Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[meganfernandez]

Rybakina came to her coach's defense:
Elena Rybakina: Stop criticising my coach for shouting at me

It seems it is their dynamic.
Very slippery slope there.

I can't find the videos of him berating her. I found one that was slightly negative but no cause for alarm. There's certainly a line - maybe a chasm - between tough and abusive, and IMO we haven't seen nearly enough to make a fair judgment.

I'm taking Rybakina's word for it until further proof that he's an a-hole. I'm just as bothered by the reflex of infantilizing women by portraying them too quickly as victims. Women can handle tough. Some women like tough. Many women ARE tough.

Pam called her a young player. She's 23 and has won a major. Is that a young player? I think it would depend on her personality and maturity level, but I'm leaning no. Plenty of women are mothers by 23.

[ti-amie]

[JazzNU]

Rybakina came to her coach's defense:
Elena Rybakina: Stop criticising my coach for shouting at me

It seems it is their dynamic.
Very slippery slope there.

Now, I'm not saying she doesn't feel this way, but I saw her defense of her coach yesterday and I'd say there's about only a 3% chance she actually wrote that defense on her own.

[ti-amie]

Sabalenka's biomechanics coach speaks about his work with her. It's 31m long.

[ponchi101]

I say that if she rotates her 2nd serve grip a bit more towards a BH eastern (like Navs or Raonic) she can get a bit more spin and still have plenty of power.
Totally biased opinion as that is my grip.

[JazzNU]

FYI, I just finished looking through Twitter comments about Rybakina's coach and there are plenty that took note of his behavior in the stands in Melbourne. And one frequent tennis poster noted that his behavior improves the moment he gets shown on the big screen. And this is a note from a very popular Tennis Twitter account and a gif from another one. Clearly more than just Pam Shriver are put off by what they've seen.

[Deuce]

Oh, my - that video clip ^ is terrible!
What a horrible person!!!
He is OBVIOUSLY an abusive monster!!!

I'm all for holding bad people accountable for their actions/behaviour - especially abusive persons, but this superficially-based persecution is troubling.
I hope to god that this idiotic political correctness plague will disappear very soon. It desperately tries to create villains and victims everywhere - and doles out baseless accusations like candy - in order to manipulatively justify it as the 'saviour' of people.
It's truly sickening.

[Owendonovan]

That interview of his about Rybakina raised red flags for me. Why was he giving an interview that she should have given? I'd keep an eye on him.

[ti-amie]

That interview of his about Rybakina raised red flags for me. Why was he giving an interview that she should have given? I'd keep an eye on him.

Stefano Vukov’s tattoo – © Tennis Majors

[Owendonovan]

That interview of his about Rybakina raised red flags for me. Why was he giving an interview that she should have given? I'd keep an eye on him.

Stefano Vukov’s tattoo – © Tennis Majors

I commented on that tattoo when the article was first put up. How many times will he say, when he's not getting his way with her, "But I've tattooed you on my arm........."

[ponchi101]

Devil's advocate. She came out and clearly supported him. So, shouldn't we take her at her word? After all, we are supposed to believe what women say, when they talk about a relationship with men.

[JazzNU]

As I said before, I'm not of the belief she wrote that, but do think she's supporting her coach. But it's not her I think is the problem, it's him I'm caring for less and less the more I see about him. It's got nothing to do with Lena.

That tattoo is so large and in your face, that I find it creepy, not celebratory. Like I hope he lost a bet and that size of tattoo was part of the punishment, because otherwise, it is making me think two things, and neither of them is good. Like Owen said, it's giving major red flag.

[Owendonovan]

Devil's advocate. She came out and clearly supported him. So, shouldn't we take her at her word? After all, we are supposed to believe what women say, when they talk about a relationship with men.

We should, but I'm a bit too cynical. Once bitten twice shy with what appears to be an "off" coaching relationship. Coming from the world of gymnastics, believe me, I've seen more of this kind coaching of girls/young women than I care to have. I've never seen the converse, Woman and younger male athlete with this kind of dynamic in any particular sport.

[Deuce]

So... it's ok - even preferable - to judge Rybakina's coach as being a 'really bad guy', based on very, very little information (and mostly just following gossip that others have created)... (Maybe Rybakina made him get the tattoo - maybe it was playfully arranged - with her - that he'd have to get a tattoo if she won a Major. None of us have any idea about their relationship - but some are pretending to know in order to create the very popular villain/victim scenario.)
And Rybakina is unlikable because she doesn't smile as often as some people would like her to, as well... There have been more silly, superficial negative comments about Rybakina here (most coming from one person) than about any other female player recently. To me, it's undeserved.

So it's ok - even preferable - to judge Rybakina's coach as being 'a really bad guy'...
But it's a terrible thing to judge Zverev as being a 'really bad guy' after at least one extremely detailed accusation of physical abuse - because "people are innocent until proven guilty", and it's bad to accuse someone of something without solid proof.

Uhhh... Right...

Oh... it's also ok to overtly call John Isner a "racist" (Isner's peers - including one of his close friends James Blake - certainly don't think he's a racist or a bad guy)...
Apparently Isner and Rybakina's coach aren't worthy of the same 'respectful' treatment as Zverev.

Nice to see that contradiction and hypocrisy are alive and well...

[ashkor87]

As we emerge from the Australian Open, some thoughts-
1.:Djokovic is back, only Alcaraz can beat him, on clay
2. Sinner, Medvedev, and FAA are in stall mode, may not do much this year..Zverev may be back this year..
3. Expect good things from Rybakina and Bencic, both are playing at their potential ..
4. Sabalenka will be a major force in the clay court season, may even win the French, she has done well on clay the past couple years
5. Gauff and Pegula are not progressing, I don't expect them to win a slam this year
6. Jabeur has gone off the boil totally..she has a good record on clay but her game is actually better suited to faster surfaces like grass..
7. Vekic and Korda are the real surprises for me, hope they do well at the majors this year
8. Look out for Samsonova and Alexandrova in the next few months and Alycia Parks!
9.Linette was probably a one-time performance, like Trevisan last year..good performance but may not be repeated
10.Azarenka is still playing well..