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[LitoGarcia]

Tennis tour must look after top players - Rusedski
By Pritha Sarkar
11/17/2011 | 06:53 AM

   
LONDON - The men's tour must look after the welfare of top players like Novak Djokovic rather than expect them to turn up injured at tournaments so they do not lose out on bonus payments, former British number one Greg Rusedski said.

Djokovic polarised opinion last week when he opted to compete at the Paris Masters despite aggravating an existing shoulder injury days earlier at the Basel Open.

However, if he had been a no-show in Paris, he would have sacrificed a $1.6 million pay cheque he was guaranteed to earn just for contesting a single point in the French capital.

The world's standout player of 2011 went on to win two matches before quitting in agony ahead of a much anticipated prime-time quarter-final showdown with local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

While Djokovic's decision might have angered fans who had bought tickets for the match, Rusedski said the current system was to blame for the situation.

"If he (Djokovic) did not play (in Paris), he would have lost out on over a million pounds in bonus pool money so he wanted to give it a go," the 1997 U.S Open runner-up told Reuters in a telephone interview on Wednesday ahead of the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals.

"So he went out there and he played. He played two matches -- and then against Tsonga he didn't bother to go on court.

"The bonus pool works on your yearly commitment. So if you look at it in that respect, he deserves the money.

"The question being is should they have made an exemption rule possibly for him to give him his bonus pool money even if he didn't play Paris?

"There should be an exemption rule if someone is truly injured... they should still be able to receive their bonus pool money. Because you work hard throughout the year and he's been the best player throughout the year so there should be no excuse why he shouldn't be paid it."

That is not, however, how the ATP sees it.

WIPED OUT

As world number one, Djokovic was entitled to a $2 million bonus if he played all eight Masters 1000 events during 2011. The bonus was cut to $1.6m if he played seven of the eight. Anything less and the bonus was wiped out.

Since the Serb pulled out injured from the Shanghai Masters, he had to walk out on court in Paris -- healthy or not -- to pick up the bumper cheque following a season in which he won 10 titles, including three grand slams and five Masters crowns, to notch up a 69-4 win-loss record.

Athletes' welfare has been a hot topic this year and came to a head during the U.S. Open in September, when a player revolt over "dangerous" playing conditions at rain-hit Flushing Meadows threatened to overshadow the tournament.

Injury-prone Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray complained bitterly about the crammed calendar and said players were being asked to put up with an unreasonable schedule that was starting to take a toll on their bodies.

However, the ATP said Djokovic made up his own mind about competing in Paris.

"The bonus pool was created as a special reward for top players who compete in all of our top events," an ATP spokesperson said.

"Novak has had a phenomenal year but we have rules in place to make things fair to all players and to support the structure of the Tour.

"Of course, as our members know, the ATP Board is able to review the application of rules in certain circumstances. Novak wanted to play and ultimately did what he thought was right."

Although it was plain to see that contesting 73 matches over the past 11 months had left Djokovic nursing a battered body, Rusedski was confident the Serb would find the mental strength to last the distance at the O2 Arena in London, where the top eight men will battle it out at the season finale.

"He's had 10 days to rest and hopefully he should be fine for the O2," Rusedski said.

"I think Djokovic will be in good shape, he'll find a way (to last the distance) and once the O2 is done he'll have a few weeks to recover and get ready for Australia. I expect him to fit and don't think that will be an issue." - Reuters

[LitoGarcia]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

[Tennis_Guy]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

Iba kasi talaga ang pananaw ni RF,  kahit naman ngayon na hindi na sya nagdodominate hindi pa din nagrereklamo si Fed 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/tennis-news/2011/11/04/andy-murray-shouldn-t-be-complaining-about-schedule-says-rival-roger-federer-86908-23536788/

ROGER FEDERER has told Andy Murray to stop whining about his schedule after the Scottish star pulled out of this week's ATP event in Switzerland.
Murray is one of a host of top players, including Rafa Nadal, who have complained recently about there being too many events on the men's tour.
And ahead of next week's Paris Masters and the World Tour Finals in London later this month, Murray withdrew from the tournament in Basle due to a gluteal strain.
But Swiss star Federer, who insists he is happy with the current ATP Tour Schedule, said: "If it had been the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, would Murray have played then?
"I'm happy with the schedule. What is the downside? Having too many tournaments?
"I think the women's tour, for example, wishes they had more tournaments.
"The men's tour have plenty so we have a lot to choose from.
"Is the season too long? Maybe for some it is, for others it isn't.
"There is a change happening next year - two weeks less tennis and we will see if it is going to be good or bad.
"But there are also positives to having a long season because if you are out injured for six months, you can still play a lot of tennis and that is still not to be forgotten."

[degie]

The pro players should be responsible for their health. actions and decisions. Nasa player na yan.  They also know the whole year calendar and they can select the tournaments they will join.  Yes, there are some complaints lately but are those valid?

[hifromhenry]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

Federer is also one of, if not the most physically-efficient tennis player to have dominated.  By this I mean the amount of energy and effort he exerts seems much more economical than those of Nadal, Roddick, Djokovic, Murray, to achieve the same effect.  He literally seems to float in air.  Because of super-efficient movement (I've never seen Roger open his mouth to gasp for air), arguably the best technique in most of the shots, and his build, Federer seems to be the least injury-prone among the world no.1's.  Hence he is able to play in more tournaments year after year.

[whizzard]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

Federer is also one of, if not the most physically-efficient tennis player to have dominated.  By this I mean the amount of energy and effort he exerts seems much more economical than those of Nadal, Roddick, Djokovic, Murray, to achieve the same effect.  He literally seems to float in air.  Because of super-efficient movement (I've never seen Roger open his mouth to gasp for air), arguably the best technique in most of the shots, and his build, Federer seems to be the least injury-prone among the world no.1's.  Hence he is able to play in more tournaments year after year.

That's why he's the GOAT! 

[LitoGarcia]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

Federer is also one of, if not the most physically-efficient tennis player to have dominated.  By this I mean the amount of energy and effort he exerts seems much more economical than those of Nadal, Roddick, Djokovic, Murray, to achieve the same effect.  He literally seems to float in air.  Because of super-efficient movement (I've never seen Roger open his mouth to gasp for air), arguably the best technique in most of the shots, and his build, Federer seems to be the least injury-prone among the world no.1's.  Hence he is able to play in more tournaments year after year.

That's why he's the GOAT! 

Bro sa ibang thread ata yan hahahahaha.

[whizzard]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

Federer is also one of, if not the most physically-efficient tennis player to have dominated.  By this I mean the amount of energy and effort he exerts seems much more economical than those of Nadal, Roddick, Djokovic, Murray, to achieve the same effect.  He literally seems to float in air.  Because of super-efficient movement (I've never seen Roger open his mouth to gasp for air), arguably the best technique in most of the shots, and his build, Federer seems to be the least injury-prone among the world no.1's.  Hence he is able to play in more tournaments year after year.

That's why he's the GOAT! 

Bro sa ibang thread ata yan hahahahaha.

hahahhahah 

[commander ians]

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

hehe. ano kaya kung unahin muna hardcourt season 1st half ng year, then 3rd quarter grass then fourth quarter clay? (tapos ang world tour finals clay din? - baka manalo na si Nadal kahit isa. 

Nagtatanong lang naman....

Bakit si Roger Federer nung nag do dominate cya eh hinde naman nag rereklamo sa haba ng tournament?

Hinde ako maka Feds ha alam nyo yan. 

Federer is also one of, if not the most physically-efficient tennis player to have dominated.  By this I mean the amount of energy and effort he exerts seems much more economical than those of Nadal, Roddick, Djokovic, Murray, to achieve the same effect.  He literally seems to float in air.  Because of super-efficient movement (I've never seen Roger open his mouth to gasp for air), arguably the best technique in most of the shots, and his build, Federer seems to be the least injury-prone among the world no.1's.  Hence he is able to play in more tournaments year after year.

he dominated tennis for almost 3 years convincingly during his prime. unlike Djoko and Nadal who had injuries already a year after becoming no. 1.