A page and forum to discuss all things Novak Djokovic.
Current ranking: 1
Last result: Banja Luka quarterfinals (lost to Dusan Lajovic)
Next tournament: Rome Masters
1,775 Comments on Novak Djokovic
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Quiet here too! Quite telling.
#FirstAgain!!!
Congrats! You are quite the pathfinder, lol!
Just for Nadline….;)
Come on Nole 🙂 16 in a row isn’t it!
Can someone please decipher Novak’s bag graphics, the smiley faces etc? Quite the contrarian, no?
https://twitter.com/Bryanbros/status/397086507078795264/photo/1
there are 6 of the largest trophy symbols on his bag. Four of the same colour. He has 4 AOs among his 6 slams, and one of USO and Wimby. The others then would be 1000s presumably. There are 14 smileys of one color and two of another. Novak has 16 1000s to his name now. Is this a recent photo?
The 2 are the WTFs he has won I think. I think the photo is old because it would have 15 smileys representing the M1000 he had prior to Paris 2013. The tweet was sent right after he won Paris 2013 though………….
Bravo Joko Novakovic:)(sweet joke) first and the best forevermore!!
Hehehe, Fibak must have been fired after:
a) he made those complimentary remarks about Rafa after he beat Novak at USO;
b) Novak realised it was Rafa, not just Muzza, he had to worry about and while Fibak may be an expect on Lendl’s tactics, he knows bugger-all about Uncle T’s!
RT: @dougrobson: “Member of Djokovic’s team says that Fibak’s coaching role ended at US open and is not expected to resume. #finalshowdown”
Djokovic after Troicki decision: I don’t trust WADA anymore
Wednesday, November 06, 2013 /by Matt Cronin
Tags:
Novak Djokovic
Viktor Troicki
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LONDON—Novak Djokovic rips the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for not repealing his friend Viktor Troicki’s suspension for doping violations. CAS reduced Troicki’s suspension from 18 months to 12 months; Troicki was suspended by the ITF on July 15 for not providing a blood sample at the Monte Carlo. Troicki claimed that a Doping Control Officer indicated to him that he could take the test the next day, a claim she denied. The ITF supported the Doping Control Officer’s side of the story, although CAS did note she could have done a better job explaining to him the consequences of missing the test.
“It’s very bad news that we got for him, and for me, for all of us who are close to him,” Djokovic said. “But I think it’s just not bad news for him, it proves again that this system of WADA and anti-doping agency does not work.
“Why am I saying that? Because, first of all, as a tennis pro, our job is to play, of course, tennis and respect all the rules and know all the rules of our sport. But when you are randomly selected to go and provide the test, blood test or urine test, the representatives of WADA, anti‑doping agency who are there in the tournament, are supposed to give you the clear indications and explain you the rules and regulations and what the severe consequences or penalties that you might undertake or you might have if you fail to provide the test. The representative, she didn’t do that in his case. So first of all he’s not positive on any banned substance. I’m not saying that it’s completely not his fault, but the way it was is that he had a medical pass where he was fainting, if he feels bad when he provides the blood test. He asked if it’s possible to avoid providing blood test that day and he would come the next day—not because he wanted to hide anything, he just felt bad.
“She did not clearly present him all the severe consequences that he will have if he avoids that. She told him that he needs to write a report and that he will be just fine. And because of her negligence and because of her unprofessionalism, he is now off the tour for one year. And now it makes me nervous as a player, to do any kind of test. And I heard Andy Murray also said that he wants to take some actions into making sure that he has the independent laboratory also following his tests that he provides to WADA and IDTM. I don’t have trust in them anymore.”
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/11/djokovic-after-troicki-decision-i-dont-trust-wada-anymore/49709/#.Unnu3ItFDIW
Can you imagine the brouhaha if this had been Rafa saying this? The rules are very clear, you miss a doping test you are responsible for your actions and the consequences are clear. Frankly Novak’s behaviour in this whole saga is disgusting…………..
http://www.thetennisspace.com/viktor-troicki-the-big-issues/
“He should have taken the blood test
It might seem like an over-simplification, but if Troicki had taken the blood test, then there would not have been a problem (providing it was clean, of course). The CAS found that he had violated anti-doping rules by not doing so. You can’t start changing the rules just because someone is upset by them.”
Hear that, Novak?
Djokovic has never learnt to think before he speaks. As a recently dethroned No.1 and one of the figureheads in the game, his comments were singularly inappropriate. Showing solidarity to Troicki is one thing and might be seen as laudable in the eyes of some people. Casting aspersions on the conduct of personnel conducting the tests is another thing. I doubt the ITF and APT were happy to read his intemperate comments about the system.
I think Rafa should put all of his 26 M1000s on his bag…..and the rest!
Not enough room for all of them on Rafa’s bag 🙂
Glad I am not the only one appalled by Djokovic’s remarks:
RT @julienpretotRTR: “Djokovic’s defence of Troicki is simply appalling”
People get banned for not letting WADA know their whereabouts never mind asking for the test to be postponed to the next day. Why did Troicki need the official to explain it to him? A 2 year old knows that the reason they do impromptu tests is because they don’t want anyone to have any warning. Where would it all end if they are allowed to say when they prefer to be tested and when they would like their samples taken.
I was trying to put it more diplomatically 😉
Djokovic’s comments were a simply too emotional and biased. But I do agree with him with regards to the Cilic case. Now that was simply disgraceful if what I have been reading is true.
Have just read an extract from Djokovic’s lengthy statement lambasting WADA, ITF and ATP and implying Troicki has been thrown to the wolves.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2013/11/05/novak-djokovic-rips-tennis-anti-doping-program/3449237/
On the one hand players are saying they want tennis to be seen as a clean sport then as soon as there is a case of a high profile player being sanctioned in jumps Djokovic crying there has been a foul.
Talk about a loose cannon.
I hope the various bodies take issue with him over speaking out of turn and for the slanderous insinuations.
@tj600
I agree that letting Cilic of the hook does seem an anomaly. However the decision hinged on the fact they could not prove beyond all reasonable doubt he knowingly took a banned substance which is rather different from Troicki refusing to donate blood for testing.
I personally would question how thorough the CAS were in investigating the actual purchase of so called glucose tablets. For example was the pharmacist who sold them called as a witness? I know from experience in both France and Spain when selling any OTC product, containing ingredients which could be subject to abuse, the pharmacist will always question the purchaser closely as to the reason for taking that particular product and will refuse to sell it if not satisfied with the answers.
tj600: in case you missed an earlier thread on the Cilic affair, you might be interested to read what was being said when his transgression first came to light.
https://tenngrand.com/2013/09/16/cilic-banned-until-january-31/
the rules are clear! Missing a test is the same as not passing it. Troicki knows all about it and the way he is acting about the incident is beyond comprehension…this Balkan solidarity from Novak makes no sense. He is being biased and it looks to me that he is acting more as an ‘accomplice in crime’. He should have provided Troicki with support in a sense not to make the same mistake ever again…this is a disgrace for Serbian tennis…
does officials need to explain the rules every single time to each player?! Of course not…I don’t think it a rocket science to learn WADA rules…I support WADA in this and I wish the had been given more money to employ to make sure none of the payers are being doped…
Troicki and his friend, Novak, need to heed Muzza’s words and stop disgracing themselves:
RT @andy_murray: “Read and respect the rules and everything is very simple.”
We are told Novak is a cosmopolitan, multi-lingual sophisticate, that should be clear to him, no? Maybe he can interpret for his friend…………..
As I’ve remarked before, almost as much as the fact there could be players ‘knowingly’ (or ‘unknowingly’ lol) taking drugs what I find distasteful is the culture of fabricating bizarre stories to avoid conviction when caught out which are then deemed acceptable by the governing bodies who rescue the fly caught in the spider’s web.
Djokovic’s unseemly outburst is driven by anger that the Serbian fly was not rescued from the spider’s web on this occasion. Not to mention the Serbian Davis Cup team are now a member short.
ed, I hear you about the fabrications, but I know of at least one case (not in tennis), where the most bizarre explanation was true in all probability, and it was a vindictive character assassination attempt. Sadly, it was largely successful. The guy was cleared in Germany, but not internationally. And believe me, the Germans normally don’t stand upfor their own kind. They might look the other way and not probe too hard, but once something like a positive test comes to light, they follow up mercilessly. As far as I know, they belonged to the few ones, who followed up on the Fuentes case and got hold of Jan Ullrich’s blood bags. So, they went on a large investigation with the guy, I’m talking about, and found him not guilty in the end. Unfortunately, CAS didn’t agree with that, mostly, because the story was so outlandish and they simply didn’t understand intern German circumstances and doping machinations in former East Germany. I don’t even blame them. It’s just a sad story of a successful crime. But it shows, that one has to listen carefully to the athlet’s defense, and not dismiss it out of hand. And, while I think, doping is a huge problem, and I’m quite sure, tennis isn’t sqeaky clean at all (the ITF anti doping measures are full of holes), I also strongly believe, that, what the athlet has to say for his defense should get carefully evaluated and not get dismissed out of hand.
Let me put it this way: If I was Troicki and a bureaucrat told me it was okay to miss a doping test, I would insist on confirmation in writing, WITH A WITNESS. Whichever way you look at it, it is the player’s responsibility to provide a sample, a responsibility that is not transferable no matter how many friends you have in high places.
Lance Armstrong was a thug on wheels; most dopers are not. They are more the willy nilly kind of guys like Marin and Victor, who have thrown in a good scoop of stupidity as well. Or guys like Tyler Hamilton, who got caught up in an existing drug culture. His book ‘The Secret Race’ is a must read, btw. Yes, he makes himself look a little better than he was, maybe, but he doesn’t spare himself at all, and shows the difficult choices, he had to make and how it destroyed his soul. Ironically, he was caught the second time with an antidepressant, which he really needed, but somehow failed to get an exemption for.
I for one, never understood, btw, why people kept believing Lance for so long. I remember claiming since ca 2004, that he was phony, adn people got mad at me, whenever I said so. What Lance has done to sports, is, that EVERY grand achievement is looked at with suspicion.
RITB,12:44 pm. I don’t argue that point at all. The athlet has to provide a sample, no matter, what. The sample, Victor provided next day was worthless, since they were testing for HGH, and that could have cleared out of his blood by the time, he gave his sample. So, it’s wrong to say, he was clean, because we cannot know this for sure. But it was also wrong to even take his sample the next day. That fact lends some sort of credibility to his story. Rafa pointed this out as well. He said, that should the doctor have acted as Victor told, they have no case against him. He should get off on a technicality, so to speak. (I don’t agree with Rafa here). Predictably, Rafa got a lot of flak for saying, what Novak was saying in his over emotional statement as well. And, while I don’t believe at all that Victor should’ve gotten off without any punishment, I really think, it’s possible, that the doctor bungled the case badly, and, that they took Victor’s sample at all belatedly, points in that direction
I know there can be bizarre circumstantial evidence that put an innocent person in the frame and miscarriages of justice occur. Which is why was happy to accept the Cilic case could not be proved beyond all reasonable doubt.
In a way, the example you give of the CAS overturning an earlier verdict where somebody had already been found non-guilty underlines the problem as I see it of how thorough the CAS investigations really are. I have to emphasise my default mode is to give people the benefit of the doubt but having read the original ITF findings, and Celic’s subsequent appeal, I found the CAS over-rule surprising as it did not appear to address the core issues.
But I am not a lawyer and you are the criminologist.
We have yet to see the full transcript of the CAS findings in both the Cilic and the Troicki cases. These may throw further light on the issues we have been discussing.
ed, your opinion has the same value as mine, since I wasn’t in a position to investigate myself. But I always had problems with the fact, that the presumption of innocence doesn’t really cut in doping cases. Also, the take, that the athlet is responsible for whatever is found in his system, while probably necessary, has it’s problems. I realize, that it’s terribly difficult to fight doping, if athlets can wriggle out of trouble by inventing stories, but nevertheless their stories deserve to get evaluated.
I’m fully with you re: problems with CAS verdicts.
RT @dougrobson: “Federer does not come to Troicki’s defense, saying no excuse to miss test: “It doesn’t matter how bad you feel. I’m sorry.” #finalshowdown”
Agree with Fed……………….
Novak bad mouthing WADA, ITF and ATP at the WTF press conference after his win against Federer.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/06/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-troicki-doping-tennis/
the ITF banned Troicki from attending the semi final DC match in Belgrade. I wonder what will happen now.
Troicki got off lightly. No excuse for missing a test. I am inclined to believe Troicki was doping.
^^^^^You may well be right but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. No pudding. No proof.
Obviously Troicki would reason better to miss a test and have people give him the benefit of doubt rather than take the test and eliminate all doubt. That’s logic. It is highly improbable that a pro, on the tour for so many years, did not know that under the rules missing a test is equivalent to testing positive. He turned pro 7 years ago. Is it likely he did not know the basics of anti doping?
.
^^^^^^^––It is highly improbable–
You are being unusually diplomatic with that statement Holdserve 😉
Not improbable. It’s impossible not to know……………
IMO the CAS verdict was fair. Troicki has been punished for avoiding the test albeit more leniently than might have been the case had the Doctor not bungled the situation by allowing him to leave and accepting his offer to return the next day.
This is what I do not understand: we are told the reason he did not want to take the test on the first day is because of his fear of needles. Was that phobia cured the following day?
As I remember it, he said he was already feeling unwell and because of his history of needle phobia he feared giving blood would make him feel even worse so could he wait till the next day. It is unclear what took place next because the doctor’s version of events and his differ somewhat. But the ITF tribunal said she came across as a reliable witness whereas Troicki’s story kept changing and in their view he was an unreliable witness and prone to exaggeration.
In the absence of any hard evidence their verdict was perforce a subjective opinion, as in turn was that of the CAS.
There is doubt over whether Tipsaravic will be fit enough to play in Davis Cup final:
http://www.daviscup.com/en/news/160901.aspx
If he is unable to play most likely Djokovic will have to play in both of the singles matches plus the doubles.
Have only just seen there is already a thread for this news item. I’d actually typed the above late last night but had forgotten to hit the send button.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/14/sport/tennis-wada-fahey-djokovic/index.html?sr=sharebar_twitter
World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) president John Fahey has told CNN he doesn’t think Novak Djokovic “has the faintest idea” what his organization does after the former World No. 1 said he’d lost faith in the system.
“I don’t think Novak Djokovic has the faintest idea what we do and if he wants to understand what we do I’m more than happy to pick up the phone and talk to him, if he wants to talk to me,” he told CNN.
“If he wishes to then make a comment I might listen to him but for the moment I don’t think that was an informed statement.”
I don’t think Novak cares to know what WADA does Mr.Fahey. He is only interested in what happens to his friends.
I was wondering how long it would be before Novak had his knuckles rapped for his wild outburst. His publicist should demand danger money for putting out the fires Novak starts.
Andy’s jumped in, hasn’t he? Said Cilic and Troicki were “unprofessional.”
Dunno about that, these guys are face to face with each other every day in the locker room…oops unless banned of course…..;)
Perhaps he was asked directly?
^^dosn’t matter @deucy. It’s the true, no?
^ I’ve found that the “truth” has got Andy into trouble in the past. Would prefer he kept stumm.
RT @stevewilonap: “#WADA has approved its new anti-doping code, including 4-year bans (rather than 2) for serious drug cheats.#doping”
If Djokovic pulls off both his singles matches AND the doubles to lift the Davis Cup he will be in line for for a sainthood in Serbia. Not to mention every gong that exists.
The mind boggles at the celebrations which would follow on Sunday.
^^But at what cost? Surely he would pay for such exploits in 2014?
It will give him an opportunity to reprise the ‘I put playing for my country before my career’ performance first seen in 2011 and again earlier this year.
I’m watching him play Stepanek right now – complete with the full panoply of bellicose jingoism.
Raising the maximum sentence to 4 years is a step in the right direction. There will always be people who try to circumnavigate the rules whatever the sport but it should deter athletes tempted to dabble because presumably offences deemed less serious will be sentenced pro rata.
Ricky: Somehow I accidentally inserted a character in my password. This has happened before but I cannot find a way of deleting the offending versions.
I changed it to your normal ID.
Thanks Ricky. Cant think how it happens. I go straight to the Post Comment and don’t touch the email and ID boxes so I dont see when there is a rogue character.
ed, it happens to me all the time. The email and ID boxes should nt be readily accessible.
RT @darrencahill: “Novak is back to his Wii tennis form of two years ago. Must be running on fumes but there’s no tonic better than @DavisCup at home. ”
I guess we should be afraid, huh?
#JankoSigh
he was good, but not exactly in PlayStation mode
WADA Slams Djokovic
The president of the World Anti-Doping Agency has slammed Novak Djokovic for his comments regarding WADA’s administration of anti-doping controls and procedure. Last week, Djokovic said he had lost all faith in tennis’ anti-doping authorities after his countyman, Viktor Troicki, was handed a 12-month ban for failing to provide a requested blood sample at an ATP tournament earlier this year.
“I don’t think Novak Djokovic has the faintest idea what we do and if he wants to understand what we do I’m more than happy to pick up the phone and talk to him, if he wants to talk to me,” John Fahey, president of WADA, told CNN. ”If he wishes to then make a comment I might listen to him but for the moment I don’t think that was an informed statement.”
Last week, in response to the Court of Arbitration of Sport’s decision on Troicki’s appeal, Djokovic railed against tennis’ anti-doping system. ”[The Troicki case] proves again that this system of WADA and the anti-doping agency doesn’t work,” Djokovic said during the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Djokovic believed it was the responsibility of the anti-doping agencies to provide clear explanations as to the rules and regulations surrounding a player’s responsibilities and the consequences of failing to provide a requested blood sample.
“I don’t have trust in what’s going on,” Djokovic said. “I don’t know if tomorrow the doping control officers who are representatives of…WADA there at the tournaments, because of their unprofessionalism, because of their negligence, because of their inability to explain the rules in a proper way, I don’t know if they’re going to misplace the test that I have or anything worse than that.”
In addition to Djokovic, Roger Federer also questioned tennis’ anti-doping efforts last week. Federer, a vocal proponent of more testing, believes he’s been tested less now than he was in the past. Stuart Miller, head of anti-doping for the ITF, disagreed.
“We’ve got the exact number of tests on Roger Federer and our information does not match what he says,” Miller told Reuters. ”As far as we are concerned, the number of tests completed have remained remarkably constant.”
“That isn’t to say that there aren’t other organizations that were testing him to some extent previously and now doing so less and we just don’t know about those figures, but as far as we are concerned the number of tests remains pretty constant for 10 years or so.”
Miller pointed to the Troicki case and the Marin Cilic case as proof that tennis’ anti-doping scheme has worked. ”To me that shows that the program is successful in catching the people it is supposed to be catching so I don’t think it’s necessarily fair criticism.”
Simon Briggs of the Telegraph wades in:
Novak Djokovic’s comments in wake of Viktor Troicki ban prove that the tennis family is too dysfunctional
Tennis needs leadership – the lack of sanction over Novak Djokovic’s undermining of a drug tester in wake of Viktor Troicki’s ban proved that.
“World No 2 Novak Djokovic recently accused a doping control officer of being “negligent and unprofessional”, and no one in authority even blinked.
What a perfect illustration of the sport’s lack of leadership.
In football or cricket, dissent is an offence, even if it happens in the heat of battle. Steve Bruce and Jose Mourinho are among the managers fined by the Football Association in the past month alone.
“Yet at last week’s end-of-season showcase at the O2 Arena, Djokovic came into the interview room with what was effectively a prepared statement, and did all he could to undermine the credibility of Dr Elena Gorodilova, a woman who has spent 15 years in her post. If tennis had a hint of gumption, he would have faced disciplinary action.
Djokovic’s fury was prompted by the fate of Viktor Troicki, who is now serving a 12-month suspension — the minimum sentence, according to Wada guidelines — for missing a dope test in April under Dr Gorodilova’s supervision.
“These two men have looked out for each other like brothers, ever since they first met in Belgrade in 1995.
And here is a clue to tennis’s problem: it is too much of a cosy family. As in golf, there is a lingering assumption that the players are upstanding individuals who wouldn’t dirty their hands with steroids, EPO or human growth hormone.
“The same attitude feeds through into the International Tennis Federation’s flimsy anti-doping programme, which was comprehensively exposed this week by an investigation in the French newspaper L’Equipe.
“In its number of samples, both of blood and urine, tennis lies in last place among the major sports,” said the report. “The whole anti-doping community jeers at the inconsistency of the testing regime, where positive cases disturb the tranquillity of the ITF’s ivory tower. When [ITF president] Francesco Ricci-Bitti claims that tennis is a sport of skill where doping does not achieve anything, it makes you weep.”
NB: The above appeared before Wada commented on CNN
Novak cocking a snook at WADA, he is in Chile with Troicki:
“Sightseeing in Santiago with my bros Viktor, @MarkStillitano7 and @tabashbgd 🙂 Greetings from #Chile”
http://www.whosay.com/status/novakdjokovic/782346?wsref=tw&code=MBv7fvz
Snap ritb. I’ve just this minute used exactly the same phrase on the FB thread.
Do WADA test players when they are playing exhibition matches? I bet they love to jab that needle in really, really hard until he squeals.
Anti-doping agency held Djokovic for five hours on testing
http://inserbia.info/news/2013/11/anti-doping-agency-held-djokovic-for-five-hours-on-testing/
Yes Novak, that is your only chance at attaining greatness,…………….pushing Rafa over the edge, lol!
https://twitter.com/RafaelNadalFC/status/404310150430728192/photo/1
#TonyaHarding
Novak echoing statements similar to those of Rafa regarding the players vs tournaments conflict: http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/263103.html
^^^Feli Lopez said as much in a recent interview. Expect to see a Peter Bodo blog calling Novak a whiner, NOT. Only Rafa whines, you see, lol…………
For shame.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
No, it’s SUPER-NOVAK!!!!
Novak Djokovic @DjokerNole 6h
Greetings from our holiday 🙂
pic.twitter.com/pRFUUFWazd
#KarateKid4?
Players need a union.
Much ado ’bout nuthin’ until then, no?
#Solidarity
Novak doing a Q&A via Twitter, apparently in conjunction with promoting the Mubadala tournament. https://twitter.com/MubadalaTennis
BREAKING NEWS:
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “Fascinating news – @TheBorisBecker to become part of the @DjokerNole coaching team for 2014. Marian Vajda remains in Novak’s coaching set up but the official title of Boris is ‘head coach’ An intriguing development”
WTF?
Seriously, Ricky, @vamosrafa, what do you make of this? I am seriously flummoxed………didn’t Novak just hire and fire some “coaching Consultant recently? And what message does this send to Marian Vajda? Gosh…..
I thought everybody said Novak was the perfect tennis player, with the perfect game. All this chopping and changing in the coaching department, insecure, much?
And what exactly is Novak hoping Boris will bring to the table????
RT @scambers73: “Now that’s a real surprise: @DjokerNole hires @TheBorisBecker as his new head coach. Sure Boris won’t have come cheap.”
You bet………………….
According to his autobiography, Boris signed some serious contracts when he was playing to last him a life time so his price will be high. He won’t go on the circuit unless it’s worth his while.
RT @Mike_Dickson_DM: “Djokovıc hıres Borıs Becker as hıs coach – left fıeld appoıntment, growıng trend for ex greats to coach current stars, ıe Murray-Lendl. Borıs and Lendl are dıfferent types of characters, to put ıt mıldly, quıte a gamble for Novak.”
Hmmm, will it be “Fed hires Edberg” next? Temperament-wise I actually think the Novak-Boris partnership makes sense: they are both gregarious show-offs who think tennis is them…….
Too late! I thought I had breaking news.
i am actually reading Boris’ autobiography right now. I would be an interesting relationship. I expect fireworks.
Well, if Murray hires Lendl, Nole hires Becker, Fed hires Edberg and Rafa hires McEnroe we will be going forward to the past, instead of back to the future.
Frankly, I don’t see the logic in it at all except that Becker is an ardent poker player and could help Nole cope with the Poker Star GOAT………Rafael Nadal. Becker is loaded so he won’t take any s$*? from Nole.
@nadline, don’t forget Nishikori has just hired Michael Chang. But forget about Rafa hiring McEnroe, never going to happen, ever.
RT @linzsports: “BORIS BECKER? I feel like it’s April Fools Day in tennis. I can’t wait for Nadal to announce that he’s teamed up with Johny Mac.”
Wow! This is a surprise, would really like old Nole fans from TT’s take on this. What on earth can Vadja feel? He’s been with Nole for ever and done him proud IMHO.
I can’t stand Becker, BBC has hired him as a commentator for slams and he comes over as an arrogant tw*t. His commentary is rubbish too.
LOL, this is INTERESTING . So Vajda has been demoted? Becker is the head coach. This is completely unexpected ! Perhaps novak wants to learn how to dive on the court?
Novak said after davis cup that he learned from his mistakes and he has realized he needs to come in more and take the initiative to end points. He is perhaps looking for Becker to help him in the forecourt?
Anyway, time will tell. Don’t think this partnership will be as successful and long as murray-lendl.
one advantage will be that djokovic won’t feel arrogant with becker around him lol
Lol vamosrafa, Nole will now appear like a shrinking violet!
Hahaha! Hahaha! The ITF picks Novak as its World Champion ahead of Rafa, hahaha!
http://www.itftennis.com/news/163361.aspx
Except, there is already an official and unambiguous tennsi World Champion, and his name is…………………….Rafael Nadal!
#TheRankingsSaySo
WTF?
“The ITF’s selection of its senior World Champions is based on an objective system that considers all results during the year, but gives special weight to the Grand Slam tournaments, and two ITF international team competitions, Davis Cup by BNP Paribas and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas.
The ITF World Champions will receive their awards at the ITF World Champions Dinner on Tuesday 3 June, in Paris, during Roland Garros.”
Thank you, Neil Harman for articulating every sane person’s thoughts on the matter:
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “The ITF selects Novak Djokovic as their world champion ahead of Rafael Nadal? They have taken leave of their collective senses. I would reject an invitation to the ITF world champions dinner if I was on the invitation list any more”
Poor ITF, can’t be easy being the “ugly duckling” to the ATP’s swan……………
So let’s see:
1. Rafa’s response will be to raise his famous eyebrow and give the equivalent of “le shrug”;
2. This will give him extra “force” to win AO 2014, ditto FO 2014, rendering that particular awards ceremony during RG 2014 completely meaningless.
I must say, this is the most cringe-worthy piece of news I have read this year……………
Vamos Rafa!
ps: I like how Neil Harman says, “……..their world champion……” i.e. not THE world champion but THEIR…….
’nuff said…………
Twitterverse convo on the Nole/Boris show:
RT @MexicoSlitSlayr: “@AmyFetherolf what on earth do you make of Becker coaching Novak? I think that’s crazy. Can’t see it taking his game to another level”
RT @AmyFetherolf: “Lmao”
all I can say is LOL and WTH
RT @christphclarey: “Novak Djokovic fans have to hope Boris Becker is a more insightful #tennis coach than he is a #tennis commentator”
nb: Christopher Clarey is a Djoker fan.
Ah well, at least some are not going to beat about the bush and sing kumbaya:
RT @tomtebutt: “Disappointing Djoko move.Becker is no Lendl. Been wayward and underwhelming post career. Wilander, Kuerten etc. ok. But not blustering Boris”
I read this and immediately starting checking other websites to make sure we weren’t being pranked. Head coach? I’m hoping that the title is just something his contract called for, rather than his actual function. What must Marian Vajda be feeling and thinking? How will this help Novak win the French Open? Boris never won even one clay court title!! And no, Mac will never be coaching Rafa….adopt him, maybe, but not coach him.
Apparently, Vajda wants to spend more time with his family and he helped pick Becker. I am reading Becker’s autobiography atm, and I don’t see how he is going to be of much use coaching a player in this century. Things are very different now to how they used to be in those days.
Becker did nothing on clay. Just saying.
I see a train crash coming.
Reading Becker’s book, he wasn’t even coached as such. Coaching was different in those days. The coach was more like a guardian making sure the player turned up on time and fit to play so Boris doesn’t really know much about coaching or being coached.
I believe the story on Vajda that he wants to spend more time with his family. This is truly the real story here and what impact it might have on Nole’s results.
Becker will be another failed addition ala Todd Martin and Fibak.
Keep a close eye on your fiancee Nole!
In terms of ITF, I can at least see an argument. Yes Rafa won two ITF majors but, in terms of what they are prioritizing, that’s where his advantage ends.
In majors last year, Nole had a W, SF, F, F and Rafa had a DNP, W, R1, W. Quantitatively Nole earned more points from majors than Rafa. In addition Nole played every round and won every rubber in DC this year whereas Rafa played one DC match. So I can see an argument either way.
The tipping point is that picking Nole over Rafa was a more controversial pick getting them more attention. If they gave it to Rafa, it would go relatively unnoticed as he is the more obvious choice.
This way they differentiate themselves which is probably what they are going for.
^^^The point is: what is the ITF’s point? That they are not the ATP? Who cares? When Rafa and the rest go to IW or USOpen, does anybody really care that both tournies are run by a separate set of alphabet soups?
As for placing more weight on the Slams, hello, the ranking points already reflect that! Slams carry more points than other tournaments. Davis Cup points, they are also reflected in the rankings!
Rafa won 2 Slams, Novak 1. So, according to the ITF critera, you are a Champion if you are a regular finalist than actual winner. Well done, ITF.
Well, no wonder they (the ITF) are over-shadowed by the ATP……
Btw, I’m not the only one who thinks the ITF decision is a joke, their protestations not withstandings:
RT @TennisReporters: “Interesting: Djokovic named ITF World Champ over Nadal: “thanks to his consistency at the Grand Slams and year-end performances””
RT @bgtennisnation: “@Mike_Dickson_DM very strange that ITF named Djoker player of the year they always take the guy even if lower ranked with more slam wins ?”
RT @Mike_Dickson_DM: “@bgtennisnation To me it has been a very strange morning’s news all round.”
Am watching CNN right now and Sports Analysts are saying the ITF award to Djoker as World Champion instead of Rafa is stranger than Djoker naming Boris as his coach! Hahaha!
Personally, doesn’t bother me. In fact, I am praying for Rafa to repeat his 2013 results in 2014………….and let Djoker be the ITF Champion, hehehe!
#LaughingStock
My daughter is a Becker fan that how I’ve ended reading his autobiography. I look forward to the sequel. Lol
https://tenngrand.com/2013/12/18/becker-bombshell-german-to-become-djokovics-head-coach/
I never even HEARD of the ITF World Champion until today so I looked it up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITF_World_Champions
This mismatch had happened a total of five times since 1978…
“The International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) choices for men’s singles have been generally approved by tennis fans and the tennis media except in 1990 when the designation of Ivan Lendl was strongly criticized by those who claimed that the ITF was punishing Stefan Edberg for criticizing the Grand Slam Cup.[2] That year, the Association of Tennis Professionals named Edberg its “Player of The Year”, in accordance with its computer ranking system, and Tennis Magazine (France) ranked Edberg first, Andre Agassi second, and Lendl third. Other instances when the ITF choices differed from the ATP rankings, usually with less controversy, are 1978 (Jimmy Connors), 1982 (John McEnroe), 1989 (Lendl) and 2013 (Rafael Nadal).
#WhoCares
#MuchAdo
I used to be a petrol-head i.e. an avid Formual 1 fan and my fandom coincided with Michael Schumi’s dominance in the sport. The powers that be decided that Schumi’s dominance was turning fans off and so they came up with an idea to hamstring him: they altered the scoring system so that it rewarded consistency rather than outright wins. I turned my back on Formula 1.
The irony is that, Formula I’s shenanigans made the situation worse as witnessed by Vettel’s current domination and the declining viewership numbers.
I am not suggesting this is the case with the ITF and its criteria. My point is that rewarding consistency over outright wins is a travesty and only exposes the sport, and the governing bodies, to ridicule. Coming second is not being a champion, it’s being second.
After coming short 3 times in Slams in 2013, Novak is on record as saying he was disappointed with his Slam performances but lo and behold, the ITF says no, you did mighty fine, Nole! So, Novak should be very, very pleased with his 2013. He only needs to repeat it to be crowned World Champion!
#Piffle
Agreed. It is a stupid award.
#CrackerJacks
This from a poster named @evan2K on tennis.com:
“This is equivalent of naming a champion team in soccer the team that played the most tournaments instead of the team that won the most games. It’s unfair for Nadal”
Ting.
As for consistency in 2013, Djoko is far behind Rafa!
Rafa:
¤ titles – 10
¤ runner-up – 4
¤ SF – 2
¤ lost in the opening round – 1
Djoko:
¤ titles – 7
¤ runner-up – 2
¤ SF – 3
¤ QF – 2
¤ R4 – 1
¤ lost in the opening round – 1
I’m so disgusted I can’t even comment.
If Rafa could win the AO then the ITF would look stupid calling Novak their #1 player.
Vamos Rafa!
So will Novak be seeded #1 at all ITF tournaments in 2014 inspite of his world ranking?
It’s just laughable.
I don’t think Becker is going to help Djoker the way that Lendl helped Murray. I only know Becker these days as a tennis commentator and he’s not good at all. They sometimes have him on the tennis channel and he never says anything particularly insightful during a match. In fact, he hardly has much to say at all.
I am playing catch up with all of the news and comments here. I don’t understand the ITF picking Djoker as its World Champion.
I really wish there were some of the real Djoker fans from TT who were here posting. I would love to know their thoughts on Djoker picking Becker as his new coach.
Kanye Says:
Yo Novak, ITF say you had the best year an’ all an’ Imma let you finish but, Rafa had one of the best seasons of all time!!!!
Vamos and Feliz Navidad!!!
#GOAT
This year’s ITF award is the most embarrassing award of all the time. It’s the ITF Loser of the Year award. 🙂 Djoko didn’t win the title at 4 of 5 ITF events he entered!
The ITF events are: 4 GS tournaments and Davis Cup. At GS tournaments, Djoko lost twice to Rafa and once – to A.Murray. In the Davis Cup final, Czech defeated Serbia.
Here’s what an honest, un-abashed Nole fan thinks of the ITF decision:
RT @juanjosetennis: “Also, the ITF’s decision to pick Djokovic over Nadal as their “World Champion” is unjustifiable buffoonery.”
My worry is these are the folks in charge of Davis Cup. No wonder Davis Cup continues to wallow in the periphery……..
That really is an embarrassment on the part of the ITF. They should be ashamed because according to what augusta posted Djoker didn’t even win most of their tournaments!
Just absolutely outrageous in light of the year Rafa had.
No one has ever heard of this award and it never shows on a player’s career statistics, resume, legacy or what ever you want to call it.
TBH, I couldn’t care less but even if I don’t agree with it, there is an argument for Nole.
If they are prioritizing ITF results (which they are), then if the only criteria is number of major titles won, it is cut and dry for Rafa but, not unlike the ATP No. 1, it’s not just about titles.
Rafa came very close and could have easily finished ATP No. 2 even with his two majors and leading Masters titles so it can happen at the ATP level too.
It’s also not the first time it has happened even if it hasn’t happened since 1990 when Ivan Lentils won it at No. 3 in the world.
Rafa played a single match in DC and Nole played the whole year going undefeated. Just like Rafa accumulated the most points to finish ATP No. 1 in the world, Nole accumulated the most points in ITF events.
It’s a small forgettable award that Nole would trade in a heartbeat for any of Nadal’s many titles and awards this year.
Simply not worth it.
Congrats Nole.
#MovinOn
So what is your point? That Djoker deserved it, but in the end it really doesn’t matter? I don’t get it. It’s like trying to have it both ways.
I didn’t bring it up, but I certainly think it’s fair to take issue with it. That’s the point of having a discussion.
Congrats to Novak, ITF world champion, despite being critical toward ITF over the Troicki issue. Three times in a row too.
Fine piece on Djokovic by Lindsay Gibbs:
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/66505338/
This is something you will never, ever see Uncle Toni do, thank God, carry his charge’s bags:
https://twitter.com/PseudoFed
Becker’s got to be really desperate to do this…….
Clearly Djokovic is paying off BB’s debts for him in return for carrying his bags 🙂
Dunno about you @ed251137, it just looks wrong to me. A multiple Slam winner should not be somebody’s…….skivvy.
Djokovic in ruthless form vs. L. Mayer.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Ricky, we they are all trembling in their boots because Djokovic is taking it to l/ Mayer!
it’s not the score. it’s the performance.
Here’s Novak’s on court interview with Jim Courier after the Istomin match.http://youtu.be/jbfrRqtgFbs
thx
http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/video/index.html#ooid=VqYTI1azpmHf6Zca618ume6IMfFTqXpN
Nice ,nole…kids were so happy 🙂
Thank you for sharing. I like Novak Djokovic. He played very good tennis and he muscular handsome.
Djokovic to tie the knot
http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/Novak-Djokovic-says-hell-soon-marry-his-fiancee-Jelena-Ristic-020314
With Serbia out of the Davis Cup he now has the first weekend of April free to get married!
Ehmm………..too much information, Djoker. You announced the engagement and the normal thing is to assume that will be followed by nuptials. So, just do it already………….quietly, I dare you!
^^^^^Tee Hee.
My bet it will be staged on the scale of a Royal Wedding – probably with a public holiday too boot. I still want to know why he ducked out of playing Davis Cup………….was he frightened to face Wawrinka do you think?
ed251137, I honestly think he calculated that, without Troicki and Tipsy, he would have had to play three rubbers to have any chance of winning the tie, even before Fed’s last minute decision to play. Berdy can do that for the Czechs because he doesn’t reach the finals of each and every tourny as regularly as Rafa, Nole, Muzza do. Just too much to do especially in a year he has set his sights on re-claiming the #1 ranking, not to mention chasing the RG holy grail……again.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it, Wawa’s not beating Novak again in a best of 5…….
I’ve never blamed any of the players for not putting their health and career at risk for DC. It’s It’s just that Djokovic bangs on and on about his commitment to playing for his country, what it means to him, blah blah I was surprised when pulled out this year citing fatigue.
Ever notice how the least democratic countries are the ones who explicitly call themselves democratic? Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo etc, etc……….you get the drift.
Calling yourself a patriot does not make you a patriot………………….
How could he be fatigued??? He just came back from six weeks off, played five sets at AO, four of which he won in straights.
And he’s the fittest guy on the tour???
^^^^^My thoughts precisely. His exact words were “he was physically and mentally exhausted”.
My interest in seeing Messrs. Federer and Warwrinka wipe the floor with the Serbs was pretty low level so I only watched a few snatches of play. Clearly the Serbs felt the same way because whenever I tuned in I was struck by the poor turnout. Presumably TV audience figures would also have been affected. Advertisers who’d paid for prime time slots must have been pissed off.
Of course, now Serbia are eliminated, Nole will not be called upon for DC for the rest of the year so he is free to concentrate on his career objectives. Fortunately the same applies for Rafa whereas Andy, Roger and Stan will all be on duty for the QFs. At least this round falls between Miami and Monte Carlo with a reasonable break before and after.
Nole will have to play for Serbia later on in the year (if he is healthy of course) unless he does not mind seeing Serbia relegated from the World Groups. Rafa has indicated he will play to avoid this fate for Spain (like he did in 2013) if he is healthy.
I was forgetting the play off rounds. When does this happen?
After the US Open.
After the US Open.
(Ricky, the login box has been really messed up over the last few days. Not easy to login with wordpress anymore.)
can you explain what is happening, and where?
The Leave a Reply box is much smaller and cropped where usually I can select one of three methods to logon including wordpress. The options look like they may be cropped.
weird. must be a wordpress problem, not a Grandstand problem.
#TryToFindSolutionsOnTheCourt
Hawkeye:
I have the same problem.
Try this.
Drag on the small symbol bottom righthand corner of the reply box to increase the size as far as possible. Then click inside the box and the post comment section will appear. However the reply box will revert to the original small size and when you type the text appears to over-run the box and you cannot read all of it. Hence some of my garbled comments over the past few days.
#BetterThanNothing
Me too. Initially the box is compressed and then opens when u click on it. Then u have to scroll down to post.
Thanks, That worked!
Matt Cronin @TennisReporters 50m
MT did he wait for Djokovic to decide? @Tennis 7s Why exactly did @RogerFederer decide 2 play #DavisCup? @pbodo http://ow.ly/tm67i
#YesWhyYesHeDid
Why is this even a question, isn’t it obvious?
1. Fed knows his days of winning important tourneys i.e. any tourny with Rafa and Novak (and Muzza too when he gets to 100%) in are gone.
2. Of course he wanted to make sure Novak would not be in Novi Sad. Even if the Swiss would have ended up winning the tie, losing to Novak so soon after losing to Rafa would have confirmed the obvious: he is now second tier.
3. With Serbia and Spain out, the Swiss are now front-runners.
The man is a vulture!
According to Djokovic, it’s no secret that he is all set to win Roland Garros.
http://i.imgur.com/5aZtsrS.png
Well, colour me surprised, thanks for sharing, Nole. Nice to know this has now been confirmed, by you, you are the new RG 2014 Champion…………..
Would’ve thought by now he might have learnt not to shoot his mouth off in advance.
Well, I’m sure, Rafa is quaking in his boots now….. or not, since this is the 4th year running, that Novak mounts verbal attacks in the direction of the RG trophy. He should know by now, that you cannot win a trophy solely by verbal prowess. How about a bit of Rafaspeak: “I will have to give my very best, no?” Though, Rafa would come up with this kind of statement right before every single match of a tourney. And not 4 month in advance. Learn from the King of Clay and concentrate on Dubai, Nole!
I don’t think Djoker has learned from the past. He’s talking up RG yet again this year. Last year he told everyone and his brother that he wanted to win RG. I always had the feeling that Djoker thought this was his time and that Rafa couldn’t possibly be ready after a seven month layoff due to injury.
So much for that assumption! I just don’t understand why Djoker feels the need to tell the world about every goal. Rafa will say one time if he wants to win something, but then lets it go. He doesn’t go on and on about it endlessly.
I always say talk is cheap. Let Djoker talk all he wants. It doesn’t mean anything.
Like Federer before him, Nole will have to wait for Rafa to be injured/or ill before he gets the chance to complete his career slam.
I really would like to hear @Sanju’s take on Nole’s latest pronouncements on his RG fate. I remember @Sanju complaining at TT that Rafa did not express himself as confidently as Djokovic and he wished Rafa did. I just wonder if @Sanju would characterize Djokovic’s statement as another sign of Novak’s confidence?
Novak’s blustering since losing at RG, Wimbledon and the USO suggests a decline in his self confidence. He has taken to following Fed’s example of talking up his chances to bolster his self esteem.
But, as I’ve commented in the past, like Fed the more he wants something the more often he stumbles at the final fence.
As a Rafan I’m hoping this trend continues………
^^Hear, hear…..
Personally, I prefer Rafa’s approach i.e. letting other people talk up his chances:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=735494889807850&set=a.278980528792624.75686.278612362162774&type=1&theater
“Manolo Santana: “Rafa #Nadal will win the Roland Garros this year. Rafael is an icon for the tennis.””
Vamos Manolo!
Vamos Rafa!
I never thought that Rafa not talking up his chances at RG was a sign of lack of confidence. He never talks up his chances at any slam. It’s not his style. With the record Rafa has at RG, he really doesn’t need to say anything. That record speaks for itself.
I would have thought that Djoker might have learned from the past and might tone down the bluster. Apparently, this is not the case. I never appreciated Fed talking himself up and the little mind games he tried to play with his opponents. So I am certainly not going to like it coming from Djoker.
His energy could be better spent on his game and mental strength. He crumbled in that fifth set against Wawa in the quarterfinals at the AO. That’s what he should be focused on, not blabbing to the world.
I’ve not been able to watch much tennis since the AO but whenever I have I don’t recall seeing the future Mrs. Novak court-side. Does anyone have any lowdown on this?
Maybe she is too busy making the wedding arrangement. 🙂
MIAMI – Boris Becker, the three-time Wimbledon winner who now serves as the new coach of Novak Djokovic, will miss the ATP Miami Masters to undergo double hip surgery.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/353487/sports/othersports/tennis-djokovic-coach-becker-absent-due-to-hip-surgery
^^ We can look forward to his “under the influence of painkillers” tweets.
Florian Mayer has withdrawn due to a groin injury, so Novak gets a walkover to the next round.
Boris hocking Novak’s book:
http://instagram.com/p/muXWYBEfxd/#
Sigh, is this the creepiest player-coach combo ever?
The next thing we’ll know Novak is buying Boris’ villa to get him out of debt.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pn8lmg9
#Debacle
If only for Novak to get a foothold in Spain. Oh, wait, he’ll probably have to pay Spanish tax.
Hahaha, finally, he’s learning!
RT @carole_bouchard: “Djokovic says Roland-Garros was constantly in his mind last year, that it didn’t work well, in Madrid and Rome, and that this season he goes for a different mindset : being dedicated only to tournaments coming. Then “when the time comes” he’ll think of the French Open.”
#TooLate
What he is implying is that he will win them all if he worries about them one at a time. He has learnt nothing from the ‘I was in control’ match at RG in 2006.
Novak is touted as a great patriot but the guy holes up in Monte Carlo to avoid paying taxes in Serbia.
I don’t rule out Nole winning one clay Masters this year but no one can sweep the clay season when Rafa is around.
I think Rafa will simply not let go of the RG crown, come hell or high water.
So Novak will probably have to think of a different strategy next year.
I’ve been wondering for some weeks why his girlfriend has not been court side recently.
Rumours abound:
http://en.mediamass.net/people/novak-djokovic/pregnancy-rumors.html
http://en.mediamass.net/people/novak-djokovic/married.html
^^Hope she goes into labour RG fortnight, and it is a long drawn out, but safe, process for both Mum-to-be and baby…………..
#KeepNovakInTheLabourWard
Mediamass is a satirical/false online publication. All of their stories are false. They did one on Rafa and Maria awhile back, writing about a break-up.
I wasn’t aware Mediamass is known for false info. I thought it sounded a bit fishy………. spreading misinformation deliberately doesn’t qualify as satirical……… it’s pure gutter press.
There is a weird photo of Nole on the current ATP home page. it looks like he has a rugby ball stuffed up his shirt.
Tennishead: ¤¤ Injury blow for Djokovic
Novak Djokovic admits he does not know how long he will be out of action after suffering a wrist injury at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. ¤¤
http://www.tennishead.net/news/on-tour/2014/04/20/injury-blow-for-djokovic
:Nole: emoticon
(banana_cool)
@5:15pm
Djokovic did not incur the wrist injury during the tournament as implied by the Tennishead article. Apparently he already had a bad wrist – that was the reason given for not taking part in a fundraising match on the Saturday beforehand.
jpacnw picked up the story. Here is her comment at the time on the Rafa thread:
‘Rafa played a private doubles match at the Monte Carlo home of the Lavazza family on Saturday. It was for the Naked Heart Foundation and Novak was supposed to participate too, then withdrew at the last minute due to a right hand injury. Youzhny substituted, although Novak attended.
There are inconsistencies in his version of events.
#RewritingHistory
The wrist has miraculously healed. The Djoker will be in Madrid.
good for the game
“The wrist has miraculously healed. The Djoker will be in Madrid.”
No surprises……..
Quelle surprise 😀
Only some days ago
http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2014/04/19/13/45/506-DpHH8.St.55.jpeg
Now I feel it. Now I don’t. 😉
Hmm, Jelena looks a little “ample” round the middle:
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/459001830044094464/photo/1
#Ample
#Moussaka
Ample is good, no?
🙄
^^^yep, look what Mirka being ample in the middle did for Fed: gained him beaucoup MC ranking points!
Hint: If Mirka were not pregnant and expecting anytime, Fed would not have played MC to show up his ranking position since he will be taking paternity leave……
Nah, the ‘bump’ would be in front, no?
The “bump” IS in front, ed251137…………at least I hope it is.
Congratulations to Novak and Jelena!
is Novak gonna be DISTRACTED?
Ricky, we shall see, no? Fed seems to be thriving even with the family responsibilities. However, different people handle situations differently………
From the ATP site yesterday:
In Monte-Carlo last week, the Serb revealed that he sustained a right wrist injury, contributing to his semi-final exit (l. to Federer).
“Fortunately, the situation… is better than it first seemed,” said Djokovic on his website. “Doctors assured me that I will be ready for Madrid, then Rome and Roland Garros, just as it has been planned. However, I need to continue with the recovery process and full medical treatments. It means I will have to take a short break in order to recover as soon as possible.”
He’s sightseeing in Athens with his girlfriend. Do we know if the medical team is there with them ‘ to continue with the recovery process’ and full medical treatments’ ?
I TOLD YOU!
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/459335253518458880/photo/1
#Ample
#NotJustMoussaka
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/statuses/459335253518458880
#ample
Ahem, ‘splains the sore wrist………….
………..And why she was not at many of his matches recently.
@MorningSickness
ritb, tell me more.:idea
^^Ehh, I think we should let this conversation rest @nadline10…….., no?
This will put pressure on Rafa to get a move on.
What?
^^^@nadline28, pressure to move on what? If you mean to get hitched to Xisca, why should he?
Well it’s time Rafa grew up.
nadline10 (at 2:57)
Fed married because SHE got pregnant. Djoko has the same reason to get married.
I don’t think they were grown up…
Having a baby does not make you a grown up, @nadline10. Only recently I read of a 12 year old having a baby in Britain.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/04/16/britains-youngest-parents_n_5158262.html
As far as Rafa still living with his parents is concerned, that is pretty normal for Latin cultures. I for one relate to it. I think it makes for more grounded individuals, imho.
I cannot point to a single behavioural trait of Rafa’s which would suggest immaturity on his part. In fact, I would say if he were to have a child because Djokovic has, that would be pretty immature behaviour. Rafa must walk his own path.
^^ahem, not suggesting I am grounded……..lol.
Well maybe Xisca needs to get pregnant, but Rafa has to grow up first. Still living at home doesn’t help. I’m sure Xisca is not afraid of the dark, she’ll be there for him. On the other hand, if Rafa is so homesick now how bad would it be if he had a wife and children at home?
On second thoughts, maybe he should wait until he is done with pro tennis. I’d love to see a little Rafa though. 🙂
nadline10 commented on Novak Djokovic.
—but Rafa has to grow up first. Still living at home doesn’t help. I’m sure Xisca is not afraid of the dark, she’ll be there for him.—
Do you think that they aren’t together when Rafa is in Mallorca???
Rafa bought a villa last year in Mallorca, but his wife would be there alone the most of the time (when Rafa is traveling around the world). I’ll try to find info about his villa and post it on his page,
I think Rafa considers the multi floor building with multiple living units (the one he grew up in) as his “home.” That’s the building where everyone (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc) lives. Rafa has the other house in Porto Cristo which is the one we see in photo shoots of him in the pool, etc. Then there’s the villa he purchased last year. So, he has any number of options as to where to “live” when he’s in Mallorca.
I suppose I shouldn’t judge Rafa by the British culture.
Just keep winning Rafa, that’s all I ask of you.
Should Andy step up too?
^^No. Let him walk his own path. My own personal opinion is people should not rush to get married. More importantly, they should not get married because of outside pressures. Do your own thang!!
For goodness sake! Don’t be so old fashioned nadline! Andy and Rafa are young, travelling the world all the time and living in hotels. Hardly condusive to family life. Kids need stability. Any way, Andy said yesterday that kids would be for after he retires.
And, tbh its nobody’s business but their own
deucy,
Yes! Well said! I do think that some things really should be private when it comes to the players. They give their all on the court and should be allowed to live their lives as they see fit.
It took Federer nine years to get around to marrying Mirka. Andy’s been with Kim for eight years. Rafa with Xisca for nine. There’s no hurry. Both girls have jobs so they are not free to roam the world in the wake of their man.
what does Xisca do
Xisca works for MAPRE, full time. MAPFRE also happens to sponsor Rafa. She is also heavily involved in Rafa’s Foundation and his newly created Rafa Nadal Tour junior circuit in Spain, launched together with MAPFRE and the Rafael Nadal Foundation.
Besides Xisca has said she doesn’t want to travel with him all the time. She reckons it would be an unnecessary distraction for Rafa. Both couples clearly have strong and loving relationships without being formally married.
i’m pretty sure Rafa is HAPPILY not married
^^This.
^^^Nicely put Ricky!
Neither Xisca nor Kim are your typical WAG. Jelena must more so.
That’s my last word on the matter.
Doctors’ orders to cue the ailing wrist, swing a champers bottle???
http://instagram.com/p/nL41HAkf3o/#
yup…the best possible cure…funny how injuries miraculously heel these days… 🙂
Are we comparing swinging a champagne bottle with competing full out on a tennis court hitting forehands and backhands at 90 mph?
I hope that Novak’s wrist is healing well and he will be back in action.
awww…I’d like to see a baby rafisca. Will s/he tug at his/her diaper before reaching for the bottle? (with the left hand–of course.)
LOL
Interesting read on wrist injuries:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/sports/tennis/move-over-tennis-elbow-wrist-injuries-increasingly-plague-stars.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
^^^^^ I was intrigued by that article and particularly the bit about the ulnar joint being the most vulnerable point.
I have hopelessly weak wrists and gave up playing tennis in my late teens. Even then I had difficulty wringing out anything larger than a face cloth. Paradoxically I have (or had) exceptionally high strength in my upper arms and back which in spite of my stature (158cm/50kg) enabled me to out-sail beefy men when I took up dinghy racing.
Do you think the day will ever come when the ATP/ITF have to introduce safety measures by limiting the length of baseline rallies and service speed to minimise the risk of injury to players?
“Berger said. “Tennis is one of those sports that, honestly, the wrist is one of the structures at most risk because the force of contact with the ball is transmitted directly through the wrist, and very often, with an element of torque as the player attempts to place higher and higher degrees of spin on the ball.
Berger said that players with a power-laden baseline style, like del Potro, were especially vulnerable to wrist injuries.”
Before I answer your question, @ed251137, I just want to address the above paragraph. I am reading 2 things from the article: spin and power. Rafa is known for his power game and the amount of spin he works on the ball and yet he has not had serious wrist problems (at least none I’ve heard of). Delpo has power but hits relatively flat, with minimal spin, and he is the one who has suffered the most from wrist injuries. Novak also hits relatively flat although with more spin than Delpo. From the article’s conclusions, I would have expected Rafa to fare worse than say Delpo in this regard. Clearly other factors in play…….
To you question, reduction of baseline rallies: that has to do with court speed, no? Quicken the courts and you have more S & V type play, which I think is what Fed now wants. Reduce service speed: can’t see how you can police this. Seems to me the thing the authorities may target is string technology (and surface speed as well).
OR, they could start by listening to our boy and limit the number of HCs on tour!
ed251137@April 29, 2014 at 7:55 am
—Do you think the day will ever come when the ATP/ITF have to introduce safety measures by limiting the length of baseline rallies and service speed to minimise the risk of injury to players?—
The lenght ❓
I remember that Djoko was praised for making quick work of his opponents in the early rounds of MC!
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/461061845646704641/photo/1
I was thinking more along the lines of having an upper limit of say 25 strokes. The rally is halted and the person who hit the 25th stroke gets the point.
Any serve over, let’s say 135km, is deemed a ‘let’.
I’m only half serious.
But it is worth remembering there has not been a fatality in Formula 1 for 20 years since every safety aspect was overhauled, and is still being addressed, following the death of Ayrton Senna.
PS: I am so sorry I provoked that endless stream of comments on the other thread by mentioning there had been a spat. Talk about a storm in a teacup over nothing.
^^No need to apologise to me……….I have the attention span of a gnat, remember?
Novak Djokovic: ´When I Will be a Dad, Tennis Will not be the First Priority Anymore´
The Serb talks about his future plans, as girlfriend Jelena Ristic is pregnant with the couple´s first child
Novak Djokovic 30 Apr 2014 – 07:51 / by Ivan Pasquariello
Novak Djokovic was recently interviewed by “La Gazzetta dello Sport” in Italy, regarding his future plans and how he will try to mange his life as a tennis champion and as a father. Jelena Ristic – Novak”s girlfriend – is pregnant with the couple”s first child. How are things going to change for the actual World No.2?
“What does a baby mean for a champion? Immense joy! It”s the beginning of a new chapter in my life and I am very happy about it” said a visibly excited Novak Djokovic. The Serb is also convinced that he will able to manage both sides of his life, even though priorities in his life may temporary or permanently change. “When the baby will arrive, Tennis will not be the first priority anymore” said Novak, who then added: “it will be tiring, but I am sure it will also give me extra energy and motivation to pursue my career”. In fact, we can see how for other players before him, being a father meant everything but giving up on a tennis career. Roger Federer is a clear example.
Novak also talked about his passion for studying and learning: “The more a man studies, the more he adds a value to himself. I always want to learn something new. When I was a kid I took my responsibilities, growing up on a low economical budget, but setting clear goals for what I wanted to do as an adult. Not having had nothing for free makes me appreciate life even more”.
RT @christophclarey: “(1) Djokovic tells @lequipemagazine he analyzed 2013 #FrenchOpen loss to Nadal in detail: all 4 hours and 37 minutes of it & 3 weeks before”
RT @christophclarey: “(2) Djokovic: “I was completely possessed by the desire to finally win the French. All that desire consumed a bit of my energy.”
RT @christophclarey: “(3) Djokovic: “At Roland, mentally, physically, emotionally I was empty. Too much desire. Too much investment.”
Ah, so the penny finally dropped, monsieur……………didn’t need to hire an expensive ex-player to tell you all this, Djoko. Coulda read our comments on TT and Tenngrand and got the gist of it all, for free!
So far I have heard the pundits whining that Djoko lost because he was caught breaking the rules.
(Steve Tignor, TENNIS Tuesday, April 8 : “…a disastrous touch of the net with his racquet”)
^^Hahaha! Good one, @augusta08. Personally, I will go with Djoko’s reasons……….
So the penny has finally dropped.
#OrHasIt?
Is the inference he’s no longer bothered? I don’t think so.
The inference, as I read it, is that Djoko’s new tactic for RG is: insouciance! 😛
And what’s with all the b******t ………”tennis will not be the first priority anymore……….”
#PigsWillFly
^^^I can just picture the scene:
Papa Nole’s first round RG match will coincide with Baby Nole’s feeding time and, you guessed it, Papa Nole will pass on the tennis match and attend to the priority: feeding the baby!
Oh….if only wishes were horses…………
*above is RITB’s sad attempt at humour*
However, bulls will charge……….. 😉
Precisely, ed. Nothing but b******t. If anybody believes that they will believe anything. Jelena would like to be the queen of tennis as much as Djoker would like to be the king. They both crave the limelight so she will not let him ease off even if he wanted to.
Well I believe it. He is only stating the obvious.
RT @NovakSupport: “Dijana Djokovic (Novaks mom) for Blic.rs: “Soon to be born another genius” #true”
For those who may not know, Dijana is Novak’s mother.
Say what you will about about Mrs Djokovic, she is IN AWE of her son, like all mothers should be of their off-spring…….
Jelena looks like a young Dijana.
The kind of looks that don’t wear well. Miaow. ?
nadline, no.
I can just imagine Papa Novak and Mama Jelena in 20 years’ time sitting in the stands wearing life size photos of Novak Jnr, who was being thumped by the 15 year old Spanish sensation, Rafael Nadal III, the son of the greatest tennis player of all time. ❗
RT @christophclarey: “#Marca reporting Djokovic has delayed his arrival in Madrid: Getting medical tests on wrist; now uncertain whether he’ll play”
NID
#SOP
We had this with the ankle injury in MC last year when he was threatening to pull out right up to the final then played the match of his life to beat Rafa in straight sets. If his wrist is playing up, then I’m sorry for him but there have been too many mixed messages. Moments after declaring he would be out for some time because of it, he announced that it wasn’t that bad and he was fit to play, starting with Madrid.
If this stops Novak fans posting here then they must be very thin skinned, after all Rafa is for ever being accused of faking injuries and worse on tennis-x as well as numerous tennis forums. Come to think of it, The Grandstand and VB are the only haven where Rafans can bank on not reading any insulting comments about him. Expressing doubts about whether Nole is really unfit to play or not is normal, it’s not insulting.
poor rafa lost to Rosol in wimbledon when he was visibly plagued by that knee issue. He took a break but how many dates did he give for his comeback after that? do you remember? RECALL. Playing Toronto, USO, Olympic games and then Uncle Toni talking about his comeback in davis cup or WTF at the end of the year… Then Poor rafa announced Abu Dhabi, could not be there..then Aus open, could not be there (primary reason cited was that stupid stomach virus)…..
SO you see, injuries are extremely difficult to deal with in so many diff ways..the biggest trouble they evoke is arguably the uncertainty they surround the player with…
Novak’s injury does NOT seem to be as serious as rafa’s but has been going on regarding his wrist injury is COMPLETELY NORMAL in my view at least!
#SmokeSignals
Why would any Djokovic fan ever want to join this “community” if this is how most people here talk about him? These aren’t even tennis related, they are just mean spirited personal attacks on his family and private life.
@snowdevil,
Just try to ignore it. 🙂
nothing new… djokovic gets plenty of ‘respect’ here and that is very obvious…
funniest thing is that often we rafa fans are complaining that we don’t want to be on sites like tennis-x because of the way posters treat speak of rafa… i don’t see how this is different in any way ! haha….
“Why would any Djokovic fan ever want to join this “community” ”
Same reason as you I guess?
#Musings
vamosrafa,
Yes! I agree with you. It’s unfortunate that there are no Novak fans to come here and speak on his behalf. It’s really disconcerting to see these types of insults directed at Novak, his fiancé and mother and their looks. I know that Rafa fans expressed their outrage on tennis-x and even on TT when people came on the site and attacked Rafa, his girlfriend and his parents. All the more reason not to do the same.
@snowdevil,
Sorry, but I was wrong to tell you to try and ignore it. You were right to say what you did. I think it’s important to speak up if one feels strongly about it.
Some of you need a sense of humour. Of course the resident crowd pleaser is on duty, again.
Let’s see how funny you think it is when someone goes after Rafa, his girlfriend, his father, his mother, his “faking” injuries!
Some people have short memories as to what we used to read on TT from the haters. Also, what passes for normal conversation on tennis-x.
haha…. tennis-x and some other sites are hatred spewing sites because they say too much bullcrap about rafa….true, we don’t feel comfortable there…but HOW are those websites diff from what is now going on at the grandstand ?! anti-rafa’s rivals hub is what this is becoming which is a pity…
I have my own barometer. I just need to look at how rafa deals with all this. he even got abused by Rochus for doping. His response was CLASS. he is immensely respectful toward fellow rivals and often defends them ! I remember when fed was on a decline in 2008, rafa was quick to defend him ! when people started saying fed is an old man, rafa completely dismissed such ideas! That’s how rafa deals with all this.
Nadline Rafa is a liar and his Uncle is conceited and his girlfriend xisca is as ugly as his mother and if you are offended by that then it’s your fault for having no sense of humor.
snowdevil@May 4, 2014 at 5:59 am
You wrote that you used to be ts38 at Tennistalk (one of the few Roddick fans).
When did you become a Djoko fan? I remember that there were 3 – 4 Djoko fans on Tennistalk. (I don’t count angry legionaries of the Federazzi who pretended to be Djoko fans. They pretended this solely because they wanted to attack Rafa)
Im not a Djokovic fan. There is a collective mentality here that if somebody speaks on a players’ behalf they are automatically a fan of that player only and an enemy of everyone else.
snowdevil@May 4, 2014 at 8:18 am
What’s the reason you speak on THIS player’s behalf?
I have seen some here say they long for a diversity of opinions and fans of players other than Nadal on this site. I was just calling the bs as I saw it. I would have said the same thing if it were Federer or Murray, or probably anyone for that matter (except Bellucci. I cannot stand Bellucci).
snowdevil says:May 4, 2014 at 11:58 am
“I would have said the same thing if it were Federer or Murray, or probably anyone for that matter (except Bellucci. I cannot stand Bellucci).”
So, are we to infer that if it had been Bellucci at the “receiving end”, you would have either kept quiet or agreed with the “bs”?
Put another way, what is the difference between your statement above and the following?
“I would have said the same thing if it were Federer or Murray, or probably anyone for that matter (except Djokovic. I cannot stand Djokovic).
Not judging your likes and/or dislikes, @snowdevil, you are entitled to those. Just wondering: you are allowed to “not stand” Bellucci but other people are not allowed to “not stand” Djokovic? *head-scratch*
Personally, couldn’t care less about Djokovic or Bellucci, but hey………….cuts both ways this judgmental thing, no?……………
Oh, and I’m all for a diversity of opinions and fans of players other than Rafa on this site…………….including Bellucci’s!
snowdevil@May 4, 2014 at 11:58 am
—I have seen some here say they long for a diversity of opinions and fans of players other than Nadal on this site—
As for me, I don’t miss attackers.
yes, no attackers please… but not every non-rafa fan is an attacker ! there are many decent fans too…abhirf is one of them here….
That was a joke. Bellucci is a random journeyman who garners little to no attention from anyone. Scratch your head with that one for a while.
What, You didn’t hear me laughing?? *I must try harder next time*
Of course I got the joke, @snowdevil. You and only you get to decide which player is worth respecting on this site.
snowdevil@May 4, 2014 at 3:24 pm
I like to watch T.Bellucci! His face reminds me of Italian Renaissance sculptures.
Ugh look you’re missing the point. Everybody is allowed to dislike any player they want for whatever reason. That doesn’t make it okay to go on a pubic forum and start making vile attacks on their families and personal lives. And if you feel so strongly about your right to do so anyway then you’re no better than the “Rafa haters and Federazzi” you’re always whining about.
Thou protesteth too much, @snowdevil! We heard you twice the first time……….hehehe!
Lighten up, find yourself a tennis match to watch, sans Bellucci of course!
Enjoy.
Wow. snowdevil chillax dude.
Frankly, I don’t see anything wrong with saying Jelena looks like Nole’s mum. I happen to think that Nole’s mum is a good looking woman so it’s a compliment to Jelena.
yeah right…it’s just that when ardent rafa fans highlight an ongoing deficiency in his game or point out a flaw in his game, they are called rafa detractors…or if a rafa fan or a decent fan of any other player dares to say uncle Toni’s approach towards rafa can sometimes backfire, that is labelled blasphemy… BUT its totally fine to ridicule other players, their coaches, their family…. I see…… of course we have a rafa bias but …this is different…much different..
vamosrafa@May 4, 2014 at 6:14 am
I’ll always defend Rafa (& his team & family) – no matter what, I don’t care whether his critics likes it or not.
what do you mean by ‘critics’ ? are you by any chance including me in there too..I hope NOT !
The common thing between us is that we are hardcore rafa fans and we defend him as much as we can. However, I never do it at the cost of disrespecting and now even insulting his rivals but you seem to do that very conveniently. Anyway, you have your own way and I have my own .
lastly, i have NO clue how ‘I’ll always defend Rafa (& his team & family) – no matter what, I don’t care whether his critics likes it or not.’ is linked to what I have said.
vamosrafa@May 4, 2014 at 12:03 pm
—i have NO clue…is linked to what I have said—
You said at 6:14 am, “or a decent fan of any other player dares to say uncle Toni’s approach towards rafa can sometimes backfire, that is labelled blasphemy”
I haven’t used the word ‘blasphemy’, but I have argued.
since when have we started taking words for their literal meaning, Augusta? calling it a capital offense or a blasphemy does not mean someone actually said that ! You know what I was trying to convey, and that is enough.
I have argued much more than you have with haters and other posters through the year at TT and to date at the grandstand. The reason is that I have come up with long essays time and time again to defend rafa by attempting to put forward logical arguments. I don’t come up with 1-2 liners saying that rafa is the greatest or that there is nothing wrong rafa has ever done. When I say it, I TRY my best to logically prove it. So this is how my approach is different from yours…
vamosrafa@May 4, 2014 at 12:37 pm
You said: ‘i have NO clue…’ I explained.
nadline28 says:
May 2, 2014 at 1:09 pm
Jelena looks like a young Dijana.
What’s insulting about this?
and yea, poor djokovic’s wrist injury is a total fake ! only rafa can have genuine injury issues…
On the contrary, Rafa’s 7 months injury time out was deemed to be a fake and worse, by Nole fans. Go to TW and see insults being thrown at Rafa on nearly every Nole fans’ post…………..and I mean real insults.
i am equally well aware of those abuses and insults hurled at rafa…and I have spoken against them a million times….
so this is your reason for treating other players and their injury issues like that? thats very pitiful then. You are implying it yourself that you are no different from those haters who kept ridiculing rafa even during the darkest and toughest period of his career…
I am just stating the facts. Nole did announce that the doctors had given him the all clear that there was nothing wrong with his wrist he just needed to rest it and that he was fit to play. You can’t deny that he hasn’t got form in this at MC last year, threatening to pull out then running around like a rabbit on a supposedly injured ankle.
Some people feel that only Rafa is fair game and everyone else is sacrosanct. We all have a right to question anything we think is questionable. It seems like anyone who questions a player other than Rafa is being offensive.
Being skeptical about the severity of Nole’s back/ankle/wrist injuries is not the same as accusing him of faking.
It’s not skepticism. It’s derisive comments about him. There is a difference. I am just really struck by this inability and/or refusal to see that this is the exact same thing that the haters have done to Rafa throughout his career. Since when do two wrongs make a right? Is this a vengeance crusade?
Just to be clear, using attacks on Rafa to justify doing the same to other players is a very poor justification as far as I am concerned.
Novak has been blatantly accused of faking here many times. But then I was accused of being a bad Rafa fan on TT because I spoke up in his defense regarding the ankle injury last year. One would think it was a capital offense. I was derisively called Novak’s new champion. Why? Because I said that I didn’t think he was faking? That was my opinion. It didn’t mean that I was his fan or whatever. There are things that I don’t like regarding his behavior, especially towards Rafa in the past. However, that doesn’t mean that I have to trash him every chance I get.
completely synonymous with all this. haha…. you are one of the most ardent and loyal rafa fans out there and you have been given those names multiple times lol..
vamosrafa,
Thank you for saying this. It’s really hard to deal with being accused of not being a good Rafa fan. Being called out on a public forum in that way, is disturbing. It’s not like anyone here is God or has a book on how to be a Rafa fan. There are no rules. Yet some presume to set themselves up as judge and jury and decide who is a Rafa fan and who is not.
I can’t see where anyone said they were doing this because Rafa has mud thrown at him all the time. People are expressing their opinions as is their right. Advocates for Nole are free to defend him without falsely accusing others of their intentions and trying to gag any opinions expressed without malice.
When you watch the superhuman lunges and the stress he inflicts on his body the miracle is Nole has never suffered a serious injury let alone been sidelined from the tour for months.
^^Novak’s been very lucky in that respect (so has Fed). I am not privy to his training/stretching routines but the few I have seen on you-tube seem pretty standard in a sporting context.
Indeed, some of the stretches he does on court are unbelievable. It’s not just the stretches achieved, it’s his ability to recover from the stretch and be in position for the next shot………….
Far out…………..
But when he does tweak a muscle or strain a tendon we hear about it endlessly.
And he was handing out bagles and breadsticks at will in MC with a sore wrist.
This is what he had on his website on 22nd April:
“Fortunately, the situation with the injury is better than it first seemed. Doctors assured me that I will be ready for Madrid, then Rome and Roland Garros, just as it has been planned. However, I need to continue with the recovery process and full medical treatments. It means I will have to take a short break in order to recover as soon as possible,” Novak said on his website.
If his wrist is that bad, maybe he should take it up with the doctors who assured him that it was OK and nothing to worry about. There is some double talk going on.
you should refer to my earlier post:
vamosrafa says:
May 4, 2014 at 6:24 am
poor rafa lost to Rosol in wimbledon when he was visibly plagued by that knee issue. He took a break but how many dates did he give for his comeback after that? do you remember? RECALL. Playing Toronto, USO, Olympic games and then Uncle Toni talking about his comeback in davis cup or WTF at the end of the year… Then Poor rafa announced Abu Dhabi, could not be there..then Aus open, could not be there (primary reason cited was that stupid stomach virus)…..
SO you see, injuries are extremely difficult to deal with in so many diff ways..the biggest trouble they evoke is arguably the uncertainty they surround the player with…you just cannot be fully certain as to when your body will be perfect… doctors can advise but often they don’t have perfect knowledge about rafa exactly the body will respond!
Novak’s injury obviously does NOT seem to be as serious as rafa’s knee injury of 2012 but what has been going on regarding his wrist injury is COMPLETELY NORMAL in my view at least!
Some people are far too sensitive when it comes to Djokovic.
Some people are far too sensitive about other Rafa fans who are fair enough to say good things about other players and respect their game and ability.
its not about being sensitive of Djokovic or Federer or someone else. Its being respectful of rafa’s top rivals, for who rafa has ENORMOUS respect. I just try to do what my man , Rafa nadal parera , does!
Besides, I don’t remember who said exactly what but I remember when novak lost to federer in Rome, there were people here constantly downplaying the extent of his injury and saying it is nothing and that novak will be back fully fit in madrid…now saying all that right after a match where a player was visibly ailing, i dont know how that is not accusing him of faking an injury !!
Nadline, what you are trying to imply regarding novak delivering bagels and breadsticks does not make any sense at all. Just open up your mind a little and you will figure that out. We are most focused on rafa so lets take an example from his career. Rafa delivered a bread stick and croissant to montanes in Rio and then almost lost to anjudar? paradoxical? not really because we KNOW what poor rafa was going through….injuries can be very complicated and we know that ! rafa’s back was the culprit back then… Or, consider rafa’s performance against Hewitt in R3 of RG. I remember everyone was saying after that match that rafa is playing sublime tennis as he swept hewitt aside but what happened in the next match was so upsetting. Nobody knew the extent of rafa’s suffering before he bowed out fighting to Soderling !!
Likewise, we can find several other examples.
when novak lost to fed in MONTECARLO**** -line 5
vamosrafa,
I agree with the examples you have stated regarding Rafa’s difficulties because he was injured. We don’t always know the full extent of an injury. Sometimes a player feels that they can play through it.
I really appreciated the example you brought up about the 2009 RG. I had not seen Rafa play since I/W that year. I heard about the loss to Fed in the Madrid final. But when I saw him play Hewitt, although he beat him in routine fashion, I remember saying to myself that Rafa was going to have to play a lot better if he was going to win RG. I sensed something wasn’t right with him, with his movement. But he was good enough to get past a Hewitt who couldn’t trouble him. Suffice to say that it all caught up to him in that fourth round match against Sod. That’s when it became obvious that Rafa’s movement was impaired by the knee tendinitis.
It’s worth keeping in mind that there are still some who insist that Rafa withdrew from the 2009 Wimbledon out of a fear that he couldn’t win and that he wasn’t injured. I remember reading that on tennis-x, coming from Sean Randall. Many of the rabid Fed fans and just plain haters jumped on that bandwagon and continue to say it to this day.
Rafa fans know full well about the cheap shots thrown at him about not really being injured. I also remember Ben Pronin, a blogger on tennis-x, coming up the theory last year that Rafa wasn’t injured when he was out for seven months. This guy said that Rafa took off to work on his hard court game! Unbelievable! I confronted him and reminded him that Rafa had to withdraw from the Olympics, when he was going to carry his country’s flag. I told him just how absurd his theory was and that it made no sense. But it didn’t stop him from continuing to say it. We don’t need to lower ourselves to their level.
I agree that djokovic and Federer have been lucky with regards to Injuries and poor rafa has been very unlucky 🙁
Djokovic’s physique, weight distribution and flexiblity allow him to pull off those absurd lunges time and time again, they are incredible.
Rafa’s poor luck, his playing style, and body, have all brought more injuries to him. The timing of injuries is something so darn unlucky with rafa….I wish he never gets any injury from now on
MUTUA MADRID OPEN 2014
DJOKOVIC WITHDRAWS FROM MADRID
Madrid, Spain
by ATP Staff | 04.05.2014
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/05/19/Madrid-Sunday-Djokovic-Withdraws.aspx
^^They should re-do the draw. This is the same stuff we saw with Delpo, was it both Indian Wells and Miami, where he withdrew after the draw had been done?
From the ATP article:
“World No. 2 Novak Djokovic has been forced to withdraw from the Mutua Madrid Open, having suffered a recurrence of the right arm injury that afflicted him three weeks ago in Monte-Carlo.”
I thought it was his wrist that was giving him trouble………
He declared after the MC SF that his arm had been very painful when serving (he still managed 65% 1st serves for the whole match) and at changeovers he could be seen holding his arm with his other hand.
I suppose the wrist is part of the arm. He says:
“Now I will take some time to recover and heal my injury, hoping I will be ready for Rome. I look forward to returning to Madrid next year.”
That’s a bit optimistic,considering Rome starts next week. He should in time so that a more balanced draw can be made.
^^My wrist is connected to my shoulder! (joke)…….
Now Wawa has a nice ride all the way to the final. Who’s gonna stop him, Ferru? I think it’s safe to say Wawa owns Ferru now. Kei? I doubt his stamina over 2 tournaments in a row.Raonic? Mehh. The Fog? *doing the laughings*
PseudoRicky HAS to pick Wawa for sure………….
This is what I posted early on during MC:
—————————————————————————————————————–
rafaisthebest says: April 21, 2014 at 8:52 pm
Just read an interesting theory in the blogosphere: Novak does not want to go to Madrid because of the way the Madrid crowd treated him last year so this injury would provide the perfect excuse to miss Madrid.
We (royal “we”) wait and see………………
—————————————————————————————————————-
I take no credit for this, just reported the speculation out there at the time.
Based on this theory, Nole would have stopped playing the USO years ago.
^^true dat…….
Changes nothing really, except all that speculation about Novak possibly overtaking Rafa in the rolling rankings in Madrid has to wait until Rome. He had what, 10 points to defend in Madrid?
RT @russellcfuller: “Novak Djokovic pulls out of Madrid Masters as his right wrist injury has ‘flared up again.’ Says he’s still hoping to be in Rome next week. You can’t help wondering whether Djokovic has risked his chances in the summer slams by not giving the wrist a proper break”
I just can’t see him back before Toronto or even later. Saying he’ll be better in time toplay Rome is too optimistic.
I think his withdrawals are being managed, one tournament at a time. He started off by saying he would be out for some time then immediately retracted that and said he was fit to play Madrid onwards. Someone must have whispered in his ear, tournament directors, maybe, to withdraw his statement.
The same was happening to Rafa is 2012, when we all got excited he would be back for the Nth American swing then the Asian wing, then the YE Final, then Australia and it never happened. Delpo also was in the draws until the very last minute. I don’t expect to see Nole in Rome or RG, at this rate.
Well, whatever decision he takes, I hope he takes it BEFORE tournament draws are done. Lop-sided draws are no fun…….
Nadline@3:26pm “I think his withdrawals are being managed,”
I’m sure the tourney directors would rather the administrative logistics of a last minute withdrawal to the prospect of the impact an advance withdrawal would have – e.g. ticket sales, sponsors’ wrath, TV revenue etc.
Maybe they waited unti they’d signed up the Serbian media. With Rafa there I don’t think ticket sales, TV revenue and sposorship will suffer.
All the media, and in particular the ATP site, have been talking up the Rafa/Nole rivalry and the ‘battle’ for the No.1 spot ad nauseum. Now they have egg on their faces with one of the key players in the drama failing to show up.
^^What, no headlines screaming, “Rafa gets to keep his #1 spot for now!”
#Bummer
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “Sitting in Madrid wondering if I’ve ever seen a smaller international press contingent at any Masters/Premier event. #tennishouldbeworried”
Tell that to Bodo, Neil. He thinks Tiriac is a genius.
Don’t worry, Mr.Neil! Read Spanish media!
I think, all the journalist should learn Spanish.
RT @SI_BTBaseline: “Lucky Winner: With Djokovic’s withdrawal, Paul-Henri Mathieu gets his vacated spot in the Madrid draw and gets a bye into 2R. #atp”
ed251137 says:
May 4, 2014 at 5:23 pm
You got it. ❗
snowdevil says:
May 4, 2014 at 11:58 am
I have seen some here say they long for a diversity of opinions and fans of players other than Nadal on this site. I was just calling the bs as I saw it. I would have said the same thing if it were Federer or Murray, or probably anyone for that matter (except Bellucci. I cannot stand Bellucci).
Nuff said. So you are not a saint after all.
Frankly, I prefer freedom of expression. I don’t like this PC regime where we are all supposed to ‘like’ all the players. Yes, I call out someone who has no difficulty running with the deer and hunting with the hounds, but seriously, I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t feel relief that at least Rafa doesn’t have anyone nipping at his heels atm for the #1 ranking.
Even though Rafa gets a lot of stick on TW no matter what he does, no one expects his fans to be nice about his rivals. They almost declare a national holiday when Rafa loses and have no difficulty in hoping he loses every match he plays, which is fine, because they are not fans of his. The day I start speaking up for Rafa’s rivals, that’s the day I stop posting on tennis forums.
Of course, no one wishes injury to anyone, but don’t tell me that Atletico Madrid would be sorry if Ronaldo was ruled out with injury before the Champions’ League final. It’s par for the course. That’s life.
snowdevil says:
May 4, 2014 at 11:58 am
( I cannot stand Bellucci).
Just wait until vamosrafa sees this. He will not approve!
Nobody here ever said that they were saints. That’s not the issue. It’s a diversionary tactic to try to put others on the defensive. I don’t see anyone telling people here that they have to say nice things about other players. I don’t see anyone stopping others from saying what they think. What I do see are people expressing their prerogative to respect and admire the game and qualities of other players. Or stating their belief that someone is not faking an injury.
This “running with the deer and hunting with the hounds” is the exact comment that was directed at me last year on TT when I gave my opinion that Novak was not faking the ankle injury. This expression clearly implies that the person to whom it is directed is being hypocritical and not honest. It’s a convenient way of insulting someone without coming right out and saying it directly. There was nothing contradictory or wrong in expressing an opinion regarding the legitimacy of Novak’s ankle injury last year.
I don’t know who presumes to make up rules or a guide to who to be a Rafa fan. I don’t understand that at all. As if there is a “right” or “wrong” way to be a Rafa fan. It’s beyond presumptuous for anyone to think that only they know what it means to be a true Rafa fan. If one believes that it’s forbidden to say anything positive about Rafa’s rivals, then that’s their point of view. But don’t try to push it down everyone’s throats.
This is not about being “PC”. It’s not about “gagging” anyone. It’s about the simple right to have a different opinion and express it without having one’s loyalty to Rafa questioned. Guess what? I am relieved that no one can take the #1 ranking away from Rafa right now! I am not happy that it came because of an injury to Rafa’s rival. Or are we still going to talk about Novak “faking” the wrist injury? That he is withdrawing from Madrid for another reason? I guess that might be the case for some. Not for myself.
Noles’s fans on TW think he is boycotting Madrid because they booed him last year, like the Williams sisters boycott IW and they should know. Less of the preaching! I cannot ride 2 horses at the same time.
Take your own advice regarding the preaching.
There are strong similarities between the pronouncements from Nole after he rolled his ankle during the DC match with Sam Querry and the sequence of statements following his loss to Federer.
I’m still struggling to understand why both injuries started out being described as serious requiring long term recuperation. Then a few days later as not being as serious as first feared. In both cases it was implied although no surgery was required nevertheless he might miss Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pv3uzf8
http://preview.tinyurl.com/mjd2uhr
Of course it is always possible that the doctors have misdiagnosed the injury as happened with Davydenko. After falling and injuring his wrist at Rotterdam doctors failed to spot it was broken. It was not until some weeks later an MRI revealed it was actually fractured – by which time he had already played several more matches.
Many of his fans all over the internet pounce on anyone who say they believe he is injured, preferring to believe that he is resting up for RG, or boycotting the tournament because they were hostile to him last year.
Djoko was rude towards the crowd!
Redeucer, May 12, 2013: ¤¤ Djokovic to Madrid: ‘You Will Now Lick My D**k’!
Novak Djokovic recently shouted a vulgarity at the crowd during his second round match against Grigor Dimitrov at the Madrid Open.
With a pro-Dimitrov crowd consistently chanting Dimitrov’s name throughout the match, the sensitive Serbian finally succombed to the pressure.
World No. 28 Dimitrov eventually overpowered Djokovic, 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (8-10) 6-3. And at a change over in the match after Djokovic won the second set tiebreaker, he exclaimed in his native Serbian:
“Sad ce te kurac da mi lizete,” which literally translates to, “You will now lick my dick.”¤¤
@ed,
I respect your opinion and the things that you brought up. All reasonable points. I certainly am willing to read your thoughts and think about what you have said. I don’t know the answers. I have given Novak the benefit of the doubt. I could be wrong. There’s nothing wrong with having suspicions.
Thank you for presenting your concerns in a reasonable and respectful manner. That’s all anyone can ask. I will keep them in mind. 🙂
augusta, I remember it well. Djoker is well known for insulting the crowd with obscene language. No other player I know of, shouts obscenities at the spectators.
I don’t think that would make him skip Madrid, especially as reclaiming the #1 ranking was on the table.
Well, I for one am not going to second-guess his fans. If they are saying he is skipping Madrid out of pique or to save himself for whatever tournament he holds dear, va bene.
At least they are consistent. Last year he saved himself for RG by tanking in Madrid and Rome, no, at least according to some of them?
Good luck Novak!
The theory about Novak tanking both Madrid and Rome was put forth by chr18 on TT at the time. He believed that Novak decided to tank those two tournaments to save himself for RG, especially since he beat Rafa in the final at MC. I told him that I thought that was beyond absurd.
I don’t remember what zare and danica had to say about it at the time. I only remember chr18 being dead serious about that theory. I wasn’t aware that other Novak fans were on board with it. I also remember chr18 getting some grief about it after Novak lost to Rafa in the semis at RG.
Here is one discussion on Djoko’s losses last year
http://www.tennistalk.com/en/previews/20130517/Djokovic_battles_Berdych_for_Rome_semis
^^Hahaha! Brings back sweet memories. Gosh, I was funny then, wonder where my sense of humour’s gone now? Most likely languishing in Monte Carlo trying to figure out how to avoid the Barcelona off-ramp………
And @rafaelo? Hope all is well with her in Iran. Used to chortle at her fright every time Djoko was scheduled to play Rafa. Now, that’s respect.
@augusta08, I think there was another thread where this “Djoko-tank” issue was discussed more exhaustively on TT. On reflection, maybe best not to fish it out, what with all the trolls on patrol at that time.
Thanks for the link, augusta. Nothing has changed, we are all still in character!
I recently had a spirited conversation with Ben Pronin on tennis-x blog where he categorically stated that he believed Novak tanked Rome 2013, essentially to keep himself fresh. Mr. Pronin is a self-professed Novak fan although I have told him I doubt this, more likely a Fedfan supporting Novak for obvious reasons.
I told Mr. Pronin that I did not believe Novak tanked because that would be saying he is a cheat. I may not root for the man but that does not mean I am ready to pin a cheat label on him without proof. So here I was, a non-Novak fan, defending Novak against, to my mind, a disparaging assertion by, a Novak fan! Irony.
I still cannot fathom, why, to a fan, tanking would be better (for them) than saying their fav is injured. I know I would be very upset if there was any suggestion that Rafa tanked a match, any match.
For what it’s worth, I do believe Novak is hurt, how serious, I don’t know. I was skeptical at MC, but I cannot believe he would pass up the opportunity to gain massive ranking points at Madrid if he could play, knowing how important the #1 ranking is to him.
I also do not believe the “boycott” theory because as @nadline pointed out, he would have boycotted the USOpen twice over if he was that thin-skinned!
Anyhoo, it’s all moot now: Novak will not be in Madrid. I for one hope he makes it to Rome, and Paris and meets Rafa along the way, and Rafa shows him who’s the clay-boss!
Vamos Rafa!
….to add: when Mr. Pronin, or anyone else for that matter, calls themselves a Novak fan, I should take them at their word, in spite of my worse angel whispering in my ear to tell him specifically, his nose demurs!
I mean, I do not have the written criteria defining who or what constitutes a Novak fan, or any player fan for that matter.
I admit my default mode is to be cynical about any comments by Novak regarding his injuries and health. In the early days his notorious MTOs and retirements made him the laughing stock of the tennis world. Post the famous spat with Roddick he cleaned up his act dramatically. So much so I commented some months later there was now the risk he would be so afraid of a ‘bad press’ he might not retire when he was legitimately injured and risk long term damage to himself.
The issues I have with the more recent back/ankle/wrist sagas are the over-dramatised scenes on court followed by the ‘it’s serious: it’s not serious’ running commentaries which IMO suggest spin-doctors at work.
I have already said I will be first in line to apologise if the wrist proves to be an on-going problem. Furthermore I want Rafa to have the chance on court to prove who is top dog.
I have no medical training whatsoever, but it occurred to me that Djoker could be suffering from repetitive stress injury which could be treated in a short period if treatment starts at the onset or could go on for a long time needing surgery. I suppose all tennis players are prone to this.
Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are “injuries to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression, or sustained or awkward positions”.
^^^Description from Wiki.
Bodo’s tuppence:
http://espn.go.com/blog/peter-bodo/post/_/id/684/the-mystery-of-djokovics-wrist
Choice quotes:
1. “If you remember, Djokovic had his right wrist strapped during his semifinal loss to Roger Federer in Monte Carlo a few weeks ago. He alarmed fans the day after that tournament ended when he declared that his wrist was in worse shape than he thought.
He rather cryptically said, “I just rest now. I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don’t know. It’s really not in my hands anymore.”
A few days later, the prognosis changed. Djokovic declared that the rest he had on his schedule in any event before the start of Madrid probably would be sufficient to heal his wrist. Thus he was entered in Madrid. But he withdrew shortly after the draw had him going up against another big, physical, hard-hitting player in his first match, Marin Cilic.”
2. “There seem to be a few weird things going on here. For one, this time around Djokovic specifically spoke about an injury to his “arm,” not to his wrist. You have to wonder what that change of emphasis means. For another, these attempts to downplay the severity of the injury seem to be backfiring.”
3. “Djokovic’s comments serve only to obfuscate the issue, and they’re bound to start wild rumors. They raise the question, “Just how badly hurt is he?” And there’s the possibility that the injury is worse than he has been saying (but as bad as he first suggested) and that Djokovic is engaging in some wishful thinking — or is it outright denial? ”
4. “But it’s also possible that this wrist/arm problem is a threat to Djokovic’s short-term goals — or worse.”
Thank goodness for Tenngrand’s high-brow posters who will not stoop so low as to add to the wild rumours by throwing in “silent ban” innuendo, the type we saw thrown at Rafa at erm…….less scrupulous sites when he went off injured.
Bodo had better watch out or the Djoker PC Brigade will be after him. How dare he question Djoker?
When Djoker pulled out of a promo with Rafa in MC, he cited injury to his right ‘hand’, then it turned out to be his right wrist, now he is talking about his right arm. I am veering towards something being lost in translation. We have to remember that English is not his first language. He did say the injury flared up again, so he is talking about the same injury. I think his first statement that he would be out for some time is the truth but he is now trying to pull back on that, why? I don’t know, because he is only fooling himself.
Well, English is not my first language either but my ears pecked up when I heard “arm” when previously I had heard “wrist”………………
Paul Annacone said something interesting sometime ago. He said the top players are reluctant to say exactly what physical ailments they may have……so maybe this is planned obfuscation on Novak’s part.
Bodo was wrong in the above article. His arm was strapped for the SF in Monte Carlo. Not sure if it was just a sweat band or additional strapping for the wrist as well. In any case if there was damage to the wrist it could also cause pain in the arm. He was holding his arm–not the wrist–at the changeovers. I also noticed towards the end of the match he was avoiding using his right hand to unscrew his drink bottles.
^^Correct, Djokovic had his wrist AND arm strapped during the semi against Fed. Bodo’s mistake is to say it was just his wrist. Beyond that, what he is saying is: he is confused about what exactly is ailing Djokovic. Are you confirming that it is the arm that is ailing Djokovic, not the wrist?
The difference might appear semantic, but it really is not. I am not a doctor but I suspect a wrist injury has far more serious ramifications for Djokovic than an arm injury. Just look at Delpo, and a host of other tennis players whose careers have been seriously impacted by such an injury. I have yet to hear of a tennis player being seriously sidelined by an arm injury. Djokovic himself has talked about his wrist and hand, not his arm.
So, for me, the essence of Bodo’s article is, “How serious is Djokovic’s injury?”, not so much which body part was taped during the semi in MC because quite frankly, he does not know!
^^^to clarify, ed251137, if your prognosis is that it is the arm that is ailing Novak then the situation should be better for him than if it were his wrist.
No I don’t know for sure but my feeling is it was the arm which was/is troubling him. For sure his serve lacked its usual pop but he was not holding back with his BH or FH although he clocked up a lot of errors with both.
I recall in his previous match against GGL his upper forearm was strapped with blue tape.
NB: After the SF Djokovic talked about experiencing a lot of pain in his arm when he serving. In the post match presser he stated categorically “there was no need for surgery……there was no rupture or anything like that.”
We can but wait and see.
As you pointed out, the pain in the arm could be transmitted from the wrist. For his sake, I hope it is not the wrist because wrist injuries tend to become chronic.
It would be ironic if it were to be a wrist injury. I always assumed if he did get injured it would be something to do with the legs. He pushes them to (and beyond) the limit of what seems possible.
Did you see the Bodo insinuation that Novak withdrew immediately after the draw after it was clear he would be facing a big hitte, Cilic, in his first match? Novak did say, in MC, his hand was worsened by that long match he played with the Spaniard (can’t remember his name) before the semi.
It just made me wonder whether, if it is the wrist, is this not the accumulation of the punishment it has absorbed as Novak raised his game post 2011 to, let’s face it, knock Rafa off his perch? Much has been made of how Rafa has had to adjust to keep up with Novak’s challenge post 2011 but not much has been said about the toll on Novak to knock Rafa off his perch.
rafaisthebest@May 5, 2014 at 5:21 pm
–his hand was worsened by that long match he played with the Spaniard (can’t remember his name) before the semi.—
It was Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
My comment on April 19, 2014 at 6:18 pm:
I know that GGL can hit hard shots. I did not watch the match, but I thought to myself, “GGL, please hit the ball as hard as you can!” He obviously did.
RITB@5:21
The innuendo did not go unnoticed.
I wouldn’t read too much into his whole arm being bandaged. If you fracture your ankle you usually end up with a plaster right up to your knee.
what was the deal with Klizan and Fognini wearing those blue arm sleeves yesterday?
^^It was really cold, according to the commentators (I didn’t check the temp, so I don’t know what it was). Saw lots of folks in the crowd with hats and heavy coats. Both Klizan and Fognini were wearing long sleeve shirts under their regular attire. Both shirts just happened to be blue.
Novak on his facebook page, April 24, 2014: ” I could not be a happier person because I AM HEALTHY, I am loved and God blessed me with expecting a new family member with my Jelena”
the emphasis is on : I AM HEALTHY…
sorry to kill all your interesting theories and speculations, but rest assured that Novak will be just fine…he skipped Madrid because he did not train much since he was resting his arm/wrist/whatever and also having fun with his future wife (I don’t blame him for that, he sure deserves it!) and we all know he would not like to lose early and send the wrong message to the world (read Rafa, i.e., unnecessarily building Rafa’s shaken confidence)when he-Nole really has nothing to lose if not playing at all…knowing how Rafa is playing at the moment, Nole is hoping Rafa would beat himself once again which will in return make Nole’s life a lot easier and all he needs to do is to sit in the armchair comfortably enjoying the show…
I read Serbian papers guys…Nole is anything but worried, he is in Belgrade conducting fund raising for his Foundation to provide for some humanitarian activity…
and the most interesting comment from his fans, I quote:
“It’s known in advance that Rafael must win in Madrid, there is no need for Nole to waste his energy. Good idea and he also gets to rest his arm.”
I hope you are right Nolefans…
Vamos Rafa!
^^You have indeed shafted our theories and speculations @natashao2013. We should know better than to second guess his fans………
natashao2013@May 5, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Clear! Just a lot of noise about nothing!
““It’s known in advance that Rafael must win in Madrid, there is no need for Nole to waste his energy. Good idea and he also gets to rest his arm.””
One can almost touch the sneering in that quote.
Sigh…..
true indeed…nothing new though…I hear and read all sorts of comments downplaying Rafa almost on a daily basis…and it comes from Nole’s fan-base but I stoically endure all of those…and then I come here to learn that Rafans are in some kind of war with one side defending Nole from other Rafans…I really find it difficult to understand… 😕
^^@nats, please keep feeding us the news from the Serbian press about Novak’s “rehabilitation”. Appears to be more reliable info coming out of there than we get from the so-called international press. You are our “Serbian @augusta08!”
Vamos!
I rest my case.
@natashao,
Well I find it hard to understand why anyone would try to shut down those of us who may not believe the worst about Novak. This kind of ganging up, the comments about the “pc brigade” are quite disturbing.
People should be free here to say what they think. This strange idea that defending or saying something supportive about Novak, is in some way disloyal to Rafa, is quite simply inaccurate and wrong, One has nothing to do with the other.
Maybe we need a set of rules here to tell us what we can and cannot say. As far as I know, Ricky has not indicated that there is any rule that specifically states that a Rafa fan must never say anything positive about any of his rivals. Maybe Ricky can correct me if I am wrong in that regard. I also wasn’t aware that there is any rule that states that no one can ever criticize Rafa in any way. Someone here was critical of Rafa’s game, someone who has been a longtime Rafa fan. That person was subjected to personal attacks and has left the forum. Is this what it’s going to be like? Shutting people down because they say something that others don’t like? That’s not what a tennis forum is supposed to be about as far as I am concerned.
I know that I didn’t start this war. It started on TT when I was called out and attacked for saying that I believed Novak had an ankle injury. Then it started up here all over again. But I am not about to let someone tell me what to say or what to think. If I have an opinion or belief about something, then I should have a right to say without fear of retribution.
I think if Rafa ever came on here and read some of the attacks on his own fans, he would not appreciate it at all. Rafa doesn’t do revenge. He doesn’t lower himself to the level of others. Those who presume to defend him and personally attack others in his name, are doing a real disservice to a great player.
NNY: ^^^^^Referring to open warfare is somewhat OTT. Maybe I’m obtuse and missing something but nowhere do I see personal attacks on this thread or attempts to ‘gag’ people from speaking their minds. There are two schools of thought and a certain amount of jousting: that’s the nature of blogging. You are leaning over backwards to give Djokovic the benefit of the doubt which in itself is laudable. I and others are not so charitable based on his ‘form’ over the years.
As a matter of interest, with hindsight, do you still believe the 2013 ankle issue was exaggerated?
Let me rephrase the final paragraph.
Do you not agree the 2013 ankle issue was exaggerated?
Ed, first of all, you are not being referred to when talking about personal attacks.Secondly, that reference is not at all associated with this particular thread. If you still have not been able to notice what we are referring to, I am surprised. Someone as netural as Luckystar was, she left the forum ! if your definition of ‘personal attacks’ is using abusive language only, then its a diff thing.
Very honestly put, i am very much in favor of having different opinions. I like it when people don’t agree with me because it allows me go engage in good discussions on tennis. I welcome disagreements but what I am referring to has not been disagreements. Do you think I deserve to be called a rafa detractor? or a rafa critic? LOL.. or for that matter luckystar or NNY? saying anything critical about rafa in a constructive way or showing respect to his opponents makes you a disloyal rafa fan?? I am not referring to you but you can find plenty of references regarding what I am saying !! How the heck can someone claim they are a more loyal rafa fan than I am ?
I REPEAT, i have absolutely no issues if anyone disagrees with me on ANY topic . But, calling me a rafa detractor, rafa critic or too sensitive for novak is just rubbish and leads to these pointless exchanges that are becoming commonplace on this site now. Detailed discussions on tennis are becoming less frequent and that’s a pity. I AM VERY MUCH FOR LENGHTY DISCUSSIONS ON TENNIS…I hope the difference is clear !
whether the injury is being exaggerated or not, I don’t know. But, I am more than willing to give the benefit of the doubt to a good sportsman and show respect because I am 100% sure this is how my man, rafa view it too ! I know djokovic has a shaky history with injuries, but nobody knows the severity of this. Do you guys remember rafa’s abdominal tear in 2009 USO? I THINK entering into the tournament rafa did not speak much about it ! As the tournament went on, it was then reported how bad it was ! Mat cronin reported how deep/thick the tear was and then it was manifest in the USO SF against Delpo how badly hampered rafa was ! It’s never easy with these injuries. too much uncertainty…
The guy is obsessed with becoming world no.1, the idea that he would miss a tournament where he can very well gain 1000 points? Makes no sense. For me this carries the same weight as those ridiculous speculations around Wimb 2009 when rafa did not play. Besides, I have just been trying to answer some of the points being raised in a logical manner. Saying that novak was delivering breadsticks and bagels with a sore wrist was obviously not speculation but accusation that he was faking !! I disagreed with it and gave examples from rafa’s career ! I am bemused why would anyone miss a practice session before a SF of a MS 1000 against Roger Federer and then missing a tournament where he could have gained 1000 points potentially ! If someone has an issue with this reasoning, please feel free to express it and I will be happy to answer and will be interested in knowing the other views. But please, anything but questioning my loyalty towards rafa !! For me, That is the only source of these futile exchanges that have ensued ! If there are other reasons, let me know !
Vamosfara: I was speaking about this particular thread, not in general. To be honest I had not picked up on you being targeted either here or elsewhere although I am well aware of the jibes directed at NNY. IMO there is a difference between the concerted ganging up on somebody over a period of time and the odd slanging match which takes place in the heat of the moment.
You are right in saying too many column inches are being devoted to these back and forth arguments at the expense of informed debate about the actual tennis. I fear I am one of the culprits for banging the drum about Djokovic and his injuries and prolonging this particular topic. I will shut up from now on 😉
I don’t like to copy paste stuff from other threads so not going to do it…haha…but being someone who has always refrained from making personal remarks about anyone, I am shocked to read comments that say I am a rafa detractor ! so I have no doubts as for the roots of all this drivel.
Its okay, sometimes it is natural to have discussions not discussing tennis in detail , esp when a tournament has not started. However, I am sure the tennis discussions have become way too less frequent now ! if you aggressively start questioning people as to why they even dare criticize rafa or his coach or praise his rivals, I presume there won’t be many tennis discussions happening , esp having lost Luckystar too !
i said I don’t like copy pasting stuff to extend these futile exchanges, but to be clear to you on what I have been saying, here is an example :
“Bodo had better watch out or the Djoker PC Brigade will be after him. How dare he question Djoker?”
So now I am part of a djoker PC brigade ! ahh, and its just a matter of time before someone will make me look like a fool by playing the innocent ‘ some people need to get a sense of humor’.
anyway, I am totally FOR ending all this. tennis discussions (no matter how many disagreements they have) is what I prefer BY FAR and is supposed to be the purpose of these blogs.
nativenewyorker7@May 5, 2014 at 11:36 pm
—Maybe we need a set of rules here to tell us what we can and cannot say.—
The rule should be that people commenting here shouldn’t make themselves the center of attention. Rafa is all that matters to me (here).
I’m taking it all with a large pinch of salt.
But on which version will you sprinkle the salt Nadline?
#BluffOrDoubleBluff
“I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don’t know,” Djokovic said
“Fortunately, the situat
ion with the injury is better than it first seemed. Doctors assured me that I will be ready for Madrid, then Rome and Roland Garros, just as it has been planned. However, I need to continue with the recovery process and full medical treatments. It means I will have to take a short break in order to recover as soon as possible,” Novak said.
World number two Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Madrid Masters as his right wrist injury has “flared up again”.
” I could not be a happier person because I AM HEALTHY,”
ed, all of it!
we’ll soon know…Rome is around the corner… 😉
Do any of you remember two blogs by Cheryl in 2008?
one was the ‘Sore Throat’ http://preview.tinyurl.com/k8bcvd3
the other ‘Think Before You Speak’. http://preview.tinyurl.com/pq3ssaa
They make interesting reading in the light of the current discussion.
#LeopardsDon’tChangeTheirSpots
^^Okay, ed251137, you asked for it, here it is!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G4O5AMSevc
2008? Where was I back then 😀
How did you know I admire Cher – the role model for all women who refuse to grow old gracefully. Great song too.
Whoopsadaisy. Way off topic.
^^I didn’t! You are the one who turned back time with those ol’d TT threads, and of course the song just appeared!
Yes, my role model too…………except, I draw the line on those skimpy get-ups she wangles so well!
I bet she is a Rafan too!
ed251137 says: May 6, 2014 at 7:27 am
Whoopsadaisy indeed! Kind of mood I woke up in today! #Happy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM
I’m not claiming to know what Rafa would or would not do, what he is thinking or which of his fans he would be ashamed of. I just find it most strange that one Rafan ALWAYS agrees with any criticisms of Rafa but would bend backwards to defend any other player if they were criticised. Seemingly to be appreciated by the other side.
It’s understandable if fans like more than one player, or are more broad minded, vamosrafa, I admire you for that. But to constantly jump a Rafa detractors bandwagon then stick you neck out to defend every other player, to me, is bizarre.
I put my hand up as a one dimensional Rafan but one thing I am not is sanctimonious by any stretch of the imagination. I am not going to pretend that I wish his rivals a speedy recovery to come back on tour and make things harder for him. I’m sure they in turn were grateful to have a 7 months Rafa-free tour. As Davy said when asked, he didn’t think the locker room missed Rafa because that gave them a chance to win something.
Obviously, if they were ILL, that’s a different matter, of course I would wish them all the best then and hope they recover asap; but being unfit to play is quite different. When Rafa’s fans try to make excuses for him because of injury we are firmly told that it’s all part of the game.
firstly, why is it so hard for you to know what rafa thinks of his rivals? unless you think he is falsely respectful of his rivals(which is of course you don’t think), there is no other reason to cause any confusion in interpretation here ! rafa defends his fellow rivals …he has done that countless times !
Plus, let me make my take very clear. I am rafa fan, in fact a rafa fanatic …I have defended him countless times and will continue to do so. From the other players, i don’t LIKE any player ! however, i respect federer and djokovic and I personally prefer it this way because i see rafa respecting his fiercest rivals !
“I just find it most strange that one Rafan ALWAYS agrees with any criticisms of Rafa but would bend backwards to defend any other player if they were criticised. Seemingly to be appreciated by the other side.”
are you referring this to me??? I ALWAYS agree to any criticism on rafa? are you sure you are talking about me? I am HOPING it is not pointed at me… IF it is, then its extremely pitiful … as I told augusta before, I have defended rafa ‘more’ than you guys have done ! the reason I am claiming it? the long ,detailed essays i have written to defend rafa from the attacks launched by the likes of maxi, torres9, chr18 and many more !
Plus, if you really are making a claim about something, make sure to hold on to it consistently.
I have mentioned in this comment.
vamosrafa, try to concentrate on Rafa, not on yourself
vamosrafa, I am most certainly not referring to yo, NNY knows full well I am referring to her because I have called her out on this many times.
what are you talking about? makes absolutely no sense. Nadline is talking to me, I have to reply. should i reply to nadline by mentioning rafa’s age? or his date of birth?
it wud be much better if you could start engaging others and yourself in healthy discussions about rafa and tennis and stop pointing out ‘disloyal’ behavior (as you see it )
i can’t speak on behalf of NNY, she will do that herself. but personally, I have NOT seen any such behavior from NNY either, I am very sure. Plus, though not as frequently, I have been called out on this multiple times so I do feel I have to have my say in this.rafa detractors were abundant on TT and are present in huge numbers on diff sites. HOW on earth are those detractors even comparable to hardcore rafa fans like me or NNY?! This is beyond my comprehension so please elaborate.
I have had my say now and if anyone issue regarding it, feel free to discuss.
vamosrafa@May 6, 2014 at 9:45 am
Whom are you talking to?
I responded to your comment , Augusta.
vamosrafa@May 6, 2014 at 10:13 am
Please give me a link to my comment(s) you referred to at 9:45 am.
by the way, which ‘every player’ have i defended? from where are you getting all this information from? please don’t present these lies. Besides, even if I am defending a player , or more appropriately put, when I am giving my opinions on another player, I am not doing it at the cost of rafa ! Uncle Toni criticizes rafa often so nadline, you shud start calling him a rafa detractor ! how on earth you interpret analyzing rafa’s loss as behaving like a rafa detractor is beyond me ! and stop making these indirect claims as to being a more loyal rafa fan. blind hero worship does not make you the most loyal fan.sorry.
vamosrafa, I specifically said I admired you for being broad-minded so you should have deduced from that that the rest of my comments were not directed at you. NNY, to me, always seems to be playing to the gallery and it just smirks of ingenuity to me.
NNY: “I think if Rafa ever came on here and read some of the attacks on his own fans, he would not appreciate it at all. Rafa doesn’t do revenge. He doesn’t LOWER himself to the level of others. Those who presume to defend him and personally attack others in his name, are doing a real disservice to a great player.”
This was what I responded to when I said no one can claim to know what Rafa will or will not approve of. To say that Rafa would not LOWER himself to the level of others is crossing the line.
You are getting uptight about comments that are not directed at you, so calm down.
like i said, NNY will respond for herself. However, what’s common between what NNY said and what I have said is : rafa never criticizes/attacks his opponents. He has been seen countless times defending his fellow rivals…be it federer, be it djokovic, be it gasquet ..be it murray .. so regarding that, there should be no doubts as to how rafa treats his rivals… not everyone can be like rafa, but his response to the venom spitted by Rochus is a prime example of CLASS. Respect for Rafa. there is much more in him than being a great tennis player that inspires me tremendously.
I don’t want to prolong this discussion as both of us know it’s futile. I have clearly expressed what I think. I can;t remember who was involved but deucy, being a very good murray fan, was attacked for saying something critical when analyzing rafa’s prospects. If a troll/Fedbot attacks rafa, thats a totally diff scenario. But decent fans like deucy ..thats a diff thing….
anyway, I have said what I wanted to say. This is the MOST i have ever talked not related to tennis …haha….i really hope to see healthy tennis discussions, centered on rafa…
Oh no…..the Pharell Williams video I posted above? Him lounging on that car brought back memories of Novak’s car humping victory jig after his 2011 win at Madrid. Upside? He is not around to repeat if he won!
#SmallMercies
vamosrafa@May 6, 2014 at 10:11 am
—l can;t remember who was involved but deucy, being a very good murray fan, was attacked for saying something critical when analyzing rafa’s prospects.—
You should write concretely who & when & how attacked her, not blame generally.
I asked her not to worry about Rafa&Toni’s relationships and argued against the diagnosis OCD given Rafa by the Federazzi. She believes the diagnosis.
I’ll repeat the same in the future!!!
I also believe that Rafa has OCD. I must be a federazzi.
#WhoKnew
#Ironic
hawkeye63@May 6, 2014 at 12:25 pm
You have let the Federazzi influence you.
Oh woe is me.
I just hope I can be saved.
^^ 🙂
Stand firm against the schemes of the devil! 👿
Oh don’t worry about me. I always do. And the devil wears many faces. 🙄
^^No, the devil wears prada……….. ❓
The latest on the arm/hand/wrist:
PR NOVAK DJKOKOVIC PRESS!
“We wish to inform you that Novak Djokovic of yesterday in Belgrade, where he will spend the next few days. Staying at home is our best tennis player will use primarily to continue with the process of recovery from the violation of the right hand, or therapies that have been prescribed by his doctors” !
Yesterday I read here that there’s nothing wrong with him!
(natashao2013 says:
May 5, 2014 at 7:32 pm)
Natashao’s post was dated 24th May, the above was posted 11 hrs ago. On Sunday this is what was on his FB page:
“Our best tennis player will not participate in the Masters Tournament , which is currently playing in Madrid .
Despite all the measures taken , therapy and rest, another arm of the racket of the world is not yet sufficiently recovered . It showed today examinations by a doctor , where it is estimated that the performances in the capital of Spain wore a considerable risk that the worsening health situation . Therefore , in order to avoid serious consequences, and that would not jeopardize the season slag , primarily grand slam in Paris , Novak decided to miss Madrid , and try to get ready for Rome , which is played from 11 to 18 May .”
Natashao’s post was dated 24th Apr,
Natashao commented on May 5.
It was from his FB page of the 24th April
natashao2013 says:
May 5, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Novak on his facebook page, April 24, 2014: ” I could not be a happier person because I AM HEALTHY, I am loved and God blessed me with expecting a new family member with my Jelena”
nadline@7:21pm
natashao read FRESH Serbian newspapers!
“I read Serbian papers guys…Nole is anything but worried, he is in Belgrade conducting fund raising for his Foundation to provide for some humanitarian activity…”
#BluffAndDoubleBluff
#TakeYourPick
So Nole should be in Rome by Friday practising.
vamosrafa,
Thanks for having my back. But now I am here, ready and willing to speak for myself. I love someone throwing around the word “ingenuity”, when all they need to is look in the mirror. I have been true to myself in giving players the benefit of the doubt when it comes to injuries. Cheryl Murray had the same belief. I am doing nothing more for Novak than I would do for any other player. It’s simple and consistent. So the ingenuity is in one person’s mind. People sometimes see what they wish to see. If they are looking for an argument or a fight or want to just call out someone, then they can drum up anything. The point is to publicly humiliate and embarrass that person.
I still find it galling that any Rafa fan would presume to act as his avenging angel. This idea that any conduct, any personal insults or attacks are justified because it’s about Rafa, is absolutely disingenuous. Because it’s not about Rafa. It’s about marginalizing someone. If you don’t like a person, then at least have the guts to come out and say so, instead of hiding behind the pretense of defending Rafa.
Being a true Rafa fan, I prefer to follow his example. He doesn’t feel the need to go tit-for-tat when someone says something negative about him. He stays true to his beliefs and values. That’s what I am doing. I am staying true to myself. I don’t play to any gallery. Where is the gallery to whom I am playing on this site? It’s an absurd attack that has no basis in logic or reason.
It’s also convenient for someone to cry foul when the response is supposedly crossing the line. But the person who admits to starting this and calling me out, is the one who crossed the line initially. So don’t go crying about it when it comes right back at you. Accusing me of playing to the crowd and disingenuity is crossing the line in my book. So I don’t have to play nice when someone makes that kind of attack. You can’t have it both ways.
NNY. I have come to realise that I am judging you by my own standards. I am ultra loyal and can’t relate to anyone who is neutral. Let’s just accept that we will never see eye to eye where that is concerned.
@nadline,
Yes, on that point we are in agreement.
I want to still come on this site and feel free to participate in the discussions. So I am willing to let this go. I want to move forward and just enjoy the tennis,
@ed,
Regarding your post @ 7:17 am, I just wanted to say thanks. I have tried to reach out to you because we have “known” each other for a long time on TT. I think we’ve managed to have some good discussions and even disagreed, but always with respect.
I have tried to find common ground with you and hear your point of view. I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with what I say. I never have. As long as it doesn’t get personal, I don’t want to be spending my time defending myself as a true Rafa fan. You know what that feels like, because you were also accused of the same thing. It’s not a pleasant experience. We should be willing to live and let live.
It’s important to point out that I didn’t start this thing. I never went around questioning any Rafa fan. That’s not my place. I assume that people who come here as Rafa fans are being honest. I think everyone deserves that consideration. I will give respect to those who are willing to give it to me. But I am not going to get into this ongoing battle that never ends, just to prove that I am a real, true blue Rafa fan. I know what Rafa means to me. That’s what is important.
^^^^Roll with the punches 🙂
Serbian press-Novosti:
“Novak Djokovic is in Belgrade, where he will spend the next few days with his family. Staying at home our best player will use, primarily, to continue with the process of recovery from injury of the right hand, or therapies that are prescribed by doctors to him.
This week Novak will also dedicate his time to some charity activities with his foundation.
If everything goes as planned, Djokovic will return to the court for the Masters tournament in Rome, which takes place from 10th to 18th May.”
I never said Novak did not have an injury because I cannot possibly know that! But from what I read in the Serbian press it is nothing serious. Novak is cheerful and is enjoying some time with his family and recently said he will “start preparing for Rome”.
There was also an interesting headline published some hours ago which states: “Federer follows Novak’s footsteps and skips Madrid”.
Funny statement given that they have very different reasons for skipping Madrid…
FYI
from Nole’s forums: Some Nole’s fans shared an info that Nole is suffering from an ‘inflammation of the forearm muscle’ and that all he needs to do is rest…there are some suggesting Novak should skip Rome and play Nice instead to rest his arm longer…and there are plenty of those who state he is fine but just did not want to play Madrid to punish the rude Spanish crowd and will definitely play in Rome…but they all agree on one thing though that in any event Rafa will not be able to defend his points and that Nole will soon be back to No1…
^^Thanks @natashao2013, good to hear what different sources are reporting out there………
That prognosis makes sense. Nothing rest and a few anti-inflammatory pills wont fix.
Inflammation is a ‘problem’ rather than a career threatening ‘injury’.
Djokovic health issues always make me think of the adage: ‘When a man says he has flu, he has a cold: when he says he is dying, he has the flu.’
The internet is a massive and dangerous tool when it comes to shaping and exploiting public opinion in every area of life (international relations, politics, business, etc.etc.)
At a more mundane level in everyday life it is impossible to distinguish between fact and fiction unless you are privy to inside information. Rumours rapidly morph into fact when disseminated via the social media or are planted via judicious editing of Wiki pages.
It is hardly surprising we are having difficulty fathoming out the truth behind the tennis world stories when we are presented with mixed messages and conflicting information.
^^True. But let’s just say where poor Novak is concerned, I am happy to lap up all the bs out there! 👿
We all are guilty of cherry picking the info out there and massaging the facts to feed our own personal beliefs. ?? ?
^^AMEN @ed251137!
Nobody’s perfect, at least I own up to my imperfections!
#GuiltyAsCharged
^^^Exactly. The statements are all ambiguous. Saying “I am healthy” could mean anything. I have a stiff shoulder right now, but I am healthy. Having a sore arm/hand/wrist doesn’t mean you are not healthy.
true…but why would Nole point it out specifically unless he wanted to say that his injury was nothing serious and that his fans should not be worried…unless you show some kind of illness people assume you are healthy…Nole thanking God for being healthy is related to tennis…that is how his fans see it and frankly I believe it…
I think he was saying, I may not be fit to play tennis atm, but hey, look, I am loved, I’m happy, my girlfriend is pregnant and I am healthy.
well, we can all end up with different interpretations…only Nole knows the real truth…we shall just wait and see…
SuperSport, 07 May 2014 ¤¤ Djokovic seen fit for Rome, French open.
Kolar, who first treated Djokovic last year for an ankle injury, said the Serbian six-time Grand Slam champion was suffering from an inflamed tendon.¤¤
http://www.supersport.com/tennis/atp/news/140507/Djokovic_seen_fit_for_Rome_French_open
correct…it’s all over the Serbian press…”Nole will be ready to play Rome and RG”…
ed251137 says:
May 7, 2014 at 7:56 am
must agree on that one… 🙂 guilty as charged…
Djokovic training in Belgrade:
https://twitter.com/PavleKn/status/464705829426724864/photo/1
RT @DjokerNole: “Rome here I come!”
Happy birthday, Novak!
RT @ESPNTennis: “Happy 27th Birthday @DjokerNole!! Looking forward to seeing you @rolandgarros”
Wow he donated his entire check from Rome to the Serbia flood relief. Classy.
Classy? What’s classy about that? You are doing him an injustice by making the donation reflect on him rather than the suffering of the people and severity of the tragedy. This is not about Novak.
Happy Birthday, Nole!
When last has Roger or Rafa given up almost 800,000 of their money to anything? Just saying.
chevelle@May 23, 2014 at 12:06 am
Rafa has paid a much larger amount of money in taxes to his country – tens of millions. And he’ll continue to pay.
^^^^Touche
Well said, @augusta08 at 4:59am.
Rafa does not need a megaphone to trumpet his patriotism or humanitarianism. Can’t help but notice the parallel: Djokovic compared the Serbian disaster to the Turkish mining disaster and here’s @chevelle comparing Djokovic’s patriotism or humanitarianism to Rafa and Fed’s. Why the need to compare? Not necessary in either case imo…..
It is the giving that matters, not the amount.
As a percentage of his annual income it is no more generous than the 10 euro donation from old age pensioner living on a pittance.
@chevelle says:
May 23, 2014 at 12:06 am
The fact that they don’t announce it doesn’t mean that they don’t do it.
@augusta
Djoker should live in his country and pay his taxes like Rafa does.
Aren’t you supposed to go to jail if you don’t pay your taxes? Hardly seems charitable when you pay to avoid the slammer does it? And I don’t think it’s fair to compare living in paradise to living in Belgrade. It just so happens that Novak was not born in a rich country like Switzerland or an island like Mallorca. Give the guy a break. Nobody forced him to donate his Rome check.
Gulbis: “I’m very happy for some players. For example, I was very happy when Wawrinka reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Also Gasquet. I know these guys very well and they are fantastic people.
However, there are some players who do not. For example Djokovic. I’ve known him since the age of 12. At that time he was a normal guy, but since he broken through in the top of the world, he has changed as a person. This can be seen in his eyes, they have a different look to them. We never had a fight, but I feel his success has changed him. I do not like people who change. I like people with a strong character, one who will not change because of the success or the money they made. That’s why I try to stay the same, ” said Gulbis.
Gulbis is not the first player who criticized Djokovic. Previously, Pole Jerzy Janovič did, who also had objections to the behavior of Roger Federer.
Boris Becker’s Spanish villa to be confiscated and auctioned off for £6million after he failed to pay £340,000 builder’s bill
By CHRIS PLEASANCE
PUBLISHED: 10:39, 14 March 2014 |
Boris Becker’s Spanish villa is being auctioned off for £6million after the tennis star lost a court case involving an unpaid builder’s bill.
The 46-year-old former tennis player purchased the property on Majorca 17 years ago and has been embroiled in court cases over it ever since.
Now the nine-bedroom holiday home is set to be confiscated and sold at auction after Becker failed to pay £340,000 for carpentry, plumbing and layering a basketball court.
Boris Becker’s Spanish villa is to be confiscated and auctioned for £6million to cover a £340,000 unpaid builder’s bill and £20,000 in court costs and interest
Boris Becker’s Spanish villa is to be confiscated and auctioned for £6million to cover a £340,000 unpaid builder’s bill and £20,000 in court costs and interest
In 2003 a court ruled that part of the villa had been constructed illegally and ordered rooms to be torn down
In 2003 a court ruled that part of the villa had been constructed illegally and ordered rooms to be torn down.
Becker also owes a further £20,000 in court costs and interest, bringing the total to £360,000.
Seven years ago Becker tried to sell the villa for £12.5million but failed to find a buyer. By 2012 the property value fallen to £7million.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2580827/Boris-Beckers-Spanish-villa-confiscated-auctioned-6million-failed-pay-340-000-builders-bill.html#ixzz33yKhprr9
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
You couldn’t make it up
http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-lets-off-steam-after-french-open-loss-by-partying-with-a-blowup-doll/story-fndkzym4-1226950662831
^^No words…………
Speaking of Ibiza (where Djoko was partying), it’s one of the Balearic Islands and a close neighbor to Mallorca – home to Rafa. 🙂
Did you read this in the article? Who are these people who get the facts so wrong?
Nadal said his ninth French Open triumph was payback for his injury-hit Australian Open defeat to DJOKOVIC earlier this year.
I just read on Daily Mail that Dover has canceled his Montenegro wedding in order to focus on Wimbledon. It says he would marry his fiancee after Wimbledon. It’s DM so takes it with a grain of salt.
It should be “Djoker”. I hate auto correction.
Hope he doesn’t do a McIlroy.
For his fiancée’s and their baby’s sake, I hope not either. But didn’t he agree to the date beforehand? Did she pick the date without his input? Who would pick a wedding date between FO and Wimbledon for a tennis player? The story sounds weird.
I strongly suspect Djokovic, again, believed the hype and propaganda that he was going to win RG 2014. So, the wedding was originally planned to take place just after the RG as icing on the RG cake. You see, to him, winning RG would have eclipsed trying to win Wimby therefore he would not have needed to prepare for Wimby. When he failed to win, again, he then decided he needed to pay more attention to Wimby afterall because he hasn’t won a Slam in ……how many years?
It’s all about himself…………..
^^^^I had assumed the marriage would be on the scale of a ‘Royal Wedding’ in Belgrade – complete with a national holiday!!!!!!
Remember his Homecoming after he won Wimbledon and became Numero Un? That was organised by his mother through the family sports promotion business. I’m surprised the event is not being used as a golden opportunity for world-wide media coverage. Instead we’re being drip-fed information via Twitter.
#VeryRum
RT @NeilHarmanTimes: “In praise of @DjokerNole a great champion who, sadly, too few people understand http://thetim.es/1jjRd9j ”
Erh….people are no mugs. If they do not understand Djoko, it’s because well, he is not making himself well-understood.
Yeah, the Wimbledon crowd is disrespectful.
Secondly, I am wondering why Mr. Harman hasn’t noticed empty seats during Fed’s matches.
RT @TheBorisBecker: “Can’t believe what Peter #Bodo from @ESPNTennis wrote about @DjokerNole and me in his blog today! Have a bit respect for the new Nr.1!”
Boris, you will soon learn that (if you’re still around as Novak’s coach, that is) the Federazzi do not take kindly to ANYONE:
a. administering a regular beating on their God; and
b. creeping up on the Slam count, GOAR-dom is taken, do not disturb.
If Novak insists on ignoring the above, he will soon find that all those Fedfans who had become Nolefans will soon withdraw their affection for him.
The chief Federazzi, Bodo, is merely sounding a warning volley.
You have been warned.
Ricky, un-moderate my post of 9:49 am please.
My post of 9:49 am should read, “…………. GOAT-dom is taken, do not disturb.”
No sign of the official wedding photos yet, doesn’t matter, congratulations Novak and Jelena, may all your problems be little ones!
RT @borisbeckerofficial : “@djokernole ties the knot with @JelenaRistic !!! #champ #wedding #love #nolefam #TeamDjokovic”
http://instagram.com/p/qQudt8kf_g/
Novak Djokovic Gets Married Today at Site Fit for Wimbledon’s King
Jul 10, 2014, 8:11 AM ET
By DRAGANA JOVANOVIC
Today, the score is love all for Novak Djokovic. The world’s number one ranked tennis player, who just celebrated his seventh grand slam championship ay Wimbledon last weekend, is to be married in a two-day wedding event to his longtime girlfriend Jelena Ristic.
Djokovic and Ristic are set for a civil wedding ceremony at the idyllic Adriatic resort of Sveti Stefan in Montenegro. On Saturday there will be a private church wedding, a source confirmed to ABC News.
Sveti Stefan, the setting for the pre-wedding party, is a tiny 15th century town, perched on a rocky outcropping over the Adriatic, its only connection to the mainland, a narrow causeway longer than several football fields. With its thick town walls and narrow streets of cottages roofed in terracotta, the scenic village is one of the loveliest and most exclusive resorts on the southern Adriatic coast.
Inside the town walls, guests can stroll through narrow, twisting streets, dotted with pines and palm trees and abundant plots of flowering oleanders, and trees laden with figs and oranges.
The wedding couple are expecting their first child in October. They clearly want their church ceremony to be private and the isolated spot on the exclusive resort island should assure the presence of only their closest friends and families.
In the Balkans, the Djokovic wedding is more than a big deal. The king of Wimbledon has almost royal status, and local media have been calling the event “The wedding of the century.” Some have even labeled Djokovic and Ristic the “Will and Kate” of the Balkans, after England’s royal couple.
Employees at the Sveti Stefan resort have had to sign confidentiality agreements not to reveal even the smallest detail of the wedding. Mobile phones have been banned from the venue, to prevent any unauthorized pictures from the wedding, according to reports.
The Djokovics will have pictures, but the rights to them have been sold to Hello magazine for a regal sum, which will go to charity.
Adding to the size of one of the largest events in the Balkans in recent memory, large contingents are expected from the police and state security services from both Serbia and Montenegro.
Already, local media say roads to Milocer and Sveti Stefan have been sealed off from the public, with polite security officers stationed every few yards. There is a police scuba-diving squad standing by, and an anti-terrorist unit on alert.
Montenegro has seen this before, but usually only when high ranking politicians or heads of state are visiting. In the 1960s and 1970s people like Sophia Loren, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were frequent Sveti Stefan visitors, and it was rumored that it was the destination of choice for the British Crown Prince Charles and Diana’s honeymoon, until press attention forced the couple to change their plans.
In 1992, Sveti Stefan got global attention when the famously reclusive American chess champion Bobby Fischer broke his two decade long self-exile from the game to play a $5 million match against his old nemesis, Russian grandmaster Boris Spassky. This event defied an American ban on business in Yugoslavia, then being torn apart by the war in Bosnia.
Djokovic and Ristic are high school sweethearts and have been together for more than eight years. Jelena runs Novak Djokovic Foundation, and the couple have asked that all wedding gifts benefit the foundation.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/novak-djokovic-married-today-site-fit-wimbledons-king/story?id=24501281
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/novak-djokovic-married-today-site-fit-wimbledons-king/story?id=24501281
Novak Djokovic Gets Married Today at Site Fit for Wimbledon’s King
Jul 10, 2014, 8:11 AM ET
By DRAGANA JOVANOVIC
Djokovic and Ristic are set for a civil wedding ceremony at the idyllic Adriatic resort of Sveti Stefan in Montenegro. On Saturday there will be a private church wedding, a source confirmed to ABC News.
Sveti Stefan, the setting for the pre-wedding party, is a tiny 15th century town, perched on a rocky outcropping over the Adriatic, its only connection to the mainland, a narrow causeway longer than several football fields. With its thick town walls and narrow streets of cottages roofed in terracotta, the scenic village is one of the loveliest and most exclusive resorts on the southern Adriatic coast.
Inside the town walls, guests can stroll through narrow, twisting streets, dotted with pines and palm trees and abundant plots of flowering oleanders, and trees laden with figs and oranges.
The wedding couple are expecting their first child in October. They clearly want their church ceremony to be private and the isolated spot on the exclusive resort island should assure the presence of only their closest friends and families.
In the Balkans, the Djokovic wedding is more than a big deal. The king of Wimbledon has almost royal status, and local media have been calling the event “The wedding of the century.” Some have even labeled Djokovic and Ristic the “Will and Kate” of the Balkans, after England’s royal couple.
Employees at the Sveti Stefan resort have had to sign confidentiality agreements not to reveal even the smallest detail of the wedding. Mobile phones have been banned from the venue, to prevent any unauthorized pictures from the wedding, according to reports.
The Djokovics will have pictures, but the rights to them have been sold to Hello magazine for a regal sum, which will go to charity.
Adding to the size of one of the largest events in the Balkans in recent memory, large contingents are expected from the police and state security services from both Serbia and Montenegro.
Already, local media say roads to Milocer and Sveti Stefan have been sealed off from the public, with polite security officers stationed every few yards. There is a police scuba-diving squad standing by, and an anti-terrorist unit on alert.
Montenegro has seen this before, but usually only when high ranking politicians or heads of state are visiting. In the 1960s and 1970s people like Sophia Loren, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were frequent Sveti Stefan visitors, and it was rumored that it was the destination of choice for the British Crown Prince Charles and Diana’s honeymoon, until press attention forced the couple to change their plans.
In 1992, Sveti Stefan got global attention when the famously reclusive American chess champion Bobby Fischer broke his two decade long self-exile from the game to play a $5 million match against his old nemesis, Russian grandmaster Boris Spassky. This event defied an American ban on business in Yugoslavia, then being torn apart by the war in Bosnia.
Djokovic and Ristic are high school sweethearts and have been together for more than eight years. Jelena runs Novak Djokovic Foundation, and the couple have asked that all wedding gifts benefit the foundation
Sorry for the double post. Ricky, please delete one of them. Thanks.
Video. Fed’s wife and agent (Tony Godstick) are busy with using a phone instead of congratulating Djoko.
🙄
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21c78d_godsick-and-mirka_sport
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/487924387975544832/photo/1
For a moment I thought this photo was at Djoker’s wedding.
^^Actually, I like that of Mirka. It is immediately after the match, she is massively disappointed her husband lost. She is in no mood to put on a fake smile and give fake congratulations, bully for her! In any case, he just won a tennis tournament, not discovered a cure for cancer….
If somebody of Rafa’s team/people acted this way, the Federazzi would attack them as angry wasps.
https://twitter.com/stableford/status/488820650690486272/photo/1
Djoko shows in the picture WHY he had to get married.
Low blow.
^^If it got any lower than that I would very worried if I was the happy couple! 😉
Wedding pics for Gussie…
http://novaknole.tumblr.com/post/91735890055/serbian-hello-magazine-published-some-photos-and
I have seen them on TW.
Congratulations to Novak and his new wife. Nice pictures.
I can understand why BB sold his wedding pics to Hallo – he’s up to his eyes in debt – but it’s not like Djokovic needs the money. And the shots of him with his hands on her bump are just plain tacky.
#AttentionSeeking
I think the money goes to his foundation.
I guess you’re right but it was billed as a private affair for family and close friends which doesn’t sit well with splashing some rather tasteless photographs around the world in Hallo.
@ed251137, it’s Hello, hello! Tacky is Hello’s stock in trade. Remember, Djokovic and Jelena sold the rights to the pictures to Hello, so Hello picked the poses. I agree with @nadline10, the money must be going to the Foundation.
No sign of Marian Vajda in any of the pics but BB features widely.
@ed251137, just for you, found a wedding picture with Vajda in it, looking his usual diffident self:
http://instagram.com/p/qi8G-hkf1j/
Thanks RITB. was beginning to wonder if there had been a falling out. If I were Vajda I would be right pissed off at all the plaudits lobbed BB’s way after the Wimby title with no mention of his own role in steering Nole to the top of the game for all those years. I have the impression there is no love lost between the real coach and the so-called Head Coach.
^^Good Gosh, BB has even been taking some credit for Germany’s World Cup win! The man is truly shameless. As Vajda, he strikes me as the relaxed type, unflappable, the kind who can rationalize an earthquake. I think he looks at BB but doesn’t actually see him………….if you get my meaning.
BB: “We are two different people and it took time to start understanding one another” revealed Boris, “but we always had a great amount of respect for each other. I take him very seriously and I like to think that he does the same with me and enjoys it. Together we have fun, and I am getting closer to the other members of his family. A friendship? Well, let’s say that Novak is not the person I would want to take with me on a weekend in Ibiza”.
http://bleacherreport.com/tb/ddzz3?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tennis
^^Why BB, you don’t like cavorting with inflatable dolls? Don’t tell me, you’re a man of taste…………….
Well, knock me down with a feather………
Looking back four years ago, two Canadians, a 20-yr old Pospisil and 19 yr old Raonic take out Rafole in doubles…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfVOVnDCWWU
#AnythingsPospisil
WARNING: The Canadian colour commentator is extremely annoying.
https://twitter.com/TheBorisBecker/status/501775790166380544
#NoleFam
#Idemooooooo
#LetsDoThis
https://twitter.com/bbctennis/status/503231652337025025/photo/1
#hawkeye63WillNotBeHappy
Who is he trying to kid?
ed, do you care? I don’t.
I think somebody at the BBC is having a laugh.
He is stating the obvious. Changes nothing with respect to tennis except perhaps to make him stronger.
#NoleFam
#HopeThisHelps
#DoYou???
@Nadline
‘ed, do you care?’
We are being asked to believe he has gone all mushy because his wife is shortly to give birth and tennis will no longer be his priority. Pleeeeeeze!
I despise this kind of spin doctoring. I have the greatest respect for what he achieved against unbelievably difficult odds when he was young. He rose to the top through sheer talent, ruthless ambition, and hard work which is admirable. What has always got up my nose are the endless transparent attempts to be Mr. Nice Guy and the smokescreen excuses when his form dips.
If he wins the USO he will have done it for his future son. If he loses it will be because he was distracted by the impending birth of his son. Anybody care to predict what he will do If he reaches the SF or final and she goes into labour?
“Anybody care to predict what he will do If he reaches the SF or final and she goes into labour?”
I don’t care what he will do but I know what I will do: I will “friend” Baby Djokovic for life because he will have successfully scuppered his Daddy’s US Open 2014 chances!
So you reckon he would scarper to be home for the birth?
Be prepared for more double-page spreads of the happy family in Hallo.
@ed251137, no I don’t think Djokovic would bail out to be at his expectant wife’s side. I think the news would be sufficient to cause him emotional turmoil and lose. By his own admission the wedding caused him to go into an emotional tailspin hence the losses in Canada and Cincy, imagine what the birth of his first child would do to him?
Gilles Simon was due to play Rafa in the 2020 USO. Just before the match he learnt his wife had given birth to their son 4 weeks prematurely. Not surprisingly he lost.
This is why I cannot stand Djokovic. What makes him think he is an expert on Rafa’s injuries and the causes thereof?
http://www.india.com/sports/novak-djokovic-confident-of-rafael-nadal-making-a-strong-comeback-127349/
“He slides a lot and spends a lot of energy on each shot. His joints, his body suffers a lot, and it’s not easy,” Djokovic said.
Doesn’t he (Djokovic) slide a lot? He should know when to keep his mouth shut but then he wouldn’t be the idiot he is if he knew how. Rafa would never ever presume to second-guess another player like that, ever.
Please Muzza………..win this.
Well, seeing as Rafa has been more successful than him on every count to-date, with all that “sliding, joint and body suffering a lot”, maybe he (Djokovic) should try some of that, no? Maybe, just maybe he may have half the success Rafa has had to date.
What a troll!
Here’s Nole’s full statement :
Q. Rafael Nadal is not playing here this year. Do you ever reflect why he has to have so many injuries in his career? Quite a lot. Maybe because of his game style?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, probably. He has a very physical game. He slides a lot and spends a lot of energy on each shot. His joints, his body suffers a lot, and it’s not easy. He’s been playing this particular style of the game for over ten years on the highest level. He has won so many Grand Slams, so many tournaments. He has improved over the years on hard courts, and he has — you know, hard court probably for his body and his joints is his least-preferred surface. But, again, he has found a way always to come back. After he has been absent from the tournament for seven months he has had the best year of his year in 2013. So I expect no less, you know, when he comes back to the tour to see him strong, to see him motivated. He he’s a great competitor, a great fighter. As I said, I’m sure that if he had a small percentage of coming here and playing he would do that, because he just loves the game. I have a lot of respect for him. It’s probably because his game style is so physical that that’s why the body suffers a lot.
Q. You spoke a moment ago about Rafa’s physical style and his injuries. How would you describe Roger’s style and his durability by contrast?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, I think it’s obvious that Roger has a different kind of movement and different kind of game from Rafa. Myself, as well. I would rate my game and my movement physicality closer to Rafa. I know we do a lot of slides and so forth, so it takes a lot of energy to do that. Where, you know, on the other hand you have Roger who sometimes plays so effortless and so smooth. But, again, that doesn’t mean that he’s not spending any energy. Of course it’s not easy, because the game has become more physical nowadays. Especially on the Grand Slams. It’s not only physical energy that is necessary to be on high level. It’s also emotional. It takes a lot of effort emotionally and physically to be on top of your skills and game to perform well.
Q. What do you make of his streak of appearing in majors, 15 years straight, 60 straight majors?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: What can I say? It’s an incredible achievement. Everything he does is remarkable. I have lots of respect for everything he does.
So he has mentioned his game to be really physical too. No need to jump on him for that.
I have read the full interview, I still do not see Novak’s point: “Rafa’s game is very physical and he slides a lot that is why he gets injured a lot. My game, like Rafa’s, is very physical and I slide a lot and I do not get injured a lot”? So which is it?? If his style of play is as physical as Rafa’s why doesn’t he get injured a lot? Fact is, he does not know, just like everybody else not called Rafa. But being Novak, he cannot help pontificating about stuff he knows diddly squat about.
My point is: he has been on Tour long enough to know you do not respond to every question you get asked, you find a diplomatic way to answer while effectively saying nothing.
@abhirf,
Thanks for posting Novak’s comments in their entirety. There is something to be said for context!
From the moment he reached the No.3 ranking he became insufferable – patronising other players and pontificating on all matters tennis whether he was asked for his opinion or not. This is the man who specialised in withdrawing from matches at the drop of a hat and called for a medical time out whenever he felt like a bit of a sit down during a tough match. Ugh.
Of course when he as a wrist injury (Spring 2014, hello?) it’s an act of God, nothing to do with his style of play…………..
Not to mention the ankle injury in 2013 which mysteriously waxed and waned to order.
And the crippling injury at the DC match late 2011 which miraculously allowed him to play a charity football match a few days later.
This mantra that Rafa’s style of play is what causes his injuries has been trotted out by the federazzi to lift their spirits, in the vain hope that this will translate to reality, and Rafa will be incapacitated, not play again and spare their favourite more agony. Funny, I do not hear them trot it out where Delpo is concerned, or Nishikori, or Steve Darcis, players who have been laid off for far longer than Rafa…
I cannot help but get the feeling this is the straw Djokovic is clutching at……..
High tensile strength steel hawsers in place of tendons in his legs gives Djokovic an unfair advantage 🙂
And guess what? Fed was asked exactly the same questions but did he fall into the trap of sticking a knife into Rafa’s back? No. He deftly side-stepped the question, responded with an answer about his own training methods instead. They do not call him the maestro for nothing.
The Maestro of the Federazzi is cunninger. Sometimes.
That’s what Djoko’s style of playing does him:
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/461061845646704641/photo/1
https://twitter.com/augustazeight/status/474903797249368064/photo/1
Nole Says:
I would rate my game and my movement physicality closer to Rafa. I know we do a lot of slides and so forth, so it takes a lot of energy to do that. Where, you know, on the other hand you have Roger who sometimes plays so effortless and so smooth. But, again, that doesn’t mean that he’s not spending any energy. Of course it’s not easy, because the game has become more physical nowadays. Especially on the Grand Slams. It’s not only physical energy that is necessary to be on high level. It’s also emotional. It takes a lot of effort emotionally and physically to be on top of your skills and game to perform well.
#Idemooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
#NoleFam
This is the mother of cringe when Djokovic invites a girl to sing at his presser:
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/video/djokovic-invites-young-girl-sing-082434926.html
^^^^ More than cringe-making. It’s creepy………….
Why?
For the uncountable Nole fans here on tenngrand, this is for you!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDQNVNwNxHg&feature=youtu.be
#CouldntResist
#EmptySeats
#RealDeal
For augusta08…
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/no-its-not-acdc-its-novak-djokovic/story-fn6bqphm-1226088482946?nk=14ffd13f624f71759c759e2c69e275a3
#GameOver
#YouLose
#PleaseComeAgain
For augusta08…
Djokovic greeted by defeaning roar of 100,000 fans
http://www.rediff.com/sports/slide-show/slide-show-1-wimbledon-champion-djokovic-gets-heros-welcome/20110705.htm
#GameOver
#YouLose
#PleaseComeAgain
[Google translation]
Marca, 08/09/14: ¤¤… Novak Djokovic has been dropped from the Serbian Davis Cup team…
Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic: I talked to Djokovic last night, he won’t come to India. The main reason is fatigue. ¤¤
http://www.marca.com/2014/09/08/tenis/copa_davis/1410180120.html
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/512991799850573824
#CertifiedSelfieFreePost
#DontYou???
Ricky do better.
#Yourcommentisawaitingmoderation.
#Why?
#HowManyTimes???
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/513743637222805504
#SelfAppointedNoleRescuer
^^^^Random moderation filter.
#YouCannotBeKyrgios!!!!
#StayWithCalm
Some people are STILL bemoaning Djoko’s loss in 2013
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ByOdHVcCAAAT6MF.png
Rafa, make him fall again!
http://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/djokovic-net.gif
^^Hehehe! Gussie, you have a mean streak in you which I approve of……….
i would call it a DIVE, not a FALL
#DontYou
https://twitter.com/PseudoRafa/status/508333655479943168
#YouSerious?
#MoveOnDotOrg
Yeah, tennis WRITERS should move on
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ByOsrhtCQAAFVuo.png
Hahahaha, I’m a tennis WRITER too by that account!!!
Imma WRITER, they’re a WRITER, he’s a WRITER, she’s a WRITER, wouldn’t you like to be a WRITER too.
Be a WRITER. Be a real WRITER
(Disclaimer: Well, I’m not a writer, I just play one on the interwebs.).
Hilarious!!!
http://hawkeye63.wordpress.com/
CHRISTOPHE
@christophe_umlaut
Tennis Writer: Das Hashtag Tennis Haus
Tennis WRITER. Hahahahahaha.
#YouSerious?
#YouSerious.
#DoYooooooooooooooooo??????????????????
http://hawkeye63.wordpress.com/about/
#YouSerious?
https://twitter.com/ATPWorldTour/status/518836138199769089
I got stick for saying Djokovic was milking his wife’s pregnancy for all it’s worth.
A taster of what’s to come:
“For sure, it makes me personally very happy to see people wear shirts and hats and other memorabilia with my name and foundation on it. But I have a more important agenda too: as a father to be, I want my child to be proud of me not only because I can hit the yellow fluffy ball better than the other guy. I want my child to be proud of me for using my name and time to help to promote good values.”
http://blog.novakdjokovicfoundation.org/philantropy/novak-djokovic-online-shop-launch/
When he arrives that poor child will dressed in Nole merchandise and lugged everywhere like the latest must-have handbag and exploited ad nauseum to further Nole’s Mr. Nice Guy image.
I understand Novak and Jelena are now proud parents of a baby boy! Congratulations to the pair, may they all be blessed…………
World No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic proud papa of baby boy
Article by: Associated Press Updated: October 22, 2014 – 3:05 AM
BELGRADE, Serbia — World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is the proud father of a baby boy.
Djokovic tweeted that the child’s name is Stefan.
“Stefan, our baby angel was born!” Djokovic posted on Twitter early Wednesday. “I’m so proud of my beautiful wife Jelena! Thank you so much for your love and support. We love you all!!!”
RTS, Serbia’s state TV, reported that Djokovic’s wife gave birth to their first child on Tuesday in Nice, France, close to Monaco where they reside.
The new parents first met in high school, and they have been together for more than eight years.
The couple married on July 10, four days after Djokovic won Wimbledon.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/280017622.html
Welcome to the world, Stefan! Unlike your Dad, when you become a tax payer you won’t be subjected to awkward questions about your Serbian tax status. You are French.
Don’t tell me that was not an induced birth or Caesarean – neatly timed between the end of the Asian swing and before the Paris Masters. A week playing mummies and daddies and then back to work.
I’m waiting with bated breath to see if Nole carries out his promise to not make tennis his No.1 priority :-p
By playing a tennis tournament a week after the birth of his first child, he has already shown what his priorities are.
Did you believe any of that?
No, not me.
Even when his serve is broken it’s attributed to the fact this is his first tournament back since his wife produced their baby. I’ll throw up if he comes on court tonight doing his Halloween routine 🙁
ed, get the sick bag ready because chances are he will be in costume.
RT @juan_jo_sports: “Here’s something else that’s crazy: Djokovic has finished 1 season with 5 M1000 titles, 1 with 4 M1000 titles, and 2 with 3 M1000 titles.”
Honestly, Nole fans can be oh so crazy in their oohing and aaahing about their boy……….I mean, why is it crazy for Novak, a so-called HC specialist to finish a season with multiple M1000 titles in a season when you consider there are how many HC M1000 tournaments……….7 including WTF????
The question is, why isn’t he leading in the overall M 1000 title count?
I enjoyed this article about Novak.
http://www.tennisviewmag.com/tennis-view-magazine/article/reflections-novak-djokovics-fiery-finish-2014
“And the fear he strikes in the hearts of most of the best players on this planet is the greatest compliment any player should need.”
Here we go again…………..specifically which best players on this planet does Novak strike with fear? I’m sure there are players out there who are scared of Novak but it’s generalisations such as these which are thrown around, one suspects, to simply burnish his legend.
good stuff from Tumaini
And you think the pundits are obsessed with Novak.
Meow……………
Haha. I’m glad you haven’t lost your sense of humour ritb!
@hawkeye63, takes a lot for me to lose my sense of humour, you should know that……and trust me, you could never make me lose it, hard as you try sometimes.
Is that a challenge? 🙂
You are right though. It ain’t skeasy,
No, no, no, please go easy on me. I always lose at challenges!
https://twitter.com/Tennis/status/545771804703608832
https://twitter.com/CaroWozniacki/status/544545918000037888
Waiting on the jSlaw Nole match. British Eurosport showing their AO14 match again. Can’t believe that David Mercer is the best BE could get to commentate.
1-0 Djokovic
1-1
CryBaby serving bombs at Nole again. He does like January.
Nole breaks for 3-1
Nole gluten-free breadsticks CryBaby 61 62.
Wow, he’s in great form already. Nole for AO is the pick.
Djoker 2nd on center vs. Lajovic on Tuesday
Take a tour around the Novak Djokovic Vanity Show – Oh, sorry the Novak Restaurant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BwKsGZXby4
^^Not entirely unexpected.
#Gauche
Following Djokovic’s loss against Karlovic, I have some observations to share.
Lets compare his performances against the serving giants of tennis (karlovic and Isner) who qiute likely are two of the best servers in the history of tennis, with the performances of the other Big 4 players to put things into perspective.
Djokovic vs Karlovic: 1-2
Djokovic Vs Isner: 5-2
Combined: 6-4 Djokovic
Nadal vs Karlovic: 4-0
Nadal vs Isner: 4-0
Combined: 8-0 Nadal
Federer vs karlovic: 12-1
Federer vs Isner:4-1
Combined:16-2 Federer
Murray vs Karlovic: 5-0
Murray vs Isner:3-0
Combined:8-0 Murray
Summary:
Rafa and Muzz have NEVER lost a match against the serving giants, fed has a staggering 16-2 record. Hence, novak has a ‘disappointing’ 6-4 record. Besides, he is the only one to have a losing record against karlovic. However, interestingly,we (including me) regularly call him the best returner in tennis or at least the man to possess a joint best ROS with Muzz.
So, why is the best returner’s record the worst against the two best servers? Just interested in listening to different thoughts. I have some thoughts to share but first interested in listening to some thoughts of fellow posters 😉
His first return shot is better than the rest. Doesn’t mean he necessarily plays a better return game AND he isn’t a great server. That means if he has a bad service game, the pressure doubles up. Federer has always been a better server outright which means these guys can’t break him easily and Nadal has gotten phenomenal since 2010 plus he’s a lefty so there’s that as well.
right. fore example, Nadal’ ROS shot is terrible, but he has a great return game.
@tennisfan, I just saw your comment. I think you have made a good point here. Because fed is a great server himself, he is less tense in return games against giants. Rafa being a lefty allows him to spread the court against the giants and because their movement is not so good, that helps rafa. Novak’s serve can be very good sometimes but I agree it can be shabby sometimes and he even does double faults on crucial points.
But we have also murray who is not that great a server but has a perfect record against isner/ivo . I totally agree with you and RICKY that ROS and return game are very different but having the best ROS should be enough more often than not against players like Ivo because their defense is quite shabby. So still a little confusing haha. i think one reason rafa has arguably the best return game despite having a not so good ROS is his ability to hit insane passing shots! nobody but rafa gets away with short returns because of this ability.
Anyway, a lot of good points have been discussed here and they do help to explain the record I posted.
Thanks @vamosrafa. I saw a similar comparison/analysis on another site and was surprised at what the stats appear to conlude: that Djokovic fares worst against big servers. The one thing that also stood out for me was that Djokovic has run the least times into big servers.
It appears to me Djokovic does not read good first serves that well, and the big servers’ weapon is a good first serve. This may explain, to some extent, why he has a losing record against Rafa and Fed, but a winning record against Muzza whose serve is comparatively poor compared to Rafa and Fed. Of the 3, Djokovic has more difficulty against Fed and Fed is the best server compared against Rafa and Muzza.
Djokovic is a good returner, after the rally is in full swing.
Another thing is Djokovic’s temperament, he appears to lose focus easily and against these big servers you have to stay in the moment, focus. Look at the way Djokovic lost his cool playing Karlovic recently, his run-ins with Roddick are legendary.
Notwithstanding, still intriguing how Djokovic still has the tag, best returner of all time (which I believe he is btw) with that ordinary record against big servers.
I got tired of making this point. I find that many people make assumptions on gut feeling and just following the crowd rather than establishing the facts. Since Djoko saved MP against Fed at the USO 2010 with that FH return made by reflex action he’s been labelled the best returner when really the facts are to the contrary. Rafa also paid him a compliment for his ROS after he lost to him 7 times in 2011/12. I don’t think such accolades should be bestowed after just one swing or one good patch, it has to be maintained over a period of time.
to put some spin on this, here is another stat worth looking at:
Djokovic has played 39 return games against Karlovic (the best server of our generation) and has broken his serve only 2 times so that is 2/39 (approx.5%) for novak.
Nadal is 8/68 (approx.12%).
Murray is 11/76 (approx 14.5%)
These stats obviously allow us to look at pure return games as they do not take into account return points played in tie breaks.
Even when Rafa led for ROS on the Fedex index, I remember Peter Fleming saying inspite of that he would still want Djoko’s ROS to save his life rather than Rafa’s.
that is because peter fleming failed to distinguish between ROS and return game. He should realize how different the two things are. I would also pick novak ROS to save my life to be honest. Rafa has other strengths.
haha…come on we can do this without taking digs at novak!
@ritb, those were some good points about novak’s returning and how he has fared against the big 4 based on your observation. However , I have some reservations. Djokovic is a very very good returner of first serves. in 2011 he was totally manhandling rafa’s 1st serves and it was only rafa introduced variety that he started having success.
Muzz actually has a better first serve than rafa and when he is serving really well, his first serve is not far away from fed’s 1st serve. it is muzz’s 2nd serve that is much inferior to that of rafa and especially fed and his 2nd serves do get eaten for breakfast by novak.
I do like the point about novak losing temperament ! That can definitely be a reason. he can run out of patience and we know Karlovic and Isner test your patience to a very large extent. So that is one plausible explanation.
What else have we got here folks? 🙂
@vamosrafa, agreed re how Novak manhandled Rafa’s first serve in 2011 but I respectfully submit that:
(a) Rafa’s serve has never been a strong point for him except in 2010 when he umped it up and it yielded his first USOpen crown. If I remember, that good serving year gave him problems with his shoulder and his serve tapered off after that, hence the lack-luster serving performance in 2011. I would say in 2011 Rafa’s serve reverted to it’s normal non-descript self, which was: to use the first serve to set up his destructive follow-up FH. So, in 2011 (up to now I would say) Rafa was not using his first serve to elicit a winner (which is what big servers like Karlovic and Raonic do and flummox Novak with success) but to set up his follow -up strong shot. This is where Djokovic outfoxed him because he would return Rafa’s serve to Rafa’s BH, not FH and take command of the rally.
Now, Rafa varies his serve well (as you correctly say) and this is one of the reason he is having success against Djokovic.
For me, a good serve is not just a winning 1st serve but also a serve with variety which flummoxes the returner.
Maybe I did not express myself well. The point I was trying to make is this: Djokovic is not a good reader/returner of GOOD first serves. Rafa varying his 1st serve made an otherwise ordinary first serve a good first serve.
Rafa, on the other hand, reads good first serves better, imo, hence his excellent record against big servers…………..
(b) Muzza has a good first serve but better than Rafa’s? I demure on the latter for the exact reason you proffered yourself: Rafa’s variety in the serve! When Muzza’s serve is on, he is more likely to get more winners off his first serve than Rafa, but Muzza’s problem is that his serve performance is quite erratic, while Rafa’s is more consistent.
I do not know how to pull up the FedEx serve performance of the Top guys but I would be very interested in viewing those statics if someone can pull them up. I am sure these will show Muzza with more aces than Rafa, but a lower first serve percentage.
Your point on Muzza’s second serve, agree on all counts but I do not think the 2nd serve matters very much in explaining the stats you posted in your first post. Horse’s bolted once you get to the 2nd serve imo……………
@nadline, well I do not think anyone is making assumptions based on gut feelings. Djokovic possessed exceptionally good returning skills from his teenage years. Even if you look at his matches against rafa and roger 2007, his ROS was outstanding. He developed it into an ever more effective weapon 2010 onward.Remember rafa’s 2010 near-invincible USO serve? of course you do.Novak broke that serve in the first three of rafas service games of the USO 2010 final! Again, remember rafa’s serving in the summer hard court season of 2013? rafa was carrying a streak of like 90 successive holds heading into the final and still there were parts in the match when novak was all over rafa’s serve. So there is reason rafa called him the best returner ever!
I don’t think the USO semi return winner to save match point has anything to do with labeling djokovic as the best returner! it was actually 2011 USO , not 2011.
not 2010*
I actually agree with peter fleming! but with a qualification.As I have said a million times before , having the best return of serve (the initial return stroke off the serve) is very different from having the best RETURN GAME. Rafa arguably has the best return game but his ROS is actually inferior to some even outside the big 4. But rafa’s return game is so damn good that a very strong case(backed up by stats shown by the atp ROS indexes) can be made in his favor to possess the best return game. But, novak is clearly steps ahead in ROS . Only Murray and Ferrer can match Novak’s ROS in my view. A case for ferrer having the best ROS in tennis can also be made!
Rafa’s ROS has improved recently, he just used to return to keep the ball in play but now Rafa is amongst the best.
It was since the USO SF match point save against Fed that Nole’s ROS got recognised. Still Rafa has an impeccable record against Karlovic. Raonic and Isner – 13-0. Rafa even baggled in Barcelona Raonic.
So @vamosrafa, in your opinion, why does Novak have such a bad record against the big hitters compared to his peers (Rafa, Muzza and Fed)? Why doesn’t his superior return of serve skill tell in these situations?
I also would love to learn more about this…………….
you made good points in the previous post. The point about novak returning to rafa’s backhand is a very good one. In 2011, actually rafa kept relying on his usual patterns. Using the slider outwide on the ad court and the swinging serve on the deuce court to set up forehands. But novak returned sliders to rafa’s forehand so damn well and mixed it up by returning up the line to rafa’s backhand. It was the serve on the deuce court to novak’s backand that was really hurting rafa. Novak returned those to rafa’s backhand like a machine. Rafa’s serve to novak’s forehand on the deuce court was introduced in 2012 and is the biggest serving weapon for rafa.
regarding rafa’s 2010 serve, refer to my post in response to nadline.
further @nadline, to put things into perspective , look at rafa’s serving stats (service games won) in 2010 and 2013 and even for 2008. Do this and you will get the answer. Dozens of players have a better serve than rafa but rafa has been able to rank as high as no.2 in the service games won index once! now use this to think about ROS vs return game thing.
well,, here is why I think novak has the worst record:
I agree with the point made by you regarding novak losing his temper and points made by RITB regarding the playing conditions,novak’s mental strength as compared to Nadal and fed( although many would say he is mentally stronger than fed). Even the point about novak not being the best in terms of reading first serves.
I think ,novak has the best ROS overall BUT, he really is NOT the master of bunting back returns ! He loves to take swipes at the ball! While he can shorten his backswing but the pace and trajectory with which Ivo serves for example, sometimes its much more effective to simply chip the ball back into play and federer is the prime example of doing that with the backhand! Rafa can do this really well with both his forehand and the backhand but he can sometimes struggle against big servers in fast conditions. (kyrgios,rosol for example on grass) but rafa does that better than novak.
Andy has perhaps the most well-rounded ROS! he can take full swipes at the ball, shorten his backswing but also employ chips and bunts very effectively.
It think all the points discussed here combined explain this discrepancy.
More thoughts are welcome 🙂
would love to hear more thoughts on this . It surely is intriguing that the best returner of the game in most people’s eyes has the worst record against the two best servers of the game.
Djoko has managed to avoid the giants most of the time. Up till this year, he had only played Karlovic twice in his whole career both times in 2008. Rafa’s first match against Karlovic was at the age of 18 in 2004 and Rafa won even giving him a breadstick.
2004 Milan
Italy Carpet R32 Nadal, Rafael
7-5, 6-7(5), 6-1 Stats
I do know that two of those four losses were in hot dry weather where Nole can still not be at his best the most recent in a dust storm. I will have to look up the other two losses.
Mental strength and patience is another factor as Fed and Rafa excell above Nole there IMO.
Finally I’d look at each of the top four’s career hold serve and break serve percentages and compare the respective difference for each player.
Two of those loses were at IW and now Doha in tough weather conditions. Where were the other two losses?
hawkeye, one loss to karlovic took place in Madrid . Dr.Ivo won in straight sets. The fourth loss happened against Isner in Cincinnati last year.
But I like your thoughts. Novak does stuggle in those conditions but the ROS should not be affected too much ? these two giants ,esp Ivo,dont engage you in many baseline rallies.
Aactually two of those losses were in Madrid, one in 2005 when Nole wasjust 18 and the other in 2008 in two tiebreaks.
Regardless three of the four losses were before 2011 and before Djokovic was the plan was the player he is today.
I think it’s just a combination of the above.
hawkeye, the madrid loss took place in 2008, not 2005.
There were two i believe. The 1st in 05.
Before Doha this year Djoko and Karlovic had only played twice, both in 2008 and Djoko was not 18 in 2008 he was 21. Where did you get 2005 from?
What’s your excuse for the new improved post 2010 Djokovic losing to Isner in 2012 & 2013 and Karlovic in 2015?
^^
Loss to Isner in 2012: the heat and humidity in Cincy
Loss to Karlovic in 2015: the wind (no, not from the gluten free beans he had before the match!) in Doha, desert sand-storm.
How dare they play tennis outdoors?
So forget what I said about pre-2.0 Nole and the serve/return game stats. They don’t even factor after checking.
Isner’s two wins were in Cincy and IW after 2011. Both hot, sunny, humid conditions. Same as his loss to Ivo this week in Doha. 2008 was pre-gluten/egg-Nole and in two tie-breaks.
But VR, I knew you would have some tennis savvy explanation for it and what you’ve said is very insightful as always. 🙂
Other factors and disclaimers as always but Rafa has three significant losses to giants 6’4″ and taller in Kyrgios, Soderling and Rosol.
hawkeye63 says:
January 11, 2015 at 4:22 pm
—Rafa has three significant losses to giants 6’4″ and taller in Kyrgios, Soderling and Rosol—
You have channeled your inner Fedfan.
As always, nothing of substance to contribute. Nothing new.
Yep, Sod is Fedfans’ longtime hero.
“Rafa has three significant losses to giants 6’4″ and taller in Kyrgios, Soderling and Rosol.”
@hawkeye63;
1. Rafa always has a tough time with hard hitters first time he plays them. This is borne out by the fact that none of the people you mentioned ever beat Rafa again. The jury is still out on Kyrgios obviously.
2. When Rafa played and lost to Soderling, he was injured. When Djokovic played, and lost, to any of the giants out there, what physical impairement did he suffer from? We all know Rafa lost to Rosol, Soderling, Kyrgios etc, etc but I think it is unfair to sort of hold up these losses in absolute comparison to others. No, I do not think I am being a blind Rafan for pointing this out, I just want a “like for like” comparison here. I know some Rafans have said Rafa’s injuries are his fault, okay one may take that line but this does not mean they did not exist. They have to be acknowledged. These are not excuses, they were real.
The same applies to Rafa’s loss to Rosol, he was injured.
You have mentioned the extenuating circumstances for Novak re his losses to the giants: the wind, the humidity, the shape of the moon etc, etc, why not do the same for Rafa eh?
All Im
hawkeye hates Rafa and it shows.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-upXOEJkABqs/T8ZJHoW__PI/AAAAAAAABRU/yvbA8IyHSKE/s200/dexter-haters-gonna-hate.gif
hawkeye, in Nole’s case, does it matter if there is a ‘r’ in the month. You are so full of excuses except in Rafa’s case when you try to put him in the worst light possible.
Hawkeye, thanks for the kind words 🙂
the point about Novak struggling in hot,dry,humid conditions is valid but it is not like he not able to play well at all in these conditions,no?You don’t have to be at your brutal best get the better of karlovic or isner. The ability to return serve with one stroke won’t really get affected in whatever conditions. Does Novak not dominate the Aus open despite it being the hottest slam? I understand your point. Yes, in cincinnati , novak got his serve broken against isner by netting three forehands and he was struggling in the conditions but I do think that the inability to make inroads into the service games of Ivo and Isner in the past can be attributed to other factors too.
Novak lost to Ivo in straight sets in 2008 when novak was a fantastic player. He was no.3 in the world and was challenging rafa and roger consistently. The glutten diet effect was not there in 2008 but the glutten effect is hardly relevant in a match against karlovic lol. It was an indoor match and karlovic does not even test your stamina so….
Anyway, i do think some good points have been discussed. I gave my reasons in the post ‘January 11, 2015 at 2:30 pm’ and it was good to read other reasons.
@augusta , I am no moderator here but I wish this discussion not be turned into a highly counterproductive one. I don’t understand the obsession of labelling rafa fans as fed lovers. I just don’t
Yes he dominates generally but the pressure is extreme against a serving giant and the heat while not physically a big factor, may still be a mental one.
The heat is also a factor in how Nole lost to Nishi at the USO both mentally and physically.
As I said though, your insights on service return style is very insightful.
yes, cannot deny that. Those conditions have led to nole’s undoing on several occasions. His loss to nishikori at USO 2014, his loss to tsonga in Aus open 2010 are two of the examples
vamosrafa says:
January 11, 2015 at 5:20 pm
—@augusta , I am no moderator here but I wish this discussion not be turned into a highly counterproductive one. —
Then don’t turn it into that!
who are you to instruct me to do that? I did not instruct you to anything so I used the word wish! Keep your instructive tone to yourself.
For both players win or lose they tend to struggle against the Giants.
They tend to lose more against them when there are other factors at play. Injury for Rafa and heat for Nole. Kyrgios is definitely a hard hitting giant. No jury required.
I don’t need to point out Rafa’s injuries here. They are already known to everyone here. Who would benefit here from me restating them?
Federer is the exception although Milos beat him once as did Izzy.
“I don’t need to point out Rafa’s injuries here. They are already known to everyone here. Who would benefit here from me restating them?”
For the sake of balance, maybe? Unless you do not think that is important, or necessary…..
Why did you feel the need to mention the extenuating circumstances for Novak, were they not known to everyone here?
I think those factors may have been neglected possibly yes given that we weren’t considering where those matches took place
If you feel I’m out to get Rafa that’s ok. I’m not going to explain every last detail especially when we already know them just to defend myself. Las I’ve long said, I’m not out to convince anyone of my allegiances.
You raise a great point on first encounters.
Whatevs.
No, I do not feel you are out to get Rafa, nor did I say that.
I feel your argument above lacked balance in that you did not outline extenuating circumstances for Rafa like you did for Novak. You explained why you did not feel it necessary to do so for Rafa. I felt you could have.
Nothing in my posts suggests you have a vendetta against Rafa. I am sorry if that is what you read in them.
karlovic once beat federer too…haha… but yeah, rafa’s loss against kyrgios did highlight again that rafa is not comfortable with big servers and big hitters in fast conditions. I was actually very annoyed at the fact that rafa was not even able to get kyrgios’s first serves back. He was having a crazy serving day but rafa was not able to get any read on it. Kyrgios’s ground game also troubled him and we know it can be a trouble for rafa. Regarding returns, rafa does not have the best of instincts because of the way he was trained early in his career. Fed has sharper instincts and perhaps djokovic too. When rafa stands close to the baseline to return serves on grass, he can struggle because he is not able to buy time! he is able to stand far back on clay and hard but not on grass.
Yes, rafa would have crushed soderling had he not been injured in 2009 RG but it is no secret he has struggled against soderling. Remember WTF 2009 and wimbledon 2007? wimbledon 2007 was a very very tough contest and yes rafa was not himself in wtf 2009 but he did struggle against soderling.
Finally, it is also true that rafa is able to solve the big hitters dilemma very well. he does not lose to them again because of his problem solving abilities. Kyrgios won’t beat him again.
VR I Wish you’d post here more often. You’d be great on tennis-x.
WTF 2009, that was the WTF where he lost all his matches, no? Wimbledon 2007, yes he struggled against Soderling in the early rounds and reached the final. I think Wimbledon is a tournament where it is accepted Rafa will struggle in the early rounds so that struggle against Soderling could be interpreted as general to Rafa, not specific to Soderling.
#RafaApologist
@hawkeye, I will hopefully be posting more and I hope we can have good tennis discussions 🙂 I sometimes visit tennis-x and there are interesting debates going on sometimes.
@RITB, yes rafa lost all of his matches . He was not at all at his best but losing all three of his matches cannot be solely attributed to that. before some posters jump on me , I am saying it again that it was a very big factor but certainly not the only factor. Why am I saying that? because his other two opponents were djokovic and davydenko and beating them in fast indoor conditions is well, a very difficult task for rafa!so losing to soderling 6-4 6-4 was a combination of both the factors.
There is nothing very particular about soderling’s game which can be said to trouble rafa but because soderling as a package had a lot of weapons that cause rafa trouble, he was a tough guy to deal with on some occasions . I mean, the way soderling troubled him was through consistent big,deep hitting. Soderling had a huge forehand and the biggest backhand in the game perhaps. his serve was huge too. But, the thing about rafa is that when he is in full flow and playing with confidence, momentum, he can overcome these obstacles. The rafa of 2008 was playing like superman in that Clay-grass stretch and he beat gulbis in 4 sets in wimbledon 08 even though gulbibs was on fire and had all the weapons needed to trouble rafa on grass.
@nadline, yes just about everyone has had their share of troubles against big hitters . true. but,as an example, we can take federer as does not have a history of getting ‘that much’ troubled by big,flat hitters. Look at his records against blake (10-1), gonzalez (12-1) , soderling (16-1), del potro (15-5). Not only the ROS, but also the forehand becomes a factor. Rafa’s forehand is not as effective against big hitting in fast conditions as his fed’s. Fed might have struggled against them on diff occasions but if you talk about their careers and how they play, it is a point. There are certainly qualifications here but generally its true,no? for e.g fed has a poor record against berdych (who is not typically a giant but has some attributes).
Fed on the other hand has struggled against grinders on occasions! while rafa would pulverize grinders like guillermo canas, fed lost to him twice in 2007 ! he has lost to simon twice as well!
A peak form rafa can take down players of any type, no questions about it. But we cannot always have players at their peak forms right? so we talk about the general thing.
VR ” but yeah, Rafa’s loss against Kyrgios did highlight again that Rafa is not comfortable with big servers and big hitters in fast conditions.”
Could you tell me which players are comfortable with big hitters in fast conditions?
I hope I live to see the day Djokovic is pitted against a big server in the 1st or 2nd round of Wimbledon.
#NotHoldingMyBreath
VR: “I am saying it again that it was a very big factor but certainly not the only factor. Why am I saying that? because his other two opponents were djokovic and davydenko and beating them in fast indoor conditions is well, a very difficult task for rafa! ”
Djoko leads Rafa 3:2 indoors hardly a difficult task for Rafa.
oh come on! don’t lie to yourself. you know that I am talking about. beating djokovic on an INDOOR hard court IS a very very difficult task for rafa. I cannot do anything about your delusion if you are so in love with it like always. Now if I try to put things into perspective here, you will tag me as a fed detractor in your next post! same old….
Not that difficult if Rafa has done it twice in straight sets.
I wish people would stop making sweeping statements about how awful Rafa is and how he can’t cope with this or that type of player without checking the facts.
LOL..and here we go again
and I wish you stop doing this! Don’t tell me what the facts are .please.
Sometimes you sound so reasonable that I think only extremist posters who post comments like ‘why does rafa have losing records against dominic hrbaty and alex corretja and davydenko ?’ . I came across such a comments and I was thinking how ridiculous a point this is and fed fanatics keep bringing this up, you are actually no different if we look at it. right??
So saying that it is very difficult for rafa to beat djokovic on an indoor hard court is making sweeping statement about how awful rafa is and how he can’e cope with this or that type of player bla bla bla..?? wow… i am sorry for being so ignorant.
2011 onward, djokovic trails rafa only 4-5 on clay court matches and actually leads rafa 4-3 in best of three set matches. so does that mean post 2010 djokovic is superior to rafa in best of three set matches on clay or can someone counter’ it is very very difficult for novak to beat rafa on clay’ by citing this 4-5 example??? i would say NO! rafa is the daddy on clay! Looking at the context is important and sometimes the use of such stats should not take precedence over common sense! please. Rafa is much superior on clay and djokovic is supeior on indoor hard, and my favorite player is rafael nadal for life and I do not need a license from you.please.
Yes, tennis started in 2011.
okay. great, we are innocent. So with the same innocence, i guess you will never be able to say anything to those idiots who say rafa has a losing record against Dominic Hrbaty and Alex Corretja so rafa is inferior to them.
VR, how do you explain Rafa’s 13:0 record against Karlovic, Isner and Raonic? Karlovic, 4:0, Isner, 4:0 and Raonc 5:0.
I have written sufficient explanation on this in my earlier posts. the premise of the discussion was to discuss WHY DJOKOVIC has struggled against Ivo and Isner. Some of djo’s weaknesses against the two are actually rafa’s strengths against the two. For other factors, re read my posts and also by hawkeye. Let me know if there is confusion,
So we started talking about Djokovic’s problem against the giants and somehow it ended up with putting Rafa down even though he’s never lost to any of the giants just to make Djokovic look good.
I get it.
“Rafa down even though he’s never lost to any of the giants”
But he has.
tsk tsk indeed. I have a hunch as to why VR doesn’t post more often. There is no reasoning with the unreasonable.
only the following will keep you happy:
rafa is the best player of this generation not only clay, but also on grass, outdoor hard and also indoor hard and is it NOT AT ALL difficult for rafa to beat any player on the planet on any surface. happy?
I wish rafa was that invincible but he is not. he has his limitations and he himself acknowledges that. thankfully he is not so full of himself . He has overcome weaknesses throughout his career and will continue to do so. I am confident he’ll be the all-time grand slam title leader when he retires but why should I say rafa has no limitations! why don’t you criticize rafa when he keeps downplaying his chances even at RG or when he says federer is greatest or that federer has more weapons or toni nadal in that case when toni used to tell rafa in his teen years that federer is a much superior player and rafa can only beat him by taking adv of the match up thing?
@hawkeye, it is sad to see that discussing tennis on this forum invites attacks like these. Of course many don’t feel welcome to post here for the same reason,.
VR: “I wish rafa was that invincible but he is not. he has his limitations and he himself acknowledges that. thankfully he is not so full of himself”
As opposed to Djokovic who has no limitations and no weaknesses.
now where the heck have I or anyone said djokovic does not have any limitations or weaknesses? i feel sorry for you,seriously!
djokovic’s legend is nowhere close to rafa’s . Rafa has had a much more successful career to date and he is arguably the GOAT while djokovic is just in the list of all-time greats.
Djokovic’s biggest career weakness/problem in his own words has been a man named rafael nadal who has prevented djokovic from lifting the elusive RG title on so many occasions and also two USO titles! Djokovic has often struggled against federer but rafa has demolished federer time and time again. And cannot you see the discussion was based on dicussing DJOKOVIC’s weaknesses against Ivo and Isner and I disussed them at good length???
Rafa’s career>> djokovic’s career BUT is rafa better than djokovic on every surface or in every possible condition? NO !
I disagree with your assessment on things.
yes, you are that innocent. I am guilty as charged. I am attacking you.
thanks!
You don’t want to ‘discuss’ tennis, you just want everyone to agree with you even though some of the things you say don’t tie up with the facts.
lol, no I don’t want everyone to agree with me. What I do want is people not labeling me as a rafa detractor or crap like that!
if you have disagreements with my posts, stop your one-liners and discuss tennis then. Which of the things I said are not tying up with facts? even if some of the things are not, it does not matter sometimes. If you are so robotic about facts, what do you say to those idiots saying dominic hrbaty and alex corretja and davydenko are superior to rafa because of their winning record?? going by the wonderful logic you present, you should then have nothing to say about this absurd claim!!
vamosrafa
January 11, 2015 at 9:40 pm
Is anyone else attacking like YOU are doing?!
https://twitter.com/augustaZzeight/status/554395773040099328/photo/1
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7GdUeoCcAEzIf0.png
yeah , I am the ultimate basher here and you caught me!
How conveniently you skipped the nonsense that always gets to the head of so many posters here!
“I wish people would stop making sweeping statements about how awful Rafa is and how he can’t cope with this or that type of player…..”
the theme sounds familiar right?
you are actually even better than nadline at doing that so ….
poor you two are ringed by rafa detractors and they are bullying you all the time 🙂
vamosrafa
January 11, 2015 at 10:12 pm
I didn’t understand anything you wrote.
great.
Yes, YOU!
As usual!
vamosrafa, I think I have made my points clearly enough so I will end this discussion here. You are entitled to your opinions.
I am actually confused about what your ‘opinion’ is? I have given several opinions such as: djokovic struggles more against Ivo/Isner, djokovic’s career is much inferior to rafa’s, djokovic is superior on indoor hard courts and has a better ROS. these are some of the opinions I have given. I don’t know what your opinions are ! are they : it is not difficult for rafa to beat novak on indoor hard courts? that rafa is matchless on all possible accounts and that he has the best return of serve in the game and that he has no more problems dealing with big hitters than anyone else out there ? or that rafa has the best biceps in the history of the game? perhaps these are your opinions. You are of course entitled to them but yes I strongly disagree. I can end the discussion here too!
vamosrafa,
You don’t need to defend yourself. You gave your opinions and thoughts in a knowledgeable and reasonable manner. There will always be the same one or two who will take things out of context, bring up for the umpteenth time that you are a closet Fed fan posing as a Rafa fan, and on and on.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts on Novak and Rafa and all things tennis. Hopefully, we can engage in some decent discussions about tennis as we go forward in this new year.
nny, taking things out of context and then ruining any discussion is commonly done here. I too hope we can have decent discussions about tennis .
VR you have great tennis knowledge. I’ve watched the game for 40 years but I cannot analyze it and break it down technically the way you do. Do you play yourself?
#PDFTT
hawkeye,
Well said! I just hope that vamosrafa doesn’t get discouraged and stops posting. Whether I agree with vamosrafa or not, I do like reading his thoughts because of his detailed knowledge of the game. It’s a pleasure.
@hawkeye and NNY, I can only thanks for the kind words. Well-informed and insightful posters like you have contributed to whatever knowledge I have and I hope you guys keep posting because if posters like you don’t, I guess I won’t be here too!
hawkeye, I have played tennis for quite some time but it was only for recreation purposes. My experience of watching the game is not even close to yours. In fact, my age ,25, is 15 years less than your experience lol.I only started watching in 2004-05 and it was rafa who attracted me to tennis. Since then , there has been passionate following of the game 🙂
Well it’s very insightful. You’d make a good tennis analyst. With posters like yourself, I’ll definitely stick around.
I simply cannot believe how well Federer is playing at 33. I finally got around to watching his win over Raonic who himself I thought played the best tennis I’ve watched him play (after the first set). Raonic’s net play has really come along and his forehand has even more pace and accuracy. He really had Fed on the run for much of the match. BH while improving still has a long way to go!
Thanks hawkeye 🙂
I enjoy reading your posts too esp when you post interesting stats and observations.
I agree Raonic has improved quite a lot! His forehand is potent and a big weapon for him now. He has improved the variety in as well as consistency of his backhand but as you said, there is still a long way to go. His movement has marginally gotten better too, i believe. The thing about raonic is that he is very good at imposing his own game and he is able to stay calm by playing on his strength (his service games). Players like dimitrov have not really been able to impose their games against quality players so far.
I also enjoy WRITING my posts about tennis (more than other things)>
Agreed, Raonic’s movement has improved.
https://twitter.com/hotdog6969/status/554264566683951104
Djokovic’s struggle against big serving has been aptly explained by @vamosrafa and @hawkeye.
IMO, Nole has the best return shot on the tour. He can just neutralise any kind of serve. But he does have difficulty in reading the serve. In that department, I think Fed is the best. He has got a brilliant read on his opponent’s serve ( that’s why it has always been difficult to out ace him even by the big servers). But his reflexes and his return shot, especially the BH is pretty weak, which denies him the opportunity to take advantage of his anticipation skills. Rafa doesn’t have that powerful return or read on the serve, but he makes up for it with his court positioning and ensuing a rally from there on. The difference b/w Nole and Rafa I think lies in the way they approach their return games. Nole always look to attack on the return and start the rally on an advantage, while Rafa mostly likes to just put in a neutral return to start a rally and dominate from there on.
good post ,abhirf. I tend to agree with almost all the points. Well , I won’t say rafa likes to jut put in a neutral return..he often goes for his returns but in a different way usually. He his aiming to hit deep,heavily spun forehands and when he is able to do that, he draws short balls. The problem is that because he puts so much spin from so far back, is returns can land short and sometimes he is not able to create enough able and that gets punished.
However, he does go after some returns ,surely. He often hits big backhand CC returns on the deuce court and uses his forehand to punish some weak 2nd serves too. But yes, generally nole is a much more aggressive returner. The best thing about djokovic’s return is that while it is an aggressive return, it is also a high percentage return! Agassi’s return was more aggressive but the percentages were lower than novak’s. Novak focuses more on depth. His forehand return is a little vulnerable though. Anyhow, it is his biggest weapon.
excuse all the typos :/ and the part ‘not able to create enough able’ in line 5 should read ‘not able to create enough angle’ ..
I do agree that Rafa has been more aggressive over the last 2 years. But he still tends to revert back to standing too far in the back court more often than not. Hence, the generalised comment regarding his Return!
i generally support Nole but like most everyone. i agree with the poster abhirf. they take different approaches to return games. Nole’s return is much better and their baseline games are similarly on form; Nole plays just as good defense as Rafa but is less inclined to play that style. He can turn defense into offense with one shot; Rafa is happy to play defensive and defensive shot before finally playing some attack after like 15 shots in a point. That does not usually work on hard surfaces because the points is over before that. On clay it goes on forever and Rafa has time to work into a rally and finally get on offense. One reason why surface will help Nole win in AO.
you are right that they take different approaches to return games. However, I am not too sure which rafa are you talking about when you say he attacks after 15 shots in a point. Rafa has become a very aggressive baseliner now! He pulls the trigger a lot more often on his forehand side. He actually hit more winners than novak did in the USO 2013 and also FO 2014 final! Rafa has a more aggressive forehand while djokovic has a more aggressive backhand. It is however, true that djokovic employs a more aggressive court positioning and takes the ball earlier off both wings. Another thing is that because rafa stands so far back to return serve, it is more difficult for him to make him way up the court but he has the best footwork in the game to do that and he does that every time he gets s decent return in play.
Agreed, it has been a long time that Rafa played too defensively.
His game has become much more agressive especially since 2013 (out of necessity according to Rafa himself). He has always amazed me with his ability to turn defence into offence at the turn of a dime at any point during a rally, long or short.
vamosrafa,
I am enjoying reading this discussion as I just checked in today. I do not agree that Rafa just tries to hit his return to get the ball in play. Sometimes that can be true, but not always. Rafa has become much more offensive minded as his game has evolved. He’s not content to stay behind the baseline and try to win from there. For one thing, he can’t do it because other players have managed to counter his tactic with their own aggressive play. For another thing, this attritional style of play is just too hard on his body.
Rafa has made incremental changes over the years. He now has a superb net game. He tries to move into the court and close out points more quickly. I appreciate the fact that Rafa has been willing to tinker with his game and make adjustments over time.
I do not agree that Novak is the only player who can turn defense into offense with one shot. Rafa has demonstrated the capability of seamlessly transitioning from defense to offense on many occasions. It is now one of his greatest strengths.
“I do not agree that Rafa just tries to hit his return to get the ball in play.”
you’re right. he quite often hits his return OUT of play!!!!
@NNY, you are absolutely right about rafa being great at turning defense into offense! who said rafa is second to anyone in that category? I guess he is the best! his forehand is the best weapon in the game to turn defense into offense! djokovic is able to generate incredible depth even on full stretch when playing his backhands and that allows him to quickly get back to offense. Rafa’s backhand defense is second only to djokovic though. His counterpunching is exceptional . But as far as the forehand side is concerned, rafa is far ahead.
So, my conclusions on the stats posed by @vamosrafa at January 11, 2015 at 10:58 am are as follows:
Novak has the worst record against serve-bot giants amongst the traditional Big 4. Even if one factored in Rosol’s, Soderling’s and Kyrgios’s results, Rafa’s metrics would still be better than Novak’s, his main rival currently.
Agreed.
Also ritb, let’s just take a step back -:
h2h:
Nadal/Soderling 6:2
Djokovic/Soderling 6:1
So Nadal has no more trouble against Sod than Djoko has and Djoko has yet to play Krygios. But Nadal has an impeccable record against Karlovic & Isner, which Djoker doesn’t have. However, it’s Djoko who is put in the lead against big servers.
#Charming
Nadal OWNED Sod
would have beat him 1, 1, and 1 at the 09 French Open if healthy
^^Thank you!
Those 2 losses by Rafa to Sod were during 2009 when, at the risk of stating the obvious, Rafa was playing injured. Don’t understand the Sod troubled Rafa narrative to be honest……..
it’s because Soderling had the prototypical game that SHOULD have been able to work against Rafa
so people just ASSUME that it did. needless to say, it did nothing of the sort.
Had a chemistry teacher who used to start classes thus:
“Let’s assume there are no assumptions”
Ricky,
I always thought that Sod’s victory over Rafa in the 2009 RG was a one off. It was obvious that Rafa could not move well at all because of his knees. Sod did play a great match for him, but a healthy Rafa would have cleaned his clock.
That’s why Sod never beat him again. A healthy Rafa on any surface can beat him as he proved at Wimbledon.
Nadal roasted him like 1 and 0 two weeks earlier
“However, it’s Djoko who is put in the lead against big servers.”
Who said so.
#ShhhDelusionalRevisionismAtWork
“However, it’s Djoko who is put in the lead against big servers. ”
He is not, stats don’t lie. Stats are fact. They are there on the ATP website.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, nuanced take, spin, whatever. Doesn’t change the stats. It’s play on court, and results, that will change the stats.
Except I haven’t heard anyone make that specific assertion.
Oh, okay. Haven’t bothered to scroll up to read all the posts to be honest. Just responded to @nadline’s comment @ 2:26 pm
hawkeye, to say Nole has the best ROS when he doesn’t have the best ROS against the big servers is making that assertion. Look at what
abhirf says:
January 12, 2015 at 5:52 am (paraphrasing)
Nadal doesn’t have a read on the serve. Such misrepresentation of the facts. Also That Nole is the best at neutralizing the serve, a figment of his imagination.
^^^And vamosrafa agreed with almost all abhirf’s points.
vamosrafa says:
January 12, 2015 at 7:16 am
good post ,abhirf. I tend to agree with almost all the points.
Look up the word “almost”.
what exactly did abhirf say that has offended you? yes , I do agree with him that both rafa and novak employ very different return strategies. Rafa stands far back and novak is not the best in reading big first serve. Plus, rafa’s court positioning has its advantages as well as its disadvantages. He also made some valid pnts about fed’s return! and yes, I used ‘almost’ because I do not agree with ALL the points. My next post discusses some of the things that show my disagreements. So where is the issue here exactly? :S
No reasoning with the unreasonable VR. She’s entered into the Troll Zone.
“However, it’s Djoko who is put in the lead against big servers. ”
Nope, abhirf (nor anyone I’ve read) puts in that qualifier “against big servers”. You came up with that self-serving gem all on your own.
#ShhhDelusionalRevisionismStillAtWork
A certain amount of back-tracking is going on.
Well, yes exactly. You’ve taken the first step.
#Finally
copy pasting can be your friend here. post the exact part with which you have a disagreement with and I can then perhaps clarify.
Nobody here has said anything even remotely unreasonable. It’s just that if you don’t say that Rafa is the best of all time at everything, any place, any time, all the time, that’s when the defensiveness and attacking starts.
No one here is allowed to say anything positive about Novak’s game without getting trashed. He can’t be the best returner because that would be an insult to Rafa.
Same old same old.
WARNING: the post:
augusta08, January 12, 2015 at 7:48 pm
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nadline10 says:
January 12, 2015 at 2:50 pm
abhirf says:
January 12, 2015 at 5:52 am (paraphrasing)
Nadal doesn’t have a read on the serve. Such misrepresentation of the facts. Also That Nole is the best at neutralizing the serve, a figment of his imagination.
Then I guess you would put it as a figment of Rafa’s ( and many more players on the tour ) imagination who keep on rambling about Nole’s ROS as the best on tour.
I think you are still misinterpreting the difference b/w read on serve, the ROS and return game.
Ever wondered why Rafa stands so far back while returning. If it’s not for giving himself more time to read the serve, then what else is it for. The only reason Rafa lost to Kyrgios in Wimbledon was because he became too adamant to return by standing too close to the baseline. Only if he could have changed his return position even by half-a-metre, it might have been enough for him to get more into Kyrgios service games.
not understanding the difference between ROS and return game is arguably the biggest flaw among the tennis fan population
Nole’s ROS is BY FAR the best on tour.
Rafa’s return game while among the very best (career 33% won) is not much better than Nole (32%) nor Muzz’s.(32%). Certainly better than Fed’s (27%).
Even in Rafa’s amazing 2013, Rafa was tops at 34% to Nole’s 33%.
abhirf,
I think you make an excellent point about the confusion between ROS and the return game.
By the way, it’s good to see you back here posting. I hope you hang around for a while.
It is so boring when the usual suspects come out against anyone trying to make Rafa’s case. If just once in a while they would defend Rafa, I would be inclined to take them seriously.
I might also say that it’s boring and annoying when the usual suspects come out and attack anyone who dares to say something positive about any player not named Rafa!
Soderling was able to ‘trouble’ rafa on a few occasions. The wimbledon 2010 quarter final is also an example. But did rafa own soderling? of course yes! he would have swept soderling away in straights sets if he was fit on that day they played each other at the french open in 2009. guess what, soderling lost all six sets he played against rafa at roland garros in the years that followed !
Big,flat hitting can disrupt rafa’s rhythm. There are patterns of play that can make a particular player look a little vulnerable and that applies to each of rafa, federer and djokovic. Rafa is the best problem solver among the big 4 and he finds solutions quickly. I remember how mathew’s CC backhand was able to do so much damage against rafa in RG 2005 but over the years rafa’s forehand has evolved so much . Rafa on full cylinders is the toughest prospect in my view. He just has to avoid those stupid wrist,back ,knee issues . I think rafa will have a very strong 2015
I think Rafa’s loss to Kyrgios was kosher. Rafa had no unusual physical limitations that day, unlike the losses to Sod and Rosol.
I hope Kyrgios is not in Rafa’s quarter till the clay season……………..
Who am I kidding? He will be in Rafa’s quarter at Oz 2015.
I’m also sure Krygios will be in Rafa’s Qtr. but perhaps it would be a good thing for Rafa to make amends as soon as possible.
I’m nervous. I feel Rafa needs more match-play to be truly comfortable out there. While the Oz crowd has been polite to Rafa (except last year at the instigation of that……….) can you imagine the baying that will take place playing that young man?
I too think Kyrgios will be in rafa’s quarter! kyrgios win can be attributed mainly to two things:
1.he had a crazy serving day. His first serve was untouchable for most of the match.
2. rafa lacked confidence on grass and that is natural! he was slowly building confidence by winning some matches but perhaps it was not enough. He was nervous on important points and because he had not won many matches, he was not comfortable.
I do not think Kyrgios will be able to defeat rafa ever again,
You guys, Rafa’s coming off a loooooong lay off. We all know he is like a diesel engine, needs time to warm up……..
Well, to avoid acute disappointment, I am maintaining a pessimistic posture until he reaches the quarters.
^^^Definitely! He could meet Rafa as soon as the first round. I predict second round. Will also be at least two other giants in Rafa’s quarter also. They don’t like giving any rhythm players to Rafa.
Also see Raonic in Rafa’s quarter and Kei in Nole’s). Muzza with CryBaby and Berdy with Fed.
lol…I got a feeling some of these predictions will come true haha.. for a change give rafa some rhythm players please!
Looking at the 9-16 seeds, look for the Fog and Feli in Fed’s qtr, Ferrer and Anderson in Wawa’s qtr, BabyFed and Gulbis in Rafa’s qtr and RBA and Robredo in Nole’s quarter.
Also anticipate Monfils, Isner, Ivo all in Nole’s half, two of which will be in Rafa’s qtr.
So, to summarize my 2015 AO Rigged Picks:
Rafa’s half: Kyrgios, Thiem, LaMonf, Gulbis, BabyFed, Raonic and Nole.
Fed’s half: Qualifiers, Feli, Fognini, Berdy, Muzza and CryBaby
(Disclaimer: historically the Australian Open has been the fairest of draws for Rafa compared to the other three slams.)
How did I forget Del Potro!!!
Also BabyFed is useless vs Fed so let’s trade him for Ferru in Rafa’s quarter and BabyFed in Fed’s quarter.
So:
Rafa: Del Potro, Kyrgios, Thiem, LaMonf, Gulbis, Ferru, Raonic (or Kei) all in Rafa’s quarter and Rafa in Nole’s half (Nole to draw Kei if Rafa gets Milos – Kei and Milos NOT in Fed’s quarter).
Fed: Qualifiers, Feli, Fognini, BabyFed and Berdych all in Fed’s quarter and CryBaby with Muzza in Fed’s half.
There! Done and dusted!
It was unbelievable how they pit Isner against Mahut the very next year after the marathon match to get another side show and a return of Rafa/Rosol at Wimbledon. The chances of that happening at random are quite remote. This is why I believe a Nadal/Krygios is in the pipeline in OZ and probably also at Wimbledon.
that may be the only draw that i LEGITIMATELY believe was rigged
#ScovilleJenkins
If “they” can rig one, why not the others?
i didn’t say they can’t, i said i’m not sure if i am 100 percent convinced that any others were rigged
do i think there’s a possibility of other rigged draws? of course.
do I believe in the POSSIBILITY that draws aren’t rigged? of course.
Not likely though (based on the data).
#TheoreticallyYesPracticallyNo
The least they can do is rig another AO final between Rafa and Stan. This time Rafa will be fit.
^^Yes please, I’ll take that!
I pick Fed as second only to Djokovic to win AO (unless he plays Rafa).
Let’s see what the oddsmakers say. Please stand by…
Oddsmakers agree! Followed closely by Muzza and Rafa.
Cry-Baby-Feds are in a distant virtual tie both at about 14:1. That’s gotta be one of the lowest odds for a Defending Champ.
Not surprised.
hawkeye, I hope you put your money where your mouth is.
http://www.idioms4you.com/img/angif-put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is.gif
hawkeye
I have the perfect comeback to that but I’m too nice. (I’m sure you can figure it out.)
As always, you have nothing of substance to add.
Find that quote to support your claim, “it’s Djoko who is put in the lead against big servers. ”
Thought not.
Keep on trollin’, I mean truckin’ @nadline10.
^^^I believe you.
Not sure where to post this (maybe nadline can make a better suggestion).
ChangeOver Tennis 2015 predictions…
My favourite quote: “Just like this year, Berdych will seem to have an AWFUL season and yet he’ll remain the top ten cockroach that he is.”
http://www.changeovertennis.com/changeover-chat-unwisely-attempting-predict-2015/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Andrew: I’m starting to lose faith that Delpo’s career will ever take off again, if I’m honest. I think Gulbis will still impose himself occasionally, and I’ll be keeping a very close eye on Kyrgios.
Lindsay: Kyrgios is the wild card.
Amy: I don’t believe in the Kyrgios hype.
Lindsay: Oh, I totally do. But we’ll see.
Anyways, onto the fun part. What are our predictions for the top five?
Amy: 1. Djokovic, 2. Rafa 3. Murray 4. Fed 5. Stan. Big Four are still the easiest bet.
Andrew: 1. Djokovic 2. Nadal 3. Murray 4. Dimitrov 5. Federer
Amy: Ewwww, Baby Fed in front of Real Fed. Gross.
Andrew: I know. It’s disturbing. But I went there.
Amy: May that never, ever happen.
Lindsay: LOLOL
Amy: Fed DEFINITELY needs to retire before it does.
Andrew: He’s just so stretchy. That is world No. 4 level stretchiness.
Lindsay: 1. Djokovic 2. Rafa 3. Stan 4. Raonic 5. Federer.
Andrew: I would love that, Lindsay, I showed great restraint not add a little maple syrup to the mix.
Lindsay: I think one of the three–Dimitrov, Raonic, Nishikori, will be in the top 5, and I think Raonic has the best chance of staying healthy.
http://velocity.radialhq.com.au/Cleanliness%20-Put-Rubbish-In-Bin.gif
How about this?
That’s a very good place for that claim you made @nadline.
I agree.
I like this bit though, keeping things in perspective:
Lindsay: I agree on another good season for Djokovic, probably finishing No. 1 (depending on Rafa’s health), but I expect a couple of surprising Slam losses like we saw this season. –
link?
oh got it, thanks
I think that Rafa has gotten decent draws at the AO. That’s not what has stopped him. It’s the curse of always getting hurt or getting sick the way he did in Doha when he was going for the Rafa slam. If Rafa can just be healthy and not have any surprise injury crop up, then that would be nice to see for a change.
that is true! draw has not been an issue for rafa at AO. The illness caught in doha in 2011 , the back injury last year have been the real issues. I hope he stays healthy when exposed to high intensity competition. I do have this concern.
https://twitter.com/Dimonator/status/554719917371453441
^^Superb!
You is on fire Rickster!!
hawkeye63 says:
January 12, 2015 at 3:37 pm
So, to summarize my 2015 AO Rigged Picks:
Rafa’s half: Kyrgios, Thiem, LaMonf, Gulbis, BabyFed, Raonic and Nole.
Fed’s half: Qualifiers, Feli, Fognini, Berdy, Muzza and CryBaby
(Disclaimer: historically the Australian Open has been the fairest of draws for Rafa compared to the other three slams.)
I’m happy to see Thiem, LaMonf, Gulbis, BabyFed, Raonic and Nole in Rafa’s path, not the hyperactive Krygios.
hawkeye63 says:
January 12, 2015 at 3:37 pm
“So, to summarize my 2015 AO Rigged Picks:
Rafa’s half: Kyrgios, Thiem, LaMonf, Gulbis, BabyFed, Raonic and Nole.
Fed’s half: Qualifiers, Feli, Fognini, Berdy, Muzza and CryBaby
(Disclaimer: historically the Australian Open has been the fairest of draws for Rafa compared to the other three slams.)”
I’m happy to see Thiem, LaMonf, Gulbis, BabyFed, Raonic and Nole in Rafa’s path, not the hyperactive Krygios.
VR,
I am another one who is glad you will continue to post here facts and well-formed and substantiated opinions.
I suppose that immediately makes me irrationally pro-fed and pro-djoker. 😉
chloro says:
January 13, 2015 at 1:46 pm
—I suppose that immediately makes me irrationally pro-fed and pro-djoker. 😉 —
Something (but-I-don’t-know-what) can make you pro-Stan also. 😆
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7PemmlCYAIoAX1.png
@chrloro, hahaha you know the script well now 😉 anyway, great to see you here 🙂
Very interesting (from a poster on Tennis-X):
elina Says:
Novak is certainly one of the most consistent of players reaching slam finals (and even more so semis). Amazing stats!
But he is relatively vulnerable in the finals with a 7-7 win-loss record (compared to other greats with more slams to their name):
Emerson 80%
Sampras 78%
Nadal 70%
Borg 69%
Federer 68% (at 33 no less!)
Tilden 67%
Laver 65%
Connors 53%
Agassi 53%
Djokovic 50%
Rosewall 50%
Lendl 42%
Even Djokovic, the great player that he is, has recognized this relative vulnerability which is why he said he hired Boris and why he expressed the importance of winning Wimbledon last year.
I think Djokovic has recognized this and has taken the right steps.
Given the state of the game, he has a real opportunity for the calendar slam, a greater chance than any other player has had in decades. Still a tough ask nut I think he wins two at a minimum this year but most likely three.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVtaVrUAPK0
^^
Another stat where Rafa out-performs Novak.
Meow………….
How many times???????
ritb, what a well formed and substantiated opinion.
Thank you @nadline10, we aim to please!
I would be remiss if I did not recognize the substantiation provided by the great @elina of tennis-x blog, as helpfully provided by our very own @hawkeye63, which allowed for the elucidation of my, ahem, well formed opinion.
Well he is the GOAT, for sure, no? Not only better than Nole but for every other player on the planet (as well as all the other planets)!!!!
A profound observation, @hawkeye63………..
the well-formed and substantiated is VR’s domain …
#WherePraiseIsDue
#HitOneCloseToHomeMuch?
You look like you’ve got your boxing gloves on today, @chloro. Everything okay?
we each take turns making sure not to lose posters here, is all, ritb
I don’t think you have to worry about that @chloro, Ricky’s got Tenngrand covered.
Staying or leaving is an individual choice, as it should be. Would be pretty arrogant for anyone to presume to influence other people’s choices, don’t you think?
Have a good one!!
Stick around chloro! 😉
Sigh, me and my addled brain, didn’t realize @chloro was talking about himself……….
hawkeye63 says:
January 13, 2015 at 7:04 pm
—Stick around chloro! ;)—
But, be careful, chloro! Your countrymen can’t stand negative FACTS about Rafa’s opponents:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B7QJ32sIYAAccK8.png
vamosrafa says:
January 13, 2015 at 5:59 pm
@NNY, you are absolutely right about Rafa being great at turning defense into offence! who said Rafa is second to anyone in that category? I guess he is the best!
vamosrafa, are you sure this is well sourced and substantiated?
WARNING: the post:
nadline10, January 13, 2015 at 7:05 pm
is trolling for a reply. Please do not respond. Thank you for your cooperation. This is an automated post. Replies will not be responded to.
#PDFFT
lol..i think I will cooperate here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWlot6h_JM
The way to keep some posters here is not to put Rafa’s case. That is against the rules and wrong in their eyes. If someone says Rafa is not the best claycourter of all time, no one has the right to disagree.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but some people think that some are more entitled than others.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but some people think that some are more entitled than others.”
Couldn’t have put it any better @nadline10. One to grow on for sure.
Vamos!
@chloro, I hope you stick around during AO!
Sigh………….
To paraphrase Bill Maher, if people need to be reassured that other posters love them under threat of leaving, sounds more like an abusive relationship going on than basic friendship.
Can’t wait for Oz…………………
As long as it’s consensual ritb, then quoting Seinfeld, not that there is anything wrong with that.
Speaking of, anyone seen Gone Girl? Good movie!
Not me, had to google it to see who’s in it. I like Ben Affleck, will look for a DVD……………
Just finished watching No Country for Old Men for like the 3rd time. Can never get enough of Javier Bardem’s bad haircut………….
Well now, with the Coen Brothers, you’re going to a whole ‘nuther level as they say.
The GOATs of movies IMHO.
I have! it was a very good movie, hawkeye ! I had more hopes with the ending though haha
Novak Djokovic forum is the new Non-tennis forum
oh i see what you all are doing. You are pretending Djokovic is “non-tennis.”
#Classic
#YouDo
hahaha 😛
ricky,
that’s right
we do
vr: thank you and yes I will stick around AO and hopefully for the entire duration. I mean, if and when Rafa loses earlier in a tournament sometimes I do not continue to pay attention as much to the rest of the tournament and TG… depending on who else is playing. It is Rafa who got me back to following tennis and I’ve continue to have mostly the same tunnel vision now. Some exceptions made for guys like murrayboy as my wife and me like to call our second favorite male tennis player.
ritb, what I wrote about make sure we do not lose people… was tongue in cheek, and not about me :-).
chloro, I can understand. It really is never the same when rafa exits a tournament! I can totally relate to it. I hope we can watch him lift the trophy this time 🙂
vr,
careful,
wishing for rafa to lift the double-career slam trophy?
traitor!
you should veil more carefully your rafa-hatred and your elevating his rivals beyond reason.
No country for old men… watched it twice in a row when I first came across it. I enjoy and admire Xavier in various roles and in this one he played that cold psycho so credibly. He was excellent too in Biutiful – a movie I absolutely loved but don’t want to see again – I think it’s the kind of movie whose magic and feeling works only the first time, I’m glad I saw it on the big screen.
I have Biutiful but still haven’t gotten around to watching it yet.
hawkeye,
In chosing when to watch it just keep in mind it is beautiful, full of feeling and humanity, soulful, and very sad. The music helps a lot, I bought the soundtrack, something I rarely do, and the liner notes have an interesting story of how that music came to be made for the movie. Anyway, coming back to the movie, it is of that kind and worth watching on the day you want to immerse yourself in it. Not just a nice entertainment type of flick.
No Country… I think it was one of the best. And portrays how usually those psychopaths and sociopaths among us are usually like that: don’t look like anything special, pedestrian, not worked up, etc. Chilling.
As I thought. As I grow older, I find it harder to watch very sad movies as there is already plenty enough sadness in the real world.
OK, Ricky has made his point so for non-Nole related posts…
I’m off this thread, GOT IT!!!!
#MemoryLane
King Nole and His Quest for The Holy Grail
http://gulfnews.com/sport/uae/novak-djokovic-inspired-by-fatherhood-and-french-open-goal-1.1434968
Nole knows what time it is.
#TennisFan
^^It’s half-past Rafa Nadal.
half-past: love it
In Nole’s world Rafa is 14 past 7.
14 past 7…………
Ting.
[polldaddy poll=8583182]
“I had a tough couple days but it’s all behind me now. I’m ready.”
This does not bode well for Djokovic. His preparation has been disrupted and his conditioning will be put under a very stern test in the hot conditions.
With rafa struggling for form and djokovic not having the ideal prep, fed might take the advantage and win no.18. i really wish it does not happen that way! Come on rafa, just your game and find your form. If you are able to do that, you are too good for anyone.
“Novak Djokovic is prepared to talk to Andy Murray to try to assure him that there was no sharp practice going on in the Australian Open final.”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2936909/Novak-Djokovic-vows-make-peace-Andy-Murray-play-acting-row-Australian-Open.html#ixzz3QfsmjGpT
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
I just find Djokovic so sad, his desire to be like is so sad.
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/02/friendly-four-djokovic-looking-repair-relations-murray-keep-close-federer-nadal/53929/#.VNGrBE39nIU
“Djokovic sees a connection between the top four players, and suggested he also wants to spend more time with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as they further along their careers.
“I do look at him, Rafa and Roger as my friends, honestly, because I see them so much, more than my parents and sometimes more than my wife. There is this special relationship that has been created with the number of years that we spend on the tour together,” said Djokovic.
“Yes, we are rivals and of course you can’t really sit down and have dinners and chat about some intimate things because tomorrow you’re going to be on the court fighting for the biggest trophies. So at this point of our careers maybe that intimate and close relationship is not possible yet. But we’re all humans at the end of the day and I think we should consider that human side as a priority before sport.”
Just get on with the business of winning, Djoko, enough with the cringe – worthy whining. I wanna spend more time with Rafa, Fed, blah, blah, blah……….they are busy, with their own lives mate!
It sounds like he wants the acceptance of the other top guys.
Don’t go looking for respect Djoko, needy is not attractive. If it’s earned, it will be given, unconditionally………….
Djoko said 4 years ago that he couldn’t be mates with his rivals!
Mail Online, May 22, 2011: ¤¤ Djokovic: I can’t be mates with Andy and Rafa while we’re fighting for a place in history ¤¤
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1389547/Novak-Djokovic-I-mates-Andy-Murray-Rafael-Nadal-fighting-place-history.html#ixzz3NENdllWm
Rafa is not interested in spending more time with his workmates i.e Federer and Djoker he wants to spend his precious time with his real friends that he’s known all his life and grew up with and can relate to and who speak his language.
Bogdan Obradovic retorts to Mats Wilander´s comments on Djokovic: ´He has an inferiority complex´
Serbian Davis Cup captain Bogdan Obradovic has come out in full defence of Novak Djokovic, against Mats Wilander’s comments about the Australian Open champion’s attitude. Speaking to the Serbian publication, ‘Novosti’, Obradovic stated, “Nole is a young tennis player, who got good results for many years. He has maturity and he showed his maturity with the 6-0 in the fourth set of the Australian Open Men’s final.
“Unfortunately it was commented that Novak feigned injuries, and he used tricks against Murray. The firsts to do so this were Mats Wilander and Martina Navratilova”, continued Obradovic. Speaking about the Swede, the Serbian added, “He has a huge inferiority complex. Eurosport should take someone else. This is not the first time. For a lot of years he has been rude to Nole. If he played today, it would be one as Alexandr Dolgopolov, no offense to the Ukrainian. A tennis player without any chance of winning a Grand Slam.”
“Wilander and Navratilova should be ashamed. What they said has nothing to do with the sport. Maybe because Djokovic comes from a small country like Serbia. We have never hated anyone, we fought only against those who attacked us. Thanks to a Serb, Tesla, all of them have electricity. From Tesla to Djokovic, we showed what we are worth”,
he concluded.
what is the reference to Dolgo?
Maybe he thinks Dolgo is just a journeyman.
would be more accurate than Murray
Journeyman?
wow
“Maybe because Djokovic comes from a small country like Serbia. We have never hated anyone, we fought only against those who attacked us. Thanks to a Serb, Tesla, all of them have electricity. From Tesla to Djokovic, we showed what we are worth”,
he concluded.”
Yawn………………..
How Novak Djokovic can make you a better friend, colleague and spouse
Self-improvement isn’t about making our best better – but about making our worst less bad.
BY ED SMITH PUBLISHED 19 FEBRUARY, 2015 – 11:17
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Novak Djokovic at the Australian open. Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic at the Australian open. Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Can explaining how the tennis player Novak Djokovic wins so many matches lead us to live better lives as employees, parents, spouses and friends? It might sound crazy but I think it can.
Djokovic at his best is absolutely brilliant. That’s not the point. The astonishing thing is that when Djokovic is below par, when his game is out of kilter, he is still very good indeed. That is where he steals a margin on his competitors. His best form rivals anyone’s best. But his worst is definitely better than anybody else’s worst. Djokovic’s baseline (the tennis overtones are coincidental) is the highest in tennis and perhaps anywhere in world sport.
We tend to think of brilliance in terms of peaks of inspiration, what athletes refer to as “the zone”. This calm yet euphoric state is the focus of most sports psychology and the nirvana promised by the lucrative sport-business lecture circuit. At least as important, however, is how good you are when you are completely out of the zone. Many top players are unstoppable when they are on form; only a tiny number are still hard to beat when they are bumping along the baseline of their performance range.
Djokovic’s victory over Andy Murray in the final of the Australian Open last month was a classic case study. Murray played superbly for two sets of enthralling tennis. Had it been a boxing match, he would have clinched both rounds. During this phase of the match Murray was more exuberantly confident than I’ve ever seen him – punching the air, extravagantly nodding his head, calling out to his coaches: “I’ve got this!” Where Murray’s blood was up, Djokovic looked out of sorts, oddly muted. The champion was there for the taking, ready to be toppled. Then there was the annoying small detail: the score. This read: one set all, both decided by tie-break. Djokovic was clearly losing, we could all see that – everyone, that is, except the scoreboard.
Consider Andy Murray’s experience of getting to that stage. He knew, in a match likely to swing several times in momentum, that this early stage was his period of ascendancy. In normal circumstances, a player does not exert as much energy when he is on top – because he is dominating the rallies, it is his opponent who does most of the running around. But against Djokovic, it rarely works out that way. He is so resilient in his bad spells, so hard to break down, that the process is almost equally exhausting for both players. Then, when Djokovic does click back into gear, he finds himself playing against a diminished opponent, both physically and mentally.
The question of whether Djokovic unsettled Murray by faking an injury has been overstated. Where Djokovic certainly did unsettle Murray was by taking him to the brink of exhaustion, even when it felt like Murray was winning. Beating Djokovic is like climbing the north face of the Eiger: there are no easy footholds on the sheer ice. Djokovic’s high baseline suffocates his opponents by making them play at an uncomfortably high altitude for hours, until – oxygen-deprived and disorientated – they crash back down to earth.
We often explain consistency in psychological terms. But temperament and technique are inseparable. When I jotted down a list of sportsmen with exceptionally high baselines – the Italian footballer Paolo Maldini, the South African cricketer Jacques Kallis, the New Zealand rugby player Richie McCaw and the Spanish footballer Xavi Hernandez – they all had superb technique in common. Djokovic, too, has the best all-round technique in tennis. The most underrated benefit of great technique is that it reduces the burden of anxiety. A player with great technique might lose but he is less likely to collapse.
“Technique is for an off-day,” the conductor Christopher Seaman told me recently. After all, when you’re in the zone, technique disappears and pure instinct takes over. Inside Conducting, Seaman’s superb book on his craft, is an expansion of that theme – how to balance the deliberate and the instinctive.
I remember talking in the late 1990s to Matthew Parris, then in full flow as the Times’s daily parliamentary sketchwriter. “What’s the hallmark of a great journalist?” I wondered. One aspect of his reply, flinty and unsentimental, surprised me: “Editors want to know that when you’re having a bad day, you’ll still be competent.” But Parris was right: there are many more journalists capable of being very good on their good days than there are columns to go around.
Howard Marks, the legendary American investor, has explored a similar point about exposure to financial risk. It’s not just how good you are in the good times, it is how moderate you are in the bad times. Nor does the conventional concept of averages capture the risks of a sudden decline in performance. “Never forget the six-foot-tall man,” Marks points out, “who drowned crossing the stream that was five feet on average.”
What can we, in civilian life, learn from the implications of a high baseline? Most of life is co-operative rather than competitive. Our bad days lead not to our own defeat but to the subtle diminution of the rooms we occupy. At our worst, we dampen the family mood at breakfast, reduce the optimism of the workplace and undermine the warmth of the evening.
But by how much? That is an undervalued criterion in gauging a good life. Everyone suffers fluctuations in mood; some people hide it better than others and, in the process, imperceptibly though significantly improve the lives of everyone around them.
I wonder if the eulogy “At his best, he was very good” should be replaced by “At his worst, he was better than most”.
http://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2015/02/how-novak-djokovic-can-make-you-better-friend-colleague-and-spouse
From novakindiafans
https://instagram.com/p/zccr8-SwQb/
NoleFam is everywhere.
https://instagram.com/p/zaib0ds58W/
NoleFam is everywhere.
https://instagram.com/p/zViqhMM50H/
NoleFam is everywhere.
https://instagram.com/p/zTBjudM5_T/
Doors fans and NoleFam intersect!
https://instagram.com/p/zS3Sexs596/
#BroadInterests
#BalancedLife
Jelenole shopping in Dubai. NoleFam look on in the distance.
https://instagram.com/p/zQiiQgs59D/
#NolePlank
https://instagram.com/p/zGJjFhs5zV/
Gluten free champagne.
https://instagram.com/p/zDanb2s5_H/
NoleFam is everywhere.
https://instagram.com/p/zX8IB-NyZk/
nole in dubai
https://instagram.com/p/zdGTS8HFzx/
#DubaiYou????
BB is everywhere.
https://instagram.com/p/zdHTcbEfxM/
#NoleFam is everywhere
https://instagram.com/p/zm9AqXowiy/
From magdanirvana
https://instagram.com/p/zm3aZGzWMY/
https://twitter.com/jmeistennis/status/571335716476743681
[polldaddy poll=8700749]
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CB2fl4QUIAA-z1x.png
https://twitter.com/tennis_photos/status/584794427232747520/photo/1
https://vine.co/v/OlQ3BzQtpFJ
Novak is now officially ahead of Rafa in number of weeks as #1, chapeau!
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/04/15/Djokovic-142-Weeks-No-1-Emirates-ATP-Rankings.aspx
Also, should Nole make the finals in MC, he will have eclipsed Rafa for having the largest ever ATP Rankings points lead with more than 5000 points over No. 2 Federer.
Rafa had a 4900 point lead at No. 1 in 2010 at one point.
Djokovic is skipping Madrid. He had no points to defend there.
Amaaaaaaaaazing!!!!!!!
Djoko is afraid of the Madrid crowd.
Redeucer, May 12, 2013: ¤¤ Djokovic to Madrid: ‘You Will Now Lick My D**k’!
Novak Djokovic recently shouted a vulgarity at the crowd during his second round match against Grigor Dimitrov at the Madrid Open.
With a pro-Dimitrov crowd consistently chanting Dimitrov’s name throughout the match, the sensitive Serbian finally succombed to the pressure.
World No. 28 Dimitrov eventually overpowered Djokovic, 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (8-10) 6-3. And at a change over in the match after Djokovic won the second set tiebreaker, he exclaimed in his native Serbian:
“Sad ce te kurac da mi lizete,” which literally translates to, “You will now lick my dick.”¤¤
US Today:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/05/novak-djokovic-madrid-curse
As some anti-Rafa fan’s are obsessed with Rafa and his butt, likewise gussie-bot is obsessed with Nole and his d**k.
The names may change but the spirit remains the same.
Hilarious!
#PotAndKettle
April 27, 2015 at 2:00 pm,
…
=====================================
It’s not news that someone here can’t stand facts about certain players:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDmsK3IWoAEtO2i.png
Hilarious!
gussie-bot regurgitates:
“It’s not news that someone here can’t stand facts about certain players:”
Facts such as quotes from Rafa and Uncle Toni that express their disappointment in the behaviour of the French crowd you mean?
gussie-bot the kettle-and-pot robo-poster.
Thanks for continuing to shoot yourself in the foot (so I don’t have to).
Hilarious!!!
April 27, 2015 at 2:29 pm,
…
========================================
Someone here is writing about whatever/whomever in order to rescue a certain player.
Hilarious!
As usual, gussie-bot-and-kettle has it backwards!
I stated the fact that Nole pulled out of Madrid and gussie0bot wrote about whatever/whomever in order to rescue a certain player:
gussie-bot spews::
April 27, 2015 at 1:24 pm
Djoko is afraid of the Madrid crowd.
Keep putting your robo-foot in your bot-mouth gussie-bot!
Hilarious!!!! Too funny!!!
April 27, 2015 at 3:26 pm.
…
==================
I am wondering whom someone here is trying to confuse.
Hilarious!
^^^ gussie-bot is (slowly) learning that saying less is more (in it’s case).
Hilarious!!!!
#FootInMouthDisease
April 27, 2015 at 4:10 pm,
…
==================
The comment posted on April 27, 2015 at 2:20 pm is clear.
Agreed. I was very clear back then and the comment still stands just as clear and true today..
gussie-bot is incapable of change.
fluff and hate. rinse. repeat.
Nothing new.
Djokovic withdraws from Madrid.
http://www.si.com/tennis/2015/04/27/novak-djokovic-withdraws-madrid-open-2015-atp-masters
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view/1036182/chris-griffin-what-o.gif
Novak’s withdrawal means that Nishikori will be 4th seed and cannot be in Rafa’s quarter.
Some robo poster will be pleased that Kei fans cannot be happy before the semis.
Boris is everywhere….
https://twitter.com/TLBGallery/status/593313846045081600
NoleFam is everywhere.
https://twitter.com/Gabbi_Nole/status/592077835516379137
Amaaaaaaaaaazing accomplishment.
https://twitter.com/NoleSwedenFans/status/591944908929429504
Unless something major happens such as major illness or injury Novak will get past McEnroe’s 1190 days (come December).
The question is whether he can accumulate another 890 days before retiring (almost 30 months)… again depends on injury, illness and the up and coming so far weaker new generation. I’m sure he’d love to surpass Roger by accumulating another 37 or so months.
I don’t expect Rafa to make it to #1 again or to stay there long should he. No one else either in the foreseeable.
Madrid is to Djokovic what IW is to the Williams sisters. He hasn’t been back since the crowd booed him in 2013.
Perhaps Rafa should have stopped competing at RG long time ago then.
#JustKidding
Hilarious!!!
Rafa has balls, Novak does not, clearly.
My comment is not even meant ironically. I don’t blame Novak. Nor suggest Rafa is on the higher road here. No one (or very few) would give up slams just for being booed.
Simply stating again that the only way to view the booing behaviour at RG is to acknowledge it as rather extreme. Extreme in disrespect and uncivility. And it was done to Rafa at more than one RG tournament.
#RewritingHistory
#ItNeverHappened
Even Uncle Toni and Rafa have criticized the disrespectful French crowd.
Well said chloro.
This post will of course earn me a disapproval as not a true Rafan.
#IronyHowSweetThySoundBlackKettle
…nor reliable.
#BewareTheBot
But they still celebrate his birthday with an elaborate cake every year. Just because a few frustrated Fedfans can’t behave themselves doesn’t mean that Rafa is not loved by the French.
Even Uncle Toni and Rafa have criticized the disrespectful French crowd.
#RepeatedForYourConvenience
May 6, 2015 at 3:35 pm,
—Simply stating again that the only way to view the booing behaviour at RG is to acknowledge it as rather extreme… And it was done to Rafa at more than one RG tournament.—
==============================================
Rafa has been booed at Roland Garros only once – in 2009. There hasn’t been possible to write/talk that spectators of Rafa’s match have booed him in other years – because of that some people have constructed stories that some people have booed FAR away from the court where Rafa played.
It’s amazing that the authors of the imaginary stories have the ability to freely imagine why some people are booing & hissing somewhere FAR away from something!
And this is a great example how “some” [booes and hisses] in somebody’s imaginary story became “half the stadium” [booed] in someone else’s story:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CCiZFm-W0AABvbr.png
The very poor treatment of Rafa started well before 2009, we were debating this on TT already before RG 2009. It started at RG 2005. Crowds disrespecting rafa in particular on many occasions. Press too, endlessly.
We don’t have through the whole discussion again in detail, we did that several times on TT also with Cheryl participating in the discussion (in addition to one or two blog post on the topic). A number of us mentioned a certain way the French commentators and public have in sport against especially the Spanish (e.g. extreme bias in commenting on soccer when one of the teams is Spanish), i.e. the Federer angle surely is a good part of this but not at all of it.
In short, the behaviour was (is) on behalf of many. At the same time many, many more surely, French tennis fans love Rafa. Both facts are just that.
May 7, 2015 at 11:16 am,
— It started at RG 2005—
==============================.
ed251137 has explained many times that it was directed against the chair umpire, not against Rafa!
Even Uncle Toni and Rafa have criticized the disrespectful French crowd.
That’s the only opinions I need to hear, Not from a repetitive robo-poster with nothing new or original to say about tennis.
Hilarious!!!
#RepeatedForYourConvenience
Chloro,
Good point!
Considering what Nole said he’d do to their mother’s and sisters, he is too scared to go back to Madrid; he doesn’t want to suffer the singeing of his beard.
Can’t blame him He deserves more respect.
Just like Rafa has skipped Paris 4 of the last 5 years.
No, you cannot compare Rafa’s missing Bercy with Novak’s missing Madrid. Different.
If you suffer abuse and your response is to hurl abuse back, you do not deserve respect. Especially if you are the #1 player in the world. You are supposed to take the high road, not dive into the gutter with the rest of them.
He was disrespected before he acted inappropriately.
Regardless, the point remains the same.
Both players for whatever reasons feel disrespected and as a result both Madrid and Paris are the respective tournaments that are skipped.
Djokovic is a professional, the Madrid crowd are not. As a professional, you are trained to focus on your craft, above all else. As a professional, you should expect everybody else who is not to not have your level of discipline, therefore disrespect from the crowd should not come as a surprise.
Every player suffers disrespect at one time or another in their career. I am sure Federer felt disrespected, by fans of his no less, when he told them to shut up at RG one time. Did he not show up at RG the following year, and the year after? I don’t think so.
Hell, the other day Carla Suarez Navarro was on court in Madrid and guess what was in the big screen while her match was on: Real Madrid vs Juventus! The highest ranked Spanish woman is playing, in Spain, and the tournament organisers choose to show a football match on the big screen in the same court she is playing! If that is not disrespect I don’t know what is. Will Carla boycott Madrid next year? Stay tuned………….personally, I think she has more class than that.
Other than CSN being singled out, I agree with everything you said.
Wasn’t my point.
And nobody is boycotting slams for several obvious easons. Not sure rogers yelling on a single point for the French crowd cheering too loud for him qualified as a slight either lol.
Sorry, am not getting your opinion on the CSN affair. I thought she was treated appallingly by the tournament organisers. They should hang their heads in shame. I doubt they would have done the same if it was Rafa playing the same time Real Madrid was.
It was a slight to both players and the WTA. Was not a personal slight.
Madrid is the most sexist of the high profile combined events.
If the Boss girls are gone, show football during women’s matches. Pretty consistent behaviour from Madrid organizers.
And they certainly wouldn’t do it during a Rafa match nor any other men’s match because to them that’s serious sport.
Don’t know, it felt personal. Maybe that’s just the emotional woman in me talking! 😉
Same for me. 🙂
miew!
Dinara Safina @Dinarik27 8m8 minutes ago Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid
What a match!!!!! @nickkyrgios he reminds me a bit of my brother when he was young, what do u think?!… https://instagram.com/p/2WbBktRTwl/
#DoYou???
certainly not…Safin was charming and good looking…he did have a temper but he was not rude…this kid is rude and arrogant and I really find no similarities to Safin…Dinara just seeks attention…
In any case the Paris Masters is a joke. The only players taking it seriously are those still fighting for the last slot(s) for the WTF or fighting for the YE No.1 slot. Those with confirmed places employ various strategies to get to the O2 asap.
Last year Federer famously gave Djokovic a walk-over in the final – many suspected in order to ‘save himself’ for the DC final against France.
That walkover was WTF, not Paris. As a veteran on the tour, I’m glad Rafa can skip Paris without penalty.
Trust the eyes of the hawk to spot sloppy writing 🙂
I had already edited it @10.18am!!
Edit final para. this should read
Last year Federer famously gave Djokovic a walk-over in the WTF final.
Shhh, don’t quote me, but it appears the marriage of convenience between Nole and Fedfans is showing signs of strain. Might this have something to do with Novak’s current “dominance”? I mean, how dare he up-stage Fed’s dominance during the weak era?
Funny part: both Fed and Djokovic are dominating during weak eras! But fear not tennis fans, the Bull will soon be back to his best to put paid to THIS weak era.
^^meant to say “Nolefans and Fedfans”
Fans are everywhere…
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/596737239641645057
Fans are everywhere…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CEgJWVtWIAE4O1u.jpg
@DjokerNole
Got quite a warm welcome today after practice @InteBNLdItalia. Grazie Roma! #ibi15 ?
3:33 PM – 8 May 2015
Fans are everywhere…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CF3SGF-UgAAhibg.jpg
#MirkasRight
Djoko’s racket after the 2nd set at Roland Garros on June 7, 2015:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CG9p5FhUIAAGwUN.png
That’s what happened to the racket:
https://twitter.com/philousports/status/607561458612760576
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11660998/Boris-Becker-political-correctness-is-bad-for-tennis.html
“Boris Becker said it is an ‘open secret’ that Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic don’t get on, but the modern game has left them too scared to vent their feelings ”
Well, I’ve got a GOAT for company in finding Djokovic off-putting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRposEaZmYo
I found Becker equally off-putting when he was playing and he hasn’t improved with age!
He is milking his role as Head Coach for all it’s worth while he can. He must be gutted that the bonus payments will not be what they would have been this year had Djokovic got his Calendar Slam. What are the betting odds he won’t be retained for much longer?
Hid book is one I won’t be reading, let alone buying.
http://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/is-novak-djokovic-an-underachiever
an article linked to from this one:
http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/8132800/has-novak-djokovic-become-fittest-athlete-ever-espn-magazine
it seems novak got all the mental (and spiritual, mindfulness, etc) help not from a sports psychologist, back in 2010 / 2011… but from the same doctor who found him by a fluke and got him off gluten. Worked for Novak, to an amazing extent…
Great article BTW. Thanks.
Re the ESPN story: so Novak is today’s Freak of Nurture. Wasn’t that the exact phrase used to describe Rafa by one Andre Agassi not so long ago? My point is: these are but mere punch-lines used by pundits to describe whomever they consider the player du jour.
If Novak is the fittest player on tour how come he has not been able to win the toughest Slam, physically, the French Open?
Not my characterization, the pros say so:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtNNp-4Z7X8
Well I just hope that you not comparing physically fittest with mentally fittest, don’t you?
Or do you.
#BetweenTheEars
…and no, the federazzi referred to Rafa as a freak of nature, a thinly veiled putdown.
The tournament director said his highlight of the whole tournament was 4,000 people watching Rafa practice! The organizers were happy to have Rafa in this tournament and having so many people attend these matches.
This is why Rafa DESERVES respect. He is the Tour’s star and together with Fed, drives the most revenue for the tournaments.
I’m looking at you RG and Carlos Bernardes!!
^^Sorry, posted above on wrong thread………….
Please re-post it on the right thread. 🙂
BTW, Federer can take 99% of the blame for their dislike for one another IMO. He openly showed such disdain for Djokovic (mostly because he lost to him).
I bet you the same goes for Muzza and Fed.
I think that even Rafa eventually got fed up with him (pun intended).
According to Forbes, Djokovic is now the second highest paid male tennis player and now earns more from endorsements than Rafa.
Amaaaaaaaaaaazinnnngggggg!!!!!
I too read thata nd was honestly surprised that Djoko has more endorsement money. Well it can also be that he signed more brands and Rafa only endorses quality brands.The more you sign, the more you earn. Quality over quantity.
Does that mean that last year Nole was quality over quantity compared to Rafa?
#2WaySt
Couldn’t care less tbh. Maria Sharapova earns more than Serena in endorsement money, says nothing about their respective prowess on court, only means Maria is blonder than Serena.
Djokovic and Fed can sell as many breakfast cereals as they want, Rafa must just go for the Slams as far as I am concerned. Rafa was born into money, more means absolutely nothing to him.
Exactly, not a popularity contest ala twitter/facebook.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/11685957/Novak-Djokovics-health-blueprint-how-to-transform-your-body-in-14-days.html
I will let the following posters at the bottom of the article speak for me:
@alanaxis says:
“More anti gluten, anti grain, anti carbohydrate, anti sugar rubbish.
Most people are not gluten intolerant. Carbohydrates are not bad in themselves, it is the quantity and type which are consumed that matters, exactly as with fats and proteins.
Yes we have an epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes and yes people should eat much less processed food, unhealthy vegetable oils, trans fats and refined sugars, particularly biscuits, cake, confectionery, soft drinks and pseudo healthy foods like sweet breakfast cereals and cereal bars with additives.
But unprocessed whole grains, potatoes, wheat, dairy and fruit (not fruit juices) are healthy nutritious foods for most people in reasonable amounts. Trying to eliminate them is completely pointless, unnecessary, and throwing the baby out with the bath water.”
@KC says:
“potatoes do not contain gluten. Also most people are not “gluten intolerant”. This sounds like bs”
I put gluten free maple syrup on my waffles so it’s not all bad.
^^^ Why?
I mean gluten free, not maple syrup. I get through a bottle week.
Ho ho ed. I betcha your maple syrup has no more gluten than mine.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIbznIsUEAAaqfe.jpg
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/11703909/Novak-Djokovic-risks-cheating-claims-after-Boris-Beckers-coaching-comments.html
But of course this is not “news”. It’s on;ly “news” if it concerns Rafa and Uncle Toni……..
Sick of the Rafa-hatin’ double standards.
The article:
—Novak Djokovic has risked accusations of potential cheating after his coach, Boris Becker, revealed he communicated with him during matches.—
===========================
.
Hahahahaaa! Mr. Bogdan Obradovic revealed this long ago and criticized Boris Becker for not communicating enough with Djoko (or not reacting well) during the RG final!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CHNSsL3UgAA96R0.png
I hope, vamosrafa now got evidences – from BB himself.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CIlVJ6xUYAAxV0i.png
https://tenngrand.com/2015/06/06/french-open-final-preview-and-pick-djokovic-vs-wawrinka/comment-page-6/#comment-198830
“Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching.”
Vamos!!!
“Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching.”
Vamos!
http://www.sportinglife.com/tennis/news/article/553/9897349/wimbledon-novak-djokovic-says-he-is-not-a-cheat-in-coaching-row
Djokovic: Doesn’t consider his communication with Becker cheating
The reigning Wimbledon champion accepted “we can’t pretend it’s not happening in tennis” in claiming every top star breaches governing body rules forbidding coaches instructing players in the middle of matches.
Coach Boris Becker has revealed Djokovic’s back-room staff “have our ways” of signalling to the Serbian on court “to tell him it’s good or it’s bad”.
The 28-year-old himself rejected suggestions his on-court communication with his coaching team represents significant rule breaches.
“We can’t pretend like that’s not happening in tennis,” said Djokovic of mid-match communication between players and coaches.
“Of course there are situations when it happens, and not just with the top players, with everybody.
“This is a very competitive sport. You’re alone on the court.
“Of course there are certain rules but also there are times when the team of the player communicates with the player when he gets to go and take the towel in the corner, which is closer to the box, or in different ways.
“I think it’s all fine as long as it’s not regular, I think it just depends.
“Also that’s up to the chair umpire or supervisor to decide if somebody’s breaking the rules or not.
“I think as long as it’s something that you can tolerate, let’s say, within the ways of communication, I think it’s fine.
“I don’t think that we’re cheating, I don’t think that’s how you can call it,” said Djokovic.
To paraphrase @hawkeye63 and @Mary: Hilarious!
Waiting for the deluge of opprobrium to fall on Djokovic’s head ala Rafa…….Not.
Now Novak, listen very carefully to @hawkeye63 and repeat after him, ““Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching.” Got that? Good!
Naughty, naughty!
Not me. It’s in the rule book. I’m not Mary’d to it like you appear to be.
Don’t you?
Or do you.
#rafaisthebest
#askmary
Is he?
or isn’t he?
she
he.
Rafa is still Rafael Nadal, no?
#askCaitlynJenner
That’s twice today a poster has had to clarify the subject of the gender mentioned.
Interesting. 🙂
hawkeye, that’s because vr is confused and so are you when not being obnoxious. Maybe the gang of 4 should be renamed the gender confused gang!!!! Seriously hawkeye, why don’t you abandon your obnoxious ways and become the witty hawkeye of yore?
Because I’m nobody’s puppet like I’ve told you many times before.
Hilarious!!!
#YoureWelcomeMyFan
#Humbl0
you mean you are not Mary’s little lamb? Too bad….
Oh by the way, you and vr should move to the States because even if you are confused about the gender of others, it doesn’t matter.
Peace senorita.
Vamos Rafa no matter what!
rafaisthebest says:
June 28, 2015 at 5:30 pm,
—Now Novak, listen very carefully to—
=======================================
vamosrafa should also listen to.
certainly gussie does.
She’s My biggest fan! (But the there’s something about Mary).
mew!
ha ha, hawkeye when you are funny, I am your biggest fan!!!
May you are tryingtoo hard. 🙂
Do mew?
Or don’t mew.
+
chloro oestridae +++
Novak Djokovic at center of CHEAT row as coach Boris Becker confirms use of special signals
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-centre-cheat-row-5960496
The article: –Two years ago, Stanislas Wawrinka targeted Toni Nadal for illegally coaching his nephew Rafa during a match – with “Uncle Toni” later admitting he had talked to the Spanish star during contests.—
======================
.
I am curious to know why the author of this article drags Rafa into it! I am wondering why he doesn’t write that U.Toni has admitted he says only encouraging words (Vamos! Move your legs!).
Rafa’s comments on the Wawrinka case:
ESPN, Nov. 8, 2013: ¤¤ Rafael Nadal has revealed that he did not receive instructions from his coach and uncle Toni after Stanislas Wawrinka complained about communication between the pair during their encounter on Wednesday. …
“Toni the other day was not coaching me, he told me nothing in particular with tactics. He just told me ‘Come on’ [= ‘Vamos’]…¤¤
http://en.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/255889.html
I am curious to know why you believe that this is ALL Toni has ever said in every match he has coached.
Actually, never mind I know.
The delusional’s tool box of generalizations and cherry picked quotes is the same as the amateur troll’s.
hawkeye, of course you are a professional when it comes to trolling. I take off my hat to you. I try to follow in your footsteps as I am your admirer but so far you have not given me passing grades, dismissing my efforts as amateurish. Maybe you are comparing me with your leader who is a nonpareil. Not fair. She has been at it for years !!! And I am not as quick as vr ( comprehension skills top notch) or you (a natural) in picking up the art of trolling. All that I have managed so far is to enhance my vocabulary by three words. Why is the scion of the oestridae family (chloro, for those who came in late) hiding under a plus? Or is it a cross?
Mary consider yourself fortunate.
While fluent in Trollese, it is not my native tongue. However it is the only language that Trolls understand so I reserve it exclusively for them.
Tell you what. I’ll be your little lamb by not initiating anything with the trio’s unless they start their BS first. kk?
Adj I ask for is some small semblance of feigned fairness to three fine players. Except for Federer. He’s fair game. It’s GOAT season.
Won’t last very long.
Ok hawkeye, done!!! I like all the players but do not like Djoker fans. Unfortunately none of them seem to be here so guess I will go into retirement but will be back as euphoric Mary when Rafa wins!!!
Really Mary? I didn’t think you liked Nole especially his celebration after beating Rafa in Madrid.
Yes,the Madrid celebration was like a knife in my stomach. Watching Djoker thrash my man again and again and again was heartbreaking and I even stopped watching tennis for a couple of months after AO 2012. But I have long since forgiven Djoker but I cannot forgive his fans.
I still think fedfans are the worst including the media. But then again 95% of them are one and the same.
I thought Fedfans were the worst but they have nothing on Djoker fans. I have no words to describe the garbage they post in all forums and Rafa’s walls. The curious thing is, they do this when Djoker wins but disappear when Djoker loses. Djoker, as we all know, is a gracious loser but (in the past, at least) an ungracious winner ( opposite of Federer). So apparently it is something cultural which brings out the worst in Djoker ( now more polished) and his fans when Djoker wins. Maybe something primitive: Dance wildly on the body of a fallen foe!! Trample him!!! Destroy him body and spirit!!!!
Like a victorious invading army humiliating, raping and killing the people of the conquered country!
hawkeye, the truce is between you and me. I cannot speak for nadline or augusta as contrary ( Mary Mary) to popular belief I am not either of them.
Of course Mary. But my offer goes out to all of them. Like I said though it won’t be long until they make some trollish statement.
We will see, no?
Are you calling Rafa a CHEAT??????
“Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching. ”
Then again, Toni has admitted to being a CHEAT.
Vamos! Move your legs! yada yada yada
Hilarious!!!
pssst, how am I doing Master?
I’m just a wee little lamb. Baaaaaaaaaa..
After defeating Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last year, Nadal implied his box had told him where to serve on match point, telling El Pais, “They told me to serve wide and that’s where I served.”
Every tennis player has on court coaching (well, except maybe one lol).
This is why Nole is No. 1 right now. (No. 10 might want to listen.)
Will the power of meditation help Djokovic win a third Wimbledon title by — as one monk explained it — “clearing his mind of worry and anxiety”?
Novak Djokovic says time with nature helps him relax in between matches. Courtesy of Mark Hodgkinson
“Meditation will help you if you are playing tennis, just as it will help you if you are playing other sports or if you working in an office,” said Phramaha Bhatsakorn Piyobhaso, who was dressed in an orange robe and speaking amid a room brimming with golden Buddha statues. “Meditation helps you to keep focused and to train your mind. With proper training, you can improve your concentration and that will keep you focused on what you are doing.”
“Though one may conquer a thousand men in battle, the one who conquers himself is the greater warrior.”
Truer words were never spoken.
http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/13166973/wimbledon-novak-djokovic-power-meditation
#BetweenTheEars
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/djokovic-fears-smear-campaign-becker-signals-row-210350449–ten.html
Djokovic fears smear campaign..what a joke. Does he not know his own coach opened his big mouth and started all the controversy. Is his own coach starting the smear campaign?
Everybody has their own ways of taking off worry, stress, anxiety. What works for Novak need not work for Rafa. Frankly Rafa and Federer don’t talk much about what they do to detox,however Novak is all over the place- be it his yoga, his oxygen chamber, his gluten free , his so called family image. Frankly he is getting tiring and boring with his repetition bullsh!t. If it works for you, great. You have written a book about it and people will read it if they are interested.
And frankly if all this was really helping him so much, he would not have choked so many important matches over the past 3 years or even reacted as badly as he did to a ballboy at Miami or break racquets (tons of them) or even alleged a smear campaign when accusations arose about his cheating.
The guy is definitely not 1005 real, he is trying to project a manufactured image all the time.
Agreed. What a failure.
#NoleFams are everywhere…
https://twitter.com/LittleEms5/status/615895444720365568
Seriously!
Great explanation on the GROSOAT!!!
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?ex_cid=sportscenterTW&id=13208318
hawkeye, methinks you did not receive the memo:
there is no such thing as ROS
there is only such a thing as return games won/lost
got it?
#DoYou?
Just watched the video. They call him the possible GROSOAT.
But.
What do they know about tennis ?
I ask you.
One clue:
These experts keep talking about ROS and not only about return games won/lost. There’s a clear signal they don’t know tennis.
#expertsITellYou!
Well, they MIGHT know about TENNIS, just not about RAFA.
And when it really comes down to it, isn’t that all that matters?
#DrippingWithSarcasmForThoseThatDontGetSarcasm
Now Djokovic loses his cool: World number one yells at ballgirl during tense clash – the day after Australian Nick Kyrgios got embroiled in racism row over court outburst
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152319/Now-Djokovic-loses-cool-World-number-one-yells-ballgirl-tense-clash-day-Australian-Nick-Kyrgios-got-embroiled-racism-row-court-outburst.html#ixzz3fETeXrPS
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Novak Djokovic appeared to be feeling the pressure of defending his Wimbledon championship this afternoon before his triumph was sealed.
In the final stint of his match today the Serb seemed to have lost his cool momentarily, shouting and gesticulating towards a baby-faced ball girl.
Apparently requesting his towel amid the afternoon mugginess, the 28-year-old screamed in her direction and held his hands out in anger.
After wiping his face he discarded it back in the youngster’s direction before resuming play. The girl was left visibly shaken and stifling tears, according to sources on the court.
She was seen nervously drinking from a water bottle moments after the eruption, her cheeks redder than before. After beating his South African opponent, Djokovic allegedly walked off Court No. 1 without glancing in her direction.
He later described the match that was drawn out over two days, as ‘frustrating’. ‘I was two sets down, to come back and win in five definitely gives me great satisfaction and confidence for the next challenge,’ he said of his victory.
‘It was frustrating at times, especially today, but I managed to go through and that’s what matters.’
Photographers capturing the match said the World Number One had left the girl on the verge of tears after shouting ‘aggressively’ towards her.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3152319/Now-Djokovic-loses-cool-World-number-one-yells-ballgirl-tense-clash-day-Australian-Nick-Kyrgios-got-embroiled-racism-row-court-outburst.html
@nadline10, it’s July now.The Australian Open is over.
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-64/#comment-204344
hawkeye, are you OK? I’m not sure what you are talking about.
What?
Figures that you read the Daily Mail rag tabloid.
Talk about a story where there is none.
You and your gang would fit in quite nicely there .
nadline10 ( at 8:36 pm),
hawkeye63 thinks that Wimbledon is in Australia and that’s the place where the AO was held in January. 😆
I’m wondering why hawkeye63’s gang hasn’t fed him yet.
No need. You’re our biggest follower.
Nom nom nom nom nom.
DM headline today:
“Nasty Novak reduces a ballgirl to tears: Djokovic loses his cool and screams at her for a towel in shocking Wimbledon outburst”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html
#keeping it real
That ugly episode is yet another example of the darker side of Djokovic’s character. He tried to pass it off as “being under stress” adding “I’m definitely going to try to apologise to her if I did something wrong”.
I’m sorry Mr. Djokovic that’s simply not good enough. Firstly, you are not admitting it was unacceptable behaviour; secondly, you need to do more than just try to apologise.
And they say he is the best loser because of his fake handshake and hug at the net when he loses. That is so at odds with his behaviour during the match when he is losing – smahing the furniture, the net, his racquet. Hollowing at his team and also the ball kids. This is not the first time he’s done it, he was given a warning during another match for scaring a ball boy with his shouting.
I’d love to see how he takes it out of Boris after a loss in private.
No wonder Boris was looking so glum during the match. He was afraid he was about to see another bonus payment flying out of the window 🙂
https://uk.search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=C211GB384D20150217&p=youtube+djokovic+shouts+at+ball+girl
Poor loser
Such a reputable “news” paper The Daily Mail is…
Jennifer Lopez displays her rock hard abs and famously curvaceous derriere as she hits the gym in leopard-print leggings
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3153313/Jennifer-Lopez-displays-rock-hard-abs-famously-curvaceous-derriere-hits-gym-leopard-print-leggings.html#ixzz3fIbxTdLl
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Fact is, players are under tremendous pressure and stress.
So he yelled to fire himself up and the girl was nearby.
He obviously wants to apologize for what happened. Just like Rafa apologized for bumping Rosol.
Look, tennis is a sport. It’s not a garden party game game like it was 80 years ago.
If you want smiles and curtsies, then watch Dancing With the Stars.
Perhaps tennis needs older ballkids in today’s game.
I like to see players fired up.
well said hawkeye…the daily fail is a scurrilous hate filled rag which likes to attack immigrants in particular while conveniently forgetting that is was pro-fascist during the war. everything it write is distorted beyond belief and de-contextualised.
but then nole is evil personnified so it’s all jam who ever is doing the writing…..
Why does hawkeye always defend Djoker but so negaative about Rafa?
That’s way too narrow thinking even from you @nadline10. I’m docking you 10 house points.
It goes much broader than that.
I defend the two way street and challenge the double standards in tennis fandom.
You’re welcome My fan.
July 8, 2015 at 11:49 am,
—He obviously wants to apologize for what happened. Just like Rafa apologized for bumping Rosol.—
=======================
–
What??? Don’t drag Rafa into Djoko’s nasty incidents! ! There are NO similarities between Djoko’s AGRESSIVE behaviour and Rafa&Rosol’s bumping in 2012 – because they UNWITTINGLY bumped into each other!
Rosol’s explanation of the bumping incident at Wimbledon in 2012: “I just stop. I thought that he [Rafa] wants to let me go first, you know, but then he start to walk fast. I stop because I don’t want to hit me. He hit me, and then THREE TIMES HE APOLOGIZE. And I say, Okay, okay, okay. It was okay.”
Post-match press conference: June 28, 2012, Lukas Rosol
http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=81114
“UNWITTINGLY”
#MadeUpStories
#PotAndKettle
#Hilarious
July 8, 2015 at 2:09 pm,
It’s not the first time you are trying to convince somebodies here (whom?) to believe Fedfans’ imaginary story that Rafa deliberately bumped into Rosol. Nothing new.
For My No. 1 bot fan @octobruno10
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-64/#comment-204493
#YoureWelcome
#Humb10
I’m all for players getting fired up as well but I draw the line at rudeness, especially at children and horses.
It wasn’t directed at the child – it was directed at himself.
Children shouldn’t be there in today’s professional sport in that capacity.
Saw the video. Sure it was directed at himself, and gave the poor mite a right royal fright in the process. Who knows, maybe Novak is a she in short skirts. Quite a fright he/she gave himself/herself there then. So he/she needs to apologise to himself/herself?
#CaitlynJenner
#ShoutingAtHimself/Herself
Quite agree, children should not be exposed to such abuse, adults should. Not.
Well, while I don’t think children should be on court in professional tennis, I’m not Married to the idea.
Well, actually I am.
actually quite surprised that the fail hasn’t demanded that djoker be deported immediately as his very presence contaminates innocent tennis loving anglo-saxons…
Doubt that they’d ever say anything against The Chosen One.
to repeat myself (ahem) from another thread
all players are entitled to fairness
but some (one) are more entitled to fairness than others
#PapaGeorgeO
Yep.
Bias fandom is not exclusive to the federazzi as it turns out.
meant to say blind fandom bias
true dat
hawkeye, quit the witch hunt of Rafa and the childish posting of pictures of Fed and Djoker on Rafa’s page. Why do you hate Rafa so much? Manifested in what’s now known as ‘keeping it real’.
For My dear fan @nadline10
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-64/#comment-204480
#YoureWelcome
#Humb10
nadline10 (at 2:40 pm),
His self-description says it all: .lol:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFiEqaXUMAAPWlI.png
For My No. 1 bot fan @octoburro
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-64/#comment-204499
#YoureWelcome
#Humb10
Haha!
https://twitter.com/Dimonator/status/620270780375539712
Dancing stars are everywhere.
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/620972864582361088
Fans are everywhere.
https://twitter.com/Peugeot/status/620507146187317248
Fantastic piece on Nole…
Excerpt:
There has been an awful lot written over the past 6 months (since he won his 8th Slam title at the Australian Open, I think) about why Novak Djokovic isn’t “as beloved as Federer and Nadal.” Or even, “Why Novak Djokovic should be more beloved.”
Another excerpt:
“There are even parts of the world where Novak has universal crowd support, believe it or not, like China and Italy. I admit that I have no idea why these two very different countries adore Novak, but I have even less idea why they wouldn’t. Novak is, after all, incredibly personable. I find that the only people who disagree with this statement are those who have a vested interest in maintaining that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the most popular tennis players in the world, and no one can possibly touch them.
But Novak is good-humored; is humble despite his achievements, yet confident in his abilities and his desire to continue to be the best and win; is deeply invested in fair play (witness how many times he has conceded points to opponents when he feels calls have wrongly been made in his favor); is utterly willing to be goofy; loves pretty much everyone and is incapable of holding a grudge; wears his heart on his sleeve; invites everyone to be a part of his life experiences, both on and off the court; and is also a devoted philanthropist.
Certain segments of the tennis fan community will now say “but…” and bring up some misdemeanor from his past. To which I’ll gladly say: yes, you are absolutely right. Novak Djokovic is not perfect. GASP.
Guess what? Neither is Roger Federer. GASP. Or Rafael Nadal. GASP. All three of them have, at times, not been on their best behavior. And I’ll tell you something else: at times, I haven’t been on my best behavior either. And neither have you.”
https://adventuresofnicoleeclectic.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/the-beloved-novak-djokovic/
http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/tennis-andrea-petkovic-wollte-steffi-graf-als-trainerin-a-1044426.html
have been watching a replay of the wimby final on bbciplayer. SO impressed by nole’s play….great second serve all the way through…aces on break points…..out of this world returning…
great chemistry between him and boris during the match. i never thought this would work but have been proved utterly wrong and that’s a credit to nole again that he could see what he needed and act decisively.
fedfan crowd extremely irritating…and a joy to see them silenced.
I don’t think anyone saw that coaching relationship panning out.
Congrats to Nole and his team for an unwavering drive towards continual improvement.
Always a joy to see federazzi silenced.
amy ( at 2:33 pm),
—great chemistry between him and boris during the match—
================
_
Yeah, BB has confirmed communication with Djoko during matches (i.e. on-court coaching):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CLFx1cyW8AELTzT.png
The Mirror lol. Gussi bot loves the British rags.
Uncle Toni says he does the same.
All players do this.
Well, except maybe one.
“I talk to Rafa during matches. I know that it’s not allowed but I think that at my age I have nothing to hide,” Toni told the Spanish journalist David Nadal.
Toni Nadal added that he sees little value in using sports psychologists, and added, “In the tennis world, those who are mentally stronger, are also technically stronger.”
As always, mistranslated again!!! What he really must have said was he only says Vamos.
How many times!!!
#LostInTranslation
July 29, 2015 at 3:43 pm,
Uncle Toni is “vamosing”, he is not coaching!,
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-67/#comment-207923
According to gussie bot, Vamos means “”It was in the last game, when I was serving for the match . . . I didn’t know where to serve. Down the center, to the middle or to try the classic play of the wide serve and then try to hit the forehand. They told me to serve wide and that’s where I served.”
There are different inflections of Vamos. It’s in subtle additional signs like eyebrows raised slightly higher on one side, and others like that…
Mind you, it takes a lot of practice sessions to learn to make all the different kinds of vamoses, and to read them.
Only @augusta08 knows how to translate Vamos.
Chapeau to augusta
Chapeau?
Wait a second.
#DoYou???
amy,
I am tempted to watch the Wimbledon final again. I didn’t record it. I did see the replay on the tennis channel later that day. It’s interesting to watch it with different commentators.
I thought it was a joke when Novak picked BB to join his team. I didn’t get it at all. But now I see that it’s paid off for him. I appreciate how Novak is willing to add people to his team to help with aspects of his game or his mental strength or whatever.
I am really over the Fed fan worshipping from the crowds. I think that Novak’s ability to not allow himself to get rattled with the crowd cheering for Fed, is a step forward for him. In the past, he would frequently let it get to him and then lose it. This time he kept it together.
why wasn’t nole’s outburst of swearing at a fedfan at the end of the wimby final not reported by the british tabloids?? this is a clear dereliction of their muck-raking, stirring up hate, sensationalist duties…..
also quite odd given that you would think they had a moral duty to serve and protect all fedfans…..
It is a problem because Nole is an extension of serving and protecting all fedfans delusion.
he’s still not supposed to be shouting and swearing at them…in their book that is…i’m quite happy about it….
No one has ever accused the Federazzi of being consistent.
I suggested to my son, who is an anaesthetist, that Djoker must still be using the pressure chamber that’s why he stays fit all the time. He said they only use the pressure chamber when clincally necessary and for just as long as needed. Using it to recover in sport is not a good idea as too much oxygen into the lungs will eventually damage them and repeated use could cause blindness.
For Djoker’s sake, I hope he is not still using it.
Djoko’s racket (in Cincinnati on August 20, 2015)
https://vine.co/v/eDObFrEOWiP
good to see nole keeping his hand in….practice makes perfect….!
nole it really looks like you need a rest right now…so i think that losing to stan and going home for a while would actually be a good thing….come back fresh for uso!
I would like Nole to stay healthy enough to get to 12 GSs including RG. This truly is the golden era and we are blessed.
pat, i would be very surprised if nole doesn’t get to 12GS and if rafa continues to play badly then he is pretty well bound to win RG (which he does deserve afterall).
with rafa playing badly and no younger generation(s) to challenge i do wonder if this really is a golden era right now though….
Novak is not playing his best right now. But he still found a way to win. I don’t know if it’s the elbow or what, but he seemed quite out of sorts against Goffin. But down two breaks in the third set, he still got it done.
I expect Novak to come out and do his best to get the win against Stan. It should be a good match. I am not sure if some rest wouldn’t be a good thing for Novak. He’s got a huge lead in rankings points. So no pressure there. The only pressure is what he puts on himself to meet his expectations. His goal should be the USO. That’s the big picture.
nny: ––The only pressure is what he puts on himself to meet his expectations.–-
You’ve put your finger on the crux of the matter. History has shown (I have mentioned this many times) that the more hanging on the importance of the match the greater the risk he will stumble at the final fence. Like Federer before him he will need the stars to be aligned to make it happen.
Nny yes he pressures himself.
Amy by golden era I mean the last decade with this many wonderful players.
pat,oh i see, yes of course you are right in that…!
are you a nole fan? he is my second fave after rafa……i do think he seems mentally tired atm and it might have been better if he had lost today and got more of a break…..(i guess after RG he wouldn’t want to lose to stan though)
From here it is hard to imagine nole will suffer a major injury that would keep him off the circuit for a long time. Also hard to imagine he will retire before several more years. I fully expect him to get at least one RG and easily 12 slams. Even should Rafa regain more or less his best level for a while.
Chloro I agree. To me this is one of the great enigmas. He repeatedly pushes his body to the absolute limits of human endurance yet I can’t recall him ever being sidelined by a serious injury. The combination of physical stamina, steely ambition, and a formidable armoury of weapons is pretty lethal.
What adds to this is that he used to have his respiratory ills.
After that year or two of work with that doctor starting sometimes in 2010 he was a changed man. No more respiratory illness that we can see, much stronger mentally. Plenty of weapons on the court while not as talented as a Federer, and all the rest of the ‘weapons’: a little yoga, a little self-talk, a little smashing of racquets 🙂 and so on.
Can you imagine if some professional had worked on Rafa’s mind for a year or two circa 2010? And also got him to pace himself a bit with tournaments to stay off injuries as much as practical?
Vintage Djokovic
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/us-open/2015/classy-novak-djokovic-crushes-andreas-haider-maurer-at-the-us-open_sto4892523/story.shtml
OMG. Puke making.
What is even worse it was all preplanned. Why this constant need to dumb down tennis?
I can’t believe such antics boost the viewing figures.
😀
http://s3.postimg.org/ifd6bndyn/images_q_tbn_ANd9_Gc_SRE0svd5z_CY_78_DZJiw_MAi_PLX1_Hqk7zj_GSJn1ctq4_FWw_IW0q_W_Iw.jpg
September Issue of Vogue
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/djokovic-features-in-september-vogue-fashion-spread?utm_source=ATPMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ATP%20World%20Tour%20Insider%20#33
Good article on Nole…
http://anamitric.net/2015/09/24/views-from-elsewhere-talking-about-novak/
An oldie but goodie…
“He’s a friendly guy who’s aware of how he’s perceived, and unlike Federer, who coolly assumes that the world exists to appreciate him, Djokovic needs some reassurance. ”
http://grantland.com/features/the-problem-novak-djokovic/
I would warm to him a lot more if he would just stop trying so damned hard.
Don’t know if you picked up or read the first link which said the same…
“I think there’s also a psychological dimension to the resistance to Djoković. I always think of a line from a poem by James Merrill when I think of him: ‘What least thing our self-love longs for most / others instinctively withhold.’ I think he wants the kind of love that Federer and Nadal receive, and the crowd in New York or London senses that desire and turns ever so slightly away. In a strange way, he might be more popular if he held the crowd in more contempt.”
I think that there is a lot of truth in that statement.
I lean towards liking him more for it in some ways. It shows that he is human and imperfect even though he is No. 1. That he could tune out the incredibly adversarial NY crowd in spite of his obvious want to be liked like Federer and Nadal is amazing. Not many players could do that.
This was a good write up on the final….
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/tomorrow-in-the-valley-of-ashes-the-unquiet-power-of-djokovic-stymies-federers-magical-run/
“And some of that may have been nerves and some of it may have been tightness, but to say that it was mostly those things is to make too much of Federer’s command over circumstance. Most of what went wrong for him — even most of what went wrong for him psychologically — was simply proximity to the player on the other side of the net.”
^^Yes I did read both articles. Meaty stuff.
The first in particular resonated with me strongly. The French finally came round to embracing him this year – no doubt helped by the fact he gave them the chance to have a champion this year whose name was not Nadal hence their sympathy for him when he lost out on completing his career Slam. It was also very evident how much he revelled in the media attention post the USO and enjoyed the chat show hosts fawning over him.
Paradoxically, I suspect it was Roddick’s cruel send up of Nole (which still makes me giggle) which was inadvertently responsible for him cleaning up his act.
Well thought out article.
Imagine if Novak was born 8 years earlier and competed in the weak area 2 years older than when Federer did. And that there was no Nadal and Federer around. How many slams?
I’m not sure the French have come around. They applaud him only after he lost, same as 2014 when he lost to Rafa.
For the most part, I thought they backed Stan during the final.
If post 2010 Nole broke the scene in 2004, he and Fed would have the same number of slams more or less IMO.
Novak’s brother Djordje Djokovic is playing the Qualification round at ATP Shenzhen event.
wow. assume R1 loss.
Djokovic has won 16 straight sets since the US Open only one set going past three games! Wow!
61, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6, 6 1
including Nadal, Ferrer, Isner and Lopez.
FYI
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRBHRQGXAAARVqe.png
What does this mean?
Excuse the resident tr***.
Tomorrow Nole sets the wall time history record for most points held and biggest lead (both points wise and percentage wise) of all time.
He will be the first player to hold 80% of possible points won.
Better than Federer ever did even during the dreaded Weak Era.
Amaaaaaazing!!!!!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRnogLJXIAAIiBy.jpg
all, not wall. But maybe worth hanging on your wall.
https://twitter.com/NovakDj2251987/status/655847230327406592
Haha!
Pseudo McEnroe
@McEnroeTweets
I had a season like Djokovic it was 84 my only loss was to Lendl at the French. I took it well let’s be honest.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRoj5vSVAAAicUl.jpg
Djoko was the perpetual bridesmaid when Fed and Rafa were playing at their best. Now Fed is old and Rafa’s body is broken. Djoko’s victories these days are like the feasts of a scavenger when the lion is old or body’s broken through injuries. Tennis has become boring. Compare Wimbly 2014 with Wimbly 2008!
Fed of old would have beaten Fed of Weak Era IMO.
Only part of Rafa’s body that is broken, according to him, is his head.
#DontTrollTheMessenger
Great article from the best writer in tennis.
“From the start, Djokovic has had a game that, to the untrained eye, can look more clinical than creative, more steady than stylish. His backhand is a compact, utilitarian two-hander, rather than a long and flowing one-hander. He doesn’t hit his serve or forehand with jaw-dropping pace, and he doesn’t win by blowing the ball past his opponent. His game doesn’t come with the flourishes of Roger Federer or the physicality of Rafael Nadal. His most devastating shot, his return of serve, is over so quickly that it can be hard to appreciate, or even see.”
http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2015-10-21/ruthless_djokovic_is_the_the_players_player.html
A music fan too!
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/658414809726230528
DjokerNole haha!
https://instagram.com/p/7f5EEMTP8q/?taken-by=djokernole
Very dapper!
https://instagram.com/p/5DSZkyzP3o/
A little birdie told me!
https://instagram.com/p/4hmg_ZTP1_/
Last one! Too cute! I couldn’t resist.
https://instagram.com/p/zTCy00zPzv/
Djokovic has now been ranked # 1 for 170 weeks he ties John McEnroe in joint 5th place. Only players who have been ranked # 1 for longer are Jimmy Connors 268 weeks Ivan Lendl 270 weeks Pete Sampras 286 weeks and Roger Federer 302 weeks.
Novak is beginning to show his age.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSHR_9tW0AAZyWO.jpg
This is not Novak BTW LOL.
Novak Djokovic will start his Paris Masters Campaign vs Thomaz Bellucci who beat Gabashvili 6-4 6-4
Congratulations to Novak and his many many fans here on Tenngrand with 5th most weeks as No. 1 in the history of the tennis.
down a break to Bellucci
and as expected he breaks right back
The page definition says: “A forum to discuss all things Novak Djokovic, not relating to specific matches.”
2-2 in the second, Bellucci not going not going away
0-30
Iconic…
https://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/663388350993313792
Iconic
https://twitter.com/SteveTignor/status/663386808143716352
Nope says:
“I’m still determined to improve and get better. By going for perfection, I might achieve excellence.”
Nope says… haha!!
#FreudianSlipSpellCheckBlues
Some of Novak’s numbers:
– Djokovic is now 27-4 against Top 10 opponents this year.
~ Djokovic won his 26th Masters 1000 crown, 58th overall.
~ Djokovic becomes the first player to ever win six Masters titles in a single season.
– Djokovic is the first player to win four Paris Masters.
– Djokovic improved to 21-9 against Murray and has won 10 of their past 11 meetings.
– Djokovic wins his 10th title in a season for a second time (2011 he also won 10).
– Djokovic has won 22 straight matches and 32 of his last 33 sets.
– Djokovic has reached a record 14 straight tournament finals.
– Djokovic becomes the first player to surpass the $16M mark.
– Djokovic has more hardcourt titles (30) than losses (25) since start of 2011.
– Djokovic has won 70 or matches in four of the last 5 seasons (2014).
– Djokovic has 21 or more wins over Federer (21), Nadal (22) and Murray (21).
– Djokovic reached the finals at all four Grand Slams this year for the first time in his career.
#Iconic
Best. Year. Ever.
This is insane.
Nole has won 38 straight indoor matches dating back over three years.
Roger’s best indoor streak was 21.
And that’s both clay and hard court.
Paul Annacone (ex-coach of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer) says:
“Just Info unforced error category does not apply when playing Novak – errors due to mental pressure of small targets not measurable”
Boris Becker (coach of Novak Djokovic) says:
“Very proud to be part of #TeamDjokovic !
It’s been an historic year for @DjokerNole ….tennis history books are being rewritten!”
Jon Wertheim (writer of Sports Illustrated’s Tennis Mailbag) says:
“Is there a more unsung story in sports – never mind tennis – right now than @DjokerNole play ?”
it’s a fair question posed by L. John
[polldaddy poll=9177528]
Try this one on for size that Jon Wertheim said in this week’s mailbag…
“If we were ranking players by surface, regardless of what is underfoot, Djokovic is tops. I can think of no analog. Neither Sampras nor Federer were the best on clay. Neither Wilander nor Lendl were the best on grass. Even at the height of his powers, you would never have claimed Nadal was the best indoor player.”
http://www.si.com/tennis/2015/11/11/mailbag-american-junior-prospects-hype
#SillySeason
#DontShootTheMessenger
#DoYou???
#NoleFam
Djokovic isn’t going to lose a match but I’m predicting Nishikori to fight his way to taking the only set Novak loses the whole tournament.
Wowzer
What’s so wowzer about Djokovic not losing a match? Not saying it will be boring, just that Kei might get lucky and snag 2nd set, making Djoko go 3 sets to win. Want some good tennis is all.
I don’t know about that. Nishi had an injury and had to retire in his match at the Paris Masters. He hasn’t looked to be at his best recently. In the poll, I voted for Novak winning in 2 sets, losing more than 7 games.
True, it’s been dismal for Kei. But I’m being optimistic, I guess.
Preach it Nole…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CT9EzfHVAAA4rTl.jpg
I have one serious question about this migration. Why migration to Europe? Why not Saudi Arabia? Why move to the Western world where there may be conflicts? Why Saudi is not accepting them instead when they have the same religion, same people, and the wealth to take care of them and even offer them jobs that are now given to foreigners?
Sorry for the diversion away from tennis. I shall say no more.
Post it on non-tennis forum. But even then amy (supported by hawkeye) may suddenly decide it is garbage and make Ricky delete it.
You proved my point, hawkeye.
From left to right: MaryIsTheBest, nadline10 and VamosRafa…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CUcmzeRUsAADi5b.jpg
#DoingTheDjokings
So fuuny, the one bring thrown out of the window must be you Hawkeye!
Lol!
hahahahahaha
🙂
From an actual tennis site:
Tennis king Says:
Here is a great analysis by Dean Sapsojevic posted on Bleacher report:
“Fed’s competition in 2006 in the 4 Masters titles he won and the Masters Cup was Gonzalez twice, Ljubicic, Gasquet, and James who combined have a 4-40 record against Federer and a combined total of 1 masters title and 0 grand slams. He faced Marcos Baghdatis to win the AO and failed to make the final of Cincinnati by losing to a 19 year old Murray in the R32. He had only 19 Top 10 wins out of a total of 23 matches meaning the top guys weren’t consistent enough to make it to the later stages, in comparison Djokovic had 31 top 10 wins (smashing his previous record of 24) out of 36 matches”
This sums it all up. I don’t think that there should be any debate what year was better based on the competition.
danica would probably post here if she wasn’t a Nole fan…
danica Says:
Nole’s 2015 hands down (better than Roger’s 2006). I don’t even see why there’s any discussion about this?? Does anyone believe Nole would have lost any ATP 250 tournament had he entered?
Even the Doha 1/4 finals is with an asterisk. Although a loss is a loss and a win is a win, let me just refresh your memory because that loss need to be put into a context – Novak played with flu. He got into the finals (again!) at the Mubadala Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi and didn’t even go on court to play feeling sick and weak. He did honor the obligation to compete in Doha but got tightly beaten due to health reasons. Then came Australia where he did not cahnce to practice for several days trying to get healthy and overcome weakness before the tournament starts. Everything that came after was simply making of the history.
Finals of ALL the masters series events entered, winning 6 out of 8, setting a new record of won masters in a year, winning 3 out of 4 slams’ finals contested, winning the WTF, winning on all the surfaces, outdoors and indoors, against the top opposition, a record number of wins against top 10, no negative H2H score with the best rival… I am a Nole fan, but it wouldn’t matter whose numbers these are. I was just as amazed by Rafa’s 2013 and was not shy to say it. Nole’s numbers in 2015 are just ridiculous. On a plus side, the ATP points adjusted for Roger in 2006 are still 2006
November 30th, 2015 at 4:12 am
danica Says:
As I was saying… (half of my post got deleted for some reason) – On a plus side, the ATP points adjusted for Roger in 2006 are still less than Nole’s 2015.
Roger handed 19 bagels in 2006 to Nole’s 12. However, Roger handed 20 bread sticks to Nole’s 33! Take it into consideration that Novak played 35 matches with the top 10 opposition which is 41% of all matches played while Roger only had to play 24% of matches with the top 10 guys. Nole played 52% with the top 20 while Rog had to play 35%. Looking at the top 5 duels, Nole’s statistic is 16-4 while Roger’s was 8-4 I believe. If all this is not telling, I don’t know what is? Maybe this:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/tiBxH5i8d26G_gqEg9bqFyQ/edit?pli=1#gid=7&vpid=A4
November 30th, 2015 at 4:15 am
Djokovic page is back. I think that’s all of the necessary pages now.
Mary username not working. I tried two times just now.
what does it say when you try to post as Mary
Mary W is going through moderation but Mary is going into limbo.
i would just re-register with username “Mary”
It doesn’t say anything. Nothing happens. Post goes to a blackhole from which nothing can escape!
test again
test – now my posts are somewhere next to Mary’s.
GYOAT:
http://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/no-athlete-had-a-better-2015-than-novak-djokovic
Was it the greatest year ever in men’s tennis? Let’s repair to the parlor and play the game. John McEnroe had an incredible year in 1984, losing only three times and winning ninety-six per cent of his matches. But he avoided clay, his weakest surface, playing only two matches on the dirt and losing the French Open, devastatingly, after going up two sets against his arch-rival, Ivan Lendl. Jimmy Connors went 99-4 in 1974, but was barred from playing the French Open because of his involvement with World Team Tennis. Roger Federer reached all four Grand Slam finals in 2006, won twelve titles overall, and lost only five matches. Four of those losses were on clay to Rafael Nadal (the other was in Cincinnati to eighteen-year-old Andy Murray). A remarkable season, and most observers consider it the second-greatest in the modern history of the men’s game—second only to Rod Laver’s accomplishing the Grand Slam in 1969, something that no other Open-era men’s player has done.
Weird, I can’t post the next paragraph. It just disappears!
I tried just a few sentences and it still wouldn’t post.
Race to $100M…
Roger Federer is a man used to making history. But when it comes to the race to reach $100 million in prize money, the 17-time major champion may be upstaged by Novak Djokovic.
Federer’s on-court earnings of $97.3 million seemingly put him in pole position to reach the historic mark, compared with Djokovic’s $94.1 million.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellerossingh/2016/01/01/why-novak-djokovic-may-beat-roger-federer-to-become-first-100-million-man-in-tennis/
If Novak continues to play like this, I think its him, not Rafa, who could beat Fed at the slam tally and be the ‘GOAT’.
I’m looking at 18 slams for Novak, about $150m in prize money and >302 weeks at no.1; close to 50 Masters titles and 7 to 8 WTF titles; one or two Olympics gold medals; a career slam.
Rafa may continue to win at the FO and maybe one more other slam, hopefully he could also reach 18 slams, be the undisputed clay court Goat for a long long time; but he’ll not be the leader in the other areas.
but Nadal did most of his work in a stronger era
Novak will be GOAT in five months from now if he is able to hold all four slams simultaneously (on three surfraces), something that no male player has ever done before.
Regardless, unless Rafa solves his mental problem, Nole will be GOAT sooner or later.
Even Rafa solves his ‘mental’ problem, he still wont be able to prevent Novak from becoming the Goat.
Novak will become the Goat unless someone stops him but that someone most likely isnt Rafa. Rafa can set his own records by being the clay Goat by a country mile vs all other clay legends. He can continue to win the FO and many more clay titles. If possible wins one more AO to get to two career slams and prevent Novak from having two career slams if he cant stop Novak from getting one career slam.
Its interesting to see the competition or race between Fed and Novak for the Goat title.
I think Rafa is the only one who could stop him.
While Nole has improved somewhat since 2013, Rafa had his number in slams before injuries, time violation rules and mental problems slowed his progress.
No, I think Rafa could still do it but, without changes/additions to his team, he’s not making it easy on himself and has definitely lowered his chances IMO. It kills me that he didn’t get Darren Cahill when he became available and was immediately snatched up by Jalep.
just posted something along these lines hawks…oh that he could have worked with cahill!! wasted on halep….
really lucky?? if rafa solves his mental problems then he can cause all kinds of problems for nole. over 2013 and 14 he had the clear edge over nole in slams and i think that would have continued if he hadn’t got injured.
he has the capacity to spook nole when he is strong mentally and has his game together…that forehand if it clicks is still capable of giving nole all sorts of problems..especially if he can get into a groove with hitting it down the line…that’s the most destructive shot in tennis and impossible to defend.
In the inimitable words of RITB, oh snap amy!
#WillTheRealSlimRITByPleaseStandUpPleaseStandUpPleaseStandUp
snap hawksy..happy new year btw…hope you have a great 2016
same to you Amy!!!
I fully agree…I firmly believe Rafa will find the way…he has already improved in many areas compared to the 2015 season…he will continue to improve…
it’s really tough to read some of these pessimistic comments this early in the year and when the season has not even started yet…this is the time of the year when we make wishes and build up our expectations…I have all reasons to believe Rafa will solve his issues this year…
I will believe in Rafa and his GOAT chances as long as he is on tour…and I also think that mentally strong Rafa is unbeatable by Nole or any other player on tour…
Vamos Rafa!
I tend to agree with amy. Rafa has been able to find a way to get the better of Novak in the past. Rafa was getting the better of Novak in 2013 and 2014 and most likely would have continued if not for the injury.
Rafa does need that DTL forehand in order to beat Novak. I am just going to watch it all play out and hope for good things for Rafa in this new year! You can never write him off or underestimate what he is capable of doing!
Fed has an outside chance at 18 and a real solid chance (read co-favourite) at Olympic Singles Gold.
BTW, people, Happy New Year!!!
I hope all your wishes come true! And please be careful what you wish for (don’t waste your precious wishes on irrelevant or less relevant things 🙂 Make sure you make some wish that involves our Rafa! )
I wish you all the best in 2016! And I wish we get together more often here to celebrate Rafa’s successes in 2016!
Feliz Año Nuevo! 🙂
happy new year nats!! hope that rafito turns things round this year…if he gets his mental strength back then i believe he will…
his dtl forehand is still an unbelievable shot and gives nole the heebie jeebies when it’s on…
but not the same way Stan’s backhand does!
is that you stan?? good to see you here!
not good form to talk up your own backhand so much, even if it is an amazing shot….!
no mam, just his #fan
Dont think its pessimistic to say that Rafa couldnt stop Novak from becoming the Goat. Its being realistic. Rafa can win more FOs and may even reach 18 slams too but in terms of weeks at no.1, winning more masters and winning the WTF etc and etc, Novak clearly is at an advantage as his game works best on the HCs. He’s even getting so good on grass now.
Rafa beats Novak mainly on clay surfaces, he’s not going to stop Novak on the other surfaces, at least not that often.
Rafa being the clay Goat is something to be proud of; if all three get to 17 slams, and each has some edge over the other two, people can argue endlessly about who should be the Goat. However there wont be any argument over who’s the clay Goat.
If Rafa ends his career with more slams than Nole and Nole doesn’t hold all four slams simultaneously, then Nole won’t succeed Rafa as GOAT.
Clay GOAT has already been decided several years ago.
that^^
The more FOs that Rafa gets, the more untouchable his record is, and the more likely he remains as THE clay Goat.
Imagine Rafa having more than 10 FOs, that is to say he spends >10 years dominating and successfully wins all those FOs! How many player(s) could dominate on a surface for >10 years? So, its highly unlikely that anyone would come close to surpass him as THE ULTIMATE CLAY GOAT! Fed and Sampras couldnt dominate on grass for that long, each winning 7 and Fed lost a few finals, that’s how difficult it is dominating on a surface for so long.
Winning 18 to 20 slams may propel anyone to Goat status, but that may eventually be surpassed, just like Serena is now threatening to surpass Steffi Graf’s 22
slams record, and may even threaten Margaret Courts 24 slams record!
Djoko…No signs of rust. Luckystar is pessimistic, natashao is optimistic, amy is trojan horse. A Djoko fan calling Rafa rafito? Ugh! Ricky rightly pointed out that Rafa accumulated his record in a stronger era. Prime Djoko no match for prime Fed.
I highly doubt that Djoko will pass Fed’s 17 though he may pass Rafa’s count if he can dominate in 2016.
Rafa is already the clay GOAT.He doesn’t have to win more RGs or clay tournaments to get that title.
I say ULTIMATE Clay Goat. I want to see Rafa not being surpassed on clay by anyone, at least during my lifetime!
Having 9 FOs seems unsurpassable but who knows? And if Novak gets to 8 or even 9 AOs, then Rafa’s 9 FOs may not seem that unique. Fed may even get to 8 Wimbledon too and be the Grass Goat.
If Rafa cant be the Goat, at least he be the unlikely being surpassed Clay Goat and be remembered as such for a long long time.
In all likelihood, the overall Goat changes hand all the time (from Sampras to Fed, it took only 7 years for Sampras to be surpassed – from 2002 to 2009). Fed may in turn be surpassed in just a few years time, probably another 7 years from 2012.
“If Rafa cant be the Goat,”
He already is IMO and according to Agassi. Even Murray and Nole himself have said same.
(Hint: It’s more than just slam count.)
If Djoko doesn’t win at least 2 slams in 2016, his chances of passing Rafa are remote.
Except he will.
You have a crystal ball?
Two.
hahaha…
Boris Becker Retweeted
Brad Gilbert @bgtennisnation 43m43 minutes ago
Meant how efficient Djoker is match in and match out, playing so much more offensive tennis that his coach @TheBorisBecker wants more of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vbOef9qUxc
Love Nole!
Novak Djokovic was filmed last week amongst Serbian supporters singing a Serbian Nazi Fascist Song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=equ_PuIa7Mk
Novak should be immediately penalised and suspended from Tennis for singing Nazi songs which celebrates Serbian conquests over suffering peoples of Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo.
Nazism and Fascism should not be allowed in this day and age.
Novak was also filmed many times not so long ago giving his Serbian Supporters at tennis tournaments around the world the Serbian Nazi 3 finger salute, which had stopped after numerous complaints.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=empsyHMgn4g
Many hundreds and thousands have suffered under the hands of these Serbian Nazi Chetniks in what was Yugoslavia.
Novak Djokovic should not be allowed to spread and glorify Serbian Nazism around the world through his Tennis and popularity.
didnt Cilic do something controversial?
the three fingered serbian salute isn’t a nazi salute!! it’s used by many different public figures and sportsmen and women whose views are heterogeneous. yes it’s been used by nationalists but also by those who oppose nationalism.
the cilic incident involved his inviting a known nazi (banned from several european countries) to a post us open singalong after which he posted photos of the 2 of them arm in arm.
Much ado about nothing:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-finger_salute_(Serbian)
“Its part of the Serbian orthodox Trinity. Orthodox Christians cross themselves with those three fingers together ( with the right hand). But only Serbs open them up and that is a kind of salute. Some hold that sign over their heart during the anthem (Boze Pravde). Serbian athletes like Djokovic show the three as a solute. At Football (soccer) games Serbs to is as well during their cheers. If a Serb sees a fellow Serb on the street they will show the three fingers as a gesture saying im Serbian too.”
“he three-finger salute, also known as the Serbian Orthodox salute has multiple meanings, but the most common explanation of the salute is the way Orthodox Serbs cross, with the three fingers (which is associated with the Christian Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
Serbs also kiss three times, for the same reason.”
Serbs are nationalists by nature…but so are Croatians…nothing new there…
“it really is amazing how well they manage to get along when they come from such wildly different upbringings. It’s a strain upon all of them, so it behooves them to grant a little slack here and there”…
I don’t think singing Vidovdan is a sin…Novak did nothing wrong…and BTW it’s a beautiful song…three fingers is typical Serbian salute related to religion, nothing to do with fascism…it’s rather ridiculous and shameless to describe it in such way…
Ricky, can you PLEASE remove that post? It has no basis in fact whatsoever. If you’re going to keep it, then at least keep mine as a rebuttal reponse.
As others have noted, Nole’s three-finger gesture is a nod to the Serbian Orthodox religion, where the three fingers represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three fingers are used to cross oneself in church. This has gone on for centuries, so there is no link to Nazism whatsoever.
Vidovdan (St. Vitus Day) is a commemoration of a battle that the Serbs lost to the Ottoman Turks – in 1389. So it’s safe to say that the song’s origins has nothing to do with Nazism.
Lastly, that post’s references to “hundreds and thousands” of people being killed during WWII IN REALITY describes what happened to SERBS during that time. Approximately half a million of mostly Serbs (plus Jews and gypsies) were killed in the Jasenovac concentration/death camp in Croatia, which was run by the Croatian extremist group called the Ustasha, who essentially took over Croatia once Germany invaded Yugoslavia in early April of 1941.
it may be a ridiculous comment, but there is no reason to delete. It doesn’t violate any site rules and certainly doesn’t insult any fellow poster. Nor is there any reason to delete your response. It is what it is.
http://video.eurosport.fr/tennis/atp-doha-djokovic-est-toujours-injouable-nadal-l-a-encore-vu-en-finale_vid400397/video.shtml
Jedi Lords.
A rare glimpse at the real Boris?
http://video.eurosport.fr/tennis/atp-doha/2016/video-en-se-tordant-le-genou-sur-un-retour-djokovic-s-est-fait-une-belle-petite-frayeur_vid399849/video.shtml
@QatarTennis
“I lost my fear. I believed in my abilities more than ever”. The #Qatar #exxonmobiltennis 2016 Champion @DjokerNole
Words of wisdom.
#BetweenTheEars
I never thought he had any fears…it sure did not look like it…this statement is good to know…so, he did fear Rafa but he lost it…it will come back 🙂
Q. Earlier in your career you got a lot of attention for your ball bouncing. I think 39 happens to be a record. I get the impression that number has gone down considerably in recent years. Is there a reason behind that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Look, I worked very hard on that to decrease the number of bounces and decrease also the discontent and disturbance that I caused in my opponents and fans (smiling).
As I was explaining back then, it was just something that occurred because I changed my technique, and then it kind of became very mental and very automatic. I was not even aware that I’m bouncing the ball so much, especially in important moments. But again, I worked mentally on myself, you know, to kind of release that kind of pressure.
I think I improved my serve, as well, which helped. So all in all, I think it’s fine now. It’s within the limits. They become very strict now with the rules between the points, and I haven’t had too many of the warnings so it’s a good sign.
#BrokenHabitsAreEverywhere
#BetweenTheEars
Q. In the long term, is there any possibility to see Djokovic as a coach? And if Coach Nole was in this generation, who will choose the player?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, there is always a possibility. You know, I definitely see myself being part of this sport all my life, you know, in one way or another, just playing it for fun or helping this game officially or unofficially. It’s my love. It’s my passion.
I don’t think it would be fair to the sport if, when I finish the career, just say I don’t want to play it anymore or I don’t want to be involved. It’s all about give and take. You know, I got so much from tennis. I live a phenomenal life that I’m very grateful for and it’s because of tennis.
I do see myself in, you know, staying as part of the sport. In which way? I don’t know. It can happen that I come back — you know, it’s still far away. I really can’t see myself right now as a coach because I’m still a player. But it’s possible. It’s also possible that I never coach, as well, anybody on the tour because of so many years spent traveling. So I keep all the possibilities open.
Today if I can coach somebody, that would be either Dustin Brown or Gaël Monfils for obvious reasons.
#PayItForward
Nole says:
Very few moments actually in the match decide, you know, the winner. So in the end of the day, it’s very mental, as well. It is a lot of different influences that in those circumstances that can really make a difference in the match.
#WordsOfWisdom
#BetweenTheEars
Exhos really don’t count. (But they do a bit.) Preach it Nole…
Nole says:
“If you’re playing constantly some kind of practice sets or exhibition events, even though they are exhibition events, still, if you’re playing some top player, you’re in the position to actually play well so you don’t want to play bad. You know, you don’t want to lose that mental edge and you don’t want your rival to see you playing bad. It’s all these things. You know, it requires a lot of concentration and a lot of energy.”
https://twitter.com/JelenaRisticFC/status/684482753623142400
Nothing like the love of a mom!
Djokovic denies throwing match at 2007 Paris Masters
Reports in Italy claim Djokovic deliberately lost a match against the French player Fabrice Santoro
about 18 hours ago
Kevin Mitchell in Melbourne
Novak Djokovic has vehemently denied allegations in an Italian newspaper that he had deliberately lost a match against the French player Fabrice Santoro at the Paris Masters in 2007.
The world number one was speaking after easing into the third round of the Australian Open for the 10th year in a row with only minor inconvenience in three sets, 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), against the teenaged French qualifier Quentin Halys, and seemed surprised by a barrage of questions about a match that took place nine years ago.
Santoro, who was 39 in the world at time and has forged a career as a TV commentator since retiring six years ago, won that match 6-3, 6-2 with Wednesday’s Tuttosport claiming Djokovic “voluntarily lost”.
The late-night exchange between Djokovic and the media was tense, with several embarrassing pauses as he described the allegations as “absurd” and untrue.
Djokovic – who admitted on Monday that he had been offered $200,000 to throw a match in St Petersburg a month before the Paris Masters and had refused (he did not play in the Russian event in the end) – said he had not had his attention drawn to the latest article.
When it was explained the story connected the match with “changing odds that have been discussed here in the previous couple of days,” he said: “My response is that there’s always going to be, especially these days when there is a lot of speculations, this is now the main story in tennis, in sports world, there’s going to be a lot of allegations, so . . .
“I have nothing more to say. I said everything I needed to say two days ago. You know, until somebody comes out with the real proof and evidence, it’s only a speculation for me.”
Indeed, while Tuttosport claimed that the allegations were found in documents that are part of an investigation into match-fixing by prosecutors in Cremona, they did not present any of the documents or any other supporting evidence and stressed that Djokovic was not under investigation.
However, claims of match-fixing aired on the BBC this week have created a fevered atmosphere here among administrators, journalists and players. When Djokovic was further asked to elaborate on the circumstances of the match, he replied: “I’ve lost that match. I don’t know if you’re trying to create a story about that match or for that matter any of the matches of the top players losing in the early rounds. I think it’s just absurd.”
Djokovic, who was 20 and ranked number three in the world in 2007, had had his wisdom teeth removed before the Paris Masters.
At the time, Djokovic said: “I couldn’t give my 100%, not even 30% of my possibilities. He deserved to win. I’m still on medications.
“I didn’t practise for a whole week. I only started practising two days ago. Physically, I’m not feeling at all good. It’s been a very long season and I’m really exhausted. I hope people will understand.”
Djokovic subsequently complained of exhaustion after losing three matches in a row at the 2007 Masters Cup in Shanghai, the forerunner of the ATP World Tour Finals, now held at the O2 Arena in London.
Reminded on Wednesday that the claims about the Santoro match were now in the public domain, he said: “I know. Anybody can create a story about any match. That’s my point. There hasn’t been too many matches where top players lost in last decade or so in early rounds. You can pick any match that you like that the top player lost and just create a story out of it.
“I think it’s not supported by any kind of proof, any evidence, any facts. It’s just speculation. So I don’t think there is a story about it.”
It was put to him that the newspaper was saying he had “lost on purpose”. “It’s not true,” he replied.
If it were not true, he was asked, would he consider taking action over the claims? “I have nothing more to say, guys. If you have any other questions on any other subject, I’m ready to talk about this. I have nothing more to say.”
He concluded the press conference by agreeing with the suggestion that recent stories about match-fixing must sadden him. “Yeah, I mean, of course. You don’t want these kind of subjects or speculations going around. I think that certain media is just trying to create a story out of it without any proofs. So as long as it’s like that, it’s just a story. That’s all.”
His tennis, meanwhile, remains superb. He has now won 22 sets in a row and is strongly favoured to equal Roy Emerson’s record of six Australian titles.
He next plays the Italian Andreas Seppi, who won 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 against the American Denis Kudla.
Halys, slightly built at 6ft 3in, was one of four out of seven original teenagers still in the draw, and looked to have a lot of skills to work with. He could well force his way into the mix of contenders queueing up for a place at the top table. He had to save five break points to hold at the start and it didn’t get much easier but he fought all the way, forcing a third-set tie-break before the champion closed it out.
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-s … -1.2504144
https://twitter.com/JelenaRisticNDF/status/693720792601862144
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaEdDl3WcAA6Z7P.png
this is a test
For any romantics out there…Jelena’s thoughts about the passage of time 🙂
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaEdDl3WcAA6Z7P.png
and…
https://twitter.com/JelenaRisticNDF/status/693720792601862144
Watching “Mom-ma” in the AO final 😀
thanx for that rats! i really like jelena…beautiful but not vain, intelligent and warm-hearted (that’s my impression anyway!)
It’s too cute that Stefan calls him Ma-MA. And he runs from the TV the second Andy comes on..hahaha
That’s my impression of Jelena too – a sweetheart in every way.
he points to MURRAY and says “mama”
actually he seems to be pointing to the ballboy when he says it!
one look at murray has him running from the tv…a very sensible child, if you ask me..
Jeff Sackmann @tennisabstract 7h7 hours ago
Novak’s 100 (or 102) UFEs in perspective: That was 9% of his shots that day. On average, Novak’s UFEs are 8% of his shots.
Nice piece on #NoleFam…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8ag0-3Aa2U
#GoodForTennis
#Champion
Thanks for posting that, Hawk. As great an athlete and talented as he is, I’m convinced he would not be where he is without the steady, wise, down to earth presence of Jelena. His best luck in life is having her, imo.
Agree.
#NoleFam
An article on mental strength and the power of intimidation…
“Djokovic wins and continues winning, and nobody seems to be able to stop him. While his rivals break their head thinking of how stop this dynamic, the Serbian applies increasing his figure and his place in the history of tennis. Today he has reached three undisputed champions as Bill Tilden – he has also 11, even though some people insist that he stayed at 10 – Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. Next station, Roy Emerson.”
https://www.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=blog&bg=4&post=The-power-of-intimidation
An article on the best year of the tennis history:
“Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Novak Djokovic, best season in the history of tennis. Congratulations, great champion.”
https://www.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=blog&bg=4&post=djokovic-the-best-season-in-the-history
@LaureusSport
LAUREUS SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: @StephenCurry30 @DjokerNole @LewisHamilton @usainbolt @JordanSpieth #Messi
https://twitter.com/LaureusSport/status/705000765660774400
#NoleFam
Laureus
Laureus – Verified account @LaureusSport
“Very few players, if any, had a year like that”
@TheBorisBecker on @DjokerNole historic 2015.
#LWSA16
“If any” lol.
Boris is more clever than he’s given credit for LOL. Epic.
Does anybody else think there are cracks appearing in Novak’s armour plates confidence?
There have been several instances in the past couple of months when he has given way to violent outbursts and temper tantrums. And his level of play has fluctiated wildly during his matches with, by his standrds, an extraordinary level of UEs.
So far he has managed to get the win at the 11th hour.
Today he was struggling against Kukushkin for much of the match and at one point lost his cool and smashed
his racquet to the ground in temper. From the world No.1 in a Davis Cup match this was singularly inappropriate
behaviour.
The stats tell you a lot.
NDSRBKAZMK
Aces19/7
Double Faults12/2
1st Serve %117/173 (67%)101/177 (57%)
1st Serve Points Won89/117 (76%)65/101 (64%)
2nd Serve %44/56 (78%)74/76 (97%)
2nd Serve Points Won23/44 (52%)39/74 (52%)
Break Points Won7/16 (43%)5/8 (62%)
Total Winners37/25
Forehand Winners9/12
Backhand Winners19/7
Net Points Won9/12 (75%)6/8 (75%)
Forced Errors2732
Unforced Errors94/95
Total Points Won185/165
Fastest 1st Serve199km/h / 123mph195km/h / 121mph
Average 1st Serve166km/h / 103mph154km/h / 95mph
Fastest 2nd Serve188km/h / 117mph195km/h / 121mph
Average 2nd Serve146km/h / 91mph134km/h / 83mph
Interestingly Boris Becker was not in Belgrade to support Nole. He was courtside
watching very intently in Hanover.
ed251137 (AT 10:11 PM),
Djoko has had a habit of smashing racquets for a long time. I have posted pictures.
Waiting to see what IW brings, ed. Not going to panic.
His participation in DC is not something that fits this year, imo. It’s a lot of pressure; losing dubs for Nole and Nenad in front of the home crowd to Nedovyesov and Golubev must have been embarrassing. Then the he runs into fired up Kukushkin – piling on the frustration. It’s all nonsense. Maybe Boris feels like I do – I have no idea. Or, maybe it’s as simple as not wanting to interfere with Obradovic’s leadership? I can’t read much into Boris being in Hanover. But the rule about playing DC in an Olympic year is “iniquitous” just as you say, agree with that!
The UE’s are reminiscent of the match with Gilles Simon. My feeling is that DC was something Nole had to do more than was eager to do and he his focus wasn’t all there – pure speculation on my part but basing it on his performance, level, and behavior, plus my own bias, no doubt.
http://cdn02.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/sharapova-haan/maria-sharapova-head-cole-haan-02.jpg
commented edited for outrageous drug allegations
Djokovic gets above himself and drops a monumental clanger.
I bet he hadn’t run what he was going to say past his PR people beforehand.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/21/novak-djokovic-indian-wells-equal-prize-money-tennis
Not becoming of Novak as world No 1 to say this.
How is he different from Tsonga who said something similar regarding hormones.
??
What Nole said. A clanger, alright, ed. But he’s young. Jelena will assist him – I should hope/think.
I think Djokovic is right in what he said. We all know how arduous it is to win a men’s title especially the slams; for them to get equal pay as the women is laughable. PC correctness is stifling change.
I’m glad that Ray Moore acknowledged that the sport is being carried by Fedal.
May have a point about pay..each one has an opinion..there are 2 sides to every argument..but those hormones statements were uncalled for..totally out of the line. Its more surprising when married men talk like this.
I’d love to know what his wife thinks about all of this. She’s a pretty savvy lady.
The hormones statement is as real as it gets. What Djokovic was saying is that he admires the fact that women can focus and play as well as they do with inherent physical disadvantages. Nothing wrong with that. The media is just trying to find ways to knock down Djokovic at every turn when he speaks his mind. It doesn’t work, the man thrives under adversity.
Men should be paid more and there is nothing discriminatory about this!
Make them (women) play best of five and then we can happily have equal prize money. fair, no?
There is no B05 in Cincy/Montreal/Rome and no equal pay.
Also, don’t remember seeing men take a cut in pay when Masters 1000 finals went to BO3 or doubles went to super tiebreak.
It’s about the competition, not the length of the match.
Serena and Murray tear into Djokovic..haha..Loved Serenas response to Djokovic, even Billie Jean was caustic, so was Chris. I am sure Novak did not expect this kind of reaction.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/03/22/novak-djokovic-backs-down-after-criticism-from-serena-williams-and-andy-murray/
Post that Djokovic has apologized and even spoken to Serena and Andy
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/mar/23/novak-djokovic-andy-murray-equal-pay-spat
“Novak Djokovic back down…” no he didn’t retract anything he said. Typical media bs, he just clarified what he said in a diplomatic way.
Serena: “Novak is entitled to his opinion but if he has a daughter – I think he has a son right now – he should talk to her and tell her how his son deserves more money because he is a boy.” No Serena, Novak was pointing out that truly fair distribution is in proportion to how much revenue is made. He even said women should make more if they generate more revenue. If anything, this is an asinine way of responding to Djokovic’s comments. If you have a daughter, you tell her why women may make less, in what situation this happens etc. No sugarcoating of reality, just plain hard fact, problem solved.
Don’t remember male players making this claim when the women’s game was more popular than the mens in late 90s early 2000s.
Djokovic is twisting and turning in his attempts to extricate himself from the the hole he dug for himself but the hole just gets deeper with each new statement he makes.
# think before you speak in future
The hole is a figment of your imagination, I’m sure it is Novak’s PR agent who made him do what he did. Unless his level on court drops, he doesn’t have a problem.
If the hole was imaginary, Nole wouldn’t now be talking about believing in equality lol.
The lack of a hole is a figment of your blindness as a fan.
They can make Moore resign as IW CEO but they can’t make Nole resign his position as #1 player. Say wtf you want because they need you badly Nole.
Fans can sometimes be totally blind i their admiration. They will read ofcourse even wrong things in a right way. Djokovic was out of line and he realized it himself, else he would not have apologized.He had no choice but to apologize else he would have a bigger problem with getting less support than what he does now (except in China where he does get).
I am sure Novak got mighty pissed that only Roger and Rafas names were mentioned to be bowed down too and then many other players backing it up saying not just women but all tennis should be graeteful to them 🙂
I still feel all this controversy will not affect Novaks resolve though on court. There was a slight cloud about match fixing over him in AO, yet he won. So on court he will continue and can only be defeated if he underperforms and the other person redlines his shots.
“Andy Murray Gets It”
http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2016/03/23/3762621/andy-murray-feminist-hero/
“Why does someone ranked 70 in the world deserve to capitalize on what they’re doing just because they’re a man?” Murray asked. “When tennis does well, everyone should thrive on that success.”
“When Serena Williams does great, we also capitalize on that. Someone who’s 70 in the world on the men’s tour also capitalizes on that.”
true…
Novak Djokovic needs The Nice Guy’s Very Brief Guide to Discussing Women’s Sports and Issues Therein
A woman’s lighthearted view of an otherwise serious subject.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/mar/23/novak-djokovic-nice-guy-very-brief-guide-women-sports-tennis
“Therein. I am happy for this to be made available to everyone, from world No1s and tournament CEOs to morbidly obese guys on the internet who opine – without irony – that commenting on a fifth set is beyond women’s frame of reference.”
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!
and
” By way of another pointer: when discussing women’s sports and their debts or otherwise to you, I would avoid using expressions such as “drop to their knees”. As indicated earlier, it just sounds to us like you’re saying “blow me”. Given there’s at least a 50% chance you’re not, maybe go with something else.”
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!
Very funny (because it’s true)!
I found this a hilarious and very appropriate response! Novak meant well, but anytime a man mentions women’s hormones, I just want to roll my eyes and say – not again!
Yes, there is a male hormone! Wow! Men have that, too!
The whole hormone thing is a throwback to a time when women were thought to be somehow hampered or unable to function rationally and make decisions.
I do like that this response was given with some humor. She struck just the right note, making the point without being too heavy handed!
I’m on the road and only breezed ed’s link….have to get back to it later. Lol…love it!!
Nole applauds Thiem hot shot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i03xsAAOhAg
Nole cares…
@DjokerNole Novak Foundation
We need to work together to support their dreams! @novakfoundation #Care4Kids
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/715184995183230976
Australian Open @AustralianOpen
How well do you know our six-time champion? #AusOpen #TennisQuiz
https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/715031872598835203
ESPNTennis @ESPNTennis 15h15 hours ago
He’s the destroyer of dreams, which doesn’t make @DjokerNole the most popular player. But he’ll live with it.
http://es.pn/1Y0bJuH
#BodoOnDjoko
The team that plays together, stays together…
djokernoleWhile someone is working, others are posing… We have it all in #teamdjokovic
https://www.instagram.com/p/BC241FzTP_T/
Nole has a new watch!
djokernole Meet my new traveling companion #Seiko astron 😉
https://www.instagram.com/p/BC-rwnlTP1C/
Not just a great tennis player!
djokernole #NoleFam Can you guess what I was singing in front of this happy crowd? #ausopen #HappySlam ??
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBPRN4uzP8g/
jelenadjokovicndfIf I had my child to raise over again
by Diana Loomans
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I’d finger paint more, and point finger less.
I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less, and know to care more.
I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.
I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I’d do more hugging, and less tugging.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I’d teach less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.
#formoms #love
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDbYZ0WIFqw/
jelenaristicfcThis is love!
jelenaristicfc#jelenadjokovic #djokovic #nole #nolefam #cnn #love #jelenaristic
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCWYoQaqIUK/?taken-by=jelenaristicfc&hl=en
Well I just hope that Nole’s camera is water proof.
Don’t you? Or Dubai you.
djokernoleWe are never too old to go to water parks, right? 🙂
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCAeHuYTP5M/
Nole is a fan of other sports and can get floor seats!
No #EmptySeats here!!!
djokernoleAt the @lakers tonight with my best man @markstillitano
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCubDkCzP1r/
Special fans are everywhere…
novakdjokovicfanHappy Easter everyone! ???
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDdDJ7dSI0B/
Nole met up with Brazilian soccer star Kaka after his win over Tomas Berdych Wednesday night.
#NoleFam is everywhere!!!
https://twitter.com/ATPWorldTour/status/715530434550087680
Nole doesn’t need to practice all of the time…
@DjokerNole
Took the opportunity to go to the beach yesterday with @dusanVemic
https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/715880835942117376
Good news! According to Piers Newbery, whom Nole answered on Thursday, everything is OK.
@piersnewbery
Djokovic: “The swirly conditions were quite tough. I had a bit of a spasm in the back. No concerns, not at all.”
https://twitter.com/piersnewbery/status/715395651064860672
This is cute.
https://vid.me/8RZ4
#DjokoSmash
TENNIS.com Retweeted
Blair Henley @BlairHenley 29m29 minutes ago
“When Roger and Rafa were at their best, they were not as good as Novak [is now].” – Feliciano Lopez on the World No. 1. #USClay
Sure even when Roger was at his best, he was not as good as Roger [is now].
Nole practicing in Monte Carlo (his son on court with him ? cute!)
https://www.instagram.com/rourebel/
Also on that instagram page: Berdych, Dimi, Goffin, Sascha, Thiem, Murray, Fed, practicing in Monte Carlo 😀
”He’s going to be the favorite for every tournament (until) somebody shows something different,” Nadal said Sunday with an air of inevitability. ”He is (playing) with an unbelievable dynamic.”
”When you need to operate as a human machine, you need to do that only in the present moment and the present time,” said Djokovic, who sets aside time to perfect his inner balance. ”Not Buddhism, specifically, but mindfulness, this holistic approach that allows me to maximize my being from every aspect. Not just physical but mental, emotional, spiritual. I try to be disciplined with all these different exercises that I do on a daily level.”
”From one side, yes, I am pleasantly surprised with what I have achieved in last two years,” Djokovic said. ”From the other side, I’ve always expected myself to be at this level. Everybody peaks at different stages of their careers and for me it’s right now.”
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/04/djokovics-french-open-bid-begins-with-monte-carlo-defense/58093/#.Vwup5qQrKUl
I think it’s interesting to hear Novak talk about a holistic approach. It seems as though he’s found a way to minimize the intense pressure and keep himself focused but not to the point where he might burn out.
Of course Rafa tells it like it is with Novak being the favorite in every event. Rafa ought to know!
Djoko peaks at the right time, when clearly Fedal are in decline mode. Murray too couldnt reproduce those results he had during 2012-2013 esp after having back issue. Its no coincidence that Djoko has his incredible 2015 but couldnt produce those results during 2012 to 2014.
His game may have improved further but imo its his confidence and belief that separates him from the rest. I seriously dont think Fed or Rafa or Murray now has/have much confidence of winning when facing Djoko. Djoko has his team to study his main rival’s game and think of tactics to handle or neutralize their game.
I do think a player like Dolgo may have a chance of an upset, or those players whom Djoko hasnt met before. Those who have played him so many times become so predictable to him that unless they could play and sustain in the zone tennis, there is not much chances that they’ll win.
So Veseley does it, someone whom Djoko hasnt met before.
No mention from federazzi media about Novak’s opportunity to be the first player in 47 years to hold all four slams at the same time as opposed to Roger in 2006:
“He’ll also be bidding to win his fourth straight major championship, following Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and Australian Open, which would make him the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all of the sport’s top titles simultaneously.”
Find me ONE article that MENTIONS this possibility for Nole…
“”I guess it’s all coming out now. I’ve had some hard speeches, but this one is a little rough right now,” he said after being handed the champions trophy by Rod Laver, the last man to hold all four grand slam titles in 1969.
Federer won Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
But he has still to take the French Open, the only major title that has eluded him so far in his professional career.”
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/federer-clinches-his-seventh-grand-slam-title/4984420
And another…
“If he were to win this year, Federer would hold all four Grand Slam event titles at once (he’s the 2006 Australian Open champion, as well as 2005 U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion).”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/27/AR2006052700951.html
Incredible. Easy to find 10 year old articles on Fed but zero for Nole’s chances this year. Federazzi are so transparent.
“The world No. 1 won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open on Sunday. He needs just the French title to become the first man since Australia’s Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four titles simultaneously.”
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-01-31/sports/0601310217_1_australian-coach-tony-roche-major-title-roger-federer
#HowManyTimes
Finally! Found one…
He was asked, if he does win at the French and manage to capture four consecutive major championships, would he give it a name? On the women’s side, Serena Williams has done it before and her feat was called the ”Serena Slam.”
”Djoker Slam. Not bad, I like that one,” said the 28-year-old Serbian, referring to his nickname, the Djoker.
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/02/djokovic-names-his-2016-goal-the-djoker-slam/57488/#.Vw5owzArKUk
#DjokerSlam
Nice to see Djoko losing the 1st match at Montecarlo , it was about time he lost to someone!
Dont let the haterade drown you. Very surprising loss though.
And how about you, Alyssa?
[Alyssa Nicolas FEBRUARY 13, 2016 AT 8:50 PM]
https://tenngrand.com/2016/02/13/buenos-aires-sf-previews-and-prediction-nadal-vs-thiem/comment-page-2/#comment-87078
shocking
Shireling ( AT 3:49 PM),
🙂
Last week Novak opened a vegan restaurant in Monaco! He is really buying in this vegan thing…good for him, but meat protein is equally important for the athletes, I would say…
Andy Murray’s doping suspicions anger Novak Djokovic coach Boris Becker
Andy Murray has been one of the most outspoken critics of doping in tennis. JEAN CHRISTOPHE MAGNENET/AFP/Getty Images
7:56 AM GMT
Boris Becker has hit out at Andy Murray for airing his suspicions that some of his opponents may have used performance-enhancing drugs.
The world No.2 is one of tennis’ most vocal critics of drug cheats and admitted he has had doubts over opponents who appear to be able to play six-hour matches “over and over [while] showing no signs of being tired”.
Murray, who was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the Monte Carlo Masters semifinal on Saturday, also welcomed the ban imposed on Maria Sharapova following her failed test for meldonium at the Australian Open.
However Becker, who coaches world No.1 Novak Djokovic, has accused Murray of being “out of order” and insisted those under suspicion should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
Speaking at the Laureus World Sport Awards, the German told the Daily Mail: “We have random drug-testing and unless it’s proven, they are 100 percent innocent. So to assume something because somebody has won a Grand Slam or is fitter is totally out of order.
“Andy is one of the fittest players on the tour — he often outlasts players and nobody is questioning his ethics.
“I believe 100 percent Andy is clean. Roger [Federer] is clean, Rafa is clean, all these guys are clean. Novak gets tested a lot. That can mean twice in a Grand Slam.”
Murray had told the Mail On Sunday: “I have played against players and thought, ‘They won’t go away’ or ‘They don’t seem to be getting tired’. Have I ever been suspicious of someone? Yeah. You hear things.
“It’s harder to tell in our sport as people can make big improvements to a stroke or start serving better because they have made technical changes.
“If it’s purely physical and you’re watching someone playing six-hour matches over and over and showing no signs of being tired, you’d look at that.”
Press Association Sport contributed to this report
http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/story/_/id/15226833/andy-murray-doping-suspicions-anger-novak-djokovic-coach-boris-becker
andy murray really should keep his trap shut. if it’s not whining and complaining and swearing his head off during matches it’s coming up with comments which clearly amount to insinuation. who else can play long matches….?nole and until recently rafa. the article above leaves out boris’s defence of rafa saying that the constant suggestions that rafa was a doper were unbelievably disrespectful to one of the greatest players of all time.
the way that murray behaves sometimes makes me think very strongly that he just can’t get his head round the fact that he is just not as good a player as rafa, nole and fed.
some surprisingly eloquent words from boris and i agree with him. murray wants to think a lot more carefully before coming up with those kinds of statements. giving interviews to the daily fail doesn’t give me joy either.
ps shouldn’t this piece above be on the andy murray page?
it’s got far more to do with andy murray shooting his mouth off than it has to do with nole….
amy (AT 12:35 PM),
But YOU couldn’t resist bringing Rafa (AT 12:30 PM) into it! 🙄
I thought it would get more attention on Nole’s page; people might have ignored it on Andy’s page.
I think you are right that Andy can’t accept that he is barely a member of today’s greats. Look at the way he threw his toys out of hs pram when he found out that Rafa was too much for him in MC even to the extent of complaining that Rafa sent the physio away, apparently, according to the biased British commies, Andy was annoyed with Rafa because he was hoping to rest during the MTO. He even complained that Rafa had an umbrella held by a ball kid during the break and he didn’t.
yes i saw the thing about the umbrella! he’s going bonkers…
Amy I read Andy’s comments yesterday and posted them on his page.
This quote goes to show how Andy’s comments are bizarre…
“”If it’s purely physical and you’re watching someone playing six-hour matches over and over and showing no signs of being tired, you’d look at that.”
I’d like to know who has played six-hour matches over and over again lol.
Ridiculous. But he just lost a tough match so he was whining.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_tennis_match_records
This is an interesting list of longest matches. If he meant 5 hour plus matches that would be more likely. And I didn’t count but I think Davis Cup matches are where most of them occured and there’s some in Master’s Series that won’t happen again because Masters are Bo3 now.
The only one I can remember that was super human was 2012 AO Final. And they were both so tired and crippled afterward that they could hardly stand up during the trophy ceremony.
Then again, Andy could know something that no one else does — I don’t know. I’m a cycling fan — I can’t rule out anything — but I keep my mouth shut on the topic, generally.
I see no example on this list (or anywhere for that matter) of “someone playing six-hour matches over and over and showing no signs of being tired.”
Not even five hours.
He’s ridiculous making such a statement.
thanks hawks. i am very cross reading this stuff. it’s utterly unacceptable and puts both rafa and nole into the firing line as dopers.
he can just sod off as far as i’m concerned.
sour grapes.
I came on here to read the comments from Andy and find them to be really disappointing. Boris Becker is right. Players are persumed innocent until proven guilty. I have said many times in the past that all a player has is his integrity and reputation.
For someone like Andy to make insinuations about his fellow players, is unacceptable. I am shocked that he would go there. Maybe Andy is jealous of fed and Rafa and even Novak for their success in this sport. Goodness knows that Andy has been a poor sport in general. His comments whining and complaining about Rafa after their match, were petty and unnecessary,
Maybe Andy has learned from Boris Becker. The same Boris Becker was fined for accusing Muster of doping in 1996!
The New York Times, June 20, 1995:
¤¤ BORIS BECKER has been fined $20,000 for insinuating after a defeat in the Monte Carlo Open final last month that the winner, Thomas Muster, had taken drugs, the ATP Tour announced yesterday. Becker has appealed, the ATP said.
Muster, after complaining of dehydration in his semifinal victory over ANDREA GAUDENZI, rallied from two sets down in the final to defeat Becker in five sets on April 30. It was part of a winning streak that reached 35 matches with Muster’s recent triumph at the French Open.
After the Monte Carlo loss, Becker expressed astonishment at Muster’s recuperation in remarks that were widely interpreted as suggesting indirectly that the Austrian had taken illegal drugs. (AP) ¤¤
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/20/sports/sports-people-tennis-atp-hits-becker-with-fine.html
Correction:
1996 ➽ 1995
just as i thought the threads to do with this subject elsewhere are pointing the finger at rafa and nole.
just get lost andy!!
for someone who is also extremely fit he’s really got a nerve…
sorry, just to clarify, by threads elsewhere i mean on other tennis sites.
it’s given the haters a license to print bile..
amy (AT 4:25 PM),
YOU keep talking about Rafa here.
To add to my post AT 3:40 PM, Andy might have learned even more from BB.
Chicago Tribune, December 24, 1993: ¤¤ Pros Use Drugs, Becker Says.
FRANKFURT, Germany — The tennis season is so long and grueling that many players need drugs to get through it, according to Boris Becker, who said authorities in the sport have been able to keep it quiet.
Becker made his allegation in the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“Why shouldn’t there be doping in a sport where there is so much money?” Becker was quoted as saying. …
“The question is whether the ATP would allow a positive drug test to come through, because the whole scene would fall into disrepute and the sponsors would really run away.”…¤¤
Read more:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1993-12-24/sports/9312240221_1_drug-abuse-atp-tests
From augusta’s link above @ 8:53 pm
Pros Use Drugs, Becker Says
December 24, 1993
FRANKFURT, Germany — The tennis season is so long and grueling that many players need drugs to get through it, according to Boris Becker, who said authorities in the sport have been able to keep it quiet.
Becker made his allegation in the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
“Why shouldn’t there be doping in a sport where there is so much money?” Becker was quoted as saying.
Becker said it was “a joke” that the Association of Tennis Professionals has never punished a player for drug abuse.
? Starting to feel rather sick.
Then there’s this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/04/19/the-sport-is-clean-novak-djokovic-doesnt-buy-andy-murrays-doping-suspicions/
Seems the Washington Post is having a field day with this story:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/04/19/novak-djokovic-isnt-accused-of-doping-but-he-sounds-eerily-like-lance-armstrong/
http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/15452386/tennis-rod-laver-comes-goat-novak-djokovic-roger-federer-equal
“I don’t think you put one of those two above the other when you look at their performances,” Laver said to ESPN.com via phone. “You know what Roger’s record is. But the way that Djokovic has been playing over the last year or so, I would say that Djokovic and Federer are equals.
Seriously, Rod Laver???
Sometimes I am shocked at the things some of the legends say…
Plain stupid thing to say, dear Laver!
He seems so envious of both Fed and Rafa! Did he even include Rafa in the equation? So Novak is already surpassed Rafa according to Laver? With no RG title Novak can not even get close to be considered GOAT!
One may not like Fed but his records and his endurance in the game, his will to improve and keep on fighting at the high level are admiring!
Nothing is certain yet, dear Laver! I feel you will be soon changing the tune…
He’s not insulting anyone. All he’s saying is that there isn’t much difference in their peak levels which is a truism when you look at all players with double digit majors. I don’t think the guys today are significantly better than Borg, Sampras or Laver himself. Effectively, all he’s doing is trying to avoid another GOAT debate after being asked about it for the nth time.
I agree with Laver.
That’s why I’ve said he can pass fed and even the current goat Rafa if he wins RG this year to hold all four slams at the same time on three different surfraces which has never been done before.
Just goes to show that Rod knows GOAT isn’t just slam count and he’s not just another fed fanboy.
If Rafa wins RG, he just further cements his current hold on GOATdom.
Laver used to call fed goat so no jealousy lol.
Nowhere does he mention “peak level” or avoids GOAT talk. He never has lol. He’s always engaged in it openly.
Laver is saying that nole and fed are equals in the goat debate in his opinion
Nothing more. Nothing less.
@ hawkeye 12:25 PM,
this is exactly what I understood Laver was saying. He was certainly not avoiding the GOAT debate. In fact he seems to like giving opinion on the matter. I do not know about jealousy but you see these BIG names are kind of sensitive about their colleagues and tend to be biased…
anyway, I disagree with him as I do not consider Novak just yet to be on equal measures with Federer and Rafa…he may change it in the future but for now it is just the way it is…it’s not over yet for either Novak or Rafa I think…
BTW, if Federer goes to win the Olympic gold this year the GOAT debate will heat up again no matter what…
Agreed except I don’t think Sampras, Agassi, jmac, laver or most ex players have been sensitive about it. They’ve been very forthcoming especially the guys who’ve changed their opinions as players have added to their results.
These musings by ex players, pundits etc. are worthless. Look at the amount of words that have been used on the internet arguing about Federer’s GOATDOM because some clown flippantly declared Fed the GOAT because they were judging him at a moment in time, a time which is long gone, since he’s been owned by Rafa ever since they played their 1st match against each other. Even Federer now admits he is not the GOAT.
To those who go on and on and on about IF Djoker wins the FO and IF he wins 4 slams this year he will hold the calendar slam, I say, don’t count your chickens before they are hatched. We’ve had these ‘IFs’ and ‘Coulds’ since 2011 and I’m tired of reading about inflated balloons that end up being deflated.
Cheryl Murray did an appraisal of Djokovic in 2011 praising him for winning the FO that year, going on about what a great achievement for someone who grew up in a war zone, blah, blah, blah, because she thought it was a foregone conclusion. I remember pointing out to her that the article was a bit premature because Djoker hadn’t won the FO……….we are still waiting 5 years later.
Federer has never referred to himself as the GOAT at any point in time. And in any case, he still has the strongest case for it.
Also, Laver was mostly referring to Djokovic’s play at the AO which was very impressive and on par with anyone who’s ever played the game. I was quite amazed by what I saw because unlike FO 2008, Roger didn’t do much wrong tactically. With or without the FO, Novak is likely to add to his tally and has a better overall record than Nadal at three of the four majors already. Therefore, as much as I do not like his tennis, he is firmly in the debate.
‘…has a better overall record than Nadal at three of the four majors already’
that’s just your selective way of looking at it, Fedfan. ‘
I forgot to add 2015 for Novak’s play. Yeah, overall, he’s been playing at an incredibly high level for a long time. I don’t think he’s as good as Federer in the forecourt ( nor are Nadal or Murray) but he doesn’t have to be with the conditions today.
” don’t think he’s as good as Federer in the forecourt ( nor are Nadal)”
What???????????????????????????????????????????????????
rafa still has a goat lead on both of them atm.
Slim margins.
Until nole wins the FO, it’s still a two man debate between Rafger but I respect Laver’s opinion more than any anon internet poster (Myself excluded obviously).
I don’t think it’s necessary to go after Rod Laver for what he said. There is a tendency to overreact any time a former tennis great gives an opinion. Laver is the one who has famously said that there cannot be one GOAT. He said that a player can only be the greatest in his own era. I happen to agree with him.
Laver has earned the right to say what he thinks. Novak is going for his fourth straight slam at RG. Both Rafa and Fed tried to do it. But no one has done it since Laver. He also won the calendar slam twice. Oh and for those who say that was when there wasn’t hard court and blah, blah, blah, let me remind everyone that his peers were not able to do it.
If Novak can win RG and do something that neither fed or Rafa did, then he puts himself in the conversation. I have no problem with Laver saying what he did. If anyone has a right to say something, it’s the man who last accomplished that feat.
Of course, I am hoping that Rafa wins RG and the point will be moot!
Hawkeye,
Thanks for saying that you respect Laver’s opinion, especially over anonymous internet posters.
What he did speaks for itself. I idolized him growing up. He also was a gentleman and a great sportsman. He did not brag about his achievements.
I think that Laver respects all of the top players today. He is still a fan of the sport and we see him at slam finals even now. His records have stood for over 40 years and that is the true test of greatness.
I expect that many of Rafa and Fed’s records will also stand the test of time.
While I do not subscribe to the GOAT argument, I do respect your point of view in that regard.
AT 9:07 PM,
Aren’t you two “anonymous internet posters”? 🙄
Augusta,
Why would you even have to ask that question? If course I am included in that group! Honestly!
You are always looking to start trouble or instigate some kind of argument. Next time don’t make assumptions!
Better yet, why don’t you just ignore my posts altogether!
typical comment to incite an argument… my suggestion is to ignore…
Right on VR.
#PDNFTT
Thanks nny and I respect yours and anyone who has their own opinions on tennis here.
(not so much those that don’t which is why I don’t read them anymore)
Hawkeye,
You are welcome! I hear you and heartily agree! It’s about tennis for us! 🙂
I have always liked Laver’s views and don’t think there is any jealousy involved. He also has lots of respect for Rafa. He once called Rafa the best ever!
My problem is that these legends can sometimes simplify this matter so much! Laver has never quite been so stuck on number of slams, which is good because most legends do that to give simple answers. Only agassi has explored this in depth and spoke about the weaker competition federer had in his early years. Why can’t these legends say for once that these debates are really complicated and then talk about some factors! They are expects so it would be nice to hear some real analysis than simply telling us who has the highest no. of slams won !
I also did not like the fact that he did not even mention Rafa :s To me, Novak’s been part of this debate for a year now! I have a lot of respect for his records. But, just because Nadal has a bad year and people thought he was ‘done’, you start ruling him out of the debate?
Rafa’s not going anywhere and he will win slams. It may well be this year’s French Open.
Don’t forget Agassi and Sampras.
Agassi said Rafa is GOAT and Sampras said Fed is not ahead of Rafa in the GOAT debate.
They’ve both given in depth reasons to counter the slam count, Agassi referring to the golden era and Sampras the ridiculously lopsided h2h.
Hawks, yes, at least they spoke about different factors!
I did not mean to imply that Rid Laver is above any and all criticism. I do know that he has talked about Rafa in the past with a great deal of appreciation and respect. I don’t know why he did not mention Rafa. I would think that Laver would understand that one sub par year on rafa’s part doesn’t want much when compared with his stellar achievements. But I don’t think he meant any disrespect to rafa. He knows that Rafa should not be counted out after one bad year.
Rafa and Fed are on the top of the mountain. Their records speak for themselves. Novak wants to join them on the top of that mountain, but he’s not there yet.
I have special feelings for Rod Laver. He played in a time when the sport of tennis was divided between professional and amateur. Laver paid a high price for playing in professional tournaments and was banned from Wimbledon for a few years. They never made any decent money back then. Some of Laver’s records are not included on the record because of this business of professional and amateur tournaments. Thank goodness that the Open Era of tennis in 1968 finally resolved the conflict and brought the sport into the modern era.
I love Rod Laver.
There. I said it.
Nole gets it…
“It was a big task, but I managed to make that quick and crucial transition from being in self doubt to really be in self-belief and confidence.”
In addition to on-court drills and fitness, Djokovic has added yoga, meditation and other mental preparation techniques, such as visualization, to his routine.
“As you work on your muscles in the gym, mentally you also have to work,” he says.
http://www.si.com/tennis/2016/05/20/french-open-novak-djokovic-interests-personality-serbia
Hawkeye,
I appreciate you posting that info from Novak. I was wondering how he’s gotten to be do strong mentally.
I think it’s a great idea to use yoga and meditation to help with mental focus, calmness and good feelings.
Yup. I do yoga. At first I did it just to maintain/improve flexibility as I get older but was surprised at how it lowered my overall stress level and help me cope better with stressful situations.
For a professional tennis player, I think it would help enormously both physically and mentally.
considering his embarrassing on-court outbursts as of late, Novak definitely needs to work on his mental state…even more…
it’s easy to be mentally strong when everything is going your way and when playing well…once you start having difficulties (that is, when opponents begin to think they have a chance rather than just losing the match already in the locker room) and losing to nobodies, that is where the true inner-self shows up and the weaknesses (read: bad temper) emerge…it affects the game and the confidence dropping further…it all becomes a vicious circle…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAwkOqxoc68
Djokovic’s practice at RG 2016
Birthday cake and non-match adulation don’t always translate to match play fan favouritism as Nole and Rafa are both painfully aware.
RT @ATPWorldTour: The media watches on as Guy Forget presents @DjokerNole with a birthday cake at @rolandgarros. #ATP #tennis #RG16 https://t.co/L9PQWMgCy1
…in France.
Rafa has been adored everywhere.
hawkeye does not let the facts get in the way of a good story.
nadline gets it! 🙂
Hawkeye,
Thanks for that video. How did I not remember that his birthday is right at the start of RG?
You’re welcome nny.
The French fans can be a bit two faced showing lots of love outside of the match but cheering against players like Nole and Rafa during the match. Nole witnessed this in the finals last year and Rafa sees this when he gets sung happy birthday but then they cheer for Thiem against Rafa.
Everybody knows this.
At least the crowd will cheer for Rafa against Nole.
Hawkeye,
Yes, you make an excellent point! I do find this duality kind of strange.
I think that the fans at RG have softened somewhat in recent years towards Rafa. But it’s nothing like the adoration he gets elsewhere.
You are absolutely right about Rafa meeting Novak in the semis! The crowd will be behind Rafa for sure!
good points nny.
Nny and it is understandable somewhat because the vast majority of RG crowd are devout fed fans so one can easily see where their cheering against both Rafa and Nole originate.
Hawkeye,
Yes, another great observation about the motivation and the “why” of their behavior!
Still boorish though.
NNY, AT 3:38 PM
—I think that the fans at RG have softened somewhat in recent years towards Rafa.—
===
.
Hooligan-Fedfans have booed Rafa at RG only ONCE (!) – in 2009 – when he lost to Sod.
I have no idea why you think that Rafa has been treated badly at RG in other years. 🙄
AT 3:15 PM
—they cheer for Thiem against Rafa—
===
.
I watched the match. As a rule, the spectators applauded good shots (winners) and they almost didn’t applaud unforced errors, no matter WHO made them.
.
There are some weaknesses in hawk’s anti-Rafa-propaganda model. LOL
The French RG crowd are a boorish hypocritical bunch.
No hawkeye. it’s the Fedfans who root against Rafa on court; everyone else adores him. Most tennis will go to lengths just to see him even if it’s just to watch him brush his teeth. Ask Mike Bryan.
Happy Birthday, Nole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcS8yoP1hj8
Nice gesture. I hope the cake is gluten free.
It’s official…
Carole Bouchard @carole_bouchard 1h1 hour ago
Surprise : Djokovic just said he’s not eating meat anymore. He’s mainly vegan and adds eating fish here and there. Djokovic says this new diet has started a year ago already
am surprised it gives him enough energy. no wonder he gets tetchy…
roast beef,
american hamburger…yum, yum….
Does this mean he has to give up eggs?
come to think of it, you did not believe me when I first posted this news… 🙂
#howmanytimes
I think I questioned the reputation of your source.
Nole is a reputable source.
questioning the reputation of my source?! But Nole was the source…it was his interview in the Serbian tabloid…how else would they know about it?
#lousyexcuse
If mine is a lousy excuse, then yours is a lazy retort.
I believed that you heard Nole had become vegetarian.
I questioned your source.
I don’t recall you posting any quotes from Nole at the time.
#JeckylAndHide
nope…I referred to the article written in the Serbian tabloid in which Nole and Jelena were interviewed…and Nole said that he had become vegan…Jelena is vegan as well…I wrote about it, but did not have a printed version of the tabloid and honestly did not bother to look up on the net…
you were the first to doubt it…and I felt a little insulted but it’s your right to feel that way…and honestly I did not care that match about it to pursue the issue…now that you are bringing it up as OFFICIAL I just could not resist and enjoyed rubbing it in your face… 😉
no hard feeling, hawks…in a way I really enjoy these exchanges of diverging views… 🙂
I promisse to never bring this up again…except just to mention that Nole as vegan is not allowed to eat eggs but he can still use it… 🙂
Dunno why you’d be offended.
I wouldn’t trust anything printed in a tabloid.
There was zero on the Internet about it which was very strange. All I could find was that he was trying some vegan recipes and that he was opening a vegan restaurant.
So I would still have questioned the validity at the time had it come from a tabloid.
Nothing to do with right, wrong or otherwise.
I enjoy it too nats as long as it stays about tennis and players. 🙂
There is a lack of information in the English-speaking world.
Yet even the queen of misinformation herself can’t find anything credible on the Internet to support nats before this month.
“It’s the only data I’ve seen.”
Hahahahahaha
hawk calls himself ‘the queen’ AT 9:48 AM!
my post above is addressed at hawks 4:04PM
Nole would make a great coach or uncle.
“For me, training isn’t just about running myself ragged or repeating the same tennis skills over and over. The game looks like it takes place between the lines on the court, but it really takes place between your ears.”
Might have to pick this up…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/11685957/Novak-Djokovics-health-blueprint-how-to-transform-your-body-in-14-days.html
Congrats to Nole for beating Fed (whose been on tour five years more than Fed) to being the first tennis player to $100M career prize money…
“Novak Djokovic overcame the rain and a tough opponent at Roland Garros to become the first tennis player to earn more than $100 million in prize money.
Djokovic had surpassed 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer as the all-time prize money leader on the men’s tour in April after he won the Miami Open. The Swiss, who pulled out of the French Open with a back injury, had been leading that list since 2008.”
Huge achievement
Rafa surely would have been the first had it not been for so many physical injuries (and one long term mental problema).
But that’s part of Nole’s overall achievement staying so healthy.
Gotta be a record (2003-07 Weak Era excepted maybe)…
Ben Rothenberg @BenRothenberg 31m31 minutes ago Paris, France
Novak Djokovic qualifies for the London World Tour Finals in the middle of the French Open. He’s real good at the tennis, this guy. #RG16
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA
Closet Federazzi are everywhere!!!!!!
ESPN Stats & InfoVerified account
@ESPNStatsInfo
Novak Djokovic is in the French Open semifinals for 6th straight time, most among men in the open era
Simon Cambers @scambers73 41m41 minutes ago
Amid all the talk of @DjokerNole completing a career grand slam, everyone seems to have forgotten that he is also going for four in a row
“Forgotten” is one term for it.
#Federazzi
#SpeakNoEvil
Love you Nole Ole — ??? RG Champion!
Haha career.slam and 4 in a row. What an achievement. I didn’t see Laver but I’ve seen Novak achieve one of the ultimate highlights. Amazing
Unlike the three players ahead of him, Nole is not slowing down as illustrated in the following graphic…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CkNRPg2XAAAPgPk.jpg
“After winning his first French Open title on Sunday, Djokovic holds all four major titles at the same time, the first man to do so since Rod Laver in 1969.
Men’s tennis has three types of events that feature nearly all of the best players who are fit to play: the four majors, nine Masters and the World Tour Finals. Djokovic has reached the final of 21 of the last 22 of these events he has entered, winning 17 of them. No man has ever had a stretch that dominant.”
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/novak-djokovics-chase-of-tennis-records-is-speeding-up/
ivo karlovic @ivokarlovic 1h1 hour ago
Nole the true goat!!
Yet another player gets it (unlike the media still clinging to Fed)…
Jonas Bjorkman @BjorkmanTennis
Congrats @DjokerNole for winning @rolandgarros and to your amazing achievement winning all Grand Slams and four in a row. #history #RG16
Sports Illustrated @SInow 2h2 hours ago
Djokovic solidified his place in the GOAT conversation at the French Open (by @jon_wertheim) http://on.si.com/28dyAtB pic.twitter.com/Qbr0NcfwiP
“Djokovic has officially entered the GOAT pasture. He avoided Rafael Nadal and only had to beat one Top 5 seed before the final, but this tournament has completely reframed his career.
He now has the career Grand Slam and four major titles in a row, which is something neither Roger Federer or Nadal ever did. He’s well into double figures and just turned 29 years old. This really changes the Greatest of All Time conversation, more so than any other title he has won.”
Wertheim finally beginning to get it…
#BetterLateThanNever
RT @stu_fraser: Although Djokovic with 16,950 ranking points has 81% of the combined total of Murray, Federer and Nadal… #BigOne
LOL @pseudoFed really gets it…
Not Roger Federer @PseudoFed 49m49 minutes ago
My work account @rogerfederer must not be working, I will therefore use this account to congratulate @DjokerNole on the #NoleSlam
LOL, let’s play another round of “Fed?…Or @PseudoFed”…
Carole Bouchard Retweeted
LetsTalkTennis @letstalktennis1 3h3 hours ago
Federer on Djokovic: “It’s great for tennis. It’s world class and really rare. He did it without any luck, it’s wonderful how he did it.”
#UnlikeMPsSavedUSO
The writer of PseudeFed captures to perfection TMF’s technique for delivering the sting-in-the-tail compliment..
It’s hard to tell them apart sometimes.
For the most part, Fed does a better job of parodying Himself.
What does he mean, without any luck? The rain?
Pete Sampras spoke about incredible Novak Djokovic’s dominance in a different way. ‘Now he is at his peak – Sampras said – He has been playing THE BEST TENNIS OF ALL TIME for two or three years. It’s amazing what he did against Roger, he beat him at the US Open and twice at Wimbledon. He reaches the final in every tournament he plays. His numbers are impressive as well as his consistency.’
RETRACTION: Pete was misquoted by Tennis World in the article below…
http://www.tennisworldusa.org/Pete-Sampras-Novak-Djokovic-is-playing-the-best-tennis-of-all-time-articolo33485.html
This video shows what he actually said:
http://www.msn.com/en-my/video/sport/sampras-admits-he-didnt-envisage-djokovic-success/vi-BBtV74q
“SOME of the best tennis in the history of the game.”
“SOME of the greatest tennis of all time.”
You can’t trust journalists.
Wow what a hateful piece from the federazzi media. Such fandom and jealousy knows no bounds.
“No, we believe in Federer. Look at the two men move. Djokovic almost minces back to his chair. Federer prowls. It is another problem for Hillary. Hubby Bill could move mountains with his gentle tread. Billbo was absurdly charismatic in his prime, but Hillary wobbles about like a made-up doll.
There is maybe hope for Nole and Hillary. There are people out there who say we can learn how to be charismatic. Olivia Fox Cabane, who charges firms like Google more than a $100,000 a year for her services, says, “It’s all about learning to play chemist with your brain. If you’re able to flood your body with oxytocin [the love hormone] whenever you want, your body language will be transformed. People will want to be near you.”
REUTERS
As the Washington Post said, ‘Everybody loves Roger Federer…Novak Djokovic…Not so much.’
OPINION: Novak Djokovic and Hillary Clinton both have scary eyes. There is something alien about those big round peepers that look over you as if scanning the sky for flying saucers. There is no love, no recognition, no joy, no CHARISMA. It is why Nole and Hillary will never be adored by the public like Roger Federer and Barack Obama.
How can Djokovic ever claim to be the greatest if he doesn’t have the love? He knows it and it bothers him. He once said to my friend Matthew Syed, ex-Commonwealth ping-pong champion and now a superb sports writer for The Times, “I’m not sure what I have to do to be popular.”
How many of us have said the same thing. How many kids have cried out from the schoolyard or adults from the office party, “Why don’t people like me?”
SHANNON STAPLETON/ REUTERS
Hubby Bill could move mountains with his gentle tread but Hillary wobbles about like a made-up doll.
And it’s because they don’t have that “it” thing. They don’t feel our pain. They don’t look people in the eye and listen as if that person is the most important in the room. They don’t have the smile and the wit and the empathy and the easy walk. They don’t have CHARISMA.
The word comes from the Greek meaning gift. It comes from an olden time of magic. A.N. Wilson writes at the start of his biography of C.S. Lewis; “The world has changed more radically in the last hundred years than in any previous era of history. Old values and certainties have been destroyed; religions have collapsed. In such a world, a voice which appears to come from the old world and to speak with the old sureness will have an obvious appeal.”
Aslan in the Narnia books embodies the old magic of the old world. Aslan’s charisma is part of the reason why Federer is so loved and Djokovic never will be. Federer is the wardrobe that takes us through the fur coats into the old world. He loves to play on the grass of Wimbledon where he may yet win one more title in a few weeks’ time. We can imagine him with a wooden racquet in hand.
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REUTERS
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic once said to my friend Matthew Syed of The Times, ‘I’m not sure what I have to do to be popular.’
Federer even seems to be walking backward through time as his career progresses. As a young man he used to stay planted on the baseline. Federer now rushes the net and we love him for it. He is bringing us the old magic.
He even says, “I enjoy coming to the net like back in the day.”
Nothing about Djokovic is like “back in the day”. Why would it be? His childhood was spent in a country ravaged by war. His whole soul screams for progress. And so Djokovic plays tennis to survive. He plays tennis to eat. There is no risk reward. He wouldn’t try to drive a green that was 300 yards away with a lake on one side. Djokovic would play an iron to a precise spot in the fairway and then hit a wedge to half a metre.
Nick Bollettieri, the man who rolled out Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova from the production line, calls Djokovic “the most complete of all time”, but then Bolletieri owns a factory. We don’t have to believe in his industrial diktat.
No, we believe in Federer. Look at the two men move. Djokovic almost minces back to his chair. Federer prowls. It is another problem for Hillary. Hubby Bill could move mountains with his gentle tread. Billbo was absurdly charismatic in his prime, but Hillary wobbles about like a made-up doll.
There is maybe hope for Nole and Hillary. There are people out there who say we can learn how to be charismatic. Olivia Fox Cabane, who charges firms like Google more than a $100,000 a year for her services, says, “It’s all about learning to play chemist with your brain. If you’re able to flood your body with oxytocin [the love hormone] whenever you want, your body language will be transformed. People will want to be near you.”
Watch Bill Clinton work a room in his prime. He steps off the stage towards his audience. He looks the questioner in the eye and stays with them. His intonation moves down towards the end of sentences, which is one reason why Aussies can never have charisma.
Now watch the press conferences of Federer and Djokovic at the Australian Open. Federer’s voice is lower. He looks at the questioner. He says “in my opinion” in a way that suggests yours may be just as valuable. In contrast, Djokovic’s eyes are flitting all over the place. His pitch is higher. There is no comfort in his presence, no connection.
And it is reflected in the way the two men play. Djokovic, surrounded by a Teutonic crowd of men in red tracksuits, wears down his opponent with mechanical efficiency. His baseline length is the best in the industry. His two-handed backhand doesn’t break down. And then there once was that endless ball bouncing, drumming away in your brain.
Federer, of course, plays the most beautiful game as befits man who is idolised by Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue. The one-handed backhand is again a remembrance of things past. That fluid service action and wristy forehand are like flowing water.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/80930802/No-recognition-no-joy-no-charisma-with-Novak-Djokovic-and-Hillary-Clinton
The same thing was said of Pete Sampras himself. But heck, even though their fundamental gamestyles were different, they both had powerful, athletic, efficient games and the fun was in watching them play. Sure, Novak brings more to the table, but I’m really more interested in what he offers on court.
As should most tennis fans.
No, this is just a sad hate piece on Nole from a jealous Fedfan. Not the first.
Pfft. Garbage. Can’t even read it. Where’s a puke emoji?!
Nole is one set away from setting the open era record for consecutive Grand Slam match wins at 30.
#RoadToGOATdom
Correction: Laver has the current open era record at 31 consecutive slam match wins.
Nole can tie this record if he wins his 3rd round match against the winner of Querrey/Bellucci. Querrey up a set and a break with play suspended for today.
Novak Djokovic became just the third man in tennis history to hold all four of the major titles at the same time by claiming his first career title at Roland Garros. He’s halfway to a calendar year Grand Slam and is the first man to hold both the Australian and French Open titles coming into Wimbledon since Jim Courier in 1992. Only two men have ever won the calendar year Grand Slam: Don Budge in 1938 and Rod Laver in 1962 and ‘69.
Djokovic is the defending champion at Wimbledon for the second year and is the overwhelming favorite to make it three titles in a row. He’s defeated seven-time Wimbledon champ Roger Federer in the last two finals, but Federer is coming off multiple injuries and is not at his best coming into the tournament. Andy Murray could be another obstacle for Djokovic.
Murray has solidified his position as the No. 2 player in the world behind Djokovic. It’s kind of amazing that in their 34 head-to-head meetings they’ve only played once on grass, at the 2013 Wimbledon final, which was won by Murray. Djokovic leads their overall series 24 to 10. Also interesting to note that Andy Murray has the fourth best career grass court record in the Open Era behind only Federer, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg—and ahead of Pete Sampras. Murray’s toughest opponents at Wimbledon have been Rafael Nadal (who isn’t playing this year due to a wrist injury), and Federer. Could we have our third straight major final in 2016 featuring Djokovic and Murray?
http://www.si.com/tennis/2016/06/29/daily-data-viz-novak-djokovic-calendar-grand-slam-wimbledon
only played once on grass? what about Andy’s straight set win at the London Olympics?
Yeah Andy is up 2-0 on grass. More tellingly, he’s never lost a set on grass to Novak. I rate the current Djokovic much higher than the version that played in 2013, but then again Murray has also improved significantly at least on clay. I wonder how that might translate to grass.
Hawkeye,
Thanks for posting this info. Novak is building quite a list of his own records.
Honestly, I decided to skip reading that hateful piece on Novak. I really don’t even like to be exposed to that kind of toxicity. About anyone!
The comments here are hilarious. I thought the piece on Fed, Bill, Hillary and Djokovic was quite insightful. But biased posters found it toxic? I admire Hillary, don’t much care for Fed and have always felt bad that Hillary is unloved. Djokovic looks scary so his lack of appeal is not unexpected. I think his devoted fans, at least those who post in tennis forums, are mostly Serbians.
But I can sense the magnetism of Federer and Bill. I suppose it is charisma. Or star quality. Hillary lacks it. But she is never obnoxious like Nole has been in the humping the car roof incident or in the infamous skit with Troicki. Rafa too has charisma in abundance and of course I love his genuine humility and candor. Muzz is witty in an understated way and he is candid too. But Djokovic’s humor is jarring. Fortunately he now focuses more on tennis and not on playing the buffoon. Who knows posterity may yet love him.
Yes, being involved in scandals, murder and dirty politics is far more obnoxious than humping a car roof under the influence of alcohol (oh wait, wasn’t that Marian Vajda?).
I’m not a huge of Djokovic’s brand of humour or his attempts at pleasing the mainstream since he became an established great, although I like the impressions he used to do.
Having said that, Djokovic is the quintessential middle finger to the subtly racist media that has chosen to ignore what he has accomplished and continues to do so. And he is also one of the most complete players I have ever seen. And I’m Sri Lankan.
Novak Djokovic ‘abnoxious’?! Such a bad word to use. It is people like Mary who intentionally bring bad name to people. I am not a fan of Djokovic but why the hell do I have to call him obnoxious or toxic when he is NOT. He is the most gracious loser out there, he has matured so much in the last 5 years or so and has a lot of respect for the game.
Yes, his is not as charismatic as Nadal or Federer and his attempts are getting more popular with the crowd are sometimes desperate but I kind of get that too because in spite of winning so much and breaking records, he is not loved that much. I think he got off to a bad start in his career and was immature. However, why keep judging someone based on the mistakes they made early in their career when he has actually been a good sportsman for the last 5 years now.You DON’T have to be his fan and neither do I but it is just not nice to do sort of needless character assassination. Comparing a good sportsman to HILARY CLINTON?!!! WTH!! LOL
Anyway, he is a video of that ‘humping on the car roof’ incident.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g43cWPNBMU0
Clearly, it is Marian Vajda who is doing it and Djokovic is standing on the side celebrating!! This lie was written so many times here that I started thinking it actually was Djokovic!
P.s, he beat Rafa for the first time ever on clay and had every right to celebrate off the court. He was quite respectful on the court and what someone does off the court is none of our business actually.
Federer admitted to have laughed for 10 minutes when Nadal lost to Rosol!
Nadal is the only one who is very humble by nature. He is so genuine that can’t even imagine him making fun of fed/novak like that even when sitting in his living room in Mollorca.
Nah, that skit about pointing the gun at Djoko’s head…..was simply too much! As a Rafa fan, I cant accept that! I doubt that’s showing any respect for Rafa.
Djoko now is more well behaved, as he thinks he’s no.1 now and so must set good example (I remember when he was younger, he did all sorts of funny skits or acts just to get recognition). And, was it his PR manager, who said something like Djoko is not going to endorse products like poker or alcoholic drinks? Was that pinpointing at Rafa (pokerstar, Burgundy) or even Fed ( Moet champagne)? I mean, must they be so tactless and thinking the Djoko has to occupy a higher moral ground (than Fedal)? I know Djoko may be guided by his own belief, but his PR manager should be more tactful.
I do not understand why an athlete is obliged to set a good example. Never mind that this example itself is purely subjective, but why do people rely on athletes as role models for life? This concept does not add up.
Exactly Mikkers! So why that PR guy got to mention that Djoko is not going to endorse products like poker or alcoholic drinks? That’s my question too. They are not obliged to set any example. Like I said, its more projecting a healthy image for both the player and the sport.
vr,
Bravo! I second your sentiments and could not have said it better!
I see no reason to compare Hillary Clinton or any other political figure to a tennis player or any sportsperson! Absurd!
Novak has matured quite a bit in the last few years. I give him credit for working hard to be the best player he can be. I am also proud as a Rafa fan, that he has praised Novak and acknowledged his achievements. It takes a lot of grace, class and inner confidence to give credit to a fellow player.
I do think that Novak realizes he is not as popular as Fed and Rafa. He dies try too hard and it doesn’t always work, but I understand why he does it.
Oh vr and nny, you sound so funny attacking Rafa fans viciously but shuddering when Djokovic is called “obnoxious” ? Ha ha ha! What a farce! Pathetic!!
yeah…watchout Rafans, I am coming with my sledgehammer to attack you all!! LOL LOL 😀
Well said!
To mikkers (not lucky)
And to VR also.
The only thing some people here have against Nole is that he’s beating Rafa.
Mikkers,
I do hope that you are not referring to Hillary Clinton in your reference to murders, scandals and dirty politics. That would be highly offensive to me.
I have already made my position clear that there is no reason to compare political figures to sports players. Leave politics out of it!
I have made my feelings known regarding Novak. I am not a fan, but respect his efforts to improve his game in recent years. He has worked hard and his recent results are proof that it has paid off for him.
Ah native and hawkeye disagree! Hawkeye says “well said” to mikkers, native declares what mikkers said is “highly offensive”!!!
hawkeye’s remarks not greeted with the usual ” you are cracking me up” or “you are killing me”? Trouble in troll paradise, methinks.
I didn’t mean to offend anyone with that remark, but yes I directed it towards Clinton, whose actions in the past I have no respect for. But you’re right, it is best not to drage politics into sport.
I personally didnt like the pokerstar endorsement Rafa had earlier on, but Rafa wasnt restricted by any religious belief; and he believed poker was just a game, not gambling as long as one wont get obsessive over it.
I do think when one wants to gamble, there are hundred and one things a person could do, not just poker. However, for the sake of image for Rafa and for tennis, I’m glad Rafa is off pokerstar now.
Novak Djokovic breaks a Rod Laver record with second-round victory
Protected by the Centre Court roof and fortified by his tenacity, nothing was going to stop Novak Djokovic from securing his 30th consecutive grand slam victory, a record in the open era.
“The record I managed to break today was one of the better ones,” Djokovic said after moving ahead of Rod Laver. “It’s very pleasing. I want to keep it going and see where it takes me.”
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/29/novak-djokovic-rod-laver-wimbledon-record
where’s amy aka deuce? or is it deucey?
A risky treatment?
MailOnline July 9 2016: ¤¤ Investigation into Melbourne oxygen therapy clinic used by Novak Djokovic during Australian Open after a man dies during a treatment.
A man died while inside a hyperbaric chamber at an oxygen therapy clinic.
Hypermed is run by deregistered Melbourne chiropractor Malcolm Hooper.
World No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic was treated at the clinic this year. ¤¤
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3681879/Investigation-Melbourne-oxygen-therapy-clinic-used-Novak-Djokovic-Australian-Open-man-dies-treatment.html#ixzz4DvEpZxKt
CincyTennis: “Sad to announce that No.1 Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2016 tournament due to recurring left wrist injury.”
https://twitter.com/CincyTennis/status/763367500545421312
RECURRING left wrist injury? 🙄
You know. RECURRING.
As in RECURRING OCD Instagram Twitter regurgitator. It’s in that vein.
“I am very sad to announce that I won’t be able to play this year in Cincinnati.
“I have a recurring injury that has taken its toll on my body due to a very busy and active schedule this year.
“I have played many matches and I have to take some rest in order to heal.”
I thought there was some talk of a shoulder I injury with Novak.
I assume that this is precautionary with the USO coming up.
yeah seems precautionary…and Cincy is the easiest one to skip for him.
The RIGHT arm/elbow/shoulder in Toronto this year:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CoLyySnWAAAgWAz.jpg
https://twitter.com/MGLovesTennis/status/757434871509811200/photo/1
Nole has been consistent when discussing his injury.
(as opposed to an armchair doctor here who claimed Rafa’s wrist was fine earlier this year)
From Tanis…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpgUoSsXEAEYS_D.jpg
Nole is not specific about the injury.
Yes, Novak did not say exactly what the injury is in his statement. But he did say he would see everyone in New York, so he’s going to be at the USO.
The Cincinnati Masters homepage:
http://www.wsopen.com/news/injury_forces_novak_djokovic_out_of_tournament/
Left wrist injury it is…players always tell the nature of injury when they pull out. He has not shared any details but is the left wrist injury.
Yes he had shoulder issues too…he’s plaeyd a lot so his body is not responding well this year…remember he’ll be 30 next year!
It’s difficult to believe the tournament organizers made up story about Djoko’s wrist injury (on their homepage).
You made up a story that there is an opinion that tournament organizers made up a story.
Just like you made up a story that Rafa’s wrist was ok a few months back.
Djoko’s WRIST injury story is everywhere.
BBC Sport: “Novak Djokovic is struggling with a recurring WRIST injury.”
https://twitter.com/BBCSport/status/763439053324816384
There is nothing that Nole said in any of his publicized statements to the effect that he pulled out of Cincy because of a recurring wrist injury.
You claim that media makes up stories about Fed and Rafa, so why can’t they make up stories about specific details on Nole’s withdrawal?
You need to apply another layer of tinfoil.
it is surely a wrist injury
Speaking of Djoko’s wrists, he had a problem with his RIGHT wrist 2 years ago:
https://www.thestar.com/sports/tennis/2014/04/19/novak_djokovic_out_for_some_time_with_wrist_injury.html
No relevant point as usual.
Well when it was first posted here on novak’s fan page, there was an eye roll emoticon posted at the end.
Augusta’s post @ 4:17 pm above. So why the rude eye roll emoticon when Novak actually does have an injury?
I would not want to see anyone posting an eye roll emoticon when Rafa pulled out of Wimbledon because of his wrist injury.
It’s called being a hypocrite nny.
Apparently, it is ok for Rafa to withdraw from tournaments due to injury after a loss but not for anybody else.
Nativenewyorker AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 8:14 PM,
.
What ?! 🙄
1) I posted the Cincinnati tournament official announcement about Djoko’s withdrawal AT 4:17 PM! It says: ‘due to recurring left wrist injury’.
2) I have never read/heard that Djoko has had any LEFT wrist injuries. That’s why I’m surprised (I’m rolling my eyes) that he has withdrawn due to ‘RECURRING left wrist injury’. It’s written also on the tournament website I posted AT 5:14 PM.
.
It’s not the first time you have totally misconstrued comments of other posters!
P.S. Please keep Rafa out of this!
“It’s difficult to believe the tournament organizers made up story about Djoko’s wrist injury (on their homepage).”
Yet your eyeroll combined with your “explanation” shows that’s just what you thought.
Inconsistencies are everywhere.
Oh what a tangled web you weave, when you first set out to deceive.
Augusta,
I did not misconstrue anything! You always do this! You lecture others about rules and not posting things twice all the time!
On some forums, rolling eye emoticons are grounds for disciplinary action. It doesn’t matter if you ever knew or heard about any recurring wrist injury with Novak! Why should you assume that you know everything about his health? You are not hug fan.
Also, one last time I will remind you that you do not dictate what I can say on this forum. You are violating the spirit of this forum with your self-indulgent orders that I not bring Rafa into this! It’s called making a point!
I would be highly offended if anyone presumed to mock or doubt any of Rafa’s injuries. In fact, we got into a very heated discussion not too long ago on the Rafa fan page with a Fed fan who was questioning Rafa withdrawing from the 2009 Wimbledon. I joined in that discussion and defended the legitimacy of Rafa’s injury at the time.
There is no reason for you to question Novak withdrawing from Cindy with a wrist injury. I try to give the benefit of the doubt to the players and take them at their word. I give them the respect that I would want everyone to give to Rafa!
This is not complicated!
Nativenewyorker AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 10:10 PM,
OMG! You continue misconstruing my comment posted on AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 4:17 PM even after I explained it to you!
And YOU do not dictate what I can say on this forum!
Leave Rafa out of it!
End of.
Nope. you said you can’t see how they made up a story while at the same time showing eyeroll at said statement.
You can’t even be consistent with your own posts let alone follow your own twisted rules you set for everybody else.
Rafa believes nole as do Rafa’s real fans.
Augusta,
I will continue to speak about Rafa and any other player if I so choose.
You are not the moderator of this forum and have no right to tell me what I can say. Why do you care if I bring up Rafa? Why the hysteria and overreaction when I bring him up?
You are overstepping your place as a poster on this forum. You presume to take offense when I speak about Rafa to bring home the point that ALL players should be taken at their word when it comes to withdrawing from a tournament due to injury. That includes Novak and everyone else!
Your rolling eye emoticon was unnecessary and rude. You cone on her to gloat whenever Novak loses and that is the extent of your attempt to contribute anything related to an actual tennis discussion. If that is what you need to do to feel better, then so be it.
You can’t come back and say that you have a right to say what you want. You do not have the right to tell me not to bring up Rafa. You are trying to make it seem as though I am doing something wrong by mentioning his name. You know perfectly what I am saying. You would be screaming all over the place if anyone dared to question the legitimacy of Rafa’s injuries. But for some bizarre reason, you think it’s fine to question novak’s injuries with a rolling eye emoticon. Surprise would be indicated by a different emoticon. The rolling eye emoticon is meant in sarcasm and derision!
Now I get to say enough of this! It would be a waste of time to discuss this any further with someone who is deliberately non-responsive.
Nativenewyorker AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 11:30 PM,
You, also, are not moderator of this forum and have no right to tell me what I can say!
Augusta has been moderated before for breaking the rules on this site nny.
The Real Rafans have no idea what they are saying, let alone have any idea of what Gussie is saying!!! Hilarious!!! What a tangled web they weave when they confuse themselves with lies!!!
Thank you, Mary! You’ve summed it up quite nicely. ? 🙂
According to the owner of this site, he has edited NNY’s comments.
(He replied to a poster who complained about her.)
Where did you get this information? You should focus on yourself, because you have been put in moderation.
That’s the problem. You are too busy trying to point fingers at others, while you disregard the rules of this site.
NNY AT 7:43 PM says:
1)”Where did you get this information?”
2)”You should focus on yourself”
===
.
1) I read comments, sometimes.
2) You and hawk should also focus on yourself. My comment was Reply to hawk’s comment AT 2:44AM written about ME and addressed to YOU.
What the heck is BB up to ! LOL
“He has now admitted to be carrying a wrist strain at Wimbledon,” Becker wrote Sunday. “He was unwilling to bring it up since he was beaten fair and square there, but the wrist did trouble him there and is still a problem for him. However, he is the favorite and the defending champion so he is training hard to protect his silverware.”
What Djokovic said :
“It happened actually in Rio, just few days before the start of the tournament,” Djokovic said Friday. “I did experience this for the first time in my career. Never had this particular wrist injury before. I played against Del Potro, who unfortunately was absent from the tour for the wrist injury himself.”
Hilarious contradictions!
If Djoko and his coach are saying different things about his form one of them is not telling the truth or both of them aren’t. Call a spade a spade.
Someone said it’s no coincidence that Djoko started losing after meldonium was banned. Just saying.
And when was it banned exactly?
Nadline is off by several months and titles including the French Open. For meldonium to be at an effective level (not just trace amounts), it has to be taken recently and regularly.
But she knows this. She’s just laying bait.
^That’s just pathetic. Just saying.
The above was in response to Nadline’s comment, of course.
agreed vr. ‘some people are saying’ is straight out of the donald trump playbook.
as is the linking of east-europeans with meldonium with zero evidence.
Yeah…and it is comments like these take encourage the hate brigade on the other side to post disgusting allegations about Rafa being a doper bla bla bla. It is because of hater fans of these players that we get to see such pollution.
Anyone who has played a sport enthusiastically EVEN AT university level would be able to appreciate how much effort these guys put in. It looks all glamour and fame and money sometimes but the sacrifices these players make, which make them GOATs are beyond the knowledge of most of us here.
It is shameful to question ANY athlete’s dedication and hard work when you don’t have evidence.
totally agree vr. it is the worst kind of ‘rafa fans’ ( i put this deliberately in inverted commas because i think these so called loyalists are actually most involved with themselves not rafa hence the narcissism of their posts) coming up with these base and vile rumours which empowers and gives pseudo-legitimacy to those who call rafa a doper. they are mirrors of each other.
yup! there is no difference at all.
Djoko’s rescuers here are desperately trying to divert attention away from the real issue (the Djoko team ) to one poster (nadline). ?
1. I posted that info on the first place.
2. Yeah, the hate-spewing poster you mean. Reacting so much to ‘allegations’ against Rafa and going after Roselyne Bachelot (rightly so) BUT then hurling similar accusations against another player! LOL LOL
#BrazenFacedDeuceBashingLoyals
#TrollGangRevvedByADeuce
Dear nadline,
That is just crazy. Stop being jealous.
I was quoting from a comment in the DM and I have read similar comments all over the net.
Calto7, UK, United Kingdom, 1 day ago
“More like the Lance Armstrong of tennis. Ever since Sharapova was caught, all of a sudden Djokovic is no longer Superman….”
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3765028/Novak-Djokovic-s-glum-looking-wife-Jelena-returns-watch-Open-leaves-early-private-issues-led-tennis-star-crashing-Wimbledon-Olympics.html#ixzz4Iw9T6J2P
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Another poster here educated by The Daily Mail. No coincidence.
Spewing someone else’s garbage is still garbage.
All Djokovic has done since Sharapova was caught was win Australia, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Roland Garros and Toronto.
Idiotic comment from an idiot. The Daily Mail I mean of course.
quoting from the low life on the daily heil!!! hahaha
augusta and nadline love the british hate spewing tabloids and their awful readers..
Meanwhile, Rafa continues to shower respect for his rivals (Federer this time):
´I never saw nobody with all the shots that Roger has. Big serve, big forehand, unbelievable movements, the slice, backhand. Yeah, it´s true, no? And at the same time with unbelievable elegance, no? So I think what Roger has done for the game during all these years, and what he’s gonna keep doing for the next couple of years, is something very important for our sport. He helps the game a lot by taking it to another level in terms of everything. So just I feel very happy to be part of the same era.´
http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Rafael_Nadal/35666/rafael-nadal-i-ve-never-seen-anybody-with-federer-s-shots-he-has-an-incredible-elegance-/
Why should a quote from Rafa about Federer be on Novak page?
#ConfusedAnalyst
#RevvedUpByADeuce
you are a pro troll now..lol
vr, take my advice and stick to tennis. When you are trolling you do not even know which page a post should be on
#vrBlindedByHateLosesAnalyticBrainReplacedByBile
Blinded by what hate? post an example here of a single hate post from me. AS usual, you will chicken away. haha
And, it was intentionally posted here as it was relevant to the my post before that one.
Applying a little common sense would have helped. Try it next time.
Rafa’s words about Fed and what he has done for the game, are a testament to his respect for his fellow players. He appreciates the contribution that Fed had made to this sport. You will never hear Rafa dissing his rivals!
Way to go Rafa!
So, native, why should Rafa’s opinion on Fed be on a novak page?
#ConfusedTrollLogic
#Echo
#NothingNew
#Hilarious
Because it was linked to a post of showing respect to the other top athletes and how Rafa does it in abundance.
Hope that helps.
Whatever!
I came on here to catch up on the discussion and it’s disappointing to see that there are the same old aspersions being cast on novak’s injury issue.
I agree with vr and Amy when it comes to respecting the hard work and effort that these players put into becoming the best they can be.
They deserve respect for that.
#Echo
No, it’s called having an opinion! I don’t think it is appropriate to bring up the ban on meldonium in relation to Novak. It’s pathetic to even imply that he won RG and completed the career slam and four slams in a row, because of any drug.
amy describing loyals as “rafa fans” in inverted commas!
She could be describing herself
#Hilarious
Alert: Stay away from the Novak Djokovic Page people. The instigator is here LOL
By the way has anybody else noticed that “amy” is singularly devoid of humor? A sad and pathetic specimen who has revved up two guys vr and hawkeye by showering excessive praise on them?
#goldenduoBrilliantAnalystWimbledonGrassExpertShould beware of Greeks bearing praise
#amy’s “golden duo” marionettes
I think it’s been some time since Mary W “revved up” anyone (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more).
hahaha hawks!! yes exactly!
amy saying Ha ha.
#TrollHumor?
#MaryStillLearning
btw hawks what has happened to your list of instigations? today is a creme de la creme day for them….
Troll Instigator Contest:
Mary: 10
Augusta08: 1
(If I was counting the unprovoked insults directed at me since yesterday, Augusta would be much closer to Mary but it is clear these two are the instigators.)
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:13 PM
By the way has anybody else noticed that “amy” is singularly devoid of humor? A sad and pathetic specimen who has revved up two guys vr and hawkeye by showering excessive praise on them?…
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:49 PM
#Echo
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:26 PM
So, native, why should Rafa’s opinion on Fed be on a novak page?
#ConfusedTrollLogic
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:16 PM
vr, take my advice and stick to tennis. When you are trolling you do not even know which page a post should be on
#vrBlindedByHateLosesAnalyticBrainReplacedByBile
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:58 PM
#BrazenFacedDeuceBashingLoyals
#TrollGangRevvedByADeuce
augusta08 AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:38 PM
You shouldn’t speculate if you have less information than that fan had.
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 3:09 PM
deuce upbraids augusta for saying something before?
#Hilarious!
#TrollGangOwnsPatentOnBrokenRecords
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:39 PM
#deuceInAggressiveTrollMode
#HerFellowTrollsInAweOfHerScam
#HasdeuceBeenMadePresidentOfTrollNation
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:17 PM
The point which you trolls avoid is that no one knows whether it is Djok’s wrist or elbow or shoulder or whether it is his LEFT or his RIGHT!!!
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 1:52 PM
native doesn’t watch matches so she doesn’t know about Jerzy’s drop shots and his movement.
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 2:25 PM
#why holier- than -thou native no take him to task?
#hypocrisy is their middle name ( extract from the song of the trolls)
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 3:41 PM
Wow!! deuce still asking her “innocent” questions!!!
The resident troll (named hawk…) is invincible.
Mary W says:
By the way has anybody else noticed that “amy” is singularly devoid of humor?
holdserve, please provide a single example of your hilarity. I have yet to see any such evidence.
Troll Instigator Contest:
Correction:
Mary: 11
Augusta08: 1
(If I was counting the unprovoked insults directed at me since yesterday, Augusta would be much closer to Mary but it is clear these two are the instigators.)
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:13 PM
By the way has anybody else noticed that “amy” is singularly devoid of humor? A sad and pathetic specimen who has revved up two guys vr and hawkeye by showering excessive praise on them?…
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:49 PM
#Echo
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:26 PM
So, native, why should Rafa’s opinion on Fed be on a novak page?
#ConfusedTrollLogic
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:16 PM
vr, take my advice and stick to tennis. When you are trolling you do not even know which page a post should be on
#vrBlindedByHateLosesAnalyticBrainReplacedByBile
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:58 PM
#BrazenFacedDeuceBashingLoyals
#TrollGangRevvedByADeuce
augusta08 AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:38 PM
You shouldn’t speculate if you have less information than that fan had.
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 3:09 PM
deuce upbraids augusta for saying something before?
#Hilarious!
#TrollGangOwnsPatentOnBrokenRecords
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:39 PM
#deuceInAggressiveTrollMode
#HerFellowTrollsInAweOfHerScam
#HasdeuceBeenMadePresidentOfTrollNation
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:17 PM
The point which you trolls avoid is that no one knows whether it is Djok’s wrist or elbow or shoulder or whether it is his LEFT or his RIGHT!!!
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 1:52 PM
native doesn’t watch matches so she doesn’t know about Jerzy’s drop shots and his movement.
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 2:25 PM
#why holier- than -thou native no take him to task?
#hypocrisy is their middle name ( extract from the song of the trolls)
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 3:41 PM
Wow!! deuce still asking her “innocent” questions!!!
thanx hawks. good to keep it updated no?
The resident troll’s (named hawk…) achievements are unsurpassable.
You still haven’t answered My question.
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/rafael-nadal/comment-page-142/#comment-152895
vr,
This is the second time that Mary has calmed your brain a “bile duct”. There was an earlier comment posted by her. If that isn’t trolling, then I don’t know what is!
I don’t see anyone else using such vulgar language on this site!
If we stay off the Novak page, she will just go wherever we go on another thread and start spamming the site!
So the bait us put out nadline, who makes an allegation against Novak and then Mary comes in to attack all of us!
yeah…she stalks me around regardless of what i am saying. and repeats the claim that deucey ran a lynch mob endlessly.
I guess she is attaining the same troll level she had when he joined the site…
relentless trolling!!
Troll Instigator Contest:
Correction:
Mary W: 11
nadline10: 2
Augusta08: 1
(If I was counting the unprovoked insults directed at me since yesterday, Augusta would be much closer to Mary but it is clear these two are the instigators.)
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:13 PM
By the way has anybody else noticed that “amy” is singularly devoid of humor? A sad and pathetic specimen who has revved up two guys vr and hawkeye by showering excessive praise on them?…
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:49 PM
#Echo
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:26 PM
So, native, why should Rafa’s opinion on Fed be on a novak page?
#ConfusedTrollLogic
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:16 PM
vr, take my advice and stick to tennis. When you are trolling you do not even know which page a post should be on
#vrBlindedByHateLosesAnalyticBrainReplacedByBile
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:58 PM
#BrazenFacedDeuceBashingLoyals
#TrollGangRevvedByADeuce
nadline10 AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 12:08 PM
If Djoko and his coach are saying different things about his form one of them is not telling the truth or both of them aren’t. Call a spade a spade.
nadline10 AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 8:49 AM
Someone said it’s no coincidence that Djoko started losing after meldonium was banned. Just saying.
augusta08 AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:38 PM
You shouldn’t speculate if you have less information than that fan had.
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 3:09 PM
deuce upbraids augusta for saying something before?
#Hilarious!
#TrollGangOwnsPatentOnBrokenRecords
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:39 PM
#deuceInAggressiveTrollMode
#HerFellowTrollsInAweOfHerScam
#HasdeuceBeenMadePresidentOfTrollNation
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:17 PM
The point which you trolls avoid is that no one knows whether it is Djok’s wrist or elbow or shoulder or whether it is his LEFT or his RIGHT!!!
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 1:52 PM
native doesn’t watch matches so she doesn’t know about Jerzy’s drop shots and his movement.
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 2:25 PM
#why holier- than -thou native no take him to task?
#hypocrisy is their middle name ( extract from the song of the trolls)
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 3:41 PM
Wow!! deuce still asking her “innocent” questions!!!
The resident troll’s (named hawk…) achievements are unbeatable.
As I mentioned, I’m not counting instigating troll posts directed at me, but the poster “augusta08” would be much closer to Mary W if I was.
We hear you Hawkeye!
BTW, I am now convinced Mary W is indeed holdserve and not RITB.
RITB consistently spells humour with a ‘u’ (English spelling) and both Mary W and holdserve consistently use the American spelling “humor”. Combined with Mary W’s recent (deliberate?) reminder of her expert knowledge of fractals, it is now quite obvious.
hawks mary is american. she said so on tennis-x saying she was originally from georgia. did holdserve come from georgia?
you can see it anyway as she posts so late at night compared to european time..
dunno about that amy.
But it’s very obvious now to me. It’s holdserve.
Hawkeye,
So you have come to the same conclusion! I have thought this a while now! Holdserve was banned a few years ago. I don’t know if you remember it.
Hawkeye,
What about including Augustus’s posts egging on Mary’s comments by saying – you are cracking me up, you are making me laugh!
That is Augusta doing what she accused me of doing in response to some of your comments. That is also instigation and blatant hypocrisy when she does the exact same thing that she attacked me for doing!
You should count those, too!
No, I am only counting first instagating posts. That is, I’m only counting the troll bait initially laid – a completely unprovoked post that is not simply reacting to a response to a trolling post.
But if you feel I’ve missed one as defined, please provide the time of the post and I will review.
Thanks for the feedback nny! 🙂
Hawkeye,
Okay, I get it. I will leave it in your hands. The initial instigation was the comment about Novak and meldonium. That laid the bait for the next series of posts that you compiled with such accuracy.
Thanks for your efforts to deal with what has become an untenable situation. The spamming nature of one post after another is very disruptive to tennis discussions. For those of us who come here genuinely wanting to participate in quality discussions about a sport that we love, I think we deserve to do that without fear of being harassed and personally attacked.
?
Yup, and I just wanted to prove that even when I stop, it still continues from the ones that try to lay the blame on me.
I once got on well with augusta08 both on TennisTalk and initially on TenngGrand until I noticed her constant negative opinions on other posters (which was particularly bad considering with all of her opinions, not a single one of them were actually about tennis)!
That is how this all started for me.
The resident troll named hawk is incorrect AT 4:56 PM, as usual!
The truth is that I became a persona non grata on his computer/device screen because I posted some negative FACTS about his beloved players – Djoko and Fed.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpqwGGZWcAAtpWU.jpg
I have already provided links to the contrary that predate this.
Your FACTS are factually inaccurate (to use your term).
This is where we got started back in June 2014…
https://tenngrand.com/2014/06/10/nadal-wins-ninth-french-open-title-players-react-on-twitter/comment-page-2/#comment-31417
And from nats on the same thread who agreed about databases as friends (but I couldn’t find my post she was referring to…)
https://tenngrand.com/2014/06/10/nadal-wins-ninth-french-open-title-players-react-on-twitter/comment-page-2/#comment-31423
You can actually see on this thread where we were still getting along famously but then things began to turn when I realized you were just here to opine on others.
And here well before Augusta’s supposedly FACTUAL first…
hawkeye63 AUGUST 31, 2014 AT 2:04 AM
Jpacnw is of course correct. Fed draws the biggest ratings which is why he usually plays prime time.
Still DjokerNole and Murray get to bake in the sum vs guys you’ve actually heard of and can play good tennis.
#NE1ButTMF
#NoleFam
augusta08 AUGUST 31, 2014 AT 6:17 AM
As a rule, hawkeye63 must promote Fed.
hawkeye63 AUGUST 31, 2014 AT 5:36 PM
As a rule, augusta08 must spread indefensible untruths.
https://tenngrand.com/2014/08/30/u-s-open-saturday-picks-including-djokovic-vs-querrey/#comment-53941
I have now traced my discovery and commenting on the judge-and-juror mentality back to May 6, 2014 (FIVE MONTHS before your made up claim that it started in October)…
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/novak-djokovic/comment-page-7/#comment-65377
augusta08 MAY 6, 2014 AT 7:58 AM
The rule should be that people commenting here shouldn’t make themselves the center of attention. Rafa is all that matters to me (here).
augusta08 MAY 6, 2014 AT 9:36 AM
vamosrafa, try to concentrate on Rafa, not on yourself
augusta08 MAY 6, 2014 AT 10:51 AM
You should write concretely who & when & how attacked her, not blame generally.
augusta08 MAY 6, 2014 AT 12:33 PM
You have let the Federazzi influence you.
hawkeye63 MAY 6, 2014 AT 12:37 PM
Oh woe is me. I just hope I can be saved.
hawkeye63 MAY 6, 2014 AT 12:54 PM
Oh don’t worry about me. I always do. And the devil wears many faces. 🙄
Whenever she realizes her facts are indeed her made up stories, her silence becomes golden.
#HowSweetItIs
#SilenceSpeaksVolumes
#HowManyTimes
hawkeye and vr, please apologize to ritb immediately if you are convinced I am holdserve. You guys revved up by deuce viciously attacked ritb and drove her off this site. Your only excuse was that she was me.
You have been calling me ritb all along and I was fine with that. Now you can call me holdserve and I am fine with that too.
It doesn’t matter what my moniker was earlier as I am and have always been a Rafa fan.
I have no problem with deuce changing her moniker to amy. Anyone can change their moniker. But she should post as a Muzz fan.
Instead she pretends to a Rafa fan thus proving her malafide intentions ab initio. She has been attacking loyals and instigating her golden puppets + native to do so.
I thought exposure as deuce would stop her. She was indeed scared and stayed away for a while anxiously waiting for the reactions of her troll mates. To her relief she finds they need her just as much as before and her big scam has elevated her in their eyes. Maybe they have made her President of troll nation.
But the point is she has now returned emboldened as she no longer fears exposure and is brazen facedly trolling this site with doubled venom. She needs to be stopped.
That’s scoretracker worthy, holdserve.
#CheckYourMeds
this whole post or very large portions needs to go on the list hawks – don’t you think?!
loonytoons….!!!
It would take up waaaay too much space Amy.
I don’t want to subject everyone to have to scroll so much lol.
Yes, shades of scoretracker! Another infamous troll!
Now you know why Cheryl Murray had to keep banning holdserve! There was no moderation option on TT! Holdserve used to accuse poor Ed of being a Murray fan masquerading as a Rafa fan! She couldn’t keep her nasty mouth shut and kept picking fights with people on TT! So she was always getting banned and then would try to get back on the site!
As we all can see, nothing has changed!
So what about hawkeye and vr’s vicious attack on ritb? how do you spin that, trolls? I saw an ugly side of vr then and it really shocked me. On tennistalk he was a young man , passionate about Rafa and making brilliant analytical posts. suddenly I see him vicious and vile and pouncing on ritb who now even according to the trolls was an innocent bystander.
native is making up stories
Just curious: Do you actually believe all your fiction or is it only to deceive others?
#native’s PresentsFigmentsOfSickImagination
#trollLicense
“Just curious: Do you actually believe all your fiction or is it only to deceive others?”
Says holdserve who claims to think Amy is deuce.
Hahahahahahaha holdserve your hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Two Iliads in a row! All hail holdserve. The new scoretracker!
hawkeye, you used to be witty once but now sadly you are boring. Maybe you are now a full time jester in troll terms and have completely lost your human wit ( or wits??).
Facts:
#amyIsDeuce
#TrollTeamAbusedRITB
#TrollTeamisAbusingAugusta,nadlineAndMe
Awwwww, you make Me so sad holdsewve.
You huwt my feewings!!!!
Love it love it love it!
Hahahahahahahaha, Beautiful!
(BTW you won the Contest hands down. Congratulations King Troll on TG. All hail the new Scoretracker!!!!)
holdserve, at least I used to be witty.
Better to have been witty, than to have never been witty before.
Stay broken My friend!
amy is a grandmother, native is possibly in Laver’s age group. hawkeye admitted he is more than 50. So they have lots of time hanging on their hands. I cannot possibly spare enough time to spar with the troll team.
#AdvantageGeriatricTeam
LOL, I think you should look at both the quantity and length of your countless posts over the last two days holdserve/scoretracker.
Actions speak louder than words LOL.
Oooohhh! In Laver’s age group! Whoa! Ageism! That’s all she’s got left! When you are losing it and scraping the bottom of the barrel, you go for the old age attack! We had that on TT, also! History repeating itself!
It’s really not pretty when someone just totally loses it, now is it! Nothing left but to make up stories about people being so old!
This from someone who doesn’t know any of us, yet keeps on making up stories about who we are fans of, who we are pretending to be fans of, what we think, who we are! Yikes! It’s scary, but funny at the same time!
Mary/ holdserve blew a head gasket!
?
good lord. mary/holdserve/twenty16 is bonkers!! there is no other word for it.
and what’s with the epic invented personal insults? her new insult for me is that i am old and a grandmother! apart from the offensive ageism of this how can she possibly know my age as i have never mentioned it. i am not even a mother let alone a grandmother. she says my knowledge of tennis proves i am old!! well vr knows more than anyone here and he is 28 (if i remember correctly)
and no i did not say i have read tennis-x for a long time. because i haven’t!!
mary/holdserve/twenty16 lives in a post-factual world where she constantly makes bogus claims as if they were facts.
ha ha I enjoyed the conversation deuce had with herself on Jalep’s racket bracket. Both sounded exactly alike.
amy-deuce named herself after a genius but she is slipping.
#AmadeusTurningInHisGrave
Also if hypothetically we assume amy and Margot are different people, then why would Margot love amy who is always bashing Muzz?
#deuceTrippedUpHere
#HappensWhenSomebodyTriesToBeTooSmart
Again, holdserve, please to check your medication.
#GetWellSoon
amy has revealed that she is closely following tennis-x for a long time.
She is clearly a poster there. Who? Obviously Margot.
Now Margot seems sensible.Maybe because she is posting under her own name or because Sean allows only Fed or Djok fans to troll. So Margot’s creator unleashed deuce, 100% troll on tennistalk and now amy, 100% supertroll on tenngrand.
I said amy has no sense of humor but no, I was wrong. She goes ha ha now and then and she found my fractal comic. Unfortunately these do not tickle human ribs, only troll ones, so I failed to recognize amy’s humor. I apologize.
So the person who created Margot and amy, gave both a sense of humor.
#Margot’s is droll, amy’s is troll
#Hilarious
“I said amy has no sense of humor but no, I was wrong. ”
Says holdserve who can’t produce a single example of being funny herself.
Hahahahahahaha holdserve! Keep it up! You’re hypocrisy is KILLING Me!
Three Iliads in a row! All hail holdserve. Scoretracker would be proud of your nonsensical rants!
Hawkeye,
Mary is having a bit of a meltdown! Someone needs to chill out! She thinks I make up stories, yet she weaves a tale about deuce/Margot being Amy on tennis-x and now being here pretending to be a Rafa and Novak fan! LOL!
All one has to do is check out the TT archives to substantiate holdserve’s record. She was the one who repeatedly attacked Ed for pretending to be a Rafa fan, while really being a Murray fan. Holdserve got herself in hot water for making these absurd accusations, which just happen to be verbatim the same things now being said about Amy! The pattern is clear.
This seems to have unnerved Mary, who just needs to chill out and calm down. One cannot run and cannot hide from things said in the past on another forum,
You were right all along nny. I should have realized sooner but, as a longer time poster on TT, you figured it out right away.
Why don’t you produce proof from TT archives to substantiate your so-called facts? The burden of proof is always on the person who claims that something is true.
Aha, got you!!!
#NativeCannotProveHerLIes
#DidMamaNoTellNativeFibbingIsBad?
#Shame!!!
You claimed Amy has no sense of humo’r but to pass such judgement implies you have one yourself.
Why don’t you produce proof from ANYWHERE to substantiate your so-called sense of humo’r? The burden of proof is always on the person who claims that something is true.
Aha, got you FIRST!!!
#MaryWisTheNewHoldserveIsTheNewScoretracker
#DidMamaNoHugBabyHoldserve
#Epic
hawkeye I would like to observe the dining habits of trolls
Could you invite me?
Don’t worry , I will get some tips from the Borgias before coming.
.
They’re all dead holdserve, like your soul.
But I will set you a very large mirror (big enough to fit your self-inflated head) at your table setting so that you can observe the best troll of all.
NNY AT 4:11 PM says: “you are cracking me up…That is also instigation…”
===
.
Thank you for admitting that it’s instigation! That’s how YOU have encouraged the resident troll named hawk…
I have learned from the best!
Augusta,
Did you ever hear the saying – two wrongs don’t make a right? So why would you want to learn how to instigate? You have just admitted that you are also instigating! LOL!
You don’t see me doing it. Yet you are putting the responsibility for your instigating behavior on me! That would be the same as if I blamed you for what I did! We are each responsible for our own actions!
Congratulations on admitting that you are instigating! That is a start! Now you have to stop doing it!
They just announced on ESPN that Jiri Vesely has withdrawn due to a pinched nerve in his neck. So Novak gets a walkover into the third round.
Poor Jiri…
Lucky Novak, maybe. I just want Novak to be stable, healthy and happy. It doesn’t matter to me about winning another GS this year.
NNY AT 5:29 PM
I want to learn from the best and I’ll keep learning. 😎
Augusta,
Well at least you have admitted that you are by definition instigating! That is a start! Taking responsibility for your actions! Finally!
Also, why would you want to “learn” anything from me? Aren’t you capable of thinking for yourself?
?
NNY AT 6:01,
Yep, I have already learned a lot from the best. Without the best I wouldn’t have known / know how to instigate. I even didn’t know this word. I’m learning all the time. 😎
No you did just fine on your own for years “wondering” and being “curious” about other posters here.
You didn’t learn that from anyone here. Maybe you learnt from octobrina on another site but you were the very first to troll Rafans here.
Yes, I am waiting for Mary to produce proof of her allegations! Prove every nasty, vulgar thing you said about me since you crawled back here under another user name!
Prove that Amy is deucey! Prove that she is really a Murray fan pretending to be a Rafa fan! Turn about is fair play!
We have it dead to rights as to who made the exact same accusation on TT about Ed really being a Murray fan masquerading as a Rafa fan! The exact same thing that is being said now about Amy! Who is the one who cares so much about who is a fan of who! Only one person!
It is actually typical that the troll-in-chief is calling out anyone else to back up anything!
Someone has just lost it and it is not pretty!
?
Lucky Novak. And can you all stop the bitching and stick to tennis?
Djoko’s rescuers have made huge efforts to divert attention away from the real issue (the Djoko team ) to something else. ?
AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 8:24 AM:
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/novak-djokovic/comment-page-20/#comment-152766
Augusta may not know the word “instigate”, but she has always known how to do it! No one needs to teach her or help her learn at all, because she has been a pro, especially when it comes to innuendo, snide questions and suggestions, rumor and speculation about other posters! She could teach a Master class on it! ?
#Alyssa is right.
Troll Instigator Contest:
Mary W: 11
nadline10: 2
Augusta08: 2
(If I was counting the unprovoked insults directed at me since yesterday, Augusta would be much closer to Mary but it is clear these two are the instigators.)
augusta08 AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 6:32 PM
Djoko’s rescuers have made huge efforts to divert attention away from the real issue (the Djoko team ) to something else. ?
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:13 PM
By the way has anybody else noticed that “amy” is singularly devoid of humor? A sad and pathetic specimen who has revved up two guys vr and hawkeye by showering excessive praise on them?…
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:49 PM
#Echo
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:26 PM
So, native, why should Rafa’s opinion on Fed be on a novak page?
#ConfusedTrollLogic
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 3:16 PM
vr, take my advice and stick to tennis. When you are trolling you do not even know which page a post should be on
#vrBlindedByHateLosesAnalyticBrainReplacedByBile
Mary W AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 2:58 PM
#BrazenFacedDeuceBashingLoyals
#TrollGangRevvedByADeuce
nadline10 AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 12:08 PM
If Djoko and his coach are saying different things about his form one of them is not telling the truth or both of them aren’t. Call a spade a spade.
nadline10 AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 8:49 AM
Someone said it’s no coincidence that Djoko started losing after meldonium was banned. Just saying.
augusta08 AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:38 PM
You shouldn’t speculate if you have less information than that fan had.
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 3:09 PM
deuce upbraids augusta for saying something before?
#Hilarious!
#TrollGangOwnsPatentOnBrokenRecords
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:39 PM
#deuceInAggressiveTrollMode
#HerFellowTrollsInAweOfHerScam
#HasdeuceBeenMadePresidentOfTrollNation
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 2:17 PM
The point which you trolls avoid is that no one knows whether it is Djok’s wrist or elbow or shoulder or whether it is his LEFT or his RIGHT!!!
Mary W AUGUST 30, 2016 AT 1:52 PM
native doesn’t watch matches so she doesn’t know about Jerzy’s drop shots and his movement.
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 2:25 PM
#why holier- than -thou native no take him to task?
#hypocrisy is their middle name ( extract from the song of the trolls)
Mary W AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 3:41 PM
Wow!! deuce still asking her “innocent” questions!!!
The resident troll’s (named hawk…) achievements are beyond compare.
No you do just fine on your own for years “wondering” and being “curious” about other posters here.
You didn’t learn that from anyone here. Maybe you learnt from octobrina on another site but you were the very first to troll Rafans here.
Troll team wins instigator contest hands down
Hawkeye: Uncountable
amy: uncountable
Native: Uncountable.
Team declared Winnah!!!
Nah, you were the one instigating all along holdserve.
You proved that all by your little self over the last two days while I just say back and watched.
#YoureWelcomeMyFan
Djoker gets a WO from Vesley.
I posted that information a while back.
Good for you native but what is the point of your post at 7:39 pm?
#MakesNoSenseToMe
#DoesItMakeSenseToAnyoneElse?
Sure holdserve, but it’s beyond you because you need a sense of hum’or’. You shouldn’t fret so much.
Mary W (AT 8:42 PM),
Too funny!
nadline10 (AT 7:04 PM),
Thank you for information!
amy AUGUST 31, 2016 AT 7:01 PM says: “augusta and … love the british hate spewing tabloids…”
===
.
Today I read the Middle East media too:
http://gulfnews.com/sport/our-writers/boris-becker-column-wrist-still-a-spot-of-bother-for-djokovic-1.1886570
gussie, you should stick to your own planet first.
#GoodPlaceToStart
oh hahaaha hawks… you are on really good form today..
Well, when someone sets you up like that, it’s too easy. To be fair, all credit should go to gussie for making Me look so good!
Vamos!
Nole speaking on meditation in Spanish.
Pepe Imaz Tennis Is A Professional Tennis Group Training In Marbella, Spain.
Via @tumcarayol, this is…different: Novak Djokovic (translated by his brother), leading a meditation en español:
https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/777881314632630272
I add to my post AT 5:12 PM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg-qvS4plno
Nole doing Fognini impressions…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0rbz8MbIUQ
Nice to see Flavia 🙂
Stuart Fraser (Sports journalist for MailOnline): “Novak Djokovic pulls out of Beijing next week with an elbow injury. No mention of Shanghai at moment.”
Wow. Thanks for the news, Augusta. Sorry to hear it. But hope he’s strong for Shanghai.
I predicted he’ll miss some tournaments now.I think he’ll dump Shanghai as well.
If he does that (drops Shanghai) I’ll start to worry… sounds ominous.
He’s probably just looking for a break. Winning the Grand Slam and his first French was a massive effort never accomplished on three surfaces in mens tennis. I wouldn’t read more than that into it.
He has a huge lead and probably wants to take advantage of his significant lead to take an extended break and spend extended quality time with his family.
All speculation admittedly but still a pretty good theory IMO until proven otherwise.
agreed. Don’t think it is anything serious. Let’s see how things unfold.
When I was SURPRISED that Djoko withdrew from Cincy due to ‘RECURRING left wrist injury’, because I had never read/heard that Djoko has had any left wrist injuries, two posters got hysterical, making up a story that I ‘questioned his withdrawing from Cincy with a wrist injury’.
[ augusta08 AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 4:17 PM]
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/novak-djokovic/comment-page-20/#comment-134217
Now one of the two doesn’t believe Djoko’s explanation that he withdrew from Beijing due to an injury! 🙄
What a straw man argument. Didn’t say that at all lol.
You can’t read.
#Reusable
Hawkeye,
I think you are basically correct in your thoughts about what is going on with Novak. We can see what it takes out of a player to win four slams in a row.
Novak has been healthy in his career, but he may need a break both mentally and physically now.
BBC, Sept. 28: ¤¤”I am extremely disappointed not to be able to compete at the China Open this year,” said the Australian and French Open champion.
“I’m still recovering from my elbow injury and have been advised not to play until my condition improves.” ¤¤
http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/37495489
At his post-USO-final press conference, Djoko confirmed he had his arm problem already before the USO:
[augusta08 SEPTEMBER 12, 2016 AT 2:51 PM]
https://tenngrand.com/2016/08/27/u-s-open-full-tournament-picks/comment-page-2/#comment-168064
[augusta08 AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 5:37 PM]
https://tenngrand.com/social/player-pages/novak-djokovic/comment-page-20/#comment-134258
Posted a comment on this thread about an hour ago. Don’t know if it is lost in cyberspace or came under moderation. If so can’t understand why unless one is not allowed to be ‘sceptical’.
That happens to me every now and then. Skeptical is fine I can’t imagine you under moderation, ed. Give us your thoughts and opinion, skeptical or not 🙂
Ed skeptical about Djokovic???
Nah. Can’t be right. 🙂
I’m not worried about him right now. Probably not even as curious as most as to what the personal issue was that needed working out. I can’t imagine being married…ever. 😀
The he’s a bit out of practice – maybe lost a little of his conditioning. It takes time. If he does all the right things – he knows what and how to put it all back together again. Maybe by Shanghai, maybe not. Would love to hear ed’s skeptical thoughts.
Also, I don’t miss him yet. He was starting to wear on me as Federer and Nadal both have at times. Then when they comeback, I’m happy to have them back and appreciate them more. But I prefer a variety of competition — lots of it!!
Carole Bouchard Retweeted
Saša Ozmo @ozmo_sasa 4h4 hours ago
Novak: The plan for now is that I’m going to #Shanghai.
REUTERS, Sep 30, 2016: ¤¤ Winning grand slams is no longer my priority, says Djokovic ¤¤
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-djokovic-idUSKCN1201WH
For Real Nole fans and Real Tennis fans everywhere…
“I feel very grateful for what I have right now but I feel like as I go along with my life, with the success that I have, that I have more opportunities to explore, and first of all grow myself and my family in a human perspective, not just financially, also in light of making a positive difference to the society. This is the biggest motivation I have,” he says.
http://www.si.com/tennis/2016/05/20/french-open-novak-djokovic-interests-personality-serbia
#LetsDoThis
Hawkeye
Nole does not have a significant lead. It is the year end numbers that are now significant. Nole’s lead is slighty over 2,000 versus Andy Murray. If Murray wins Beijing Nole’s lead will drop to slightly over 1,000. (Because Nole will drop 500 points & Murray gain 500 -if he wins it). Looks like Nole should play Shanghai to ensure the end-of-year No.1 ranking.
State of Zen…
You’re trying to reach that balance between being concentrated but at the same time being kind of calm and relaxed and enjoying the moment,” said Djokovic, who hummed a tune while waiting to return Zverev’s serve in the latter stages of the match. “I was always trying to keep that optimal state of mind. Instead of the occasional tantrum that I used to have, I [switched] that vibration and transformed it in a tune.
“It wasn’t any mantra. It was a famous song, actually. I was using it to just forget about my previous mistake. And it worked.”
Djokovic’s trick worked wonders in a match where he needed to be patient in order to find a way out. The World No. 1 had not met Zverev at tour-level since 2009, and looked troubled by the left-hander’s variety. Staying on an even keel bought the Serbian enough time to find his range and move into the semi-finals, where he will face Roberto Bautista Agut.
“It was the most entertaining match of the tournament for me. I had to dig myself out of the hole,” Djokovic said. “He was the better player for most of the first part of the match. He played well tactically. He slowed down the pace. I knew his game, but I haven’t played him in many, many years.
“I wasn’t striking the ball very well from the beginning of the match, to be honest. I was quite flat with my feet. After that I started coming to the net more, just being more constructive with the point. I played solid at the end of the second and third sets.”
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/djokovic-reaction-shanghai-2016-qf
Thanks Hawkstradamus.
Whatever works for him. I watched parts of the match with one eye open. Zverev Major was entertaining. I hadn’t watched him for a long time and didn’t remember his style or him playing that well. Novak looked a bit crazy humming and smiling to himself but I’ll take that over his full blown stressed out temper tantrums of last spring. Wishing him well. Good job Nole.
H’mmm. Djokovic looked decidedly less than zen vs RBA. Classic racket smash at end of first set. My take fwiw (not much): he’s a little rusty and probably not feeling particularly motivated right now.
Djoko’s racquet:
https://twitter.com/doublefault28/status/787223747455492100/photo/1
Djoko’s shirt:
https://twitter.com/doublefault28/status/787229026859515904/photo/1
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CuzMvXUW8AE1OIF.jpg
Djokovic drops Becker hint, Kyrgios fined for Shanghai meltdown
By AFP
PUBLISHED: 15:42, 13 October 2016 | UPDATED: 15:43, 13 October 2016
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic dropped a hint that he may split with coach Boris Becker on Thursday, as Nick Kyrgios was hit with a big fine for his Shanghai Masters meltdown.
Djokovic, who says he is taking a fresh mental approach after struggling in recent months, revealed that he had made no plans about retaining Becker in his team next year.
“We are still working (together), yeah… for now the plan is the rest of the season, what’s left, indoor tournaments,” said Djokovic, after reaching the Shanghai quarter-finals.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3835813/Tsonga-sends-racquet-smashing-Zverev-packing-Shanghai-Masters.html
Boris wasn’t happy with biased commies on Saturday…
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker Oct 15
Great performance from @BautistaAgut ! He deserved to win!
@SkySportsTennis
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker Oct 15
Good to hear @Annabel_Croft and @MilesMaclagan @SkySportsTennis
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker Oct 15
Mr.Fleming …can’t hear you ?!? @SkySportsTennis
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker Oct 15
Mr.Fleming can NOT compliment @DjokerNole whatsoever …lol
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker Oct 15
It’s funny whenever @DjokerNole wins a point Mr.Fleming is quite and #Barry talks …
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker Oct 15
Watching @SkySportsTennis
What’s behind the Djokovic decision to play Paris Masters without any of his team present? Surely they couldn’t haven’t ALL have mutinied.
Maybe he’s giving them a break to target 2017 fresh. I can’t imagine being on the road all the time. We know what Vajda’s issues are, and as for Becker, time away from.each other might be needed. I imagine its hard to stay motivated when goals have been reached.
Nole declined comment. Suspect Becker is out and Vajda isn’t available.
Hawkeye,
That’s an interesting thought. What makes you think that Becker is out? I thought it was working out well for them. Things seem to have changed quite a bit with Novak since he managed to win the career slam and four in a row.
I have no problem with a player going what he feels will help him in whatever way possible. The mental pressure at the top of this sport is incredible and players are not machines. They are human.
If Novak thinks this guru will help him, then he should take full advantage of it.
ed251137 (AT 7:20 AM),
Djoko is accompanied by a spiritual guru is instead of his coaches.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3891218/Novak-Djokovic-hopes-love-peace-return-imperious-best-world-No-1-turns-ex-journeyman-player-spiritual-guru-Pepe-Imaz.html
?
Correction: …guru instead…
I’d been wondering who was responsible for the mystical, grandiose statements ND has been making. Now we know. Thanks Gussie. It also explains why all the members of his entourage are absent from his box.
The following is a comment posted earlier but on the wrong thread:
**Watched Djokovic doubles match yesterday. He appeared relaxed and free from the various injuries that troubled him in recent months. Doubles has never been his cup of tea, but from the way he played, I assume he only entered to have some match practice before his opening singles and had no intention of advancing beyond the first round. If I am wrong, and that was not the case, he will have trouble staving off some highly motivated competition at Bercy this week.**
ND certainly remained calm yesterday but he will need to shed the trance-like state if he wants to win the difficult matches.
Nole accompanied with spiritual guru instead of his coaches, becoming vegan…what’s next? Is he losing his mind?
Desperate dilemmas call for desperate solutions. A chap has to do what he has to do!
I wish Rafa would.
I Love Noles impressions, and the one of Foggy is spot on and hilarious ….
Im sure Nole will be back with a second wind, hes had plenty of time to rest and rehab, im sure he will be absolutely fine ….
Don’t you? Or do you.
@BenRothenberg Ben Rothenberg Retweeted doublefault28
A Djokovic scream nd a quick cut to his meditation advisor… your Emmy is in the mail, ATP Media.
https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/793868913155137537
Hilarious!
hahaha even funnier is his brother’s reaction…
He needs a long hug from his guru who looks to be suppressing a grimace.
Hawkeye yeah i wish he would do something ….
More practice under the tutelage of Uncle-Tee is no doubt in order. Will fix everything for sure.
Wonder how the guru will be remunerated. No results, no fee perhaps. Or a cut of the prize money when he wins.
He works for hugs.
Money is too material.
Still no love and peace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OImjux7Gc8
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3891218/Novak-Djokovic-hopes-love-peace-return-imperious-best-world-No-1-turns-ex-journeyman-player-spiritual-guru-Pepe-Imaz.html
One more article, guys:
http://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/10656490/novak-djokovic-denies-temper-problem-after-hitting-ball-into-crowd-at-atp-world-tour-finals
Sky Sports analyst Annabel Croft said: “I’m just shocked at what he just did. He slammed a ball right towards Boris Becker and Marian Vajda.
“The ball just skimmed past them and into the crowd. That just tells you the bubbling anger inside him. Novak is absolutely steaming right now.”
Flashback. Djoko’s raquet :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txmiXsiUnm0
😯
Boris Becker is OUT:
https://www.facebook.com/djokovic.official/posts/1315909288461919
Maybe he can coach Rafa now. God knows Nole won plenty of slams once Becker helped him believe in himself.
Lol! Not gonna happen.
I think this was kind of expected. Novak has been off the boil for the second half of the tennis year. I guess he felt that Becker was not helping him anymore.
Djoko won many slams without Becker too and amidst tougher competition.
Rafa won many slams with Toni as his coach!
Until Toni’s methods caught up with Rafa and backfired.
Toni was great and Rafa would not be who he is without him but Rafa (like all great players) needed a change a long time ago to evolve and adapt.
He plays scared now for years.
Rafa was scared because of his multiple injuries taking their toll on his mind. However, the never say die mentality shone through each time when he kept making comebacks.
His 2015 relatively unsuccessful comeback was due to a combination of factors imo – fear of injuring himself again that played on his mind leading to self doubt; the unfortunate decision of changing racket (or string) and at the wrong timing leading to the mess he had during the clay season.
Despite all that happened in 2015, he still finished the year at no.5, not bad at all considering the fact that Fed finished as no.6 in his off form year in 2013, and Murray as no.8 in 2014 when he came back from back surgery.
He was getting better during the 2016 clay season before injury strike him again. I do feel Rafa is good enough with or without Toni these days. What he needs is to play more freely, and more aggressively to shorten points i.e. hit more winners.
The way he played vs Raonic at Abu Dhabi exho last year end gave me confidence that had he continued playing that way, wins and titles will come his way. I watched him played and won the set against Stan in the AO2014 final after injuring his back; he was serving without the need to think so hard, hitting his FH to anywhere at will, playing one two punch tennis with precision that got Stan all rattled. IOWs, he was playing freely and instinctively, he didn’t even need to think before he served, and served so quickly that caught Stan by surprise and Stan just couldn’t guess where Rafa was serving to.
Rafa’s game was already so good that he could just play instinctively and still hit all the right shots and with precision to win the points. I hope he learns to play this way all the time, not only when he feels he’s not going to win and so plays freely.
Sorry for hijacking this thread to talk about Rafa. I shall post about Rafa in the Nadal thread.
luckystar (AT 3:38 AM),
I’ll reply in the Rafa Nadal thread.
Vajda has to go!
For Rafa to have any chances, I’d tend to agree! 🙂
Fire Vajda!
Why Djoko is not loved…
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Sports/2016-09-13/Why-Djokovic-will-probably-not-be-loved-as-Federer-or-Nadal/253598
Reportedly, he’s praying hard:
http://volimpodgoricu.me/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/guru.jpg
Haha, augusta, I live in Podgorica (the link you are using translates: I love Podgorica) and did not realize Nole was in Podgorica with his guru..,I could have gone to the sessions to pray for Rafa ?
The photo I posted was probably taken in Spain:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-3891218/Novak-Djokovic-hopes-love-peace-return-imperious-best-world-No-1-turns-ex-journeyman-player-spiritual-guru-Pepe-Imaz.html
That makes more sense. I would know if Nole was in Montenegro! It would make news here…
Fans are everywhere…
Watch: Horacio Zeballos asks Novak Djokovic for on-court selfie after losing to him
http://www.si.com/tennis/2017/01/04/novak-djokovic-horacio-zeballos-selfie-qatar
Top players make coaching tweaks periodically…
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/01/novak-djokovic-dusan-vemic-boris-becker-new-coach-atp-tennis/63089/
I add to My post AT 6:11 PM…
The world No. 2 is among several top players who have two or more coaches. Pepe Imaz, a former player and academy owner, was also recently in the Serb’s box at tournaments. Djokovic, who stressed the importance of having a strong team, varies between having one or both coaches with him at events.
“I like to have at least one coach that can give me that perspective, somebody I can discuss with about my game and things that I need to work on,” he said. “Many times you cannot really see things technically or tactically concerning your game, so that’s somebody that’s obviously tracking that and following you and giving you their input.
“There are periods where you need that voice in your ear more than some other moments, when you need things simple and quiet.”
Djokovic the Flash!
Fastest man in tennis!
Top 10 fastest male tennis players (plus selected)
Name Top speed (kph) Average top speed (kph)
1 Novak Djokovic 36.02 14.89
2 Andy Murray 34.87 15.89
3 Lleyton Hewitt 31.24 15.24
4 Gilles Simon 30.76 14.93
5 Grigor Dimitrov 28.91 15.05
6 David Ferrer 27.82 14.71
7 Stan Wawrinka 27.66 15.17
8 Tomas Berdych 27.28 14.49
9 Milos Raonic 27.28 15.36
10 Kei Nishikori 27.17 14.52
12 Rafa Nadal 26.84 15.38
17 Roger Federer 26.03 15.55
http://tennismash.com/2016/11/24/gig-djokovic-fastest-tennis-player-world/
Jelena Djokovic @JelenaRisticNDF 8h8 hours ago
Yeeeeeeeee!!!!!! ? bravooooo!!! ???❤?❣❣❣❣#Nolefam #TeamDjokovic #ideeeemooooo @djokernole
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker 8h8 hours ago
Great tennis/sportsmanship /quality /drama/physicality/character …@DjokerNole @andy_murray
Boris Becker @TheBorisBecker 8h8 hours ago
Love both guys !!! What a remarkable hand-shake between 2 champions and bad news for the rest…@DjokerNole @andy_murray @ATPWorldTour
Dimitrov has a bigger serve. He didn’t have a bigger serve than his SF opponent or his R2 opponent.
Fans are everywhere
RT @carole_bouchard: The “Night with Novak” scheduled today has been sold out in a few hours, says the tournament. Will start at 7pm on Margaret Court Arena.
He is doing it again.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-set-to-use-controversial-hyperbaric-chamber-treatment-despite-safety-warnings/news-story/4545a0081b96ec084c6666a90ea15935
Just reading, Novak will skip Dubai due to shoulder injury that apparently got worse during his Davis Cup match…he is scheduled to be back for IW where he is defending champion…
LOL.
“Not one to simply have her phone taken away after such dedicated filming for nearly a quarter of an hour, Jelena sternly gave her video subject a piece of her mind (in Serbian).
“How are you behaving yourself? For heaven’s sake,” she says. “‘Thank you, love. Thank you.’ Isn’t that what you should be saying?”
“I just wanted to film,” Djokovic says, before trailing off. “I don’t know why you wanted…”
In the 12-plus–minute clip, Jelena filmed her husband’s tennis practice and then balked at his desire to take her smartphone and speak directly to fans.
“No, I like to take the camera, it’s nice,” Djokovic says. “It makes me feel more into it, more I guess, friendly.”
Come for the awkwardness. Stay for Jelena’s shocked realization near the end that the live video was still running.
Thus Jelena put Novak, the champion of 12 Grand Slams, firmly in his place. Looks like the world No. 2 will think twice before swiping her cellphone again.”
http://baseline.tennis.com/article/64377/jelena-chides-novak-djokovic-facebook-live
lol…Thanks Hawk!
She just gave him a gentle reminder — she’d been sitting there all that time and deserved a proper thank-you 😀 Love the dogs.
Amazing what makes the sports news LOL!
Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenberg 1h1 hour ago
Reports out of Mexico that #2 Novak Djokovic has added next week’s ATP 500 in Acapulco to his schedule:
https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/834845155152785408
To avoid Istomin, who will be in Dubai:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5X_QOgWYAE9eAa.jpg
Incorrect. He never intended to play Dubai this year.
http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Novak_Djokovic/39229/novak-djokovic-releases-his-schedule-for-the-first-quarter-of-2017/
Acapulco has a much better draw with Rafa and Murray. Makes much more sense for him to play there if he’s decided to add a tournament.
Djoko didn’t intend to play in Acapulco, either! Suddenly, he asked for a wild card! (Actually, the Acapulco tournament has not yet made an official announcement. They will make it soon.)
Didn’t say he did.
Obviously, he’s looking to make up some points, chase Murray and play against the best.
Solid list of qualifiers for Dubai!
Nole wasn’t scheduled to play anything until IW.
Murray going to Acapulco, not Dubai?
I thought Andy, Wawrinka, Federer are going to Dubai
http://live-tennis.eu/en/atp-schedule
Good news if Nole is going to Acapulco. Hadn’t heard that.
ratcliff ( AT 9:26 PM),
Murray will go to Dubai:
http://www.dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/en/players/mens-week-players-list
Qualifiers in Acapulco:
Fritz, Kravchuk, Donaldson, Chung, Tiafoe, Albot, Nishioka, Thompson, Sela, Young, Dolgopolov, Basilashvili, R. Harrison..
Main Draw is already stacked. Everyone is going to Acapulco!
Qualifying is better than many 250 main draws
By “everyone” going to Acapulco I meant WTA will be there too. The ATP competition/draws in both Acapulco and Dubai will be great.
But I just looked at the WTA list and the highest ranked players going to Acapulco are Pavlyuchenkova, Puig, Mladenovic, Bouchard, Niculescu….it’s a 280. Anyone who went deep in Doha and Dubai this week has to be exhausted.
Very happy Nole got into Acapulco.
I see that Sascha Z is no longer going; but Mischa still is.
My mistake. Murray going to Dubai along with Fed.
DJOKOVIC ACCEPTS WILD CARD INTO ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL IN ACAPULCO
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/02/novak-djokovic-acapulco-abierto-mexicano-telcel-atp-tennis/64398/
It great to hear Nole will go to Acapulco!What a strong field it would be!!…Can’t wait to see all the excitement down there next week….Bring it on guys!!!
Carole Bouchard 20 minutes ago: “Breaking : Djokovic doubtful for Miami. Went back to Monaco to consult doctor for right elbow injury that hampered him through Indian Wells.”
Oh dear, if that’s true then Djoko will lose another 1000 points. No wonder he looked out of sorts at IW, was shaking his right arm at times, I thought it’s his wrist but it ended up being his elbow. Poor soul.
Now there is only one who can stop Fed at the French Open ?.
If Nadal couldn’t win French open, then a calendar slam may really be possible for Federer. Who knows…
Nah, there’re Rafa, Murray, Thiem, Stan.., oh quite a long list!
And Donskoy ?
Yes but the number on the list that he has to face only depends on the draw.
Fed would be favourite over any of them other than Rafa except for Nole and he’s an unknown now struggling for almost a year and now with an arm injury.
Fed is a 25:1 underdog to win the French (much of that due to the real possibility that he won’t even enter the tournament to have his best chances at Wimbledon. His odds will only improve. Excellent value bet.
Yes but the number on the list that he has to face only depends on the draw.
Fed would be favourite over any of them other than Rafa except for Nole and he’s an unknown now struggling for almost a year and now with an arm injury.
Fed is a 25:1 underdog to win the French (much of that due to the real possibility that he won’t even enter the tournament to have his best chances at Wimbledon. His odds will only improve. Excellent value bet.
Let’s not overreact with Roger’s chances at the FO. Some Rafans got a Fed complex. Hahaha
Official.
Miami Open: “Novak Djokovic has been forced to withdraw due to an elbow injury…”
https://twitter.com/MiamiOpen/status/843514944406675457
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7THdw7UwAApeii.jpg
Thanks augusta. Had heard a rumor but wasn’t sure.
Get better soon Nole!
His elbow was OK here:
https://youtu.be/nJO_pws_VEE
Get well soon, Novak. Always a pity when someone gets injured.
Boris Becker knows how top players can lose their ability to stay mentally strong.
Boris Becker was on site for Sky in Monte Carlo and said of the out-of-sorts Djokovic, whom he coached until December: “I had a chat with his team last night and what’s in the locker room will stay in the locker room. But I think he’s playing better the past couple of months. I don’t think you can lose your forehand or backhand overnight. It’s mental.
“He can rearrange [the direction of] his ship, he is 29, but he has to do it soon. He’s an emotional guy. In the past, it was in his favour. Now his emotions get hold of him and it makes him play worse. He gets down on himself, the shoulders go down and the opponent is watching.”
According to this website, Djoko has fired 3 members of his team:
http://novakdjokovic.com/en/news/media/i-want-to-find-the-winning-spark-on-the-court-again/
As I said a long time ago, Federer is Rafa’s biggest threat at RG.
Nole is dealing with his own mental problema.
The unsurpassed longevity of Federer’s
mental strength over 16 year span with minimal dips is why he is the current GOAT by a small margin at the current time.
He’s always been there to take advantage when the other Big Four have struggled (as well as before they matured but that’s another matter).
Novak Djokovic fires his entire coaching staffHe has parted ways with head coach Marian Vajda and every key member of his core coaching team.
by Anuradha Santhanam @anumccartney Breaking38 mins ago
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – APRIL 21: Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a backhand against David Goffin of Belgium in their quarter final round match on day six of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters at Monte-Carlo Sporting Club on April 21, 2017 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
Djokovic has struggled to find results this year, continuing on a bad run of form from 2016
Former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has parted ways with his entire coaching team – including his long-term coach Marian Vajda, fitness coach Gebhard Phil Gritsch, and physiotherapist Miljan Amanovic, according to a press release on the Serbian star’s website. The split was by “mutual agreement,” Djokovic said in the release, which said the team “decided to part ways after a detailed analysis of the game, achieved results in the previous period, and also after discussing private plans of each team member.”40-year-old Vajda, a former tennis player himself, has been known most for being Djokovic’s head coach. The Slovak has been on the 12-time Grand Slam winning player’s team since 2006, and remained on his coaching squad even after former World No. 1 Boris Becker took over as head coach, although Djokovic’s coaching relationship with the German ace ended in 2016.
The press release described the decision as “shock therapy” for the 29-year-old, who has been struggling with form since Wimbledon last year. The World No. 2 has not added to his tally of Grand Slams since winning his first and only French Open title so far in 2016, and suffered a shock second-round loss to Uzbek player Denis Istomin at this year’s Australian Open. Djokovic has only won one title so far this year, at the ATP250 Qatar Open.Describing the drastic change as “the start of something new,” Djokovic said, “I want to continue raising the level of my game and stamina and this is a continuous process. I enjoy this journey, it feels like I am starting something new again and I love this challenge. I am a hunter and my biggest goal is to find the winning spark on the court again.”Calling it a “new chapter in (my) life,” Djokovic also expressed his gratitude to his team of over a decade, who reciprocated his sentiments in the release, describing him as a “best friend and brother.”
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/nova … hing-staff
Federer will win the French Open if for some reason he doesn’t have to face Rafa.
It would be 2009 deja vu all over again.
Rafa is the only one who will beat him there against an angry French crowd.
Sounds suspiciously as if the baby is being thrown out with the bath water.
Is the pseudo-guru in the pink baby-gro still on the payroll?
#too many cooks spoil the broth.
Marian Vajda will be happy.
Yes..this is shocking!But..best of luck for Nole this year and forward….A great champion will find a way in the end…
Really shocking! I don’t see his need of firing the whole team, a bit too drastic. I think it will take Djoko a long time to rebuild everything – his fitness and health, his mental toughness, the winning mentality, and also I feel he needs to add varieties to his game.
Does he still have the heart to want to do well and reaches the top again? Maybe yes, or maybe no. We see….
According to SKY, Djokovic has sacked his team and is going for ECT therapy. I’m speechless.
“Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, and often referred to as shock treatment, is a psychiatric treatment in which seizures are electrically induced in patients to provide relief from mental disorders”
Sure or not? I mean the SKY report. Djoko needs ECT therapy?
I hope Djoko doesn’t go for ECT. All he needs is to take a break , look at mountains and oceans, trees, stars for about 3 months and then come back. Maybe a bit of whatever Fed took to get his stamina and speed back.
#ECT
#Shocking
Yeah, he should just take a six months break like Fed; gets his elbow treated, rest and relax, and then starts working on his fitness and his game. His body badly needs a break, a reasonably long one to recover from all those six years of relentless pounding, trying to overtake Fedal.
Oh, I doubt Djokovic is having ECT. In the article he referred to “shock therapy” but I think he meant the “shock” of getting rid of his entire support staff. Some writer misunderstood.
I have read that coaching relationships have a limited life span of effectiveness.
nadline10 (AT 1:38 PM),
I’m afraid that “going for ECT therapy” is misinterpretation of Djoko’s statement Djoko says that the firing of his team (3 members) is “shock therapy” for him.
That sounds more like it!
Agree with augusta…i’ve read at least 4 or 5 articles already and all of them has the same phrase and meaning…
I came on here to read the news and it seems that Novak’s words were taken too literally. I thought it didn’t make sense for him to do actual shock therapy.
I actually don’t agre about Novak taking time off. He won’t come back. Borg walked away and never came back. Rafa and Fed took time off due to lingering injuries. That is different. Novak’s elbow is not the main problem. It’s mental, losing his mojo, his edge, that competitive fire.
I can see why maybe Rafa fans may get want him to take time off, but I think that would be a big mistake.
I also don’t know that getting rid of his team will work either. The problem is with him and changing his team will not fix that.
Nole is burnt out. So if he doesn’t take a break, how will he fix whatever is wrong with him?
First, nobody here is an expert and should presume to know how to deal with this. Leaving due to injury is s whole different thing. How is stopping playing going to help Novak? Should he get therapy? Aground he seems sports psychologist? Should he do hypnosis? When you stop playing, that can bring its own costs. Novak will drop in the rankings. It’s not that easy to get back to
where you were. The gene does not stop for any player.
I am sure that Novak has people around him who can advise him as to the best course of action. This kind of mental burnout is not easy to resolve. There is no guarantee that taking time off will fix the problem. Sometimes you need to try to work through problems.
I don’t pretend to know what is the exact right course for Novak. But I think leaving the game may not be the answer.
Anyone know if or when the Madrid draw will be out?
Wow, I worded that very poorly… Does anyone know if the Madrid draw has been done yet? If not, when is it being done? 🙂
the first question made sense!
LOL!
It is an axiom that the draw is rigged in Fed’s favor. As Fed is not in the draw, the ATP guys are in a quandary. Should we rig it against Rafa so that he doesn’t get ranking points to overtake Fed or at least gets so exhausted that Fed can just waltz into a rigged RG draw to achieve his double career slam? or should we rig it in favor of our local guy Rafa? No doubt the reps of the two schools of thought are fighting it out. Hence the delay.
I think the first school of thought won!
#FedIsThe GOAT
Or maybe it was a tie?
Too many autocorrect typos in my previous post to fix. I hope the gist of what I was trying to say got across.
I see that the women’s draw is out. No Men’s yet that I can see. Maybe they’re doing it later today.
Yes, in an hour.
The Madrid Masters draw:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_E-bhXXsAA9XAp.jpg
Hey guys…http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/story/_/id/19315057/tennis-confusion-clarity-why-did-novak-djokovic-split-entire-team
Peter Bodo doesn’t know how many GS titles has Djoko won. 🙄
Just ignore the mistake augusta..he’s just a normal human being after all…and it’s okay to read any article..just take it as a knowledge for today…don’t have to believe in it,okay?
It is not ok for a professional journalist to make mistakes in stating facts or statistics.
Mira Andi (AT 5:47 PM),
I can’t stand him. 👿
Yeah, Bodo made at least two mistakes – 1) Djoko has 12 slams, not 14; 2) Djoko won one title in 2017, not 2016. In 2016 he won 7 titles, including the AO and the FO!
Ok mistake no.2 was corrected, to 2017.
Bodo keeps making mistakes. This is not the first time. He has little regard for accuracy. His article about Goffin’s bad call was totally unprofessional. I am really amazed that espn still keeps him on its rolls.
He’s Fed’s worshiper, that’s why they keep him.
Agassi renewed rumour to be Nole’s next super coach…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2017/05/08/andre-agassi-could-new-supercoach-reignite-novak-djokovic/
You heard it here first!
#YoureWelcome
#NoleIsBack
Murray and Nole have tough draws….
For Murray:
Kuznetsov->Klizan->Delpo->Isner/Berdych->Nishi/Zverev->CryBaby->Rafa
Nole could meet Goffin in 4th round and then Thiem in QF before a potential clash with Rafa.
This will be a good test of my belief that Nole is back and will not lose to anyone other than Rafa. Thiem and Goffin are no slouches on clay. Nole will not have to play in three matches (or even two!) in just over 24 hours this time.
No big hitters until Raonic in QF for Rafa. No real threats at all for that matter.
#NoleIsBack
#wegonnasee
Murray is screwed
Yeah but he’s playing like crap anyways.
Exactly lol
Yes, I agree that Rafa has a good draw, better than Murray and Djoker. Thought Djoker was back until his match against Sasha. I didn’t see his match against Delpo in Rome and I don’t know what to make of his beatdown of Them in the SF, so I may be wrong and he is back.
I understand that Murray isn’t 100% fit so the top draw will fall away again like it did in Australia.but I don’t know who will benefit. It may not be Stan. I don’t care who Rafa plays in the SF, because winning the title is all that matters.
^^^^Wrong thread.
I think Kuznetsov will even snatch a set or two off of Murray.
Personally im glad Rafa and Novak are on the same side ….
MICHAEL STEINBERGER gets it….
“Djokovic was also the guy who crashed the Federer-Nadal rivalry and soon usurped both of them, and I suspect that a lot of fans have never stopped seeing him as the interloper. Whatever the explanation, he just can’t seem to get the affection that he craves. No matter how much he achieves; no matter how graciously he conducts himself (and no one in men’s tennis is more gracious in defeat or magnanimous in victory); no matter how approachable and engaging he is (I watched him hit with a young kid following one of his practice sessions at Indian Wells this year, and he couldn’t have been nicer to the kid or more playful with the crowd)—it just doesn’t seem to make a difference, and I have to think that this bothers him. A lot. The hostility of the crowd when he played Federer in the US Open final two years ago must have stung. Ditto the way spectators turned on him when he played Stan Wawrinka in last year’s Open final. Is this the sole cause of his downward spiral? Maybe not, but if the problem is motivation, it is entirely possible that it is rooted in unrequited love.
So how does Agassi fit into this? Like Djokovic, Agassi struggled for many years to win over the crowd. He was a showman, but fans didn’t find him particularly endearing. A lot of people thought that he was a phony (some have leveled the same charge against Djokovic). It was really only in the latter stages of his career—starting after he unexpectedly won the French in 1999 to complete his own career slam—that Agassi became the adored figure that we know him as now. ”
http://tennischannel.com/reporters/michael-steinberger/michael-steinberger-is-djokovics-down-spiral-rooted-in-unrequited-love-for-fans
#NoleIsHuman
Djokovic clearly regards it as a feather in his cap having persuaded AA to come on board, albeit on a consultancy basis. He seems a lot calmer in himself although he is still prone to sloppy mistakes. Also he looks more healthy and to my eyes has gained some weight – perhaps AA has advised him to eat properly. It will be interesting to see what happens when he faces stiffer opposition and he does not have Agassi sitting in his box: I understand he cannot stay for the duration of RG.
Ed, I read in the Serbian press that Nole started eating meat again.,. It’s not Agassi’s influence he did it month ago on his own…and I agree, it was smart thing to do!
He looks better than he has in a long while, and best of five helps even when your not playing your best ….
Djokovic considers rare Wimbledon warm-up at Eastbourne
Stuart Fraser, Tennis Writer
June 16 2017, 12:01am, The Times
Djokovic does not normally compete in a grass-court tournament before WimbledonGRAHAM HUGHES FOR THE TIMES
Novak Djokovic is considering playing at the Aegon International in Eastbourne as part of his preparations for Wimbledon.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/…are-wimbledon-warm-up-at-eastbourne-t38jff92l
With Djoker winning Eastbourne his game is slowly coming back together………….he will be a contender at Wimby.
A Djoko fan wrote on another website on July 22:
“Djokovic has arrived in Belgrade, conference next week.
Novak Djokovic has arrived in Belgrade from Toronto, where [Belgrad] he will continue his recovering from the injury.
The best Serbian player spent the last couple of days in Canada, where he underwent therapies on the injured arm.
Novak was forced to retire in the Wimbledon quarterfinal due to the problem with his shoulder, which has been bugging him for a long time.
Djokovic will hold a press conference in the Serbian capital next week, where he will speak in details about the injury and the plans for the rest of the season.
After elimination in London he announced a break but didn’t precisely say how long will it last, so it’s doubtful if he is going to participate at the Rogers Cup in Montreal that starts on 7th of August.
Djokovic is automatically registered for the US Open which starts at the beginning of September, but him skipping the last Grand Slam of the season is not impossible.”
UBITENNIS.net, July 23, 2017: “Novak Djokovic To Hold Press Conference Following Elbow Treatment”
http://www.ubitennis.net/blog/2017/07/23/novak-djokovic-hold-press-conference-following-elbow-treatment/
augusta, I really do appreciate your the information you post here. Actually I’ve counted on it. Keep up the good work!
RC & other Nolefans!…Here’s an interesting article for u guys!…
http://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/mother-and-baby/2017091242325/novak-djokovic-baby-daughter-instagram/
Novak Djokovic is one of my favourites.
Congrats to you & your family!
Aww congrats Nole and Jelena on their little bundle of joy, a little sister for little Stefan, cute pictures, warm wishes to them all 😉
Congrats to Djoko and his family. So sweet to have a little girl added to the family; may this new addition bring even closer bonding in the family.
Definitely happy for Novak and Jelena. Die-hard Djokovic fans should be especially happy because the birth of his second child could give him needed motivation and purpose. I’m pretty sure that the birth of his first child coincided with the start of his brilliant 2014 through mid-2016 run!
When Novak recovers, everyone will be in trouble.
Not sure about that; he’ll take time to recover and get back on track when he returns, by then the next gen guys will be another year wiser and more experienced. Fedal if they stay fit and healthy and motivated, are not going away.
Fedal after coming back from injury are playing better tennis than before, with Rafa moving away from grinding tennis. I’m not sure about Djoko, will he start winning right away, or will he move away from grinding tennis? We’ll wait and see…..
When Novak recovers(returns to his normal state), everyone will be in trouble.
Yes he will start winning right away when he fully recovers.
Can’t wait!
You’re right Lucky- It definitely isn’t written in stone that a healthy Novak automatically equals 2015 Novak. We’ve seen him dominate for a period, such as in 2011, only to have Fed and Rafa turn the tables on him and getting to #1 in 2012 and 2013. I believe that it usually just works out that those guys end up taking turns between one or two of them playing better than the other one or two. You’re right that we shall see!
I would believe that if I really believed that Djoko is injured. I think he’s just jaded and lost his form. He needs to get his mojo back.
Djokovic pulled out of Abu Dhabi this morning.. He says he is not fully recovered. Murray will play a one set exhibition match against Bautista-Agut who is straight through to the final.
Djoko’s statement on his recovery (posted on his FB page on Feb.2, 2018):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVEda47WsAEQha3.jpg
While I’ve sometimes thought that the Djoker can’t tell his head from his behind, he probably can tell his wrist from his elbow, although referred pain can be tricky.
I noticed this article about Djoko (in Rafa’s “section” of Twitter):
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/novak-djokovic-provides-latest-update-injury-recovery-rafael-nadal-return-looms-1663145
FFS Ricky. Handle your site man. It’s seriously HACKED! I get a redirect every time I hit reply. It’s been hacked for over a year.
No mention of Agassi leaving Nole?
Sounds like Nole never bought in to Agassi’s ideas and Darren Cahill said he learned more from Andre than Andre did from him as his coach.
I hear that Lendl has been hanging around Miami this week considering hooking up with Zverev which would be a good move for both. Nole could use him more but is a more daunting project.
Isner sucks the life out of tennis. He’s s tennis vampire. Tennis needs to get rid of vampires just like Gulbis said.
Make tennis great again.
Site is seriously, Hawked.
?
Agassi via ESPN: “With only the best of intentions I tried to help Novak. We far too often found ourselves agreeing to disagree. I wish him only the best moving forward.”
A sympathetic read on Djokovic. Along with a lot of people, the author sees a return to form. I like Novak, but I just don’t see it happening, certainly not to his 2015-16 peak.
https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/06/novak-djokovic-wimbledon/563462/
Wow. Another great prediction.
RIP Pepe. **Hugs**
https://metro.co.uk/2018/07/23/novak-djokovics-coach-marian-vajda-forced-geru-pepe-imaz-7750392/
Yeah Hawks!…Is it a coincidence or not,i don’t know..but as soon as Novak ‘get rid’ of Pepe..suddenly he win again…So,we can say that Pepe was the key to some of his problems in 2016/17…Honestly,i never thought that Novak would get rid of Pepe..coz get rid of Pepe that means get rid of Marko & Jelena’s influenced as well….
But,i’m really really glad he see sense in the end…and show them who’s the Boss…he’s too good to be drowned for long…I bet Vajda also ask him to rethink about his vegan diet…He seems not as thin as many moons ago….
I’ve no doubt that Djoko would find his game again (may not be as great as his 2015 but nevertheless still awesome), it’s just a matter of time.
The fact that he’s still hanging around despite having poor results meant that he’s not giving up. If he could try means and ways (seeking professional help in every area) to help him become what he was from 2011-2016, I don’t see why he would not do the same to help himself back on track.
The big three are not going to give up so easily, I’m sure Djoko would not want to retire into oblivion when he could see how Fedal made their comebacks and stayed relevant, even dominating the tour again.
He may not be as good as his 2015 self, but he’s still winning a slam when the opportunity was there for him to do so. The big three are so much ahead of the field right now, they sweep up all the seven slams played these two years.
Yeah!….Agree with u Lucky!…If he’s healthy & don’t have any other injury in coming months or years..i don’t see why he can’t add more titles to his already stellar career…Tho,that means a very bad news for us Rafans,,hahaha…But..yeah..like u..i have never doubt that he will win again someday…
And,i want to add…I also believe with all my heart that Andy will follow Novak pretty soon…maybe not this 1,2 or 3 months…But he will..insyaallah…
Well, if anyone has given up, it’s Federer.
Retired from clay three years ago.
Retired from slower hard courts mid-2018.
He’s now limiting himself to grass, select hard courts and year end exhibition in London.
More likely Fed’s sensibly limiting himself to ONE pre slam warm up tournament. Anyway, except for last year he hadn’t played Rogers Cup in a few years.
Not bad for a 37 year old to be still playing .
I really wish he would enter the doubles.Got to be Slam title or two there.
Well, I wish he and Rafa would enter the slam doubles together. But not gonna happen, sadly.
Hawk,if Nadal had won the WTF I doubt you’d be so dismissive
Why do you even care (three months after My post no less)?
I might similarly question Fedfans how they feel about Olympic Singles tennis and make aspersions on that reasoning.
But I don’t give a monkey’s.
Besides, none of this matters what with President Fcukwad’s oppressive fascist regime and it’s long term effect on the rest of the world who get zero say in the matter.
Just take some responsibility next month, get out and vote Big Al if you’re American (and haven’t had your voting rights stolen).
Belated congrats to all the Novak fans , especially RC on Novak winning the USO, i know its late as i dont post much anymore on any of the tennis forums, this one i dont mind, cant stand the other one , hope your all well 🙂
I’m watching the AO Final again – for a Novak tennis fan it never gets old.
The quality of Novak’s tennis got better and better each match. And I hope he remains this sublime for at least several more years. He took command of the match and he didn’t show a shred of doubt. Surprising result because I did expect Rafa to be the dominant one. But Novak performed at his best vs Rafa – at least on hc in the AO final this time. He was methodical in the way he went after Rafa’s forehand. I have only seen Novak beat Rafa like that. Stan could hit anyone off the court in his day – but his best was too hard to sustain. Rafa has to fight for it, and it’s amazing that he can he keep coming back injury after injury. Novak had a remarkable recovery after his surgery a year ago. I’m awestruck at how special an athlete Novak is right now, enjoying this while it lasts.
Federer probably has the most natural serve overall. But Novak has improved and Rafa served fantastic throughout this AO. Novak happens to be the best returner in tennis – his balance and power from a full stretch position, backhand or forehand, is unreal – and so much fun to see the fluidity of his movement – he hardly put a foot wrong.
Novak and his family…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uir_Eh7TnQ
RC glad your here for me to offer my congrats for your and your guy, whom was the worthy winner, enjoy xx 🙂
Thanks Alison – that is very sweet and generous of you. He was indeed a worthy winner 🙏
As always, I hope you and your hubby are doing well and enjoying life. Rafa will win another RG – I predict and possibly a USO this year. Not out of the question, but I would be happily surprised if he won the RG-Wimbledon double and then Novak got another USO. We have to credit old Federer for setting the bar so high because I think both Rafa and Novak are gunning for his record.
Thanks Roger and Roger’s tenacity.
I’ll be surprised if anyone from the next gen has it in them to compete like Roger, Rafa, and Novak. We can hope though. Right now it feels like clear sailing for Rafa and Nole in 2019.
Tsitsipas is my pick for an upset – if there is one. Or maybe Stan or Delpo can work a miracle. LOL – not at all expected.
Kiki Bertens held on to beat Sabalenka – who appears not quite as sharp as I thought she’d be at this time in St. Petersburg. So it’s the lovely Donna Vekic vs powerful Kiki. Hoping Donna doesn’t crack and holds on to capture a big title. Donna had no problem whatsoever closing out 34 year old Vera Zvonareva to reach the Russian final.
In Thailand it’s between a tall blond teenager from Ukraine, Dayana Yastremska and darling Ajla Tomljanovic – I’ll be watching and rooting for Ajla but Dayana is the hot Ukrainian talent lately.
Then of course it’s a Super Bowl party at my neighbors house – something I know nothing about. Absolutely ignoring the daily crisis of Trump shenanigans to ruin the country this weekend. Vile, corrupt man, that one.
Cheers and all the best, Alison. love, Elizabeh.
Thanks RC fantastic post, your a very generous lady, we are both doing great, busy but great looking forward to Spring and our camps, alot going on again this year lol, personally ignoring all the Brexit stuff over here too, the WTA is becoming very interesting this year, and i think Tsissy is going to be my new second favorite now with Andy out of the equation, i like your summary on Rafa and the RG / W double, but i dont think its possible with the way Novaks playing, but we will see i suppose, love and hugs Elizabeth , take care Alison XX
Alison — Notice my Feb. 2 prediction about Rafa above came true – at least the part about winning RG! Yikes.
As generous and sincere as I was at the time, I have to change my prediction about Wimbledon and say who knows about US Open. I don’t think Rafa or Nole will win Wimbledon. Can’t think of who will and I doubt it’s Federer. So it is probably between Rafa and Nole.
Also, despite words saying otherwise, I think there is a race to top Federer’s GS total the Rafa is leading the race. But Novak is also in it. Think if Novak did win Wimbledon and US Open – winning 3 GS this year, like in 2018? And also be begins 2020 with another AO win!! #16, #17, #18 and ties with Rafa then Rafa wins another RG and the three are #18 Novak, #19 Rafa, #20 Roger. Hmm, 😀 the race to beat Roger for #21 comes down to two more for Rafa and three more for Novak. Or maybe Rafa ends up at #21 and Novak ends up tied with Roger at #20. That’s fair enough for me.
I don’t believe the nonsense about the three of them “not caring” about GS count. I think it’s on all of their minds. These Goat contender’s are not telling the truth, of course the though drives them and motivates them. I doubt our generation will see anything like this again. The drive in Rafa and Novak ramped up and Federer was the rabbit to chase.
Federer’s chance at winning another GS really seems gone. LOL how many times have I said it. I thought he was done in 2013. But Novak and Rafa really do have a couple more years, I reckon. Maybe most fans would like Novak to go away, but he won’t…and neither will Rafa. Rafa getting married could give him just the boost he needs for 2020 – not saying he’s out of chances this year either. There is time for both of them – realistically. The field of players just keeps falling short – all of them, from the young ones to the guys like Cilic, Delpo, and Wawrinka,
My theory is that the young ones have not got in in their minds about what it takes to win best of 5 GS. If they brought back best of 5 to the masters finals, that would help. Tennis players are not driven like Rafa, Federer, Djokovic, and Murray were. So sad about Andy because he really did have it.
That’s my opinion. Usually I stay away from the goat race because it’s premature and useless until they all retire.
Cheers, Alison… almost summer solstice now, which makes me happy when the daylight begins getting shorter. I don’t like sunny, long hot days. Darkness and cold suits me fine as I get older.
Meet you here again in a year and lets see how whimsical and silly this post sounds. xx
Novak Djokovic: Doubts over timing of Covid test
By Jake Horton
BBC Reality Check
Published
9 hours ago
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/59999541
L’évolution prévue du passe vaccinal en France pourrait priver Djokovic de Roland-Garros
À ce jour, Novak Djokovic bénéficie d’un passe vaccinal valable en France jusqu’au 16 juin. Mais à partir du 15 février, sa date de péremption sera ramenée au 16 avril, ce qui rendrait impossible sa participation à Roland-Garros (23 mai – 5 juin), selon les protocoles en vigueur actuellement.
Google translate:
The planned evolution of the vaccination pass in France could deprive Djokovic of Roland-Garros
To date, Novak Djokovic has a valid vaccination pass in France until June 16. But from February 15, its expiry date will be brought back to April 16, which would make it impossible for it to participate in Roland-Garros (May 23 – June 5), according to the protocols currently in force.
https://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/Article/L-evolution-prevue-du-passe-vaccinal-en-france-pourrait-priver-djokovic-de-roland-garros/1313691
He will find a way to get infected again 🙂
Another perfectly timed article.
Defiant Novak Djokovic says he will REFUSE to play at Wimbledon and French Open if he needs a Covid vaccine to compete – but distances himself from anti-vax movement after Australia visa saga
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10513917/Novak-Djokovic-reveals-MISS-French-Open-Wimbledon-requires-Covid-vaccine.html#reader-comments
Novak Djokovic admits lack of matches a worry amid continuing schedule uncertainty after Jiri Vesely loss in Dubai
Novak Djokovic made his first appearance of the season in Dubai this week, winning two matches before suffering a surprise loss to world No 123 Jiri Vesely. Djokovic is set to lose the world No 1 ranking to Daniil Medvedev on Monday and it is unclear when he can play next as he is still unvaccinated. The 34-year-old says he still remains highly motivated to play tennis.
James Walker-Roberts
By
James Walker-Roberts
Published 25/02/2022 at 10:32 GMT
Novak Djokovic admits he needs more matches to get back to his best level amid continuing uncertainty over his schedule this season.
Djokovic suffered a surprise defeat to world No 123 Jiri Vesely in Dubai, meaning he will lose the world No 1 ranking to Daniil Medvedev on Monday.
That was Djokovic’s first tournament of the season and it is unclear where he will play next due to his inability to enter many tournaments without being vaccinated.
He will not be able to play in either of the ATP 1000 events in Indian Wells or Miami next month.
“I’m lacking a little bit of the match play. You can see that; I’m still finding the groove on the court,” said Djokovic after his loss to Vesely.
“The more matches I play, the more comfortable I get on the court. I need the match play. I didn’t have many matches at all last few months. Let’s see.
“Obviously I’ll have to follow the situation, see how it goes. Wherever I get an opportunity to play, I will. Hopefully that will be soon.”
After two straight-set wins in Dubai, Djokovic was unable to find his best level against Vesely, who came into the tournament with a 1-5 record for the season.
Despite the loss and the uncertainty over when he can play next, Djokovic, 34, says he still remains highly motivated to continue.
“My goal is to keep on playing tennis. That’s the ultimate goal. For as long as I really feel like it and as long as I can play. As long as my body allows me, as long as the circumstances in my life as well, the people that surround me [and] support me.
“I’m still motivated and I’m still p*ssed off when I lose a match. I care about it. I care about winning every match, as anybody else on the tour, regardless of the age. I’m actually glad that I’m feeling a lot of emotions every single day because it means that I really want to be part of this sport, part of the tour.
https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/novak-djokovic-admits-lack-of-matches-a-worry-amid-continuing-schedule-uncertainty-after-jiri-vesely_sto8815849/story.shtml
When could Djokovic play next?
As it stands Djokovic will not play Indian Wells or the Miami Open as anyone entering the USA needs to be vaccinated, with very few exceptions.
That means he likely won’t be in action again until April and will miss out on the opportunity to gain significant ranking points from the two ATP 1000 tournaments.
Djokovic is also set to miss the Monte Carlo Masters, which is the curtain-raiser for the clay-court season on April 10, after the French government ruled that all athletes will have to be vaccinated in order to compete in sporting events in the country.
“All the big events which will take place in France will also adopt the Covid pass,” said French MP Stanislas Guerini last month.
“Who would understand if we asked our citizens to make an effort and respect the rules if we authorise some to get out of them?”
https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/novak-djokovic-admits-lack-of-matches-a-worry-amid-continuing-schedule-uncertainty-after-jiri-vesely_sto8815849/story.shtml
Interesting. Djokovic is a Monte Carlo resident but I believe the MC tennis facility is actually in France. I suppose he could play challengers in some places. Like Serbia.
With all due respect, the tennis community has shown it will continue to move forward w/ or w/o Novak in tournaments.
Personally, I disagree w/ him & find his statements hypocritical, yet that decision has been & will be his to make.
Other athletes in various sports have chosen the same path, yet they have accepted what was to follow w/o stirring up as much controversy as Novak has.
Anyone who loves tennis would be lying if they did not say Novak makes any tournament better.
No exemptions should be granted in regards to public health for any such individual in my opinion, until such time they are lifted for all and this circuitous Nokak calamity can hopefully come to a closure.
Most importantly I’m greatly optimistic the toxic fringe that’s jumped into tennis will dissipate after we can all stop hearing about Novak & his unwillingness to get vaccinated.
Novax has split with Vajda and Peugeot have dumped him.
Things aren’t going well for him…
All his big titles have come with Vajda.
Vajda probably told him to get vaxxed. He seems to be a sensible sort. When (if) Novax comes to his senses he’ll probably hire Vajda back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxHo5UscqKo
US Open confirms vaccine status will rule out Novak Djokovic from tournament
Novak Djokovic’s hopes of playing in the US Open suffered another blow after the tournament said it would respect the United States government’s rules on the Covid-19 vaccine.
The US requires non-citizens to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus to enter the country, meaning Djokovic, who has made it repeatedly clear that he will not take the vaccine, will not be allowed entry.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jul/20/us-open-novak-djokovic-covid-19-vaccine-tennis
I don’t think the US government is interested in converting the US Open into the superspreader event that Wimbledon was. Plus the US gov’t doesn’t give a flying f*** about tennis. The US Open has no choice re Djokovic anyway. He can’t enter the country unless they change the entry rules and with covid infections ramping up again in the US I don’t see that happening. (Sorry for the rant. I guess I lost it when I heard that Martina Navratilova caught covid.)
The US Open are ‘supporting’ the US Governments decision- so by some miracle he managed to sneak his way in past all the security and arrive at Flushing Meadow, they wont let him play.Well done.
My sister lives in New York and said the cases of Covid are on the rise again. They really have no choice but to not allow Novak to play. There are NO exceptions. He should not have been allowed to play at Wimbledon. They should have let the Russians play and banned Novak. His stance on refusung to get vaccinated is behind irresponsible.
His stance on REFUSING to get vaccinated is BEYOND irresponsible. *
Real anonymous here.
No, you’re irresponsible for suggesting people shouldn’t be allowed to choose what they do to their own body.
Baloney! There is no such thing as absolute freedom! We can’t smoke in public places. Why? Because smoking causes lung cancer which kills. Small children have to be in car seats. We have to use seat belts and obey the speed limit.
So don’t pull out that crap about freedom! If you live in a society then you have to abide by certain rules. In a pandemic which has killed millions nobody gets to whine about freedom or choose what they do to their own body.
Vaccines have cured smallpox, polio, measles. Lives have been saved. Nothing is more important than that. If you don’t know that, you don’t know anything.
No exceptions for Novak or anyone else! If you don’t like it too damn bad!
As long as he accepts the consequences, he can do what he likes.
Vaccinations aren’t mandatory in the US or are they?
Unlike car seat belts, drink drive limits etc.
If they were mandatory then it would be either force isolation or forced jabbing- not nice,but at least it would save lives .
I know a few people in UK who never got vaxxed some of them scientists.Their argument is waiting for an immunisation drug.Im no expert in the difference.
See so many acting as if it’s aimed at Novak. It’s simply the law of the land for entry and no one is in any legal position to give him an exemption, especially when no one else, including rock stars, athletes and other celebrities, is being exempted. He can still choose to get vaccinated at any time like the entirety of his peers and play. His free choice.
Agree with you and anon. His choice, but he must accept the consequences.
Every decision has consequences, just, some are worse than others. Getting jabbed has consequences even though most people don’t realise it. No one can tell you with absolute certainty that you are the same biologically after getting vaccinated.
However, no one can tell you after you’ve been infected that you are the same, either.
Everyone has to make their own decision including weighing up the risk to others.
Thats true, but the problem is that ‘everyone’ includes people who arent capable of making a rational decision if you paid them huge sums of money
I can think of a few politicians who fit that …
For those that like to make convenient assumptions, I think it’s necessary that I clarify what I mean by “biologically”. Biologically and DNA are not synonymous. AFAIK, Covid infections and vaccines do not alter a person’s DNA but they can have long term affects known as “long Covid”, which can affect a person’s performance.
https://www.science.org/content/article/rare-cases-coronavirus-vaccines-may-cause-long-covid-symptoms
The basis for not getting vaccinated is justified IMO, so we need to respect his decision.
However, it’s contradictory to think it’s ok to get infected but not vaccinated, especially when you are probably more likely to get long COVID symptoms from having been infected.
Djokovic has that typical Serbian ‘trust no one except your family and yourself’ mentality which was most likely ingrained in him by his parents from a young age. I know this because I have friends from Serbia and that part of the world
Asking him to get vaccinated is like asking him to to forgoe his belief system and succumb to peer pressure. It ain’t gonna happen because it’s the foundation of who he is and the very reason for his success.
And for those that like to be pedantic about details and correctness.
‘Biology is not synonymous with DNA’.
Yes totally, it’s his career.
Strange thing is he says he not antivaxxer.
Nice to see so many on his fan thread.
So, until recently I had to show my vaccination card, just to enter a restaurant in NYC. Now, a global superstar can just shop up unvaccinated?? why? because of his celebrity status?
Well there you have it. Double standards.
I don’t know why anyone would bring up forced vaccinations. Of course we don’t have that. But there us no excuse for stupidity and ignorance. So why don’t people rant and rave about no smoking in public places? Isn’t that interfering with their freedom?
People were much smarter back in the day. We all hit the polio vaccine. There was no question about getting it. My sister and I got it at school. Today there are conspiracy theories and misinformation.
If Novak refuses to get vaccinated then there are consequences. No exceptions! My point is that there is no such thing as absolute freedom. We have the first amendment but you can’t yell fire in a crowded movie theater.
What I do not like is reading that Novak is being prevented from playing. That is not accurate. He is refusing to get vaccinated. His choice.
I am just really disappointed in the ignorance that seems to be everywhere today. I still remember my mother telling me about my grandmother putting camphor around her daughter’s necks to ward off polio. I think one hundred years ago when the Spanish flu pandemic killed millions of people, that they would have been grateful for a vaccine.
Is is such a shame that there is this blind ignorance among too many people. I am grateful for the vaccine.
We all GOT the polio vaccine. God bless the medical profession for helping to save lives.
Of course vaccines save lives .
People in high profile positions should be setting an example and there’s no double standards about that.
There is a double standard. Atul just said why. Al so, Novak went to Australia fuf the express purpose of getting an exception to play. His visa was false and did not indicate that he was traveling in the two weeks before the AO. He got his high paid, high powered lawyers to take the issue to court. Even though he was in the wrong! He wanted special treatment. That is a double standard and also an insult to the Australian people who were rightly outraged because they were living under very strict constraints because of Covid.
Nobody is saying he has to be forced to get vaccinated. However, we seem to be in agreement here that he has to accept the consequences. Ultimately Australia dud the right thing and made him leave the country.
Well he did have a medical exemption when he arrived. That was his argument.
Im disappointed he not be playing but the ball is totally in his court .If he wants to miss out on more Slam titles .I dont even know the reason he so against it as he says he not an antivaxxer.
Well that is hard to understand if he is not an antivaxxer.
I do remember now that he had the medical exemption. I think that was what his lawyers argued in court.
Of course it would be better if he played. It would be better for tennis. It’s hard for a player when he can’t get match play to remain sharp.
Well as a fan I still hope they find a way to get round the problem and he can play – it just depends on the current rules which change all the time . I mean how much of COVID restrictions did you see at Wimby?
*show up
And NNY: Dont think Im totally agreeing with you here , you dont want Nole to play at the US , as a fan , I do.
Similar to what you said about me wanting Rafa to withdraw from RG ,
In your own words darling
Dont give me that crap
You know, I am not going there with you. Think what you like. My issue is with him not being vaccinated. I have made that clear. It is better if everyone can play. That includes the Russians who were banned from Wimbledon. They should have been allowed to play.
Saying you wanted Rafa to withdraw from RG is mit the same as whether Novak should play at the USO. I would have preferred to see him get vaccinated and play. If you think it’s crap I don’t care.
I keep forgetting who I am dealing with here.
On a similar arrogant note, think yourself lucky Im discussing anything tennis related with you at all.
Sorry for that last bit.The late night version of me 😉
I hope he gets playing but not by some back door.Get vaccinated
Novak has withdrawn from Madrid.