Harry Cicma Revives Pro Tennis In Bradenton

Thiem is welcome to his own opinion. As I said I think less of him because of his approach to Muster, Mladenovic and now the tour in general. He has shown some fine form but I’m not going to root for him anytime soon. I reserve that right as well, and as it is I’ve thought I need to expand well beyond the top players and remember trench tennis where players are battling for something other than a nicer set up.

I’m not anti Thiem. I just think he puts his foot in his mouth. I don’t think he has it in him to play the bad guy, but I have seen in Thiem something other than generosity and I’m sorry it’s on display. He could do worse than get out of his way. If he wants to motivate other players, he’s well on his way.

As said before players need other players. This isn’t an exhibition sport and even if a few players ultimately hoist the trophy they still need to show they are better than the competition. The last decade with only a few champions has put forth an illusion that there can only be a handful of champions, and that’s not normal in tennis and won’t be in the future. I’d like to believe Thiem knows his time in the spotlight is likely short lived given this is an absurd era where a few players dominated. I don’t think he’s Thiem the dominator, just Thiem the Austrian Gasquet.

As to Gauff-mania, the award isn’t a big deal and it’s a shared thing so maybe go ahead and take the award and ask that other players get it in the future too. It speaks more to the PR machine or magazine editors grasping for things to appreciate, Gauff had no play here. It won’t affect her one way or the other, other than to maybe appreciate that she’s had some serious success at a very young age.

No disagreement from me. It’s still not a big deal. Gauff didn’t pick up a racquet to be in People Magazine. Cory Gauff didn’t raise her to seek media glory. And everyone well knows that tennis as far as glory is concerned cares only about whether a player gets their name on a slam trophy or not. That’s the way to the hall of fame. Otherwise it’s sorry the sport doesn’t have any space in Newport for you.

I wish all players luck on that one! It’s a tough challenge and you either need an amazing run or a lot of luck. Otherwise you’re Lendl at Wimbledon: trying hard but hapless.

I don’t mind Gauff -she’s pretty good for her age. What does grate are those faux philosophical comments she spouts which sound silly coming out of the mouth of a teenager who has zero experience of life as yet and are clearly coming from her parents/agent.

Coco sounds like Naomi’s older sister sometimes – weird.

The Gauff camp has bigger issues than that award. On Behind the Racquet she said she was depressed for about a year and needed to start playing tennis for herself and not others. Then dad went crazy, calling NY Times to say she was not medically diagnosed with depression. Gauff also said she was holed up in her house and not practicing. We live 8 miles away from her and none of our girls has missed a session. Plenty of courts available if you look. CoCo also said she was planning to go to the prom this year with her friends until it was cancelled.

She sounds like a kid who has zero interest in being the greatest ever like dad says. Good for her, play tennis for yourself not dad. If she just wants to be another decent player and not sacrifice to be great, its her call.

Sure sounds like burnt out by 16. I remember when she showed up with dad to South County Regional Park at age 7. She would work with Sly Black and his daughters, Hurricane and Tornado. Ladder drills, footwork. By 8 she was winning junior matches and by age 9 her dad and her would tell everyone that she would be the best ever. She won all things juniors by age 13-14. Pro at 15. Looking for a reset at age 16.

Zhuk – Quite a few W’don junior champs have not made it, male and female.

Barty has but she took a break soon after.

Stream returned and Bertens wiped Kerber 3-0 and nerds were all complaining about the quality of the brand of game – not looking at the ‘tennis’. I don’t think Angie is much of a gamer actually. Kiki looked in good form 🙂

Rafa strained his back.

Hard for me to think about players that don’t have some resentment – I think Tomic, etc is an extreme case, where he plays awful to spite everyone for his life. But he’s a version of it – precocious talent, does well, makes money and far more than break even, then resents things.

Nadal, lives for the sport, grateful – he’s rare.

I can’t speak for Gauff, but I am sorry there’s so much stigma associated with depression, even mild forms. I’d say she’s a teenager and there’s quite a rollercoaster of emotion. There is at many ages, but usually because of life experiences later on rather than because of age. For teenagers it’s 100 percent their age.

My guess is they are still figuring all of this out. I think a few tennis parents have done it better, but I don’t think I’d handle it well if I were being written about as a tennis pro and then read about myself.

Roddick was FAMOUS for blowing up when he didn’t like what was written about him. Jon Wertheim has a nice anecdote about it which he put up on his tennis mailbag. He writes a piece on Roddick, maybe somewhat negative. Roddick tells him you and I have to talk. They go into an empty room and have at it, no hold barred heated discussion, tons of cursing, gloves off in terms of colorful language.

Years later, no big deal, they talk.

No one likes what’s written about them. And if it’s good writing by a decent journalist, they shouldn’t.

Also, it’s a bad idea for writer and subject to have any discussion about the article, or whatever it was, afterwards. It’s done. If you’re in the public eye you’re going to be talked about and outside libel, all’s fair.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/28/when-will-sports-return-coronavirus-covid-19-medical-experts

And some expert opinions.

Sigh (again). Before I run from this topic I’d like to know why the rest of the world has to suffere because someone wants to get rid of Trump ? Seems a bit unfair.

And why didn’t Trump tell his buddy Boris Johnson that he was about to be invaded by that nasty corona ? Although buffoon Boris has bounced back again like those dolls with lead weights in their feet you used to get as prizes at fairgrounds in my youth.

And yes tennis may be back but the crowds won’t for a while.

Appreciate the Salzenstein quote, thanks for posting that. He’s right on retirement. I hope he and other former players share their lessons. I always hold out that some players will read what they say or take the lessons to heart so that they develop as better players. Almost always I am disappointed 🙂 Today’s players make the same mistakes as those of yesteryear.

Yeah. Spadea retirement was amazing. Just walks off the court. No ceremony. No nothing. Just walks off court.

I do make an issue of players meaning something even if commenters are ready to stick a fork in them. Even Yuki Bhambri deserves some ink.

I find it amusing to say players are replaceable. Even Djokovic is well aware that once he hangs up his racquet there’s nothing left of the best parts of his job. The sports world will be quick to move on. It left Sampras behind, it will leave everyone and hopefully stay loyal to the spirits of competition.

There are many good players that aren’t talked about today. And won’t be. Sampras retired eighteen years ago. He’s as relevant as a busted tennis ball.

I’m finding Madrid somehow addictive – that’s gaming for you. On the men’s side Tsitsipas could win, with Nick K cheering from his home of course – thanks Stef for revealing my phone number 🙂

Bertens looks like replicating her real win last year – seems to have her fingers on the right buttons. Woz reached the qf, despite having no prior experience of fake tennis, but Kerber turned out not to be a natural – she was buzzing around like a wired up bumblebee, squeaked Bouchard who later opined ‘Angie wasn’t very good’.