Why is Djokovic playing in China instead of Japan when he's sponsored by UNIQLO?

[Gorecki]

yes.. i agree. no mixing Chow Mein and Nigiri-sushi....

oh the lack of tennis, what it does for people's sanity!!

[Shangri La]

Djokovic played in Beijing because he wanted to do some GANGNAM Style!

[DanaKz]

Lord...UN must ban gangnam as a crime against humanity...

[Rhino]

Andy Murray.

When did Djokovic last beat a fellow top-4 player?

[Achilles82]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

So a big Japanese company, UNIQLO, pays Djokovic millions of dollars but Djokovic snubs them by choosing to play in the China Open instead of the Japan Open?

Well, they pay him millions of dollars to wear UNIQLO clothing line. Were Djokovic plays is not of there business.

Why would Novak play Tokyo, if prize money for the winner in Beijing is over 220K more then in Tokyo?

[Zarfot Z]

Originally Posted by Achilles82

Well, they pay him millions of dollars to wear UNIQLO clothing line. Were Djokovic plays is not of there business.

Why would Novak play Tokyo, if prize money for the winner in Beijing is over 220K more then in Tokyo?

Because Murray's playing in Japan.

It's sort of like a pact, you see.

The top players decide to split the tournaments between them, so they can each win one without going through the other. Win win situation.

[dr325i]

Originally Posted by Rhino

Andy Murray.

When did Djokovic last beat a fellow top-4 player?

Who the f*ck cares about Murray.
Raonic kicked his *****, get over it
This thread is about someone else.

BTW, lets see what happens in Shanghai...

[dr325i]

Originally Posted by Zarfot Z

Because Murray's playing in Japan.

It's sort of like a pact, you see.

The top players decide to split the tournaments between them, so they can each win one without going through the other. Win win situation.

Except that they forgot that Murray wins only under special circumstances

[nereis]

I doubt there is a covenant in his contract that states that he has to play the Japan Open. If there were, it would be bizarre and highly unusual.

Since he hasn't been dropped from UNIQLO for breach of contract I think we can infer that there was never such a clause.

Since he's getting the same amount of money regardless (assuming that Japan nor China is like the UK in taxing endorsement revenue, or that if they are that his expected Shanghai winnings will more than compensate for it) he may as well go for the bigger pot and the larger amount of points up for grabs.

[Lemoned]

Now how do we know it was for avoiding Murray, when it can be easily the other way around? LOL
- Murray has played Beijing before, Nole hasn't play Tokyo yet.
- Both tournaments are in the same category but probably Beijing is the preferred one. Way bigger prize money (*discount the appearance fee factor), combined tournament in a larger venue. Easier to get to the next tournament(Shanghai)

I don't believe Nole chose Beijing over Tokyo just not to face Murray, nor vice versa. More likely they just picked whichever they wanted to play, and incidentally both are the defending champions respectively. Also don't forget that Nole confirmed the schedule just after Wimbledon. Before Olympics and US Open, last time they met Nole was the winner.

On a slightly different note, the fast courts of Japan open wouldn't be desirable conditions that Nole is looking for, when the other is a proven formula that worked for him.

[SoBad]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

UNIQLO just opened a new store in the prime shopping area of San Francisco.

There is a shopping area in San Francisco?

[Gorecki]

Originally Posted by SoBad

There is a shopping area in San Francisco?

And all while we wait for Daniel San to perform the crane stance kick...

[dimeaxe]

Originally Posted by Lemoned

Now how do we know it was for avoiding Murray, when it can be easily the other way around? LOL
- Murray has played Beijing before, Nole hasn't play Tokyo yet.
- Both tournaments are in the same category but probably Beijing is the preferred one. Way bigger prize money (*discount the appearance fee factor), combined tournament in a larger venue. Easier to get to the next tournament(Shanghai)

I don't believe Nole chose Beijing over Tokyo just not to face Murray, nor vice versa. More likely they just picked whichever they wanted to play, and incidentally both are the defending champions respectively. Also don't forget that Nole confirmed the schedule just after Wimbledon. Before Olympics and US Open, last time they met Nole was the winner.

On a slightly different note, the fast courts of Japan open wouldn't be desirable conditions that Nole is looking for, when the other is a proven formula that worked for him.

Beijing is faster than Tokyo, lemonade

[Steve Dykstra]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

So a big Japanese company, UNIQLO, pays Djokovic millions of dollars but Djokovic snubs them by choosing to play in the China Open instead of the Japan Open? The executives at UNIQLO must be pretty ticked off. I would have assumed that they would have put into his sponsorship contract that he has to commit to playing in the Japan Open every year for marketing purposes so that UNIQLO can show him off to all the Japanese fans/customers that he wears a Japanese brand.

Since there is nothing in the news about anyone being ****ed off or Djokovic snubbing anyone, I think it is safe to assume that all of your assumptions are inaccurate.

1. Sure, UNIOLO would like him to play in their tournament, but it seems like that was not a part of the agreement.

2. The contract he signed with UNIOLO was probably for a lot of money, but likely not enough money for Djokovic to commit to playing the Tokyo tournament.

3. Beijing probably offered Djokovic a lot of money for him to play there as well.

[All-rounder]

Originally Posted by Rhino

Andy Murray.

When did Djokovic last beat a fellow top-4 player?

Federer at RG semi-finals.

Yes, it's been that long.........

[get it in]

The tournament is over now but I think 2 good reasons Djokovic played in China is 1) The bigger prize money pot as one poster mentioned and 2) He's played there the last 2 years (now 3 years). Just my opinion, though. Not sure about appearance fees, but that could be another reason. I haven't looked into it. As far as rankings point go, the points in Beijing are the same as Tokyo.

[BreakPoint]

Originally Posted by SoBad

There is a shopping area in San Francisco?

Union Square.

[SoBad]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

Union Square.

They set up a shop in the lobby of hotel Nikko?

[ruerooo]

If he were still sponsored by Tacchini, would you want him to play only in Europe?

Only in Italy?

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by Lemoned

Now how do we know it was for avoiding Murray, when it can be easily the other way around? LOL
- Murray has played Beijing before, Nole hasn't play Tokyo yet.

Murray was the defending champion in Tokyo which is why he probably chose to play there.

Originally Posted by Lemoned

I don't believe Nole chose Beijing over Tokyo just not to face Murray, nor vice versa. More likely they just picked whichever they wanted to play, and incidentally both are the defending champions respectively.

Djokovic wasn't defending champion in Beijing. He won it in '09 and '10 but didn't play it last year. Berdych won it last year but interestingly chose not to defend his title and played in Tokyo instead.

Originally Posted by Lemoned

Before Olympics and US Open, last time they met Nole was the winner.

He is 2-3 v Murray in match-ups this year, 8-7 overall.