ATP Tennis/Non-India Davis Cup

[prasen9]

People are free to boo Djokovic. Given his previous statements, general behavior, etc., booing Djokovic is fine. Sasha, who is no saint himself, of course, was nice to ask the audience not to boo him.

[Rajiv]

Pakistan suffering the same fate as Togo against Kazakistan and well on their way to be knocked out , With Aisam hanging up his boots and not playing this tie, the beginning of the end for Pakistan Tennis and their eventual journey to the lowest level Group 3 or 4 has finally begun.
It was simply amazing how part timers like Aqeel with proper use of Grass courts and Aisams experience managed to reach the World Group Play off stage on few occasions.

[prasen9]

So, did the Nadal era end in 2022 and the Djokovic era end in 2023? I mean when they were real heavyweights and not just pretty good players? The Fed era in 2018? Fed was born in '81. So, he was 37 when he won the last slam (approx). Nadal in '86. So, he was about 34. Nadal had his first win in his teens and played a pretty bruising style. Djokovic was born in '87. So, he won his last so far when he was 36. Maybe he has a couple of slams here and there he can win? Or is he done? I think the younger brigade will take over and get better and better unless, of course, Sinner was being powered by spinach juice. I mean he was but the impact may have been a small amount and he can still win without, I suppose. So, we have the Sinner-Alcaraz era now. Anyone else going to upset their domination?

[PKBasu]

Yes it definitely looks as if the Djokovic Era is ending. I doubt he will win another Slam. Sinner-Alcaraz is the new rivalry, with Medvedev, Zverev and perhaps Tsitsipas, Fritz, Rune, Ruud etc providing the main competition -- with Djoker definitely among the competitive ones at least this year.

[prasen9]

I think the quality of Djoker's game is still high. But, the quantity is the question. Does his body have it to take punishing five setters for two weeks? I think no. His best chance may be in Wimbledon? If he can think and strategize to take more risks and try to finish off matches in three sets early on such that his body has reserves for the latter part of the tournament, he can still squeeze one out. Of course, these guys are freaks of nature and who knows what they can do. But, it seems the Djoker era is finally over. What a trio we have had: Fed-Nad-Djo. I hope the next gen also gives us these great rivalries and great players ... Great players will always be there but when you have three all-time heavyweights fighting it out, the quality of the rivalry and the suspense, etc. is higher.

I'm rooting for a Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry but I am also rooting for the CAS to be even-handed and find out if on the balance it seems that Sinner was spinaching and if so, ban him for two years or whatever the standard is. It is interesting why WADA is going after the men's #1 but not the women's #1 (or erstwhile #1). They have their reasons to believe or not believe the excuses I suppose.

[prasen9]

So, Sinner accepts a three month suspension just timed to be the best possible three months for him (or at least one of the best). He will not miss the French Open this way.

The world, of course, is not fair. We have different rules for Simona Halep and that for Sinner and Swiatek. Swiatek got a one month suspension and Sinner three months for doping. Both claimed external circumstances that they did not know of.

The legal way for cheating now is to have your entourage do it for you and then claim you did not know. Or find places, where food can be blamed, etc. If you are caught, you get 1-3 months and then you delay the suspension to a point in your schedule where you are injured or want to rest and take that slap on the wrist. Well done!

[ericcw]

I think Simona Halep ia from Eastern Europe and so her judgement is expected given the atrocious background of that region

[PKBasu]

The let-offs for Sinner and Swiatek are blots on the tennis powers-that-be.

[ericcw]

Iga has been a champion in fighting for the Ukrainian cause. I don't think anyone would have complaints

[prasen9]

Does not matter what you are fighting for or against. You dope, you are banned. I would like that. No excuses. No finding some favorable restaurant to slip in things that you ask them to in your food or no trainer who slips things on your skin after you asked them to. I have no proof that the players asked and sought these doping agents. But, we will never know if it was intentional or not. The policy should be that since finding intention is hard, the players should be responsible. This is, I think, called "moral hazard" in economics. If the player has to pay the full cost of such "contaminations", then they will be overly safe in ensuring that nobody in their team does this or try to only eat in known places, etc. These loopholes should be closed. It also does not look good to have one set of rules for the #1 players and another for the #130s.

Several of us have big complaints against the drug cheats Sinner and Swiateks. Whether they are intentional cheats or not is not material to me.

[ericcw]

Prasen - the world does not work like that. After you dope, it matters whom you are born to and where you come from.

There is a reason why Russian players play with no flag and Israeli athletes play with flag.

The quantum if punishment would be different on whether you come from western countries or the rogue countries. There are finer details also like your skin color and so on.

[prasen9]

Eric, I agree with you fully. When I post, I post what I think. Not what the world will do. Thanks for the clarification.

[PKBasu]

There were a lot of upsets on Saturday and Sunday at Indian Wells, with 1-Zverev, 4-Ruud, 6-Djokovic and 7-Rublev all knocked out in their first matches (round of 64). 2-Alcaraz is through to the last-16 though, as is 3-Fritz (the holder, IIRC).

[PKBasu]

Carlos Alcaraz is the singles title holder (for the last two years). Fritz won it in 2022...