What would the right way be to mention an injury, especially after a loss

[Bobby Jr]

Originally Posted by veroniquem

Personally, I'd rather C, although most players are reluctant to do it because then, they get targeted for " excuse making". Ideally, the best thing would be: honesty above all and screw what other people think.

True. No other fashion of mentioning it goes without criticism from the cheap seats (or, in Nadal's case, the expensive seats too). These guys can't win so may as well get it over and done with.

Sure, Federer has mentioned his niggles before during press conferences in what seemed like an undignified manner but (after the Wimbledon loss to Berdych for example) he handled it about as well as he could and it was done after that. Nadal, by contrast, reinvents history by talking about it 6 months later as if it was the only/primary reason he lost - it shows a lack of thoughtfulness or maturity on his part, a single-minded attitude which is obvious in all aspects of his tennis. It's what makes him so successful but is also what makes people dislike him.

The way Nadal acts during matches - in particular the timing of his medical time-outs - is poor sportsmanship. He does himself no favours in that he lacks the self-awareness to change (or, worse, he simply doesn't care what others think of him - a trait which made Michael Schumacher one of the most loathed sportspersons on earth). I'd like to think it was just something he did early in his career but his quirks (his OCD stuff etc) have not abated one bit - if anything they're increasing.

[intrepidish]

Originally Posted by Bobby Jr

True. No other fashion of mentioning it goes without criticism from the cheap seats (or, in Nadal's case, the expensive seats too). These guys can't win so may as well get it over and done with.

Sure, Federer has mentioned his niggles before during press conferences in what seemed like an undignified manner but (after the Wimbledon loss to Berdych for example) he handled it about as well as he could and it was done after that. Nadal, by contrast, reinvents history by talking about it 6 months later as if it was the only/primary reason he lost - it shows a lack of thoughtfulness or maturity on his part, a single-minded attitude which is obvious in all aspects of his tennis. It's what makes him so successful but is also what makes people dislike him.

The way Nadal acts during matches - in particular the timing of his medical time-outs - is poor sportsmanship. He does himself no favours in that he lacks the self-awareness to change (or, worse, he simply doesn't care what others think of him - a trait which made Michael Schumacher one of the most loathed sportspersons on earth). I'd like to think it was just something he did early in his career but his quirks (his OCD stuff etc) have not abated one bit - if anything they're increasing.

The paradigmatic message board delusional pundit/hater at work.

[Hawkeye7]

Mention it whenever and let the haters hate. They will always find sth. to criticise.

[Cup8489]

Originally Posted by albatros_forehand

So let's put it this way. If you decide to go on you are 100% (and no need to cry about it later)

Or you can finish the match and not puss out. Personally I think Federer does the best about it most of the time. He might mention an injury if they ask, but always gives credit. (almost always, rather). And he doesn't retire. Just look at his match with murray at WTF 08, clearly having back issues but finished the match.

[Sid_Vicious]

Originally Posted by tacou

A) all the way. Like Roddick always said, if you decide to play you are 100%.

Roddick was just talking big. He wasn't nearly as idealistic during press conferences after losing matches in which he played like crap. It is such a nonsensical statement. Tennis is a physical sport, if you are running a fever and lose 6-1 6-0, it is perfectly reasonable to say that your fever prevented you from playing your best. In 2007, Roddick lost to Dancevic at Indianapolis and claimed that he had a stomach bug caused from a late night fast food run.While it was a really stupid decision by Roddick, there is no doubt that he was way below 100% during that match. He was puking during the changeovers. You have to be a seriously obtuse person to claim that Roddick was 100% just because he showed up to play.

Most of the time, the pros get bashed for honesty. People bashed Djokovic after he claimed that his right eye was badly irritated by a moving contact lense in his match again Nadal (WTF 2010). It was easy for people on this forum to bash players, but those people should go out and try playing tennis with a contact lense that is sliding back and forth and then see how close to "100%" their tennis games were.

[monfed]

Originally Posted by TMF

you want to label everyone on the same page with Nadal. Sorry, nadal is in a complete level when it comes to excuses after a loss, that's including MTO. He's the only player that fans/commentors(eg PMac) suspected his injuries. The difference is night and day.

EXACTLY! You absolutely got where the OP's getting at. Basically the OP is slinging mud on non-Nadal fans.

[Tennis_Hands]

Originally Posted by Mick

in the old days, the australian players said if you decided to play then you're not injured.

That was when real men walked on court.

To answer the question of the OP.

1/2.

For Christ's sake, DO NOT talk about injuries, when going back to past results and matches. Makes you look like a d*****bag.

Originally Posted by monfed

EXACTLY! You absolutely got where the OP's getting at. Basically the OP is slinging mud on non-Nadal fans.

This is a somewhat revived tactic from the Vamos Brigade.

If they cannot get Hafa out of the water dry, they bring everybody to his level.

[Towser83]

I think generally you should be honest, but then be honest before the match as well. Don't lose and then bring up an injury you never mentioned before.

Also I would state that even if it effected my performance, I could have lost the match anyway.

And if you are getting injured every time you lose, maybe that's the time to play it down a bit..

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by Towser83

I think generally you should be honest, but then be honest before the match as well. Don't lose and then bring up an injury you never mentioned before.

Also I would state that even if it effected my performance, I could have lost the match anyway.

And if you are getting injured every time you lose, maybe that's the time to play it down a bit..

I wouldn't come out and tell my opponents that I am injured beforehand. I would not want to help them beat me by telling them I am hurting physically in some way.

[sbengte]

Originally Posted by sportsfan1

The only correct option is a) "No mention of the injury at all, completely dismiss any connection between injury and loss. Dont talk about it even if brought up.", much like Rafa did after his loss to Ferrer in the the AO. Anything that's said about an injury, even if true, just makes it sound like an excuse.

Huh ? That was probably the only time he was genuinely injured during a match and it showed to some extent during the match. He made it more than obvious during the entire match through his actions that he pulled a muscle or something in one of those brutal rallies in the first set, so there was no need for him to give a detailed report on his injury during the PC. The whole world saw it and the press would write about it anyway, so the loss was justified and attributed to injury without him uttering a word about it officially.

On the other hand, after sweeping most of the clay season, winning RG with the loss of one set, entering singles and doubles in Halle and looking fully fit running like a rabbit showing no signs of injury while getting outplayed by Rosol, thereafter slowly leaking 'injury' reports to the media over the next few months to handle the embarrassment of losing to a #100 player - now that is something else. No one but the Nadal camp does that, over and over again after every shocking loss.

[sbengte]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

I wouldn't come out and tell my opponents that I am injured beforehand. I would not want to help them beat me by telling them I am hurting physically in some way.

Agree, it makes no sense. But it depends on the player, I guess. Some people possibly use the reverse psychology i.e announce you are injured, possibly with an exaggeration, so as to reduce expectations before the match. Then surprise the opponent by playing above the level expected of you.

[Feather]

Originally Posted by sbengte

Huh ? That was probably the only time he was genuinely injured during a match and it showed to some extent during the match. He made it more than obvious during the entire match through his actions that he pulled a muscle or something in one of those brutal rallies in the first set, so there was no need for him to give a detailed report on his injury during the PC. The whole world saw it and the press would write about it anyway, so the loss was justified and attributed to injury without him uttering a word about it officially.

On the other hand, after sweeping most of the clay season, winning RG with the loss of one set, entering singles and doubles in Halle and looking fully fit running like a rabbit showing no signs of injury while getting outplayed by Rosol and thereafter slowly leaking 'injury' reports to the media over the next few months to handle the embarrassment of losing to a #100 player - now that is something else. No one but the Nadal camp does that, over and over again after every shocking loss.

Recently Rafa hinted that he was not well during IW. And what did he do? He played Miami the very next week

[adil1972]

when Arantxa Sánchez Vicario defeated graf in us open final 1994 (i dont remember the year), the announcer tried to blame steffi graf bad back for her loss, which steffi denied

[Towser83]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

I wouldn't come out and tell my opponents that I am injured beforehand. I would not want to help them beat me by telling them I am hurting physically in some way.

well then saying you have an injury afterwards looks like an excuse. Also I don't think it matters if you say you are injured before a match. How is that going to help your opponent?

Who actually believes any injuries these days? Nadal is always injured and trying his best to be at 100% because if not, it's going to be impossible, no? How many times has he won tournaments taped up and supposedly battling injury? Not to get at Nadal at this time especially, but you have to admit Nadal has often turned up with some problem and a lot of times still won. Because i can't ever remamber him saying he was 100% yet he's still won 11 slams and 22 masters etc.

Djokovic has injuries that you don't believe, so if he said "I have a bit of a problem" is anyone going to gain an advantage from that? They could simply think it's a trick. You know, playing possum I wouldn't gain any confidence playing someone who said they were injured, if anything I'd feel more pressure from being expected to win.

plus you don't have to say your leg is falling off, but at least if you say you have a small problem you can admit later it was slightly worse, instead of it coming out of nowhere.