Montreal Entry List

seagull · Hall of fame

Montreal Entry List

steven · Tennis legend

seagull wrote:

This is Andy's first scheduled event after Wimbledon - in other words a 5 week break!...the calender is weird this year

True, and what makes it even weird is that because the Olympics mucked up the schedule last year meaning that points for Cincy, etc, come off a few weeks before they are played this year, the drawm Wimby Final with the dream result could result in the top three changing four times in the next few weeks without any of them playing match:

6 Jul : Rafa, Muzza, Fed
20 Jul: Muzza, Rafa, Fed
27 Jul: Muzza, Fed, Rafa
3 Aug: Fed, Muzza, Rafa

... and I think if Nole wins Wimbledon, even he could make it to no. 1 at some point!

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

And because Federer has reached the QF's of Wimbledon, it means that Nadal will definately lose the number one ranking at some point during the next few weeks, but it's now down to Federer and Murray to sort out who will become number one and when.

You can probably strike Gasquet and Nalbandian from the list already given Gasquet's likely suspension and Nalbandian's hip injury that will keep him out for the majority, if not all of, the rest of the year.

The Hoose · Satellite level

steven wrote:

seagull wrote:

This is Andy's first scheduled event after Wimbledon - in other words a 5 week break!...the calender is weird this year

6 Jul : Rafa, Muzza, Fed
20 Jul: Muzza, Rafa, Fed
27 Jul: Muzza, Fed, Rafa
3 Aug: Fed, Muzza, Rafa

... and I think if Nole wins Wimbledon, even he could make it to no. 1 at some point!

Hadn't realised it was that close - I managed to get odds of 20/1 in November 2008 that Muzza to be World number 1 at some point in 2009. I didn't think he'd do it but the odds were too good to refuse, especially as he already had a lot of points in the bag from the US hard court season.

indiana · Tennis legend

I didn't expect Andy to be in position to get to world no 1 so soon either, but 20/1 odds were terrific value. Wish I'd thought of looking out for that, although it may very well still not happen this year.

If he wins Wimbledon, short of Nadal making a lazarus recovery and winning at least one Davis Cup match the week after Wimbledon AND winning a title the following week, it will happen.

seagull · Hall of fame

Nadal is not playing Davis Cup

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

Cheeky Safin gets in before his ranking drop

Vandenburg · Futures level

yeh tho safin does deserve it, hes been a great servent.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

ForeverDelayed wrote:
You can probably strike Gasquet and Nalbandian from the list already given Gasquet's likely suspension and Nalbandian's hip injury that will keep him out for the majority, if not all of, the rest of the year.

Or perhaps not in case of Gasquet, since he hasn't been suspended by the ITF.

The Tribunal rejected the suggestion made by Mr Gasquet that, by virtue of his withdrawal prior to playing a match in the Miami event, the sample provided by him on 28 March should be treated as having been collected Out-of-Competition. In that regard, it upheld the applicability, and the legality, of Article F.4 of the Programme, which provides that a player who withdraws from an event may be target-tested and that such test is to be treated as an In-Competition test, even if the player withdraws before playing a match. The Tribunal therefore found that Mr Gasquet had committed a Doping Offence under Article C.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited Substance in players sample).

With regard to sanction, the Tribunal accepted Mr Gasquets plea of No Significant Fault or Negligence, on the basis that he was able to demonstrate on the balance of probabilities how the cocaine entered his system (through inadvertent contamination in a nightclub the night before his scheduled match), and that, while he was at fault in exposing himself to the risk of such contamination, that fault was not significant. It further ruled that, in the exceptional and probably unique circumstances of the case, it would be unjust and disproportionate to impose a 12-month sanction on Mr Gasquet. Instead it ruled that Mr Gasquet be suspended from participation for a period of two months and 15 days, commencing on 1 May 2009, and thus ending at 08:00 GMT on 15 July 2009. It also ruled that his results, ranking points and prize money from events subsequent to Miami should remain undisturbed.

steven · Tennis legend

Wow, they hardly ever get away with a 'not significant fault or negligence' defence unless theycan actually prove how it got into their system. Still, I'm happy with this outcome

- the chance of him taking cocaine as a performance-enhancing drug always seemed negligible to me.

steven · Tennis legend

Here's the full decision http://www.itftennis.com/shared/medialibrary/pdf/original/IO_42899_original.PDF - in typical Dammit style, it involves mystery women and a strip club, so not for the faint-hearted!

indiana · Tennis legend

Wow, thanks Steven, that took some reading but I found it very interesting all the same.

I started another thread in which I gave general thoughts just on the BBC report.

I must say I am impressed with the way that the panel have been able to see the wood from the trees ( although it is something we should expect ) and pretty appalled by the ITF's real lack of flexibility.

I remain convinced that any prolonged suspension would indeed as was said be punishing someone for which even the one year punishment was never intended really to punish.

I guess in the end he has been suspended at all for daring to go to a nightclub and kiss a girl " in competition" when the "in competition" aspect was itself in some ways merely technical. Testing for cocaine is apparently not an offense "out of competiion".

So, Richard, next time, just make absolutely absolutely sure you are not in competition then presumably you are allowed to go to a nightclub, and even really take cocaine smile

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 16th of July 2009 10:08:45 AM

steven · Tennis legend

The Gasquet discussion is carried on in Indiana's dedicated thread at http://britishtennis.activeboard.com/index.spark?forumID=61841&p=3&topicID=29401549

-- Edited by steven on Thursday 16th of July 2009 10:28:20 AM

Mikeduke · County player

Hewitt, Dancevic and Polansky get wildcards.

Ancic out, Zverev in.

Federer is probably out as well, due to the birth of his child. There is a discussion on MTF as to why this means Federer doesn't get banned from another Masters series event (as per the rules). It's to do with some rule that means Federer, Roddick, Safin and Schuettler only have to play 7/8 events, which seems a bit odd and pretty unfair on the other players.

Beside the point, I feel there should be some allowance for Paternity leave anyway.

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

"Federer, Roddick, Safin and Schuettler only have to play 7/8 events"

What a weird combination of players