Pros never seem that dissapointed to loose, annoying!

[morten]

Do they care? Too much money even if they loose? Even at my level it seems players care more if they win or loose...

[Ronny]

actually they do care, they care about it quite alot the just don't show it publicly. plus what can they do the match is already over, all to do i just keep on practicing

[caulcano]

Originally Posted by morten

Do they care? Too much money even if they loose? Even at my level it seems players care more if they win or loose...

People tend to show their emotions in different ways.

And like Ronny said, they're unlikely to show their true emotions publicly.

[Solat]

Originally Posted by morten

Do they care? Too much money even if they loose? Even at my level it seems players care more if they win or loose...

lose, not loose

[Young Gun]

i used 2 think that also, but i realised it would just be another week and then the next week another tournament

[Nick b]

can u imagine lets say if fedz lost and instead of a handshake and a pat on the back he smashed his raket started crying throwing stuff spiting at his oponnent not very nice eighh?

[morten]

lose, ok, english is not my first language I know people show emotions differently, but tour tennisplayers seem to hide it 97% of the time, so they are sort of the same(boring) Anyway i miss players that show emotions on court, period.

[morten]

Originally Posted by Nick b

can u imagine lets say if fedz lost and instead of a handshake and a pat on the back he smashed his raket started crying throwing stuff spiting at his oponnent not very nice eighh?

I cant imagine that, but dont you think it is a shame that all players turn to the "ice-Borg" mode... i do, i am very calm myself btw. 20, even 10 years ago it seemed different. Players showed more heart and grid. The diversity is good IMO. But this is a problem with all professional athletes nowadays i think, same boring answers in interviews etc. Steriotypes. Originality and spontanity(?) is gone...

[mmuubb]

Ask Marat or Lleyton if they are dissapointed after losing.

[kingdaddy41788]

Originally Posted by morten

I cant imagine that, but dont you think it is a shame that all players turn to the "ice-Borg" mode... i do, i am very calm myself btw. 20, even 10 years ago it seemed different. Players showed more heart and grid. The diversity is good IMO. But this is a problem with all professional athletes nowadays i think, same boring answers in interviews etc. Steriotypes. Originality and spontanity(?) is gone...

Listen to one of Roddick's press conferences after a loss and see if it isn't original. I used to hate the guy until I heard one of his press conferences. He's hilarious.

[rommil]

I think most of the players are very realistic and have a sense while the match is going on. C'mon, they do this week in and week out. Plus they know what their opponents strenths and weaknesses are, and a lot if it too depends on how you are or the other person is executing the game plan that day.

[rommil]

Originally Posted by kingdaddy41788

Listen to one of Roddick's press conferences after a loss and see if it isn't original. I used to hate the guy until I heard one of his press conferences. He's hilarious.

With Roddick there seems to be some effort put in to be funny with his interviews. If you want to see a natural, watch Safin.IMO

[grizzly4life]

FWIW, golf and tennis announcers seem to really like the guys who show same emotions winning or losing (that's during the match).

nick faldo, retief goosen and ernie els seem to come to mind in golf (all from the commonwealth??)

not sure who in tennis.... arguable it wasn't good for bjorn borg.

[kingdaddy41788]

Originally Posted by rommil

With Roddick there seems to be some effort put in to be funny with his interviews. If you want to see a natural, watch Safin.IMO

Who cares if there's effort? They're both funny.

[forzainter]

Originally Posted by Nick b

can u imagine lets say if fedz lost and instead of a handshake and a pat on the back he smashed his raket started crying throwing stuff spiting at his oponnent not very nice eighh?

Federer used to do that, i read it in the book 'fantastic federer', he lost a match in hamburg one year, shook the guys hand then smashed his racquet underneath the umpires chair.

[cghipp]

7/5/98, Wimbledon:

Ivanisevic, who possesses both a quick wit and a quick temper, was neither funny nor mad afterward.

He was devastated.

"It feels bad," the 6-foot-4 Croatian said. "I cannot describe it. It's the worst moment in my life.

"I've had some bad moments, you know, when you are sick or when somebody dies, but for me this is the worst thing ever. Nobody died yet, but it's tough."

Even the mention of Croatia's World Cup victory Saturday over Germany failed to brighten his mood.

"I cannot cheer anybody now," he said. "I can only kill myself."

[rommil]

Originally Posted by kingdaddy41788

Who cares if there's effort? They're both funny.

Well good to know you find Roddick funny. Enjoy.

[!Tym]

Originally Posted by rommil

I think most of the players are very realistic and have a sense while the match is going on. C'mon, they do this week in and week out. Plus they know what their opponents strenths and weaknesses are, and a lot if it too depends on how you are or the other person is executing the game plan that day.

Exactly, take a look at the recent Gaudio-Tursunov match. No one WANTS to lose necessarily. But these guys just aren't as confident as they used to be.

Tursunov goes from having his breakthrough year, to being decidedly POOR this year.

It's like the commentator said, at this level, people don't realize how little it takes to go on a downward spiral. If you're just slightly burned out, or lose a little confidence, or whatever; you can and will start losing matches in a hurry.

I remember one of the best comments I ever heard about the difference between the challenger level and college level. One of the former top college guys trying to make it at the challenger level said, that the difference is that in college you know that if you're a top guy there's only a couple of guys who you know can beat you even if you're having a good day.

But at the challenger level, the difference is that EVERYONE can beat you, if they're having a good day.

I remember Kevin Kim once said that seedings don't mean *anything* at the challenger level, and everyone in the draw knows that. He said, that everyone hear can beat everyone on any given day.

Another way to look at it, as you get better at tennis, you realize that you're ability to "zone" increases. Why is that? Simply, because you have more skills.

Even if you don't have any weapons per say, a fast speedy guy who anticipates well, can get in a zone with his anticipation and seemingly be onto EVERY ball you hit and know where you hit before you do. See Hewitt, when he was at his peak. The guy just looked so completely locked into the ball and your body cues, it was ridiculous and intimidating.

Look at the highlights of Chang from the recent French Open highlight marathons.

Chang looked ridiculously locked in those matches. His eyes were bulging out something FIERCE. Near the end of his career, not only had he lost his speed, but he also had lost his confidence. The old Chang was ready to pounce like lightning on the SLIGHTEST sign of weakness from his opponent, the slightest oppening. Later in his career, you'd see him just inexplicably give up in matches and half-heartedly tank.

Against Arazi, he played unbelievable for almost all of two sets, until it came time to close it out. It looked like the old Chang for awhile. Then, all of a sudden, he instantly got tight, because he just didn't believe in himself anymore. More importantly, the CAGED INSTINCTS of an ANIMAL that you saw in those French Open clips was no longer there. What you saw in his eyes was fear, hesitation, in short, a *wounded animal*.

Arazi, who's one of the worst tankers around, picked up on this, and seized his opportunity, stole the second set from under Chang's feet, then POOF, Chang instantly just went away, was sour the whole rest of the way, looked like Rios throwing a hissy-fit out there the rest of the way. He barely moved for balls after that, would spank balls long on purpose, out of frustration. It was like watching a little kid whose just had his feelings badly hurt throw a temper tantrum.

It happens.

I often think the difference between players during their peak and when they fall out of it, is that feeling of being LOCKED IN. When players are at their best, other player can sense and feel it too, which makes them play worse, and kind of just "go away" so to speak. Seriously, the biggest difference when you watch players when they're peaking is that they look LOCKED IN...*even when* they're not playing all that well in a given match, they'll still have that locked in look, like hey I still believe, I'm still hanging around, I'll find away to turn this ship around and find my A game. In other words, a confident player even on a bad day, will still look like he's *scheming*. Chang, more than any other top player I've seen with the exception of Connors, EXEMPLIFIED this. Even during his peak, he would often be down in matches, the difference was that his opponents new and still feared him anyway, because they knew Chang NEVER gave up on a match. His beady little eyes would just get beadier if he was playing poorly or losing, and inevitably no matter how bad the day, he'd still imagine to make a little run at the end and at least push you...AND, of course, also win his fair share of these matches too. The old, DEJECTED Chang simply rolled over and went away at the first sign of adversity in a match. And his opponents smiled, and said thank God.

...and, of course, the opposite of that is when players aren't confident, they'll have a kind of "spaced out" look, or not seem that dissapointed in losing. It's a kind of built-in defense mechanism, a cop out if you will. If you act like you're not devastated, then you preserve more pride and dignity that way. See, Forrest Griffen running out of the cage balling after losing to Keith Jardine, and seeing his #1 contender match hopes dissapear in a literal blurry.

...and, of course, that only happened because what/why? Because, he felt like he was on a roll and he was confident that he'd win. When you're not confident, when you almost will disaster, by acting like you don't care that much if and WHEN you lose. It's just a way of bracing yourself for the inevitable. Of course, once you do that, then why bother showing up in the first place? At this level, you can't pray that your opponent feels sorry for you and gives you a gift.

[kingdaddy41788]

Originally Posted by rommil

Well good to know you find Roddick funny. Enjoy.

Well... I don't know about when he wins. He's hilarious when he loses. And it doesn't seem like he's trying to be funny at all.