Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XIII

[discostu]

June 5 layoffs mean Tennis Canada staff to shrink by 70% – at least for the summer - OPEN COURT

Tennis Canada laying off 70% of staff. They're funded heavily from profits from the Rogers Cup, so it makes sense, but what a setback for a program that's been so successful.

At least with Canada, you can bank on things to bounce back eventually. The presence of young Canadians means interest will probably return.

It makes you wonder what's on the horizon for the sport in general. There is already questions on how well the sport will whether the transition away from the big 3. A lost year like this will see some fans jump off a bit if they're not captivated by the next generation

 

[Elvis P]

Federer ponders merger of men's, women's tours

 

[kihei]

Federer ponders merger of men's, women's tours

This isn't really Roger's idea. I think the ATP and several women's players have been debating this for a while.

 

[Elvis P]

The 99 French Open Final is on the NBCSN.

 

[discostu]

Some live tennis willing be happening soon. Tennis actually seems likely one off the better options for testing sporting events in an exhibition environment.

Players dont actually interact during play. Number of players and supporting staff required is low. There's enough players on Europe that probably are close enough distance that they can draw from that they can avoid travel

Most of Canada's top players lives abroad are probably sheltering in their respective homes, but would love to see an exhibition series like that for Canada.

 

[MsMeow]

Thing is, they are sweating and then touching the same ball as each player serves. Can they get covid from sweat on a ball? I get that the players can stay away from each other and they would be the only ones to touch their towels but it is still risky even though just a bit.

 

[discostu]

Thing is, they are sweating and then touching the same ball as each player serves. Can they get covid from sweat on a ball? I get that the players can stay away from each other and they would be the only ones to touch their towels but it is still risky even though just a bit.

Forgot about that. Although, that could be minimized if you had separate balls for each server. Of course, the the question is whether watching players running across the court and into seating areas getting their own balls between play is good television.

 

[discostu]

I know there are a few Ontario people in this thread. With phase 1 announced of openings, sounds like local tennis courts will be opening this week. I haven't heard from my club. If it does open, I can't see myself doing more than casually hitting the ball around with the kids.

Has anyone heard from their clubs? Do people plan on playing this year?

 

[MsMeow]

I know there are a few Ontario people in this thread. With phase 1 announced of openings, sounds like local tennis courts will be opening this week. I haven't heard from my club. If it does open, I can't see myself doing more than casually hitting the ball around with the kids.

Has anyone heard from their clubs? Do people plan on playing this year?

I don't play anymore but I drove by the closest club in my area this morning and it was still locked up like it's been all winter.

Edit: Tennis courts are opening today in Ontario!

Edit more: Well they didn't open all the off leash parks in Toronto today like they announced. I wonder if it's going to take a few days. They are putting signs up at the off leash park showing the 6 feet apart rule using 3 dogs so I bet they'll use 3 tennis racquets for tennis court signs.

 

[kihei]

In Tennis News, Toni Nadal picks Roger as GOAT. Wasn't expecting that

Toni Nadal: Federer is GOAT - Tennis Now

 

[discostu]

I don't play anymore but I drove by the closest club in my area this morning and it was still locked up like it's been all winter.

Edit: Tennis courts are opening today in Ontario!

Edit more: Well they didn't open all the off leash parks in Toronto today like they announced. I wonder if it's going to take a few days. They are putting signs up at the off leash park showing the 6 feet apart rule using 3 dogs so I bet they'll use 3 tennis racquets for tennis court signs.

I got an email from my club indicating that they were going to try holding the singles ladder for the season and seeing if there's interest. I declined,as I don't think it's really safe enough yet with strangers.

Apparently, When they open (didn't give a date, but I'm thinking next weekend), only singles play will be permitted. I'm hoping there's exceptions for family units as my goal will be to take the family.

I'm also not discounting that things may shut down again if numhers don't decline around here.

 

[lamini]

Czech tennis started today with exhibition tournament, it's possible to watch matches here: ŽIVĚ: O pohár prezidenta ČTS not sure if it's blocked outside Czech republic

 

[discostu]

Felix seems to be registered to play in some exhibition tournament in a few weeks.



Looking at the website, Goffin seems to be on board. Matches will be in South France,so will be accessible to a number of players living in Europe.

 

[JianYang]

Thing is, they are sweating and then touching the same ball as each player serves. Can they get covid from sweat on a ball? I get that the players can stay away from each other and they would be the only ones to touch their towels but it is still risky even though just a bit.

I mean, the risk will never be absolute zero, but if the Bundesliga has started up, where players are building walls in free kick situations, or running through their tactics during corner kicks, or even just engaging in tackling, then I think the risk in contracting covid-19 during a tennis match are smaller.

They should still take every reasonable measure in tennis to reduce the risk, but if we wait for a zero risk environment, we can pretty much kiss any professional, competitive tennis goodbye until there is a vaccine, and I highly doubt it will get to that point.

The complication is that tennis would need players gathering from all over the world, but even the Bundesliga has quite the international flavour, and managed a restart.

 

[discostu]

Regarding tennis, the rules for my local court is that each player needs to bring their own set of tennis balls, clearly marked. There's strict rules on ensuring opponents store equipment on opposing sides of net,and don't cross over on same side. Doubles play is prohibited unless you're a family unit.

It seems like it's easy enough to put in low risk protocols, which is why we're seeing early exhibition matches happening.

Going back to the full tour will be another challenge altogether. As mentioned above,travel restrictions make any open competition difficult to implement, and economically, outside the majors, I'm unsure if any tournament is viable without fans in the stands.

 

[MsMeow]

NBC was showing Nadal/Soderling at the French on Sunday and deep into the final set, they broke in for news and the ending was never shown. That is SO 2020!

 

[kihei]

Roger shuts it down for the year as knee woes take a more serious turn. He'll be 39 when he returns and not exactly getting any younger.

 

[MsMeow]

Roger shuts it down for the year as knee woes take a more serious turn. He'll be 39 when he returns and not exactly getting any younger.

Will there even BE any significant tennis in 2020? If/when the second wave of Covid hits, I expect there won't.

 

[discostu]

Will there even BE any significant tennis in 2020? If/when the second wave of Covid hits, I expect there won't.

I think it's unlikely we'll see formal competition that awards points. Too hard for travel,and if a tournament can't be fully open, it's not really fair to have ranking impact.

I think we'll see these exhibition events though. There's one this weekend that Felix was scheduled to play,but he pulled out. If people are in a region already, the actual event itself is low risk.

 

[discostu]

Djokovic and other big names (Thiem, Zverev, Dimitrov) are participating in a big charity tournament this weekend, with actual fans in attendance, and no real social distancing measures.



Below article gives some of the context around it. With countries all at different stages of infection and different risk tolerances, there's going to be a lot of interesting dynamics this year.

Tennis-Djokovic relishing fan influx at charity tournament

 

[Beau Knows]

We're supposed to get a decision on the US Open this week.

From what I've seen it looks like it's expected that they will announce it will be played this year. I assume it will be with no fans.

 

[Preds Partisan]

 

[discostu]

It's crazy that the US, with the worst stats of any major nation right now,would be the first to authorize a major tennis tournament.

For anyone travelling to the US,will they be subjected to quarantine when they return to their home countries?

I think there's enough tennis players that are in desperate need of a pay check,that if they run this,that they'll get a field, but certainly seems high risk.

 

[MXD]

Wait.... The W&S Open and the US Open will be held successively at Flushing Meadows with a one-week "break" in between?

 

[discostu]

Wait.... The W&S Open and the US Open will be held successively at Flushing Meadows with a one-week "break" in between?

I missed that. I guess it limits travel,but really doesn't make much sense.