Jean-Francois Caujolle, director of the ATP tournament in Marseille, explaining why he'd rather have Andy than some 'unknown' guy ranked 15-20 in the world
And that is the importance/value of wildcards.......
Thanks CD, and hopefully Andy gets handsomely rewarded with appearance fees for playing somewhere like Marseille!
he clearly is a draw and deserves that for his career. Although Ive been one assuming Andy will call it a day this year, I do so hope he proves many of us wrong! One last Connors like hurrah would be great! I was on holiday in Barbados with some friends the year Connors charged to the back end of the US Open, I think he came back from 2 sets down against Krickstein in the last 16 or some such (was it 1991?) and I remember watching it on a bar TV screen by the beach ( I used to work for BA and got free flights so places like Barbados were normal and cheap- those were the days! )
Jean-Francois Caujolle, director of the ATP tournament in Marseille, explaining why he'd rather have Andy than some 'unknown' guy ranked 15-20 in the world
And that is the importance/value of wildcards.......
Amusing, and very well constructed - good to see the guys playing along, but I am not sure what it is trying to say. Has there been some controversy that I missed about tennis being scripted, or the results being fixed?
Andy seems to have an awful script this year, I doubt he was at all happy when he saw it. Unless there is some unexpected wonderful turnaround in the pipeline.
Amusing, and very well constructed - good to see the guys playing along, but I am not sure what it is trying to say. Has there been some controversy that I missed about tennis being scripted, or the results being fixed?
My assumption was it had come out of the whole Netflix Breakpoint idea - where they obviously follow certain players through the season; and the atp video was teasing that they in fact create a season story or narrative which then gets acted out by real actors. Not sure , that was my take; I also guess there was a little bit of tongue in cheek thing around not being able to make the storylines up, there are so many crazy outcomes and stories - and in fact, it is all made up! Dont know, that was my take on where it was all coming from, possibly.
Wondering what Andys schedule could be going through Olympics, I guess theres a danger of it becoming a goodbye tour.
It looks like it would be almost entirely masters series events:
IW Miami Monte Carlo Madrid Rome French Open
Then maybe Nottingham Queens Wimbledon
Then the Olympics
And maybe Montreal, Cinci and US Open
No real room for other events and that would take him to a finish. Of course, hes got to get into them all and whether his ranking would allow that? Presumably, he would get wild cards where he needs them? Hard to see any event turning him down if its his last hurrah.
Nottingham tickets must be on sale soon, Ilkley go on sale March 12 and Queens are on sale now; maybe worth speculatively getting some for those who want to see him one last time!
Ive only actually seen Andy live twice in person: a 2008 Davis Cup match on Wimbledon Court One against Austria, he played a guy called Peya , I think it was - won in 3 sets, but I was quite underwhelmed by Andy, haha.
Then I saw him versus Rafa in the semis at the 2010 Tour Finals at the O2, a real battle and amazing tennis - he lost but I came away wowed from that one!
-- Edited by JonH comes home on Thursday 29th of February 2024 07:47:18 AM
-- Edited by JonH comes home on Thursday 29th of February 2024 07:48:49 AM
Surbiton, Ilkley and Nottingham tickets go on sale on March 12th - or March 5th if you are an Advantage member. Andy played Surbiton last year and I intend to go this year at least once.
I saw Andy lose the 2012 Wimbledon final to Federer and came away from that in bits. A friend got two tickets for the day of his second round match in 2013. I went for the afternoon but handed in my ticket and left the grounds before he came on, terrified of jinxing him. My seat was taken by a very puzzled young person but I made the right call!
I went to Surbiton last year - saw Andy warming up. It's a great day out...would recommend early in the week as so many more players around.
Yes, plenty of players around. I had lunch there and Dan and Liam were at the next table. I only watched the women play, but saw EWS, Lissey and Liv, Heather and Harriet, Marni, Isabelle and a few others play. Plenty of other players in the grounds as well.
I went to Surbiton last year - saw Andy warming up. It's a great day out...would recommend early in the week as so many more players around.
Yes, plenty of players around. I had lunch there and Dan and Liam were at the next table. I only watched the women play, but saw EWS, Lissey and Liv, Heather and Harriet, Marni, Isabelle and a few others play. Plenty of other players in the grounds as well.
I guess Andy being there - or Dan, Liam etc - depends on how the French goes for them; not typically that well!! So I am sure we will see some or all of them there or in Nottingham the following week. If Andy loses early in Paris, as you would expect he would (being honest), then Surbiton is a better fit for him in terms of location, then Queens (Jamie will have him as wild card right now, if needed!) and then Wimbers.
Andy seems to have an awful script this year, I doubt he was at all happy when he saw it. Unless there is some unexpected wonderful turnaround in the pipeline.
The case questioning other people's right to urge Andy pack it in now & for leaving him to make up his own mind when to retire, as argued in today's Times by Matt Dickinson, its Senior Sports Writer (whom I associate more with football reports - still no sign of Stu Fraser, though). Mark Cavendish is a great role model to quote.
-- Edited by Stircrazy on Friday 1st of March 2024 04:09:39 PM
Absolutely agree with him. I may not like how the script has been going for Andy this year but he should absolutely finish on his terms, how and when he wants to.
In spite of his often spur of the moment comments it has long been clear that he just loves competing, something very much underestimated by many over the years, including on here. He'll be happy to retire to his family has been said. No said I
Yes, recently has been the clearest indication yer that this really may be Andy's last year. But whatever you want, Andy., what you really really want ...