Talk About Tennis 2.0

To me, it goes deeper than the coaching, or MTO's, or racquet bashing. It is either tennis enforces the rules, or get rid of them.
I think players should have some sort of conference and decide how they are going to behave, as a whole.
(Ah, ponchi101's, summer day dream. About time).

As for Djokovic. I'm an idiot because how many times does he have to do these things where I'm not shocked. But had you asked me if I thought it was likely he'd have a blowup at the Olympics, I'd have said, it will not happen. He knows all eyes are on him AND he's representing his beloved country, he will not tarnish that or the Olympics. At anything on tour or a grand slam? No shock in those venues, but I would've bet money he wouldn't make a headline of this variety here. And yet here we are. This was predictable and yet I truly thought he wouldn't go there at this particular event given it's importance and reach, that the statesman would know better. So many more people than typically would are seeing this, it's such a bad look.

ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 5:38 pm

dmforever wrote: ↑Sat Jul 31, 2021 4:44 pm I'm the biggest Nole fan here I think, but honestly, the racket throwing and net bashing is pathetic. And did he really get injured? If not, he's just amazingly selfish. Please correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm not a huge sports fan in general and haven't been watching any of the other Olympic events, but I can't remember athletes in other disciplines throwing equipment or fits when they lose. It seems like the Olympic spirit is lost on Djokovic (and Bencic as well, given her MTO).

Kevin

Tears and crying I have seen a lot, at the Olympics. Both joy and sadness, so your point about the racquet bashing may be right. Then again, ours is one of the few sports in which you keep the equipment after the point, so other athletes may express their frustration in other ways.
The injury, as reported, is to the shoulder. I did not see any diminished power on his serve, and he actually saved a MP in the second set with a wickedly angled serve out wide, and a solid volley. I actually think he served and volleyed way more than usual.
For Nole, this is menial. He will be back on court soon, winning a lot more. But for his partner, an Olympic Bronze would have been a career pinnacle. So not taking the court must have been a bummer for her, to say the least.

I completely agree about his mixed partner. She has the right to be really upset. And yes, you are right about equipment, but there are always towels, goggles, baseball bats, bows, or javelins to chuck.

I also agree that it's mental with Novak. However, I'm less sure about a bounce back, at least in time for the US Open. Remember when he finally completed his career slam at RG? Right after that was when he went away for 2 years (went away for him, anyway). Perhaps this time he'll know that he can't go away and still break records because time is not on his side anymore. But that fact might also contribute to him having problems closing out matches and tournaments.

And still, adjectives like petulant, spoiled, bratty, and privileged are what come to mind when I think of him now. Too bad.

Kevin

Firstly... I don't have - and have never had - any problem at all with any player throwing/smashing his/her racquet. The reason I have no problem at all with it is that it is a release of pent-up frustration and anger, and demonstrates that the player cares and is intensely committed to doing his/her best.
Please don't twist my meaning... I am NOT saying that players who don't throw their racquets don't care, or that throwing the racquet is the only way to show that one cares. I am saying that throwing one's racquet is, to me, a very obvious sign that the player gives a damn. And to me, that's a very good thing. Much better than a playing being indifferent about playing poorly, or about winning or losing.
I have much more of a problem with players who treat the umpire as a fool, insulting him/her, etc. The way I see it, players make many errors in every match; umpires/linespeople make far fewer errors than the players do. So the players are really in no position to complain about the possible odd mistake from umpires/linespeople.

Secondly... That said, I don't think Djokovic really cared much about winning the bronze in Singles. He obviously did not care about winning the bronze in Mixed Doubles... but, I think, after losing the Semi, the Singles tournament was over for him emotionally. I think his frustration in throwing/smashing his racquet was, more than anything, because he was upset at himself for not caring.

Thirdly... Rybakina had ample opportunities to win the bronze in that match vs. Svitoina. And she blew them all. It was like she literally forgot how to play the game. This was the very definition of Choking - with a capital 'C'.

Lastly... I did not see the women's Singles gold medal match. But, as I've said countless times before: The coaching problem in the women's game will absolutely remain as long as the powers that be sit on the fence about the issue of coaching. By allowing coaching from the seats in most tournaments, but not allowing it in Majors, they are sending an incredibly loud mixed message to all the players and coaches. It's stupid, plain and simple. And it will continue to result in the mess we see now.
Either allow it or don't allow it - period. This 'hybrid approach' could not be more asinine.
While on the subject of coaching, I've long said that coaching should be permitted without any restrictions (apart from the time clock) in Junior tennis. This way, the kids will learn what is the best strategy to employ in given situations. With this help, they would be far more self-sufficient and self-reliant when they become adults and turn pro.

As for Belinda's medical time-out... I didn't see the match, and so, not knowing the exact 'vibe' of the match at that point, I won't comment. I did see this, though...

Bencic Wins Gold Amid Controversial MTO

.

To the surprise of no one Krejcikova/Siniakova wins women's doubles gold.

Belinda Bencic the only one with two medals in these Olympics.

Hooray BB

The mixed finals was really entertaining. 2nd set TB led directly to a super tiebreak.

High quality play and shot making. Wish we got to see more mixed coverage other than the finals at most slams

I only saw the super tiebreak, but based on that, they don't win if Nastia isn't on that team. Rublev was almost a liability in the tiebreak, so I'm glad he got match point. I really thought the win had slipped away from them.

I could not stay up for the Gold match for the men's, but the score seems pretty humdrum. Was Zverev still on, as he was in the semis? Or did Khachanov come down?
Good games, I guess. Too many big names missing, but the people that went delivered.

And there is this:




IF you don't have FB or can't see the link, I've included the text below. It has a picture of Novak when he was smashing his racket and the ball person was cringing away from him.

The writer Marlon James prefaced repost with the line **&% ^&$% hypocrite and I have to agree. I hadn't heard his remark about Biles.

Thursday: When asked about Biles, Novak Djokovic replied: ‘Pressure is a privilege..If you are aiming to be at the top of the game you better start learning how to deal with pressure and how to cope with those moments....'

Saturday: Novak Djokovic lost his cool, threw a racket over 5 rows of seats, broke another racket and threw it in the photographers pit, faked an injury & withdrew from his bronze medal mixed match because he couldn’t handle the pressure.


Kevin

I'll write something else about Biles, but about Novak, his retirement from the Bronze is what I thinks tells us the kind of person that he is. I said it before; for him, that means little. But for his partner, it would have meant so much more.
If you don't like playing in teams, that is fine. That is the reason you play tennis, as individual a sport as it can be. But once you enter a teams event, you also owe something to your partner and teammates. Otherwise, just don't do it.

Indeed, yet another indication why he has never been as popular as Federer or Nadal. GOAT or no GOAT.

Tennis shouldn't be in the Olympics, or if it is the athletes should be amateurs, not entitled and overpaid professionals

the Moz wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 5:03 pm Tennis shouldn't be in the Olympics, or if it is the athletes should be amateurs, not entitled and overpaid professionals

You've got to be kidding. 70-80% of all Olympic athletes are full time professionals. From countries like mine closer to 90%. Whether they earn 25k or 25 million is a secondary question.