Just my feeling and I understand it might not be popular but ....
Andy retiring at Wimbledon made sense
Giving him a wildcard, even if he were on one leg and would have deprived a more legitimate chance, would have made sense, it would have been to honour what he'd achieved, and for the crowd etc
But, for me, Andy playing at the Olympics, on clay, when he's half-crook and about to retire, is just selfish
The point (for me) is that he's played the Olympics before - indeed, he's done more than that - he's won the blinkin' Gold Medal in London, his home Olympics !!!!
It can't get any better
There will be other GB players who will never get a chance to play in the Olympics (small team, only every 4 years)
It would be far more 'stately' of Andy to move aside and let one of those players have the amazing experience. I think it's selfish.
(I sort of think the same about Nadal but at least it's on clay, in Paris, where he is the GOAT of all GOATs, and Spain does not have a Grand Slam, so it feels a bit different)
thing is, its too late now - the Andy slot cant go to another Brit and he got it as a past champion, so wasnt taking it from a Brit in the first place. So he wasnt getting in the way of anyone but another past champion at the time he took the entry, as far as I understand it - so not entirely sure he has been selfish in that context...in more specific "its all about me terms", he certainly has been focussed on self this past period (eg the Emma situation in mixed, which he hasnt commented on at all and could easily have deflected the situation if he had chosen).
If so, that puts a slightly different light on it
But that's not quite how I read the qualification page:
Just my feeling and I understand it might not be popular but ....
Andy retiring at Wimbledon made sense
Giving him a wildcard, even if he were on one leg and would have deprived a more legitimate chance, would have made sense, it would have been to honour what he'd achieved, and for the crowd etc
But, for me, Andy playing at the Olympics, on clay, when he's half-crook and about to retire, is just selfish
The point (for me) is that he's played the Olympics before - indeed, he's done more than that - he's won the blinkin' Gold Medal in London, his home Olympics !!!!
It can't get any better
There will be other GB players who will never get a chance to play in the Olympics (small team, only every 4 years)
It would be far more 'stately' of Andy to move aside and let one of those players have the amazing experience. I think it's selfish.
(I sort of think the same about Nadal but at least it's on clay, in Paris, where he is the GOAT of all GOATs, and Spain does not have a Grand Slam, so it feels a bit different)
thing is, its too late now - the Andy slot cant go to another Brit and he got it as a past champion, so wasnt taking it from a Brit in the first place. So he wasnt getting in the way of anyone but another past champion at the time he took the entry, as far as I understand it - so not entirely sure he has been selfish in that context...in more specific "its all about me terms", he certainly has been focussed on self this past period (eg the Emma situation in mixed, which he hasnt commented on at all and could easily have deflected the situation if he had chosen).
If so, that puts a slightly different light on it
But that's not quite how I read the qualification page:
I think the key para in that was the one that reads per below: Andy took one of these places. We had only 3 men qualified via the normal nations quota place and the two slots below were separate to that - Andy took one of those. If he hadnt taken one, it would have gone to another qualified ex champ as opposed to a British player. I am sure I am right, in general although I am sure one of the experts like 9vicman or Lambda will clarify - and sorry it I have it wrong!
If he drops out now, post July 19th, the singles slots will now go to DOUBLES players who arent already in singles (presumably on their singles ranking though?). The time for any non qualified players to come in as alts has passed I believe (as they need to close the doors and make sure they have sorted all the relevant accommodation and credentials in good time for the event to start in the next week or less). So if Andy pulls out, of singles, it would benefit someone else outside the GB (and if a GB person benefitted it would end up being Joe or Neal!!)
The other two ITF Places are reserved for Olympic or Grand Slam singles champions who didn't qualify through other criteria, provided they are in the singles top 400 and don't make their NOC exceed their maximum quota.
Just my feeling and I understand it might not be popular but ....
Andy retiring at Wimbledon made sense
Giving him a wildcard, even if he were on one leg and would have deprived a more legitimate chance, would have made sense, it would have been to honour what he'd achieved, and for the crowd etc
But, for me, Andy playing at the Olympics, on clay, when he's half-crook and about to retire, is just selfish
The point (for me) is that he's played the Olympics before - indeed, he's done more than that - he's won the blinkin' Gold Medal in London, his home Olympics !!!!
It can't get any better
There will be other GB players who will never get a chance to play in the Olympics (small team, only every 4 years)
It would be far more 'stately' of Andy to move aside and let one of those players have the amazing experience. I think it's selfish.
(I sort of think the same about Nadal but at least it's on clay, in Paris, where he is the GOAT of all GOATs, and Spain does not have a Grand Slam, so it feels a bit different)
thing is, its too late now - the Andy slot cant go to another Brit and he got it as a past champion, so wasnt taking it from a Brit in the first place. So he wasnt getting in the way of anyone but another past champion at the time he took the entry, as far as I understand it - so not entirely sure he has been selfish in that context...in more specific "its all about me terms", he certainly has been focussed on self this past period (eg the Emma situation in mixed, which he hasnt commented on at all and could easily have deflected the situation if he had chosen).
If so, that puts a slightly different light on it
But that's not quite how I read the qualification page:
I think the key para in that was the one that reads per below: Andy took one of these places. We had only 3 men qualified via the normal nations quota place and the two slots below were separate to that - Andy took one of those. If he hadnt taken one, it would have gone to another qualified ex champ as opposed to a British player. I am sure I am right, in general although I am sure one of the experts like 9vicman or Lambda will clarify - and sorry it I have it wrong!
If he drops out now, post July 19th, the singles slots will now go to DOUBLES players who arent already in singles (presumably on their singles ranking though?). The time for any non qualified players to come in as alts has passed I believe (as they need to close the doors and make sure they have sorted all the relevant accommodation and credentials in good time for the event to start in the next week or less). So if Andy pulls out, of singles, it would benefit someone else outside the GB (and if a GB person benefitted it would end up being Joe or Neal!!)
The other two ITF Places are reserved for Olympic or Grand Slam singles champions who didn't qualify through other criteria, provided they are in the singles top 400 and don't make their NOC exceed their maximum quota.
I agree with CD. Wimbledon on centre court was a good place to call it a day. Andy got the plaudits and praise he deserved, from the great and the good.I cant see how bowing out at the Olympics can better the Wimbledon experience, where lets face it he is a small fish in a very big sea of super star athletes.
Just my feeling and I understand it might not be popular but ....
Andy retiring at Wimbledon made sense
Giving him a wildcard, even if he were on one leg and would have deprived a more legitimate chance, would have made sense, it would have been to honour what he'd achieved, and for the crowd etc
But, for me, Andy playing at the Olympics, on clay, when he's half-crook and about to retire, is just selfish
The point (for me) is that he's played the Olympics before - indeed, he's done more than that - he's won the blinkin' Gold Medal in London, his home Olympics !!!!
It can't get any better
There will be other GB players who will never get a chance to play in the Olympics (small team, only every 4 years)
It would be far more 'stately' of Andy to move aside and let one of those players have the amazing experience. I think it's selfish.
(I sort of think the same about Nadal but at least it's on clay, in Paris, where he is the GOAT of all GOATs, and Spain does not have a Grand Slam, so it feels a bit different)
thing is, its too late now - the Andy slot cant go to another Brit and he got it as a past champion, so wasnt taking it from a Brit in the first place. So he wasnt getting in the way of anyone but another past champion at the time he took the entry, as far as I understand it - so not entirely sure he has been selfish in that context...in more specific "its all about me terms", he certainly has been focussed on self this past period (eg the Emma situation in mixed, which he hasnt commented on at all and could easily have deflected the situation if he had chosen).
If so, that puts a slightly different light on it
But that's not quite how I read the qualification page:
I think the key para in that was the one that reads per below: Andy took one of these places. We had only 3 men qualified via the normal nations quota place and the two slots below were separate to that - Andy took one of those. If he hadnt taken one, it would have gone to another qualified ex champ as opposed to a British player. I am sure I am right, in general although I am sure one of the experts like 9vicman or Lambda will clarify - and sorry it I have it wrong!
If he drops out now, post July 19th, the singles slots will now go to DOUBLES players who arent already in singles (presumably on their singles ranking though?). The time for any non qualified players to come in as alts has passed I believe (as they need to close the doors and make sure they have sorted all the relevant accommodation and credentials in good time for the event to start in the next week or less). So if Andy pulls out, of singles, it would benefit someone else outside the GB (and if a GB person benefitted it would end up being Joe or Neal!!)
The other two ITF Places are reserved for Olympic or Grand Slam singles champions who didn't qualify through other criteria, provided they are in the singles top 400 and don't make their NOC exceed their maximum quota.
I agree with CD. Wimbledon on centre court was a good place to call it a day. Andy got the plaudits and praise he deserved, from the great and the good.I cant see how bowing out at the Olympics can better the Wimbledon experience, where lets face it he is a small fish in a very big sea of super star athletes.
Andy has withdrawn from the singles but will play the doubles.
Thought that was coming from the press yesterday. Makes sense. Olympics is about medals and maxing your chances - singles isnt bigger than doubles in this context, like relays in athletics versus indiv events