Something to consider on Nadal and Murray going forward [if Nadal goes forward] - both have been bitching about the balls being used this week. Apparently, the balls have been changing from tourney to tourney in this Asian swing.
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Nadal has to come up with some injury quick!!!Comment -
Well that's what they're deciding right now:
Q. Rafa and Andy Murray were in here today casting doubt on whether any discussions would take place this week about the schedule, how to approach the tour about that. I want to ask your response to that and whether you think it's going to take one player pushing this effort forward, getting everybody together at the right time.
ANDY RODDICK: I think so. Obviously Roger and Novak need to be involved. I think you guys are wondering if there's going to be like a formal meeting, conversation, sit down here. I'm not sure. I'm sure there will be before the year's out.
But if you have that conversation now, you're going to have to have it twice 'cause nothing happens without Roger and Novak at this point. So I'm sure there will be some personal conversations. As far as a big, formal deal that you guys can write about, I'm not sure that's going to happen here.
I don't know. I mean, I'd be for it. But I haven't even seen those guys personally yet at this event.
Q. Going back to what Andy Murray was talking about earlier. He was saying that he fears these talks about talks and scheduling and so forth could make the players be seen as spoilt. He says that money isn't really the issue. Is that something that you fear, too? Yesterday you mentioned the money.
ANDY RODDICK: Sure, it's an issue. If everything was fine and our voice was heard, I don't think we would be striking about money. That's my honest opinion. I think there are ways around it. If there is a strike, then you have the people together, play a tournament, have the revenues go to charity to prove it's not. I'd be all for that.
I know Jersey has an arena right down the street from the US Open. Pick a spot around the world. There are ways around that. If we negotiate anything, I'm happy to negotiate proceeds to charity for that.
I mean, you know, at this point I think the main thing is a voice. Whether one's playing the schedule, we should have something to say about it. At a certain point how long is too long of not getting that point across? At a certain point, it needs to be more than conversation and more than talk. We'll see if the time is now.
It does take unity. When you're dealing with a hundred separate entities as opposed to a certain amount of teams, I think that's harder and that's probably been why it's been divided. The powers that be in tennis have successfully bet on us being divided so far, and they're smart for it.Comment -
bits from an interview with NADAL after he beat GGL (including Rafa's comments about different balls etc.)
Q. It was a good revenge from last year in Bangkok, I suppose?
RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah, was tough lose last year in Bangkok. Less painful because I came after winning the US Open, but probably was the more unbelievable lose in my career against him last year because I never had as many chances as I had in that match, and I lost.
Was a little bit in my mind today in the breakpoints, that's the true. And for the rest, sure, I am happy to be in the second round. I have the comfortable victory with two sets. I didn't play my best match, but is unbelievable the conditions how can change from Tokyo to here. The ball is completely different. Something must change because is too dangerous for the shoulders. For us is a big change.
Tournaments straight must be the same ball. That's my feeling. And here the ball are completely different than Tokyo.
But I am very happy to be in the second round. Tomorrow will have a difficult match. Hopefully if I will be able to win tomorrow, I will be able to more adapt.
Q. Can you tell us a bit more about the differences between the balls, how it affects the way you have to adjust.
RAFAEL NADAL: Well, first thing is the ball changed unbelievable during day or during night. I practiced every day during day, and during night conditions are so different, no?
If we compare the Tokyo ball with this one, Tokyo was much bigger, slower. This ball is very fast, goes small, and doesn't stay on the racquet. The ball fly a lot and is tough. But I have to play well with this ball.
The problem is not the ball. The problem is the difference between two balls. I don't know how to say, but if you compare another sport, is difficult, but maybe golf you cannot change the ball in every tournament. If you give the players a different ball in every tournament, they going to be upset.
That's what's happening here sometimes. That's something that, in my opinion, can change. In my opinion, not difficult to change. Especially this time the change was really radical.
Q. Andy was saying the same thing yesterday. Have you two been having a chat? What do you want to see done? He wants the balls standardized.
RAFAEL NADAL: For me is not necessary a standard ball. But during a season when you have straight tournaments, for example, you start the clay court season, you have the same ball for the clay court season; you have the American hard court season, have the same ball. Indian Wells and Miami, that happens, there is the same ball in both tournaments, so that's positive.
But here, for example, you play in Bangkok one ball, Tokyo another ball, here another ball. That's something that can change. Is not put a standard ball for all the year. We can have different balls on tour. But you cannot change the ball every week. That's too much, in my opinion. Is dangerous for the injuries.
Q. Same was the case on the clay, wasn't it? They changed going into Roland Garros, Madrid and Rome changed to get in line with Roland Garros.
RAFAEL NADAL: For me, I understand. That is not very important change because you have one week to prepare Roland Garros. That's the true. In the previous tournaments before Roland Garros, I think was Nice and World Cup in Dusseldorf was the same ball, so that's positive.
But what cannot happen is have one ball in Rome, one ball in Madrid, one ball in Barcelona. That don't work, doesn't work, because are straight weeks.
You have a week to adapt to the ball, in my opinion is not a problem. But the problem is, for example, when you arrive to the final, for example let's say the ball is different between Madrid and Rome, you arrive to the final in Madrid, in one day you have to play with completely different ball in Rome.
Q. You know why it is, though? Because of the commercial deals that each tournament can make for itself. So do you think this is a problem that is an indication of everything that you're talking about?
RAFAEL NADAL: I am very happy to win less money and be more health.
Q. As we just heard, Andy has similar feelings about this as you've just been explaining. What about the other players? Is there a strong feeling?
RAFAEL NADAL: I talked with Gilles Simon this afternoon and he believe exactly the same. Yeah, a lot of players believe that.
We don't need to make a big history of that. Just try to change and that's it.Comment -
nadal gets broken!!!!!! daymn!Comment -
Wow, just woke up and EP' s board is on fire as of late. Welcome to all the new folks contributing. Trying to do my part. I'm just sitting back and watching all the stiffs that are high ranked lose and helping my dolgo future.!
Still think Berankis is a hell of a play today in France..Up to +150 now..Comment -
HAHA, Nadal starts questioning shot tracker system now.Comment -
They're not likely to strike, but they do have a point. The season is too long. They basically want a little more rest between some tournaments and/or doing away with a few tourneys. Makes perfect sense when you consider the gross # of retirements that continue late in the season.Comment -
omfgComment -
Alright, it's official! Nadal was sickComment -
wow proubably best tennis game hes ever playedComment -
A BLOODY MASTERS with no Djoko or Fed. Nadal's going to be drinking some Drano tonight.
Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad.Comment -
I think it comes down to there being less incidents of tanking if they restructure the schedule and the vast majority of players not in the Top 10-ish area I think feel very forced to play a lot to earn points for the rankings.Comment -
Well its Murrays to lose now. Can he become #3 and over take Fed if he wins? Abouttime to hedge Dolgo future with Murray future
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wow alot of people got ****** on that o/u19.5 game.
damn lolComment -
Exactly. And I like this quote of Nadal's:
RAFAEL NADAL: I am very happy to win less money and be more health.
You almost get punished if you win a tournament the year before. Don't show up and you're not protected, you're screwed. Show up at 80% or whatever, you're screwed. This is an individual sport where if the guy/woman is down, it's over. No teammates to make up the slack. They either need to reduce the schedule or change the ranking system. I'm happy to see these guys are finally making a big stink about it and I hope they're successful. As much as I love fading injured players, I want guys to stick around playing. Not good for the sport when people are retiring or past their prime due to fatigue/injuries at 25.Comment -
Look up where tennis stands in injury statistics. I am not surprised to hear this from Nadal.
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The problem with those stats is that they're for 35-54 year olds. How many elite tennis players are playing at 35? They're not because either their body is shot or they're fatigued.Comment -
He is an absolute legend. It was after reading his book like 6 times that I grasped how much of a toll this sport takes on a player's body and mental framework. My coaching buddies have always said that but I was always like yeah ok, they're getting paid heaps of money to play tennis - go talk to a waitress in a truck stop diner or a single mom and then we'll talk. But they kill themselves out there. To be wasted away that young is devastating. Not many can become announcers or have the financial sense to prepare for the future... many are taking care of their families, friends, etc... It's a twisted sport. Which makes what him and Steffi (after her dad fiasco) have done, all that much more remarkable.Comment -
Yeah Shari, Agassi's book IMO is the best sport autobiography
I have ever read, and I have read quite a bit. And he got it on with Babs to boot!
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lol Babs
But yep, I agree. By far the best. I've read so many and I wasn't exaggerating when I said I've read his 6 times... it's probably been more. So well written and honest. Even just reading how he was preparing for matches that I remember ie the US Open and the security guard and not wanting to leave the shower or how him and Baggy held hands on the massage tables watching the replay or when he went down to Challengers and was suddenly retrieving his own balls again. Or even just him and Steffi going to play at that LV court. F'n awesome. Going to have to read this again soon.
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If I ever win lotto, Im going to by myself a kick-ass RV for me and my wife, and if i can convince her, tool around the U.S. for 1 year and try to hit as many Challengers as I can from city to city. I will become the Robin Ficker of Mens Tennis. That is heckle the shit out of the players i cannot stand from coast to coast.Comment -
and lopez breaks berdych wow. i thought hed atleast win a set. this is fckin ridiculousComment -
Parlay cashed, today has been another good day.Comment -
wow bird sh*t is sh*tting the bed, parlay'd the over and cibulkova / errani over, cmooon tomas.Comment -
How awesome would that be!! I'd love to watch Challengers constantly. The crowds aren't there but the drama and the motivation is very often. And all for like $10 to get in if that? I wish they had them in Oz.
I'm so jealous!! He's one of the few players I've yet to meet. I've been lucky because my friends are quite good hookups but unfortunately he doesn't come down here and I didn't have them when I still lived in the States. Mind you, I'd probably become a blubbering fangirl so it's probably all for the best. When I think about it, he's probably the last rockstar tennis player that we've had. There were so many newspaper/magazine articles and tv clips devoted to his hair, what he wore, his wife (Brooke)... now no one cares. Like they'd make the cover of mainstream magazines and newspapers like People mag and USAToday... even Nadal and Fed don't do that now. They're all just boring and bland. Great players obv but that excitement factor isn't there. Maybe because they're not American so the media doesn't care?Comment