The Times and other media

alex03maccy · Grand Slam Champion

RE: The Times

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

On page 2 of the article linked above, for those who didn't wade that far through:

Murray attracts praise in defeat

Jean-Francois Caujolle, tournament director of the BNP Paribas Masters, singled out Andy Murray for special praise at his end-of-event review and disclosed that next year there could be a dramatic change to the format in Paris. There is a powerful case, Caujolle believes, for the tournament to become a 32 rather than 48 man draw - "for it is quite normal that the draws become progressively smaller in order to arrive towards the Masters where there are only eight players."

He said Murray had been a victim of the current numbers and the consequent pressure it places on scheduling with only one court at the Palais Omnisport of a standard required for an event of this prestige. "[Murray] ended one match on Wednesday at 1.45am and there had been a real problem with the scheduling that day because we had six matches to play on he Centre Court," Caujolle said. The problem had been exacerbated by Marat Safin's three set loss to Juan Martin Del Potro, after which there was an extended retirement celebration for the Russian that put another spanner in the works.

"The next day Murray had to play on Court No 1 (against Radek Stepanek) and sincerely I believe he would not have lost that match if it had been on the Centre. He was a victim of those problems we have with a tournament with 48 players. He was extremely decent and said nothing about it. He just said the other player was better than him."

steven · Tennis legend

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article6939769.ece

"Andy Murray learnt yesterday that his failure to reach last weeks semi-finals at the O2 arena and his decision to play an exhibition rather than join the tour in the first week of January could make his pursuit of an elusive first grand-slam tournament title harder."

If he wasn't aware of the inevitable drop to no. 5 until yesterday, he needs to read this forum (or indeed, his own forum) a bit more wink

-- Edited by steven on Wednesday 2nd of December 2009 09:24:19 AM

OldEchoMan · Social player

I must be slowing down in my old age!!!

indiana · Tennis legend

OldEchoMan wrote:

I must be slowing down in my old age!!!

I took it Steven's comment was aimed at Andy ( though maybe more realistically should be at his team ). However, it's fine Neil if you wish to plead guilty

I guess maybe they were just really waiting for some ATP guys to do the necessary calculations biggrin

Anyway, folk, look out for an Andy Murray now suddenly appearing in some year-end future in some far flung part of the world, just don't tell Del Potro smile

Maybe not.

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 2nd of December 2009 02:31:37 PM

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:

OldEchoMan wrote:

I must be slowing down in my old age!!!
I took it Steven's comment was aimed at Andy ( though maybe more realistically should be at his team ). However, it's fine Neil if you wish to plead guilty

So did I, Indy! Maybe Neil's developing a persecution complex! wink

steven · Tennis legend

LOL the "he" did refer to Andy, but the comment was kind of aimed at Neil, very tongue in cheek though and it's good of him to take it the right way!

I just couldn't resist given the way it's been talked about at length on AM.com since I first mentioned it there on Thursday night, but in a newspaper article aimed at the general public, it probably reads better to say that it only became clear on Monday when the latest ranking list came out.

Indeed, as far as I know, Andy didn't realise it until Monday. I doubt he cares that much about rankings at the moment anyway, his plan to go to Australia as early as possible next year has got everything to do with trying to get himself in the best shape possible for the AO, though I guess if he had the choice, he'd prefer that Potty hadn't made the Final last week (or he himself had made the semis) and would be no. 4 seed for the AO instead of no. 5.

Shhh · Challenger level

If the number 4 ends up playing the number 5 in the quarters.....then it wont make any difference biggrin

steven · Tennis legend

Last Net Post of the year from OEM http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article6946550.ece and it's an interesting one, focussing on coaching and in particular on coaching in Spain.

I had to laugh at this on p2 though: (well done to Neil for giving Naomi's recent form the coverage it deserves btw - though it's 2 finals in 2 weeks not 3, isn't it, unless I slept for 7 days without noticing wink

)

"Lost in translation

Naomi Broady, the former British under-18 champion, reached her second ITF circuit final in three weeks in Central America over the weekend. The 19-year-old from Heaton Mersey, was appearing in La Habana, Cuba, in an ITF $10,000 event. Two weeks ago, she won the title in Puebla, Mexico, prompting a move to No 445 in the rankings, from where she is ready to climb higher next year. The 200 mark is not beyond her.

The Net Post stumbled last week upon this despatch from Puebla, transcribed from Italian, and headlined 'Naomi Broadly (sic) Hell is Behind'. Here it is, in its glorious entirety: "

Good stuff, I wonder where he stumbled across it biggrin

indiana · Tennis legend

Now don't want to be more picky, but

Naomi's 25K Mexico win the week before last was only reflected in this Monday's rankings which have moved her up from 445 ( where she stood after over 4 months without playing a tournament ) to a career high of 327.

To be fair, last week's ranking would have taken account of the Mexico title if the Mexico tournament had indeed been a week earlier, but as Steven said it err wasn't smile

-- Edited by indiana on Monday 7th of December 2009 10:20:04 AM

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Neil, you do realise the translation from Italian was done by Google, not a human - although some of the mistakes are from the original, most are the fault of the software.

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Article about Eddie Herr successes up: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article6946670.ece

My favourite part

"Carpenter has recovered quickly from a single tournament ban imposed on him by the LTA last week when he and George Morgan, his compatriot, were sent home from a training camp in Spain for allegedly throwing apple cores at passers-by from the balcony of their La Manga digs"

didn't know about that one...well he played so well this week ill forgive him that indiscretion

-- Edited by The Knight on Monday 7th of December 2009 09:16:58 PM

steven · Tennis legend

An interesting story from OEM on Wardy training with Rafa and working with Greg:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article6955115.ece

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Nice article by OEM in today's Times about James Ward, his recovery from glandular fever & his recent association with Jet Ski.

Best of luck with the ATP/Grand Slam qualies in 2010, James.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

We know who Rusedski a future captain perchance? would be summoning.

Boggo?

in seriousness thats great for Wardy. that kind of experience you cant buy (well unless your super rich). hopefully he'll start the year feeling fresh and ready to go.

with the YEC being here for several years i hope a lot of our players will get a chance to hit with the big guns at some point.

-- Edited by Count Zero on Monday 14th of December 2009 05:32:16 PM