- Banned
- #1
I don't have any problem with Stan Wawrinka. I was happy when he won the Australian Open in 2014, and my comments are not to say that "Stan The Man" wouldn't have won the French Open anyway, but Novak got screwed over. Let me explain why.
Stan got an entire day to rest for the final. Novak had to play tennis three days in a row. Why? All because of Roland Garros and their refusal to join the rest of us in the 21st century.
Firstly, Stan got to play first because Tsonga wanted to play first. Excuse me, but as the highest-seed remaining, Djokovic should get to choose whether to play first or second. That should be the advantage of finishing higher in the rankings. I would say that about any highest-remaining seed.
Secondly, Djokovic and Murray played second, and then the match was abandoned because of poor weather and bad light.
I had to check my calendar to see what century we are living in. Roland Garros doesn't have floodlights or a roof. Didn't someone take into account the possibility that two men's semi-finals could go five sets, and thus may go into the evening in some cases?
So, Djokovic and Murray had to play two days in a row, to finish the match, because the French are antiquated. Novak, then had to front up the next day and face a rested Wawrinka, when Novak's game relies on tiring out his opponent and lasting longer than them (but this only works if both men start off with the same or similar rest time).
This isn't the first time bad conditions have screwed Novak at the French Open. A few years ago, the Djoker had Nadal on the ropes. It was in a fifth set, had gone five hours, and Nadal was on his knees. Novak Djokovic was finally going to achieve a dream- of finally winning the French Open, and beating its most prolific winner to boot. But then- the rain came. The match continued the next day, but Nadal, who was well rested, and had got back to his pre-match form, could turn around the game and win, which he couldn't have done if the rain hadn't come. This is tantamount to, if in the Rumble in the Jungle, Ali had Foreman on the ropes, about to deliver the knockout blow, and it rained. When the match resumed, Foreman had recovered, and this allowed him to fell Muhammed Ali for the world heavyweight title.
Have you seen the Roland Garros main arena? It looked like it was built by the ancient Egyptians. Then look at Rod Laver Arena. A modern, state-of-the -art arena which has a retractable roof. It is no wonder that the players have named the Australian Open as their favourite tournament. If Novak had been at the Australian Open, he wouldn't have been hindered by weather, as there is only the time needed to close the roof (30-40 minutes). The match finishes in one day (unless it goes past midnight but it is still played over the one time) and you don't get these problems. It allows two players to play, starting from the same base, and then the winner is determined by who plays better.
The heads of tennis need to come out and tell Roland Garros (and Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow) that they must meet the standards of the Australian Open, and either put on a roof, or build a new modern tennis centre to house the Open. If the tournament don't sign onto the agreement, then they will lose the rights to host the Open until they comply. Or move the Opens to the least rain-affected month in their countries. I don't care if they have to rejig the tennis calendar. I would rather have an Open unaffected by rain than some Davis Cup tie in whoopwhoop that no-one cares about.
It is 2015. It is ridiculous that a place that holds a tennis Open is so old and not modernised. Knock it down, and rebuild a dome on the site, to play the French Open, so that the French can be carried, kicking and screaming out of the 19th century, and into the 21st. Finals being decided by rain affects those who buy tickets, the punters and the players. Roof it now, Roland Garros, or lose it. Your choice. It is too late for Djokovic to claim those two French Opens (and between that, and Mr Nadal saying to Mrs Nadal all those years ago "I'm feeling frisky tonight" and then nine months later....) then Djokovic is unlikely to ever win a French Open, since it doesn't seem on the cards for him.
Stan got an entire day to rest for the final. Novak had to play tennis three days in a row. Why? All because of Roland Garros and their refusal to join the rest of us in the 21st century.
Firstly, Stan got to play first because Tsonga wanted to play first. Excuse me, but as the highest-seed remaining, Djokovic should get to choose whether to play first or second. That should be the advantage of finishing higher in the rankings. I would say that about any highest-remaining seed.
Secondly, Djokovic and Murray played second, and then the match was abandoned because of poor weather and bad light.
I had to check my calendar to see what century we are living in. Roland Garros doesn't have floodlights or a roof. Didn't someone take into account the possibility that two men's semi-finals could go five sets, and thus may go into the evening in some cases?
So, Djokovic and Murray had to play two days in a row, to finish the match, because the French are antiquated. Novak, then had to front up the next day and face a rested Wawrinka, when Novak's game relies on tiring out his opponent and lasting longer than them (but this only works if both men start off with the same or similar rest time).
This isn't the first time bad conditions have screwed Novak at the French Open. A few years ago, the Djoker had Nadal on the ropes. It was in a fifth set, had gone five hours, and Nadal was on his knees. Novak Djokovic was finally going to achieve a dream- of finally winning the French Open, and beating its most prolific winner to boot. But then- the rain came. The match continued the next day, but Nadal, who was well rested, and had got back to his pre-match form, could turn around the game and win, which he couldn't have done if the rain hadn't come. This is tantamount to, if in the Rumble in the Jungle, Ali had Foreman on the ropes, about to deliver the knockout blow, and it rained. When the match resumed, Foreman had recovered, and this allowed him to fell Muhammed Ali for the world heavyweight title.
Have you seen the Roland Garros main arena? It looked like it was built by the ancient Egyptians. Then look at Rod Laver Arena. A modern, state-of-the -art arena which has a retractable roof. It is no wonder that the players have named the Australian Open as their favourite tournament. If Novak had been at the Australian Open, he wouldn't have been hindered by weather, as there is only the time needed to close the roof (30-40 minutes). The match finishes in one day (unless it goes past midnight but it is still played over the one time) and you don't get these problems. It allows two players to play, starting from the same base, and then the winner is determined by who plays better.
The heads of tennis need to come out and tell Roland Garros (and Wimbledon and Flushing Meadow) that they must meet the standards of the Australian Open, and either put on a roof, or build a new modern tennis centre to house the Open. If the tournament don't sign onto the agreement, then they will lose the rights to host the Open until they comply. Or move the Opens to the least rain-affected month in their countries. I don't care if they have to rejig the tennis calendar. I would rather have an Open unaffected by rain than some Davis Cup tie in whoopwhoop that no-one cares about.
It is 2015. It is ridiculous that a place that holds a tennis Open is so old and not modernised. Knock it down, and rebuild a dome on the site, to play the French Open, so that the French can be carried, kicking and screaming out of the 19th century, and into the 21st. Finals being decided by rain affects those who buy tickets, the punters and the players. Roof it now, Roland Garros, or lose it. Your choice. It is too late for Djokovic to claim those two French Opens (and between that, and Mr Nadal saying to Mrs Nadal all those years ago "I'm feeling frisky tonight" and then nine months later....) then Djokovic is unlikely to ever win a French Open, since it doesn't seem on the cards for him.
