theemptyvessel wrote:

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Once again Aljaz deciding to only enter the MD and not qualifying means he isn't playing at all this week. I don't know if someone is advising him but if they are I suggest they quit and let someone else have a go. I can't recall such a poorly planned out schedule as this one for a player with legitimate top 50 ambitions, he is close to losing all of the ground he gained last year.

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I did wonder what had happened to him.  Assumed he must be taking some time out after his recent trials & tribulations.

theemptyvessel wrote:

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Once again Aljaz deciding to only enter the MD and not qualifying means he isn't playing at all this week. I don't know if someone is advising him but if they are I suggest they quit and let someone else have a go. I can't recall such a poorly planned out schedule as this one for a player with legitimate top 50 ambitions, he is close to losing all of the ground he gained last year.

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 I humbly suggest that you have failed to consider all the factors. Aljaz has already played 18 tournaments this year and with Winston Salem and the US Open that will go to 20. I would guess he will play at least 4 or 5 tournaments in the Autumn and therefore play 24-25 tournaments this year which seems to me to be pretty sensible for a player of his age and at his ranking. I know that he has suffered quite a few early defeats and so  hasn't played that many matches but he has still spent the time on the tour with all that entails. It is perfectly reasonable for him to take one reasonably long break (4 weeks) at one stage during the year and missing the fast courts of Cincinnati seems a logical choice for a player whose favourite surface is clay. His schedule so far has seemed pretty balanced to me combining 4 Masters Series and 4 ATP 500s with some fairly weak 250s. His season has no doubt been a little disappointing but I don't think that is down to scheduling.