Mar/17
1
Just a question to all: What do you rate the higher achievement?
23 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Bios
What do you value higher? Winning a masters Series 1000 title or winning a Grand Slam mixed doubles title? I would say the mixed doubles title because anyone who does it is forever a part of tennis history – what do you think?
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Dan Markowitz · March 1, 2017 at 10:50 am
Scoop,
For the last 10,000th time,nobody except for you give’s a rat’s ass about Mixed Doubles. No one!. Winning a 250 title is much bigger than winning a slam MD title. if they nixed MD altogether at the slams, no one would care.
That’s a ridiculous question.
Scoop Malinowski · March 1, 2017 at 11:15 am
If nobody cares then why do they hold xd events at majors??? For the last hundred years? Obviously a lot of people care!
catherine bell · March 1, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Scoop –
Mixed doubles at the highest level are fun and exciting to watch – the event has traditionally been the last on the GS program – especially at W’don where MDs have always been popular.
Unfortunately these days, for all kinds of reasons, top names do not play MDs so the event has been downgraded. Can’t see that changing.
But obviously a money spinner for those players who enter and compete seriously.
Also, the women competitors have to be pretty good or MD isn’t worth watching. And most of those women wouldn’t enter in case their tournament playing schedule was affected.
Hartt · March 1, 2017 at 12:43 pm
I enjoy watching mixed doubles but there is not tons of interest in it now. Who won the mixed doubles at the AO? Must admit I don’t know the answer.
So I would have to say a Masters title.
catherine bell · March 1, 2017 at 1:17 pm
Several top guys would line up to play mixed with Margaret Court because they could be sure of winning π
Hartt · March 1, 2017 at 2:11 pm
Did anyone else see the match where Evgeny Donskoy, a qualifier, just beat Fed in the third set TB? The match started how you would expect, with Fed winning the first set easily. But Donskoy showed skill, guts and determination and got the upset.
If he can play anything like that in future matches he will be going up the rankings pretty quickly. I hope this was not one of a kind for the Russian.
Scoop Malinowski · March 1, 2017 at 2:18 pm
Catherine: All the women’s players are pretty good π I greatly enjoy watching mixed doubles in majors especially the finals – Watching Cabal and Spears (also a UCLA product) beat mirza and dodig in the Australian Open final was an excellent performance with Cabal and Spears dominating the net and using multiple formations –
Scoop Malinowski · March 1, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Hartt: Juan Sebastian Cabal and Abigail Spears on the Aus Open xds –
Scoop Malinowski · March 2, 2017 at 12:20 pm
I asked Tennis Channel Leif Shiras by tweet what would he prefer to win an ATP 1000 title or a xdubs GS title? Leif ShirasΓ’β¬Β @LShirock 1h1 hour ago Leif Shiras Retweeted Scoop Malinowski Good one Scoop. Probably Masters Series title. Select group of winners Must beat the best Money’s better. Respect from ur peers. #Slam-like-satisfaction
Todd · March 2, 2017 at 6:08 pm
Scoop…love ya, but I’m with Dan here. Raonic, K-Nish, Thiem, Dimitrov, Delpo – they all have ZERO Masters titles between them. Dimi & Thiem have never made a Masters final, while K-Nish, Delpo, & Rao each have 3 Masters R-Ups. Cilic won a US Open title almost a full two years before ever making a Master SF, let alone win one (his 2016 Cincy title was his 1st Master SF…then he eventually won title). Tradition is largely the reason GS MIx Dubs still exists….juts look at the crowd size during those matches….even SFs & Finals.
Even look at veterans like Berdych (1 Masters…in 2005!!), Tsonga (2 Masters…6 yrs apart), Ferrer (1 title). A Masters title is SOOOOOOO much more coveted than a GS Mix title.
Scoop Malinowski · March 2, 2017 at 6:56 pm
Todd I agree winning an atp masters is very prestigious but while in Delray I heard the on court interview with Haas and his partner Pospisil after they won a doubles match and Haas said that it’s an honor to play with Pospisil “because he’s a Wimbledon champion” (won doubles with Sock a couple of years ago) – whether it’s mixed or dubs to be a “Wimbledon champion” trumps a masters series title in the long run in my opinion – To be a Cincinnati or Indian Wells champion just does not sound as impressive as “Wimbledon champion” –
Todd · March 2, 2017 at 7:58 pm
So Scoop….you’re going with what ‘sounds’ more impressive, over what is ‘actually’ more impressive. As an incredibly knowledgeable tennis insider, that’s surprising.
Bobby · March 2, 2017 at 8:15 pm
Technically the mixed doubles grand slam title might be worth more from an historical perspective. However, as a player the confidence gained from winning a master’s title would be far more meaningful.
Scoop, I thought you might be interested to know all the comparisons of Nishioka to Rios discussed by James Blake in Nadal’s match tonight.
Here is a brief summary
http://tennispr.blogspot.com/2017/03/james-blake-mention-of-marcelo-rios.html
Scoop Malinowski · March 3, 2017 at 8:16 am
Todd I think it sounds and possibly is actually more impressive – At the end of a career I think players would trade the masters series title for the Wimbledon title – It’s instant gratification vs long term satisfaction – Off the top of your head can you name the biggest title Tommy Haas ever won? I know you can easily say what Pospisil’s biggest title is – Does this prove my point? Kind of?
Scoop Malinowski · March 3, 2017 at 8:20 am
Great stuff Bobby – So nice to see another Rios-like player which means Rios is still having a profound influence on pro tennis (Young and Dolgopolov are also Rios inspired ATP players) – BTW I was told Rios sold his giant house in Chile and is looking to move to the US this year – Next year will be the 20th anniversary of his winning miami to become ATP world no 1 – Hoping the tournament will do a special tribute to Rios –
Todd · March 3, 2017 at 2:40 pm
Scoop….#1 – I’m a huge Rios fan but sincerely doubt there will be any tribute at MIA next year. #2 – Haas made only 2 Masters finals…2001 (won Stuttgart indoors), 2002 (R-up at Rome). Again showing how impressive and difficult it is to win one of these. And no, I could not name that Stuttgart title off the top of my head! π
But I am totally convinced the players would rather win the truly impressive title that shows you’re a top player in the world, than some Mix dubs title that carries a slam name attached. But clearly neither of us will be able to convince the other of their side…
Scoop Malinowski · March 3, 2017 at 5:55 pm
Todd: See? Pospisil’s doubles title at Wimbledon far outshines anything Haas achieved title-wise (Haas was no 2 in the world) – Though for sure Haas was the better player by far – Interesting topic –
Scoop malinowski · March 4, 2017 at 11:49 am
Hartt, I can see Donskoy rapidly moving up the ladder and engaging in a lot more TV matches. But can also see Donskoy drifting back into obscurity.
Hartt · March 4, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Scoop, I think you are cheating a bit with the Pospisil example. Your question cited mixed doubles and Vasek’s Wimby title was for men’s doubles. π
Hartt · March 4, 2017 at 12:15 pm
I will be paying attention to see how Donskoy does but have no idea if he will move up the rankings or drift into obscurity. But I hope it is the former, generally want players to be successful (except for a couple of them that I don’t like!)
Scoop Malinowski · March 4, 2017 at 3:09 pm
Hartt: You caught me red-handed, yes I was cheating by stretching doubles into mixed. I plead guilty and blame no one but myself. I will not blame an ingredient in a electrolyte drink caused me to do this. I will put myself on 72 hour probation π
Bobby · March 9, 2017 at 7:09 pm
Hey Scoop,
I can definitely see the resemblance in Donald Young. To me he needs to learn how to put more pressure on the server when they are serving out the set. He usually just hands them the game and the set by hitting unforced errors. I didn’t know that Dolgopolov was inspired by Rios. I’d love to hit with Rios although I would probably avoid conversation lol.
Scoop Malinowski · March 9, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Oh yes Dolgopolov loves Rios – the first time I spoke with Dolgo was about seven years ago at US Open and I said to him in the middle of the interview that his unique playing style and court demeanor reminded of Rios and he got so excited to hear that I will never forget that huge smile and him saying Really??! Then he told me that he loved Rios and was there in 98 in Key Biscayne with his dad (coaching medvedev) when Rios won the title and became no 1 in the world and he said that every day he was begging his father to take him to watch Rios play his matches – Dolgo was only about ten years old then but he LOVED Rios –