Let me be honest, I just can’t get into the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals this year which is being contested without a race for No. 1 and without the greatest player of all time Novak Djokovic.
Jannik Sinner locked up the No. 1 ranking a few weeks ago, while he awaits the World Anti Doping Agency appeal of his two positive drug tests.
The tournament features the top eight players in the world – Sinner, Carlos, Rublev, Medvedev, Ruud, Fritz, DeMinaur, and Zverev, all right handers with two handed backhands.
Not a single lefty in the draw, or a one handed backhand. So to the average fan, every match looks essentially the same.
Without a race for no. 1 by two or three or four players, the tournament is more like an exhibition with the only stakes being prize money and ranking points. But that happens in tennis, some years No. 1 is clinched before the event starts and sometimes it’s a race between two or three players, which is an intriguing drama to watch because it’s every players lifelong dream to be the best which includes huge monetary bonuses from sponsors. In 1998 Marcelo Rios earned $2.5m bonuses EACH from his sponsors Nike and Yonex. So you can imagine the gigantic numbers now almost three decades later.
So the ATP Finals is in the round robin round and it already seems anti-climatic that the semis will involve Sinner, Carlos, Zverev and one more.
It’s a great tournament in Torino, Italy, and well attended but this year will probably not be its finest edition.
Davis Cup and NextGen Finals are around the corner but I still have a curiosity to see an OLDGEN finals with over age 40 players.
Steve · November 14, 2024 at 9:05 am
I’m not really feeling it either but have been watching Fritz closely. Perhaps it is time for him to get Lendl to get that little bit more out of his career. I know Lendl is expensive and he likes Russell but it might be a good move to really go for it.
Yes, he lacks lateral speed but he’s right there with top guys just needs a little more to steal a slam.
Scoop Malinowski · November 14, 2024 at 1:38 pm
Steve, I don’t understand how these top players lock in on coaches who are of limited value. Paul with Stine is another example. Good job so far by both, but it’s fairly obvious if a Lendl Chang Becker or Safin was brought in to consult for Grand Slams, it could make the difference. We saw it with Lendl and Murray. It’s almost as if these lower name coaches monopolize the player and refuse to allow any intrusion which would devalue themselves if the player suddenly broke through with a major title win. Makes no sense. Helping the player reach his best should be the top priority for all coaches, not protecting their own value and reputations so they don’t have to share credit.
Doug Day · November 14, 2024 at 4:22 pm
Scoop Jim Courier was talking technique and mentioned Hugh Clarke’s Thread of Order on Substack. Fairly well written deep dive featuring Insights stats if you ever want that angle.
Scoop Malinowski · November 15, 2024 at 10:59 am
Doug, please share more…
Scoop Malinowski · November 15, 2024 at 4:42 pm
Carlos did not seem himself this week, probably more focused on preserving for Davis Cup. Sinner has been dominant but his interviews all seem like he is hiding something. Doubtful he would pass a lie detector test about those positive tests. Ruud is playing very good on these fast courts, not bad for a former clay courter. Fritz and Zverev having superb years. Nice to see Arevalo become no. 1 with Pavic, his third or fourth time. Ram and Salibury have fallen down the rankings.
Scoop Malinowski · November 16, 2024 at 9:16 am
The Tyson Paul “fight” last night. https://ringobserver.com/the-ghost-of-iron-mike-tyson/
catherine · November 20, 2024 at 3:21 am
Posting here because nowhere else seems appropriate. I watched the BJK Finals because Britain was playing and two things were clear to me – that the WTA/ITF shot themselves in both feet in ditching the Fed Cup – which worked perfectly well and hasn’t BJ got her name on enough things? And Brits lost but big plus was Emma winning all her matches without injury and showing improvement in her serve. She’s potentially miles ahead of her teammates.
And unless my eyes deceived me wasn’t that Carlos passing by and giving her a good luck wave ?
Wesley Koolhof has announced his retirement and, as expected will be marrying Julia G at the end of the year. I still miss Julia and I imagine the Germans do too. Emma had no problem with Julie Niemeir, Germany’s top player.
Scoop Malinowski · November 20, 2024 at 6:58 am
Raducanu might use injuries to protect her ego and image, like some other high profile stars. Great to see her back winning… and … healthy 😎 Koolhof was the best player in the match vs Rafa, why retire at his best? when bopanna keeps going at 46 or whatever. Nike has to love connect Carlos Emma, the marketing campaign can be very lucrative for the swoosh.