and even using mental health sectioning against scientists and doctors).

When Monica Seles was stabbed (ironic that she also had a sharp object stabbed into her muscle), I have always suspected that it was done with acquiescence of the German Government. The man who stabbed her didn’t serve a single day in jail, not was he sectioned in a mental institution until he was again deemed to be safe in public. Germany has a lot to answer for.

In Australia, during the Medvedev-Nadal final, the baying mob were openly racist (deliberate interference in Medvedev’s game, screams of “Go back to Russia”). When this happens in football, when the crowd make monkey chants, the referee stops the match, the culprits are identified and sanctioned, banned from entry to future football matches and fined. What did Tennis Australia and the Umpire do? Absolutely nothing – they ignored it. You can be pretty sure that is done under the guidance of the powers that be.

So – back to the tennis crowds. These have changed over the years. Fair play has been almost entirely eliminated from most sports. When I was at school, I learned that “it matters not whether you win or loose, but how you play the game” – probably because I kept losing rather a lot – LOL! I was only ever any good at horse-riding, squash, and a little fencing, but useless at team sports. (It’s amazing that we were able to have such a wide choice of sports at school more than half a century ago when Labour were in power!!!)

When asked how he feels when people call him names, such as Novax, Djokovic replied that “some people support me and some don’t support me, and let’s leave it at that”. I won’t leave it at that – I will add that it tells us an awful lot about the characteristics of people who don’t support him. I don’t need to elaborate further, I’m sure you can draw your own conclusions.

February 19th, 2022 at 8:25 am

Chrisford1,
That’s right – I agree with you! I’m glad you didn’t mention health as a reason. But you haven’t quite got to the bottom of it yet, so let me probe a little bit further:-

1) You wrote that the USA “government doesn’t want him coming into the country unvaccinated”.
Why? What do they want to achieve?

and 2) “the general population is upset with “special exceptions” to vaccination for illegals, to rich and powerful people exempt from mask regulations.”
How is that relevant?

February 19th, 2022 at 8:48 am

I just want to be pretty clear about some points that have been raised.

Nadal:

A) Faked his vaccination with suggestions that Novak should do the same **UNSUBSTANTIATED, OBVIOUSLY A DUMB LIE AND A BAD IDEA ALL AROUND**
B) Shares nationality with a doping mastermind so must be linked somehow **UNSUBSTANTIATED, DEFAMATORY**
C) Played a tournament without Novak **TRUE**
D) Has rich international sponsors **TRUE** which makes him a corporate tool **SUBJECTIVE**
E) Drinks water in a repetitive way **TRUE, NOT A BIG DEAL** without cleansing it with positive emotion **EXTREMELY LIKELY BUT I CONCEDE WHO KNOWS, BUT AS HE HAS NEVER DONE AN INSTAGRAM LIVE ON THE SUBJECT, I’LL ASSUME HE’S RATIONAL ON THIS POINT**

Djokovic

A) Tried to gain an exemption intended for those who are unable to get vaccinated right now, when he never intended to be vaccinated at all **TRUE** and tried to deflect from personal responsibility over his own immigration forms **TRUE**
B) Uses a device specifically shunned by WADA as it is peformance-enhancing and therefore in violation of spirit of sport for clean competition **TRUE, SUBSTANTIATED, NOT BANNED ONLY DUE TO LACK OF A TEST**
C) Has fans who suggested he should fake a vaccination **TRUE BUT NOT HIS FAULT**
D) Has rich international sponsors **TRUE** which makes him a freedom fighter **SUBJECTIVE**
E) Believes water can be cleansed with positive emotion **SUBSTANTIATED BUT SO, SO WRONG**

Somehow, the discussion comes down to ideological differences instead of what’s true and what’s not (or what’s just plain WHACK).

Enjoy your discussion of ranking points, scintillating stuff.

February 19th, 2022 at 10:43 am

He is mentally gone. No wonder he had bitter rage last year.
He knew that he’d be banned from tennis for saying he wanted medical exemptions, when he had no deadly health issues..
He lied that he wasn’t ant-vaccine. He pretends that he worried that a vaccine would destroy his tennis matches. He just wanted Covid to get medical exemptions, and views humans as short living servants. Short living humans don’t do much for his self congratulatory, ego tripping life, so he wants them to go away or if they die, it doesn’t mean anything to him.
He & his family can brag about his money thrown at cancer stricken kids, but he can spread COVID to millions in Serbia & Spain.
He won’t be forgiven if he doesn’t get mental help & changes his behavior. No one forces him to play for years in a city. He is only in a few matches in each city.

February 19th, 2022 at 12:39 pm

Zed, you asked this “new” dude where is he from, he avoided the answer so I will tell you. He is from UK (presumably England), used to post here years ago until he was banned, it’s unmistakably his writings, just wait until he gets unhinged, you’ll get used on him 😂

Btw, another beautiful morning here, time for my favourite Sunday breakfast on my Ziggy, bacon, sausages and eggs with tomatoes and mushrooms on my Ziggy.
Ziggy rules, beats Webster to the punch😉

February 19th, 2022 at 4:04 pm

Beautiful day here also. Granola, Kona Coffee, Avocado Toast topped with Bagel Seasoning and a little Hot sauce. Yep.

8:25 post. So what your sayin is in every situation it’s everyone else’s fault, but none of it Djokers?
Okey-dokey.
—-

https://www.totalsportal.com/tennis/average-earnings-of-tennis-players/

Fed, not playing at all during pandemic ( thank you ) still earned twice as much as Djoker.
Fed has earned this through his impeccable record breaking career and much coveted role model of the game. Popularity is also earned.

February 19th, 2022 at 5:35 pm

Beautiful evening here. Home made Italian Pizza topped with Kampot Pepper. Tastes even better with my Isen natural wood pepper mill. Ultra-contemporary, the Pepper mill features a shiny metal crank handle! Bon Appétit ;)

February 19th, 2022 at 7:02 pm

Tennispompom,

I am in awe of you. That was a truly amazing post.

1) I never considered that the Federer sponsors would use nasty tactics to protect their investment. Amazing observation!

2) I was aware of the British offer but I did not know it was so England-centric. So they didn’t like Andy emphasising his Scottish origins? That’s just petty. It’s nothing to do with Tennis but I remember how they treated Eddie the Eagle, pompous, entitled, snobs!

3) Well Western governments and press need to get used to the Russian invasion. Apart from the obvious (Medvedev, Rublev etc) you also have Zeverev who is a German citizen but is of course Russian. You also have Tsitsipas with a Greek father but a Russian mother. The Russians are making huge inroads which reminds me of the Swedish era in the 80’s.

4) Yes, Novak did stand up for the rights of lower ranked, poorly paid players. Something Roger and Rafa have not been interested in doing (in fact Roger and Rafa have tried to partner up to create their own tournament but the pandemic got in the way).

Additionally, even though Novak went to all that time, effort and risk for no personal gain (in fact leading to less prize money for himself) he still gets thrown under a bus by people like De Minaur (it’s quite poetic to see De Minaur now being accused of faking his vaccination after stabbing Novak in the back).

5) I strongly believe that there is a great deal of collusion between leaders in government and leaders in organisations such as the World Economic Forum and the Davos group. Authoritarianism is something governments always tend towards given time, but I think there is another layer today which is a collective belief amongst government officials and multi-nationals (the elites) that they need to force the sheep into a direction that they think is for the best. In their minds it is regretful that the sheep may not want to go on that direction but they are convinced it has to be done.

So we are in an era where the promise of individual empowerment via the internet has turned into censorship and banning of people on the same medium. We are in an era where theft of elections is supported and covered over by the very same media that were supposed to be investigating and exposing such theft. The partnership between illegitimate governments, Silicon Valley, centralised media owners and corrupted security and law enforcement bodies means that we are hurtling towards an Orwellian existence.

Of course, there will be passive resistance, of course there will be verbal or written backlash, but in the end liberty will only be won (once again) after much bloodshed. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants – Thomas Jefferson.

I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned before where we are in the usual cycle of societies but I believe we are moving into the penultimate phase (Dependence) which is followed by the Bondage phase. The only way societies move past the Bondage phase is by refreshing the tree of liberty.

As it always has been as it always will be.

February 20th, 2022 at 3:40 am

Wogboy, I pretty much had guessed the UK.

Setting aside the location, I’m pretty sure I have him pegged, pretty sure I know him back to front because I have met his type many, many times before.

He is of the hive mind, the collectivist mindset. No matter how many times his ideology is implemented, no matter how many times it fails, no matter how many millions of people die in the process, there will still be a new push to do it again. It seems we are forever condemned to repeat history.

Solzhenitsyn wrote extensively about what was wrought by his kind. Solzhenitsyn’s writings are a great record of events but do nothing to prevent a repeat of events because there is something in the DNA of a large portion of each population that forces the cycle to repeat over and over again.

February 20th, 2022 at 3:55 am

Truth, I read your post, you are a dickhead.

February 20th, 2022 at 3:56 am

Hey Zed ole man. Are you sure Bog understands your posts? I very much doubt it! Lol
Better watch your language. Tennis X wouldn’t hesitate to ban you.

February 20th, 2022 at 4:53 am

Bog. I reckon you should take some diet advice from Novax. Your breakfast smacks of a coronary attack for sure! Lol

February 20th, 2022 at 5:06 am

Giles, Wogboy strikes me as a very intelligent person and not because we agree on many things, his words show a thoughtful and sharp mind.

February 20th, 2022 at 5:23 am

“He is from UK (presumably England), used to post here years ago until he was banned, it’s unmistakably his writings, just wait until he gets unhinged, you’ll get used on him”

No, never banned! And not English or from the UK. I’ve lived in England since I used to post here, but prior to that I was born elsewhere. I’ve always posted here under this name. I just stopped coming around as often and don’t post much. I came up with the Tennis-X draw prediction contest that used to run here when there was a forum. I used to run that contest for a few cycles until others took over.

Zed seems to think that anyone who doesn’t share certain ideological viewpoints must be diametrically opposed on some sort of political spectrum. Whatever. I’m not a ‘collectivist’ and honestly don’t even know what Zed might be meaning by calling me that. I’m not politically engaged for one side or another, and I’m only interested in truth.

I might have ‘ignored’ the totally inappropriate question of where I’m from, but most of the lot of you have ignored the pertinent questions about Novak I’ve been raising. Sure, I don’t like him, but who cares about that when I’m throwing down the gauntlet that he’s a dishonest champion? Defend him if you want! I’ve seen no real defence though. All I’ve seen is evasion, especially on the point of what WADA said all those years ago. For example, I confirmed WADA said the device was not approved due to performance enhancement, and being against the spirit of fair competition in sport, and then I read someone write, ‘hey, it’s perfectly legal, what’s wrong with using it?’ as if I hadn’t even posted anything.

Further, it’s not just me posting opinion. I actually cited what WADA said.

Djokovic is free to ignore WADA as a formal ban was never issued due to the technological constraints of testing for the device, but does that make him a clean competitor? Absolutely not.

Honestly, leaving aside the question of whether or not he’s a cheater (even though I’ve established that he is), how can the lot of you follow such a whacked-out airhead? How is Novak Djokovic the anti-science guru an intellectual stimulant to you folks? It’s truly bizarre. He’s clearly off his rocker. Even if I thought he was a clean competitor, and even if I really liked his tennis, I would have run far away as soon as the water purification stuff was revealed. I haven’t even mentioned the Adria Tour. And don’t forget — he proudly told everyone about these beliefs himself. It’s not like it was some special secret leaked for our entertainment.

February 20th, 2022 at 6:00 pm

Zed, thanks – I enjoyed writing it.
Re. 1) It’s normal for companies to protect their investment and promote their product, and by extension – the sports stars which they choose to promote their product. There’s nothing evil about that from a corporate perspective. However, they sometimes cross ethical boundaries. It’s OK to advertise that you sell the best pies in the neighbourhood, but when you advertise that your pies are not only the best and cheapest, but that if you buy them cheaper from the rival baker next door, that you’re being poisoned!, well that’s considered unethical. Rolex advert did just that, they were directly attacking Djokovic who had literaly just won his 20th Major at Roland Garros. McEnroe jumped out like a bat out of hell and gave them short shrift – Numbers do matter! There were lots of joke adverts flying around, people wearing Rolex watches with no hour and minute hands, captioned “Numbers don’t matter to Rolex”, etc.

It’s in the nature of elite products, like Rolex amd CSFB, whose unique selling point is that they cost a lot, but the money buys you class, the best there is, that they will promote their bloke to the hilt! AND it’s more than a trifle when it turns out that their promoter is no longer considered the proverbial creme de la creme.

When Adidas were choosing their next star tennis player, they chose Murray above Djokovic, not because they thought Murray was better, but because they believed they would get more free advertising and sell more products through English speaking Murray than through Serbian speaking Djokovic. Federer really was the perfect advertising man, Swiss, with an English mother, links to South Africa, he was going to be popular in the richest territories, UK, EU, Switzerland, and – in order to conquer USA, there was a famous article (in NY Times) introducing Federer as a Religious experience…. LOL! We don’t know what these tennis players are really like, except what they choose to reveal of themselves – their PR is incredibly well managed, they are multi-billion dollar assets.

Re.2) A very young, teenage Andy Murray did what teenagers all over the world do – he tried to assert himself as a grown up with his own views and oppinions, and he made a rash statement, which so many teenagers do. Andy – when asked whether he will watch a football match where England’s World Cup Team were playing:- he answered that he’ll support whoever’s playing against England. He was a silly teenager back in 2006, making a stupid joke to show his annoyance at being asked a non-tennis question, and he got hell for it for the next ten years, until he eventually won Wimbledon and emphasised his Britishness.

Teenagers the world over say and do dumb things, rebelling against their parents, their elders, everything – and no one bats an eyelid! It’s what teenagers do! But AELTEC and the press and media never forgave him, tormenting him for years, because it suited their agendas. Sad.

I’ll stop there. Maybe I’ll answer later about No.5, when I have the time (and the inclination… LOL!)

February 20th, 2022 at 6:53 pm

Chris, should Michael Phelps be attacked as well? You seemed to skim past that.

Just a tip for you, if you want to change people’s minds about someone (and clearly you are desperate to achieve that) then it’s best not to disclose so obviously how much you hate that person.

It puts your audience on their guard and anything you say from that point is tainted by your obvious (and somewhat pathological) hatred.

Haters gunna hate, that’s just how it be.

My prediction is that it will eat you up inside when the dust finally settles on the big three era and the man you despise so much stands above all others. He’s there right now of course but it will be even more emphatic in future years and will bother you all the more.

February 20th, 2022 at 9:21 pm

Tennispompom,

you said “AND it’s more than a trifle when it turns out that their promoter is no longer considered the proverbial creme de la creme”.

How much worse will it be for them if Rafa also passes Roger on the GOAT list?

https://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/goatList

It will be a big task for Rafa but he may pull it off if he keeps going.

What will Rolex et al say then? Will they try to undermine Rafa as well?

February 20th, 2022 at 9:30 pm

“Chris, should Michael Phelps be attacked as well? You seemed to skim past that.”

No…I answered that already.

You misread me in that I don’t want to change your minds — that was never on the cards given the fact that several of you love someone like Djokovic, which is technically like a kind of insanity — but the discussion here seemed a little one-sided so I thought I’d buzz your tower.

My dislike of Djokovic is honestly earned, given the dishonesty of his competition. This has hurt the sport. It’s shameful. I honestly cannot imagine why anyone would follow him or call themselves a fan. I think you and the other Djokovic fans here are deluded, and I really don’t care what you say in response (or about me), but what you don’t say is interesting. I’m sure deep down, some of you are questioning supporting a dirty competitor who believes in quackery. I sure hope so.

February 20th, 2022 at 9:49 pm

Mate trust me when I tell you that deep down you are 100% wrong.

I can only speak for myself but I am not questioning it at all.

I have read everything you have typed. Some of it is interesting and shows a natural intelligence.

However, for the most part it comes across as grasping at straws. Your argument is tenuous at best.

But that’s just me, you may come across better to the others.

February 20th, 2022 at 10:39 pm

“ No, never banned! ”

Ohh yes, you were, you got carried away now and outed yourself, every poster with long enough presence on TX could recognise your writing, you realised too so you toned it down, stopped yelling …too little to late.

As for hyperbaric oxygen chamber being perfectly legal, of course it is, if it is not banned it is legal, you don’t need 150 IQ to work that one out, everything else is somebody’s opinion.
Does it give unfair advantage, of course it doesn’t since it is wildly available and affordable so literally anyone can use it.
Andy Murray tried it and said it doesn’t suits him, maybe he is claustrophobic.

February 20th, 2022 at 10:47 pm

Dude, I was one of the moderators on the forum. I sure don’t recall being banned from there. Honestly don’t care who you think I am but you must be mixing me up with someone who got banned?

100 percent wrong, Zed? So Djokovic isn’t promoting quackery? Yes, he is. Djokovic hasn’t used a device shunned and publicly rejected by WADA? Yes, he has. Therefore, I’m not 100 percent wrong. I might just be 100 percent right.

February 20th, 2022 at 11:16 pm

“ Dude, I was one of the moderators on the forum.” 😂😂😂

February 20th, 2022 at 11:44 pm

Chris, when I read my post later I thought there was room for misunderstanding.

So to clear it up:

In response to your words “”I’m sure deep down, some of you are questioning…””

I responded with “Mate trust me when I tell you that deep down you are 100% wrong”.

I should have said “Mate trust me when I tell you that deep down you are 100% wrong, I am not questioning it at all”.

The rest of what you have said is perfectly responded to with WogBoy’s words which I will paraphrase “hyperbaric oxygen chamber is perfectly legal, it is widely available and affordable so literally anyone can use it, everything else is somebody’s opinion”.

If I may throw back some words at you and your bro’s. You all gleefully say it was Novak’s choice not to be vaccinated, that being deported was entirely his choice. Some of you have claimed he is stupid not to have done so.

So surely if this device is so magical, is perfectly legal and makes all the difference in the world surely it is (using your own logic) a STUPID choice of other players to not use it?

Keep in mind, I am not calling them stupid I am simply throwing your own logic back in your face.

There’s a simple conclusion one can come to. That is that others (like Murray) have tried this device and found it doesn’t suit them or makes very little difference. Just as I am sure some have tried changing their diet and found it made little or no difference to them (or they didn’t want to sacrifice the food they enjoy).

You simply hate the man, it’s so obvious. The extension of that hatred is that you need to justify it so you come up with whatever you can, tenuous as it is. Straws you desperately grasp at.

But here’s the thing, the only real thing in all this circuitous rubbish we are all engaging in (me as well). The only real thing here is IT DOESN’T MATTER!

Nothing you think matters, nothing I think matters, no matter how much circle-jerking we all do it’s just “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” if I may quote from the bard.

You know in your bowels, you know in the marrow of your bones that Novak Djokovic right now has all the data on his side, that in the end (in a few years time) Novak Djokovic will have an even greater amount of empirical evidence to show that he is the greatest tennis player to ever hold a racquet.

You will NEVER admit that you know it, but you know it. AND IT IS EATING YOU ALIVE FROM THE INSIDE.

February 21st, 2022 at 12:11 am

No, I do know it, but the argument I’m making is that the numbers are ill-gained. Asterisked, you could say. That’s my anger. I love the ideal of clean sport, passionately. That I also don’t like his wacky views, bad attitude, and day-release-at-the-nuthouse fanbase is incidental. I would feel the same way if he was 200 in the world.

The timeline of his use of the CVAC which WADA did not have the stones to ban outright coincides directly with a massive, sudden improvement in fitness and recovery which changed the sport. In my view, Djokovic the tennis player has sufficient gifts on his side that he could have achieved this excellence without using the CVAC. However, he did regularly use this device, and this tarnished his achievements. He didn’t want to do all the work himself, which is always the rationale for every doper. WADA didn’t have the conviction to ban without a test, but they told us clearly it was not sanctioned.

So yes, I’m quite certain he’ll stand top of the pile when all is said and done, which in my eyes is a travesty given the route he’s chosen. It’s just extra sad that he’s used this ill-gotten platform as the top dog to spread a load of horse manure in place of rational knowledge and information. It’s just so stupid.

February 21st, 2022 at 12:25 am

Understood Chris.

Like I said, it is eating you alive from the inside and I don’t say that with relish, I say it with sadness.

I wish for your sake it wasn’t because you will always feel that an injustice has been served and there is no way to resolve it.

I can’t help you let it go, it’s a battle you will have to have on your own.

p.s. I will forever be angry at the stolen 2016 US Presidential election, I can’t ever forgive the evil that was perpetrated to achieve such a theft. I will probably be still be angry about it on my deathbed (which is roughly 25 years away judging by the average Australian male lifespan and my sedentary lifestyle).

February 21st, 2022 at 1:25 am

Whoops! That should have read “the stolen 2020 US Presidential election”.

February 21st, 2022 at 1:26 am

Chrism…how old are you?

February 21st, 2022 at 3:08 am

Old enough. You want to know where I live, too?

“Stolen presidential election.” Probably explains why you’ve never blinked every time I raise Novak’s beliefs on cleansing water with his emotions. Irrationality makes sense when it supports your world view. Good luck to you, I guess. And to Novak, if he drinks something nasty that he was actually unable to clean.

Just to be clear, there is a way to resolve the situation. The sport just has to have some conviction. I’m not holding my breath for it, but no matter, it’s still good to spread the message that our world #1 isn’t a paragon of clean sport. Everyone should know what WADA decided and then every fan can make a decision too. Rational fans would generally side with the science of what CVAC achieves and what it means for fair competition. I believe most sport fans (not just tennis fans) want clean sport and don’t want certain athletes gaining advantages when they haven’t put in the legitimate time and work to deserve those gains. Don’t remind me that Djokovic trains (of course he does). It’s just that every time he used the CVAC, and I would love to know how many times, he achieved a benefit equivalent to undertaking high-intensity altitude training combined with advances in recovery, all while sitting peacefully. He should have gone to train in the mountains instead. He would have my regard. I still wouldn’t like him or his outlandish beliefs, but he would certainly have my regard and I’d doff my cap to his achievements. Given his choices? Absolutely not.

February 21st, 2022 at 8:07 am

Zed,
Nadal is an amazing player, certainly in the top 10 of all time, but he’s got a looong way to go before he scales the heights which Djokovic and Federer have achieved. There are two huge ommissions in his repertoire which will be difficult for him to achieve, 1) the lack of convincing dominance (as measured by weeks at No.1 and year end No.1 finishes, peak ELO) and lack of even a single win at the World Tour Finals, and he’s tried it often enough without success.

Amongst the tennis greats, Nadal is by far the greatest clay court player, I can’t imagine that anyone will ever surpass him at Roland Garros, where he has shown peerless consistency, even though Djokovic has given him a hard time on other clay courts.

Why did Nadal fail to achieve the same dominance on hard and grass, in part it’s due to his thundering, brute force style – you need more subtlety on faster courts, and in part it’s due to his own choice – he chose to specialise on clay, a strategy to gain the bulk of his ranking points on that surface, just as Federer has tended to skip the clay court season, they’re both going by the 80:20 principle.

The choice of clay as his time and flesh investment, has been a double-edged sword for Nadal – it uses up his body resources more than clay or grass would have done, and has resulted in many injuries.

As for the World Tour Finals, that’s a very special tournament, which separates the greats – the round robin format, and the small field of only 8 players – has been a step too far nor Nadal, who works himself into tournaments in order to peak in the semis and finals. He isn’t as good as Djokovic and Federer, who were able to hit the ground running from day one.

As for Rolex, I don’t think Nadal will ever challenge Federer in terms of overall achievements, but if he does (say by winning WTF at least 5 times, getting another two – three years of being the No.1 player, etc.), Rolex will probably try to sponsor him! I really do hope that they’ve learnt their lesson after the “Numbers don’t matter” fiasco. If they do choose to attack Nadal, it could be something along the lines of his inability to achieve spectacular results on non-clay surfaces.

February 21st, 2022 at 10:54 am

there you go the head of universe who decides who is best..

Another Cat closing its eyes and thinking world is so dark..and writing paragraphs with full of funny justifications..

February 21st, 2022 at 11:32 am

Zed,
Just watched Murray win his 699th match in Dubai – it’s getting very hard for him now.

In the meantime, here’s an article from 2013, which explains a lot about the rough time Murray had with the press, and some good advice from Tim Henman…
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/tennis/tim-henman-andy-murrays-jibe-1977579

Enjoy!

February 21st, 2022 at 1:16 pm

Raj,
Yep. 👍

February 21st, 2022 at 3:02 pm

Tennispompom, I thoroughly enjoy your posts, you don’t just know your stuff you also have insight beyond the facts and figures.

After my earlier post, I was looking at the stats on Ultimate Tennis Statistics and trying to determine what Nadal has to do to pass Federer on the list and I could not see a path forward.

When you look at the detailed breakdowns for them both it becomes clearer.

Here is Rafa: https://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/playerProfile?playerId=4742&tab=goatPoints

Here is Roger: https://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/playerProfile?playerId=3819&tab=goatPoints

If you look at the comaprisons like this:

Grand Slams, Rafa has one more title but Roger has 3 more finals, 8 more semis, and 3 more quarters.

Tour finals is startlingly different with Rafa having 18 but Roger having 43, huge difference.

So, yes you are correct. Rafa will not catch up to Roger’s record so Roger will retain the #2 position.

February 21st, 2022 at 5:41 pm

” That should have read “the stolen 2020 US Presidential election” ”

Now this explains a whole lot.

February 22nd, 2022 at 2:36 am

Anto, I’m glad you agree. It’s obscene what they have stolen from the American people.

February 22nd, 2022 at 5:56 am

@ Zed

Why would someone from one country care about a fictitious event in another country?

Asking for a friend.

February 22nd, 2022 at 9:33 am

Butterfly effect Tennismonger, Butterfly effect.

February 22nd, 2022 at 5:26 pm

This video says it all and says it clearly with supportive evidence.

Brilliantly put together with the promise of more to come.

Now let the attacks begin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Em1CTmxB7M

February 28th, 2022 at 6:14 pm

You silly silly man trying to promote a video which is no doubt made by a Novax fan and perhaps a Serbian! What a load of cr@p. Nice try Zed! ROFL.

March 1st, 2022 at 5:18 am

Novak fan – yes I agree that is correct

Serbian – Yes, I think that is likely. Not certain but likely.

Load of cr@p – I don’t think so. I think he supports his arguments quite well. I note you make no attempt to address his arguments.

ROFL – I doubt you were actually rolling on the floor laughing

March 1st, 2022 at 7:02 am

Zed. Did you hear the news? Peugeot dumped Novax! ROFL

March 1st, 2022 at 10:56 am

AND his ill luck continues. Vajda has dumped Novax!

March 1st, 2022 at 12:51 pm

If it cost nothing to hold to your principles then more people would hold to their principles.

I don’t expect you to understand Giles.

March 1st, 2022 at 6:10 pm

Please no paragraphs for Vajda leaving…

March 1st, 2022 at 7:10 pm

Ouch! Peugeot initially accepted it all as a ‘these things happen’ screwup between Novak, Immigration, and Tennis Australia. Some tennis sports journalist will of course will get all the background and find out why he was dumped by Peugeot. If I was to guess I would imagine they think his image has been badly damaged by this. Not entirely by his fault by any means, he has raised questions on who he represents as a 1st thought when some member of the public sees an advertisement or an impression that associates Djokovic with their product. You want things like champion, nice guy, intelligent, interesting, he must endorse quality things because he has high integrity.
You don’t want to be the image of the anti-vaxxer in such divisive times if you can help it, because you know your sponsors aren’t liking that at all. And a bad time to break up with his longtime coach, not the least for Novak’s future as a player for sure, but sponsors will see the breakup as more shade, another sign something is ‘off’ with Novak.

March 2nd, 2022 at 2:31 am

Zed. Lol. BUT it is costing him plenty! If you can’t see that then I feel you are burying your head in the sand.

March 2nd, 2022 at 6:37 am

Yes it is costing him plenty, that’s why he is winning the admiration of so many people. You seem to be taking pleasure from all this, that demonstrates what sort of person you are.

Muhammad Ali refused to fight in the Viet Nam war at a time when the war was popular due to the coordinated activities of the media and the government.

Then, as now, enormous sums of money were to be transferred from taxpayers to the pockets of politically influential companies (in his case it was weapons manufacturers, in Novak’s case it is pharma companies) and anyone who stood in the way of that money transfer had to be crushed, had to be made an example of.

Media, sports, entertainment, all turned against Ali. They took away his boxing license so that he could not earn a living and he lost his prime years (and of course a great deal of income) all because what he believed in meant more to him.

In those years the people who hated Ali were cheering and joyful because they had removed him from the game. They supported their favourite boxers who did the safe thing and spoke in support of the war. “World Champions” were declared in the absence of Ali. Those boxers claiming THEY were the best in the world whilst Ali, who could smash them to the canvas, was not even allowed to enter the ring.

But years later things changed, the media and the arms manufacturers started losing the politicians they had previously owned. Those slimy politicians could sniff the change in sentiment as the body-bags piled up, they could see their positions were threatened as the public became aware of the many lies that had been told.

The courts forced the boxing commission to return Ali’s boxing license and though he was older and had lost his best years he started on the long hard road of winning back his title.

It took time, he lost his first return fight, but over time he won a match, then another and then more and more until eventually he took back his crown.

Today, people are amazed that he was prevented from earning his living, that his prime years were stolen from him. Today, when the fog created by coordinated media storms has been cleared, we can see clearly that the world champion was torn down because he said NO to something he did not believe in. Something he was correct to say NO to.

In the years that he was banned he lost his ability to earn an income, he lost sponsors, he even was banished by the elites who had previously clamored to be next to him or to get a photo with him.

Little people, people who by all metrics were losers, rejoiced in their collective ability to tear down a great man, a man much greater than any of them. There were millions of people like you Giles, people who jeered and taunted Ali.

But today? Today how are those losers and little people viewed? Today, Ali is the hero and they are the scumbags. History and time have a way of clarifying things.

Novak already has the greatest tennis record of any player ever and he will retain that record. Additionally, Novak will add to and increase that record of achievement in what years he has remaining. Yes, he has been held back by today’s version of the corrupt media/politics/business alliance and they have succeeded in stealing some of what he could have achieved, but only some.

He will be remembered as the greatest ever player and you will remain a little man, an adult who still lives with his Mum in very sad and modest circumstances, remembered by no one, cared about by no one (except your Mum of course, she loves her little boy).

March 2nd, 2022 at 6:16 pm

“…that’s why he is winning the admiration of so many people.”
Uh? LOL.

March 2nd, 2022 at 7:51 pm

Zed. Lololol. I mimic skeezer’s post! Still burying your head in the sand?!

March 3rd, 2022 at 4:48 am

I used to post here 6-8 years ago, and Giles and Skeezer used to be mortal enemies. Fast forward now, and they’ve formed a geopolitical alliance. I’d like tennis-x old timers to analyze how this happened. In fact, Sean should probably have his staff write a post specifically to explore this lol.

End of my musings. Please carry on.

March 3rd, 2022 at 5:54 am

Patson, I have given them a common enemy, me.

I have no problem taking them both on as they are pansies.

March 3rd, 2022 at 8:07 am

Pansies? Says the fruitcake. Bring it on!
Where’s your backbone BOG BOY?

March 3rd, 2022 at 10:49 am