Week 31 - Challenger ($100,000) - Vancouver, Canada (Hard)

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Week 31 - Challenger ($100,000) - Vancouver, Canada (Hard)

christian · Intermediate Club Player

SMC1809 wrote:
Hoss, if you are in touch with him I'd rather you didn't text him about our comments. Surely he has more important things to think about than what a few of us have to say about his play. Dan will know what his performance was down to and he doesn't have to justify it to anyone.

I'm all for expressing your views on here, but Dan owes us nothing. We can choose whether to cheer him on or not.

Surely if Dan was so inclined he could read the forum himself and see what people were saying about him? I take your point but quite honestly if Hoss thinks it will motivate then that's really his call, if people don't want that then the simple answer is not to put criticism you wouldn't give to his face on a public forum.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

HossTheBoss wrote:
I did not see dans match last week,but I did text him to say everybody and his dog where slagging him off
on the forum, looks like it might have had an effect.

. . whatever it takes . . . whatever it takes . . .

I still think that Olivier Rochus is playing inured, or taking a lot of meds. He pulled out of Roland Garros (hip injury) and retired in his Wimbly Q match (thigh injury).

Apparently, he has one leg 1.2 cm shorter than the other and he says that, over time (he's 32 now) and having played a lot this year, that's put a lot of strain on his body, particularly on his hips and pelvis.

He won pretty comfortably yesterday and I'm sure he wouldn't play if it wasn't under control at the moment but it's definitely a factor in Dan's favour.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

He was two sets to love up at wimbledon qualies when his body started to complain. He lost the 3rd set and retired soon after. We should remember that 32 is unusually old for a tennis player - the legs are not as fast and there is usually significant wear and tear on the body. Foot speed is less of a problem in doubles, so doubles players have longer careers. I have a theory that a major mid career injury is actually helpful as it gives the rest of body time to properly heal form the battering it has been given, viz Andre Agassi and Tommy Haas.

Dino's match is not before 6.30pm local time (1.30am gmt I think). It is on the Grandstand court (as apposed to centre) so I do not know whether it will be streamed anyway.

HossTheBoss · Strong Club Player

Just for the record ,after losing his grandma who he was very close too,delay in the funeral
Dans prep for Kentucky was not what it should have been and maybe mentally he wasn't quite with it
hopefully he can go on and win Vancouver this week and dedicate the win to his Gran.
End of story.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

People have been "off their game" for far lesser reasons than losing a family member so I think everyone who posts here is prepared to cut him some slack on that. Our frustration is because we recognise his talent. I for one thought that he was set for stardom (or top 100 anyway) when he won the Jersey challenger in 2009, nearly four years ago at the tender age of 19. In his defence, I think he has been poorly advised on many occasions. Still, this is individual pro sport, all you have to do to succeed is win matches and everyone knows he is capable of doing that.

Good luck tomorrow!

Jeff Stelling · Club Coach

stevemcqueen wrote:
We should remember that 32 is unusually old for a tennis player

Is it? Right now it's the oldest top 100 in history.

stevemcqueen · Futures qualifying

You are probably correct in saying that the top 100 has an older average than has ever been. This is because being a brilliantly talented teenager is no longer usually sufficient to break the top 100 barrier. There are also fewer player in their 30's because their bodies are broken or then can no longer move fast enough. I think the standard deviation re. average age is far less than it used to be, but I am not going to gather the evidence to prove my hypothesis!

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

stevemcqueen wrote:
There are also fewer player in their 30's because their bodies are broken or then can no longer move fast enough. I think the standard deviation re. average age is far less than it used to be, but I am not going to gather the evidence to prove my hypothesis!

Tommy Haas is an obvious exception to that, though mainly because he spent so much of his younger days broken that he's pretty fresh still!

Vandenburg · Futures level

The Knight wrote:
stevemcqueen wrote:
There are also fewer player in their 30's because their bodies are broken or then can no longer move fast enough. I think the standard deviation re. average age is far less than it used to be, but I am not going to gather the evidence to prove my hypothesis!
Tommy Haas is an obvious exception to that, though mainly because he spent so much of his younger days broken that he's pretty fresh still!

Agreed, also I think some British players from the Birmingham area will last longer into their 30s as their body was saved in the early years by playing Ibiza F1 and Magaluf F1 events, and only now does their career start.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

That's better - if you are going to troll, at least do it wittily!

RJA · Hall of fame

I suspect that such interesting events would have stronger than averge fields.

SMC1809 · All-time great

I can't see anything witty about VDBs post. He's been saying the same thing for 3 years.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

stevemcqueen wrote:
You are probably correct in saying that the top 100 has an older average than has ever been. This is because being a brilliantly talented teenager is no longer usually sufficient to break the top 100 barrier. There are also fewer player in their 30's because their bodies are broken or then can no longer move fast enough. I think the standard deviation re. average age is far less than it used to be, but I am not going to gather the evidence to prove my hypothesis!

As of June, the (a) average age of the top 100 men players was 27.34 years with (b) a standard deviation of 3.31 and (c) approx 25% being over 30 years old and (d) the oldest players being 35 (Michael Russell and Tommy Haas).

I know that this average age has got progressively older and older ever since I started watching it (about 10 years ago) but I don't know about the standard deviation number.

I do not think though that there are less players in their 30s (not 100% sure however - can check). Physio and training and medical understanding and treatment has improved hugely over the last decade and I think that this has made a significant difference.

Overall, and a propos of nothing, I think it's been a major improvement in tennis. . . .

Vandenburg · Futures level

Madeline wrote:
That's better - if you are going to troll, at least do it wittily!

I'm no troll. More a Moomin.

I just speak the truth! The trouble is, some people like Josh Goodall are like Jack Nicholson, they want the truth, but they can't handle the truth.