Djokovic Will Not Play On Blue "Clay" Again

After Nadal issued his ultimatum to Tiriac Djokovic has issued his own. If Madrid courts remain blue he will not play either...

Djokovic has just said he will follow Nadal's lead & not play Madrid next year if clay stays blue. Piles pressure on Tiriac

https://twitter.com/#!/Ringham7

Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.

Bless them.

Empty vessels make most noise. Don't they understand how grown ups influence change?

laverfan wrote:Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.

laverfan

Are you saying that Murray was just pretending to have an injured back? If this is the case it reflects very badly on the sport

Also after reading your comments about Nadal saying he wouldn't return to Madrid if the courts remained blue.

Do you think Djokovic should have made such a disparaging statement about the blue "clay"? By saying this he is clearly disrespecting his opponant by implying that if the surface was to his liking he would have double bageled him. He is also inferring that Verdaso's win over Nadal should be asterixed...

HE... since you have two 'parallel' articles, I will post my comment on this thread as well.

Nadal complained that Madrid is already a difficult tournament as it is, because it is played 550 metres above sea level. He sees no need to add a surface he does not know, although that is partly due to the fact that in 2009-11 he refused to train on the blue clay court that organizers provided for all players to use.

Djokovic and Federer refused to try it too, although Andy Roddick did use it.

It was available for practice.

http://www.sportlive.co.za/tennis/2012/05/04/madrid-open-wants-good-faith-from-stars-on-blue-clay

Very disappointed in you there laverfan with your Murray post

I sense (or at least I'd like to think) that you do intend it only as a light-hearted comment ; but even though you're obviously entitled to post in a purely personal capacity, I'd say we somehow expect better from a Moderator.

laverfan

I was just about to go but saw your comment here.

I agree the articles may be "parallel" but I suspect like all parallel things they will not cross. Nadal saying he will not play on blue "clay" will be interpreted in an entirely different way to Djokovic saying the exact same thing.

If what you say is correct I can understand why Nadal. Federer and Djokovic wanted nothing to do with blue "clay". Maybe they should have extended their refusal to this years tournament. If Roddick practiced on it I'm surprised he didn't play Madrid.

lags72 wrote:Very disappointed in you there laverfan with your Murray post

I sense (or at least I'd like to think) that you do intend it only as a light-hearted comment ; but even though you're obviously entitled to post in a purely personal capacity, I'd say we somehow expect better from a Moderator.

Lags that was just a funny quote from LF to make the situation go light hearted .

Obiviously Rafa fans are disappointed with the results, no wonder we see such articles every where, but the need of the hour is to raise the problem regarding slipperyness of the court and not to overreact that I will not take part if it remains the same.

Why dont you put the problems on organiserz head and wait n see if the problem gets resolved rather than threating them I wont play if you dont react quick.

My concern is players injuries (slippery court) and changing the court surface at the whim of a megalomaniacal billionnaire. Personally I think it should either be red clay, hardcourt or grass.

I had written a reply to LF's comment but when I sent it, the 606v2 server wanted me to enter a confirmation code - I declined and the comment was lost. Is this something new to 606v2 - having to type in confirmation codes after writing a comment?

The comment made comment to feminist / marxist viewpoints on the colour change, the wealth of the owner, and the similarity of the court colour to certain pills taken by aging men.

Nadal have said before the tournament started that he dislikes this blue court very much. Nole is fearing it even though he won the last match.
Federer does not have to complain too much. Even if he gets injured his career is ending soon anyway.
Nadal and Novak have the most to loose if they get injured.
The court is spayed with something to get blue and that something has different surface than anything was ever played on before.
Tennis already offers variety of different surfaces, so what is the need for making it even more complicated? Other sports are alway played on the same materials. If hockey player would change ice to concrete that would be called lacrosse

Laverfan is right. However, he does not mean that Murray have withdrew intentionally, but he was lucky this time. Would you like to see him playing there the next year if Nadal and Nole are not playing? God forbid he gets injured, what would you say then?

lags72 wrote:Very disappointed in you there laverfan with your Murray post

I sense (or at least I'd like to think) that you do intend it only as a light-hearted comment ; but even though you're obviously entitled to post in a purely personal capacity, I'd say we somehow expect better from a Moderator.

Was it the use of the smiley ?

Would there have been a difference if a different smiley had have been used e.g., compare:
1) Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.
2) Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.
3) Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.
4) Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.
5) Murray was the real smart one and withdrew from Madrid.

On my part I think LF was "being" "ironic" towards the OP whose support for Murray (or otherwise) is leg-endary. Personally I think version 3 would have sufficed

I was completely playing the Nore Staat irreverent humorous card. Did not mean to cause offense to anyone. Knowing HE's proclivity to light-hearted Murray banter, and since he was the only one of the Top 4 missing, I felt a bit of humour, on two articles with a similar 'blue' clay bash was better than a controversial jab at Nadal's loss to Verdasco.

As iC indicates, the other comments that I have made were asking the specifics of court slipperiness being addressed. I double-posted the availability of the 'blue' clay practice court since 2009 to clarify my stance.

One benefit I see, especially for my old eyes, was the ability to the see the ball very well.

I am sure the engineering side of the ATP would have tested for the coefficient of the friction being very similar for both materials. Lydian mentioned this surface behaving like ball bearings. Player safety is obviously important to ATP and all of it's members.

Hopefully, I will be exonerated of my crimes and acquitted of any charges levied against me by 606v2 posters, who feel my comments are not within the spirit of debate, perhaps a bit of levity and irony notwithstanding.

I rest my defence, your honours, sirs/madams.

touch(A)parabola wrote:Nadal have said before the tournament started that he dislikes this blue court very much. Nole is fearing it even though he won the last match.
Federer does not have to complain too much. Even if he gets injured his career is ending soon anyway.
Nadal and Novak have the most to loose if they get injured.
The court is spayed with something to get blue and that something has different surface than anything was ever played on before.
Tennis already offers variety of different surfaces, so what is the need for making it even more complicated? Other sports are alway played on the same materials. If hockey player would change ice to concrete that would be called lacrosse

Laverfan is right. However, he does not mean that Murray have withdrew intentionally, but he was lucky this time. Would you like to see him playing there the next year if Nadal and Nole are not playing? God forbid he gets injured, what would you say then?

what a load of drivvle

Wouldn't surprise me if the courts did play some part in Murray's decision to withdraw. You have a minor back twinge and an inkling that the new blue courts may be a bit slippy. That back twinge might suddenly feel that little bit worse - better to go to Rome a week early and get some gentle practice on the solid red stuff...

laverfan wrote:I was completely playing the Nore Staat irreverent humorous card. Did not mean to cause offense to anyone. Knowing HE's proclivity to light-hearted Murray banter, and since he was the only one of the Top 4 missing, I felt a bit of humour, on two articles with a similar 'blue' clay bash was better than a controversial jab at Nadal's loss to Verdasco.

As iC indicates, the other comments that I have made were asking the specifics of court slipperiness being addressed. I double-posted the availability of the 'blue' clay practice court since 2009 to clarify my stance.

One benefit I see, especially for my old eyes, was the ability to the see the ball very well.

I am sure the engineering side of the ATP would have tested for the coefficient of the friction being very similar for both materials. Lydian mentioned this surface behaving like ball bearings. Player safety is obviously important to ATP and all of it's members.

Hopefully, I will be exonerated of my crimes and acquitted of any charges levied against me by 606v2 posters, who feel my comments are not within the spirit of debate, perhaps a bit of levity and irony notwithstanding.

I rest my defence, your honours, sirs/madams.

I am offended that those who are easy to offend are being pandered to.

LuvSports! wrote:

touch(A)parabola wrote:Nadal have said before the tournament started that he dislikes this blue court very much. Nole is fearing it even though he won the last match.
Federer does not have to complain too much. Even if he gets injured his career is ending soon anyway.
Nadal and Novak have the most to loose if they get injured.
The court is spayed with something to get blue and that something has different surface than anything was ever played on before.
Tennis already offers variety of different surfaces, so what is the need for making it even more complicated? Other sports are alway played on the same materials. If hockey player would change ice to concrete that would be called lacrosse

Laverfan is right. However, he does not mean that Murray have withdrew intentionally, but he was lucky this time. Would you like to see him playing there the next year if Nadal and Nole are not playing? God forbid he gets injured, what would you say then?

what a load of drivvle

now now, mustn't mock the afflicted

lol...nothing like a Nadal loss/controversy to get this and other forums going into overdrive...the guy certainly is still box-office in the tennis world...real world or forums!

I like the look of it as so long as it's safe I would say screw Nadal and Djokovic. The players (only the top few) have far too much influence on what goes down in the tour. The top 6 don;t like Paris' carpet, so they change it. The top 6 complain about the uneven bounce in the Oz open, so they change that. Both changes for the worse and both changes to help out the top few players.

Tiriac should stick his two fingers up at the pair of them!

reckoner wrote:I am offended that those who are easy to offend are being pandered to.

... then I shall stop pandering to the ones who are easy to offend and refrain from pandering to those who need pandering to.

laverfan wrote:

reckoner wrote:I am offended that those who are easy to offend are being pandered to.

... then I shall stop pandering to the ones who are easy to offend and refrain from pandering to those who need pandering to.

more kung fu pandering please!

reckoner wrote:

laverfan wrote:

reckoner wrote:I am offended that those who are easy to offend are being pandered to.

... then I shall stop pandering to the ones who are easy to offend and refrain from pandering to those who need pandering to.

more kung fu pandering please!

ok then

Skaddoossshhh!

Reckoner and LuvSports... you made my day, despite Dolgo's loss to Del Potro.

Love the word "pandering"...so descriptive.

Dolgo & Delpo...with names like that they should play doubles!
Shame Dolgo lost though...

Don't worry lydian, he'll break through!

Every comment gets deleted when it doesn't meet the dimwitted views to have everyone patting others on the back. What a positive article of Free Speech.

laverfan wrote:I was completely playing the Nore Staat irreverent humorous card. Did not mean to cause offense to anyone. Knowing HE's proclivity to light-hearted Murray banter, and since he was the only one of the Top 4 missing, I felt a bit of humour, on two articles with a similar 'blue' clay bash was better than a controversial jab at Nadal's loss to Verdasco.

As iC indicates, the other comments that I have made were asking the specifics of court slipperiness being addressed. I double-posted the availability of the 'blue' clay practice court since 2009 to clarify my stance.

One benefit I see, especially for my old eyes, was the ability to the see the ball very well.

I am sure the engineering side of the ATP would have tested for the coefficient of the friction being very similar for both materials. Lydian mentioned this surface behaving like ball bearings. Player safety is obviously important to ATP and all of it's members.

Hopefully, I will be exonerated of my crimes and acquitted of any charges levied against me by 606v2 posters, who feel my comments are not within the spirit of debate, perhaps a bit of levity and irony notwithstanding.

I rest my defence, your honours, sirs/madams.

LF you are getting more humoerous now I will forward your appeal to the universal judge Emanci let him decide the verdict.

Come on ,is 606v2 getting so serious that light hearted banters have to be punished to execution , i am running from this place then , oh wait I am not , would I be punished for being confused now

lydian wrote:lol...nothing like a Nadal loss/controversy to get this and other forums going into overdrive...the guy certainly is still box-office in the tennis world...real world or forums!

Nadal is a big name in Real world let alone tennis, few years back Fed had .9 million Faceback fans to Rafa's .4 million, but now both of them having 1 million fans and Fed only a marginal lead with few thousands etc,. Rafa is a big name and articles are expected in tosh when he loses. However some of them are so witty .

Horse, bolt, and stable door come to mind.

http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/7749277/Tiriac-sorry-over-courts

laverfan wrote:I was completely playing the Nore Staat irreverent humorous card. Did not mean to cause offense to anyone. Knowing HE's proclivity to light-hearted Murray banter, and since he was the only one of the Top 4 missing, I felt a bit of humour, on two articles with a similar 'blue' clay bash was better than a controversial jab at Nadal's loss to Verdasco.

As iC indicates, the other comments that I have made were asking the specifics of court slipperiness being addressed. I double-posted the availability of the 'blue' clay practice court since 2009 to clarify my stance.

One benefit I see, especially for my old eyes, was the ability to the see the ball very well.

I am sure the engineering side of the ATP would have tested for the coefficient of the friction being very similar for both materials. Lydian mentioned this surface behaving like ball bearings. Player safety is obviously important to ATP and all of it's members.

Hopefully, I will be exonerated of my crimes and acquitted of any charges levied against me by 606v2 posters, who feel my comments are not within the spirit of debate, perhaps a bit of levity and irony notwithstanding.

I rest my defence, your honours, sirs/madams.

laverfan

Mmmm... I suggest a probationary period. During this time any use of emotions should be limited to one per post... and these should be carfully checked and agreed with at least three of your fellow moderators before posting.

I found his interview to be the most baffling.

Acknowledged that all players had to adjust, then speaks of his non-participation should the blue stuff remain.

It's not very surprising that most of the people on here who are criticising Nadal are not fans of his & are merely using the 'blue clay debacle' as a means to stick the knife in. All the while covering it up by saying he is a moaner or unprofessional.

When other players comment they are not seen as being moaners or bad losers, just as expressing their opinions. It does strike me as a little unfair & smacks of being extremely anti-Nadal & very ugly.

Hogwash may I refer you to Murray's recent "I could have won a slam or two" interview and the resulting stream of posts on these boards.

hawkeye wrote:..any use of emotions should be limited....

Indeed, emotions are not logical, Captain.

graf_the_greatest wrote:It's not very surprising that most of the people on here who are criticising Nadal are not fans of his & are merely using the 'blue clay debacle' as a means to stick the knife in. All the while covering it up by saying he is a moaner or unprofessional.

When other players comment they are not seen as being moaners or bad losers, just as expressing their opinions. It does strike me as a little unfair & smacks of being extremely anti-Nadal & very ugly.

graf_the_greatest

That's why I posted two seperate articles. One about Rafa saying he wouldn't play and one about Novak saying he wouldn't play. Interesting to see how these two identical views are recieved. Since posting I have also seen Novak making his statement. He makes it clear that he is in total agreement with Rafa. Sometimes I imagine it just doesn't compute with some fans that their favourite player may be in total agreement with their least favourite player...

JuliusHMarx wrote:

hawkeye wrote:..any use of emotions should be limited....

Indeed, emotions are not logical, Captain.

are they physical then

JuliusHMarx wrote:

hawkeye wrote:..any use of emotions should be limited....

Indeed, emotions are not logical, Captain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBzoBgfm55w

JuliusHMarx wrote:

hawkeye wrote:..any use of emotions should be limited....

Indeed, emotions are not logical, Captain.

Ha ha! I originally meant "emoticans" but on second thoughts limiting emotions would stop all this irational arguing. What did Freud have to say about slips such as this?

graf_the_greatest wrote:It's not very surprising that most of the people on here who are criticising Nadal are not fans of his & are merely using the 'blue clay debacle' as a means to stick the knife in. All the while covering it up by saying he is a moaner or unprofessional.

When other players comment they are not seen as being moaners or bad losers, just as expressing their opinions. It does strike me as a little unfair & smacks of being extremely anti-Nadal & very ugly.

I totally agree if it had been Roger slating the smurf turf he would have been "justified" in his criticisms.
Rafa did blast off no doubt about that... I do not call him the "humble warrior" but by comparison to most players on tour he has more humility than most. However let us remember that Nadal is a human being the same as the rest of us... he had a bad day at the office and he was frankly pi@@ed off ... he has a right to complain and in part I agree with him.-. However he should have withdrawn from the tournament if it was not to his liking or indeed in protest... he didnt...he chose to play and suffered the consequences. But I too feel it unfair to constantly slate him because he spoke up for what he believed was right.. Now he will wish to forget it
and move on.
Tiriac has apologised tor the condition of the courts and is trying to improve them... a bit late for Rafa isn´t it so at least he has helped other players.

Haddie-nuff wrote:

graf_the_greatest wrote:It's not very surprising that most of the people on here who are criticising Nadal are not fans of his & are merely using the 'blue clay debacle' as a means to stick the knife in. All the while covering it up by saying he is a moaner or unprofessional.

When other players comment they are not seen as being moaners or bad losers, just as expressing their opinions. It does strike me as a little unfair & smacks of being extremely anti-Nadal & very ugly.

I totally agree if it had been Roger slating the smurf turf he would have been "justified" in his criticisms.

Djokovic and Federer refused to try it too, although Andy Roddick did use it.

Federer has already stated his displeasure, but he is still playing. (Should/Can I use the wink? Perhaps not).

Haddie-nuff wrote:Rafa did blast off no doubt about that... I do not call him the "humble warrior" but by comparison to most players on tour he has more humility than most. However let us remember that Nadal is a human being the same as the rest of us... he had a bad day at the office and he was frankly pi@@ed off ... he has a right to complain and in part I agree with him.-. However he should have withdrawn from the tournament if it was not to his liking or indeed in protest... he didnt...he chose to play and suffered the consequences. But I too feel it unfair to constantly slate him because he spoke up for what he believed was right.. Now he will wish to forget it and move on.

I agree, that he was peed off. I also agree that it is unfair to slate Nadal alone. There is a living example of 1973 Wimbledon and a player boycott or the 1996 USO draw fiasco.

Haddie-nuff wrote:Tiriac has apologised tor the condition of the courts and is trying to improve them... a bit late for Rafa isn´t it so at least he has helped other players.

He will fix it, which should allow Nadal to move one from his current stance, and play the Madrid Blue, if his schedule permits.

BTW, Nando just lost to Berdych.

You are a little quick to generalise Haddie-nuff. If Federer ever behaved like that I would be just as critical.

graf_the_greatest wrote:It's not very surprising that most of the people on here who are criticising Nadal are not fans of his & are merely using the 'blue clay debacle' as a means to stick the knife in. All the while covering it up by saying he is a moaner or unprofessional.

When other players comment they are not seen as being moaners or bad losers, just as expressing their opinions. It does strike me as a little unfair & smacks of being extremely anti-Nadal & very ugly.

Is one not allowed to criticise a player they like? Is 'fandom' so blind, that human foibles are invisible now? (Sorry, no emoticons allowed!).

reckoner wrote:You are a little quick to generalise Haddie-nuff. If Federer ever behaved like that I would be just as critical.

From the link I have posted previously...

Madrid does not have the support of the Swiss legend Federer either. “I find it sad that we have to play on a surface that players won’t accept,” he told dpa in November.

November 2011 (7+ months ago), right?

LuvSports! wrote:

touch(A)parabola wrote:Nadal have said before the tournament started that he dislikes this blue court very much. Nole is fearing it even though he won the last match.
Federer does not have to complain too much. Even if he gets injured his career is ending soon anyway.
Nadal and Novak have the most to loose if they get injured.
The court is spayed with something to get blue and that something has different surface than anything was ever played on before.
Tennis already offers variety of different surfaces, so what is the need for making it even more complicated? Other sports are alway played on the same materials. If hockey player would change ice to concrete that would be called lacrosse

Laverfan is right. However, he does not mean that Murray have withdrew intentionally, but he was lucky this time. Would you like to see him playing there the next year if Nadal and Nole are not playing? God forbid he gets injured, what would you say then?

what a load of drivvle

That is very thoughtful of you LuvSports. Would you honour us end explain what is bothering you about my statements?
Personally, I like to watch Federer playing, but Nadal is much more likable as a person. Federer graceful in expressing himself after defeat? Never got that feeling. What did he have to say after loosing to Nole at US open?
"To lose against someone like that, it's very disappointing, because you feel like he was mentally out of it already. Just gets the lucky shot at the end, and off you go."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/sep/11/us-open-2011-federer-djokovic
Even worst is when he does that same slapping shot playing a crucial point against Raonic 2 days ago.

But hey, nothing, I mean nothing would ever make me happier that that slap that Novak did at US Open. Nothing will ever erase it. Priceless. And it happened to the right person.javascript:emoticonp('')

Nadal on the other hand looks sad when he looses, but never puts his opponent down.

Will wait for Murray to play on such a court... so we can all come back to this conversation.

@Super D Boon
What influence do these players have? What ever changed when they objected something? Please name couple of your claims.

laverfan wrote:

reckoner wrote:You are a little quick to generalise Haddie-nuff. If Federer ever behaved like that I would be just as critical.

From the link I have posted previously...

Madrid does not have the support of the Swiss legend Federer either. “I find it sad that we have to play on a surface that players won’t accept,” he told dpa in November.

November 2011 (7+ months ago), right?

That's a world away in terms of tone - measured, diplomatic. Fed is a class act!

'Federer does not have to complain too much. Even if he gets injured his career is ending soon anyway.'

Federer says he plans to play until rio that is a churlish comment from you in my book. Why do they have more to lose? because they have a longer career ahead of them? who knows about that with rafa's 'injuries'.

I like the surface as it rewards aggressive and attacking players who are prepared to take risks but the timing of it before the french is wrong but it makes watching it intriguing and a breath of fresh air.

Federer is far from perfect but as a person I way prefer him to nadal regardless of the fact that i am a fan. My view is that rafa isn't as nice as he seems and looks to benefit himself more than others i.e. players council debacle.
Rafa's main comments are about something that was down to him much more so than praising his opponents, feds has got worse at this i feel but i haven't seen feds going out of his way to get what he wants.

LuvSports! wrote:'Federer does not have to complain too much. Even if he gets injured his career is ending soon anyway.'

Federer says he plans to play until rio that is a churlish comment from you in my book. Why do they have more to lose? because they have a longer career ahead of them? who knows about that with rafa's 'injuries'.

I like the surface as it rewards aggressive and attacking players who are prepared to take risks but the timing of it before the french is wrong but it makes watching it intriguing and a breath of fresh air.

Federer is far from perfect but as a person I way prefer him to nadal regardless of the fact that i am a fan. My view is that rafa isn't as nice as he seems and looks to benefit himself more than others i.e. players council debacle.
Rafa's main comments are about something that was down to him much more so than praising his opponents, feds has got worse at this i feel but i haven't seen feds going out of his way to get what he wants.

cheers man

btw as im ill atm i can enjoy some film time.

can you guess what film im watching hehe

'nope i figured it out.... skaddddooooooosshhhh!

making this rubbish day bearable

LuvSports! wrote:cheers man

btw as im ill atm i can enjoy some film time.

can you guess what film im watching hehe

'nope i figured it out.... skaddddooooooosshhhh!

making this rubbish day bearable

Awesome!!! Hope you're well for the weekend is going to be a scorcher!