Reilly Opelka continues to rise almost as fast a beanstalk, straight setting Pablo Carrena Busta. Fine win for the American over the slumping Spaniard who is having a quiet year.
Taylor Fritz just battled back from a break and mini break down to beat Grigor Dimitrov in the first set tiebreaker. Dan, have you stuck a fork in Dimitrov yet? Fritz showing dangerous power and clutch play.
Kiki Mladenovic looked good but not great in her first match with new coach Sasha Bajin but defending Madrid champ Petra Kvitova eliminated her 63 76. Both players looked similar despite one being a right and the other lefty, but Kvitova showed more emotional adrenaline, she wanted it more. Kiki is too stoic as a singles player, she shows more fire and fury in doubles. For some reason she does not show much positive emotion in singles, only after she loses, you may find her sitting on the ground crying and smashing racquets.
Del Potro returned with a doubles win with Nishikori, his first match since February when he lost in Delray Beach to McKenzie McDonald.
Rafael Nadal keeps psotponing his press conferences, two days in a row.
Feliciano Lopez is the tournament director and not playing.
David Ferrer had a big farewell ceremony attended by Nadal, Federer, Nishikorai, Cilic but there were two noticeable no shows… Djokovic or Del Potro.
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1 2 3 Next »catherine · May 6, 2019 at 12:52 pm
I saw some of Stephen’s match v Azarenka which Sloane won in 3 – looking better than she has for a while. Engagement and new coach might be the sparks she needs. I’m wondering if Vika can make it back now – she’s a bit slow from the matches I’ve seen.
Kiki probably worried too much about Kvitova – couldn’t see herself winning. Maybe Sascha can help her there. I was surprised to read that Kiki has more or less been without a coach for the past couple of years.
Nadal has a virus – so we’re told.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 1:21 pm
Catherine, you have a right to be cynical about the virus card play by Rafa. Thought he might play the mono light card. There has to be something to explain away the clay losses. Rafa is NOT the favorite right now to win Roland Garros. Kiki and Kvitova are very similar players, big tall strikers with power. Kvitova wants it more.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 1:24 pm
Fritz looked very good today. Major win to handle Dimitrov 7676. Big disappointment for Dimitrov who could be entering journeyman phase now, he’s ranked in the mid 40s. Fritz gets a rematch with Djokovic who beat him 6162 in Monte Carlo. Klizan blew four MPs vs Cilic and then got smoked in the third set TB.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 1:25 pm
Tiafoe won another tough three setter against Basilashvili, after losing the first set, just like against Nishikori last week. Tiafoe showing he is a really tough fighter, could he be the next Ferrer?
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 1:32 pm
Collins has YET ANOTHER NEW coach. So far this year Pat Harrison. Mat Cloer, some guy Stejn something and now Betsy Nagelson McCormack. I might have missed one. Chip Brooks was supposedly her coach late last year. Is this some kind of WTA record?
Hartt · May 6, 2019 at 1:52 pm
Don’t forget that Khachanov won a tough match over Munar, one that lasted 3 hours. The first set alone was 1 hour, 15 minutes, longer than a lot of matches. Karen finally broke his 5 match losing streak.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 2:06 pm
Double K sure needed that win. Let’s see what happens. Barry looks dominant. Collins is a fighter though, as we know.
Hartt · May 6, 2019 at 2:06 pm
I will post this here because it is the current thread and the Gimelstob thread is very long.
This should be required reading for anyone interested in the workings of the ATP.
https://www.si.com/tennis/2019/05/06/atp-board-justin-gimelstob-mens-tennis-conflict-interest
This article by sports law journalist Michael McCann takes a detailed look at the problems of the ATP board and its structure. He cites the Gimelstob case, but goes far beyond that, and gives several suggestions for improving the situation.
He begins by writing:
“Justin Gimelstob has long been a walking contradiction in the world of tennis. The 42-year-old former player had been a coach, broadcaster, TV show producer, governing authority—and in the eyes of many, a sexist, a homophobe and a batterer. He has bid for a production contract from those he’s supposed to oversee. He has broadcasted matches of players he coaches. He has enjoyed an authoritative role in the sport despite uttering boorish comments. In spite of it all, Gimelstob had, until now, faced no meaningful repercussions from the tennis community.”
catherine · May 6, 2019 at 2:54 pm
Hartt – didn’t you read those comments on the previous thread threatening us with dire consequences if we kept on posting criticisms of Grimelstop ?
catherine · May 6, 2019 at 3:05 pm
Barty beats Collins by the amazing score of 6-1 1-6 6-1.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 3:42 pm
Very good article but a little long and tedious. ATP definitely is overdue for a clean up. And Djokovic has some explaining to do. Terrible look for tennis that Gimelstob was paid about $5m over 5 years to produce that TV show. I think they could have cut that pay by a lot and given it to the lower ranked players who need it more. Terrible look by Gimelstob to take that much money and the ATP for giving it to him.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 3:43 pm
Barty’s coach Craig Tyzzer told her after set two to stop giving Collins so much pace to work with, use the slice, and make it a physical match. Worked perfectly.
catherine · May 6, 2019 at 3:58 pm
What if this had been a GS and no occ ? Would Ashleigh have lost ? I hate to think so.
Would Kerber have lost at the AO if Schuettler had come down and told her to change her tactics ?
If if…….
jg · May 6, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Where is Querry, is he bagging the clay court season, definitely a changing of the US players–lets see if Johnson can win a round, with Isner and Sock out, its Tifoe, Fritz, Opelka and Paul (who may be the biggest threat on clay)
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 6:37 pm
Good questions, no one knows the answer.
Scoop Malinowski · May 6, 2019 at 6:38 pm
Courier should go with Tiafoe Fritz Opelka and Paul for Davis Cup, let the veterans concentrate on their rankings.
Jg · May 6, 2019 at 6:41 pm
What about Kyrigos going out to play his first round with a backpack and 2 racquets ( he smashed one)
Sherry · May 6, 2019 at 9:24 pm
Scoop – Why do you think “Djokovic has some explaining to do”? If you read the legal opinion Hartt posted, the Men’s Tennis Council would have needed 7 out of 10 votes to remove Gimelstob (Djokovic would have accounted for a single vote, pro or con). And the Council would only have been involved after the Board failed to make a decision. I’d be very much surprised if the Men’s Tennis Council has anything at all to do with awarding contracts such as the one Gimelstob’s production company received. Blame the ATP CEO or its Board for that.
Vijay · May 6, 2019 at 9:50 pm
Interesting article about Djokovic’s take on Gimelstob and the future . . .
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/may/06/novak-djokovic-justin-gimelstob
Vijay · May 6, 2019 at 9:56 pm
Thanks for the SI link Hartt.
I think it’s a joke that the players haven’t yet unionised. This can only happen if the big 4 and a good chunk of the top 20 present a unified front. But then they also have to be willing to open up the ATP, get a proper governance structure and be open to outside scrutiny with regards to pay, control, etc.
There’s also no reason why the ATP can’t insist that tournaments at the same level (Grand Slams, ATP Tour Masters 1000, Tour 500, Challengers, Futures, etc) get together and work on getting the same sponsors across all the tournaments, and have some common ownership. In other words, they should try and behave as if they are one entity. This will undoubtedly ruffle some feathers, but in the long run, this will lead to more growth, and more revenues for the tournaments, because they will have more guaranteed money.
When the NBA and NFL players bargain with their owners, they have lots of professional economists and antitrust lawyers on their side. Who do the players have?
Anonymous · May 6, 2019 at 11:51 pm
Djokovic has spoken, he is not alone. Many players are backing Gimelstob. The wheels are being set in motion for his redemption. The NYT will help provide cover for Gimelstob as well.
If you think this is the last you have seen of him, you are all wrong. Just accept it and don’t worry about things that do not concern you.
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 1:31 am
I thought this thread was about Madrid and now it seems to be all about Gimelstob again.
‘Anonymous’ – what a weird comment (with slightly spooky undercurrents). Would be interesting (but not very) if you told us who you really are. As it is I can’t take you seriously.
Scoop Malinowski · May 7, 2019 at 7:44 am
Yes they will take a pause then push hard again to shoehorn him back to power. The question is will the public and anti gims accept? We saw how fierce the outrage was, the backlash is what kicked him out. Not sure if Djokovic and nyt can reinstall him.
Scoop Malinowski · May 7, 2019 at 7:46 am
Vijay, maybe it’s time for an evolutionary change in tennis, a major revolt and rebuild, like when Drysdale and company altered the pro tennis universe.
Scoop Malinowski · May 7, 2019 at 7:50 am
Sherry, Djokovic has to explain this allegiance to Gimelstob. What he did was enough to be expelled from power permanently. Worse than Donald Sterling and the SF Giants executive. There are many more qualified replacements. Also, ask Djokovic, should g imelstob be given a second chance to be ATP President if he murdered Kaplan?
Scoop Malinowski · May 7, 2019 at 7:51 am
Jg, we may one day see kyrgios ride a unicycle onto court to play a match.????
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 8:09 am
What’s priceless about that sentence: ‘Just accept it and don’t worry about things that do not concern you’ – first, it’s a tennis story and T-P is a tennis site so of course it concerns us, and second Anonymous sounds like a pompous dictators’s henchman telling the hoi polloi to shut their eyes and ears to unpleasant things going on around them.
My betting is that Grimelstrop will not be reinstalled in any major role and why should he be ? I believe a civil action is a possibility anyway so that’ll take a while.
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 8:12 am
Scoop – don’t give Nick any ideas 🙂
Vijay · May 7, 2019 at 8:54 am
Catherine, I wouldn’t be so flippant in my dismissal of Anonymous, if I were you. Just the other day I said something less than complimentary about Gimelstob at the courts, and now I have a funny itch between my toes. Coincidence? I think not.
Remember Litvinenko and the polonium? Wasn’t he a tennis nut? Are you sure he didn’t have any runins with Gimelstob?
Thanks for the warning, Anonymous. I’ll take heed now, and I’m glad you’re watching out for the rest of us.
Vijay · May 7, 2019 at 9:00 am
Scoop, I think the place to start is the Masters 1000 tourneys. Get the top 30 players to say they are going to boycott them all, and instead go to some alternate organisers unless there is (i) a full accounting of revenues and costs, and (ii) coordination and cost sharing among all these tournaments. (I’m sure they can find alternates in a year.)
The other strange part is that so much of tennis is played outside the US. The top players are in the US for less than 10 weeks in a year. I don’t get that. If you want money, play in the US for half the year. Get on TV, late night shows. Do more endorsements. It makes no sense to want more money and want to get it outside the US.
Golf does that. 3 of the 4 majors are in the US.
A radical thought might be moving the Australian Open to Miami. Weather is similar in January. It would save people so much travel time. IIRC, in the early late 70s and early 80s, lots of the top pros didn’t go to the Australian Open because of low prize money and the distance.
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 9:45 am
Vijay
Move the AO to Miami ? You cannot be serious 🙂
And BTW, the US is not the centre of the universe. Tennis is an international sport which has always been played around the globe. Unless all the tournaments eventually end up in China. Which is a possibility because in a few decades that’s where the money will be.
I’m not frightened of Anonymous but I’m not currently opening any strange looking mail or walking unaccompanied after dark. Not sure he/she knows where I live but I’m sure that wouldn’t be an obstacle. Grimelstrap clearly has contacts in very high places.
I hope your toes are better now.
Hartt · May 7, 2019 at 9:57 am
As someone who does not live in the US, I agree with Catherine that the USA is not the centre of the universe (or at least the tennis universe).
For tennis to be more popular in the States, they need some exciting top players, at least on the men’s side. There are a couple good American youngsters, but they have a way to go in terms of success and popularity.
Hartt · May 7, 2019 at 10:00 am
I came to report that Fognini had a straightforward win over Edmung, taking it 6-4, 6-3. (But of course got sidetracked.) Fog seems very confident, although he did say that sometimes he is bothered by an injury. But another player having a lot of success as an older guy.
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 10:50 am
Not the most fascinating day on men’s or women’s sides, as yet. No upsets. Nadal says he’s still not in top shape and hints at off court worries. Getting ready to play Felix of course.
Federer plays last match for the men and Kerber for the women. Angie should beat Martic and I can see her reaching sf maybe – she has a good draw on paper.
Simona had a tight first set v Konta but ran away in the 2nd. She has a cold but seemed to move around freely.
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 11:59 am
Angie withdraws with a right ankle injury she picked up in practice a day or so ago. Very disappointing for her after a virus kept her out of action for a coule of weeks and not a good augury for Paris. She sounded quite disconsolate. I guess she may skip Rome.
catherine · May 7, 2019 at 12:33 pm
Koslova rescues Ukraine tennis in Madrid and beats Ka Pliskova in 3. I don’t know much about Koslova but from the little I saw of the match live she seemed to be playing well.
Hartt · May 7, 2019 at 12:56 pm
David Ferrer’s tennis career isn’t over just yet. He won a long, tough match against RBA that lasted 2 hours, 37 minutes. He will face Sascha Zverev next.
Vijay · May 7, 2019 at 4:20 pm
Of course the US isn’t the center of the tennis universe. That’s exactly the problem. Roger and Rafa are more popular in the US than possibly even Pete and Andre. They should spend at least 16 weeks of the year here. Plus another 12 weeks in Europe. Which is why the AO should be in Miami.
Sure, tennis is a global sport, but if players want to make more money, they need more exposure, and paying viewers. Turns out, people in the US have more money to spend.
The NBA has players from over 50 countries. Novak was at a Lakers game a couple of months ago, sitting next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He must have been wondering why the 9th best player on the Lakers (~ 250th best player in the league) will make more money than he will this year. In the 70s, basketball players made the same amount as tennis players. It’s not even close anymore. Lots of basketball players now make over $35 million a year.
Sure, play tournaments in Algeria and Morocco and Turkey and a thousand other places. But don’t complain then that people aren’t making money. While Novak has a point about players making more money, he isn’t seeing the big picture. Tennis needs to spend more time in the US and Europe otherwise it will always be a niche sport.
Hartt · May 7, 2019 at 4:23 pm
There may be a trial in the Gimelstob case after all. According to an article in the LA Times:
“Los Angeles County prosecutors want tennis broadcaster Justin Gimelstob’s no-contest plea in a Halloween attack tossed out after he denied committing the crime in court papers seeking a temporary restraining order against the man he is accused of injuring.”
The judge had warned Gimelstob not to deny his guilt.
“But Deputy Dist. Atty. Lucrecia Boado says Gimelstob denied the attack after his appearance before Kalra.
In efforts to haul Gimelstob back into court, Boado said he signed a statement in a restraining order claiming that Randy Kaplan — the victim in the attack — “initiated the physical altercation” by “aggressively shoving me.”
Gimelstob alleged that Kaplan was angry because he got the better of him in the ensuing fight and posed a threat to him, Boado said. The prosecutor said that Gimelstob was asserting self-defense and asked the judge to take the appropriate action in vacating the initial ruling.”
Hartt · May 7, 2019 at 6:06 pm
If playing in the US were super profitable, tournaments there would not have closed over the last few years. I imagine there are many countries in the world, including Japan, that can bring a lot of $ to tennis in both prize money and endorsements. Apparently Kei Nishikori makes an absolute fortune in endorsements. (I just checked. Last year Forbes reported that Nishikori earned $33 million in endorsements in a year.)
In terms of what the top players make you have to include endorsements which, for many of them, outstrip their prize $. It’s been reported that Novak’s Lacoste deal alone is worth $9 million per year.
As far as spending 16 weeks in the US and another 12 in Europe, players like Rafa and Fed won’t be playing nearly that number of weeks in total, both are limiting their schedules. They have paid their dues and have a right to protect their aging bodies from playing an intensive schedule.
catherine · May 8, 2019 at 2:11 am
Vijay
It really isn’t all about the money. Tennis is one of the few sports which is truly international. It’s not basketball, American football, baseball. You can’t compare those sports with tennis.
You do seem to be serious about moving the Aust Open to Miami. Why ? Obviously it wouldn’t be the AO anymore and tennis in Australia would die. Is that what you want ? How about moving Wimbledon to New Jersey ? Why should the US be the centre of the tennis universe ? Why should any country ? Tennis has always been a niche sport – that’s the way it is. Not to say plenty of players don’t make vast fortunes – as Hartt points out many players make far more in endorsements that they do on court, regardless of where they are playing. How greedy do you want to get ?
One of the aims of the ATP and WTA is to spread and encourage the game globally. Locking it up in the US won’t help that happen. Tennis is a relatively expensive sport in terms of player development so countries which are not wealthy need support from their national associations, from tournaments and from sponsors. If that means a few top players don’t become trillionaires then so what ? Maybe they should take their noses out of the money bags for a few seconds and think about the game which has so richly rewarded them.
In any case, money and power is moving away from the West, so now is not the time to turn tennis into a US sport – read a book called ‘The future is Asian’ by Parag Khanna. And then apply to tennis.
catherine · May 8, 2019 at 2:23 am
Does Caroline Wozniaki still support Liverpool FC ? If so then last night should take her mind off her back injury and give her inspiration – You’ll Never Walk Alone Caro 🙂
Dan Markowitz · May 8, 2019 at 6:21 am
Does anyone know why Opelka retired against Thiem in the third set at 1-0? Pella is having a wonderful clay court season. Only saw a little of Federer’s decimation of Gasquet. It’s amazing how fit Federer still looks and how regal. Big match today, Nada v Felix and on a lower level Tiafoe v Kohlschreiber.
Hartt · May 8, 2019 at 7:50 am
Opelka had treatment on his back shortly before he retired.
Even as a fan of FAA, I don’t think Rafa will have a problem winning this match – so much experience in contrast to a very young player.
Kei vs Dellien is a surprisingly entertaining match. Kei won the first set 7-5, but Hugo came back from a huge deficit in that set to make it close. Poor Kei has something like 3/20 BPs so far.
catherine · May 8, 2019 at 7:53 am
Halep won 12 straight games in disposing of Kuzmova.
Hartt · May 8, 2019 at 8:24 am
I gather that Liverpool FC had a big win. The only thing I know about football (soccer) is that Sloane Stephens supports Toronto FC because her fiance plays for the team. And recently Bianca walked out the ball, I think the term is, before a Toronto FC game. 🙂
catherine · May 8, 2019 at 8:28 am
Dimitrov dumps coach Valleverdu. Unfortunately I think Grigor has missed the bus. He was too good looking in his youth.
catherine · May 8, 2019 at 8:41 am
Hartt – I don’t follow football (my local club is useless anyway) but couldn’t avoid the hysteria when Liverpool beat Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield last night. You’ll Never Walk Alone is the Liverpool anthem – don’t ask me why.
Bianca’s probably a football fan from the Roumanian heritage. Not sure why Wozniaki picked on Liverpool, it’s not a fashionable club. She used to walk around in a warm-up jacket with Gerrard on the back (former captain).
Sloane’s fiance has a reputation for being often injured – so more time for watching Sloane’s matches 🙂
catherine · May 8, 2019 at 8:48 am
Kerber supports Bayern Munich. There’s a youtube clip of her and Petko arguing about it a few years ago. Maybe they’ve changed their minds now. The Liverpool coach is German which must get up the noses of Brexiteers (oh sorry no politics ).
Hartt · May 8, 2019 at 9:38 am
We have sometimes talked about “Behind the Racquet” the series where players talk about something important in their careers. This one by Peter Polansky is very dramatic. I knew about the incident in Mexico where he went through a window, but had not realized his injuries were so severe they could have ended his career. The doctors in Mexico even wanted to amputate his leg.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwXx7cmgzgb/?hl=en