ATP M1000 WTA 1000 BNP Paribas Open 3/8 - 3/19 2023

[Deuce]

Would that disrespect/non- handshake/non-acknowledgement have occurred if Kostyuk's nonsense had not been accepted by the WTA?

Hmmmm...

Other players see that Kostyuk is getting away with totally disrespecting selected opponents without any punishment - so what's to stop players from deciding that they, too, have a 'justifiable reason' to show no respect for their opponent, as well?
If they are threatened with punishment, they need only point to Kostyuk's behaviour being accepted.

The WTA better be very, very careful with this - because Kostyuk's behaviour, apart from being bush-league, sets an ugly and unwanted precedent.

It is debatable what is an "ugly and unwanted precedent" - Kostyuk not shaking hands with Russians, or WTA/ATP permitting Russians to play and then pay taxes to their government from prize money, financing the terror Russia conducts. Just 2 days ago they launched another missile attack, destroying 4 power grid nodes in Kharkov only and damaging the fossil power plant. I was 44 hours straight without electricity, which is merely an inconvenience. But some people were killed.

Though I can't imagine what it's like to experience it, I very much both recognize and respect what you are going through there, Mick, and I certainly hope that it ends soon. But I don't believe that Russian and Belarusian tennis players are complicit in what is happening in Ukraine simply by virtue of where they were born. Not any more than I can legitimately take any degree of credit for the 'Canadarm', or for any type of aid that Canada is supplying to Ukraine, simply by virtue of my being Canadian.

[mick1303]

Would that disrespect/non- handshake/non-acknowledgement have occurred if Kostyuk's nonsense had not been accepted by the WTA?

Hmmmm...

Other players see that Kostyuk is getting away with totally disrespecting selected opponents without any punishment - so what's to stop players from deciding that they, too, have a 'justifiable reason' to show no respect for their opponent, as well?
If they are threatened with punishment, they need only point to Kostyuk's behaviour being accepted.

The WTA better be very, very careful with this - because Kostyuk's behaviour, apart from being bush-league, sets an ugly and unwanted precedent.

It is debatable what is an "ugly and unwanted precedent" - Kostyuk not shaking hands with Russians, or WTA/ATP permitting Russians to play and then pay taxes to their government from prize money, financing the terror Russia conducts. Just 2 days ago they launched another missile attack, destroying 4 power grid nodes in Kharkov only and damaging the fossil power plant. I was 44 hours straight without electricity, which is merely an inconvenience. But some people were killed.

Though I can't imagine what it's like to experience it, I very much both recognize and respect what you are going through there, Mick, and I certainly hope that it ends soon. But I don't believe that Russian and Belarusian tennis players are complicit in what is happening in Ukraine simply by virtue of where they were born. Not any more than I can legitimately take any degree of credit for the 'Canadarm', or for any type of aid that Canada is supplying to Ukraine, simply by virtue of my being Canadian.

First - thank you for kind words, I very much appreciate them.
Second - you ignored the portion where they (and you yourself) pay taxes.
Canada buys whatever ammunition it sends to Ukraine from taxpayers money.
So some portion of those is coming from your taxes.
You see where I go with this? By voting, paying taxes and generally accepting the government you have, you share some responsibility, whatever small it can be. And if your government does something good, you share the credit as well.

[Scoob]

I went 0-2 with my upset picks for Friday. Expect more of the same with today's upset predictions. On the men's side I really don't like any of the upsets so I am just randomly selecting one and going with Popyrin over Hurkacz. On the women's side, I am going to pick Siniakova over Haddad Maia.

[ponchi101]

Popyrin over Hurkacz is a really low percentage. I know you are picking upsets, but that one, to me, would be a big one.
Siniakova over BHM not so much. Siniakova can play on hard courts, BHM is Brazilian and a clay court lover. I agree, don't see it happening, but that one has a chance.
And I know. BHM best results came on grass last year. Which still puzzles me.

[Scoob]

Popyrin over Hurkacz is a really low percentage. I know you are picking upsets, but that one, to me, would be a big one.
Siniakova over BHM not so much. Siniakova can play on hard courts, BHM is Brazilian and a clay court lover. I agree, don't see it happening, but that one has a chance.
And I know. BHM best results came on grass last year. Which still puzzles me.

These courts in IW are slow and they say are gritty and the ball bounces high so that may help BHM. Both of these predictions, I don't really expect to to happen, but that is what upsets are all about.

The Popyrin pick would really be a surprise and I pick out of my backside if that one would come to be.

[ti-amie]

[Deuce]

It is debatable what is an "ugly and unwanted precedent" - Kostyuk not shaking hands with Russians, or WTA/ATP permitting Russians to play and then pay taxes to their government from prize money, financing the terror Russia conducts. Just 2 days ago they launched another missile attack, destroying 4 power grid nodes in Kharkov only and damaging the fossil power plant. I was 44 hours straight without electricity, which is merely an inconvenience. But some people were killed.

Though I can't imagine what it's like to experience it, I very much both recognize and respect what you are going through there, Mick, and I certainly hope that it ends soon. But I don't believe that Russian and Belarusian tennis players are complicit in what is happening in Ukraine simply by virtue of where they were born. Not any more than I can legitimately take any degree of credit for the 'Canadarm', or for any type of aid that Canada is supplying to Ukraine, simply by virtue of my being Canadian.

First - thank you for kind words, I very much appreciate them.
Second - you ignored the portion where they (and you yourself) pay taxes.
Canada buys whatever ammunition it sends to Ukraine from taxpayers money.
So some portion of those is coming from your taxes.
You see where I go with this? By voting, paying taxes and generally accepting the government you have, you share some responsibility, whatever small it can be. And if your government does something good, you share the credit as well.

I don't agree, Mick. I think you're grasping at straws in an effort to try to assign responsibility.
The Russian and Belarusian tennis players cannot, as you've previously suggested, simply renounce their citizenship and pack up and move themselves and their families out of the country. It's not that simple.
Life is not that simple.

Also, by your erroneous definition, every single American who paid any federal tax is guilty of all of the idiotic things - including the crimes - that Trump did while president.
This perspective is simply not realistic. This kind of guilt by association is inherently inaccurate and unfair.

[Scoob]

Switching back to the events of Indian Wells tennis from the awful events occurring in the Ukraine, Auger-Aliassime wins the first set in a tiebreak over Martinez, Sinner wins his match in straight sets, and Raducanu wins the first set over Linette in a tiebreak and is up 4-1 in the 2nd set.

[Suliso]

Mildly surprised that Azarenka and Linette look to be going out in straight sets.

[Scoob]

Mildly surprised that Azarenka and Linette look to be going out in straight sets.

Yes, I thought those matches would be a lot closer.

[Deuce]

I'm not surprised at Muchova beating Azarenka. Muchova is a high quality player, and has been getting back to that high level of late, after her injury problems.
I'm more surprised with Raducanu beating Linette so convincingly.

I'm also surprised that Felix came back from a break down late in the 1st set to win it.

Bouzkova continues to disappoint - losing to Vondrousova, 1 and 1. I've been waiting for Bouzkova to break through since I first saw her in 2019... and she had a really good second half of the season last year, getting herself into the top 30 for the first time... But she has reacted badly to that higher ranking, as, ever since then, her results have been quite poor.

[Scoob]

FAA wins in straight sets 7-6, 6-4 over Pedro Martinez.

[ti-amie]

FAA wins in straight sets 7-6, 6-4 over Pedro Martinez.

He needed that kind of win on an outdoor hardcourt right now.

[Deuce]

Leylah vs. Navarro is 5-3 for Leylah - in double faults. And they've only played 5 games.
Despite that, 4-1 Leylah.

Siniakova took the 1st set 7-5 over Haddad Maia.
2-0 Haddad Maia in the 2nd...

[Deuce]

Leylah won the 1st set 6-2... but Navarro is in total control of the 2nd set thus far - 3-0.
Leylah's up to 9 double faults now.