Rod Laver, the winner of eleven Grand Slam singles titles and the Grand Slam of 1962 and 1969, was active on Twitter today sharing some of his thoughts and views…
- Ben Shelton is the new player on the tour. We’re going to see him winning a Slam, he’s got one of the biggest serves, a big left-hander, he doesn’t make many mistakes. He sees an opening and he goes for it.
- Rafa has had such a great career. I’d love to be able to see him play one more time. He’s a student of the game.
- I’m honoured that the Australian has my name on the centre court. Roger Federer was instrumental in naming the Laver Cup after me. I’m honoured he felt that way about my career.
- ON HIS FAVORITE MATCH: Probably the most important was against Rosewall in the WCT final in ’72. Back then, tennis wasn’t exposed to the public. The NBC televised the event and it really took off. All the tennis courts were full that year. Interest in the game exploded.
- BIGGEST CHANGE FROM HIS DAY TO TODAY: The rackets. The wooden rackets were great to play tennis with, but you have to generate all your own power. It made the game too tough for people. Metal rackets exposed the whole game, and made it more popular for women to play. They got their kids into the sport.
- BEST PLAYER HE’S SEEN (Not statistically): Lew Hoad. I grew up with him, played against him, I saw him win Wimbledon in ’56 and at the US. He had such ability. His charisma was great, everything he did.
- MOST SPECIAL GRAND SLAM: All the Slams have their own identity. Wimbledon for me, I won four of them, and of course the Australian – I won the first one in Brisbane against Neale Fraser. He had me two sets to love and I crept all the way back. He hasn’t forgiven me!
- FAV COUNTRY VISITED: Where the Grand Slams live … Paris, London, Melbourne and New York. Wimbledon and tennis goes hand in hand, so probably England is my favorite country.
- WHO WOULD HE HAVE LIKED TO PLAY OUTSIDE HIS ERA: Hoad was in my era but he had a bad back and wasn’t able to play when I rose up. I played McEnroe and Borg at the end of my career, but I would have liked to have played them in the Grand Slams.
- DARKHORSE PICK TO WIN AO24? Any of the top 10 could come out and win it, but we could see a surprise finalist such as Tiafoe. He’s certainly capable.
Frances Tiafoe · Laver Cup · Lew Hoad · Rod Laver
Cyndy · September 27, 2023 at 3:59 am
“Congrats Team World 🌎 on a dominant week.
Wonderful Tennis 🎾
Can’t wait for Berlin 2024”
❤️💙
Scoop Malinowski— as you can see the quote/unquote from Federer on the recently played Laver Cup in Vancouver. Hmmm so why no mention of congratulating Djokovic on the USOpen win I wonder. And anyway I totally didn’t enjoy watching the Laver cup in its entirety as compared to last year’s edition and the previous years. I used to just turn the tv off already knowing who would win as the other team namely Team Europe were so lackluster in comparison. Ah well hope they don’t have it anymore as it would not make a difference too. Okay and if I say it seemed more like an inter college competition and even the commentators kept saying that in their non stop pile on commentary. They seemed to go with that kind of thing !and …. My local daily didn’t have any mention of the so called Laver cup except for Sakkari winning in Guadalajara. Laver cup should be done away with I do thinks.
Scoop Malinowski · September 27, 2023 at 8:44 am
Cyndy, My NY Post also totally ignored Laver Cup, not one mention of any result in the Sunday edition and not even in the Sports Shorts, though it did mention it in the sports tv listings. It’s a totally irrelevant event and at this point it preys on the less educated tennis fans who don’t understand what is going on with it. Federer has the clout to attract sponsors but the boredom of it all this weekend surely will provoke some second thoughts about investing in such a dull silly competition. Like I said, I would prefer to watch a US Open or qualies match, or some of the heated matches down at the local public courts. I’d even prefer to watch Djokovic play golf which he’s doing today at Ryder Cup. The bottom line is Laver Cup failed miserably to be a copycat imitation of Ryder Cup.
Cyndy · September 27, 2023 at 9:52 am
I do agree with you Scoop Malinowski. Thanks for the info too on Djokovic being at the Ryder Cup. Surely will be good to watch.
Scoop Malinowski · September 27, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Cyndy, Novak played some kind of golf match exhibition with other celebrity athletes, F1 driver, etc. Some good highlights on twitter, lot of fun, crowd very vocally supportive of Novak.
Cyndy · September 28, 2023 at 4:32 am
Scoop Malinowski—yes I did eventually see some of the pictures and comments about Djokovic at the Ryder cup and it surely seemed like a great event. Thank you for letting me know on it as I didn’t know he would be there and playing golf! So interesting too!
Scoop Malinowski · September 28, 2023 at 8:15 am
Cyndy, Ryder Cup is very very entertaining. I watched it one year in 1994 and it became a favorite event. But I never watched enough of it ever since, due to time and other activities and work. But I wish I could sit back and absorb the whole thing over three full days on TV or live. I also believe the passion and fury of tennis has influenced Ryder Cup through Rory McIlroy. I wrote this article about it years ago https://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/tennis-intensity-influences-and-sparks-ryder-cup-golf/
Cyndy · September 28, 2023 at 10:26 am
Interesting and interesting! I thank ye Scoop Malinowski for kindly sending me the link, how nice of you to do too and I do hope you can indulge in some free time to sit back and watch it in enjoyable fashion!.
Scoop Malinowski · September 28, 2023 at 11:50 am
Cyndy, it really is a thrilling competition, serious tension and hostility and they settle it on a golf course. Just wish I could really watch it full length and study and enjoy this unique team competition. Surprised tennis media didn’t take note of how tennis probably has influenced it. Also interesting Ryder Cup invited Novak to be a part of it, but not Nadal who is a pretty serious golfer.
Sam · September 30, 2023 at 5:03 am
Wait, I’m confused—Djokovic is playing in the Ryder Cup? I don’t know anything about the event, but I would assume it’s for pro golfers?? 🤔
Scoop Malinowski · September 30, 2023 at 8:30 am
Sam, no he’s not playing in the actual competition, but he did play the warmup exo with some other sports celebrities and then he decided to stick around and watch and support Team Europe vs Team USA. But from what I see it looks like Team Europe has made Djokovic an honorary team member/assistant team captain, as he’s wearing the team polo that all the players are wearing. His presence and support is surely inspiring Team Europe to a record breaking rout of USA which is crumbling in disarray and frustration. Team USA didn’t have the sense to bring in any inspiring sports figures to help spark their team. The greatness of Djokovic is surely rubbing off on the European golfers and he’s also learning from them too. Once again Djokovic is a part of another monumental victory, this time in Ryder Cup.
Sam · October 2, 2023 at 5:47 pm
USA which is crumbling in disarray and frustration.
Well, Scoop, that’s just sounds like the U.S. in general these days. 😜
The greatness of Djokovic is surely rubbing off on the European golfers and he’s also learning from them too. Once again Djokovic is a part of another monumental victory, this time in Ryder Cup.
Good to hear it.
Scoop Malinowski · October 2, 2023 at 9:05 pm
Sam, Djokovic’s positive inspiring energy certainly played a factor in Team Europe’s triumph, No one is more inspiring right now than Novak and his extraordinary example.
Cyndy · October 3, 2023 at 11:07 am
Scoop Malinowski— did you watch the Sinner/Alcaraz semi finals match (Beijing)? What a great match played by Sinner.. he was at his best and played great points winning some awesome shots.. he deserved to win this match and I was hoping he’d win against Alcaraz! Which he did… so calm throughout..the commentators were totally flummoxed!! Saying Alcaraz has a new rival (bearing in mind it was Djokovic prior!) I really hope he wins the title as he so deserves it specially when he was so close in all his recent matches.
Scoop Malinowski · October 3, 2023 at 1:16 pm
Cyndy, no not yet, Sinner has a good record vs Carlos, 3-3 I think now. I believe Carlos has not recovered from the Cincy final loss vs Djokovic with the match point and all the establishment and hype calling Carlos the greatest of all time and pressuring him to live up to the impossible image and expectation of winning 25 grand slams has taken a negative effect on his mind and his joy for playing. It is a terrible feeling when you are expected to win every tournament you show up at. That’s what the media and establishment has done to this poor kid. Instead of just letting it happen naturally. They were so desperate to destroy Djokovic with this kid as their weapon, they may have destroyed Carlos instead.
Sam · October 6, 2023 at 8:08 am
That’s what the media and establishment has done to this poor kid.
Nothing that a li’l spying by his dad at his opponents’ practices can’t fix. 😂
Scoop Malinowski · October 6, 2023 at 8:54 am
With all the tennis deep state did to help Carlos slay Djokovic, draws, ranking points gifts, and Lord knows what else, for him to have failed to dethrone Djokovic has to be devastating for Carlos who has failed to do what the tennis deep state intended, planned, plotted and schemed for him.
Sam · October 8, 2023 at 3:34 pm
If after all that help, you STILL can’t dethrone Djokovic, then Houston, we’ve got a problem. 🤭
Cyndy · October 9, 2023 at 7:35 am
Scoop Malinowski —. Alcaraz still playing at Shanghai masters and I’m not sure why he’s so obsessed with being No.1. To be fair the guys with the most slams namely Djokovic/Nadal/Federer didn’t ever say they only want to be number one … they kept playing their stellar tennis and that’s how they achieved… so what gives with Alcaraz who has already risen to a height very fast unlike any of the other players..Medvedev who beat him at the USOpen is out so he ‘prolly’ has his hopes on a high. He plays against D.Evans today …
Scoop Malinowski · October 9, 2023 at 7:50 am
Cyndy, he may get multi million dollar bonuses from sponsors each time he becomes no. 1. Or Nike and Babolat are pushing him to get the no. 1 ranking. When Marcelo Rios became no. 1 in April 1998 for winning Miami Open vs Agassi, he earned $2.5m bonuses from both Nike and Yonex. A top Nike exec told me this for my book on Rios. Carlos may get the no. 1 ranking but it’s false, Novak is the true no. 1, he won three Grand Slams this year. Everybody knows this, Carlos included.
Cyndy · October 9, 2023 at 8:48 am
Scoop Malinowski —. Alcaraz still playing at Shanghai masters and I’m not sure why he’s so obsessed with being No.1. To be fair the guys with the most slams namely Djokovic/Nadal/Federer didn’t ever say they only want to be number one … they kept playing their stellar tennis and that’s how they achieved… so what gives with Alcaraz who has already risen to a height very fast unlike any of the other players..Medvedev who beat him at the USOpen is out so he ‘prolly’ has his hopes on a high. He plays against D.Evans today
Cyndy · October 9, 2023 at 8:59 am
Scoop Malinowski— the commentators don’t seem very forthcoming in their comments in this match Alcaraz /Evans… almost feels like it’s Alcaraz they want to win.. power and power that’s what it feels … Alcaraz wins the first set when Evans had his chances …
Cyndy · October 9, 2023 at 10:09 am
Scoop Malinowski— yea I remember that name Marcelo Rios back in the 90s.. for sure.. people keep saying Alcaraz is humble etc but I don’t buy it when I see the way he talks etc…I just heard Alcaraz speak his post match talk and yes he used that word which I always like to italiize “prolly”!! Post match he also spends a lot of time signing etc… a strategy thinking it will win him double more likes and fans … he knows he’s going to win Shanghai unless he’s stopped by a player/any player from hereon. Evans was absolutely no match failing to utilise his chances, which ultimately left Evans shaking his head in sheer disbelief!
Scoop Malinowski · October 9, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Cyndy, The establishment wants Carlos as no. 1, not Djokovic. They may want it more than he himself wants it. Now the paradigm has shown there are two different icon champions – the puppets Rafa and Federer and the outsider, free thinker, authentic, people’s champion. Carlos will make his choice on what he wants to be, at some point.
Scoop Malinowski · October 9, 2023 at 12:39 pm
Interesting words from veteran journeyman Marco Trungelliti from Argentina, not very happy with Federer and Nadal at all. ATP lower ranked player Argentinian Marco Trungelliti in an interview with La Nacion yesterday;
“People may like it or not but Federer or Nadal never said anything, they are complicit with how bad the system is as they were not able to open their mouths even ONCE and fight for the rights of players. As players they can be great but as humans trying to improve the system they seem very poor to me. This is why Djokovic and Pospisil are doing so well, I met him (Djokovic) at the US open and thanked him for what he is doing for the players. The one that hurts me the most is clearly Federer because with his weight of charisma, if he really wanted to change things, they could have been changed.”
Cyndy · October 9, 2023 at 9:55 pm
Scoop Malinowski — Very frank and rightly said by Marco Trungelliti., thank you for sharing this. It will be interesting to see the various reactions and not become a sweep under the carpet kind of thing.
Scoop Malinowski · October 10, 2023 at 8:13 am
Cyndy, there is a sense now the players are revolting against Nadal/Federer/ATP regime which they believe mistreated them. Trungelliti is a mouthpiece for many other players who no longer fear the consequences of criticizing Federer due to the presence of Djokovic, who is a sort of savior and leader for the lower ranked players. Things are going to get very interesting as more and more players will be emboldened by Trungelliti and Djokovic. Federer and Nadal’s selfishness and disregard for helping lower ranked struggling players may come back to haunt them. It really is a massive credit to Djokovic that at the same time he’s fighting to be the greatest of all time, fighting the corrupt establishment and media, he’s also fighting for the rights and livelihoods of the struggling lower ranked players. Now we know who the lion is and who the two small cats are.
Cyndy · October 10, 2023 at 10:00 am
Absolutely Scoop Malinowski— I do hope that they will be called out by various sources in various avenues available through the social platforms. Not sure what or how helpful is the Nadal academy in Mallorca., which atm doesn’t seem to be churning out any player of value… last one Ruud it seems like. Even I read that Federer has enrolled one of his daughters at the academy… probably just to appease Nadal what else. Such fake acts among these once top guys doesn’t impress.
Scoop Malinowski · October 10, 2023 at 11:17 am
Cyndy, Ruud went to Rafa Academy after he was already a top junior. Same thing with Alexandra Eala, who was already a top junior from Philippines and is progressing slowly as a pro, now around 200 WTA. Daniel Rincon is another top junior from Rafa Academy who is progressing slowly as pro.