Sharapova Ban Reduced to 15 months

The ESPN site has an extensive article about the ITF anti-doping program. It takes careful reading, because some of the info is from pre-2014, and the program has been improved in the last 2-3 years.

However, they do make a strong case that the ITF needs to do a better job of testing for the substances that are most useful to tennis players: EPO (that reduces fatigue), synthetic testosterone (increases and strengthens muscles), and human growth hormone (recovery from muscle fatigue and injury).

Stuart Miller, representing the ITF ant-doping program, said that the complete tests for these would add between $1.2 million and $1.6 million per year. Their budget is currently $4 million per year, doubled from 2013. But given the $ associated with tennis, adding say $2 million to the program each year seems like a small price to pay for a more effective system.

I know some people think that the ITF does not really want a more effective system but the current criticisms and rumours hurt both the ITF and the players.

As far as players not knowing what the prohibited drugs are, it is a simple matter to check out the WADA site. The list for 2017 is already posted, with a summary of the changes for next year. It might take a doctor to fully understand the list but any athlete should be certain that this is taken seriously.

I don’t think you should put Nadal in Sharpie’s corner. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve certainly lost respect for Sharpie and devalue her career because of her her use of the drug she took for 10 years! Look, there’s a problem in tennis and it might be serious. Look at Nadal and Murray, are these guys just buff because they work out or is it because they take PED’s that allow them to work out more and recover more? In that survey of ATP players, 65% said they still don’t think they’re being tested enough and that they know of a player who does take PED’s. Tennis better get on top of this and put more money into the testing the way baseball did.

If fans didn’t care about who takes PED’s in baseball then why would McGwire, Canseco, Bonds and Clemens all be held out of the Hall of Fame?

On another note, I took my son to train yesterday with Chris Lewitt, who wrote the book on Spanish tennis and how it rose from the 60’s and 80’s when there were really only a couple of slam winners from Spain, Orantes and Santana to the 90’s where all of a sudden you had all these top Spanish players, Bruguera, Moya, Corretja, Costa and now Nadal, Ferrer et al. And one thing the book points is that the Spaniards believe in training on clay with drills that are designed to build up a player’s legs and toughness. Well, it is a bit odd, you don’t have a slam winner in Spain from 1975 to 1993 and then all of a sudden, you have multiple slam winners and possibly the GOAT come from this country. Is it the players, the training or the PED-use behind this phoenix rise?

I think a lot of fans do care about doping and would be truly shocked if one of their favourite players tested positive.

Regarding Sharapova there have been a lot of reactions and they vary from those who totally support her, through people who think the reduced suspension is fair to those who think she should be out of tennis. I agree with Dan. Although I was never a fan I did think she was a good player. But knowing she was taking increased dosages of meldonium right before important matches, obviously to enhance her performance, means I have lost respect for her. If I didn’t root for her before definitely won’t be doing that in the future.

Legs are important. What do you make of both Sock and Qball getting drilled by Zverev and Gasquet, respectively? Geez, Qball was up a set and he broke back in second and than got drilled. Sock just doesn’t have it, whatever he’s missing he doesn’t have. According to Spadea, he doesn’t have a brain, but I think there’s a lot more missing too.

I didn’t see how SteveJo fared against Dimmy.

This might be an insult to porn stars, but doesn’t Steve Johnson look like a porn star with his ‘stache?

Klein v Dancevic in Stockton, CA second round. Brydan qualied and then took out Halys 6-1 in the third. Klein is Mr. Emotional and Dancy is Mr. Cool. When you look at Frank the Tank’s career, it’s pretty amazing. The dude’s 32 now, ranked no. 267 and except for a couple of weeks in like 2014 and 2011 I think, he hasn’t been Top 100 since 2008! And yet, he’s still plying away with his game built for a different era, I guess thinking he might have one more Top 100 run left in him. He’s kind of the poor man’s Canadian Radek, but with a much hotter wife who he’s still married to.

I like Stephanie Myles’ name for Dancevic better – “Fancy Frank.” He has been great about playing Davis Cup for Canada over the past few years. If Raonic or Pospisil (or both) is injured Frank does his part.

But the best match I ever saw him play was a few years ago against a Spanish player – think it was Granollers – in Davis Cup. Frank was in the zone, he could do no wrong – even a guy on the Spanish bench applauded. Spain did not have their top players, however I think they thought Canada would be easy pickings. But they did not reckon on Frank at his very best.

Well, Klein I think is only 26 or 27 so it’s not like he’s been around as long as Frank. Mac Mac’s had a couple of nice weeks, beating Tiafoe and now Smyczek. How about the English renaissance in tennis with Murray, Edmunds and Evans. Didn’t see that coming.

Oh, and I’ve seen some comments which suggest that certain players aren’t bothering too much because they’ve already made the year end finals, and the $$$$

They should be reminded that people actually pay to watch the rubbish served up in smaller tournaments and prizemoney is also offered, implying a responsibility on everyone’s part to do their best.

This applies to men as well as women and has long been a complaint around tournaments after the US Open.

(I know there are exceptions – gifted and committed players – it’s not those I’m thinking of)

Thomas –

It’s an interesting point and one we could debate endlessly I suppose. Two things strike me – one, Simona’s meltdowns can happen against players who don’t on paper provide serious competition for her, so the assumption must be that she does some serious underrating. What on earth does she and Cahill discuss on the practice court ? Why does she seem to depend on him so much ? She’s 25 and played pro tennis much of her life. She should be a little independent out there.
(and those ill-advised remarks about Serena will always come back to haunt her when she flops – I was astonished that she gave away so much )

More generally – what if super-competitiveness is grafted on to a personality which is not naturally inclined that way ? I can think of examples from the past. And indeed, as you suggest, mostly women.

Hartt-

Agree Simona seems over-anxious and that inhibits her, but I must say I’m starting to wonder whether or not the source of the anxiety is located away from the tennis court.

She almost admitted something like that herself once but really it’s none of our business – just hope it can get sorted.

And I’m still sorry she didn’t go to Rio.

In Sock’s defense he does have a good record in doubles – 6 titles including Wimbledon. He also has 2 big mixed doubles titles – the USO and this year’s Olympics.

Muster was crazy. Crazy good and crazy. Loved that game.

MacMac is better than I thought. Again I saw him practice and was less than impressed. But I noticed he has a lot of self belief. For a lightweight could serve him well.

Simona…who knows. She does do herself in with the complaints about her elders. Trash talk doesn’t work for anyone other than Jimmy Connors.

Maybe she needs to win fed cup or a dubs slam. That would bring her closer.

Scoop –

Agree Simona is a ‘secondary’ player – and yes, introverted or just inhibited. Would have worked by now, becoming a ‘face’ and it hasn’t. (Her defeat in Beijing wasn’t even covered as a story on tennis.com.)
It’s possible at some level she recognises this – can’t be easy.

Andrew – yes, Simona should play more doubles. Good way to get match practice, sharpen net game, make money – BJK understood that, still valid eras later.

Her trash talk probably comes from naivete and maybe not knowing quite how her comments would sound in English.
She probably knows now 🙂

Connors always knew…

Sharpie is one player and person–even though I’ve never met her, but I feel I have a take on her from covering her all these years–that I really don’t like. Vince said she’s okay, he used to hang out with her and the Knicks’ Sasha Vujecic when they went together, but I’ll have to probe Vince more on this. She cheated. She knows she cheated and she has the gall to act as if the 15 months was a bad decision and she has zero culpability, Sharpie is a real head case. I know Hingis also dropped a few fiancées and a husband, and she also tested positive for PED’s, but I like Hingis a whole lot more than Sharpie, but maybe that’s because Hingis is always smiling and Sharpie walks around like she’s the Queen Bee.

Personally, I haven’t missed Sharpie one bit. It’s not like her game is one I gravitate to, but then again, I could give a hoot about 7/8 of women’s tennis. I mean would you ever see a Mischa Zverev in women’s tennis? No way, not since Martina played and after she couldn’t dominate anymore I was never interested in the Davenport’s, Sele’s, Graf’s (somewhat with her), Capriati’s, and Clijsters and Williams’ who all seemed like clones of one another. Only Henin and Mauresmo to a little degree seemed to have any flair.

Dan, am a little confused by your “Mischa Zverev” reference. Mikhail Zverev is 29 years old and a journeyman player currently ranked at about 133. Are you thinking of his younger brother Sascha?

To open a whole new can of worms, did people see the Nadal vs. Dimitrov match? I respect Rafa as a top player but am not a die hard fan. But still was shocked at how Grigor won in SS. Outside of the fact that Rafa was far from his best, are their any thoughts about the match?

I’m fine with Sharpie. Did the crime and paying the time. I also like her more for her guts than her game. It’s not beautiful but she’s rode it to count it five slams? Five I think. I think it’s funny also about the cold persona, but listen there are tons of lunies who probably luv her and hate her viscerally who she needs to keep at bay. Best way is to be cold. Plus who didn’t empathize with Sharpie following her us open title. She makes this major effort time be a slam champ there takes the mike thanks her dad on the loudspeaker and then the cameras zoom on him and he’s distracted and talking via his cell phone apparently unaware his daughters saying thanks dad, not reciprocating or anything, just riding his daughter’s coat tails. If you don’t like Sharpie, be sure time extend that courtesy to sharpie senior.

The 4 players that Dan mentioned are the final 4 at the Stockton Challenger – Rubin plays Mmoh, and Tiafoe is against McDonald. Frank Dancevic had been defeated by Rubin.

Two good weeks in row for mmoh macmac. Maybe they have what it takes.