Backspin Sites

Friday, June 19, 2020

More Transmissions from a Tennis Bunker

Creeeeakkk...





Did someone knock...?


An anticipated, the USTA dropped its U.S. Open decision on the tennis world this week, and it set off a chain reaction of differing responses.




Set to begin on August 31, the fan-less U.S. Open is part of a subsequently released restart schedule that kicks off (for the WTA, two weeks ahead of the ATP) the week of August 3, with the postponed Roland Garros scheduled to be held in Paris beginning September 27. If both slams are indeed held, it would avert the possibility of fewer then three majors being held in calendar year for the first time since World War II (the last time there were *just* three was 1986, when the AO shifted from December '86 to January '87).

Of course, whether or not the Open *should* be held at all is another discussion, with the coronavirus pandemic still chugging along in the U.S. (though other sports *are* picking back up) with nearly 120K dead and counting, no matter if (and largely because) the current presidential administration refuses to acknowledge that reality and/or promote the practices necessary to possibly prevent such an ongoing occurrence into the foreseeable future. But with the longer term landscape perhaps as questionable as the short, passing over the opportunity to hold the event even after the state of New York gave the "okay" could ultimately be viewed just as derisively as some viewed the decision that the tournament *would* be held this year.

While some called the decision "selfish" or a "money-grab," others had issues with the necessary protocols and/or the act of eliminating the majority of the competitions (no qualifying rounds, juniors, wheelchair or mixed doubles, and with just half a doubles draw, with no singles players allowed to enter) in order, apparently, to have as few a number of people involved in the event as possible.

No decision was ever going to be met with 100% agreement, as the non-top tier players who would have been robbed of the chance to make *any* money in the event would have snarled just as loudly as those who didn't agree with the choice to go forward with the tournament. While original plans had seemed to call for players being able to bring along just *one* additional person was met with anger by top players with large teams, the final decision to allow a few more (3 in all) has caused the players whose events were dropped to argue that those additional "bring-alongs" could have been replaced by players in the axed or slashed draws.



While some argue that the protocols (1-2 tests a weeks, daily temperature checks, masks on-site when not playing or training) don't make things safe enough, others have argued that they are too stringent (including Novak Djokovic, who last week acted as if the inconvenience of being unable to go into Manhattan for two weeks was akin to cruel and unusual punishment, even as many around the world have spent weeks and months locked down in their own homes... then last week he played an exhibition with big crowds while flouting the *lack* of any protocols or social distancing at all because those were "the rules" in Serbia).



As it is, the USTA relented to some calls by allowing players to book *two* hotel rooms to contain no more than two people each (or take the option of renting a home outside Manhattan), as well as increased the number of services provided at the hotel, while also deciding to not use line judges or ballpersons anywhere outside the show courts.

But who will or won't play?


View this post on Instagram

The US Open will always hold a very special place in my heart. Arthur Ashe is where I won my first grand slam title and I treasure so many unforgettable moments at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Since then, we’ve seen sports, and the world as we know it, come to a halt due to the spread of COVID-19. I can’t stress enough that the health and safety of, not only the players, but of all those involved in making tennis happen again this season is, and has always been, of the utmost importance. I have no doubt that the USTA has come up with the best plan to insure our safety as we look to the return of tennis in 2020. The decision, I know was not made lightly and I completely support and understand every players personal opinions on the matter and their comfort level traveling near and far to compete on the world’s biggest stage. Returning to life as we once knew it is no longer an option but, I plan to make the most of the opportunity to get back on the court, re-connect with players and friends and hopefully bring tennis back to the millions of fans across the globe safely.

A post shared by Bianca Vanessa?? (@biancaandreescu_) on



Well, Serena Williams (one major away from 24, and surely knowing she can't throw away any chances at nearly age 39) quickly committed to playing, while defending champ Bianca Andreescu professed trust in the tournament's plans (though she'd be wise to watch her own back and never assume anything... it's the one thing she can learn from her countrywoman Genie). The status of Ash Barty (as well as Rafa Nadal, as of now, and even Djokovic) are still to be determined, while Simona Halep (who'd already expressed reservations, and didn't play the '16 Olympics because of the threat of Zika in Rio) announced she wouldn't be making the trip from Europe (though she left the door open a *teeny-tiny* crack).



Some others just got mouthy...



While others presented legitimate, reasoned -- and numbered -- points of disagreement...



The argument that the plan the USTA came up with actively disregards the needs of the sort of players -- qualifiers and doubles specialists -- who truly *needed* the Open and the opportunity for season-making prize money it would have provided is probably the most effective one of them all.



Naturally, the attempt to add an "asterisk" to this Open, with potentially many top names skipping out, has already begun. Which is fine, but it could also turn out to be an interesting experiment. Not just when it comes to which players will seize the moment, but also to see just how long the asterisk discussion lasts when put up against the prospect of Serena hanging around deep into the draw.

One suspects that if Williams *does* get #24 in Flushing Meadows, the '20 U.S. Open will go from "having an asterisk" to becoming the site of her "toughest (and maybe best)" major title run ever -- under adverse and unusual conditions -- so quickly that we'll all get whiplash.

Thing is, both opinions might end up being correct.

Either way, the "U.S. Open: Thunderdome Edition" has the makings of an unforgettable, hopefully-only-figurative battle for survival between the lines.
===============================================
Maybe the most disappointing aspect of the U.S. Open schedule cut, aside from the lost opportunity for so many in-need players to maybe make up for their "lost" season with a qualifying run, is that the wheelchair event was dropped for this year.

Now, first off, while many have complained about this occurrence many are overlooking that there actually wasn't *supposed* to be a WC competition at the '20 Open to begin with, because the Paralympics were scheduled to take the competition's summer position, as always happens. Of course, with the Tokyo Games being cancelled, it opened up the possibility for a nice course correction.

But that didn't happen, and many players were *not* pleased. Largely, I suspect, because there was zero communication about it beforehand (although, frankly, they probably should have seen this coming, as most pre-announcement models fully expected the WC event to be cut along with the other cancellations that were included in the USTA's press release).




Unlike some, I wouldn't term this an act of active "discrimination" against WC players, essentially because it was clear that the USTA was interested in chopping the event down to just what was considered to be the "money" events: men's and women's tour singles. If the organization had its druthers, it likely would have cut *everything* but those singles competitions because *in its mind* that's the only thing that's "important" and the only thing anyone really comes out to see, or their broadcast partners want to air.

They could never have gotten away with cancelling *all* doubles, so they gutted much of what they *did* include in order to throw doubles a small bone and quell *some* of the surely expected anger. I doubt that holding the juniors and wheelchair competitions was ever seriously considered as an option.

British player Jordanne Whiley concurs with not calling it "discrimination," as she notes at the start of her IG comments on the matter (below), and I agree wholeheartedly with her on what *is* a very problematic, disappointing and discouraging decision by the USTA. While wheelchair tennis has made great inroads of late, it still gets the door slammed shut in its face at nearly every turn (even more than doubles).

Remember, aside from the horrible scheduling of the sport's -- especially U.S. -- slam finals (the women's Open championship is often played on an outside court *during* the regular men's final, with zero attention and few fans... when it *should* be given a *bigger* stage on Ashe as a *lead-in* to the tournament's concluding match), the Hall of Fame even recently made it more difficult -- with a longer wait -- for WC greats to be inducted into Newport.

Esther Vergeer, perhaps the most dominant athlete in *any* discipline of tennis since Suzanne Lenglen, is still on the outside looking in despite having retired in early 2013. Her next eligible year for induction was *going* to be 2023, but with this year's HoF ceremony being postponed until '21 it's possible that there won't be any additional inductees announced next year (the '20 class includes Conchita Martinez and Goran Ivanisevic), which might push the next "WC-eligible" year to '24.

Here's what Whiley said:



Thus, Whiley seems to continue to be snakebit when it comes to "defending" her lone slam singles crown. In 2015, she won the U.S. Open singles title at Flushing Meadows. But she hasn't been able to play the event since. What had already been a combination of time out due to her pregnancy (2017-18), the Paralympics (2016), and last year not making the field because a wild card was given to U.S. player Dana Mathewson, knocking Whiley out of the eight-player singles draw after she'd made a great comeback and climbed back into the Top 8.

Now, the WC event has been cancelled for '20, and won't be held in '21 either since the Tokyo Paralympics will again (at least supposedly) take the U.S. Open spot in the summer schedule next year.

Of course, Whiley *does* still have her ten slam doubles wins (including the '20 AO), two Paralympic Bronze medals in WD (2012/16), as well as a pair of WC Doubles Masters titles (2013/14).

Meanwhile, Marjolein Buis is at least looking on the bright side...



Also, I missed this in May, but Buis posted this on her IG at the end of what was Ehlers-Danlos syndrome awareness month. Of course, Buis suffers from EDS, and 2020 was intended to be her (forced) final season as a WC pro after the ITF (to line up with the new eligibility guidelines for the Paralympics starting after Tokyo) altered the rules of the WC tour in a way that prevents athletes with EDS from playing on tour after '20 because, apparently, they aren't deemed to be impaired *enough* to qualify.



With the Tokyo Paralympics being pushed back to 2021, Buis is now set to play in the Games next year (assuming they aren't cancelled again). I haven't seen her make reference to her status for the "regular" WC tour next year, but hopefully something will be done to delay the change of eligibility rules since most of this season was wiped out due to the pandemic.
===============================================
Regarding Halep's decision to skip the Open (well, barring a change of heart due to circumstances when the entrance deadline comes next month... which we know *isn't* going to happen), as well as possibly the Asian circuit...

Well, her lack of "chill" under the circumstances might work out quite well for her.

Her U.S. results have been spotty, at best, including a 2nd Rd. exit last year. Unlike in past years, her post-Wimbledon title summer didn't add much to her column, nor did the post-Open Asian swing, other than her round robin appearance in the WTAF (which she'd skip in '20 if she does play only in Europe, as it's in Shenzhen).

Meanwhile, she'll be able to play the short clay court lead-up schedule (Madrid and/or Rome) to Paris, and would probably be the favorite to win her second Roland Garros title.


===============================================
So at least there's this...


===============================================
Meanwhile...



Hmmm...


===============================================
Finally, she stirs...


===============================================
If tennis actually does come back soon, at the very least it should prevent Genie Bouchard from agreeing to go on a date with *all* her fans.
===============================================
I like the idea of these Nike outfits with images on them...



But there needs to be a series of different ones. *This* one seems to be everywhere, in the current exhibitions, as well as in players' practice photos.


View this post on Instagram

??? ?? ????? ??????????????

A post shared by Aryna Sabalenka ?? (@sabalenka_aryna) on


===============================================
So, multiple Czechs have won recent exhibition "titles," and this week there's an all-Czech team event that doesn't include many of the players who *could* participate without anyone raising an eyebrow.




Hmmm, I guess the Maiden depth is *still* strong.

via GIPHY

===============================================
Have no fear...


===============================================
Just because it'll probably still *eventually* become a story.

Yes, Sue Barker really did say that Coco Gauff could win 24 majors...


===============================================
How has Jennifer Brady handled the lockdown?



In case you forgot, Brady was ranked #48 when the rankings were frozen, having reached her career high (#45) in February. After opening her season with a qualifier-to-quarterfinalist run in Brisbane (def. Sharapova, after the Russian had posted the final victorious set of her career, and Barty), as well as reaching the Dubai semis (after wins over Svitolina, Vondrousova and Muguruza).
===============================================
After nearly 60 years...







===============================================
Wait, the Belmont is *this* weekend?

via GIPHY

===============================================


futuristic-fonts


kosova-font

*RECENT WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS*
2018 AO: Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2018 RG: Simona Halep, ROU
2018 WI: Angelique Kerber, GER
2018 US: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 AO: Naomi Osaka, JPN [2]
2019 RG: Ash Barty, AUS
2019 WI: Simona Halep, ROU [2]
2019 US: Bianca Andreescu, CAN
2020 AO: Sofia Kenin, USA

*RECENT WOMEN'S U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS*
2010 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2011 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2012 Serena Williams, USA
2013 Serena Williams, USA
2014 Serena Williams, USA
2015 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Sloane Stephens, USA
2018 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 Bianca Andreescu, CAN
[U.S. Open titles - all-time]
8 - Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
7 - Helen Wills Moody
6 - Serena Williams*
6 - Chris Evert
5 - Margaret Smith-Court
5 - Steffi Graf
4 - Pauline Betz
4 - Maria Bueno
4 - Helen Jacobs
4 - Billie Jean King
4 - Alice Marble
4 - Elisabeth Moore
4 - Martina Navratilova
4 - Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman


futuristic-fonts













futuristic-fonts


kosova-font











































futuristic-fonts


kosova-font






kosova-font







kosova-font





kosova-font





kosova-font




kosova-font




kosova-font




kosova-font




kosova-font




kosova-font




kosova-font




kosova-font





kosova-font




kosova-font





Be safe.
All for now.
Posted by at